8 Days Luxury Tour to Victoria Falls, Wildlife Safari to Hwange and Gorilla Tracking in Uganda
This 8 Days Luxury Tour to Victoria Falls, Wildlife Safari to Hwange and Gorilla Tracking in Uganda combines Victoria Falls, a wildlife safari to Hwange National park and a gorilla tracking safari in Uganda, all are highlights of these two beautiful countries. Victoria Falls are one of the 7 wonders of the world, Hwange National park is home to a huge number of elephants, and half of the world’s mountain Gorillas live in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National park.
You will stay in some of the most luxury lodges with great views
Trip Highlights 8 Days Victoria Falls Tour
- Guided visit to Victoria Falls Zimbabwe side
- Wildlife Safari in Hwange National Park
- Gorilla Tracking in Uganda
- Beautiful luxury lodges
Day 1: Airport pick up
Today upon arrival at Victoria Falls airport, you will be warmly welcomed by a representative and transferred to your hotel.
In the late afternoon at 3.30pm, you will be transferred for the Zambezi River sunset cruise which will likely to award you with wildlife that include elephants, buffalos, crocodiles, hippos and abundant birds. It will be a very relaxing sunset cruise as you enjoy some snacks and drinks.
After the sunset cruise, you will be transferred back to your hotel for dinner. You will enjoy a classically-elegant Edwardian-style dinner in the Livingstone Room which opens only for dinner. It features a la carte and table d’hôte menus. Keep in mind that the dress code is smart casual, sleeved collared shirt and closed shoes for men for the convenience of guests in this more relaxed modern era. Safari wear, shorts, sandals or sneakers are strictly not allowed
Journey Time: 25 minutes
Accommodation: Victoria Falls Hotel
Meal Plan: Dinner
Victoria Falls Hotel was established in 1904 by the British colonialists and is one of the world’s Classic five-star hotels, overlooking the Victoria Falls
The hotel is member of Leading Hotels of the World. This Edwardian-style hotel was also redecorated in 2013 to combine its traditional majesty with modern sophistication and has been a luxury hotel in Africa for more than 110 years.
Day 2: Guided Victoria Falls Tour – Dinner at the Boma
Today after breakfast, you will be transferred to Victoria Falls for your guided walk to the different viewpoints of this 7th wonder of the world. You will feel its thunder and be embraced by its steam which can be seen from a distance too. You will have great photo opportunities too
After about 3 hours walk around the falls, you will return to your hotel but can choose from the different optional activities below
Optional Activities
Helicopter Ride over the Victoria Falls
The best way to have amazing, beautiful bird’s eye views is by taking a helicopter ride which takes you over the falls, the bridge plus Zambezi River. Look out for wildlife too that includes elephants and giraffes.
You will return to the hotel and at 7 pm you will go for dinner at the Boma Restaurant.
Other optional activities include
Bungee jumping
Zip lining
White Water rafting
River rafting
Canoeing, etc.
At 7pm, you will go for dinner at the Boma Restaurant which serves mainly Zimbabwe cuisine. You will also be entertained by the locals as you enjoy your dinner. Don’t forget to taste the Mopane worm, a delicacy to many tribes in Zimbabwe and other parts of Southern Africa.
You will return to the hotel for overnight
Accommodation: Victoria Falls Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast and dinner
Day 3: Transfer to Hwange National Park – Afternoon Game drive
Today after breakfast, at 7 am, you will be transferred to Hwange National park is located in the North West corner and is one of Zimbabwe’s best wildlife reserves.
Hwange National Park was established in 1930 and is Zimbabwe’s largest national park at 14,651 sq. Km. It has grasslands and mopane woods which are home large herds of African Elephants, lions and African wild dogs. In the northwest, there are Mandavu and Masuma dams animals gather for water making viewing these animals easy. The southeast of this national park has waterholes include the Nyamandhlovu Pan, with its elevated viewing platform; which attract many animals that include the Kudu
You will get to your luxury lodge, check in and go for lunch at a restaurant overlooking a waterfall which attracts wildlife like elephants.
After lunch, you will go on guided game drive to search for Africa’s big five that include lion, rhino, elephant, buffalo and leopard. With luck, you also see the elusive Sable among others
Journey Time: 4 hours
Accommodation: The Hide Safari Camp
Meal Plan: All meals
The Hide Safari Camp is a luxury camp located in a private concession within Hwange National Park and offers an incredible diversity of wildlife and scenery to visitors. It has been voted as ‘Best Tented Safari Camp’ in Zimbabwe. Visitors will wake up to the first calls of robins and horn bills and from the Veranda, you will watch elephants, kudu, giraffe and zebra come down to the mist-edged waterhole.
At this camp, visitors can enjoy a bath in a tub, being watched by some of the animals and can enjoy an outdoor shower under the stars.
The camp has10 spacious deluxe, family deluxe and honeymoon deluxe tents, Iconic A-frame lounge and dining area, underground hide at the waterhole and Wine cellar. Visitors staying at The Hide Camp will be able to go for different activities and excursions that include game drives, Guided walks, visits to community projects and conservation initiatives
Day 4: Full Day morning and Evening safari game drives
Today at sunrise, you will head out to the park to explore the different and abundant wildlife that are inhabited here. The early morning and the late afternoon are the best times for wildlife viewing since animals are active in the morning and often rest during midday heat but come out again in the evening.
Look out for elephants, kudu, buffalo, wild dogs, hyena, giraffes and many more. The game drives will also reward you with great birdlife and some of the birds include the yellow billed hornbill, Abyssinian ground hornbill, broad-bills among others
You will return to the lodge for lunch and in the evening you will go back for the game drives, concluded with some snacks
You will conclude the day with dinner and overnight
Accommodation: The Hide Safari Camp
Meal plan: All meals
Day 5: Airport Transfer to Uganda
Today after breakfast, you will be transferred to Victoria Falls airport for your flight to Uganda, which was nick named ‘The Pearl of Africa’ by Houston Churchill.
Upon arrival at Entebbe airport, you will be welcomed by your guide who will transfer you to your hotel
Journey time from Entebbe airport to your hotel: 10 minutes
Accommodation: Best Western Hotel
Meal plan: Bed and breakfast
Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National park
Today after early breakfast, your guide will come to pick you up from your hotel and will transfer you to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National which is located in South Western Uganda, bordering Rwanda. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National park is home to the last surviving rare and endangered mountain gorillas. It is also home to forest elephants, duikers and is a bird watcher’s paradise. Your first stop is at the Uganda equator for photographs and to stand in two hemispheres at the same time. You will then proceed to Mbarara for lunch en route. After lunch, you will continue your journey to the impenetrable forest, passing through beautiful green rolling hills, observing people’s ways of life and colorful fruit and vegetable markets by the road side.
You will arrive at your lodge in time for dinner and overnight
Journey Time: 8 hours (Excludes stops and breaks)
Accommodation: Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp
Meal plan: All meals
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp is a luxury camp located in the heart of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Camp, walking distance to the park offices where gorilla tracking starts from.
The camp has luxury tents which are en suite, and each tent has a balcony perfect for relaxing as you take in nature or read a book
The camp has a spa which is perfect after gorilla tracking
The food is excellent, and the restaurant is close to the camp fire grounds to cosy from in the evening.
Day 7: Gorilla Tracking
Today is the long waited day. After breakfast, with your packed lunch and enough drinking water, you will be transferred to the park head offices for briefing about gorilla tracking. Gorilla tracking is one of the main safari highlights in Africa and should not be missed on any safari to Uganda. You will be briefed about the dos and don’ts while tracking, and with support from porters whom you hire from the park at $15 per porter per person, you will start penetrating the impenetrable forest, searching and following mountain gorillas. Once you get to where they are, you will stay with them for 1 hour. Coming face to face with a mountain gorilla family is one of the most rewarding once in a lifetime experiences. You will watch them feed, play and interact with each other. You will see silver backs, black backs, juveniles and babies as they go about their day to day life.
After one hour, you will move a distance away from them, to have lunch and return to the park offices for a brief ceremony before returning to lodge for dinner and overnight
Accommodation: Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp
Meal plan: All meals
Day 8: Transfer back to Entebbe airport
Today after early breakfast, you will be transferred to Entebbe airport, with en route lunch.
Journey Time: 8 hours
Accommodation: Not inclusive
Meal plan: Breakfast and lunch
Alternative routes
Via Kigali
Instead, you may cross to Boarder from Bwindi impenetrable national park to Kigali airport and this will save you the long drive to Entebbe since it is about 5 hours from Bwindi to Kigali
Domestic flights
Instead of the road transfer, you can choose to fly to and from Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park, through our partners Aerolink Uganda. Just let us know
Important to Note
- This is a private tour which can depart any day, any time of the year
- Gorilla tracking permits are highly demanded and we only book the permits after you have confirmed your booking. We do not reserve them
- Gorilla tracking can take place from different sectors of Bwindi impenetrable Forest and or Mgahinga Gorilla National park. This depends on availability
- Accommodation on the last day is not inclusive, let us know if you want us to book a hotel for you on this day if you don’t want to fly out
The cost includes
- 4 x 4 WD safari vehicles
- Airport pickups and transfers
- English speaking professional guides
- Accommodation
- Meals as per itinerary
- All activities as per itinerary
- Gorilla tracking
The cost excludes
- International airfare
- Visa fees
- Personal expenses (Laundry, calls, drinks
- Tips
- Porter fees for gorilla tracking (15 US dollars per person)
- Optional activities
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