This epic 9 Days Gorilla Tracking and Queen Elizabeth Wildlife Safari journey will take you to two of Uganda’s well-endowed national parks. Which are; Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park, Queen Elizabeth and Rwenzori Mountains national park. Enjoy an amazing afternoon boat cruise along the kazinga channel, and a spectacular scenery of the sunset on Lake Edward, gorilla trekking and game drives.
Day 1: Kampala – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Meet and greet with our company representative who pick you from the airport early enough so as to manage time since it’s a long way to your destination. Leave Kampala for Bwindi impenetrable National Park. We can then have a stop at the Equator for stretch refreshments and then you can have a look at the traditional drums and crafts being made at this place. Jump into the car and proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest famously known for the rare Mountain Gorillas and primate life in this forest is quite fantastic, and there is an incredible variety of flora and fauna too. This forest also holds 348 bird species thus known for being a bird watchers haven. You will have a lunch stop and then head on straight to the destination.
Location: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Accommodation Option:
Luxury: Gorilla Leisure Lodge
Mid-Range: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
Budget: Bakiga Lodge
Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner
Day 2: Gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
After your breakfast on day 2 of the 9 Days Gorilla Tracking and Queen Elizabeth Wildlife Safari, ready with your packed lunch and drinking water since long hours will be spent in search of these giants, you will be transferred to the gorilla tracking information office for a pre-gorilla tracking briefing at 8am. After briefing, the rangers will then lead you into the forest to track these gentle giants the Mountain gorillas. Experience the thrill of spending time observing the gorillas as they interact with each other, you are allowed an hour witnessing of the interaction of these close relatives to human, there after you can engage in a community walk if time permits so to explore culture incase time is on your side. Dinner and overnight.
Location: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Accommodation Option:
Luxury: Gorilla Leisure Lodge
Mid-Range: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
Budget: Bakiga Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Transfer from Bwindi to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After an early morning delicious breakfast treat, drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park that’s blessed with a lot of beauties the lakes, forest, savannah grassland as well as wetlands. We will entre through the Ishasha sector famed for its rare tree climbing lions and if lucky we will see these rare species then head on to the northern side of the park where we will rest the night.
Location: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Accommodation Option:
Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge
Mid-Range: Twin Lake Safari Lodge
Budget: Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Explore Queen Elizabeth National Park
Grab a cup of coffee as you warm up to explore, more of Queen Elizabeth national park on this 9 Days Gorilla Tracking and Queen Elizabeth Wildlife Safari. Will head for a game drive along Kasenyi tracks in search of animals like: Lions, Cape Buffalos, Elephants, Warthogs, Waterbucks, Spotted hyenas, Mongoose, Kobs and, if you are lucky, the leopard is also often spotted. Over 606 bird species have been recorded in this park and most notably along the Kazinga channel. Return for a lunch meal, relax and prepare for yet another exciting activity in the afternoon. After lunch you will enjoy a unique two hours boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel. This launch cruise gives you an amazing opportunity to watch the animals and birds at a much closer distance. Dinner and overnight at the same accommodation.
Location: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Accommodation Option:
Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge
Mid-Range: Twin Lake Safari Lodge
Budget: Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Queen Elizabeth National Park and Transfer to Mt Rwenzori
As you watch the sun rise in the wild. Wake up and take your breakfast meal at the same time check out of the hotel to proceed to Mt Rwenzori Nyakalengija. Check in at Mihunga lodge the after you will go to RMS headquarters where you will be briefed about the whole hike. Start the hike from Nyakalengija through the Bakonzo settlements to Rwenzori mountains national park gate where you will be registered before entering the park. You will start the central circuit trail trek through the thick tropical with high elephant grass and dense bushes.
This forest is a home to various wildlife species like forest elephant, chimpanzee, hyrax, black-and-white colobus, monkeys, duiker, and three horned chameleon among many more. Some of the bird species include; Handsome Francolin, Rwenzori Turaco, Long-eared Owl, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Strange Weaver, Archers’ Robin-chat, Rwenzori Batis among many others as well as various tree and plant species. You will expect to see some of them. It’s about 8km from Nyakalengija to Nyabitaba hut.
Dinner and overnight at Nyabitaba hut.
Day 6: Nyabitaba hut (2660m)-John Matte hut (3420m) Between 5-6 Hours
Have breakfast at the hut on day 6 of your 9 Days Gorilla Tracking and Queen Elizabeth Wildlife Safari. You will then move through thick shrubs and forest for about 30 minutes to the Kurt Shafer bright which is at the confluence of the Mubuku and Bujuku rivers. You will then move though the bamboo mixed with montane forests and slippery moss covered rocks for a couple of hours. As you hike you will also expect to see various bird species that live in the forest. You will continue to move up to Nyamulejju rock shelter where the first hikers used to at times camp and also spend the night, you will have a stopover here for lunch.
At this point you will have a view of mount Stanley and mount Speke if the weather is clear. You will then continue to move through the alpine forest to John Matte hut where you will have dinner and spend the night. The hut is near river Bujuku and most hikers take a bath there, the water is so cold but so refreshing as well. You will also have a view of the Margherita glacier which is on mount Stanley between Alexandra and Margherita peaks. Nyabitaba to John Matte is about 11km.
Dinner and Overnight at John Matte Hut
Day 7: John Matte hut (3420)-Bujuku hut (3930m)- Between 4 -6 hours
After breakfast at the hut, you will cross river Bujuku and through forest to the lower bigo bog. This is a swampy area in a valley and is a home to the giant lobelias. This area used to be hardest part of the Rwenzori since the area is so boggy, jumping from one tussock to another was not so easy for most hikers more so females. 9 Days Gorilla Tracking and Queen Elizabeth Wildlife Safari Currently, there is a walk board up to the end of the boggy area which makes the walk much easier for trekkers. As you move you will expect to see giant lobelias, everlasting flowers and groundsels. You will then take a steep hike along a ridge which will lead you to the start of the upper bigo bog.
There is also a board walk up to Lake Bujuku. After the board walk you will try to move through the remaining small boggy area with no walk boards to Bujuku hut. At this point, you will have a view of Lake Bujuku, mount Speke, Mount Baker and mount Stanley. At this point you are able to ascend mount Speke and mount Stanley. Distance from john matte to Bujuku is about 5km.
Dinner and overnight at Bujuku Hut.
Day 8: Kitandara hut (3979m) – Guy Yeoman hut (3505m)
Have breakfast at Kitandara then move through the base of Mount Baker, which can be slippery so you will need to be so careful. From Kitandara, the trail ascends steeply up the headwall, spreading out from the base of Mount Baker and continuing along the south side of the Rwenzori Mountain to Fresh field pass. From the pass, the long muddy descent continues, passing the rock shelter at Bujangolo. The base camp for the historic expedition by the Duke of Abruzzi in 1906. This will take you around 4-6 hours then reach Guy Yeoman hut which is located at the banks of river Mubuku.
Dinner and overnight at Guy Yeoman Hut.
Day 9: Transfer from Mt Rwenzori national park to Kampala
