18-Day Rwangabo Uganda Safari with Hugo Safaris

18-DAY SAFARI

Safari’s summary

• Arrival at Entebbe International airport and overnight at the booked Hotel/lodge.
• Bird watching at Mabamba (for the shoebill) and other precious bird species. Also we can pay a visit to historical places like the Kasubi tombs where they burry the traditional kings/ruler (Kabaka) of Buganda kingdom, first missionary churches in Uganda like Rubaga(Roman catholic),Namirembe church of Uganda(protestants) and the Gadhafi mosque(Muslims) and the Namugongo shrines for the Uganda Martyrs all in the Ugandan capital Kampala.
• Transfer from Entebbe/Kampala to Zziwa Rhino sanctuary for Rhino trekking and afterwards continue to Gulu city, relax and overnight at the hotel in northern Uganda.
• Transfer from Gulu to Kidepo National park in the North-eastern part of Uganda
• Visit to the IKE tribe and transfer from Kidepo NP to Masindi hotel
• Transfer from Masindi town to Murchison fall National Park with a stop-over at Budongo for chimpanzee trekking and afterwards continue to the top of the falls.
• Game drive in Murchison NP and afternoon boat cruise, hiking to the top of the falls
• Proceed to Kibale NP, the Primate capital of Uganda, East Africa.
• Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale NP
• Nature and community walk in the Bigodi swamp
• Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park near Rwenzori mountains
• Game drive and afternoon boat cruise in the Queen
• Visit/nature walk in salt pans, twin lakes and nature walk in Kyambura gorge in search of chimpanzee and transfer to Ishaasha sector
• Game drive in Ishaasha, the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth for the tree climbing lions
• Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable NP for Gorilla trekking and visit the Batwa people
• Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi in Kabale, the Switzerland of Africa
• Transfer to Lake Mburo National park
• Return to Kampala and then to Entebbe airport for a sweet journey home.

Day-1

Upon the arrival at Entebbe international airport, you will be received by our English/Spanish/Dutch/German/French/Chinese speaking Hugo safaris guide/driver who will welcome you to Uganda, the Pearl of Africa. Thereafter you will be transferred to the booked accommodation in Entebbe or Kampala.

Day-2 Visit to Lake Victoria-Mabamba to view the shoebill.

A warm welcome to Uganda by a welcome breakfast and afterwards head for Bird viewing in Mabamba swamps on the Shores of Lake Victoria (the biggest lake shared by all the three East African countries-Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania) specifically for the endangered bird specie called the SHOEBILL but this friend doesn’t stay alone, there are a variety of other bird species like the grey crested crane, African jacana, Ibis, herons and others, the journey takes around 2-4 hours. Return to the hotel, relax, have lunch and in the afternoon, go for a tour around Kampala city and visit the historical places like Kasubi tombs, the Namugongo shrines for the Uganda martyrs, the missionary churches like Namirembe (Protestants),Rubaga (the Roman catholic) and Gadhafi mosque(Muslims),return to the hotel, relax for the next day’s journey to Zziwa Rhino sanctuary for rhino trekking and transfer to Gulu city in the north of the country.

Day-3 Transfer to Zziwa Rhino sanctuary for Rhino trekking.

The English tour guide will pick you from the hotel after breakfast and head for Murchison falls National Park. On the way, you will have a stop-over at Zziwa Rhino sanctuary for the Rhino tracking. You will atleast have an hour with the Rhinos while being guided by an armed Ranger from the Uganda wild life authority (UWA), while you are here, you will have a chance to view other grazers (especially antelopes) like the Red bucks, water bucks and a variety of birds, vervet monkeys and baboons. After the rhino trekking, you will have lunch, relax and head for Gulu city it’s one of the sprawling cities in Uganda after being ravaged by war of Joseph Kony which end ended in almost 2006 and now the city has sprung up, very peacefully all the time and has the rich history of the Acholi people/warriors who resisted the colonialists for a long time.

Day-4 Transfer from Gulu to Kidepo National park

Wake up in the morning, have breakfast and embark our on journey with our picnic lunch heading to Kidepo National park while passing through the wonderful cattle keepers the Karamojong tribe of north-eastern Uganda and afternoon game drive in the park, this park is known for its cheetahs, Rothchild giraffe, rare  spotted wild dogs, lions on caves, leopards, big herds of cape buffaloes, African elephants, zebras and Elands only found in this park and lake Mburo NP, check in and overnight at hotel

Day-5 Game drive in the park

Having relaxed well in the hotel, wakeup in the morning and go for the morning game drive in the hope of seeing Cheetahs, leopard, big prides of lions on caves, spotted hyenas, cape buffaloes, African elephants and continue up to River Narus to see if possible some of the endangered wild dogs along this trail, return to the hotel for hot lunch, relax and go for the afternoon game drive

Day-6 Transfer from Kidepo National park for hotel Masindi

Wake up in the morning have breakfast and prepare for the journey but before leaving the Karamoja region, we shall first visit one of the Uganda’s indigenous tribes/ people call the Ike tribe (considered to be the poorest people on earth),these people live near the boader between Uganda, Kenya and south-Sudan, they are pastoralists but they suffer from cattle wrestling from their  brothers/neighbors the Turkana of Kenya, this part of the country has suffered from starvation, no clean water and almost no hospitals for the locals but it’s of recent that it’s being remembered and some NGOs have been allowed to operate and help the people. 

After visiting the IKE, we head for Masindi town where hotel Masindi is located, it’s one of the old hotels in Uganda of 1923 which was built by the East African railways corporation and it acted as a hinterland for the British to colonize the whole of Africa.

Day-7 Chimpanzee nature walk in Budongo forest andvisit top Murchison falls

Murchison falls being Uganda’s biggest national park of an approximate area of 3893Km², its divided into the southern bank (the Forested area and wood-land with a lot of primate species like baboons, monkeys, black and white colobus, red tailed, L^’host monkey and the great apes like the chimpanzees at Budongo forest) and the Northern bank (mostly Savanna with a lot of animals both carnivorous and herbivorous) and when its game reserves are all included, it cover an area of around 5663 Km².Murchison falls is one of the world’s most dangers water falls with a depth of 40-42m and width of 6-7m and were discovered by sir Samuel Baker and were named Murchison falls after the president of the Royal geographical society who sent him to Africa.

Day-8 Game driver and boat cruise at Murchison falls NP

Wake up early in the morning, have breakfast and head for a wonderful morning game drive through the most beautiful and rolling plains of Uganda’s biggest park where you shall have a chance of viewing lions, herds of cape buffaloes, herds of Giraffes, herds of elephants, schools of hipos, prides of lions, spotted hyenas, leopard, herds of antelopes like the Uganda kob, Jackson hartebeest, Oribis and for the bird lovers, this park has a lot of bird species like the northern red bishop, black chested snake eagle, African Eagle, secretary bird and others, return to the hotel, relax  and have lunch.   After lunch, go for a boat cruise at the base of Murchison falls where you will be able to see a variety of mammals/animals in and out of the water like buffaloes, elephants drinking water, Nile crocodiles, schools of Hipos and fish, antelopes and a variety of birds not seen in the savanna. You will continue to the bottom of the falls and if you love hiking, it’s a bite strenuous but the journey to the top of the falls will be unforgettable and it takes around 2-4 hours, return to the hotel/lodge but if there is time, you can have a short game drive to the hotel.

Day-9 Transfer to Kibale National park.

After breakfast at the lodge/hotel, embark on the journey to Kibale National park (the primate capital of East Africa) and the journey may take 6-7hours.While leaving the park, you will encounter some of the big mammals like elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, baboons etc. On the way to Kibale NP, you will have a chance of viewing the western rift valley escarpment, the fishing/landing sites of Butiaba on the shores of lake Albert, some Refugee camps near lake Albert just after Bulisa town and before reaching the sprawling and beautiful town of Hoima (the Oil city), with a rich historical  culture and being governed by a king called Omukama of Bunyoro and head to straight to Fort Portal city near Kibale np, stop-over in the city, visit the local market and continue to Kibale NP but before reaching the park, you will pass through many hills tops dotted with big plantations of Tea, check in at the hotel and relax for the next day’s wonderful encounter with our next cousins the chimpanzees.

Day-10 Chimpanzee trekking/habituation at Kibale National park

Wake up early morning, have breakfast while dressed in rainy jackets, jungle shoes/boots in a pair of trousers with long sleeved shirt and if possible with a cap without forgetting the mosquito repellents, clinical masks not to infect/transmit diseases like Covid-19 since we are closely related to the chimps before entering the forest but we shall kindly request you not to apply perfumes today because you can attract bees. You will first be led to the information Centre for briefing and afterwards embark on the journey to the dense rain forest of Kibale NP full other primates like black and white colobus monkey, red tailed monkey and many species of the birds. Also, this park being/having an animal corridor, expect to see forest elephants, forest buffaloes, the antelopes and many bird species like the great blue turaco too.

This activity will allow you to either do chimpanzee trekking or any extra cost and accompany the Kibale Research/habituation team on their daily activity towards our close cousins. You will have a chance to see chimpanzees up in the trees eating or on the ground all depending on nature and availability of food and if you go for chimpanzee habituation, you will spend a great part of the day with our next cousins in their natural habitat and you see them eating/feeding, making nests, de-nesting etc while getting first hand explanation from the ground. Later return to the hotel, relax and if time allows, have either Bigodi swamp walk where you will be able to see all the white and black colobus, red colobus, red tailed colobus and other monkeys lie the vervet, L’host monkey and many bird species like the great blue turaco, east plantain eater or community/cultural tour and get to know how the local people live, eat, plant, maintain, harvest, prepare, make, drink and export organic coffee from Uganda and also make local Gin called Waragi at Mr. Rest in Banana’s place, after this tiresome day, return to the hotel, relax and overnight at the hotel.

Day-11 Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National park and afternoon Boat cruise

Wake up in the morning have breakfast and embark on the journey of 1hr30min to Queen Elizabeth, check in at the hotel, relax and have hot lunch and go for afternoon boat cruise along the Kazinga channel which joins Lake Edward and George where you shall expect to see Elephants, antelopes, buffaloes and crocodiles, birds in and out of the water and a short evening game drive. This park being one of the country’s most frequented tourist destination, the park features diverse Eco-systems (Home to a variety) of wild life species like the 10-primate species including the chimpanzees in the Kyambura Gorge and more than 400-600 bird species.

Day-12 Game drive in the park, visit to the salt pan and twin lakes

Wake up early in the morning and have breakfast at the lodge and head for the morning game drive along the Kasenyu plains where you expect to see lions, giant African elephants, leopard, cape buffaloes, Giant forest hogs, Defassa water bucks, hyenas, various species of birds, visit the two lakes mirambi and Katindo in Kichwamba, return to the hotel for a hot lunch and  in the afternoon visit any of Uganda’s salt pans in our crater lakes and see how the migratory  Flamingoes which come from Kenya when white and  change colour after enjoying our plankton/food found in the salty lakes to pinkish, short game drive and back to the hotel.

Day- 13 Transfer to Ishaasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National park for  the tree-climbing lions and afterwards evening game

Wake up in the morning, have breakfast and prepare for the new journey to the Ishaasha sector of Queen Elizabeth with the hope of seeing the tree climbing Lions.

This park lies on the boarder with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and at times these lions tend to cross the boarder or migrate to the other parts of the Queen as it has been observed by UWA staff, therefore there is a 60% chance of viewing them or at times they may be down in the grass trying to hunt the prey. During this journey/game drive since it’s within the park, you will also have a chance of seeing baboons, herds of African elephants and buffaloes, spotted hyenas, leopard, kobs and topis. Therefore, once these lions are viewed, then it will be a nice and spectacular/unforgotten experience in your life

Day- 14 Transfer from Ishaasha sector to Bwindi impenetrable National park

Wake up in the morning and have breakfast, morning game drive and afterwards embark on a long journey to the Bwindi Impenetrable National park for Gorilla trekking. This journey will take us through the mountainous tops and hills of Kigezi up to Bwindi impenetrable national park, check in at the hotel, relax and prepare for the excellent next day of Gorilla trekking.

Day-15 Gorilla tracking at Bwindi impenetrable National park and Batwa experience

After having enough relaxation at the hotel, wake up a bite early, have breakfast and go to the information Centre for Briefing about Gorilla trekking. The Rules and dress codes are similar to the ones of chimpanzee except, here you shall add on No repeating the signs (or mimicking) what the Gorilla has done because you don’t know what that sign may mean to them and can cause danger to yourself or the group.

However, the journey to our next cousins (approximately 96-98% human) is so interesting as we shall enter into the dense tropical/rain forests where you can expect rain at any time and the area is mountainous full of tall and short trees, the area too is home to some forest elephants, antelopes and a variety of birds plus monkeys. The journey may take 2-8hours (that is going and coming back) including 1 full hour while watching and interacting with our next cousins (beautiful, handsome, gentle giants) under the guidance of armed rangers from the Uganda wildlife authority (UWA). During this day, we shall go with our packed lunch and 2litres of bottled mineral water and in the event that there is/are some senior citizen(s), we shall need a porter at an optional cost, after visiting and viewing the endangered mountain Gorillas  of Uganda (approximately 463 in numbers), we shall return to the Gorilla university for Graduation (that is to prove that you have successfully passed all the exams),return to the hotel and relax

Baatwa experience

After having relaxed, we make a visit and follow the trails of the original people/tribe of Uganda who used to live in this forest before 1991-1992/1993 when the park was gazeted and were finally evicted and advised to live with other people in the community but this came at a high cost for them since they were used to free food/meat/fruits/honey and herbal medicine but now have to go to hospitals and pay. This is one of the best experience one can have in his lifetime and you listen to their story/ies, of the people who were in forest, see their houses, how they used to live in hats, caves and under the tree plus the way they used to burry their loved one in case of death and the churches they had in the forest,very wonderful experience.

Day-16 Transfer to lake Bunyonyi,visiting the islands and mountain hiking

Having had a wonderful day with Gorillas and the Baatwa, we shall head for lake Bunyonyi in Kabale after breakfast while passing through the park at an elevation/altitude of approximately 1190-2610m above sea-level. This journey will lead us to lake Bunyonyi, the deepest lake in Uganda,2^nd in Africa after Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania and 3^rd in the world. Lake Bunyonyi is made up of 29 terraced islands, some are inhabited while others are not, while at Bunyonyi you shall visit some of those islands without forgetting to visit the notorious punishment island where the Bakiga girls who would become pregnant before marriage were taken and left to die from there. Right now, the island is acting as a tourist attraction and has got pretty of bird species around it, while on this lake, we can swim and also do canoeing plus zip-lining which is optional, return to the hotel, relax and overnight at the hotel

Day-17 Transfer to lake Mburo National park

Wake up in the morning, take breakfast and embark on the journey to lake Mburo.

The journey will take you through Ntungamo town and the beautiful city of Mbarara where you will have a stop-over at Igongo cultural Centre for a hot lunch, relax and afterwards proceed for a 30minute drive to the park, check in at the hotel and go for an evening game drive where you will expect to see herds of cape buffaloes, Zebras, topis, impalas, waterbucks and the largest antelope called the Eland, spotted hyenas, leopard and hipos. Also in the park, there are a lot bird species, warthogs, giraffes, and Ankore cow long-horned cows near the park, return to the hotel, relax and overnight at the hotel.

Day-18 transfer from lake Mburo National park to Kampala

Morning breakfast and proceed for lake Mburo nature walk while being accompanied by an armed ranger from UWA, if well chanced, you will encounter hyenas returning to their dens after a tough night of hunting, see leopard, buffaloes, warthogs at close range and you will also end up on top of the hills where you will see the 9 lakes that surround lake Mburo and also visit the Banyankore cattle keepers who live near the park, see their long Horned cattle found only in this part of the world and  watch how they dress culturally, milk and how they preserve milk locally in their local milk pots, return to the hotel prepare and head for Kampala, en-route at the Equator take some beautiful Photos, buy souvenirs, have lunch and head straight to Entebbe international Airport for a sweet journey home