7 Days Safari In Uganda Trip – Gorilla Trekking In Bwindi, Wildlife Viewing In Lake Mburo & Queen Elizabeth National Park

7 Days Safari In Uganda Trip – DETAILED SAFARI ITINERARY

Day 1: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park and you will engage in an afternoon game

The first day of this safari tour will commence early in the morning at 6:00 am as you will be picked up from your hotel in Entebbe or Kampala by our company guide in a 4×4 safari customized vehicle. He will brief you about the tour and after you will then embark on an incredible 240km road trip to Lake Mburo National Park which takes about 4 hours to get there from Kampala.

While on this scenic road journey, you will enjoy exciting road stops at Mpambire drum centre and have an encounter with local artists as they manufacture a wide variety of local musical instruments such as the drums, and African chairs.

Another stop is done at the Equator where you get to have an equator experience on how to differentiate the Northern from the Southern hemispheres and also have a photo moment. You will visit the Equator for a photo session and Equator experience which explains how the 2 hemispheres are unique from each other.

From here, continue with your remarkable journey to Lake Mburo where you will be greeted by the undulating topography of this untamed wilderness that is fully beaming with a wide diversity of wild animals. Check in at the lodge, enjoy lunch, relax for a while and later embark on a rewarding evening game drive in the acacia savannah landscapes of Lake Mburo National Park with likely sights of Impalas found nowhere else in Uganda, Burchell’s Zebra and Elands found only here and in far northeast (Kidepo and Pian Upe), Topis, Cape Buffalos, Rothschild Giraffes and if you’re lucky you might also encounter the beautiful and stocky Leopards that might found enjoying an evening stroll or even on a hunting escapade.

A highly rewarding evening game walk in Lake Mburo will surely be your day’s highlight

Accommodation: –

• Luxury/ Upmarket: Mihingo Safari Lodge/ Matana Tented Camp
• Mid-range/ Moderate: Rwakobo Rock / Emburara Farm Lodge/ Arcadia Lodge Mburo
• Budget/ Basic: Eagles Nest Mburo

Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner

Drive distance & time: Approx. 240km or 4-5 hours

Activities & Services

• Transfer to Lake Mburo: –
• Evening game walk in Mburo Park

Optional activities: –

• Game drive
• Biking
• Horseback riding
• Banyankole cultural encounters
• Evening boat cruise

Day 2: Engage in an Ankole cultural visit and transfer to Bwindi

On this day, you will visit the local Banyankole communities where you will encounter the famous long-horned cattle that are endemic to this area. While here, you will have a chance to interact with the local people and witness how they go about their daily lives and if you wish you can as well join in and also engage in some of the activities such as cattle grazing by the herdsmen, milking process where you will milk the cows using your own hands pulling the cow’s adder to produce milk.

You can also join the ladies as they churn their milk pots to produce cow ghee and yoghurt without using any machines but just their hands using skills that have been traditionally passed on through generations.

From here you will leave the local community and transfer to Igongo country hotel for a lunch buffet that is inspired by the local cuisines that are a delicacy to this part of the country. After lunch, you embark on the remaining 4-5 hour journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Uganda, passing through the beautiful Mirama hills that have been tamed by locals who are growing bananas and another foodstuff on the slopes of these hills. Along the way look out for sightings of local people carrying riding bicycles loaded with farm products such as bananas.

You won’t also miss seeing women carrying their children monkey style as they have them strapped in their backs. A final stop will be made at the Great Lakes Museum in Kabale where you get to encounter the African tree of life. This tree is made of different sculptures that depict the different forms of life of Africans. You can take a moment a pose for photos before you continue with the rest of your journey to the lodge in Bwindi.

Experiencing the daily life of the Banyankole people will be the highlight of the day.

Accommodation: –

• Top-Notch / Exclusive: Gorilla Forest Camp/ Buhoma Lodge
• Luxury/ Upmarket: Haven Lodge Buhoma
• Mid-range/ Moderate: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
• Budget/ Basic: Trekkers Tavern Ruhija

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Drive distance & time: Approx. 250km or 4-5 hours

Activities & Services: –

• Transfer to Bwindi
• Morning cultural experience in Mburo Park

Optional activities: –

• Game drive
• Biking
• Horseback riding
• Evening boat cruise

Day 3: Engage in a gorilla trekking experience and an afternoon community walk

Today, you will have an early morning breakfast served at 6:30 am comprising of a wide assortment of bites ranging from truly delicious tropical organic fruits to freshly baked confectionaries aimed at giving you an energy boost for the gorilla trekking in Bwindi experience ahead of you where you get to meet one of the gorilla families in this park for a full hour.

Depart from the lodge with your packed lunch and gather at the park centre where you will be welcomed by the park sector warden who will take you through the history of gorilla conservation in this particular park sector and Bwindi park in general. While here still you get to have a miniature cultural performance from the local Batwa people who will showcase their musical skills to you.

With your rangers in the lead, you shall embark on the Uganda Gorilla trek, searching for your allocated gorilla family. During your search for the gorillas, you will see several of the 350 bird species that are found in this park and other primates such as the Black and white colobus monkeys, L’hoest monkeys, and different species of lizards such as the 3 horned chameleon and many more.

On seeing the gorillas, count yourself among the lucky people who have managed to see these endangered mountain giants in their natural habitat. You will be granted a full hour with these magical beings to watch them as they go about their daily lives and if you’re lucky you might get to see the young gorillas break the 7-meter rule as they get closure to you to have you incorporated in their games.

After the full hour of contact with these gorillas, you will transfer back to the park centre where you get awarded a Gorilla tracking certificate for your tracking efforts.  After trekking the gorillas, you can choose to relax at the lodge for the rest of the evening or engage in a visit the local Batwa community to have a first-hand experience of how this small community of people have managed to live side by side with these giant beasts for over 1000 years.

While here you will see how these guys used to hunt and use some of the trees and leaves from these forests to treat several of their ailments.

Spending a full hour with the Gorillas surely makes this day special and it is the day’s highlight.

Accommodation: –

• Top-Notch / Exclusive: Gorilla Forest Camp/ Buhoma Lodge
• Luxury/ Upmarket: Haven Lodge Buhoma
• Mid-range/ Moderate: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
• Budget/ Basic: Trekkers Tavern Ruhija

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Activities & Services

• Batwa community walks

• Gorilla trekking

Optional Activities: –

• Nature walks in Bwindi
• Birding

Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park and engage in a game drive in the Ishasha.

Day 4 is dedicated to getting you to Queen Elizabeth National Park. This day begins early in the morning as you wake up to the sweet melodies of numerous birds as they sing their hearts of the dawn of new day on the shores of this incredible highland lake. Breakfast will be served at 7:30 am in order to allow you to commence your 6-7 hour journey to Queen Elizabeth Park on time. As you transfer to Queen, you will engage in a game drive experience in the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park named Ishasha sector which is well known for its tree-climbing lions.

The Ishasha sector presents a remarkable encounter with the unique tree-climbing lions which are only existing in two spots in the whole world with the Ishasha sector having the best viewing opportunities. After this search for the tree-climbing lions, you will proceed with the remaining part of your journey to Queen Elizabeth park which ends with your arrival to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

A sighting of the tree climbing lions in Ishasha sector lodged in between tree branches will be the highlight of the day

Accommodation: –

• Luxury/ Up market: Mweya Safari Lodge / Katara Safari Lodge / Elephant Plains Safari Lodge
• Mid-range/ Moderate: Enganzi Game Lodge/ Mazike Valley Lodge
• Budget/ Basic: Pumba Safari Lodge / Bush Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Drive distance & time: Approx. 230km or 4-6 hours

Activities & Services: –

• Transfer to Queen Elizabeth Park
• Game drive in the Ishasha sector

Other optional activities you can choose to do on this day include: –

• Night game drive experience in Queen Elizabeth Park

Day 5: Morning game drive, Kazinga Channel boat and mini evening game drive

After breakfast having breakfast at 6:00 am, you will start off the day with a spectacular game drive to the savannah landscapes of Queen Elizabeth National Park for a 3 – 4-hour morning game drive exploring the park’s rolling savannah landscapes dotted with counts of wild game including the big four of the big five like lions, leopards, buffaloes and elephants, antelope species like waterbucks, Kobs, bushbucks among others, jackals among other wild game.

The stretch to Kasenyi and the Mweya peninsular offers you the best of these. You settle for lunch at Tembo restaurant in the Mweya peninsular after which you gather at the Mweya jetty to embark on a thrilling boat cruise on the 45km long Kazinga Channel. The cruise takes 2 hours with possibilities of encountering the aquatic species such as Nile Crocodiles and Hippos not forgetting other wild game that tends to congregate on the channel shores to consume water.  Retreat from the activity and do a game drive along the channel track in the Mweya peninsular to explore more wildlife. Retire for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Today’s highlight be will the incredible boat cruise on the Kazinga channel

Accommodation: –

• Luxury/ Up market: Mweya Safari Lodge / Katara Safari Lodge / Elephant Plains Safari Lodge
• Mid-range/ Moderate: Enganzi Game Lodge/ Mazike Valley Lodge
• Budget/ Basic: Pumba Safari Lodge / Bush Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Activities & Services: –

• Afternoon boat cruise
• Game drive in the Kasenyi sector

Other optional activities you can choose to do on this day include: –

• Night game drive experience in Queen Elizabeth Park
• Bush Dinner
• Hot air ballooning experience
• Birding
• Cultural encounters

Day 6:  Do Chimpanzee trekking in Kalinzu forest and another evening game drive.

The morning of this day kicks off with an amazing breakfast served at 6:30 am with a single aim of energizing for the thrilling chimpanzee trek that’s ahead of you. You will be transferred by your guide to the Kalinzu forest where you get to go through a short briefing about the entire chimpanzee trekking experience.

From here in the company of park rangers, embark on jungle walk as you search for these great Chimpanzees – the highlight of the day will be when you get to meet these exciting creatures you will be wowed by how much in common we do have with these great apes as they laugh, hug and kiss just like humans do and also look after the young ones.

Besides the chimpanzees, you should also not miss out on the sightings of several other primates that call this forest their home and these include the black and white colobus monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, and Grey monkeys. After the chimpanzee encounter which lasts an hour of pure enjoyment return to the park centre.

From here, you will return to your lodge to have a lunch break then transfer to later on in the evening when the scorching sun has successfully reduced its intensity you will venture out onto the Kasenyi plains for another round of game drive so that you maximize your chances of seeing all the savanna wild game that exists here. At the end of this game drive, you will retire back to your lodge where you will have dinner and an overnight stay.

The highlight of the day: An encounter with the Chimpanzees.

Accommodation: –

• Luxury/ Upmarket: Mweya Safari Lodge / Katara Safari Lodge / Mazike Valley Safari Lodge
• Mid-range/ Moderate: Enganzi Game Lodge/ Marafiki Safari Lodge
• Budget/ Basic: Pumba Safari Lodge / Bush Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Activities & Services: –

• Chimpanzee trekking
• Evening game drive

Optional activities: –

• Afternoon birding session in the park
• Hot air ballooning safari experience
• Predator tracking
• Cultural encounters
• Nocturnal walk in the forest

Day 7: Transfer back to Kampala with a visit to the Uganda Equator Line  

The final day of this safari begins with a laid back breakfast served at 7:30 am, you will commence the 6-7 hour fascinating road drive from Queen Elizabeth National Park to Kampala which lies 417km away. During this epic journey, you will enjoy exciting road stops at different points of the journey aimed at giving you an opportunity to have a break from this journey to allow you stretch your body and also have an interaction with the local people.

The first stop will come at the eastern edge of the western arm of the great East African rift valley and while here you will have impressive views of Queen Elizabeth wilderness which lies on the valley floor of the rift valley and while here, you can stop to have a photo moment. You will then enjoy a scenic drive through the tea plantations of Bushenyi as you proceed to Mbarara.

On your arrival to Mbarara, you will have another stop at the Igongo country hotel for a lunch break. While having this sumptuous traditional lunch buffet, if you’re a foodie, you can take your taste buds on a culinary experience as you ask for the Eshabwe dish which is a delicacy in this part of Uganda.

After having your lunch break, you will proceed and visit the 1520AD solar eclipse monument in Biharwe and listen to the intriguing history behind this piece of artistic mastery if you like, you can hike to the top of Biharwe hill where the monument and enjoy the sweeping views of the flat plains of Mbarara region.

The Uganda Equator Line in Kayabwe is another stop for a journey break where you can use the bathrooms, or enjoy a cup of Ugandan coffee and souvenir purchase.

You can as well enjoy the equator experiment in case you missed it out on the first day. Other breaks will be made for the beautiful landscape and fresh fruit market photography as well as opportunities for interaction with the local communities.

You will now continue with the rest of your journey back to Kampala or Entebbe for your late evening departure flight back home.

Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch

Drive distance & time: Approx. 417km or 6-7 hours

Activities & Services: –

• Scenic road drive
• Transfer back to Kampala

End of the 7 Days Safari In Uganda Trip, Game Viewing & Primate Trekking Safari in Uganda

7 Days Safari In Uganda Trip – SAFARI INCLUSIONS 

   Full-time English professional safari driver-guide

   4×4 safari van/ 4×4 Safari land cruiser with pop up roof for game viewing with functional A/C

   Full board accommodation

   Gorilla & chimpanzee trekking permit fees

   Boat cruise fees

   Wi-Fi Internet on board the safari vehicle

   Bottled water

7 Days Safari In Uganda Trip – SAFARI EXCLUSIONS 

•    International &domestic flight fees
•    Visa fees
•    Laundry services
•    Items of personal nature
•    Gratuities and tips
•    Other beverages/ drinks
•    Other extras not mentioned in the itinerary above

7 Days Safari In Uganda Trip – GETTING THERE 

7 Days Safari In Uganda Trip – PRICE PER PERSON 

Number of people against price per person

2 – $na pp

3 – $na pp

4 – $na pp

5 – $na pp

6 – $na pp

7 Days Safari In Uganda Trip – RELATED SAFARI ACCOMMODATION 

RELATED 7 DAYS UGANDA SAFARI ITINERARIES – Tour Packages

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• Uganda Chimpanzee Trekking Safaris
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• Adventure Vacation Safari Holidays
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7 Days Safari In Uganda Trip – GORILLA TREKKING TIPS 

•   Mountain gorillas sometimes nest far from the start of your gorilla trek, you should ready yourself for a long walk and drink plenty of water.
•    Eating, drinking and smoking near the gorillas is forbidden – designated time and place will be communicated.
•    Smoking while inside the forest is strictly forbidden
•    Bwindi being a tropical forest, it can rain anytime so we encourage you to carry a rain poncho
•    Waterproof walking shoes or hiking boots are essential.
•    Gardening gloves for protection against stinging plants
•    Long trousers and long-sleeved sweaters or shirts while in the forest to avoid insect stings.
•    Photography is permitted, although you must not use flash
•    Porters are available to help you carry your day pack for a small charge
•    As you prepare to come for your Uganda gorilla adventure, please do some exercises so that you prepare your body for gorilla trekking which can last between 3-8 hours
•    In case you can’t walk for a very long time, you shouldn’t really worry about not being able to do gorilla trekking because there are potters who can carry you throughout at a small extra cost.
•    Carry your sunscreen lotion to keep your skin safe from the tropical heat & sun rays
•    When you get to the gorillas, don’t make noise because this agitates the gorillas
•    For more information about gorilla trekking tips please follow these links to read more about gorilla trekking tips and advice.

At Prime Safaris and Tours Ltd, your safety is our utmost priority. We have thus undertaken the necessary safety measures in compliance with the approved Standard Operating Procedures by the Governments of ALL African countries in which we operate with a goal of protecting our customers while travelling and on their Africa safari. The following guidelines will be applicable for your  Safari in Uganda, Rwanda, Congo and other African Countries.