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Birding & gorilla trekking safari Overview

Expect the best of an Africa trip on the birding & gorilla trekking safari maximizing the variety of what the African wild can give. A birdwatching & gorilla trekking safari gives the best sceneries of the wild ranging from mountain Rwenzori (5,109m) mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, savannah grassland game like lions, elephants, buffaloes, kobs, also hot springs, the river Nile and Murchison water falls all combined in;

Arrival and departure: Kigali- Entebbe

  • Day 1- arrival and transfer while birding to lake Bunyonyi crater
  • Day 2- Bwindi Impenetrable gorilla trekking and birding
  • Day 3- Queen Elizabeth park birding and tree climbing lions
  • Day 4- Queen Elizabeth safari birding, game drives and boat cruise
  • Day 5- Kibale N.P chimpanzee tracking, birding and nature walks
  • Day 6- Semuliki hot springs, birding, primates and forest walks
  • Day 7- Murchison falls N.P- game drives and birding
  • Day 8- Murchison Rothchild’s giraffes, birding and boat cruises
  • Day 9- birding to the top of the water falls and transfer to Kampala
  • Day 10- Departure

Special sceneries on the 10 days birding & gorilla trekking safari excursions

  • Mountain gorillas; The mountain gorilla species are some of the most amazing and unique big apes on the planet found in Uganda.  These gentle giants are great experience & highlight on Africa safari given being found in the Virunga massif alone. 
  • Lion tracking; Tracking tree- climbing lions and prides in Queen Elizabeth national park which is also a lion sanctuary are worth going after on this safari.
  • Chimpanzee tracking; Another great apes on this birding & gorilla trekking safari are the chimpanzees in Uganda’s tropical forests in the world’s top most chimpanzee concentrated forest parks. 
  • Murchison water falls; Watching the vigorous world’s strongest water falls from above is another phenomenal worth a memorable Africa safari experience. Scenic views from the face of the Murchison falls while on the river Nile boat cruise are compared to no other wildlife sighting.
  • Hot springs; Situated at the intersection of Africa’s tropical rain forests and savannah vegetation on the floor of the great rift valley, the hot springs emanate hot water of up to 100°C.
  • Shoebill tracking; Standing up to 1m tall with a 30cm long and 12cm wide big shoe shaped beak, a shoebill is a beast of a bird that is only found in savannah’s wetlands.

Detailed birding & gorilla trekking safari itinerary

On arrival, you will be picked by our guide and taken embark on a 3 hour journey from Rwanda to Uganda to lake Bunyonyi (Bunyonyi meaning many small birds) one of the most beautiful lakes in Africa. Some of the most amazing attributes of the lake are being the deepest crater lake in Africa at 900 m, the 29 islands located in its waters which toured by use of a boat/canoe and safe waters with no crocodiles and hippos. The lake harbors over 200 bird species with the gray crowned crane being one of the most remarkable birds, along with breathtaking sceneries of the volcano mountains and slopes of Muhavura will leave you stunned at this beautiful lake and its surrounding as a result making it a true birding haven.

Accommodation: Bird’s nest @ Bunyonyi resort (or a similar one)

Meals: Breakfast | lunch| Dinner

Continuing with this birding & gorilla trekking safari, next activity will be gorilla trekking. On arrival at the gorilla park, you’ll be taught behaviors, livelihoods and how to handle their reactions to the human presence. Gorilla tracking in the tropical montane forests may last between 30 minutes to 1 hour before meeting the gorilla family you are assigned to depending on where the gorillas nested the previous night. Mountain gorilla trekking in Uganda gives you a 100% chances given the high gorilla population in this forest. After the trek, you will have an experience with the Batwa people who have for all their life time co-existed with the forest and its species. During this nature walk in the forest trails you will experience numerous bird species including 23 Albertine rift endemics.

Accommodation: Buhoma lodge (or a similar one)

Meals: Breakfast | lunch| Dinner

The 3rd day will find you at queen Elizabeth national park; Africa’s second best birding destination with over 660 recorded resident bird species and migrant species especially between June and September. Uganda is an outstanding birdwatching habitat of all forest, swamp, highland, grassland and Albertine endemic for example the dwarf honey guide and purple-breasted sunbirds; 35 Congo-Guinea biome species found nowhere else in East Africa, crater lakes, elephant and buffalo herds, lion prides, leopards, hippo pods, hyenas, wild dogs, antelopes, water bucks, antelopes, baboons, monkeys, crocodiles, crater lakes, reptiles, raptors, bird species and many more awaiting your memorable tour in this game park.

You will also have a boat cruise at the Kazinga channel where you will have a glance at the world’s largest concentration of hippos which are numbered above 5,000 pods, huge Nile crocodiles, buffaloes, birds, elephants, lions and other land wild game that come to quench their thirst. After the boat cruise, you will embark on a game drive around this channel and beyond into the vast savannah wilderness. Scenery views of the ice capped mountain Rwenzori & its ranges as you head to the Ishasha sector of the park that is famously known for tree climbing lions.

Accommodation: Primates capital lodge (or a similar one)

Meals: Breakfast | lunch| Dinner

Birding & primates safari

This birding & gorilla trekking safari at Kibale forest walk will come along with numerous sceneries of more than 370 bird species of grassland, forest, swamp and also Albertine rift region endemics, 350 tree species for example; black bee-eater, Abyssinian ground thrush, crowned eagle, black-eared ground thrush, blue-breasted kingfisher, red-faced barbet among others. Kibale national park is known for chimpanzee tracking and for having the highest population & concentration of chimpanzees in world numbering above 1,500 individuals in the park. 

Primates tracking sessions at Kibale forest park start at 08:00, 11:00 & 14:00 and takes 2-5 hours with a more than 100% chances of meeting the chimpanzees; other primates in the park include the L’hoest monkeys, colobus monkeys, blue monkey, olive baboon, red tailed monkey, vervet monkeys.

Accommodation: Kibale forest lodge (or a similar one)

Meals: Breakfast | lunch| Dinner

With more than 350 recorded bird species, Semliki is a true bird habitat and one of the most beautiful places in Africa recommended for its remarkable features, location between East and Central Africa as an intersection the central tropical forests and savannah grasslands. Semuliki national park has hot springs that were a result of geological actions dating thousands of years back; these produce water of over 110°C producing white mist and smoke in the forests. A forest walk in this tropical forest is one of most gorgeous nature walks on Africa safari.

Accommodation: Semliki safari lodge (or a similar one)

Meals: Breakfast | lunch| Dinner

Murchison falls national park will get you to continue birding in its vast grasslands, palms, acacia trees, swamps, savannah and its remarkable wild game. Murchison falls game park has more than 450 recorded resident bird species for example the Abyssinian ground hornbill, Denham’s bustard, long-tailed nightjar among other hundreds of species making it one of the best birdwatching destinations in Africa. You will have a trek up to view the magnificent Murchison falls from above and watch the strongest falls on the planet, gashing 3,000 cubic liters of water per second through an eight-meter corridor cascading down a 43-meter height into the “the devil’s caldron” forming a white mist and a signature rainbow producing a loud sound from the powerful force of the water of the river Nile.

After lunch you will then head to the banks of the river Nile for a boat cruise towards the face of the Murchison falls. While on the boat cruise, you will have more sceneries of various water birds for example the shoebills, raptors, geese among others, hippos and a great number of huge nile crocodiles and many more mammals that approach the river banks to quench their thirst like buffaloes, elephants and the scenes are endless. You will also have a boat cruise to the Nile delta as it flows back to the Albertine peninsular, an experience that obviously unmatchable as you watch the waters of the river Nile anchor the wild and its species.

Accommodation: Nile safari lodge (or a similar one)

Meals: Breakfast | lunch| Dinner

Day 10 Entebbe & departure

On this day you will head to the shores of Lake Victoria for relaxation from the birding & gorilla trekking safari as you wait for your departure fight.

Accommodation: N/A

Meals: Breakfast | lunch| Dinner 

Best time for a 10 days birding & gorilla trekking safari in Uganda

Experience great flora and fauna on Uganda’s 10 days birding & gorilla trekking safari on summer or winter holidays from all over the world in throughout the year round. Summer/ dry months of June- August & December- February attract more tourists since the savannah grass is dry and short with wild animals easily visible on game drives. In the wet/rainy season months of March- May & September- November are considered as low seasons also attracting lower fees from travelers on Africa safari.

How much will a 10 days birding & gorilla trekking safari cost in Uganda?

A 10 days Uganda birding & gorilla trekking safari cost starts from $4,800 for affordable packages and $7,200 for luxury safari tours per person along with specific cost of experiences such gorillas and chimpanzee tracking. Start planning a birding & gorilla trekking safari experience with Travitude safari tours.

Inclusions

  • Park entry fees
  • Airport transfers
  • Border crossing fees
  • Gorilla trekking permits
  • Chimp tracking permits
  • Transport- 4×4 safari landcruiser
  • Driver & guide
  • Refreshments (drinking water)

Exclusions

  • Travel insurance
  • International flights
  • Visa fees and processing
  • Accommodation after the trip
  • Alcohol & liquors 
  • Itinerary change
  • Service tips, gratitude, souvenirs & snacks
  • Anything not mentioned

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