8 Days Primates and birding Uganda safari package includes a safari starts that starts with a visit to Mabamba swamp for a birding experience, Kibale National Park for an amazing encounter with man’s closest relative – the chimpanzee. Kibale is known as the “primate’s capital of the world”. It is arguably the best place to track chimpanzees on earth. 13 primate species can be seen in Kibale National Park. You would the proceed to Bwindi impenetrable national park for the Mountain gorilla and Mgahinga national park for the Golden monkeys experience.
Safari Highlights
Day 1: Arrival in Uganda – Hotel
Day 2: Birding excursion at Mabamba wetland
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale national park
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk
Day 5: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 6: Gorilla Trekking – transfer to Kisoro
Day 7: Golden Monkey tracking
Day 8: Transfer back to Entebbe (9-10 hours’ drive)/ Fly to Entebbe – Departure
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Uganda – Hotel
Upon arrival at Entebbe airport, meet your driver and connect to your booked lodge in either Entebbe. Overnight stay at Papyrus Guesthouse for budget/ Nkima Forest Lodge for mid-range
Day 2: Birding excursion at Mabamba wetland
Mabamba swamp is located around the shores of Lake Victoria and is one of the best birding sites in Uganda that offers visitors an excellent birding experience and an encounter with different bird species. This site is also one of the few places in Uganda where there are higher chances to encounter the rare shoebill stork.
Your safari guide will meet you and thereafter set off for birding at Mabamba wetlands. You will take a canoe ride at Mabamba where you will get closer to different bird species that reside here. You may also see the rare shoebill stork. You will spend half a day birdwatching. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale national park
After breakfast, embark on your journey to Kibale national park with en-route lunch. It’s about 5-6 hours’ drive. Upon arrival late afternoon, with en-route birding at the edge of the park. Check-in at your lodge for relaxation, dinner, and overnight stay at Isunga lodge for a budget/Chimpanzee Forest Lodge for mid-range
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk
After breakfast, connect the park headquarters for briefing about chimpanzee trekking experience. You will go for chimpanzee trekking with your allocated ranger guides. Enter the rainforest in searching for the chimpanzee; this will take 2-5 hours to find the chimpanzees. On seeing them, you will spend 1 hour with the chimpanzees while taking pictures.
Later afternoon, connect to Bigodi swamp for a nature walk and community tour. The trail will offer sounds and sights of different birds and chances for spotting some primates. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 5: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
After breakfast, transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park with en-route lunch. It’s about 5-6 hours’. Upon arrival, connect to your booked lodge for dinner and overnight stay at Gorilla Mist Lodge for mid-range/Broadbill Forest Camp for budget
Day 6: Gorilla Trekking – transfer to Kisoro
After enjoying an early breakfast and transfer to park headquarters for the briefing before you set off gorilla trekking. Trekking through the steep, densely forested hills and then finally coming across the gorillas camouflaged in the vegetation is an inspiring and privileged moment. Tracking in the Bwindi forest requires stamina and can often take most of the day and spend an hour in the presence of the gorillas before you return at your meeting point with the driver-guide.
After gorilla trekking, drive to Kisoro area, which is the closed town to Mgahinga national park. It’s about 3 hours’ drive. Upon arrival in Kisoro in the evening, connect to your lodge for relaxation, dinner, and overnight stay at Traveller’s Rest Hotel for budget/Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge for mid-range
Day 7: Golden Monkey tracking
After breakfast, you will transfer to Mgahinga National Park for briefing about the Golden monkeys with your packed food and water. Later enter the forest to search for the Golden monkeys. On finding them, spend an hour viewing them while taking pictures and videos. Return for dinner and overnight at lodge as above
Day 8: Transfer back to Entebbe (9-10 hours’ drive)/ Fly to Entebbe – Departure
Drive to Entebbe – After breakfast, check-out of the lodge and transfer back to Kampala/Entebbe with en-route lunch and stop at the Uganda Equator and some interesting areas of birding. It’s about 9-10 hours’ drive and upon arrival, you will either be dropped at your own booked hotel or proceed to the airport for your onward flight back home.
Fly back to Entebbe (Optional) – Have breakfast, your safari driver will drop you off at Kisoro airstrip for your scheduled flight to Entebbe departing at 8:25 am and arrival at Entebbe airport at 11:00 am. Depending on your departure flight schedule, you will stay at Entebbe airport waiting for your return flight back home.
End of 8 Days Primates and Birding Uganda Safari
