Compare Uganda Mountain Gorillas & Chimpanzees by Want Expeditions vs Uganda in 8 days - Land of the Primates - CHARM by Exoticca
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| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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4.5 | Great
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| Duration | 7 days | 8 days |
| Price From | $ 5,999 | $ 3,899 |
| Price Per Day | $ 857 | $ 487 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Premium | Standard |
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| Countries Visited | ||
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Airfare included |
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| Meals Included | N/A | 7 breakfasts. |
| Description |
Throughout the past 40 years, monumental efforts have been made to save the criticAlly endangered Mountain Gorilla, and while their numbers hover around 790 criticAlly endangered individuals, the chance to see them in the wild will not last forever. If you have ever dreamed of the magical experience of interacting with these great beasts, and seeing them as close-up as the photos in wildlife magazines, your chance has come. A visit to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience that your children's children will talk about, and space is extremely limited! To make this expedition better than the rest, before we visit the gorillas, we'll spend a full day with Chimpanzees, plus we'll have a chance to see more than 8 other primate species! With All of this plus traveling with one of the best wildlife guides in Africa from WANT Expeditions, you're guaranteed to have a Great Ape Safari like none other! "When you realize the value of All life, you dwell less on what is past and concentrate more on the preservation of the future." Diane Fossey |
Start your adventure in Entebbe and head into the evergreen rainforests of Kibale National Park to track Chimpanzees and admire the untouched natural beauty of the region. Enjoy exceptional game-viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park and Lake Mburo. The most intrepid travellers can extend their adventure into the impenetrable forest of Bwindi, home to mythical mountain gorillas. |
Day 1: Arrival/Entebbe
Accommodation: Lodge
Welcome to Uganda, home of the endangered Mountain Gorillas. International flights arrive late in the evening, so upon arrival, you will be greeted at the airport, and transferred directly to your accommodation, so you can check-in and rest for the upcoming days.
Day 2: Entebbe/Kibale Forest National Park
Accommodation: Lodge
After an early breakfast, we'll depart our accommodation, and head towards Fort Portal town, which is nestled in the shadows of fabled “mountains of the moon”, the Rwenzori Mountains. After passing through Fort Portal town, we will proceed directly to our accommodation for check-in and lunch. (Our driving distance from Entebbe is apx 324 km/201 miles and will take approximately 6.5 hrs.) Ndali Lodge is perched on the rim of an extinct volcano which, since its demise, has filled with water to become the breathtaking Lake Nyinambuga. But, before we get too taken with the view, we'll hop back into our vehicles and head to Kibale Forest National Park for a walk through the Bigodi Wetlands -home 200 birds including the great Blue Turaco and eight primate species! Our walk supports the Kibali Association for Rural and Environmental Development, and is a great way to get involved with sustainable, responsible tourism! After our walk, we'll head back to the lodge to refresh before gathering in our gorgeous restaurant for a tasty dinner and briefing for our Chimpanzee trek, beginning first thing tomorrow morning!
Day 3: Kibale Forest National Park
Accommodation: Lodge
After a relatively early wake-up and breakfast, we'll grab our pack lunches and head back to Kibale Forest National Park where we'll meet with our rangers and have a briefing on the park rules and regulations for visits to the Chimps. One of the most exciting aspects of this safari is that we will actually get to spend a FULL day with the Chimps, from when they wake up out of their nests and begin their daily foraging, until they nest down again in the evening. Along the way, we'll keep our eyes out for many other primates, including L’hoests, Red Colobus monkeys, Red-tailed and Grey Mangabeys. To make our walk more informative and enjoyable, our local guide and ranger will provide detailed explanation on primates, forest flora and fauna. Our trekking experience here will be relatively easy and over flat ground, but will last for a full day. (For those who would like to return at the half day mark, rangers will be available to escort you back to the gates, and our vehicle can drive you back to the lodge.) After we've had our fill of watching what is one of the closets link in our ancestral heritage playing, eating, relaxing, fighting and living their days out in a manner that is not too far from our own, we'll head back to our lodge for another wonderful dinner and a good night's rest!
Day 4: Queen Elizabeth National Park/Bwindi Impenetrable Forest NP
Accommodation: Lodge
To make sure you are rested from yesterday, and prepared for your upcoming Gorilla trek(s), this morning you can enjoy a late breakfast. Then according to the time set by your guide, you will depart towards Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Along the way, we’ll enter Queen Elizabeth National Park for an afternoon game drive where you can expect to see lions, elephants, Ugandan kob, and more. We should reach our accommodation, located just outside the park entrance, by late afternoon, and you’ll have the chance to explore this amazing community that is a true example of conservation and eco-tourism. For those of you who would like to practice your photography skills, we encourage you to grab your cameras and take a stroll in search of the magnificent Red-Breasted Sunbird. With its splendid iridescence, this beautiful bird is simply captivating as it moves from flower to flower in search of nectar. Alternatively, grab a cool one, and sit back and take in the magnificent rich wall of forest, rising with steam, while contemplating how this forest protects one of the most endangered animals in the world, the mountain gorilla.
Day 5: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest NP
Accommodation: Lodge
From daybreak on, it won't take much to realize that we are in one of the most spectacular ecosystems in the world! As the mist rises out of the mountainside, an incredible array of jungle noises will serenade us to the park gates of Bwindi, which is not just accidentally called "Impenetrable". The National Park is part of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, and is situated along the Democratic Republic of Congo border next to the Virunga National Park, and on the edge of the western Rift Valley. It comprises 331 square kilometers of jungle forests and contains both afromontane -a rare vegetation type on the African continent, and lowland forest, and is accessible only on foot. The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site. The park is a sanctuary for colobus monkeys, chimpanzees and many birds (such as hornbills and turacos). It is perhaps most notable for the 340 Bwindi gorillas, half the world's population of the critically endangered Mountain Gorillas. Currently, there are four habituated Mountain Gorilla groups: the tourist groups Mubare, Katendegyere and Rushegura, as well as one research group.
Just before 8 am, we'll grab our pack lunches, waters, and then walk the few hundred meters to the headquarters of the park to register our pre-issued gorilla permits with the rangers. After we've registered, we'll enjoy a short video presentation describing the gorilla trekking experience. After the presentation, we'll gather in a circle and our rangers will provide an orientation on how to behave in the presence of gorillas, what to expect on our trek, and what gorilla group we are assigned too. After we have completed our orientation, we'll set off in search of these magnificent and majestic animals. Rangers stay with the gorillas throughout the day. Then, just before returning back to camp, the rangers mark where the gorillas nested down for the night, and we'll pick up the trail at the last know coordinates of our gorilla group. As that the gorillas are constantly foraging, there is no guarantee how long it will take for our trek, but regardless porters will be available to assist us along the way. Once we find our gorilla group, our permit allows us to stay a full 60 minutes, taking photographs or just simply admiring the breathtaking scene. Meeting these creatures in their natural habitat is one of the most breathtaking experiences on Earth, a must for all nature lovers! Once our time is finished, we'll head back down from the forest to the headquarters for a short and rewarding ceremony dedicated to each of us. If we haven't enjoyed our pack lunch en-route, now is our chance. Then we'll slowly wind our way back through town, taking the time to admire to various stalls and handicrafts from the villagers. Alternatively, for those with energy, and time allowing, there is a short nature walk just off of the ranger station. Either way, a wonderful dinner with an unparalleled view of the forest will be served just after sunset at our camp.
Day 6: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest NP/Entebbe
Accommodation: Guest House
For those of you who would like one more opportunity to trek the gorillas, it is possible to arrange an additional permit for a fee. For the rest of us, we have a special tour through the Buhoma Community. Much of the success for Mountain Gorilla Conservation is due to the cooperation, education, and empowerment of the surrounding community. Thanks to dedicated efforts, Bwindi locals serve as protectors and employees of the park, so a village visit is a critical component. During our walk, we’ll observe their traditional ways of life, and understand how the local people have ingeniously incorporated eco-tourism into their daily life, and have become an example of empowerment and local ownership for all of Uganda. At the end of our tour, we'll have a chance to meet and dance with the Batwa pygmies, one of the most vulnerable and unique indigenous cultures left on our planet! After our tour, we'll head back to our accommodation for a wonderful dinner and the sounds of the rich Bwindi forest lulling us to sleep.
Day 7: Departure
Meals: Breakfast, we’ll transfer to the local airstrip for our flight back to the capital Kampala. Much like arrivals, international departures are in the evening, so following lunch, we will arrange a walk through the city’s botanical gardens in search of Black and White Colobus Monkeys, as well as other endemic bird life. You will then be transferred to the international airport in time for your departure.
Day 1: US - Night on board
Arrive at your departure airport ready to check-in for a flight * to Entebbe. Night on board. * If either your outbound or inbound flights depart in the early hours (before 4:00 a.m.) you must arrive at the airport the night before the indicated departure day.
Day 2: Entebbe
Arrive in Entebbe, meet your guide and transfer to the hotel. A charming town, Entebbe is situated on the shore of Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake. Spend the rest of the day at your leisure, relaxing or exploring the town for a chance to experience the local culture. Overnight stay in Entebbe.
Day 3: Entebbe - Kibale Forest
Breakfast at the hotel. Set off to Kibale Forest National Park, enjoying the changing landscapes as you leave the town behind. Arrive in the afternoon and check in at your lodge. Kibale is a huge protected rainforest, known for being the home of a large number of primates such as chimpanzees red-tailed monkeys and grey-cheeked mangabey. Overnight stay in Kibale.
Day 4: Kibale Forest - Queen Elizabeth National Park
Breakfast at the lodge. In the morning register at the Park Offices and begin an exciting Chimpanzee Tracking Excursion. Go in search of man's most genetically similar animal, and begin with a trek through the rainforest until you make the first sightings of the Chimpanzees. Watch as the group go about their daily activities such as feeding, climbing, raising their young and noisily interacting with each other, while enjoying informative insights from your expert guide. Return to the lodge and in the afternoon head to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Overnight stay in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Day 5: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Set off early for a sunrise game drive in Uganda's most popular national park for the best chance of spotting the abundant wildlife of the region including lions, buffalo, elephants and nocturnal animals such as hyenas and leopards, with the beautiful soundtrack of morning bird song to accompany you. Return to the lodge for a late breakfast and relax at your leisure. Later, set off for an afternoon Launch Cruise on the Kanziga Channel, famous for its hippos, Nile crocodiles and buffalo. Overnight stay in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Day 6: Queen Elizabeth National Park - Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Breakfast at the lodge. Drive south through the Ishasha area, famed for its tree-climbing lions, towards Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Spend the journey admiring the spectacular natural landscape. Continue to the southern sector of Bwindi, the iconic national park home to the elusive and endangered mountain gorillas. Arrive at the lodge and spend the rest of the day relaxing at your leisure. Overnight stay in Bwindi.
Day 7: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Early breakfast at the lodge and set off to the Park Offices to register for your exciting Gorilla Tracking Excursion. Be assigned a particular family of Gorillas and head into the magical rainforest, abundant with colourful birds, butterfly and animals species, until you finally reach the group of Gorillas. Watch in awe as these majestic animals go about their daily lives, grooming, feeding and interacting with each other. It is an unforgettable experience to see Gorillas in the wild. Trek back to base and return to the lodge. Overnight stay in Bwindi.
Day 8: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park - Lake Mburo National Park
Breakfast at the lodge. Leave Bwindi and drive towards Lake Mburo National Park, situated on the border of Tanzania and home to various species of savannah animals including lions, hyenas, zebras and giraffes, as well as water-loving animals such as hippos and crocodiles who can be found by the lake. Enjoy fantastic game-viewing as you make your way towards the lodge. Arrive and overnight stay in Lake Mburo.
Day 9: Lake Mburo – Entebbe - Night on board
Breakfast at the lodge. This morning enjoy either a game drive or a fascinating guided forest walk to get up close to the local wildlife. Afterwards, head back to Entebbe, stopping at the Equator, where you can stand in both hemispheres at once, and visit the Royal Drum Makers of Mpambire, masters of making hand-made drums. Arrive in Entebbe and transfer to the airport for your flight back to the US. Night on board.
Day 10: US
Arrive in the US and end your trip.
