5 days Uganda Gorillas & Wildlife Safari

Overview

This 5 day Uganda safari is a 4nights 5-days safari featuring a combination of wild game, Mountain Gorillas, and recreation. This safari features an exciting game walking safari in Lake Mburo National Park where you stand chances of encountering Plains Zebras, Rothschild’s giraffes, Impalas, Eland antelopes (the largest antelope species in Africa), Topis, Cape buffalos, Oribi, Defassa waterbuck, Common warthogs, Bushbuck, and hippos.

This trip will then take you up close to the endangered Mountain Gorillas that inhabit Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site where almost half of these world’s largest living primates reside. This once-in-a-lifetime magical experience is highly recommended by everyone who has had the chance to encounter these sentient great apes in their natural habitat.

You’ll also undertake a relaxation tour to Lake Bunyonyi one of the most beautiful and deepest lakes in Africa dotted with 29 emerald islands and surrounded by the magical Kigezi Highlands, often referred to as the Switzerland of Africa.

Summary of 5 Day Lake Mburo, Bwindi Gorillas and Lake Bunyonyi

Day 01: Drive to Lake Mburo National Park. Evening game drive

Day 02: Morning game drive and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Day 03: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Day 04: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for a boat ride on the lake

Day 05: Drive back to Kampala

Detailed Itinerary

DAY 1: TRANSFER TO LAKE MBURO

You will be picked by a safari guide who will brief you about this 5 day safari. Thereafter, you will be driven to Lake Mburo National Park which is a 3-4 hour journey that will have you passing small towns along Kampala-Mbarara road and arriving in time for lunch, short relaxation and a boat cruise on the lake. This tour provides an opportunity to stop at the Equator crossing for photography and some water experiments to prove that indeed this is centre of planet earth.  After checking into your lodge, having lunch and short relaxation, you will be driven to the lake for a two hour boat excursion. The boat cruise offers magical views of the lake, the fringing swamp and an opportunity to see hippos, crocodiles, water birds such as the African fish eagle and the rare African fin foot. Many animals such as buffaloes and antelopes gather here to drink some water so an opportunity to see them would be splendid. After your boat cruise, you will retire to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

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

Activities & services of the day

• Transfer to Lake Mburo
• Photo-shoots at the Equator
• Afternoon boat cruise on Lake Mburo

Optional activities you can choose to do on this day

• Evening game drive
• Night game drive
• Horseback safaris
• Sport-fishing
• Cycling
• Cultural visits

DAY 2: GAME WALKING SAFARI AND TRANSFER TO BWINDI NATIONAL PARK

After breakfast, connect to the park for an impressive wild game viewing on foot. You will have the chance to explore the beautiful views of the savannah dotted with Acacia trees and sections of open grassland, the protruding rock Kopjes and Precambrian rocks that date back to 500 million years ago and the possible sights of wildlife including the Burchell’s Zebra, the Impala, Topis, the Defassa Waterbuck, Bushbuck, Warthog, Rothschild giraffes, and Elands among other species on this morning encounter.

Retreat from the activity and leave Lake Mburo NP making a lunch stop en route in Mbarara city after which you proceed Bwindi Impenetrable National Park home to half of all mountain gorillas in the whole world. The drive from Lake Mburo to Bwindi National Park is very scenic as it passes through the plains of Ntungamo, the rolling and terraced hills on Kigezi before joining the forests in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.  You will check into your lodge for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

The highlight of the day: – Game walking safari amongst the wild mammals in Lake Mburo National Park

Accommodation:

Luxury/Upmarket: – Gorilla Forest Camp/Buhoma Lodge/Mahogany Springs

Mid-range/Moderate: – Silverback Lodge/Haven Lodge Buhoma

Budget/Basic: – Buhoma Community Rest Camp

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Drive Distance & time: – Approx. 365km 7- 8 hours

DAY 3: GORILLA TREKKING IN BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK

After breakfast and with your packed lunch, you will walk to the park headquarters for briefing about gorilla trekking etiquette and experience. Your guide will take you through all the dos and don’ts while with mountain gorillas and after that, you will be transferred to the starting point of trekking your gorilla family.

Please note that gorilla family allocation depends on your interests, fitness and age. Please inform your guide of your interests and he will try to request for the gorilla family of your choice before you start the trek into the forest. Gorilla trekking can be strenuous and a certain level of fitness is required.  Gorilla trekking can take from 2 hours to 8 hours so one needs to prepare for both. During your gorilla trekking adventure, you’ll also enjoy the breath taking natural scenery of Bwindi and a chance to see other fantastic creatures that inhabit Bwindi including monkeys, colourful montane butterflies, and unique forest birds that will have you wishing your trip was a little bit longer.

You will be allowed only one hour of photography and observing mountain gorillas as they go about with their daily day activities and then trek back to the park headquarters to pick your certificates and then have dinner and overnight at your Lodge.

Accommodation:

Luxury/Upmarket: – Gorilla Forest Camp/Buhoma Lodge/Mahogany Springs

Mid-range/Moderate: – Silverback Lodge/Haven Lodge Buhoma

Budget/Basic: – Buhoma Community Rest Camp

Meal Plan: Full board

Things to note

• Contact time with gorillas is limited to one hour
• Group size is limited to 6 visitors
• Trekking is limited to participants 15 years and over
• Hiking shoes are recommended
• If you’re unwell with anything contagious, even a common cold, you will not be allowed to trek gorillas.
• Minimum distance to keep with gorillas is 10 meters

DAY 4: TRANSFER TO LAKE BUNYONYI

After breakfast, you will drive to Lake Bunyonyi which according to existing information is the deepest lake in Uganda. Formed as a result of lava damning, the lake has many islands each with its own rich history. It’s one of the nice places to relax after your gorilla trek. At Lake Bunyonyi, you may choose to take a canoe ride on Lake Bunyonyi to explore the many Islands in the lake, go hill hiking for those who are fit enough and visit the Batwa community in Kabale. Retire to your Lodge for Dinner and overnight

Accommodation:

Luxury/Upmarket: – Birds nest Bunyonyi resort, Bunyonyi Overland Resort, Arcadia Lodges

Mid-range/Moderate: – Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort/ Lake Bunyonyi Eco resort

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 5: TRANSFER BACK TO KAMPALA

After breakfast, you will drive back to Kampala with a lunch stop at the Equator crossing. This 7-8 hours drive will have you passing through the impressive countryside landscapes of south western Uganda. Proceed to Kampala city to conclude your tour.

Meal Plan: – Breakfast and Lunch