17 Days Herping,Wildlife and Gorilla Trekking Safari in Uganda

Day 1: Arrival

1. Entebbe
   12h
   Our team will pick you up from the airport, spend a night in Entebbe and be briefed about itinerary

Day 2: Shoebill watching, then Mabira

1. Mabamba Swamp shoebill Watching Entebbe
   4h · Admission ticket included
   Our safari guide representative will pick you up from your hotel, and have you
   transferred to the Swamp.
   Because of the wonder of this enormous, prehistoric-looking bird, safari goers
   and business travelers both want to see it in Uganda. More than 300 bird species can be found in Mabamba, a
   RAMSAR wetland and Important Bird Area (IBA), including 7 of Uganda’s 12
   Lake Victoria Basin restricted species.
   
   we will immediately hop into the motorized wooden boats or canoes and start
   exploring the water channels to discover the Shoebill.
   The Shoebill is most active in the early morning hours, when it is searching for
   lungfish, thus this is the best time to look for it. It hunts by staying stationary for
   extended periods of time while waiting for fish to cross, then catching it with its
   large, powerful beak in the style of a shoe! The Shoebill provides excellent views
   and displays since you may approach close to it without bothering it because it is
   preoccupied with catching fish.
2. Mabira Central Forest Reserve
   8h · Admission ticket included
   After spending some time with the Shoebill, you will be transferred back to the
   landing site, have lunch at Victoria Mall and embark on a transfer to Mabira
   Forest.
   Check in the lodge and prepare ourselves for a night hike in search for Gaboon &
   Rhinoceros Vipers, Bush Vipers, Frogs and any other nocturnal
   animals/mammals.

Day 3: Herping in Mabira

1. Mabira Central Forest Reserve
   4h · Admission ticket included
   Start your day with unbeatable herping
   expedition before you get transferred to Ziwa
   Rhino Sanctuary for an overnight.
   Have lunch on the way, and arrive at your next
   destination on time for dinner.
2. Nakasongola
   12h
   Overnight at Ziwa Rhino Chalets

Day 4: Rhino trekking

1. Nakasongola
   4h
   After early morning breakfast, our Safari guide representative will pick you up from your hotel ready for the rhino trekking adventure.
   Rhino trekking offers a magical encounter with rhinos which make up the list of
   the big five African game. It allows you sight not only the white rhinos but also
   antelopes, birds and a lot more. Enjoy one hour of face to face with rhinos, capture their pictures, learn their behaviors and return from your foot walk
   experience
2. Murchison Falls National Park
   12h
   Be read to be transferred to Murchison Falls National Park after lunch en- route.
   Visit the top of the falls before checking to the our lodge for an overnight.

Day 5: Game viewing and Nile boat cruise

1. Murchison Falls National Park
   12h
   Make use of the Morning sunrise as you watch wildlife come-out of their hiding in search for pasture. Follow footprints of Lions, Leopards that roamed the tracks in search for a prey and trail it to the end.
   Watch Lions trying to find shed in the thickets as curious Giraffes, Antelopes
   and Buffaloes tow their necks looking closely at the predators not to lose sight
   of them - More less a hide and seek game or be lucky and witness a leopard prey on an Oribi or Kob or A lion stealthily prey on a warthog.
   Later take on to the jetty and embark on an exclusive Nile Boat Cruise. Watch elephants, Buffaloes, Giraffes, Huge schools of Hippos, Nile Crocodiles and pied
   kingfishers take their catch from the silent flowing River Nile. Watch from the river bottom as water falls off the cliff and
   between rocks creating one of the best sought sights in Uganda - It’s a Magical encounter. Return to starting point and transfer to the lodge to unwind your
   day memories.

Day 6: Road Transfer to Kibale National Park

1. Kibale Forest National Park
   12h · Admission ticket included
   Relaxed Morning breakfast and transfer to Kibale National Park. Through Local
   Villages and past jaw Dropping scenery, make stops and Drive to the outskirts
   of Kibale National Park Overlooking the Forest or the crater.
   Watch the Countryside with huge chunks of tea plantations and villages
   unfold with the local life and great scenery.
   
   Have your lunch en- route

Day 7: Chimpanzee trekking

1. Kibale Forest National Park
   6h · Admission ticket included
   Start the day Embarking on chimpanzee
   trekking experience in Kibale National Park with a ranger guide looking out for nests, chimpanzee callings till you find them and have an ultimate encounter with humans closest Relatives.
   Have a more interactive conversation with the ranger guide about Chimpanzees and their habitat.
   In The Afternoon, embark on community experience/ a guided Swamp Walk in the
   Bigodi Wetland in search for more primates including the red colobus, Black and White Colobus monkeys, Red Tailed Monkeys and much more.
   Retire at the lodge on campfire.

Day 8: Road transfer to Rwenzori Mountains

1. Rwenzori Moutains National Park
   6h · Admission ticket included
   Relaxed Breakfast and get transferred to Rwenzori mountains for an afternoon herping. Arrive on time for lunch. Beat out the day with afternoon herping and night walk within the lodge.
   Try out the luck with the three horned chameleons, strange horned chameleons,
   mountain side stripped chameleons, Great lakes Bush Viper and among other

Day 9: Herping in Rwenzori mountains then transfer to Queen

1. Queen Elizabeth National Park
   6h
   Relaxed breakfast then embark on a 2 0r 3 hours herping before getting
   transferred to Queen.
   
   Queen Elizabeth National Park covers an area of about 2,000 square kilometers. The park was recently designated by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve.
   Queen Elizabeth national park is special because of its beautiful landscape and collection of wildlife.
   The creation of the East African Rift Valley led to secondary faulting which created gorges, crater lakes, swamps, Salt Lake, valleys and other remarkable features that make the park a natural wonder for nature lovers.
   Queen Elizabeth National Park has leopards, Lions, crocodiles, elephants,
   buffaloes, warthogs, hippos and several other creatures.
   On this day of the safari, arrive on time for lunch, go for the evening game
   drive and retire at the lodge.

Day 10: Game drive and Kazinga Boatcruise

1. Queen Elizabeth National Park
   6h
   Early morning after breakfast, your driver guide will pick you up from your lodge for
   an amazing game drive that may take about 3 – 4 hours. Enjoy the Kazinga channel boat cruise later in the afternoon, get up close to some amazing wildlife that will be enjoying the water environment.

Day 11: Road Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

1. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
   6h
   Relaxed morning breakfast, and be ready for a transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Western Uganda

Day 12: Ultimate Gorilla trekking experience

1. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
   6h
   After an early breakfast, you will carry packed lunch or just some simple snacks, meet up with your driver guide to go for a gorilla trekking briefing at the park headquarters.
   After the briefing you will be allocated a habituated gorilla family to trek and a park
   guide who is well conversant with the trekking trails. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi
   impenetrable national park takes about 3 to 6 hours depending on where the gorillas
   are located.
   During trekking you will be able to view other primates’ species, different birds, plant and tree species among others. Once the gorillas are found, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn about their behaviors, watch them carry out their daily activities, take photos and record the videos. After the one hour with the mountain gorillas, you will trek back to the starting point where you will be allocated a certificate for participating in gorilla trekking,then relax at the lodge

Day 13: To Lake Mburo National Park

1. Lake Mburo National Park
   8h
   After early morning breakfast you will check out of the lodge and meet up with
   your driver guide to get transferred to Lake Mburo. On the way you will have en-route lunch, enjoy stunning views among others. Arrive in time for the evening walking safari where you will be rewarded with great views of animals like waterbucks, elands, buffaloes, zebras, impalas, Topi, giraffes among others which will be grazing in open savannah plains with due.

Day 14: To Kalisizo

1. Kalisizo
   6h
   After an early breakfast, you will meet up with your driver guide to be ready
   for a road transfer to Kalisizo, a great destination for the Musambwa island
   forest cobras. Have lunch en route

Day 15: Herping in Musambwa island

1. 8h
   Early morning breakfast, and get transferred to Malembo landing site, where
   you will find the boat readily waiting.
   Enjoy the boat transfer through Lake Victoria to Musambwa island.
   The Island is the largest breeding colony of grey headed gulls in Africa and is a
   home for over 1000 forest cobras and inhabited by about 100 men who
   harmoniously live together with the forest cobras.
   Get ready to be transferred to the landing, have lunch and road transfer to Mityana

Day 16: In Mityana

1. Mityana
   10h
   After breakfast, we shall be leaving the hotel by at least 7:00am for the forest.
   We do not guarantee anything when it comes to snake excursions because we do not make appointment with these wonderful creatures. The rule is to be determined, work as a team, and of course we can't dictate nature.
   However, the target species during our herpetological expeditions in Mityana are The Gaboon vipers (B.Gabonica), Rhinoceros vipers (B. Narsicornis), Jameson's mambas (D. Jamesoni Kaimosae), Green bush vipers (A. squamigera), Rough scaled bush vipers (A. hispida), but not all guaranteed.

Day 17: In Mityana then Entebbe

1. Mityana
   6h
   Have half day Herping then be transferred to Entebbe/Airport
   
   This will mark the end of the 17 Days Safari.

Pickup details

our guide will be able to pick you up from your residence or hotel upon prior communication at least 72hr before trip date

• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness