Day One: Arrive Entebbe
Arrive at Entebbe International Airport where you will be met by a Ubuntu Journeys representative and transfer to your accommodation in Entebbe.
Entebbe is a small, quiet town located on the shores of Lake Victoria and is easy to explore on foot or local transport on motorbikes known as “boda bodas” or local taxis. Visit the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre where you can see and learn about Uganda’s native wildlife, local markets to buy clothes and crafts, curio shops for souvenirs, and the Botanical Gardens on Lake Victoria where you can walk among beautiful trees, watch monkeys moving through the canopy above, and spot many indigenous bird species. Entebbe has a wide variety of restaurants serving many different cuisines as well as several bars and clubs where you can sample the local beer, catch a game of football and chat with the local Ugandans, known for their open and friendly nature
Day Two: Drive from Entebbe to Kibale Forest National Park – Afternoon Chimp Tracking
After an early breakfast, we drive for approx. 6-7hrs to Kibale Forest National Park comprising an interesting blend of lowland tropical rain forest, montane forest, and mixed tropical deciduous forest. In addition to forest, you will also notice areas of grassland and of swamp. The forest is rich in wildlife and is most noted for its primate population.
These include red-tailed monkey, diademed monkey, olive baboon, chimpanzee, and black and white colobus. The birdlife is also abundant, with close on 300 species identified here. The forest is also home to 144 species of butterfly and a diverse population of moths and other insects.
Enjoy afternoon chimp tracking in Kibale Forest National Park. After a briefing with the park warden, you will be escorted by your ranger/guide into the forest This half day activity gives you a unique opportunity to observe the behaviors of our closest relatives. You will trek to where the chimps nested the previous night, hopefully in time to find them pan hooting and clambering down from the trees.
Accommodation
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Mid-range: Turaco Tree Tops
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Luxury: Primate Lodge/ Ndali Lodge
Day Three: Kibale Chimpanzee Tracking or Habituation and Bigodi Swamp walk
This morning we shall transfer back to the park headquarters for your second chimp trek. Alternatively, you may transfer for full day chimp habituation experience that involves tracking the semi-habituated chimpanzee community, exploring their daily behaviors till they make new nests. Kibale Forest is home to 13 primate species including l’hoest monkeys, red colobus monkeys, red tailed, vervet monkeys, baboons, colobus, bush babies, pottos etc.
In the afternoon, visit to the Bigodi Swamp, which is considered as one of Uganda’s best bird watching locations. Bigodi’s rich ecosystem makes it a spectacular venue for viewing numerous primates including red tailed monkeys, vervet, colobus monkeys etc and bird species in their natural habitats. This 2 - 3hour walk can be tailored to your individual interests/schedule
Accommodation
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Mid-range: Turaco Tree Tops
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Luxury: Primate Lodge/ Ndali Lodge
Day Four: Kibale Forest National Park - Bwindi Forest National park
Drive for approx. 7hrs to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Bwindi Forest extends 331sq.kms in Southwestern Uganda on the edge of the Great Rift Valley. This park was gazette in 1991 and is considered the most diverse forest in Uganda. It was gazetted primarily to protect mountain gorillas and is also home to over 120mammals, 345 bird species and 200 butterfly species and over 140 tree species. The park contains almost one half of the world’s population for the endangered mountain gorillas. The gorillas here are trekked in the 4 sectors that is Ruhija, Nkuringo, Rushaga and Buhoma.
Accommodation
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Midrange: The Haven Lodge
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Luxury: Mahogany Springs Lodge or in Gorilla Forest Camp
Day Five: Gorilla trekking Adventure
After an early breakfast, your will be transferred to the briefing point by your guide for a briefing on guidelines and allocation of gorilla families before you start your gorilla trekking adventure. You will be escorted by experienced guides and trackers through dense foliage and steep climbs. This journey is abundantly rewarded with the lifetime experience of viewing. You will have an opportunity to be within meters of these apes, sharing in their daily lives and experiencing their day-to-day activities. Please note: tracking may be fairly strenuous with treks up to six hours or longer, at high altitudes, but coming face to face with the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat is a rewarding lifetime experience. Return to your lodge for overnight. If time permits, you can take a guides community walk or visit to the Batwa cultural community
Please note that, mountain gorillas are wild animals and, as such, sightings cannot be guaranteed. Viewing success rates are over 90%.
Accommodation
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Midrange: The Haven Lodge
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Luxury: Mahogany Springs Lodge or in Gorilla Forest Camp
Day Six: 2nd Gorilla trekking
Transfer back to the briefing point for your second gorilla trek. You will have a chance trek a different gorilla family to have a different tracking experience. Return to have the rest of evening in the lodge, share memories as you wait to depart the following day.
Accommodation
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Midrange: The Haven Lodge
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Luxury: Mahogany Springs Lodge or in Gorilla Forest Camp
Day Seven: Depart
Transfer to Kihihi airstrip for approx. 2hrs for your scheduled flight to Entebbe. Check-in for your international flight out.
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