9 Day Uganda Exclusive Fly in safari
This 9 Day Uganda Exclusive Fly in safari with gorilla and chimpanzee tracking tour is for travelers who want to experience Uganda’s most popular national parks. But are not willing to spend so many hours on the road. It will combine domestic flights, exclusive luxury lodges and ground transfers.
Highlights 9 Day Uganda Exclusive Fly-in safari
- Gorilla tracking
- Game drives
- Boat safaris
- Luxury accommodations
Day 1: Airport pick up.
Upon arrival at the airport, you will be picked up from Entebbe airport by a representative of your accommodation for tonight. You will meet your driver/ guide tomorrow morning when he picks you up from your hotel.
Depending on the time of your arrival, you might be able to do some optional activities in Entebbe like a visit to the Botanical gardens. Please note that all activities today are at your own cost.
Journey Time: 15 minutes
Accommodation: Lake Victoria Hotel
Meal plan: No meals included
Laico – lake Victoria Hotel (Semi-luxe) is spacious, elegant and entirely refurbished and redecorated. This classic colonial style 4-star property is a true oasis of tranquillity. It nestles in lush tropical gardens, amidst majestic Royal palm trees, while its verandas and terraces overlook the calm beauty of Lake Victoria. There is a great swimming pool as well. The hotel is 10 minutes driving from the airport.
Day 2: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Today after your breakfast you will be taken to Entebbe Airport for your flight to Kasese airstrip close to Queen Elizabeth National park
Departure time from Entebbe: 12.30pm
Arrival time in Kasese: 14:25pm
* Timings may vary depending on aircraft routing.
Upon arrival in Kasese, you will be picked up from the airstrip by a representative of Mweya safari Lodge, your accommodation for the next two nights.
- You will stay in the very exclusive and private luxury safari tents
Mweya safari Lodge, luxury tents (High-end) is located on a peninsula in the middle of the park. It offers visitors an unforgettable experience. To the east lie the Great Rift Valley hills, separated from the Mountains of the Moon by the meandering Kazinga Channel. Here the water flows endlessly into two giant lakes Lake George and Lake Edward. Filled with hippo, crocodile and bathing elephant.
The tents are superbly furnished with modern interiors and linens – still reflecting and creating a mood of being ‘in the wild’.
Journey Time: 2 hours by plane + 1 hour by car
Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge- Luxury safari tent
Meal plan: All meals
Day 3: Game drive & Kazinga channel boat safari
Today you wake up early. A little before sunrise coffee, tea and donuts will be served in the lounge before we head out for a long game drive in time to see the first rays of light. You will search for all the wildlife in the park and are likely to come across Elephant, Buffalo, Lion, Waterbuck, Leopard, Uganda Kob, and many Warthogs.
In the afternoon you will take a boat safari along the Kazinga Channel which joins Lake George and Lake Edward.
Here, you will see a lot of hippos (more than you can possibly imagine!), as well as a variety of other animals which come to the waterhole to drink or bathe. You can expect to see buffalo, crocodile, bathing elephant, and a range of beautiful birds. This will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of your tour.
After the boat safari you game drive back to the lodge.
Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge- Luxury Safari tents
Meal Plan: All meals
Optional activities:
Lion Tracking:
For visitors who yearn to get up close to wild African fauna, a research trip is a rewarding adventure. This new and unique experience allows visitors to actively participate in monitoring some of lions in the park, using locator devices and learn habituation calls, as well as monitoring weather, surroundings and behavior. The results are added to researchers’ databases, contributing valuable information to the overall understanding of wildlife ecology – and helping to conserve this wonderful ecosystem. This will as well gives you a 95% chance to see the lions!
The number of people on each outing is limited in order to reduce stress on the animals and to increase the quality of the experience for visitors.
The experiential tourism activities currently available are Mongoose Tracking, Lion Tracking, Hippo Census, and Bird Counts. The number of people on each outing is limited in order to reduce stress on the animals and to increase the quality of the experience for visitors.
Experiential tours lasts between one and three hours. They usually take place in the early morning or evening, or occasionally at night. All activities must be booked through the Visitor Information Centre in Mweya at least 24 hours in advance.
Cost: $60 us dollar p.p.
Chimp tracking in Kyambura Gorge
Another optional activity in Queen Elisabeth N.P. is to visit the Kyambura Gorge. A hike through the gorge gives you the opportunity to see habituated chimpanzees and other types of primates including red-tailed monkey, black-and-white colobus, baboons and vervet monkeys. Although the chance of spotting chimpanzees is only 50%, the landscape is among the most impressive in Uganda and is absolutely worth it!
Cost: $50 US Dollar p.p.
Day 4: Transfer to Ishasha – Tree climbing lions
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the southern part of Queen Elizabeth N.P; Ishasha sector which is famous for its tree-climbing lions.
To escape from the heat during the day, the lions learned how to climb the fig trees. If you’re lucky you might spot a few during your afternoon game drive.
After the game drive, you will be taken to Ishasha Wilderness Camp, a very nice and luxurious lodge with wonderful views over the Savannah and a river packed with hippos.
Journey Time: 2 ½ hours by road
Accommodation: Ishasha Wilderness camp
Meal plan: All meals
Ishasha Wilderness Camp (High end) is situated inside the southern Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park on the Ntungwe River, and is an idyllic retreat for people who truly enjoy the wilderness. This exclusive camp offers quality accommodation and services in this unspoiled remote southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Each of the ten spacious framed canvas rooms, situated in the wooded area besides the river, is comfortably furnished and has its own private en suite bathroom and dressing area providing running water, hot water ‘bush’ showers and a flushing eco friendly toilet. A central lounge/dining area, under a cool thatched roof, provides a comfortable environment for meals and relaxing during the day. A shaded area beside the river offers al fresco dining and an evening ‘fireplace’ for guests to relax with sun downers and share their day’s experience.
Day 5: Game drive – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Today morning you will go for another game drive for a chance to see the tree climbing lions. After lunch at Ishasha Wilderness Camp you will be transferred to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home of the mountain gorillas.
You will stay in a very luxurious lodge with stunning views of Bwindi Forest
Journey Time: 3 hours to Bwindi
Accommodation: Buhoma Lodge
Meal plan: All meals
Buhoma Lodge (High end) commands spectacular and uninterrupted views of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
The comfortable cottages have been carefully built, each with its own private verandah, allowing wonderful views of the forest canopy of the National Park. Inside the spacious cottages you will find comfortable beds, a well appointed en suite bathroom with flushing toilet and a hot shower and also some rooms with bath tubs. An elevated lounge area, complete with bar and dining facilities, offers a cozy, comfortable environment, to discuss the day’s activities around the fireplaces which add atmosphere and warmth in the cool evenings.
Day 6: Gorilla Tracking
Today after early breakfast, you transfer to the park head quarters for briefing about gorilla tracking. You will encounter one of Bwindi’s endangered mountain gorillas. For most people this is the absolute highlight of their tour in Uganda.
Bwindi Impenetrable national park boasts both mountain gorillas and chimpanzees – the only forest in Africa that can make this claim. It also hosts five other species of primates, 113 species of mammals, over 200 species of butterflies and 360 species of birds. The gorillas you track are habituated and can tolerate the presence of humans for a brief period of time, every day.
The time taken to track the gorillas can be as few as 2 hours to as many as 7 hours. Once the gorillas have been located, your group will be allowed a maximum of one hour with them. Coming face-to-face with a mountain gorilla is a truly humbling and emotional experience. This is a fantastic and privileged opportunity to get up close and personal with Uganda’s very own ‘Gorillas in the Mist’.
Accommodation: Buhoma Lodge
Meal plan: All meals
Optional Activities:
Village Walk: Overlooking the imposing hillsides of Bwindi Impenetrable forest, with the mist swirling over the summits, this is one of the most dramatic settings for your cultural tour! Among others, meet a traditional healer, who not only treats the sick, but uses his knowledge to conserve and educate about the various medicinal plants.
Day 7: Fly to Murchison Falls NP via Entebbe
Today after your breakfast, you will be taken to the Kihihi airstrip and you will continue your trip to Murchison Falls NP in the north part of Uganda. There is no flight direct from Kihihi to Murchison Falls NP, so you will fly via Entebbe.
Murchison Falls National Park is the largest conservation area in Uganda, covering an area of over 3,840 km². The park’s name derives from its famous waterfall: the mighty Murchison Falls, which are formed where the Victoria Nile powerfully forces its way through a narrow cleft before plunging 43m down with a thunderous roar
The mighty Nile River divides the park into its north and south sections. At the spectacular Murchison Falls the world’s longest river explodes violently through a narrow cleft in the Rift Valley escarpment to plunge into a frothing pool 43m below. As the river attracts large numbers of game, a boat safari up the Nile provides the perfect opportunity to see and photograph the animals. You carefully watched by crocodiles, hundreds of hippos, buffaloes, water birds, apes and all the other thirsty wildlife that the Nile attracts
Departure time from Kihihi: 09.45 am
Arrival time in Entebbe: 11.25 am
Departure Time from Entebbe: 12.30pm
Arrival time in Murchison: 13.25 am
* Timings may vary depending on aircraft routing.
Upon arrival at the airstrip, you transfer to Bakers Lodge, your amazing accommodation for the next two nights.
Accommodation: Baker’s Lodge
Meal plan: All meals
Day 8: Morning game drive – Afternoon boat safari – Top of falls
Today after breakfast, you will depart for an early morning game drive across the rolling plains of Uganda’s largest National Park. The 3,893 sq km park is home to a range of animals, and you will have a chance of viewing some of the Park’s residents including lions, giraffes, hartebeest, buffalo, and elephants. For the birders amongst you, these areas support the secretary bird and the black chested snake eagle, to name a few.
In the afternoon, go for a boat trip to the base of Murchison Falls, where the Nile thunders through a small 7 meter gap plunging 43 meters into the Nile on the way to Lake Albert. The banks of the Nile densely populated with crocodiles, hippopotamus, and a range of other wildlife that come to the river to drink.
After the boat safari you will hike to the top of the falls. From here you have a wonderful view and fantastic photo opportunities!
Accommodation: Baker’s lodge
Meal Plan: All meals
Optional activity: Chimp tracking Budongo forest
Budongo Forest is located in the southern part of Murchison Falls NP and has the highest number of wild chimpanzees of Uganda. The habituated groups are located in Kaniyo Padibi, where you can go for chimpanzee tracking. Budongo Forest has an incredible biodiversity that beside the chimpanzee includes several other species like the Blue monkeys, Red-tailed monkeys, Vervet monkeys and Olive baboons.
Costing: $95 us dollar p.p.
Optional activity: Hot air balloon safari
Discover Murchison Falls from the air and enjoy the unique experience of flying over Murchison Falls NP in a hot air balloon. You will have the most amazing views over the river Nile, Lake Albert, the great Murchison Falls and of course this is the best way to spot lots and lots of animals. You will start early morning, so you will see the sun rise over the park. After your balloon safari you will have a bush breakfast in the park (inclusive).
Costing: $380 us dollar p.p.
Day 9: Fly back to Entebbe
Today you will have breakfast and relax at the lodge. After early lunch, you transfer to the airstrip for your flight back to Entebbe.
Departure time from Murchison Falls: 13.45pm
Arrival time in Entebbe: 16.30pm
* Timings may vary depending on aircraft routing.
From Entebbe you can connect with your international flight back home. If you need an additional night and/ or program in either Entebbe or Kampala, please don’t hesitate to contact us
Accommodation: Not included
Meal plan: Breakfast and lunch
Domestic Flights for 9 Day Uganda Exclusive Fly-in safari
Your transport from Entebbe to Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi to Entebbe, Entebbe to Murchison falls, and Murchison to Entebbe is by a 12-seater airplane through our partner Aero Link Uganda LTD.
Transfers and Activities for 9 Day Uganda Exclusive Fly-in safari
Your road transfers are provided by your accommodation. As well the transport used for your activities (game drives) and transfers from airstrips to lodges is provided by the lodges we use.
They use 4wd Land cruisers with pop-up roof with a maximum of 6 people.
Dates
This is a private tour you can choose your own departure time throughout the year subject to the availability of accommodation and transport.
The scheduled flights to and from Murchison Falls only go on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Therefore you will have to start this tour on either a Thursday or a Saturday.
Hotel booking!
The bookings with the hotels mentioned in the program depend on availability. Reservations only made after your booking.
In case the mentioned hotels are not available during the requested period, we will do our utmost best to book a hotel in the same class for you (of course we will only do this after consulting you). It is not possible to ‘reserve’ gorilla and chimpanzee permits. Therefore we can only buy them after your booking and down-payment and also it all depends on availability
Gorilla and chimp permits
It is not possible to ‘reserve’ gorilla and chimpanzee permits. Therefore we can only buy them after your booking and down-payment and it all depends on availability.
Tour Package Including:
- Domestic flights as mentioned in the itinerary
- Transport in a 4WD minivan with pop-up roof for excellent safari view;
- All fuel for the tour;
- English speaking Ugandan driver/guide;
- Accommodation as listed in the program;
- Meals as per the itinerary
- Packed lunch for the gorilla tracking;
- Park-entrance fees according to the program;
- All activities described in the itinerary;
- 1 gorilla permit per person (a US$ 600 value).
Excluding:
- International air fares and entry visa Uganda
- Meals that are not part of your accommodation;
- A porter for during the gorilla tracking (someone who carries your daypack);
- Personal (medical/travel) insurance;
- Tips and gratuities to rangers, driver/guide, porter, hotel staff, etc;
- All expenses of personal nature (e.g. drinks, laundry, optional activities, souvenirs etc.
Important:
Please note the gorilla tracking in this itinerary done in Rwanda as well or in the other sectors of Bwindi or Mgahinga gorilla national park
Gorilla tracking is dependent on the permits availability at the time of your booking. Gorilla permits in all parks are on a very high demand. And we advise that you book them as early as possible.
When you book your trip with Gorilla Link Tours to any of our destinations. Gorilla Link Tours will donate US$ 5 per person to persons with Albinism.