9 Days Uganda Big 5 and primate safari
9 Days Uganda Big 5 and primate tracking safari
9 Days Uganda Big 5 and Primate Safari is a superb Uganda wildlife and primates safari that one needs to engage in while on their safari in the African continent/the Pearl of Africa. Get Started Now!
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to a hotel in Kampala
Depending on your arrival time at Entebbe International Airport on the first day of the 9 Days Uganda Big 5 and Primate Safari, you will be welcomed by our safari driver guide, who will brief you about this Uganda safari and then drive you to a hotel in Kampala for relaxation, dinner and an overnight stay at the Sheraton Hotel (luxury), the Fairway Hotel (mid-range) or Forest Cottages (budget).
Meal plan: Lunch and Dinner
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison falls national park via Ziwa rhino sanctuary
On the second day of the 9 Days Uganda Big 5 and Primate Safari, our driver guide will pick you up from the hotel and transfer you to Murchison Falls National Park, which is the largest national park in Uganda. The journey takes about 5 to 6 hours’ drive, and on the way, you will have a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking, whereafter you will proceed on the journey with another stopover in Masindi town for lunch. After lunch, you will proceed to Murchison Falls National Park, and upon arrival, you will drive directly to the top of the falls, where you will enjoy the stunning waterfall and water splashes, among others. From the top of the falls, you will drive to check into the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at Paraa Safari Lodge (luxury), Pakuba Safari Lodge (mid-range) or Parkside Safari Lodge (budget).
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Morning game drive,
After an early breakfast on the third day of the 9 Days Uganda Big 5 and Primate Safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to head for a morning game drive where you will be rewarded with fantastic views of animal species like giraffes, buffaloes, elephants, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, lions, leopards, warthogs, and Jackson’s hartebeest, among others. After the game drive, you will drive back to the lodge for lunch.
Afternoon boat cruise,
After lunch, embark on an exciting boat cruise to the bottom of the falls, where you will be able to view animals like elephants, antelopes, and buffaloes, which will be drinking water along the shores; view hippos and Nile crocodiles in the water; and view aquatic bird species such as hornbills, cormorants, kingfishers, bee-eaters, and fish eagles, among others. After the impressive boat cruise, you will drive back to the lodge for an evening of relaxation, dinner and overnight as above.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Transfer to Kibale National Park
After breakfast on the fourth day of the 9 Days Uganda Big 5 and Primate Safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to set off on the journey to Kibale Forest National Park, which lies in the western Uganda region. It’s a whole day journey and on the way you will have an en-route lunch and enjoy views of the beautiful scenery, landscape, greenery, tea plantation, Rwenzori Mountains, views of the crater lakes and others. Upon arrival in Kibale National Park, you will continue to check into the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at Chimpundu Lodge (luxury), Chimpanzee Guest House (mid-range), or Isunga lodge-budget.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Chimpanzee trekking,
After an early breakfast on the fifth day of the 9 Days Uganda Big 5 and Primate Safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge and drive to the Kanyachu park headquarters for a chimpanzee trekking briefing. After the briefing, you will be accompanied by a skilled park ranger to lead you in search of chimpanzees through the forest trail. Trekking of chimpanzees in Kibale National Park takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours, depending on where the chimpanzees are located, because they like to move from one place to another in search of food.
During trekking, you will be rewarded with views of other primates such as l’hoest monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, grey-cheeked Mangabey, and views of different bird species, among others. On finding them, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their environment, which helps you to get to learn how they feed, play, fight, hunt, rest, observe their behaviours, take photos and record videos. After an hour encounter with the chimpanzees, you will trek back to the park headquarters, where you will meet up with your driver guide and drive back to the lodge for lunch.
Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After lunch, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to drive you to Queen Elizabeth National Park, known as the second-largest national park in Uganda. On the way, you will enjoy tantalising views of the scenery, landscape and upon arrival, you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight in the park you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at Elephant Plains lodge-luxury/ Elephant Hub lodge-midrange or Pumba safari cottages-budget.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 6: Morning game drive/ lion tracking experience and afternoon boat cruise
Morning game drive/ lion tracking experience
After an early breakfast on the sixth day of the 9 Days Uganda Big 5 and Primate Safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to embark on a morning game drive in Kasenyi plains. During the game drive, you will be able to view different animals such as elephants, buffalo, warthogs, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, which will be grazing in open savannah plains, view kings of the jungle like lions, leopards, hyenas, which will be looking for a morning hunt, view bird species and others. After the game drive, you will drive back to the lodge for lunch.
Afternoon boat cruise
After lunch, you will head for a tantalising boat cruise on the Kazinga channel, a water channel that connects Lake Edward and Lake George. During the boat cruise, expect to view large herds of hippos and Nile crocodiles in the water, view buffaloes, elephants, warthogs, waterbucks drinking water along the shores, view water birds like hornbills, cormorants, fish eagles, kingfishers and others. After the boat ride, you will drive back to the lodge for an evening of relaxation, dinner and overnight as above.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
On the seventh day of the 9 Days Uganda Big 5 and Primate Safari, you will enjoy an excellent breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. On the way, you will have a stopover in Ishasha sector in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park, where you will be able to view the unique tree-climbing lions, which will be lazily lying up in acacia/ fig tree branches.
After the game drive in Ishasha sector, you will have lunch and then proceed on the journey to the park with exciting views of the beautiful landscape, countryside, Kigezi hills, and terraced farmlands, among others. Upon arrival in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at Buhoma lodge-luxury/ Buhoma haven lodge-midrange or Buhoma community rest camp-budget.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Gorilla trekking,
After an early breakfast on the eighth day of the 9 Days Uganda Big 5 and Primate Safari, you will carry a packed lunch and meet up with your driver guide to drive you to the park headquarters for a gorilla trekking briefing. After the briefing, you will be allocated a gorilla family to trek and a skilled park guide who is knowledgeable about the mountain gorillas and familiar with various gorilla trekking trails. Trekking of mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park takes about 30 minutes to 7 hours, depending on their movements while looking for food.
During trekking you will be able to view other primate species, different bird species, plants among others and on finding Uganda mountain gorillas, you will be able to spend an hour with them in their natural habitat which allows you to observe their behaviours and watch them carry out their daily activities such as feeding, playing, breastfeeding, grooming young ones, take photos and record videos. After an hour encounter with the gentle giants, you will drive back to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight as above.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 9: Departure to Kampala
On the last day of the 9 Days Uganda Big 5 and Primate Safari, you will enjoy a relaxed breakfast, check out of the lodge and then meet up with your driver guide to transfer back to Kampala. On the way, you will have en route lunch in Mbarara town and then proceed on the journey with another stopover at the Equator, where you will take photos and buy craft souvenirs. From the Equator, you will proceed to Kampala. Arriving early evening, and upon arrival, your driver guide will drop you off at Entebbe international airport for your departure flight or drop off at any place of convenience.
End of 9 days Uganda big 5 and primates safari.
Quotation includes
- Gorilla trekking permit @ $800 PP
- Chimpanzee trekking permit @ $250 PP
- Rhino tracking fees
- Lion tracking experience
- Park entrance fees/ game drives
- Boat cruise fees
- Full-time English-speaking driver guide
- Accommodation as indicated in the itinerary
- All meals at the lodge (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
- Pick up and drop off in Kampala/ Entebbe
- 4 WD safari Van and fuel
- Bottled drinking water
Quotation excludes
- Air flight tickets and Visas
- Life insurance
- Optional activities not included in the itinerary
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, and tips, among others.
