11 Days – Lake Mburo, Lake Bunyonyi, Bwindi, Queen Eilzabeth, Kibale and Murchison Falls
11 Days – Lake Mburo, Lake Bunyonyi, Bwindi, Queen Eilzabeth, Kibale and Murchison Falls
Lake Mburo National Park has a rich history. Back in 1933, the area that is now the park was known as a hunting ground. People came here to hunt wild animals. Thirty years later, in 1963, the government, under President Milton Obote, changed its status to a game reserve. This meant that hunting was controlled, and the area was protected to some extent. Finally, in 1983, the area received the highest level of protection when it was officially declared a national park. This designation meant that the land and its wildlife were fully protected by law, and hunting was no longer allowed.
Day 1: Kampala to Lake Mburo National Park (Game Drives and Boat Ride)
You will set off from Kampala (or Entebbe) at 7:00 am and head to the western part of Uganda to Lake Mburo National Park. The drive takes 3-4 hours with a stopover at the Equator for an opportunity to stand in both the northern and southern hemispheres at the same time. You will continue through the savannah grasslands dotted with settlements, plantations, and several herds of local long-horned Ankole cattle endemic to this part of the country.
Once you get into Lake Mburo National Park, you will go for a game drive in search of wildlife like zebra, hippos, crocodiles, eland, antelope, impala, and a variety of birds. After lunch, you will go for a 2-hour boat ride on Lake Mburo, which is home to many water animals such as hippos and crocodiles and several bird species. After the boat ride, you will drive to your accommodation.
Meals: lunch, dinner
Day 2: Lake Mburo National Park (Game Drives and Nature Walk)
You can either have a relaxed breakfast and depart for a full day of game drives around 9:00 am with a packed lunch and return back to the lodge late afternoon around 6:00 pm, or you can depart at 6:00 am on an early morning game drive. Later, return to accommodation for breakfast and relax for a bit before departing on an afternoon game drive with a packed lunch.
While on the game drive, you will find wildlife like zebra, hippos, crocodiles, eland, antelope, impala, and a variety of birds. Later in the evening, take a guided nature walk. This walk takes you to the salt lick area, which offers a chance to see at least four different species of animals at any one point while they lick the salty soil.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 3: Lake Mburo National Park to Lake Bunyonyi
After an early breakfast, you will set off for the southwestern part of the country, heading to Lake Bunyonyi. This lake is said to be one of the most beautiful places in western Uganda. It is the second deepest lake in Africa (900 meters deep) and also one of the few places in the country where it is considered safe to swim. The landscape around the lake is made up of terraced hills protruding from the water’s edge. Bunyonyi means “place of little birds” and, as the name suggests, there is plenty of birdlife around the lake.
At Lake Bunyonyi, you can pay the extra amount for the activity (Community Walk, Canoe Ride, Boat Ride, Bicycle Ride, Bird Watching, and Cray Fishing…) directly at the accommodation and do the activity of your choice.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 4: Lake Bunyonyi to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
You will be transferred to Bwindi National Park for lunch. After lunch, you can choose to do a Batwa cultural experience (optional). You will go through their villages to experience how they go about their daily routine activities and be amazed by the way they skillfully cultivate the hillsides and care for their animals (cows) that are a prime source of pride.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 5: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Gorilla Trekking) to Ishasha
You will have an early morning breakfast at 6:30 am and, with a packed lunch, move to the park headquarters to join other trackers in a briefing about the gorilla trekking rules at 7:30 am. You will trek through thick creepers and undergrowth with your guides to find the gorillas, which can take 1-8 hours. The steeply forested landscape is incredibly dense but crisscrossed by numerous animal trails allowing access by tourists. You will stay with the gorillas for some time once sighted and then transfer to Ishasha Sector for accommodation.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 6: Game Drives in Ishasha and Boat Ride in Kazinga Channel
After your breakfast, you will be taken to Ishasha, famous for the tree-climbing lions lounging in the tree branches while keeping a close eye on herds of Uganda kob, their favorite prey. You could have a chance to spot some tree-climbing lions before proceeding to your lodge.
In the afternoon, you will take a boat cruise along the amazing Kazinga Channel to see, at close range, the water animals including hippos, buffalos, crocodiles, and elephants bathing on the channel banks. There is also a variety of bird species on the water banks, especially the famous shoebill, pelican, and jacana.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 7: Queen Elizabeth National Park to Kibale National Park
After breakfast, you will take a packed lunch and head for a game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park to see Africa’s highly famed “Big 5,” bushbucks, giant hogs, antelopes, waterbucks, and plenty of birds. Later in the evening, you will be transferred to Kibale Forest National Park.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 8: Kibale National Park (Chimp Tracking and Bigodi Swamp Walk)
After breakfast, head to Kibale Forest. The activity begins at 8:00 am with a briefing on the rules for trekking the chimpanzees, after which you set off to search for them in the forest. Kibale Forest National Park boasts the highest number of primate species in the world, including chimpanzees. Approximately 5,000 chimpanzees live in the wild in Uganda, making it a perfect place to spot them! An experienced ranger will take you chimp tracking in the morning. Once you locate the chimpanzees, you will spend an hour with them and then head back to the accommodation for lunch.
After lunch, you will be taken for a Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary walk. This is a guided swamp walk that brings you closer to seeing primates, mostly monkeys, birds, and butterflies. The wetland is a birder’s paradise with about 138 species and is best known for being home to the Great Blue Turaco. This 2.5-3 hour walk is a must for bird lovers. The walk is almost as popular as the Kibale Forest walk. You will need good walking shoes since part of the walk is sometimes muddy. Hopefully, you will spot the elusive sitatunga antelope and the shoebill stork. This is not to be missed. You will meet some of the primates here, even a chimpanzee at times. Other primate species include the black-and-white colobus, grey-cheeked mangabey, red-tailed, l’Hoest’s, blue monkeys, and olive baboons. Bushbucks and mongooses, among others, can also be found here. Bigodi Sanctuary is located outside the park in Magombe Swamp.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 9: Kibale National Park to Murchison Falls National Park
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Murchison Falls National Park, which is a 7-8 hour drive. Head straight to tour the top and bottom of the majestic falls, where the Nile crashes through a 7-meter gorge and then falls 45 meters. Numerous scenic viewpoints are a photographer’s delight. The most impressive view is of the foaming waters rushing into the gorge with a deafening roar.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 10: Murchison Falls National Park (Game Drives and Boat Ride)
You will set off at 6:30 am, cross to the northern bank of the Nile, and head for a sunrise game drive in the Nyamsika Plateau to see the Cape buffaloes, Rothschild’s giraffes, Uganda kob, hartebeest, and waterbucks. You may also spot oribi, bushbuck, Bohor reedbuck, shy sitatunga, bush duiker, warthog, and bush pig, plus large carnivores including lions, leopards, and spotted hyenas. Chimpanzees and olive baboons head the list of six species of primates found in the park. Crocodiles and hippos will be seen along the banks of the Nile. Some of the more common birds that can be seen include goliath heron, Egyptian geese, pelican, bee-eaters, kingfishers, hornbill, cormorant, saddle-bill stork, and the rare shoebill stork.
You will return to your lodge for a late breakfast and some relaxation before setting off in the afternoon for a boat cruise on the placid Victoria Nile, upstream, to the base of the falls. En route, you will see hippos, crocodiles, waterbucks, and a wide variety of birds including the unusual shoebill stork. The boat stops just tens of meters from the “Devil’s Cauldron” for pictures of the photogenic and majestic Murchison Falls.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 11: Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary (Rhino Tracking) to Kampala
After an early morning breakfast, depart with great memories of the moments spent at Murchison Falls. You will be driven to the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. After a briefing from the ranger, you will trek the sanctuary for close to two hours. With lunch en route, you will be transferred back to Kampala (or Entebbe).
Meals: breakfast, lunch