5 Days gorilla trekking and wildlife safari
This 5 days gorilla trekking and wildlife safari is an interesting Uganda safari that will take you to Queen Elizabeth national park where you will enjoy great views of abundant wildlife species including buffaloes, elephants, waterbucks, lions, leopards, Uganda kobs, hippos, Nile crocodiles, warthogs among others during the game drive and boat cruise on Kazinga channel. The 5 days Uganda gorilla and wildlife safari will also take you to Bwindi impenetrable national park where you will have a face to face encounter with the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat and Lake Bunyonyi which is the deepest lake in Uganda.
Highlights of the 5 days gorilla trekking and wildlife safari
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 2: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 3: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 4: Gorilla trekking and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
Day 5: Departure to Kampala
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Depending on your arrival time at Entebbe international airport on the first day of the 5 days gorilla trekking and wildlife safari, you will be welcomed by our driver guide who will brief you about the safari and then start the journey to Queen Elizabeth national park which is located in western Uganda. It’s a whole day journey and on the way you will have en-route lunch and enjoy stunning views of the beautiful scenery, landscape, tea plantation, Rwenzori Mountains, views of the crater lakes among others. Upon arrival in Queen Elizabeth national park, you will continue to check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Morning game drive/ lion tracking experience and afternoon boat cruise
Morning game drive/ lion tracking experience
After an early breakfast on the second day of the 5 days gorilla trekking and wildlife safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for a morning game drive in Kasenyi plains. During the game drive you will be able to spot different animals like elephants, buffaloes, warthogs, Uganda kobs, waterbucks which will be grazing in open savannah plains, view predators like lions, leopards, hyenas which will be looking for a morning hunt, view bird species among others. After the game drive you will drive back to the lodge for lunch.
Afternoon boat cruise
After lunch you will go for an interesting boat cruise on Kazinga channel a water channel that connect lake Edward and lake George. During the boat cruise which takes about 2 to 3 hours, you will be able to view large herds of hippos and Nile crocodiles in water, view buffaloes, elephants, warthogs, waterbucks drinking water along the shores, view water birds like hornbills, cormorants, fish eagles, king fisher’s among others. After the boat ride you will return to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
On the third day of the 5 days gorilla trekking and wildlife safari, you will enjoy a relaxed breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park. On the way you will have a stopover in Ishasha sector in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth national park where you will be able to view the famous tree-climbing lions which will be lazily lying up in acacia/ fig tree branches. After the game drive in Ishasha sector you will have lunch and then continue the journey to the park with great views of the beautiful landscape, countryside, Kigezi hills, terraced farmlands among others. Upon arrival in Bwindi impenetrable national park you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Gorilla trekking and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
Gorilla trekking,
After an early breakfast on the fourth day of the 5 days gorilla trekking and wildlife safari, you will carry packed lunch and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a gorilla trekking briefing. After the briefing you will be allocated a gorilla family to trek and a park guide who is knowledgeable about the mountain gorillas and also conversant with different gorilla trekking trails. Trekking of mountain gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable national park takes about 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on where the gorillas are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking you will be able to view other primate species, different bird species, plants among others and once the mountain gorillas are found, you will be able to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to observe their behaviors, watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, playing, breastfeeding, grooming young ones, take photos and record videos.
After the one-hour encounter with the gentle giants, you will meet up with your driver guide and start the journey to Lake Bunyonyi in Kabale which is the deepest lake in Uganda. Upon arrival, you will connect to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Departure to Kampala
On the last day of the 5 days gorilla trekking and wildlife safari, you will enjoy breakfast, check out of the lodge and then meet up with your driver guide to go for a boat cruise on Lake Bunyonyi where you will be able to explore the islands, view different bird species, enjoy stunning views of the beautiful scenery, terraced farmlands, traditional homesteads among others. After the boat cruise, you will meet up with your driver guide and start the journey back to Kampala with en-route lunch on the way and a stopover at the Equator where you will take photos and buy craft souvenirs. From the Equator you will proceed to Kampala arriving early evening and upon arrival your driver guide will drop you off at Entebbe international airport for your departure flight or drop off at any place of advise.
End of 5 days gorilla trekking and wildlife safari.
Tour includes
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Park entrance fees/ game drives
- Boat cruise fees
- Lion tracking experience
- Services of a professional English speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Pick up and drop off
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled drinking water
Tour excludes
- Air flight tickets
- Visas
- Life insurance
- Optional activities not included on the itinerary
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.