4 days Uganda camping safari is a 3 nights/4 days camping safari in Uganda offering unforgettable gorilla trekking, chimpanzee tracking, and wildlife game viewing tour in four amazing days. This 4 day Uganda safari tour features the most popular Uganda safari destination of Queen Elizabeth National Park with its counts of wild game including the lions both land-dwelling and tree climbing, African elephants, the Cape Buffaloes, the Uganda Kobs, waterbucks, spotted hyena, leopards, and side-striped jackals.
The 4-day camping trip also features superb Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and habitat for almost half of the world’s mountain gorillas, about 459 individuals on the last count. The gorilla destination of Bwindi is also home to 120 other mammal species including the very rare L’Hoest’s Monkeys, Red-tailed Monkeys, Black-and-white colobus monkeys, Blue Monkeys, Duikers and Forest elephants.
The ‘impenetrable forest of Bwindi is also a fantastic birding destination hosting 350 bird species including the rare, elusive, and gorgeous African green broadbill. The magical hills offer impressive scenery and a sightseeing experience.
Also included in this 4 days Uganda camping safari is a chimpanzee tracking encounter in verdant Kalinzu Forest, a recreation encounter on Lake Bunyonyi known as the lake of a thousand Islands because of its 29 Islands, the Uganda Equator experience, and traditional meal at Igongo Cultural Centre. The optional game drive in Lake Mburo National Park is also rewarding with the views of Giraffes, Zebras, Impala, Topis, Warthogs, and Elands among other wild game.
Trekking rare mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Tracking a troop of wild chimpanzees in Kalinzu forest on foot
Game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Searching for the uncommon tree-climbing lions of Ishasha Sector
Recreation boat cruise on Lake Bunyonyi
Traditional lunch at Igongo Cultural Centre
The Uganda Equator crossing experience Kayabwe
Game drive in Lake Mburo National Park (optional)
Day 1: Kalinzu Forest & Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 2: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 3: Lake Bunyonyi
Day 4: Igongo Cultural Centre, Equator, & Kampala
Day 1: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth Park. Track Chimpanzees in the nearby Kalinzu Forest
Day 2: Do a morning game drive in Queen & transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 3: Gorilla trekking & transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for an evening boat cruise and relaxation
Day 4: Transfer back to Kampala. Make stops en route at Igongo Cultural Centre for lunch & Equator crossing Kayabwe for Photoshoots.
Your 4 days Uganda camping safari starts early at 6:30 am from your place of stay in Kampala after breakfast with the safari guide picking you up to head to Queen Elizabeth National Park 417km about 7 hours’ drive in the south-west of Uganda.
Drive from Kampala towards the west and have a stop at the Equator for handicrafts and amazing photos plus demonstrations that justify the geographical separation between the north and the southern hemisphere.
After this continue with your journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park fronted by the magnificent Rwenzori Mountain range for much of your journey. On the outskirts, you connect to the Kalinzu Forest Reserve for an afternoon Chimpanzee trekking experience.
You explore the amazing apes which feature 98.8% of the human DNA making them our closest cousins. The verdant forest of Kalinzu features impressive flora, birds, and other primate species including black and white colobus monkeys, olive baboon, and red-tailed, blue and L’Hoest’s monkey which can as well be explored on the chimpanzee trekking encounter.
The chimp trek can take 2 – 5 hours’ inclusive of one hour of direct viewing after which you connect to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight. An optional evening game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park can be undertaken if time allows.
The highlight of the day: – Chimpanzee tracking in Kalinzu Forest
Luxury/Upmarket: – Mweya Safari Lodge (Luxury Safari Tents)/Ishasha Wilderness Camp
Midrange/Standard: – Kasenyi Safari Camp/Bush Lodge (self-contained tents)
Budget/Basic: – Bush Lodge (non -self-contained tents)/Camping at Twin Lakes Campsite
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive distance & time: – Approx. 417km or 7 hours
Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Have an early morning breakfast at around 6.00 am. After breakfast, embark on a 3-4 hours game drive in the classic savannah plains of the Kasenyi sector. This section of the park, aside from the fantastic wildlife, is also the prettiest in the park, especially in the golden light of the morning. Look for lions, buffalos, elephants, leopards, hyenas, waterbucks, bushbucks, warthogs, giant forest hogs, Uganda kobs, Hippos, and various smaller creatures.
Though the major attraction for you is of course the mammals, birding within Queen Elizabeth National Park is wonderful. You spend some time ticking a good number of special species such as Grey-crowned crane, Red-throated spurfowl, Yellow-throated longclaw, White-backed vulture, White-headed vulture, African Skimmer, Long-crested Eagle, Black-bellied Bustard, and Brown Snake Eagle, to name just a few.
After the game drive, embark on the trip to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via Ishasha. Along the road, via Ishasha Sector you have chances of spotting the plains of the famous tree-climbing lions. Ishasha also supports Buffaloes, Elephants, Waterbucks and Kobs which can be viewed en route to Bwindi arriving in the evening for relaxation, dinner, and overnight
Luxury/Upmarket: – Gorilla Forest Camp/Nkuringo Gorilla Camp
Midrange/Standard: – Gorilla Mist Camp/Nkuringo Gorilla Camp/Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
Budget/Basic: – Buhoma Community Rest Camp/Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive Distance & time: – Approx. 130-220km or 4-7 hours
Wake up at around 6.00 am and have a hearty breakfast. After breakfast pack your lunch and embark on a short drive to the respective Bwindi Impenetrable National Park headquarter where you meet the expert local ranger guides.
At 8.00 am, the guides give an informative briefing on how the gorilla trekking experience is conducted. Next, embark on a trek to find the gorillas. A gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is relatively difficult and needs some stamina. It usually takes 2- 6 hours and may reach altitudes of almost 2000m above sea level. The dense forest also can sometimes be wet, muddy, and uncomfortable, but the sheer thrill in coming across a habituated family group of gorillas, dominated by a giant male Silverback, more than outweighs any difficulty.
An adult male can weigh up to 220kg and reach 6 ft. in height but mountain gorillas are calm and gentle; watching their movements are like seeing a mirror image of yourself. Contact time with gorillas is limited to 1 hour but coming face to face with a family of mountain gorillas is indeed a life-changing experience that will be imprinted on your mind forever.
After your one hour with the gorillas, return to the starting point and transfer to the starting point to embark on the transfer to Lake Bunyonyi 52km about 2 hours’ drive driving through fascinating Kigezi Highlands which locals apply terracing method to cultivate their slopes deriving impressive scenic landscape.
You arrive at Lake Bunyonyi in the afternoon; undertake a thrilling boat cruise on the second deepest lake in Africa marked with a range of 29 Islands that have earned it a dub as the lake of a thousand Islands. You explore the amazing sceneries of the Islands surrounded by magical Kigezi Highlands. Retire for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
The highlight of the day: – Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
Luxury/ Upmarket: – Birdnest @Bunyonyi Resort
Mid-range/ Moderate: – Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort/Lake Bunyonyi Eco Resort
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive distance & time: – Approx. 55-85 km or 1-3 hours
After breakfast, embark on the transfer to Kampala 437km about 7 hours’ drive from Lake Bunyonyi. You make a stop at Igongo Cultural Center for traditional lunch and then you can have an optional drive through Lake Mburo National Park for views of wild game like Rothschild giraffes, Elands, Zebras, Topis, Warthogs, Defassa waterbucks, Impala among others.
You proceed to make another stop at Uganda Equator crossing Kayabwe for amazing photo shoots where one leg is on the northern hemisphere and the other in the southern hemisphere. The site also has good souvenir shops where you can secure your memorabilia about Uganda before continuing on the drive to arrive in Kampala in the evening.
The highlight of the day: – The Uganda Equator experience and traditional lunch at Igongo Cultural Centre.
Meal Plan: – Breakfast & Lunch
Drive distance & time: – 437km or 7 hours
Short game drive in Lake Mburo National Park
End of the 4 Days Uganda Camping Safari
Cate
Samuel
Robert
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