This is one of the most exciting African safaris to the Pearl of Africa. The 8 days best of Murchison Falls, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, and Bwindi safari will take you on gratifying safari experiences including safari game drives, boat cruises, visiting the top of Murchison Falls, chimpanzee trekking, gorilla trekking, rhino trekking, and sight-seeing, you mention it. Visit Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest National Park which is located in north-western Uganda. The Park also has the largest concentration of wild animals – thus offering extraordinary game viewing. Before getting to Murchison, you will pass by Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary – the only rhino sanctuary in Uganda.
This 8 days best of Murchison Falls, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, and Bwindi safari will further take you to western Uganda in Kibale Forest National Park which is home to the largest population of chimpanzees in Africa. Enjoy visiting chimps in their natural environment before heading for a more exciting game viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park – the home of the tree-climbing lions (in its Ishasha southern sector). Conclude your 8-days best of Murchison Falls, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, and Bwindi safari with a visit to the home of the endangered mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in southwestern Uganda. Seeing the mountain gorillas live in their natural habitat is the greatest highlight of our 8-days best of Murchison Falls, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, and Bwindi safari.
Safari Highlights;
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Pick-up and Transfer to Murchison Falls – Stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
After breakfast, drive 6 hours northwest to Murchison Falls National Park. The park is Uganda’s largest park covering 3840 square kilometers in size and home to four of the big five animals and over 451 bird species. En route your journey, you will have a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for Rhino trekking. Following a warm welcome at the sanctuary and briefing, enjoy a 2-hour trek watching and observing some of the 32 rhinos that call this place home. After rhino trekking, exit Ziwa for lunch in Masindi town before proceeding to Murchison Falls. On arrival in the park, drive to the top of the falls to explore the world’s most powerful waterfalls. You will then be driven to your safari lodge for check-in and overnight stay at Pakuba Safari Lodge. Meals: Lunch & Dinner
Day 2: Explore Murchison Falls National Park
Today you will be exploring Murchison Falls at full length; start the day with a delicious cup of coffee/tea and head for the early morning game drive. In the comfort of a 4WD safari vehicle, enjoy the 3-4-hour game drive along the Northern bank, where you may view elephants, hartebeests, buffaloes, giraffes, oribis, waterbucks, bushbucks, and Uganda Kobs among others. You will also be glad to spot predators such as lions, leopards, spotted hyenas, and side-striped jackals if you are lucky. Return to your lodge after the game drive and relax with a fully-prepared breakfast.
After your lunch, you will go for a boat tour along the Victoria Nile which will take around 2-3 hours. Expect magnificent sightings of hippos, monitor lizards, Nile crocodiles, and a plethora of birds such as kingfishers, the rare shoebill, hornbills, bee-eaters, cormorants, and fish eagles to mention but a few. The exciting excursion will take you toward the bottom of the falls where you will have the greatest panoramic view of the falls. After taking this extensive view, return to the shoreline and head back to your lodge. Overnight stay at your lodge at Pakuba Safari Lodge. Meals: Full board
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
After an early breakfast, check out of your lodge and embark on the journey to the primate capital of the world – Kibale Forest National Park. The remarkable views of the Great Rift Valley, farmlands, and other amazing landscapes will make your journey a venturous one. Enjoy stopovers in Fort Portal town for lunch and a visit to the Tooro Kingdom Royal Palace. You will arrive in Kibale in the evening, upon which you will check into your lodge. Overnight stay at your booked lodge at Isunga Lodge. Meals: Full board
Day 4: Chimpanzee Trekking & Nature Walk in Bigodi Wetland
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Park headquarters at Kanyanchu Tourism Center for a briefing following your chimp trekking experience. At the headquarters, you will also be assigned a chimp troop to trek and an experienced guide who is familiar with the jungle. By 08:00 a.m., start your search for chimpanzees while also taking in the impressive encounters of giant forest hogs, forest elephants, monkeys, baboons, and birds that call this park home. Chimpanzee trekking may take between 2 to 4 hours depending on the location of your chimp troop; And when you find them, you have an hour to interact with the primates and take photographs.
After spending an hour with the chimpanzees, head back to your lodge for lunch and relax. Later in the afternoon, set off on yet another exciting trip to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Enjoy the 4-hour drive via Fort Portal town, driving through the crater lakes region and marveling at the far-reaching Rwenzori Mountain Ranges. Following your arrival in the Park, check into your lodge. Overnight stay at Isunga Lodge. Meals: Full board
Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
On the 5th day of your 8-days best pf Murchison Falls, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, and Bwindi safari get up early for a morning game drive to see the early risers such as the lions, leopards, and spotted hyenas, among others. The park’s diversified environment of grassy plains, tropical forests, rivers, marshes, lakes, and volcanic craters supports a plethora of animals. You will also see a range of buffalos, elephants, warthogs, topis, Kobs, waterbucks, bushbucks, etc. Queen Elizabeth is also home to various bird species including the martial eagle, Woodland kingfisher, great blue turaco, and grey plantain eater, to mention but a few. The game drive will last about 4 hours, after which you will return to your lodge and relax.
After lunch, take a boat tour along the Kazinga channel to spot large concentrations of hippos, Nile crocodiles, and plenty of water birds. Moreover, expect to witness animals like elephants, buffaloes, and waterbucks drinking water at the shoreline.
Dinner and overnight stay at Mweya Safari Lodge. Meals: Full board
Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Following your early breakfast, travel through the Ishasha southern sector of Queen Elizabeth, keeping an out for the tree-climbing lions. If you have time, you can drive through the area to see the lions enjoying their comfort high up in the acacia and fig trees. Proceed with your journey to Bwindi traveling across the countryside, past traditional homesteads and farmlands. Have lunch en route and continue to Bwindi. The evening will find you at your booked lodge in Bwindi. Dinner and overnight stay at Rushaga Gorilla Lodge. Meals: Full board
Day 7: Gorilla Trekking Experience
Get up early and have breakfast before heading to the park offices with your packed lunch and drinking water. At the park headquarters, you will be briefed about gorilla trekking and the rules and regulations for the exercise. You will also be assigned a gorilla family to trek with and an armed ranger. After the briefing, gorilla trekking begins at 8 a.m., as you head into the forest with your ranger in the lead. The trek might take anything from 2 to 6 hours depending on your speed and the location of the mountain gorillas. After finding the gorillas, you can spend an hour with them; at a safe distance of about 7 meters away, take time to learn and observe their personalities and lifestyle, as well as take pictures. Return to your lodge after and have lunch.
After lunch, you may go on a community tour to learn about the way of life in the neighboring villages. Visit a traditional herbalist, a blacksmith, and a local brewery to learn about how beer is made using traditional techniques. Take advantage of the community’s traditional dances, songs, and stories. Overnight stay at your lodge at Rushaga Gorilla Lodge. Meals: Full board
Day 8: Return to Kampala
Enjoy an early morning breakfast to conclude your 8-days best of Murchison Falls, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, and Bwindi safari. After breakfast, you will check out of your lodge and embark on a road trip transfer back to Kampala with a lunch break in Mbarara city and a stopover at the Equator line in Kayabwe or a brief photography session. Arrive late in the evening in Kampala, with a drop-off at your hotel or the airport to catch your flight back home.
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