25 Days Great Apes of Uganda Safari

Day 1 of the 25 Days Great Apes of Uganda Safari will start with a pick up from Entebbe International Airport where our Professional driver guide from Paradise Adventure Vacations will meet and greet you, he will then brief you about the entire journey and thereafter he will drive you to your Hotel where you will have a delightful rest from your long flight and also dinner and an overnight.

Wake up early in the morning for your delicious breakfast and start your day 2 of the 25 Days Great Apes of Uganda Safari with a drive to Jinja to visit the source of the Nile. On your way, you will visit the stunning Sezibwa falls which is about 32 kilometers from Uganda’s capital city Kampala and thereafter you will proceed to Jinja to enjoy a mind blowing boat cruise to the source of the Nile. You will have a scenic view of Mabira forest which is the largest in Uganda and also the Magical Jinja Bridge. You will have your lunch and dinner in your Hotel in Jinja where you will spend your night.

Your day 3 of the 25 Days Great Apes of Uganda Safari will start with a heavy delicious breakfast and thereafter you will proceed for a rejuvenating rafting experience. This magical activity will take approximately 2 hours as the boat moves down as though it’s capsizing yet very steady and giving you a thrilling experience.

Wake up early morning for a heavy breakfast and start your Day 4 of 25 Days Great Apes of Uganda Safari with a hike to the highest Sipi falls which may take about 3 hours, expect a beautiful scenic view of Lake Kyoga, Coffee plantations, Karamoja lowlands and the surrounding areas. For the bird lovers, also expect to see some bird species like the black collard Apalis, the African blue flycatcher, black shouldered kite, and Jackson’s francolin among others. Participate in abseiling as you breathe in nature at its best.

You will return back to your accommodation for a heavy delicious meal and coffee from the land of Arabica coffee. You will have some rest of about an hour, then proceed for yet more exciting activities like mountain biking and archery. Our guide will also take you through the local trails and introduce you to the customs of the Sabiny people around. Return back to your accommodation for Dinner and an overnight.

After your morning breakfast, you will start your day 5 of the 25 Days Great Apes of Uganda Safari with a drive to Pian Upe wildlife reserve which is about 3 hours from Sipi falls. Pian Upe wildlife reserve is situated in between Mount Elgon National park and Kidepo Valley National Park.

You will check into your accommodation for a hot lunch and thereafter you will proceed for game viewing where you will sight various wildlife like Roan Antelope, Hartebeests, Baboons, lions, leopards, cheetahs, Elands, savanna monitor lizards, giraffes, buffaloes, waterbucks, Uganda kobs, mountain reedbuck and also various bird species like Superb sterlings, Green bitta, Secretary bird, Abyssinian ground hornbill, the rare shoebill stock and the Fox weaver bird. You will then return back to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight.

On day 6 of the 25 Days Great Apes of Uganda Safari, you will have your breakfast and thereafter proceed for a 3 to 4 hours game drive in Uganda’s second largest wildlife reserve. During this drive, you will see a good selection of plants species. Birds and also  mammal species like giraffes, several antelopes, Lions, Leopards, Buffaloes, Elephants, warthogs among others. Roaming freely in the savannah grassland, you will then return back to your accommodation for lunch.

Later you will drive to a nearby community of the Karamojong people who are Nomadic pastoralists and have preserved their culture of depending on cattle for almost everything. They engage visitors in local dances, show casing local herding tools and telling you sweet stories before your return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 7 of your 25 Days Great Apes of Uganda Safari will start with an early morning breakfast and thereafter you will drive to Kidepo Valley National Park which is located about 6 to 7 hours away from Pian Upe wildlife reserve. You will have a lunch stopover enroute to your destination. Upon reaching, you will check into your accommodation for relaxation and later in the afternoon you will go and visit the Kanangorok hot springs located at the Kidepo valley and you will then return back to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight.

Upon waking up on day 8 of the 25 Days Great Apes of Uganda Safari, you will get your day started with a delicious breakfast before driving to the Narus valley for a rewarding 4 hours game drive experience, an opportunity to grab the sight of prey and predators roaming around the charming savanna grassland like Lions, Zebras, Kudus Buffaloes, African Elephants, hartebeests, giraffes, Leopards, water bucks, Oryx, Roan antelopes, elands, Uganda kobs, and duikers and also the uncommon tree species thriving in the wilderness. You will then return to your accommodation for lunch and later you will have an optional cultural encounter with the Karamojong community living around the park who will give you the real feeling of an African Culture. Later you will return back to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight.

Upon waking up on your day 9 of the 25 Days Great Apes of Uganda Safari, you will proceed for an early morning game drive as you exit Kidepo Valley National Park. You will encounter the different mammal species like Lions, Zebras, Kudus Buffaloes, African Elephants, hartebeests, giraffes, Leopards, water bucks, Oryx, Roan antelopes, elands, Uganda kobs, and duikers. You will drive to Gulu City where you will have a stopover for your delicious lunch. Later you will then proceed to Murchison falls national park for relaxation after your long journey and have dinner and an overnight.

On day 10 of  your Safari, you will delight on your morning breakfast. As you prepare for yet another exciting encounter. You will thereafter proceed for a morning game drive through different trails of the park. Like Albert trail, buligi trail and the Victoria trail. Here, you will meet eye to eye with different mammal species like Bufaloes, elephants, lions, leopards, bush barks, giraffes among others. Return to your lodge for relaxation and lunch.

Later in the afternoon, embark on an afternoon boat cruise upstream to the bottom of the falls. While on the cruise, you will see the Nile crocodiles resting on the shores. Herds of hippos while in water, bird species like the black bee eater, grey crowned crane, marabou stork and many others. After the cruise, You will then hike to the Top of the falls where you witness the strength of the magnificent Murchison falls. As it roars and pours itself out through a narrow 8m gorge. While here, you will enjoy the soft splashes as it feels like little drizzles falling on your face from heaven. You will then return back to your lodge for relaxation as you await your dinner and an overnight.

OR You can Opt for a Night Game Drive which comes at an Extra Cost of $100 per person. This drive is done with an armed ranger guide and also spotlight torches which will enable you spot the predators as they hunt like hyenas, leopards, lions, bush babies, hippos among others.

After your heavy morning breakfast on day 11 of your 25 Days Great Apes of Uganda Safari, you will drive to Kibale National park. Which is located in Western region of Uganda in Kabarole district. This drive will take about 5 hours and it will offer you magnificent scenic views of Uganda’s landscape as you drive to the park. Enroute to your destination, you will have a lunch stopover in Fort Portal Tourism City.

Then you will proceed to the park’s Bigodi wetland for a swamp walk. During this walk you will spot some butterfly species and birds like the Black-crowned Waxbill, White-spotted Fluff tail, White-breasted Negrofinch, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Black Bishop, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Yellow-billed Barbet, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Black & white Shrike-flycatcher, Western Nicator, Superb Sunbird, among others. You will then proceed for a community walk. Where you will see and taste the Gins brewed from bananas, craft making, coffee processing, and then you will return back to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight.

Wake up early morning for a heavy breakfast and start Day 12 of your 25 Days Great Apes of Uganda Safari. Wear appropriate clothing like long sleeved shirt, a pair of karky or jean trousers, a round cap,  water proof boots and a heavy sweater. To protect you from the falling tree branches and also in case of bad weather.  Also carry in your back packs some snacks and drinking water. In order  to help keep you hydrated during the trek since it may take about 1 to 7 hours to find the Chimpanzees depending on their location. Then you will proceed to Kanyachu Visitor center for a briefing about the Do’s and the Don’ts of the park. While here, you will be assigned a Park ranger who will take you through the forest and also a chimpanzee family to look out for.

During the trek, you will spot primates like the black and white colobus monkeys, the red tailed monkeys, olive baboons, red colobus monkeys, grey cheeked mangabeys, L’Hoest’s monkey, Mantled guereza, Potto, Vervet monkey, White-eyelid mangabey, Galago among others. Also various bird species like olive long-tailed cuckoo, western tinker bird, blue headed sunbird, red faced woodland, grey parrot, yellow spotted nicator, little greenbul, blue breasted king fisher, among other bird species. You will also spot mammal species like the African elephants, the bush pigs, warthogs, forest hogs, forest cape buffaloes among others. Upon finding the chimpanzees, you will have a one hour encounter with them while learning their behaviors, social life, how they feed and play, feel free to ask the park ranger as many questions as possible. Later you will return to your accommodation for lunch and relaxation as you await dinner and an overnight.

You will wake up on day 13 of your 25 Days Great Apes of Uganda Safari and have your breakfast.  Then embark on a drive to Semuliki National Park which is about an hour from Kibale National park.  Check into your accommodation for relaxation as you await your mouth-watering lunch. Later in the evening, you will go on a night game drive in Semliki reserve where you will have an opportunity to see various predators and preys like antelopes, bush babies, Uganda kobs, leopards, buffaloes, and forest elephants. You will later return to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight.

Day 14 of the 25 Days Great Apes of Uganda Safari will start with a delicious breakfast and thereafter you will go for morning game drive where you will spot mamma species like elephants, antelopes, bush babies, Uganda kobs, leopards, buffaloes, pygmy flying squirrel among others. You will return to your accommodation for your hearty lunch and then later in the afternoon, you will go for a nature walk along the Sempaya nature trail. This trail will take you up to Semuliki’s male and female hot springs. The walk will also expose you to the different bird species in Semuliki like yellow throated cuckoo, orange cheeked waxbill, rare shoebill stork, red throated bee eater, piping hornbill, kingfisher, and shoebill among other bird species.

You will start day 15 of the 25 Days Great Apes of Uganda Safari with a hot breakfast and thereafter you will drive to Rwenzori Mountains National Park which will take about 2 hour from Semuliki National Park. This drive will give you a lot to watch like the local homesteads along the way, locals grazing their long-horned cattle, and also the backdrop of the Rwenzori ranges. You will arrive and have your lunch then later go to the park’s headquarters for briefing about the Hike.

Then start your 5 to 6 hours hike to the first campsite where you will have your dinner and an overnight. This hike will enable you to see the 3 horned chameleon, primate species like blue monkeys, Angola colobus monkey, black-and-white colobus monkeys and Chimpanzees. You will also encounter different bird species like the Rwenzori turaco, Rwenzori batis, long eared fowl, Robins, handsome francolin, giant heather among other bird species.

Your day 16 of the 25 Days Great Apes of Uganda Safari will begin with a delicious breakfast and then have a relaxation. Later in the afternoon you will go for a guided nature walk around the park soaked with interesting reality and historical stories concerning the ice capped mountain. You will also visit the Bakonzo people who will excite you with more thrilling stories you cannot find anywhere else. Later you will return for your dinner and overnight.

On day 17 of your 25 Days Great Apes of Uganda Safari, you will wake up to a lovely delicious breakfast prepared at the Mountains of the Moon. Then drive to Queen Elizabeth National park which is about 2 hours from Rwenzori Mountains National Park. Upon reaching, you will check into your accommodation for a hearty lunch and relaxation. While enjoying the fascinating views of the Rwenzori mountain ranges from a distance.

Later in the afternoon, you will proceed for a for a mind blowing boat cruise on the Kazinga channel. Which will give you stunning views of the park. And an opportunity to view the herds of hippos in water, elephants swimming and drinking water, Nile crocodiles resting at the banks of the Kazinga channel. And for the bird lovers, also be on the lookout for various bird species like the African fish eagle, the yellow billed stork, rare saddle billed stork, grey headed kingfisher, the African skimmer ,Nubian woodpecker, swamp flycatcher, grey capped warbler, little bee eater, Swamp Nightjar  among other bird species.  You will then return back to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight.

Your Day 12 of the Safari will start with an early morning heavy breakfast. Then you will head out to the jungle to search for the various mammal species. That inhabit Queen Elizabeth National Park like Antelopes, Hippos, bush pigs, sitatungas, topis, bushbucks, cape buffaloes, elephants among others.

OR You can Opt for an Experiential Lion and Leopard Tracking Experience in the Northern sector of the park “Kasenyi plains” which goes for an Extra $250 per person. While here, you will have an opportunity to drive off track while tracing a pride of lions and the leopards of the park. This Experience takes you beyond the usual game drive.  Since you get to learn about their population, behavior, life style and also any other information concerning them. Experiential Lion and Leopard Tracking is done with Researchers who drive around the Park with Radiation trackers. Which help them to find lions that have radio collars around their Neck. Trackers here can drive off truck in order to find the predators whenever the signals would be directing.

After a great time in the jungle, you will return back to the lodge for relaxation and lunch. You will later proceed for a Crater Lake exploration at Lake Katwe Explosion craters. Which is a 27km drive through the craters in Queen Elizabeth National Park. On your way you will spot some animals. Like the lonely male buffaloes and elephants, water bucks, Uganda kobs, sitatungas, antelopes, chimpanzees and also flamingos at Lake Munyanyange, termites, snakes among others. Upon reaching, you will see the number one salt distributor in Uganda and learn how salt is extracted. You will also see the Western arm of the Great East African Rift Valley and escarpments during the drive then you will return back to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight.

Day 19 of your 25 Days Great Apes of Uganda Safari will start with an early morning breakfast. Then you will check out of your accommodation. To proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park which is located south of Queen Elizabeth National Park and it will take about 5 hours to reach the Northern sector of Buhoma. During your journey out of Queen Elizabeth, you will drive through Ishasha sector. To search for the tree climbing lions and other wildlife like Topis, Aardvark, lions, elephants, monkeys, Uganda kobs, Hippos, leopards, water buck among others which are found in this sector of the park. Have a lunch stopover in Kihihi and proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park for dinner and an overnight.

Upon waking up by the beautiful sounds of the birds singing in the sky, you will start your day 20 of the 25 Days Great Apes of Uganda Safari with an early morning breakfast. Wear appropriate clothing for the day like a long sleeved shirt, a pair of karky or jean trousers, a round cap, water proof boots. To protect you against the falling tree branches of the Impenetrable forest and also in case of bad weather. Pack some snacks and water to help in keeping you hydrated during the trek.

Proceed to the park’s headquarters for a briefing on the Do’s and the Don’ts. While you are with the mountain gorillas, you will also be assigned a park ranger. Who will guide you during the trek and also a gorilla family to look out for. Then start the search for the mountain gorillas. Which will take about 1 to 5 hours depending on their location.

During your trek, you will encounter various primate species. Like the black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, grey mangabeys, and blue monkeys. Also bird species like handsome francolin, red headed blue bill, regal sunbird, breasted sunbird, African blue cuckoo, Rwenzori turaco, Shelley’s crimson, purple sunbird among other bird species. On finding the gorillas, you will be allowed to spend only one hour with them. As you learn about their ways of life, how they feed and take care of their young ones. How they communicate among others. Feel free to ask as many questions as possible about these gorillas and take memorable pictures. Then you will return back to your accommodation for lunch.

Later you will visit the Batwa community who were the early inhabitants of the ancient Impenetrable forest. Before it became a National park and also a UNESCO World heritage site in 1992 and learn about their social ways of life, how they hunt for food in their ancient ways. Visit a Batwa homestead to watch how they dance and also hear ancient legends and their folk songs. Then you will return back to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight.

On this beautiful morning, you will wake up to a heavy delicious breakfast. Thereafter you will start your drive to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Which is about 2 hours drive from Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National park. This day 21 of the 25 Days Great Apes of Uganda Safari will have a rest and relaxation from the previous day’s activities. Upon reaching you will check into your accommodation for a hearty lunch. And you may spend the rest of your afternoon watching and hearing the beautiful sounds of the birds singing where “Gold meets Silver.” Later you will have dinner and an overnight.

Upon waking up, you will have an early morning breakfast as you start your day 22 of the 25 Days Great Apes of Uganda Safari. Wear appropriate clothing for the day like a long sleeved shirt. A pair of karky or jean trousers, a round cap, water proof boots. To protect you against the falling tree branches of Mgahinga gorilla National park and also in case of bad weather. Pack some snacks and water to help in keeping you hydrated during the trek. Proceed to the park’s headquarters in Ntebeko Visitor Center. For a briefing on the Do’s and the Don’ts while you are with the Golden monkeys.

You will also be assigned a park ranger who will guide you during the trek and also a Golden monkey group. To look out for and thereafter you will start the search for the Golden monkeys. This search through the bamboo forests will take about 3 to 4 hours, on your way you will also encounter various mammal species. Like forest elephants, buffaloes, bushbucks, black fronted duikers among others.

On finding them, you will be allowed to spend 1 hour with them while learning their ways of life, how they feed and take care of their young ones, how they communicate among others. Take as many pictures as possible to help you tell your unforgettable experience. Thereafter you will return back to your accommodation for a delicious lunch and relaxation. Later you will drive to Lake Mburo National Park which is about 5 hours drive from Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Upon waking up on your day 23 of the 25 Days Great Apes of Uganda Safari, you will have an early morning heavy breakfast. Then you will proceed for a Nature walk or horse riding within the park. Which will take about 2 to 3 hours, this experience in Lake Mburo national park will take you off the main paths. And you will go deep into the bush trails to enjoy the park. And see herds of zebras, giraffes, Elands, impalas, buffalos, Defassa waterbucks, oribis, leopards, hippos, hyenas, Topis and reedbuck among others. You will then return to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight.

On your day 24 of the 25 Days Great Apes of Uganda Safari, you will have your breakfast. Then you will proceed for a cycling experience within the park. Which will help you stretch your legs. You will then return back to your accommodation for your lunch. Thereafter you will drive to Kampala the Capital City of Uganda. Have a stopover at Kasubi tombs where you will learn about the history of Buganda. And the Kings who have been buried there with their roles in the colonial error. Then proceed to your accommodation where you will have your dinner and an overnight.

After a delicious breakfast on your final day of the 25 Days Great Apes of Uganda Safari, you will drive to Entebbe International Airport. With a stopover at the Reptile Village where you will see various rescued reptiles. Like snakes, chameleons, tortoise and monitor lizards among others. You will have your hearty lunch in Entebbe before proceeding for your flight.