10-Day Big-7 Private Tour Experience in Uganda Safari

Overview

Day by day itinerary

1. 1Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and Murchison Falls Park Drive⌄

   Depart your hotel in Kampala or Entebbe at 6:30 am and head northward toward Murchison Falls National Park as we begin our 10-day Big-7 of Uganda Experience Safari. Our first stop is at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Here we track Rhinos on foot – a unique and one-of-a-kind experience with competent guides who will give you background and insight about the Rhinos and the restoration of Rhinos in Uganda.

   Next on our itinerary, we will make a stop for lunch before heading to Murchison Falls National Park. It will take approximately 3 hours to drive to the Northern bank, and we will have our lunch break during this time. Once we cross the serene Nile River, we will drive a short distance to Pakuba Lodge. This lodge is located inside the park on the wildlife side of the River, making it a unique experience. Later in the afternoon, at around 4 pm, we will embark on a 3-hour long game drive. You will have the opportunity to spot a variety of wildlife, including lions, giraffes, elephants, leopards, buffaloes, birds, and various antelopes. You may even see some wildlife right from your lodge before the game drive. The sunset will be around 6:45 pm, and it will get dark past 7 pm.

   Meals: Dinner · Lunch

   Overnight: Pakuba Safari Lodge

2. 2Murchison Falls Park Game Drive and Boat Safari⌄

   Early morning game drive in search of wildlife as the day before in one of Uganda’s best all around-wildlife Parks. Murchison Falls Park has the largest Giraffe Population in Africa and its thriving with over 1000 in number. The number of elephants is dramatically increasing in number thanks to strict conservation methods and anti-poaching steps that have been taken.

   After Lunch, we take the famed boat safari along the River Nile up to the falls, and along the slow journey, we see pods of hippos, crocodiles in great numbers, elephant herds, buffaloes, antelopes, monitor lizards, and more. This is one of the highlights of your time in Murchison Falls Park. The Boat Safari gives you more wildlife, birds, and reptiles than any Game Drive would.

   At the bottom of the most powerful waterfall in the world, we disembark and hike up the side of the falls to the top, where we are met by the Driver Guide, and we return to the lodge you have chosen for dinner. In your case, it means crossing over by ferry to the Paraa side of the River. One thing is how quickly the Nile calms down after dropping the escarpment above. The foam in the water is not pollution, but vegetation churned up by the waterfall. If Sunset Game Drive did not work out on Day 1- we will work it in here. This is shortened version of a standard Game Drive – a UWA Ranger is in the vehicle on all game drives. Sunset game drives often catch predators going out on the prowl for the night. You might see Lions, leopard plus Hyenas as they look for their nocturnal meal on the Savannah.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Pakuba Safari Lodge

3. 3Depart Murchison Park for Kibale Forest – Afternoon Bigodi Wetlands Walk⌄

   During the mid-afternoon, it is a visit to Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary, a Jungle Swamp filled with Natural Wonders that await you on this guided nature walk, often using boardwalks made of planks to stay above the water. If you are a Birding enthusiast, this is a must place for you to visit. One of the birds most see here is the large blue Turaco. During the afternoon, you can often see chimpanzees who come to forage here from Kibale Forest, but also other monkeys, You can also see the rare semi-aquatic Sitatunga Antelope here, which has webbed toes to help it get around swamp areas such as in Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary. Your guide is from the local community of Bigodi, the swamp caretakers, which includes protecting it and the wildlife found there. This is UNESCO Sustainable Tourism Eco-Site.

   Meals: Breakfast · Dinner · Lunch

   Overnight: Isunga Lodge - A mid-range quality Lodge near Kibale Forest,

4. 4Chimpanzee Tracking⌄

   Chimpanzee Trekking - Kibale Forest National Park: After enjoying breakfast at the lodge, you will head over to Kibale Forest Headquarters for a thrilling Chimpanzee Tracking expedition. This is a guided trek and you can expect to see at least 5 or 6 different types of primates out of the 13 primates that live in the park. The forest itself is breathtakingly beautiful and rugged, with butterflies and exotic birds in abundance. The tracking experience is not limited to Chimpanzee tracking alone as you will get to enjoy the stunning natural setting that is a wildlife, bird, plant, and tree haven. The chimpanzees you encounter are habituated to human beings. The Chimpanzee Trek lasts approximately 3½ hours the minimum age requirement is 15. If you have children, they can enjoy an alternate activity with Rangers. Option: You can opt for an all-day Chimpanzee Habituation Experience instead of the one-hour Chimpanzee trek.

   Lunch, and we are taking a 2½ hour drive to Queen Elizabeth Park. Before we check in at the Lodge, we take the most scenic Katwe Explosion Crater drive. Twenty-seven kilometers of scenic wonders. It is the highest point of Queen Elizabeth Park with splendid views of the Rwenzori Mountains of the Moon, the Western Rift Escarpment with the vast Savannah below, Lake George and Lake Edwards connected by the natural Kazinga Channel – there are about 12 explosion craters, made famous recently by a picture in National Geographic. Check into Enganzi Game Lodge

   Meals: Breakfast · Dinner · Lunch

   Overnight: Enganzi Game Lodge - Beautiful lodge overlooking Queen Elizabeth Park – Comfortable & private cottages - Amazing views.

5. 5Queen Elizabeth Park Safari Drives and Kazinga Channel Boat Safari⌄

   You have the option to have breakfast before or after the game drive. The first game drive typically starts at 6:30 am, which is also the time when you can pick up a Uganda Wildlife Authority Ranger to join us. Mornings are the best time to spot predators returning from their night of hunting, and the view of a Savannah Sunrise is breathtaking. The game drive across the candelabra euphoria tree-studded savannah, the vehicle has a pop-up roof so that you can stand and take better pictures. Where you will see lions, leopards, bush pigs, giant forest hogs, elephant herds, buffaloes, various species of antelopes, savannah birds, hyenas, monitor lizards, an occasional rock python, and lots more. Lion Tracking Research – this is an option where you go with researchers searching for the collared lions. This is in cooperation with the Uganda Carnivore Project and Uganda Wildlife Association. This is also a time of learning about the habits and ways of the lions.

   Lunch and relax At 3 pm, we experience a 2½ hour Boat Safari ride on the Kazinga Channel, which boasts one of the largest hippopotamus populations in Africa. This ride is a must-do during your visit to Queen Elizabeth Park. You can take stunning photographs of elephants, antelopes, crocodiles, monitor lizards, and predators during the late afternoon. Additionally, you may even see buffaloes on the shore. If you're lucky, you might capture an open-mouthed hippo shot with your camera. Time permitting, we'll take another short game before returning to the lodge

   Meals: Breakfast · Dinner · Lunch

   Overnight: Enganzi Game Lodge - Beautiful spacious rooms with incredible savanna views, good food, and phenomenal staff.

6. 6Ishasha Tree Climbing Lions – Bwindi Impenetrable⌄

   Breakfast and we are off for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and the Ruhija area. We drive 2½ hours south and turn off at the Ishasha region of the Park on a thrilling game drive, This is the ultimate destination in Africa to witness the majestic tree-climbing lions. But that's not all, Ishasha is also home to a diverse wildlife population, including large herds of elephants, topi antelopes, buffalo herds, and even the elusive leopard. After the exhilarating safari, we will enjoy a delicious lunch at the Savannah Resort before continuing our journey to the Ruhija area of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Here, we will rest at the Bakiga Lodge, a comfortable and well-equipped mid-range lodge providing all the amenities you need before and after your Gorilla Trek.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Bakiga Lodge

7. 7Gorilla Tracking - Bwindi Forest and move to Lake Bunyonyi⌄

   After an early breakfast, pick up a packed lunch from the Lodge. Bring a Daypack, 2 liters of water, jeans, a long-sleeved shirt, hat, sunglasses, and tough gardening gloves made of cotton to help you pull yourself up on branches and vines. It's also recommended to bring a light rain jacket and hiking boots for your Gorilla Trek adventure. If you wish, you can purchase a walking stick and hire a porter to carry your belongings, but these are optional and not included in the safari price. Keep in mind that the Gorilla Trek can last 3 – 7 hours, depending on which group you are tracking. A majority of treks return before 1 pm. Gorillas move daily and never spend a second night in the same place. Before the trek, pre-trackers will locate the gorilla family that you have been assigned to during the Gorilla Trekking Briefing and Orientation. After the trek, we head to Lake Bunyonyi in a 2½ hours drive. A lake that should be on your list of things to see while in Uganda.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Lake Bunyonyi Eco-Resort - on the Island

8. 8A Day at Lake Bunyonyi -"A Scene from Lord of the Rings" - For Relaxation and Exploration⌄

   Activities here are optional and not included in the offer. Lake Bunyonyi - An Incredibly Beautiful Lake Bunyonyi “A Scene from Lord of the Rings” Unknown to many visitors since it is tucked away in the Gorilla Highlands. A lake that should be on your list of things to see while in Uganda. Lake Bunyonyi, with its 29 emerald islands framed by terraced hillsides, is a scenically refreshing place to consider and put on your must-visit sites in Uganda. At the end of your, Safari Lake Bunyonyi is the perfect place to relax and chill out. Here you can swim, paddle a dugout canoe, ride a motorboat, and explore one or more of the 29 Islands. Here you can hike, bike, or do some serious birding. Embark on nature walks, village visits, and interactive cultural visits after Trekking Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or Mgahinga Gorilla Park. Best of all – unlike many lakes in East Africa – Lake Bunyonyi is bilharzia, croc, and hippo free, so its crystal-clear waters are all yours to swim in.

   Meals: Lunch · Breakfast · Dinner

   Overnight: Lake Bunyonyi Eco Resort - A beautiful lakeside resort on an island - this place is insane

9. 9Lake Mburo National Park in a 6-hour drive and a Game Safari⌄

   The Big-7 Safari is steadily ending, and we shift to Lake Mburo: It is early breakfast and off to Lake Mburo National Park. The perfect place to break a long journey at one of the most delightful places in Uganda. It is about 5 hours drive time to reach here, it is best we leave at 7 am for Lake Mburo. We arrive at lunchtime at Lake Mburo and check into Rwakobo Rock Lodge high on a ridge overlooking Lake Mburo Park -delightful cottages, a swimming pool. Lunch We go on an afternoon game drive across the rolling hill Savannah where you can see the large Eland and other antelopes, Giraffes, Burchell Zebras, and occasional leopards.

   Meals: Breakfast · Dinner · Lunch

   Overnight: Rwakobo Rock Lodge - Moderately priced eco-lodges @ Lake Mburo Park – peaceful & secluded retreat with sweeping views.

10. 10Lake Mburo Park - Walking Safari – Equator Stop – End of 10-Day Big-7 Experience Uganda Safari⌄

    After breakfast, we go on Nature Walk with a UWA Ranger to the Saltlick, where lots of Wildlife can be seen. This is a ninety-minute Hike, and there is a Hide at the Salt Lick. You will enjoy the variety of Wildlife you see along the Nature Walk. After the game drive, we prepare for departure to Kampala – Entebbe. After lunch, we stop at the Equator, where you can take pictures. Proceed to Kampala – Entebbe arriving late afternoon for departure as our 10-Day Big-7 Experience Uganda Safari ends.

    Meals: Breakfast · Lunch