On this action-packed 8 day Uganda classic budget safari, you can expect an authentic and memorable experience filled with wildlife encounters, stunning landscapes, and the thrill of mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable forest without breaking the bank. This safari is designed to provide a cost-effective way for individuals to enjoy the beauty and adventure of an African safari in Uganda. This safari can start in Kigali capital city Rwanda and end in Entebbe Uganda or vice versa.
Highlights:
- Scenic road trips
- Unforgettable Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
- Trek Chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park.
- Community encounters in Bwindi and Kibale rain forest
- The ultimate jungle treks.
- Wildlife based boat cruises on Kazinga and the mighty Nile
DETAILED ITINERARY
Day One –Track Southern white rhinos on foot
Pick up from your guest house and transfer to Ziwa rhino sanctuary where you will be able to track rhinos on foot with the help of armed rangers who are there to guide and protect you throughout the experience.
After a hot lunch, we drive to the park gate for clearance and then proceed through Budongo forest to the top of the falls as your first activity in the park. After top of the fall’s photographic moments, drive to your lodge which is located in the middle of the park as you enjoy wildlife.
Accommodation: Fort Murchison (Tent)
Meal Plan: Full Board
Day Two: Full day Murchison Falls
After breakfast (6:30) we head out for a drive-in search of cats which might still be busy with a kill or running away from the wet grass. Watch out for leopards, elephants, cape buffalo, giraffes, baboons, monkeys etc.
In the afternoon, we a take a shared boat cruise to the bottom of the falls in search of animals that come to drink and cool off on the banks of the Nile River such as elephants, waterbucks, giraffes, buffaloes, Nile crocodile, the monitor lizard, hippos and many birds.
Accommodation: Fort Murchison (Tent)
Day Three: Scenic road trip and evening Bigodi community Walk
After breakfast, we will have short game drive as we head out of the park. we drive further to the southern parts of Uganda with a hot lunch en route to Kibale forest. After check in, we take a walk in the famous Bigodi wetlands, a community project managed by the community aimed at changing and improving the lives of the host communities. Watch out for olive baboons, red-tailed, black and white colobus monkey, bird species, cultural encounter with the local communities. Dinner and overnight.
Accommodations: Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse
Day Four: Chimpanzee habituation and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast, you will drive to kanyanchu to join others for briefing before you head to forest with rangers in search of chimps following their calls and tracks. Once chimps have been located, you will spend four hours with them as you learn more about them.
Afternoon/Evening, we take a boat cruise on Kazinga channel famous for high density of hippos and to discover more about the water species or meet those that come to relax or drink water in the afternoon. Later, return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodations: Enshama Game Lodge
Day Five: Morning game drive and transfer to Bwindi
After you breakfast, we will depart from Queen Elizabeth national park and drive towards the southern most parts of Uganda. Before departure to Bwindi we will have a morning game drive to explore Queen Elizabeth park which is gifted with 90 species of mammals, 600 bird species which makes it ideal for the big game. To increase our chances of wildlife sightings, we start our game drives at 06:30am and hope to meet lions, leopards, elephants, cape buffaloes among others on this quest. Late we transfer to Bwindi with lunch stop en route. Dinner and overnight in Bwindi.
Accommodations: Enshama Game Lodge
Meal Plan: Full Board
Day Six: Optional Carnivore monitoring and transfer to Bwindi
After breakfast, you will depart from Queen Elizabeth National Park and drive towards the southernmost parts of Uganda. The road trip is both scenic and wild as you traverse through the rural villages of the Kigezi region. Depending on where your gorilla permits have been booked, you will have lunch en route and proceed to overnight at the edge of the forest.
There is an optional lion monitoring program before departing to Bwindi at 200$ per person not included in the cost. This is to give you a chance to follow cats as one of the routine procedures in monitoring and caring for these big cats.
Accommodation: Gorilla Mist Camp/Rushaga Gorilla Camp
Meal Plan Full board
Day Seven: Iconic gorilla trekking and transfer to lake Bunyonyi
After breakfast, you will have a short drive to the UWA briefing center where you will be taken through the dos and don’ts while tracking gorillas. After you have been allocated a gorilla family in a group of 8 pax, you will be led by ranger guides off into the forest to search for the gorillas. When gorillas have been located, you will have one full hour of viewing them as they go on with their daily lives at a distance of 7-10 meters. Later, you’ll transfer from Bwindi to Lake Bunyonyi for an overnight stay.
Accommodation: Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort
Meal: Half Board
Day Eight: Depart from Lake Bunyonyi to Entebbe/Kigali
After a relaxed breakfast and optional activities on the lake, we will depart from lake Bunyonyi and transfer back to Kampala to drop off at Entebbe International airport or guest House in Entebbe or transfer to Kigali airport via Cyanika Rwandan border town. End of 8-day Uganda classic budget safari.
View also our 4 day double gorilla tracking (Rwanda Uganda)
Accommodation: None
Meal Plan: Breakfast Only
Included in the above quote:
- All accommodations listed in the itinerary.
- Drinking water in the vehicle
- Gorilla permits 800$
- All the excursions and activities indicated in the itinerary
- Support of a private 4×4 vehicle with experienced English-speaking driver-guide,
- All transfers
- Government taxes
Excluded from the above quote:
- Uganda Entry Visa fee
- Lion Monitoring (200$) per person
- International air flights
- Any optional activity not indicated in above program
- Laundry Services
- Chimpanzee Tracking 250$
- Gratuities and Tips
