8 Day Adventure Uganda Safari | Bwindi | Queen Elizabeth National Park | Semliki
This 8 Days Adventure Uganda safari takes you to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the most visited primates’ national park for a gorilla trekking experience, located in the southwestern part of Uganda close to the Rwanda-Uganda border at the edge of the Rift Valley.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of Uganda’s oldest national parks, with a diverse rainforest of over 25,000 years ago and containing about 400 plant species.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to half of the remaining endangered mountain gorillas in the world and is divided into four sectors: the Buhoma sector, which is the oldest trekking sector; the Rushaga sector, which has the largest number of gorilla families; the Ruhija sector; and finally, the Nkuringo sector. Bwindi Forest also shelters some species of mammals, including the forest elephants and the different species of antelopes.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is the second largest wildlife national park, located in the western part of Uganda in the Rubirizi District near the Kasese District. Queen Elizabeth National Park has massive biodiversity with landscapes including bushland, savannah, wetland and lush vegetation.
The park covers an area of 1,978 square kilometers and was first founded in 1952 as Kazinga National Park; however, later, after the visit of Queen Elizabeth II, it was renamed Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The park inhabits about 95 mammal species, including the big 4 game (lions, leopards, buffaloes, and elephants); other animals including hyenas, hippos, waterbucks, and oribi, to mention a few; and over 600 bird species. Queen Elizabeth National Park is surrounded by two lakes, including Lake Albert and Lake Edward, which support water activities such as boat cruises and fishing.
This trip continues to Semuliki National Park/Semuliki National Reserve, a park that sprawls across the floor of the Semliki Valley on the remote western side of the Rwenzori close to Uganda-Congo.
Semuliki is best known as a home of 2 hot springs—female and male hot springs. While here, you will also enjoy a nature walk in the forest and find some birds; a game drive is also possible when at Semuliki National Park.
Also features Kibale National Park, which is one of the loveliest and most varied tracts of natural rainforests in Uganda. The park protects up to a total of 70 mammal species and 13 species of primates, including the endangered chimpanzees.
Kibale National Park is also Africa’s best destination for chimpanzee trekking, with a 99% chance of seeing the wild chimpanzees.
Safari highlight
Day 1: Pick-up and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 2: Gorilla trekking—Nyakagezi sector
Day 3: Gorilla trekking trekking – Buhoma sector
Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 5: Lion tracking/Game drive – Boat cruise
Day 6: Transfer to Semliki National Park – Visit Sempaya hot springs
Day 7: Chimpanzee trekking – Bigodi swamp walk
Day 8: Transfer back to Kampala
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Arrival and transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Depending on your location in Kampala, you will be welcomed by our company representative/guide, who will then transfer you to Mgahinga National Park. It’s usually about an 8-9 hour drive with the en route stop at the Uganda Equator and lunch break in Mbarara town. Upon arrival, proceed to check in to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay at
- Luxury options: Gahinga Safari lodge/Lake Mutanda Safari lodge
- Mid-range option: Lake Mulehe Safari lodge
- Budget option: Travellers’ Rest Hotel/ Mucha lodge
Day 2: Gorilla trekking experience – Nyakagezi sector
Wake up very early, enjoy your breakfast and drive out of the lodge to connect to the park headquarters with your trekking gear and packed lunch and water. Meet with other trekkers and gather for a briefing from the park officials, where you will be guided on the expectations of the gorilla trekking experience.
After you are allocated a group in groups of 8 people, head into the forest for your trek to the only gorilla family in Mgahinga National Park. Gorilla trekking lasts 2 to 8 hours, depending on how the gorilla family moves.
These primates roam the park freely and there is no way of telling where they will be for a particular day. On finding them, you will be allowed 1 hour to view and take photos of these gentle primates before you descend back to meet your driver/guide.
Transfer to the Buhoma sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. It’s a 2-3 hours’ drive; arriving in Buhoma late afternoon, check in to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay at
- Luxury option: Buhoma Lodge/Mahogany Springs Hotel
- Mid-range option: Buhoma Haven Lodge
- Budget option: Buhoma Community Rest Camp
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park and Ishasha game drive
After having breakfast early in the morning, connect and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, a home to the tree-climbing lions. This is a 4- to 5-hour journey with a stopover for lunch via the Ishasha sector.
Arrive in the park in the early afternoon and have lunch in Ishasha, where you will also enjoy a game drive in the area, finding the tree-climbing lions and other available animals. Thereafter drive to your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at
- Luxury option: Mweya Safari lodge
- Mid-range option: Parkview Safari lodge
- Budget option: Pumba Safari cottages
Day 4: Lion experience trekking/Game Drive and Boat cruise on Kazinga channel
Wake up early, have your delicious breakfast, meet your guide, and drive to the Kasenyi area, where you will hand over to the research team for a lion tracking experience. This experience is only carried out in Queen Elizabeth National Park, where you are guaranteed to view the lions.
You will get an opportunity to come close to a pride of lions. You will also connect to a game drive for chances of finding some of the park’s inhabitants like the buffaloes, elephants, waterbucks, Uganda Kob and other types of antelopes.
Return for lunch at your lodge before you return to the park for a boat cruise that will take you along the Kazinga Channel. The lakes have the highest concentration of hippos and other animals drinking at the water’s edge and are also good for bird watching. The cruise also offers a good platform for photography, birdwatching, and games. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 6: Transfer to Semliki National Park – Visit Sempaya hot springs
After your breakfast, embark on your journey to Semliki National Park. It’s a 4-5 hours’ drive visit with en route lunch in Fort Portal town. Proceed to Sempaya hot springs, which are the main attractions of Semuliki National Park.
These hot springs are the largest in Uganda, divided into female and male; however, they both have a geyser that shoots up from 8-meter holes with a high temperature of up to 100 degrees Celsius.
The strength and hotness of the springs are amazing, as one can boil eggs and in a few minutes, they are ready to eat. The community around the park also visits the springs to perform rituals based on their beliefs. Thereafter, drive to check-in to your booked lodge for dinner and overnight stay at
- Luxury option: Semiliki Safari Lodge
- Mid-range option: Ntoroko Game Lodge
- Budget option: Bugama Cottages
Day 7: Chimpanzee trekking – Bigodi swamp walk
After your breakfast, transfer to Kibale National Park, about a 2-3 hour drive to the park headquarters for a briefing with your trekking gear and water. Meet with other trekkers and gather for a briefing from the park officials, where you will be guided on the expectations of chimpanzee trekking.
Thereafter, only a group of 12 people and ranger guides/researchers set off for chimpanzee trekking. The search may take 2-5 hours depending on their location. The chimpanzees in Kibale are relatively easy to find, and you will be allowed to spend one hour with them while observing their behavior.
In the late afternoon, visit Bigodi Swamp. The swamp is home to about 138 bird species, and visitors can see over 50 birds in a single day.
Several primates can also be spotted in the wetland, including the black and white Colobus monkeys, blue grey-cheeked Ververt monkeys, and red Colobus monkeys, to mention a few. Thereafter, transfer to your booked lodge for check-in, have dinner and overnight.
- Luxury option: Kyaninga Lodge/Ndali Lodge
- Mid-range option: Chimpanzee Guesthouse
- Budget option: Isunga Lodge/Rweteera Guesthouse
Day 8: Transfer back to Kampala
Wake up and enjoy your breakfast. Meet your driver to drive back to Kampala. The drive from Fort Portal town to Kampala takes 6 hours and includes a lunch stop along the way. You will be dropped off at a location you will advise or be dropped off at Entebbe International Airport for your flight back home.
