12 DAYS WESTERN UGANDA WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY SAFARI

Duration

12 Days

Tour Type

Safari

Group Size

30 People

Languages

English

  • CULTURAL TOUR EXPERIENCE
  • VISIT TO AMABERE GA NYINAMWIRU CAVES AND NYAKASURA HILL HIKE
  • CHIMPANZEE TREKKING
  • BIGODI SWAMP & COMMUNITY WALK
  • HOTSPRINGS VISIT
  • WILDLIFE GAME VIEWING
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  • Fort portal
  • Rwenzori Mountain
  • Semuliki National Park,
  • Kibale forest National Park
  • Queen Elizabeth National Park

10 Days /9 Night

DAY 1: ARRIVAL AT THE AIRPORT AND TRANSFER TO YOUR HOTEL You will be welcomed by our Company representative from Uganda Adventure Safaris, who will transfer you to your hotel either in Entebbe or Kampala Town. Depending on the time of your arrival, our guide will take you on a city tour for an exciting introduction of the Capital City Kampala. You will choose to either enjoy your city visit on the Back of a Motorbike ‘Boda Boda’, on foot or in a car. Visit interesting and historical sites and Monuments such as the Namugongo Martyrs Shrine, the Uganda National Museum, Bahai Temple, King’s Palace, the City’s main local Markets, Religious Sites and the African Craft Village. You will later be transferred to your Hotel for overnight at: Travel time 1hr

DAY 2: TRANSFER FROM KAMPALA TO FORTPORTAL, AFTERNOON CULTURAL TOUR EXPERIENCE OF THE KINGDOM PALACE, TOMBS & A VISIT TO AMABERE GA NYINAMWIRU CAVES AND NYAKASURA HILL HIKE After your breakfast, we will pick you up and begin our Journey westwards through Uganda’s beautiful green Countryside to Fort portal Town, Enjoy your early lunch in Fort portal Town before taking your visit to the Toro kingdom palace, Karambi Tombs and other cultural sites around the town. The Toro Kingdom is a home for the world’s youngest king “Oyo”. While at the King’s Palace you will learn about the history of Toro kingdom, its people, traditional dress code, language spoken, the past kings and where they are buried among others. Then also the numerous artifacts that represent their culture as well as visiting the Karambi Tombs which is the burial site for the former Kings of Toro Kingdom. Later proceed to the “Amabere Ga’nyinamwiru” Caves for an amazingCultural, geographical and Historical experience. With the help of a local guide, you will trail down the caves for spectacular views. These rock caves are as a result of formation of stalagmites and stalactites with the milky substances, are named after Nyinamwiru, who was the daughter of the region’s ancient king, King Bukuku. Legend has it that the dripping water from the rocks are Nyinamwiru breasts. Enjoy the cool scenic water falls adjacent to the caves. After you will go for hiking along the hills that are as a result of volcanic eruptions. You will trail round the hill up to the top. This offers a wonderful view and you also get to sight swamps / wetlands, the crater lakes which are a result of volcanic eruptions and these provide a breath taking view. After the hike, you will go down the hill as you proceed to check into your hotel for Dinner and overnight. Travel time 5hrs

DAY 3: CHIMPANZEE TREKKING, BIGODI SWAMP & COMMUNITY WALK After an early morning breakfast, we shall transfer to the park visitor centre at about 7:00am to meet the park ranger guides for registration and briefing, dos and donts about the chimpanzee tracking experience in Kibale Forest National Park. You will be assigned to a group and each group depending on the number of people available shall be given a ranger. Trek into Kibale Forest where the greatest variety and highest concentration of primates in East Africa is exceptionally represented. The most famous of its 13 species is the Chimpanzees known to be a delightful ape. It is also a home of other primate species like the rare I’Hoest’s monkey, the black and white Colobus, Blue monkey, Grey cheeked mangabey, Red tailed monkey, Vervet Monkey, Olive baboon among others. The park has about 300 bird species hence being a good haven for birding. The trek can take between 2- 4 hours depending on the movements of the Chimpanzees. On finding them you will spend one hour observing and taking pictures of the chimpanzees through the forest. It is a thrilling but also a memorable experience. After your trek you will return to the lodge for lunch. After Lunch visit the Bigodi wetland swamp at the edge of Kibale forest for a nature walk which may reward you with a chance to see over 229 species of birds, different tree and plant species, abundant Butterflies, and other small mammals within the wet tropical forests of the park. While on your walk encounter with the community of local people and learn how to process coffee locally and you shall also be taught how to make local banana beer through local brewing, Baskets Making and meet the Traditional healer. You will return to the lodge in the evening for dinner and overnight.

DAY 4: TRANSFER TO SEMULIKI NATIONAL PARK & HOTSPRINGS VISIT After breakfast, we depart for Semuliki National Park with fascinating views of the Rwenzori Mountain ranges. Semuliki National Park is a home to 53 mammals of which 27 are large mammals, 11 species are endemic to the park including the pygmy antelope and two flying squirrel species. It is also home to the peculiar water chevrotain, known as the “fanged deer”. Enjoy Lunch and proceed for your Nature walk to the hot springs. The Sempaya Hot Springs are Semuliki’s most famous attraction. The “male” spring, known as Bintente, measures 12m in diameter and is set in a lush swampy clearing. The “female” spring Nyasimbi, meaning “the female ancestors”, is a boiling geyser (103°C) which spurts bubbling water and steam up to two meters high – the steam cloud can be seen from as far as 2km away. While at the Hot springs you can participate in the rare experience of boiling eggs in the bubbling pools of hot water. Transfer to your Lodge for dinner and Overnight at Luxury Accommodation: Semuliki Safari Lodge Midrange Accommodation: Ntoroko Game Lodge Budget Accommodation: Bumanga Cottages / kirimia Guest House Travel time 2hrs

DAY 5: WILDLIFE GAME VIEWING IN SEMULIKI NATIONAL PARK Your morning after breakfast is dedicated for a game drive. The park is home to forest elephant and buffalo which are smaller versions of their savannah-dwelling relatives. It is also a home to over 53 mammals of which 27 are large mammals. 11 species are endemic to the park including the pygmy antelope and two flying squirrel species. It is also home to the peculiar water chevrotain, known as the fanged deer. In the Afternoon go for a boat ride along Lake Albert for an opportunity for birding look out for Blue Swallow, White-throated Blue Swallow, Swamp Palm Bulbul, Spotted Greenbul, White-starred Robin, Lowland Akalat, Red-throated Alethe, Fire crested Alethe, Snowy-headed Robin-Chat, Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat, Red-eyed Puff back, White-tailed Robin-Chat, Northern Bearded Scrub-Robin, Capped Wheatear, Common Stonechat, Abyssinian Ground-Thrush, Oberlaender’s Ground Thrush, Grey Ground-Thrush, Little Grey Greenbul, Toro Olive Greenbul, Mountain Greenbul, Yellow-throated Nicator, Western Nicator, Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike, Petit’s Cuckoo-shrike, Black Saw-wing among others. Enjoy dinner and overnight stay as above. Meal plan: FB.

DAY 6: SEMULIKI NATIONAL PARK TRANSFER TO QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK, AFTERNOON LAKE KATWE SALT MINE VISIT. This morning after breakfast, you will be transferred to Queen Elizabeth National Park a home to a wide biodiversity of wildlife. Enroute enjoy views of the mystical Rwenzori Mountain ranges, Lunch and afternoon proceed to Lake Katwe to see old methods of Salt Mining. The Lake produces most of the salt manufactured locally in Uganda. Residents of the area still use rudimentary methods to harvest the salt but they love their work and it pays the bills. This is a great time to mingle with the locals and get to know how they make a living. Later drive to the Lodge for dinner and overnight. Travel time 4hrs

DAY 7: MORNING GAME DRIVE, AFTERNOON BOAT CRUISE ON KAZINGA CHANNEL. Wake up early for a cup of tea or coffee, after proceed to the savannah area of the park in the kasenyi area to a do morning game drive as it’s the best time to catch-up with early animals rushing from their hideouts, games expected to see include lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, warthogs, water bucks, jackals among others. The activity lasts 3 / 4 hours after which you return to the lodge for relaxation and lunch. After lunch embark on a 2 hours launch cruise on the Kazinga channel that connects lakes Edward and George, the launch cruise gives you the opportunity to view wildlife up close like schools of hippos, just feet away from the boat, buffaloes linger in the shallows as well as elephant. The shores are also a home to various species of birds including pink backed pelicans, pied and malachite kingfishers, saddle billed stork and may others, after drive slowly back to the lodge. Enjoy Dinner and an overnight as above.

DAY 8: TRANSFER TO LAKE BUNYONYI ISLAND Enjoy an early breakfast, we will pass through the famous part of Queen Elizabeth National Park, ishasha sector, enjoying en route game drive, if lucky you will see the tree climbing lions in the fig trees or tree branches along with other wild game like buffaloes, elephants, antelopes among others. We proceed to Lake Bunyonyi Island with an en route lunch stop. The Lake is located between Kisoro and Kabale in the southwestern Uganda close to the border with Rwanda and it’s believed to be the second deepest lake in Africa with the depth between 44m and 900m deep and width of about 7 to 25kms.The landscape around the lake is made up of terraced hills protruding from the water’s edge with great scenic views of the surrounding hills. There is plenty of Bird life around the lake as the Name “Bunyonyi” means “a place of many little birds” In the Evening you can choose to either swim in the Lake or hike to the view point on the hills to see the exceedingly beautiful scenery of this part of the country. Enjoy dinner and Overnight. Travel time 7hrs

DAY 9: CANOE RIDE TO OTHER ISLANDS, OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES (ZIP – LINE CABLE CROSSING / HIGH ROPES COURSE Enjoy your leisurely breakfast as you overlook the beautiful views of the Lake Bunyonyi from your accommodation. Later connect for a boat ride / canoe paddle for sightseeing and birding along the Islands of lake Bunyonyi. You will also visit the main islands including the community. The islands at the lake have great history that you will love listening to. After lunch enjoy a cultural visit to the Batwa Pygmies community to explore their life style. Later return to the Lodge for Dinner and Overnight as above

DAY 10: TRANSFER TO LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK After breakfast, drive to Lake Mburo National Park with a stop at Igongo cultural Museum, this is the place where the future meets the past. Learn more about the Ankole culture. Proceed to the park with an en route game drive as you go to check into your lodge. Enjoy your dinner and Overnight. Travel time 4hrs

DAY 11: GAME DRIVE, BUSH WALK FOR WILDLIFE VIEWING (OPTIONAL HORSE RIDING) Wake up for breakfast after, enjoy a game drive to explore the striking savannah acacia landscapes with rolling hills marked with bulging Kopje rocks and ancient Precambrian rocks. The Park is an is an extension of the Tanzanian Plains and has various species of animals, While on a game drive expect to see; Burchell’s Zebra, elephant, warthogs, eland, Rothschild Giraffes, impala, Uganda kobs, waterbuck, buffaloes just to mention but a few. Return to the lodge for lunch, Later enjoy a nature walk through flora and fauna culminating into a ‘’salt lake’’ where you will be fortunate to see a minimum of 4 different species of animals while they lick the salty soil. Or you will enjoy the Banyankole community tour. Optionally take a Horse Riding activities to view wildlife close while on the back of a Horse. Dinner and an overnight at the Lodge as above.

DAY 12: TRANSFER BACK TO KAMPALA OR ENTEBBE AIRPORT FOR FLIGHT HOME. After breakfast, we drive back to Kampala with a stopover at the Equator monument where you will have an opportunity to stand in two hemispheres at the same time and take some photos, souvenirs and lunch before proceeding to the airport for your flight back home or retire to your hotel for your overnight.

Have Any Question?

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