- Overview
- Trip Outline
- Trip Includes
- Trip Excludes
- Gallery
Located just 55 kilometers from Fort Portal, Semliki National Reserve is the nearest prominent city to the reserve. Renowned for hosting the largest population of Uganda kobs and a diverse array of birds, the park is a wildlife haven with numerous tourist attractions.
Day1: Arrival at Entebbe and airport pickup
Day2: Leave Kampala for Murchison falls national park.
Day3: Game drive and afternoon boat cruise.
Day4: Head to Semuliki national game park-Nature walk.
Day5: Visit the Sempaya Hot springs and Batwa pygmies.
Day6: Track chimpanzees in Kibale National park and tour Bigodi swamp.
Day7: Visit Amaberega-Nyinamwiru caves-Head to Queen Elizabeth National park for sunset lunch cruise.
Day8: Full day game drive at Kasenyi and Mweya areas
Day9: Game drive in Ishasha-Head to Bwindi Impenetrable national park.
Day10: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi- Canoeing in lake Mulehe
Day11: Head to Lake Bunyonyi
Day12: Head to Lake Mburo National park.
Day13: Game drive at Lake Mburo- Head to Kampala, then to Jinja
Day14: White water rafting in Jinja
Day15: Transfer to Entebbe via Kampala for your departure flight.
Itineraries
Day 1
ARRIVAL AND AIRPORT PICKUP
A Noworks Tours guide will greet you at Entebbe Airport and transport you to your accommodation in either Kampala or Entebbe. Depending on your arrival time, there might be a chance to explore Kampala. Discover tourist attractions and activities in Entebbe or Kampala. Following the city tour, return to your hotel. Dinner and overnight stay at Golden Tulip - Kampala.
Day 2
LEAVE KAMPALA FOR MURCHISON FALLS – ZIWA RHINO SANCTUARY – VISIT TO OF THE FALLS
Following your breakfast at the hotel, the guide will pick you up for a journey to Murchison Falls National Park in North-Eastern Uganda. Along the way, you'll traverse various districts, including the Luwero triangle in Luwero district. This area, once a war zone in the early 1980s, played a crucial role in the victory for the National Resistance Movement.
During the trip, there will be stops at Masindi for lunch and at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Here, you can relax and have the opportunity to spot the endangered White Rhinos. Due to extensive poaching, these magnificent creatures are no longer present in Uganda's game parks. However, a reintroduction plan is in place once their numbers increase at the sanctuary.
After your visit to the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, the driver will proceed to the summit of the Murchison Falls, providing an excellent opportunity for photography and marveling at the thunderous roars of the River Nile. Your day concludes with dinner and an overnight stay at Murchison River Lodge.
Day 3
GAME DRIVE AND LAUNCH CRUISE
After breakfast at the lodge, you will go for a morning game drive at the Northern section of the park. After spotting Rhinos at the Ziwa Rhino sanctuary, you will now spot the big 4 (Buffaloes, Elephants, Leopards and Lions)
Murchison Falls National Park has the largest population of Rothschild giraffe in East Africa. You will also spot warthogs and several species of antelope include waterbucks and Bushbucks. After the game drive, you will head back for lunch as you prepare for the afternoon launch cruise. The launch cruise takes you along the river Nile right up to the bottom of the falls. As the boat moves slowly along the river, you will spot antelope, crocodiles, elephants, hippos and many other park animals drinking along the river bank. The river has over 200 species of birds but look out for the intriguing shoe bill stork. Your day ends with dinner and overnight at Murchison River lodge.
Day 4
HEAD TO SEMULIKI NATIONAL PARK – EVENING RELAXATION AND TOUR OF THE TOWN
Your day will begin with early breakfast that should prepare you for a long journey south to the beautiful Town of Fort Portal. The journey takes you past the towns of Hoima and Masindi. Watch out for the beautiful scenery along the way especially while in Fort Portal. It is a small but very beautiful town. The driver should take you for a tour of the town late in the afternoon. Your dinner will be at Ssemuliki safari lodge.
Day 5
THE SEMPAYA HOT SPRINGS, NATURE WALKS, VISITING THE BATWA PYGMIES
You will have an early morning breakfast and go out to tour the Semuliki hot springs. After visiting the hot springs, you will be taken for a nature walk inside the forest and within the savannah plains to spot some birds and wildlife. The day ends with a visit to see the Batwa pygmies living near Semuliki National Park in Western region of Uganda. The Batwa have an interesting culture and history. They were removed from the gorilla parks in Uganda and resettled in other areas. Most have failed to adjust to their new environment and way of life. They face extreme poverty and are sometimes persecuted by neighboring tribes because of their short stature. Some see them as encroachers on their land. In the past, the forests helped them avoid conflicts with neighboring tribes. While visiting the Batwa, expect a demonstration of their past way of life through song, dance and drama. The company Guide will take you to a suitable place for picnic lunch within the park. After completing all activities in the park, the driver will drive to the nearby Kibale Forest National Park. Your dinner will be at Chimpanzee Guest House.
Day 6
TRACK CHIMPANZEE IN KIBALE NATIONAL PARK AND TOUR BIGODI SWAMP
You will wake up early for breakfast after which the guide will drive you to Kibale Forest National Park for chimpanzee trekking briefing. There are more primates in Kibale than any other country in East Africa. It has the highest number of chimpanzee in Uganda. Although chimpanzee tracking is the most known activity here, you will get to see blue monkeys, red tailed monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, baboons, L’Hoest monkeys, black and white Colobus among others. The park has over 100 butterfly species, giant forest hogs and antelope. After tracking the chimps, you will return to the lodge for lunch then go to Bigodi swamp. Bigodi swamp is a birders paradise because of the over 290 species recorded in its vast swamps. Dinner and sleep is at the Chimpanzee Guest House.
Day 7
HIKE UP THE “MABERA GA NYINA MWIRU” CAVES – HEAD TO QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK FOR SUNSET LAUNCH CRUISE
Our Guide will pick you up after taking breakfast for the journey to Queen Elizabeth National park. You will have great views of the Rwenzori Mountains – also known as “Mountains of the moon”. Along the way, you will make a stop to visit the “MaberagaNyinaMwiru caves”. There is a local myth surrounding these limestone caves and which is connected to the tribal groups living in the area. A local caretaker will explain to you the history of the caves and how important it is to people living in the area. After the caves, you will continue the journey to the park in time for the sunset Launch cruise at the Kazinga Channel. During the boat cruise at the Kazinga Channel, you will get to see hippos spraying water just next to your boat. You will spot several species of antelopes, elephants, crocodiles, hippos, buffaloes. The Kazinga channel is a great birding destination and expect to see kingfishers, pelicans and other storks along the shores. You will have dinner and sleep at Park Kasenyi safari camp.
Day 8
GAME DRIVE AT THE KASENYI SECTOR – AFTERNOON GAME DRIVE – TRANSFER TO ISHASHA GAME DRIVE AT ISHASHA SECTOR QUEEN ELIZABETH PARK
The guide will pick you early in the morning with your packed breakfast to set off to the Kasenyi sector of the park. This morning game drive will provide opportunities to spot elephants, lions, hyena, various antelope species, buffaloes, baboons, the elusive leopard and giant forest hogs. The Kasenyi sector is blessed with a rich collection of craters, savannah, swamps, lakes and other volcanic features. After the morning drive you will be taken back to the lodge for lunch. After lunch you will go for another game drive in areas not covered in the morning but still in the Kasenyi and Mweya area. After the second round of game viewing, the drier will take you to the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Queen Elizabeth has over 450 bird species that include flamingos, King Fisher, storks and eagles. After such an eventful day, you will be driven back for dinner and sleep at the Kasenyi safari camp.
Day 9
SECOND GAME DRIVE IN ISHASHA TO SEE TREE CLIMBING LIONS – TRANSFER TO BWINDI
You will be picked up from your hotel after breakfast to begin the journey to Bwindi but after another game drive at the Ishasha sector to spot tree climbing lions. Tree climbing lions are very rare and only found in Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park, Tanzania’s Lake Manyara and Kruger National Park in South Africa. As you head to Bwindi, you will pass through some of the most beautiful scenery anywhere in East Africa. The area around the Kigezi highlands is known as “the Switzerland of Africa”. The rolling hills, lakes, rivers, forests and the views of The Rwenzori Mountains will keep you awake and engaged. Dinner and overnight will be at Gorilla safari lodge.
Day 10
MOUNTAIN GORILLA TREKKING – CANOE ALONG LAKE MULEHE
You will have breakfast by 7:00am and then be taken for briefing at the park station. Your hotel will give you pac+ked snack. During the briefing, the park Rangers let you know what to expect, how to act around the gorillas and what you need to carry along. After being assigned a gorilla family, the rangers and armed guards will then take you to the forest for tracking. As you move searching for the gorillas, you will pass through thickets, steep and muddy slopes. Mountain gorilla tracking can take between 2 to 5 hours depending on which gorilla family you were allocated. Once you get to the gorillas, you are expected to be with them for 1 hour. While with the gorilla group, observe and take as many photos/videos as you can. After gorilla trekking, you will go back to the lodge to freshen up and have lunch. Later in the day, you will be taken for canoeing along Lake Mulehe. Apart from Gorillas, Bwindi is home to several primates and birds. Some of the bird species found within the park are African green broadbills, bee-eaters, chapins flycatchers and the black billed turaco. Dinner and overnight will be at Gorilla safari lodge.
Day 11
HEAD TO LAKE BUNYONYI – RELAXATIONS, CANOEING, NATURE WALKS AND ISLAND HOPPING
After breakfast, our Guide will drive you to Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda’s deepest and most romantic lake. The lake has 29 islands and you will spend your time canoeing, watching birds, going for nature walks and visiting the different islands. Lake Bunyonyi in Uganda has many romantic spots for those on honeymoon. One can choose to visit the different villages, schools and settlements in the islands. You can also visit the famous punishment island where you will learn about its tragic past. Young girls who got pregnant outside marriage where left to die in this particular island. Most were saved by poor men who had failed to find a bride. Dinner and overnight will be at Acadia Cottages.
Day 12
ACTIVITIES IN LAKE BUNYONYI – HEAD TO LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK
After breakfast early in the morning, you will go out to complete activities in Lake Bunyonyi before starting the journey to Lake Mburo National Park. You will pass through Kabale, a region with great scenery, stunning hills and highlands. On arrival at the cottage, you will have lunch, rest for a short while and then go for a boat ride in Lake Mburo. Lake Mburo is great for bird watching and spotting animals as they drink along the lake shores. Look out for animals like crocodiles and hippos. You will have dinner and overnight at Acadia Cottages.
Day 13
GAME DRIVE IN LAKE MBURO PARK – EQUATOR CROSSING – HEAD TO JINJA VIA KAMPALA
After breakfast, you will be taken for a game drive at Lake Mburo National Park where you will spot Zebras and several other species of antelope. In Uganda, Zebras are only found in Lake Mburo National Park. There are over 300 bird species of birds found in the savannah grasslands, woodlands, swamps and Lake. The other animals to look out for are buffaloes, leopards, jackals and hyenas. After completing the game drive, you will then head to Kampala with a stop at the Equator crossing in Kayabwe for your lunch. You will continue to Jinja via Kampala with stops at the Sezibwa Falls and Mabira Forest. After checking in with your hotel, the driver will take you to visit the source of the Nile River. The source of the River Nile was discovered by John Speke and is the longest river in Africa. It flows from Uganda up to Egypt ending in the Mediterranean Sea. Dinner and overnight will be at the mansion guest house
Day 14
WHOLE DAY WHITE WATER RAFTING IN JINJA
Wake up early to take breakfast before heading out to the Nile once gain for white water rafting. Whitewater rafting in Jinja is a whole day’s event and will be one of the most memorable part to your safari. You will receive all the training you need as well as the required equipment. You will need to be 16 years and above to qualify for white water rafting. The activity is very safe but can be intimidating for those who have no experience with it. After taking on the grade 4 and 5 rapids, you relax, mingle and party with tourists from all over the world. Our driver will transfer you back to your lodge. Dinner and overnight will mansion guest house
Day 15
HEAD BACK TO KAMPALA – TRANSFER TO ENTEBBE TO CATCH YOUR DEPARTURE FLIGHT
You will have your breakfast in the morning and wait for our driver to pick you up for the journey back to Kampala. If you have a late flight in the evening and for some reason you didn’t stop by the source of the Nile, mabira forest or Ssezibwa falls, this will be the time to do so. You could also tour the city of Kampala as you continue towards the airport in Entebbe. I
What to carry
Gears, binoculars, cameras
I.e.: when trekking and tracking, women should be in pants
- Gorilla trekking permits - 700
- Transport costs
- Rhino trekking permits
- Chimpanzee tracking permits - 200
- Personal expenses
- Laundry
- Tips for the porters
- Visas and tickets
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