8 days Uganda safari
An 8 days Uganda safari is a fascinating tour that will start and end in Kampala/Entebbe. The Uganda safari will take you to the primate capital – Kibale forest national park for primate watching, Queen Elizabeth national park for game viewing and some relaxation on the calm waters of Kazinga channel during a boat trip. From there, you will drive to Bwindi Impenetrable national park for an up-close encounter with the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat and later drive to the second world’s deepest lake – Lake Bunyonyi for birding, nature walking or even canoeing.
Highlights of the safari
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Kibale national park
Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi nature walk
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 4: Game drive and boat cruise
Day 5: Game drive and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park
Day 6: Gorilla trekking experience and Batwa cultural tour
Day 7: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
Day 8: Drive back to Kampala/Entebbe
Detailed 8 days Uganda safari itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Kibale national park
On this first day of the 8 days Uganda safari, you will meet your safari driver /guide for your transfer to the primate world – Kibale national park in the western region of Uganda using Kampala – Mubende road. During the drive, you will have an enroute lunch as you enjoy spectacular views of several features like beautiful landscapes, terraced farms, tea and banana plantations and also visit the crater lakes. Arrive at the park in the evening hours and check into the lodge for dinner and overnight
Day 2: chimpanzee trekking experience and Bigodi nature walk
In the morning after your breakfast, your driver will pick you up from the lodge and transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules and regulations of the chimpanzee trekking experience. After the briefing, you will be led by the park rangers to the allocated chimpanzee families to track. During the trekking, you will encounter a number of wildlife species like plants, birds, primates, butterflies, mammals and many others. Once the chimpanzees are found, you will be allowed to spend one hour in their presence as you observe their social lifestyles like habits and behaviors such as how they feed, breastfeed, hunt, fight, and others. You will also be allowed to take photos and record videos with the flash less camera. After the experience, your driver will drive you back to the lodge for lunch.
In the afternoon, you will go for a thrilling nature walk in Bigodi sanctuary where you will watch a number of primate species like black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, L’hoest monkeys and several mammals like bushbucks, sitatungas and others. For the birders, Bigodi sanctuary is among the best destinations to quench the thirst. Among the birds include papyrus gonolek, great blue turaco, and others. From the nature walk, you will drive back to the lodge for some relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
In the morning after breakfast, you will check out of the lodge and meet the driver for your transfer to the home of wilderness – Queen Elizabeth national park. During the drive, fancy your eyes with the amazing views of farmlands, tea and banana plantations, crater lakes, Rwenzori mountain ranges and many others. Upon your arrival at the park, you will check in at the lodge of your booking for some relaxation and lunch as you prepare for an evening game drive. In the game drive, expect to spot various wildlife species like buffalos, elephants, lions, leopards, topis, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, and others as they move back to their resting places. After, you will drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Morning game drive and boat cruise
Wake up early for a beautiful sunrise in the wild and proceed with an early morning game drive with your packed breakfast so as to spot the early hunters like lions, leopards, hyenas and others. You will also watch other animals like waterbucks, bush bucks, elephants, buffalos and others. After the game drive, you will drive back to the lodge for relaxation and lunch.
In the afternoon, you will go for an interesting boat cruise at Kazinga channel where Lake Edward and George connects. The experience will expose you to several wildlife species such as water animals like crocodiles, hippos, buffalos plus large population of elephants around the waterbody. The ride on the calm waters will also enable you to see an array of birds along the shores. After the boat cruise, you will drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight
Day 5: Game drive and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park
In the morning with your packed breakfast, you will drive through the Ishasha sector to Bwindi Impenetrable national park. Ishasha sector is known for hosting the rare tree climbing lions and a drive through it would be such a great exposure to the adventurous tourists. Other animals to spot in the sector include leopards, hyenas, elephants and many others. Expect to arrive at the park in the late evening hours and check in at the lodge of your choice for dinner and overnight
Day 6: Gorilla trekking experience and Batwa cultural encounter
After breakfast that early morning, move to the headquarters of the park for briefing with your packed lunch. After, enter the forest for gorilla trekking guided by the Park rangers. You are allowed to spend only one hour with the gorillas though trekking as a whole might take 2 to 8 hours.
Later in the evening take a walk in the Batwa community for some cultural encounters from the Batwa people like the traditional dances among others.
Day 7: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
After your tasty breakfast, drive from Bwindi Impenetrable national park to Lake Bunyonyi – a home of various bird species. Lake Bunyonyi is also known for hosting splendid features like hills, forests, waters, islands and others. Upon your arrival at the lake, you can opt for a boat canoeing experience or just go for a nature walk around the area. In the evening, you will drive to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Drive back to Kampala / Entebbe
Wake up for your early morning breakfast and prepare for your transfer back to Entebbe International airport for your departure flight.