6 Days Gorillas and Murchison Falls National Park safari
This 6 Days Gorillas and Murchison Falls National Park safari trip will show you some of the best highlights Uganda has to offer. These include gorilla tracking and a wildlife safari to Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s biggest and most popular national park. You will experience a perfect combination of nature, culture, animals & fun. The tour will be guided by a local professional safari guide/driverHighlights
- Gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
- Game drives
- Boat safari
- Rhino Tracking
- Mid-range accommodations
- Spectacular views
Day 1: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Today after early breakfast, your guide will pick you up at 7am, in Kampala, who will transfer you to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, in South Western Uganda, through a beautiful part of the country often referred to as ‘the Switzerland of Africa’. You will see beautiful terrace hills and you will drive through a bamboo forest zone. On a clear day, you will have great views of the Virunga Mountains
You will have lunch en route before proceeding to the park. You will arrive at the lodge in time for dinner
Journey Time: 10 hours
Accommodation: Rushaga Gorilla Camp (Mid-range)
Meal plan: All meals
Day 2: Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi Forest:
Today after early breakfast, you will be transferred 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’.
Journey Time: 15 minutes each way
Accommodation: Rushaga Gorilla Camp
Meal plan: All meals
Day 3: Transfer to Fort portal
Today after early breakfast, you will be transferred to Fortportal town to break down the journey between Bwindi and Murchison Falls National parks. You will have packed lunch en route, arriving at your hotel in the evening, for check in, dinner and overnight
Journey Time: 9 hours
Meal plan: All meals
Accommodation: Mountains of the Moon
Day 4: Transfer to Murchison Falls Np
Today at 7am, after early breakfast, you will begin the journey north to Murchison falls national park.
Murchison Falls National Park is the largest conservation area in Uganda. 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
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 will be watched by crocodiles, hundreds of hippos, buffaloes, water birds, monkeys and all the other thirsty wildlife that the Nile attracts, you go to the bottom of the Murchison Falls, which approaches you with a thunderous sound. By car or after a short hike you can reach the “Top of the falls” from where you have a perfect view of the extraordinary falls and the river snaking below
You will get to the lodge in the evening
Journey Time: 8 hours
Accommodation: Pakuba Safari lodge
Meal plan: All meals
Day 5: Sunrise game drive, Boat safari & Hike to the top of falls
Today you will wake up very early. In the early morning hours animals are the most active, the sun is not yet so bright and temperatures are cooler. It offers the best time to spot wild animals. After an early breakfast you will go on a game drive to explore the northern part of the park.
You will be eye-to-eye with the African animals like elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, lions, leopards, different species of antelopes and many tropical birds may all be spotted during the game drive. So keep your eyes open.
In the afternoon you will take a boat safari up the Nile River to Murchison Falls. You will be watched by crocodiles, hundreds of hippos, buffaloes, water birds, monkeys and all the other thirsty wildlife that the Nile attracts, you will reach the base of the 43-meter high Falls which approach with a thunderous sound.
After the boat safari you will hike to the top of the falls. From here you will have a wonderful view and fantastic photo opportunities.
Accommodation: Pakuba Safari lodge
Meal plan: All meals
Optional activity: Hot air balloon safari
Discover Murchison Falls from the air and enjoy the unique experience of flying over Murchison Falls National Park 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.
Optional activity: Chimp tracking Budongo forest
Budongo Forest is located in the southern part of Murchison Falls National Park 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.
Day 6: Rhino Tracking – Return to Entebbe
After early breakfast, you will cross the river Nile and head back to Kampala with en route lunch at Masindi Hotel. You will then proceed to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary where you will track Rhinos on foot with rangers and get within close distance of them.
You will continue to Kampala or Entebbe arriving late in the evening
Accommodation for tonight is not inclusive in the program. If you wish to depart tonight from Entebbe Airport, make sure your flight is at 10 pm or later. If you want us to book one (or more) nights in Kampala and/or Entebbe, please let us know.
Journey Time: 6 hours to Kampala, 7 hours to Entebbe
Accommodation: Not included
Meal plan: Breakfast and lunch
Dates
This is a private tour, departure can be organised for anytime throughout the year subject to the availability of accommodation and transport.
Accommodation
The bookings with the hotels mentioned in the program depend on availability. Reservations will only be made after your booking.
In case the mentioned hotels are not available during the requested period, we will do our best to book a hotel in the same class for you- of course after consulting you.
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.
Transport
Our standard offering for mid-range tours is a 4wd safari van with a pop-up roof for easy safari viewing. But we can provide safari land cruisers too. All clients will have a dedicated window seat. Your professional driver/guide will be at your disposal for questions or translations.
Tour Package Including:
- Transport in a 4WD safari vehicle with a pop-up roof for excellent safari view;
- All fuel for the tour;
- English speaking Ugandan driver/guide;
- Accommodation as listed in the program;
- All meals while on safari
- 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.)
This tour tailor made to suit Budget and luxury travellers
Important:
Please note the gorilla tracking in this itinerary can be done in Rwanda as well or in the other sectors on Bwindi or Mgahinga
Gorilla tracking is dependant 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.
Social Responsibility
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.