Lake Bunyonyi, Bwindi National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kibale National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, and Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary tour

Home » 9 Days – Lake Bunyonyi, Bwindi National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kibale National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, and Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary tour

This 9-days safari takes you to the misty Bwindi Impenetrable forest, which is home to more than half the population of the remaining 720 Mountain Gorillas in the world. Gorilla tracking is the most enchanting experience in this forest. You will have an experience of a life time as you watch at close range these majestic apes feed, play and relax. It also includes a visit to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda’s second largest national park, with plenty of wildlife, birds and primates. This park also has spectacular scenery including Crater Lakes and rolling savannah plains overlooking the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountain ranges. You will enjoy game drives and a boat cruise on the Kazinga channel. You will conclude this tour with a visit to Kibale Forest National Park with several spectacular crater lakes and swamps which are home to hippo, buffalo and some elephant, and the forested areas are the natural habitat of our chimpanzees, occasionally lion and leopard can be spotted as they sleep through the midday sun, before winding up at Murchison falls National park, Uganda’s spectacular heritage, with breathtaking scenic allure, and landscapes.

Day 1- Transfer from Entebbe/Kampala to Lake Bunyonyi

After an early breakfast, you will set off for our drive to the south western part of the country. You will have a stopover at the Equator where you will have an opportunity to stand in 2 hemispheres at the same time and take some photos. You will make another stopover for lunch en-route, with a last stopover at Lake Bunyonyi. This lake is said to be one of the most beautiful places in western Uganda. It is the second deepest lake in Africa [900 meters deep] and also one of the few places in the country where it is considered safe to swim as it is bilharzias free. The landscape around the lake is made up of terraced hills protruding from the water’s edge.

Bunyonyi means “place of little birds” and as the name suggests, there is plenty of birdlife around the lake. Check in you’ room for Dinner and overnight at :

  • Budget- Bunyonyi Safari Resort
  • Mid-range – Lake Bunyonyi Eco Resort
Day 2- Boat ride and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After an early breakfast, you will set out for a Boat ride at Lake Bunyonyi this takes 2 hours, The landscape around the lake is made up of terraced hills protruding from the water’s edge. Bunyonyi means “place of little birds” and as the name suggests, there is plenty of birdlife around the lake. You will in the afternoon transfer to Bwindi where you will do some nature walk or Batwa cultural experience, You will go through their villages to have an experience of how they go about their daily routine activities and be amazed by the way they skillfully cultivate the hill sides and how they care for their animals (cows) that are a prime source of pride later return for Dinner and overnight at :

  • Budget- Broadbill Forest Camp
  • Mid-range – Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge/ Broadbill Forest Camp
Day 3- Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and transfer to Ishasha

After an early breakfast, you will head to the park headquarters where you will be briefed by the guides before you begin the search in the thick Bwindi forest for the giant gorillas. Bwindi National Park is renowned for its impressive mountain gorillas, although it is unpredictable for how long you will track before finding them since it all depends on their movement. Though the time spent to track down these Gorillas is unpredictable, the thrill of spending time and observing these gentle giant gorillas is a rare, moving, awesome and exciting adventure that will leave you with long lasting memories of a truly unique experience. Return for lunch you will transfer to Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park where you will reach late evening Dinner and overnight at :

  • Budget- Topi Game Lodge
  • Mid-range – Enjojo Lodge
Day 4- Game drive and boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park

After your breakfast you will be taken to Ishasha, famous for the tree climbing lions lounging in the tree branches while keeping a close eye on herds of Uganda kob, their favorite prey. You could have a chance to spot some tree climbing lions after proceed to you’ lodge, In the afternoon you will take a launch cruise along the amazing Kazinga channel to see, at close range, the water animals to include Hippos, Buffalos, Crocodiles and elephants bathing on the channel banks. There is also a variety of bird species on the water banks especially the famous Shoebill, pelican and Jacana. Dinner and overnight at :

  • Budget- Tembo Safari Lodge/Engiri Game Lodge
  • Mid-range – Bush Lodge/Elephant Hab Lodge
Day 5-  Morning game drive and transfer to Kibale National Park

After breakfast you will go for a brief morning game drive in Queen Elizabeth then head to the scenic Explosion Craters and Explosion Crater Lakes along the Western Ugandan Explosion Crater Lake Trail are one of the Pearls in the Pearl of Africa, have you’ lunch en-routes after transfer to Kibale National Park check in at your lodge for some rest in the evening go for the nature walks at Bigodi swamp where you will do birding there you will spot some bird species, butterflies are abundant and some women cultural group’s activities which are also adventurous to attend it can take you 2/3 hours, after get back to your respective hotel for dinner and overnight at :

  • Budget- Kibale Homestay/Rweteera Safari Park
  • Mid-range – Kibale Forest Camp/Chimpanzee Forest Guest House
Day 6- Chimpanzee Tracking and Bigodi swamp walk in Kibale National Park

You will, after breakfast, head to Kibale Forest with our packed lunch to view the primates. The activity begins at 8.00am with a briefing of the rule for trekking the chimpanzees after which you set off to search for them in the forest. The exercise takes half a day and along the way you will see other primates such as Grey cheeked Mangabeys, Phoestes, Red-Colobus and the Blue tailed and the Red-tailed monkeys swinging in the braches of this thick forest. Your guide will give you informative briefings on the lifestyles of the primates you will be coming across and on the plants as well as on the insects and butterflies in this forest to ensure that the trek is not only enjoyable but informative as well, Kibale Forest National Park, it boasts the highest number of primate species in the world, including the chimpanzees. Approximately 5,000 chimpanzees live in the wild in Uganda, which makes it a perfect place to spot them! An experienced ranger will take you chimp tracking in the morning. Once you locate the chimpanzees, you will spend one hour with them, after get back to your respective hotel for lunch, Post Lunch you will be taken for Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary walk. This is a guided swamp walk that takes you closer seeing primates mostly monkeys, birds and butterflies. The wetland is a bird paradise with about 138 species and is best known for being home to the Great Blue Turaco.

This is a 2½ – 3 hour walk and is a must for bird lovers. The walk is almost as popular as the Kibale Forest Walk. You will need good walking shoes since part of the walk is sometimes muddy. Hopefully you will spot the elusive Sitatunga antelope and the Shoebill Stork. This is nothing to be missed. You will meet some of the primates here, even a chimpanzee at times. Other primate species include the black-and-white colobus, grey-cheeked mangabey, red-tailed, l’Hoest’s and blue monkeys, and olive baboons. Also, Bushbucks and mongooses and many more can also be found here. There is also an abundance of butterflies. Bigodi Sanctuary is located outside the park in Magombe Swamp. dinner and an overnight at:

  • Budget- Kibale Homestay/Rweteera Safari Park
  • Mid-range – Kibale Forest Camp /Chimpanzee Forest Guest House
Day 7- Transfer to Murchison falls National Park

After breakfast you will be transferred to Murchison Falls National Park which will take around 7/8 hours of drive, Head straight to tour the Top and bottom of majestic falls, where the Nile crashes through a 7 metres gorge to the falls 45 metres. Numerous scenic viewpoints are a photographers’ delight, The most impressive view of the foaming waters rushing into the gorge with a deafening roar, You will have dinner and overnight at :

  • Budget-Parkside Safari Lodge/Redchili Rest Camp
  • Mid-range – Fort Murchison Lodge/Murchison River Lodge
Day 8- Game drive and Launch cruise in Murchison falls National Park

You will set off at 6:30 am cross to the northern bank of river Nile head for a sunrise game drive in the Nyamsika plateau to see the Cape buffaloes, Rothschild’s giraffes, Uganda kob, hartebeest and waterbucks. You may also spot oribi, bushbuck, Bohor reedbuck, shy sitatunga, bush duiker, warthog and bush pig plus large carnivores including lions, leopards and spotted hyenas. Chimpanzees and olive baboons head the list of six species of primates found in the park. Crocodiles and hippos will be seen along the banks of the Nile. Some of the more common birds that can be seen include goliath heron, Egyptian geese, pelican, bee- eaters, kingfishers, hornbill, cormorant, saddle-bill stork and the rare shoebill stork. You will return to your lodge for a late breakfast and some relaxation before setting off in the afternoon for a boat cruise on the placid Victoria Nile, upstream, to the base of the falls. En route you will see hippos, crocodiles, water buck and a wide variety of birds including the unusual shoebill stork. The boat stops just tens of meters from the “Devil’s Cauldron” for pictures to be taken of the photogenic and majestic Murchison Falls. You will return to your lodge for dinner and overnight at :

Day 9- Rhino tracking in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and transfer to Entebbe/Kampala

After an early morning breakfast, depart with great memories of the moments spent at Murchison falls, You will be driven to the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, after a briefing from the ranger you trek the sanctuary for close to two hours. Transfer back to Kampala/Entebbe with lunch en-route.

Day 1- Arrive Jomo Kenyatta Airport| Transfer Nairobi Hotel

Upon arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta international airport you will be met by our representative for a transfer to your hotel in Nairobi where you are booked on BB (Bed & Breakfast). Dinner at own arrangements and overnight

  • Meal Plan
  • BO (Bed & Breakfast)
  • Best Western Meridian Hotel or its equivalent: Mid-range
Day 2-  Nairobi City | Lake Nakuru National park

Early morning breakfast at the hotel, then meet with your safari guide for briefing on safari and depart for Lake Nakuru National park. Descend into the Great Rift Valley with brief stops at the viewing point for photo session. A further drive and arrive Lake Nakuru where you will transfer to the lodge with brief game drive of this park famed for its large number of birds and big cats.

13h00: Lunch at the Flamingo Hill Tented Camp or its equivalent

Afternoon and evening game drive in search of the famous black and white rhinos as well other wildlife which are easily spotted. Later on return to the camp for sundowner, dinner and overnight.

  • Meal Plan
  • Full Board (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)
  • Flamingo Hill Tented Camp or its equivalent
Day 3- Lake Nakuru| Masai Mara National Reserve

Breakfast at the hotel and depart for Masai Mara National Reserve, a drive that takes you across the Great Rift Valley and past Narok town the home to Masai people arriving Mara for lunch

13h00: Lunch at Mara crossing camp or its equivalent

Afternoon and evening game drive of Masai Mara National reserve in search of the big five and other wildlife that roam freely and can easily be spotted. Dinner and overnight at Mara crossing Tented camp

  • Meal Plan
  • Full Board (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)
  • Mara crossing Tented Camp/Mara Leisure Camp or its equivalent
Day 4-  Masai Mara National Reserve (Full Days)

Being a Wildebeest migration season these 2 days are best planned between the clients and their safari guide, either choosing to do a half or full day game drive. If lucky enough you might be able to witness a river crossing as herds head to the Serengeti National park in Tanzania.

12h30: Lunch at the camp or a picnic site in the Masai Mara

Afternoon game drive| Leisure at the camp or visit a Masai village (at an extra cost), later on transfer back to the camp for dinner and overnight

NB- You can choose to do a Balloon safari on any of the 2 mornings while at Masai Mara which flies the plains of Mara on this morning. For more details and bookings enquire with us before booking your safari with us.

  • Meal Plan
  • Full Board (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)
  • Mara Crossing Tented Camp/Mara Leisure Camp or its equivalent
Day 5- Masai Mara| Nairobi & Departure for Entebbe Uganda

Breakfast at the camp and depart for Nairobi with optional stops to a Masai Boma (at an extra cost) – The Maasai are a Nilotic ethnic group inhabiting northern, central and southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. They are among the best known local populations internationally due to their residence near the many game parks of the African Great Lakes, and their distinctive customs and dress. You will have stops at the famous Narok town for hot lunch and thereafter a further drive ascending the Great Rift Valley with stops at the viewing point for souvenirs and shopping. Drop off Nairobi later in the evening for your departure flight to Entebbe, upon arrival you will be transferred to you’ Hotel.

  • Mid-range: 2Friends Beach Hotel/Airport View Hotel
Day 6-  Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

You will be picked after break-fast from you’ hotel in Entebbe or Kampala or Kigali and drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in the south western part of the country, arriving in the afternoon have you’ at Broadbill rest and in evening go for Batwa cultural experience you will go through their villages to have an experience of how they go about their daily routine activities and be amazed by the way they skillfully cultivate the hill sides and how they care for their animals (cows) that are a prime source of pride. Dinner and overnight will be at

  • Mid-range- Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge/Bakiga Lodge
Day 7-  Gorilla trekking in Bwindi and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for a Boat ride

You will have an early morning breakfast and move to the Park headquarters to join other trackers in a briefing about the gorilla trekking rules at 7:45 am. You will trek through thick creepers and undergrowth with your guides to find the Gorillas, which can take you 1-8 hours. The steeply forested landscape is incredibly dense but crisscrossed by numerous animal trails allowing access by tourists. You will have one hour to stay with the Gorillas once sited and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi. The drive will be a beautiful part of the country often referred to as ‘the Switzerland of Africa’ because of its unique cool weather despite being near the Equator. This lake is said to be one of the most beautiful places in western Uganda. It is the second deepest lake in Africa [900 meters deep] and also one of the few places in the country where it is considered safe to swim as it is bilharzia free. You will take a boat ride on this lake and hike to different viewpoints before returning for dinner and overnight stay.

  • Mid-range-Lake Bunyonyi Eco Resort/Keije Bunyonyi Resort
Day 8-  Transfer to Queen Elizabeth

Wake up early in the morning have your breakfast, set off for Queen Elizabeth through volcanic formation of the western Rift Valley towards Queen Elizabeth N.P. The descent reveals a stunning panorama of lakes George an Edward amidst game-filled plains where you will reach in the afternoon check in you’ Lodge have lunch and some rest for sun to go down, in the afternoon go the unique boat cruises that takes 2hrs on the Kazinga channel and onto Lake Edward. The trip passes through possibly the highest hippo concentration in Africa and many mammals may be seen drinking water. The cruise offers the excellent platform for photography and game viewing. The birdlife is colorful and abundant, In the evening go for a game drive with a chance to see Elephants Lions Buffaloes etc later return for dinner and overnight stay.

  • Mid-range-Twin Lakes Safari Lodge/Bush Lodge
Day 9-  Chimp track and travel to Kigali

Wake-up early morning, have breakfast and head to Kalinzu Forest Reserve for an up to 4 hours chimpanzee trekking with a tracker and guide. The Forest Reserve is home to 6 groups of chimps, comprising over 300. Please bring suitable closed walking boots and long trousers! Afterwards transfer back to Kigali Airport with lunch en-routes to catch your evening departure flight back home.

What’s included in this itinerary?

  • Airport transfer
  • Transport via 4x4wd vehicle
  • Game drives
  • Gorilla tracking permit
  • Chimpanzee tracking permit
  • Park entry fee
  • Guide fee
  • Full board accommodation
  • English speaking driver/guide
  • Meals en-route
  • Boat cruise

What’s not included in this itinerary?

  • International / Domestic Flights
  • Additional accommodation before or after the tour
  • Personnel items ( souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fee)
  • Drinks/spirits

QUOTE WILL BE $3280 BUDGET $3690 MID-RANGE