8 days Uganda Gorilla Adventure Safari

Safari Overview

This is an 8-day tour to the gorillas in Uganda; the pearl of Africa. But before you get to the Gorillas, we show you what wildlife the route you are using has. A route stopover at Lake Mburo National Park spices your safari experience; giving a different sighting and stories. You get to see the different mammals in a savannah park; notably the zebras, impalas, waterbuck, school of crocodiles, school of hippos, Uganda Kobs, and more.

Right after a meeting with your cousins, you get a great rest; with the view of birds, the stunning Uganda Landscape, water, and islands at Lake Bunyonyi. Uganda is home to the largest concentration of the giant mountain gorillas, found only in the continent of Africa. Gorillas are shy and gentle, yet the most powerful of all the different primate species. One more activity will be the Batwa trail walk, with the Batwa pygmies, the former hunters and gatherers in the forest. This is a road trip to the countryside, with lots to look out for. The trip starts and ends at Entebbe International Airport.

Detailed trip

Day 1: Arrival and Kampala city Tour

After landing at Entebbe International Airport, our company driver guide will be glad to meet and greet you after clearance with the immigration office. You will be briefed on what will transpire during the 8-day gorilla trekking adventure, including the facts about Uganda. Afterward, hit the road to your hotel for a check-in and refreshment.

Lunch will be served at the lodge, and thereafter you will go for a tour around Kampala, with a visit to Owino Market to see how Uganda’s city dwellers do trade; and a drive to Uganda Museum for history and cultural artifacts of the country. Thereafter, you will have dinner in one of the restaurants around town for local cuisine, experience nightlife, and then drive to the lodge for a night stay.

Day 2: Transfer to Lake Mburo NP - sunset boat cruise

Wake up to an energizing cup of coffee and checkout later. The drive to Lake Mburo National Park lasts for approximately 3-4 hours, with stunning views of Lush vegetation, busy towns, and scattered homesteads. The driver guide will be explaining the different attractions en route and facts about western Uganda. With a smooth ride, it is expected that at midday you will arrive at the park, register, and head for Lunch.

At 2-3 pm, join the other guests on a 2-3 hours boat cruise where you will enjoy the cool lake breeze, sights of the schools of hippos, crocodiles, and more such as the aquatic birds, the different antelope species quenching their thirst by the lake shore, and the surrounding swamping. After the boat cruise, you will return to the lodge for dinner and a night stay.

Day 3: Sunrise game drive and Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable NP

Wake up at 06:00 hrs for a sunrise game drive which will commence at 6:30 am for 3-4 hours. Early morning game drive is for you to know how the animals start their day, hope to see the hippos outside the water as they graze at night and return in the morning, and identify different birds, primates, and plants.
The ranger guide will explain about different animals around the park such as zebras, impalas, and elands which are the largest of all antelope species; others are warthogs, buffaloes, waterbuck, Oribis, and more.

After the game drive, you will return to the lodge for breakfast, and then check out for a 5-6 hour drive to Bwindi’s impenetrable national park; home to the mountain Gorillas. All the way to the park will be for you to talk with the guide, and watch the trees, stunning landscape, water bodies, and dotted homesteads. You will have an enroute Lunch stopover, and then arrive at the selected sector in the evening. Check in to the lodge for dinner, and a sweet slumber.

Day 4: Gorilla trekking

Your first meal of the day will be well served; a heavy yet delicious breakfast meal. Get your packed lunch, trekking documents, and other items you will need and step out of the lodge for a pre-trekking briefing by the ranger guides who will explain the trekking dos and don’ts, tell you about the life of Gorillas, and Bwindi’s impenetrable national park. The session lasts for about 30 minutes, and then you will spend the next 1-8 hours trekking on foot through the bushes, hills, and more, for a one of love and peace with your cousins the gorillas in their natural habitat. The search goes first to the place these apes were left previously, and thereafter you will follow the broken tree branches, sound in the jungle, and more.

As you trek Mountain Gorillas, you can also change the sight and sound of different birds, and primates such as the Columbus monkeys or baboons, identify botany, and more. Meet and study the Gorillas; how they play, interact, feed, and more. An alpha male with a silver-like lining at the back is the leader of the family and ensures the safety and unity of all. After taking photos, and uncovering the life of these cousins of man, you will return to the lodge for refreshment, a free evening, dinner, and a nap. Lunch is served in the forest in case the Gorilla family moves far and the trekking takes long.

Day 5: Batwa Trail experience

After breakfast, you will join the rest of the visitors set for the Batwa trail walk. It is a Walk to uncover the story of the Batwa, and also know the forest; the habitat of your cousins. The Batwa are some of the shortest people on earth. Much more; their former life was lived in the forest as hunters and gatherers. They take visitors through their life stories; showcasing the caves they regarded as houses, the plants that cured their diseases, hunting skills, the fruits they fed on, and more. This journey starts with the leader performing a prayer ritual to the ancient gods for protection and luck. Be part of the experience and end the day with unforgettable stories.

After, you will return to the lodge for Lunch, followed by a relaxed evening, with the option of taking a tour of the Batwa communities, where you will be welcomed and entertained through songs, stories, and souvenirs. End this day in the comfort of your bed after dinner.

Day 6: An escape to Lake Bunyonyi

On day six, you will wake up for a mouthwatering breakfast meal at the lodge, check out thereafter, and hit the road to Lake Bunyonyi; the second Switzerland in the continent of Africa. The journey time is 2-3 hours, with a great view of the botany, water bodies, dotted homesteads, and mountains. Arrive at your lodge, and settle in well, followed by Lunch and a calm evening on your balcony.

You can also do bird watching, nature walks, or any other activity offered until the sun sets. End the day at the Lodge with a peaceful nape after dinner

Day 7: Lake Bunyonyi - Canoe riding, swimming, and photography

This day is literally for a rest, but because holiday time comes once; each hour counts. You will start the day with breakfast, and then a canoe ride which takes you to the different islands surrounding the Lake. There are 29 islands surrounding the lake, and you have the chance to explore one or more. One of those is the punishment island where unmarried ladies caught committing sexual acts were banished in the forest. They were left to the fate of wild animals, spirits, and more with the only survival chance being swimming across the lake to safe land – Mission impossible.

Your guide will explain about the island and lake, and then return to the mainland for lunch. In the afternoon, it will be time for swimming, sport fishing, and any other activity of your liking. This day ends with a tasty dinner meal and a peaceful sleep.

Day 8: Departure to Kampala.

After a sunrise cup of coffee, you will check-out of the lodge for a drive to Entebbe International Airport for your drop-off. En route, you will have a stopover at the equator for Lunch and photography.

The equator is an imaginary line, which divides into two; the northern and the southern hemisphere. It only crosses thirteen countries in the world, and the experts demonstrate what happens at the point crossed by the line. The journey time is 7-8 hours, and you will be dropped at the airport with great appreciation for choosing Uganda Pearl of Africa.
End of safari