6-Day Gorilla, Culture, Lake Bunyonyi & Wildlife

Safari Highlights

This 6 day safari takes you to one of the most beautiful places on earth- Lake Bunyonyi as well as a face to face encounter with the giant of the wild- the mountain gorilla. You will glide past crater Lakes and tranquil countryside while Africa’s third highest and most rugged mountain imposes itself in the background. You may also spot the tree climbing lion and then immerse yourself into some cultural experiences along the way. Enjoy!

Day 1: Arrival and Overnight

Our guide will be on hand to pick you from the airport. You will head straight to Kampala with the journey outside the airport offering you the first opportunity to see Africa largest fresh water Lake-the Victoria. It will take you about one hour to reach Kampala city centre.

Check in and dinner in Kampala with an optional chance to take a leisurely walk in this peaceful and tranquil city or even do a full city tour.

Day 2: Depart for Queen Elizabeth National Park & Boat Cruise

Depart Kampala at 6.00 AM for the 6 to 7- hour drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The journey takes you through the cool undulating tea plantations along Kabarole District onto Fort Portal town also known as Uganda’s tourism town. Stopover for Lunch at Gardens Restaurant in Fort portal town.

You then descend into the Great Rift Valley with glimpses of the mighty snow-capped Rwenzori Mountain in the distance through Kasese town.

Arrive at Queen Elizabeth National Park. Queen Elizabeth National Park located in southwestern Uganda is home to the world famous tree climbing lions and the Great Crater Lakes of the East African Rift Valley.

After settling in the lodge, you will take an evening boat cruise across the Kazinga channel which is an oasis for many of the fascinating species that inhabit this huge park. The boat ride will give you the chance to cruise just meters from hundreds of enormous hippos and buffaloes while elephants linger on the shoreline in some playful gesture.

Day 3: Open Savannah Big Game galore/ Water beasts

After an early breakfast, you will drive to Kasenyi- the open savannah grassland. Kasenyi is the stereotypical African landscape and is the most popular area to search for big cats.

Here, you will see large herds of common herbivores including warthogs, waterbuck, Uganda kob and topi, as well as the sitatunga antelope which attracts predators. If you are lucky you will find the “big bosses”- lions feeding on them creating a captivating sight of game hunting and survival. There is also a large concentration of hippos, crocodiles plus herds of elephants, buffalo, and other wildlife that come to drink from the river.

Lions are found all over the park, but the most famous live in the southern sector of Ishasha, where they rest on the limbs of fig trees thus the name- tree climbing lions. Solitary leopards are nocturnal and well camouflaged, making a glimpse all the more rewarding!

After your packed lunch, depart the lodge for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Day 4: Encounter the Gentle Giant- Mountain Gorilla tracking

It is D-day!

Preparations begin quite early with a quick breakfast to enable you catch up with the other tracking groups for general pre-tracking briefing. The actual hiking and tracking is both beautiful, tiresome and adventurous.

The terrain can be treacherous and muddy while the tracking can take anywhere from two hours to eight hours. But it is all worth it as you come face to face with these dinosaurs of the wild described as the amazing gentle giants.

The gentle habits of these incredible creatures defy their size. You will be guided on how to behave in their presence as well as how to capture your lifetime memorable photos while in their presence. You are restricted to only one hour with the gorillas because of safety and habituation reasons. But again, it is all worth it.

You may also see other primates and monkeys, butterflies birds and the incredible mist covered terrain

After tracking, depart for Bunyonyi and see the 30 islands.

Overnight at Acadia Lodges in Lake Bunyonyi.

Day 5: Depart for Kampala & Stopover at Igongo, Biharwe & Equator

Enjoy the refreshing cool breeze and the awesome undulating terrain as you exit for Kampala.

First stopover on your return journey will be at Igongo Cultural Museum where you will take a 30 minute detour of the cultural activities of the Ankole people. Across the road, you will site the great Biharwe monument erected in commemoration of the “Biharwe Eclipse” which was dated by astronomers and historians to have taken place in the year 1520 AD.

As the only scientifically dated event in the early history of the Great Lakes Region, the eclipse, which was acknowledged in legends of Bunyoro, Buganda and Nkole, became the key benchmark that was used by historians to determine the royal genealogies of those kingdoms.

Proceed to the Equator crossing- the imaginary line that divides the earth into two hemisphere. Watch water swirl into two different directions in a rare scientific experience.

Lunch and transfer to Kampala.

Day 6: Transfer to Entebbe & UWEC/ City Tour

Transfer from Kampala and onwards to Entebbe depending on your departure schedule.

Optional activities include city tour/ Source of the Nile/ UWEC).

We do hope you enjoy your safari in this beautiful country.

Scroll to top