BWINDI GORILLA TOUR/QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK (5 DAYS)
Queen Elizabeth National Park covers 1978 square km and is Uganda’s most popular park and has easy access. The park is mainly open Savannah, studded in some areas with a dense cover of acacia and euphorbia trees. The park also has large swamp areas around L.George as well as forests like Maramagambo to the South.
It is home to the famous tree climbing lions found in the Ishasha sector, the Uganda Kob, elephant, baboon, buffalo, hippos, Chimpanzees-------.Over 600 species of birds have been recorded, making it a birders haven. Species recorded include black bee-eater, the shoebill stork, 11 types of King fisher, 54 raptors which include eagle and falcon. In the Northern part of the park is the crater area, one of the most scenic parts. To the east is Chambura Gorge where visitors can watch a variety of primates, including Chimpanzee.
On the other hand Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is an exceptionally rich and varied ecosystem. It is one of the most unique and important forests in Africa. The park ranges from lowland to afro-montane forest, a moist tropical forest that is unique in Uganda and rare among East African protected areas. The park is located in southwestern Uganda and covers 331 Kms (128 square miles). It lies at the edge of the great western rift valley and is part of the highest block of Kigezi or Rukiga highlands.
The park has a wide altitude range, from 1160m(3805 ft) at the tip of the Northern Sector to 2607m(8551 ft) at Rwamunyonyi hill on the Southeastern edge of the park. It is one of the richest forests in East Africa for birds (350 species), butterflies (310 species) and trees (324 species). Bwindi also has at least 120 species of mammals including 10 species of primates. This area is also known as the Albertine rift and Bwindi has 23 birds endemic to the Albertine Rift and 10 trees endemic to Uganda. The park has two dry seasons i.e. December-January and June-August. The wettest months are March-April and September –November. Rainfall ranges from 1130-2390 mm per year. Daily temperatures range between 7 degrees –20 degrees. The park is situated in Kabale, Rukungiri and Kisoro districts of Uganda.
Day 1:Depart For Bwindi
Meet and greet at respective accommodations after your breakfast. Depart for Bwindi driving southwest and across the Equator. The drive takes you through Savannah grasslands seeing local homesteads and banana plantations as well as herds of Ankole cattle with their incredibly long curving horns.
Dinner and overnight at accommodation of your choice.
Day 2:Bwindi Gorilla Tours
After an early breakfast and briefing by a ranger guide enter the gorilla sanctuary for a thrilling experience. Gorillas are very special animals –rare, gentle, like us yet so different. Tracking them is a unique experience as it leads you into a strange land to meet unusual creatures on their own terms! This basically is a humble yet thrilling experience at the same time. The guide will lead you through the gorillas’ world, explaining the aspects of their ecology and behavior along the way.
Dinner and overnight at accommodation of your choice.
Day 3:Depart Bwindi early morning for Queen Elizabeth National Park enjoying a game drive once inside the park. In the evening we proceed for a two-hour boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel. There is abundant bird life here and besides this cruise offers an excellent platform for photography and game viewing.
Dinner and overnight at accommodation of your choice.
Day 4: Safari To Queen Elizabeth: We do two game drives today. Queen Elizabeth National Park has diverse Eco-systems of grassy plains, tropical forest, rivers, swamps, lakes and volcanic craters and is the home of different species of wildlife. It will provide you an opportunity to seelion, leopard, giant forest hog, Cape buffalo, elephants, and defassa waterbuck, Uganda Kob, Topi and Bushbuck.
Dinner and overnight at accommodation of your choice.
Day 5: Two options for the day before we return to Kampala.
Either visit Kyambura gorge for chimpanzee tracking or visit Maramagambo forest that offers you a chance to experience a tropical rain forest and catch a glimpse of a variety of primates including chimpanzee. While her you can also visit the bats cave and the “blue lake”.
Price includes transport to and from Kampala, Park entrance fees, game drive fees, boat ride on Kazinga channel, Gorilla permit, accommodation on full board and an English speaking driver (guide), lunch to and from, Chimp tracking fees, nature walking fees. I t however excludes beverages, souvenirs, tips and all expenditures of a personal nature.
