6 Days Uganda Safari Tour – Gorilla Trekking In Bwindi, Wildlife Safaris In Queen Elizabeth Park, Lake Bunyonyi & Community Tour

6 Days Uganda Safari Tour – SAFARI OVERVIEW

This 6 days Uganda safari trip is a short 6 days safari in Uganda tour offering an incredible wildlife safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park and a remarkable Uganda gorilla trekking safari adventure in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park– home to almost 50% of the 1,063 mountain gorillas on earth and over 350 bird species counting 23 Albertine endemics.

This safari starts in Queen Elizabeth park– the most prominent park in Uganda home to over 95 mammal species and over 600 bird species.

You’ll undertake incredible game drives and a thrilling boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel where most animals in the park will be spotted counting lions, elephants, buffalos, leopards, hippos, hyenas, antelopes, numerous birds, plus the mysterious tree-climbing lions in Ishasha sector.

From Queen, you’ll transfer for gorilla trekking in Uganda Bwindi impenetrable forest- home to over 459 gorillas with 19 habituated gorilla families, the best place for spotting gorillas in Africa.

This remarkable 6 days Uganda safari tour ends with a relaxation tour to Lake Bunyonyi– the most magnificent lake in Uganda boasting 29 dazzling islands and framed by eye-catching terraced hills.

You Can Book Or Customize This Amazing Affordable 5 Days Safari In Uganda For A Memorable Encounter In Uganda

6 Days Uganda Safari- PRIME SAFARI ACTIVITIES

• Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable NP
• Amazing game viewing in Queen Elizabeth NP
• Tracking tree-climbing lions in Queen Elizabeth park
• A relaxing boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel and the magical Lake Bunyonyi
• Cultural interactions with local communities
• A visit to Uganda Equator crossing- Kayabwe
• A delicious traditional meal at Igongo Cultural Center

6 Days Uganda Safari- FEATURED SAFARI DESTINATIONS

Day 1, 2 & 3: Queen Elizabeth National Park

Day 4: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Day 5: Lake Bunyonyi

Day 6: Transfer back to Kampala

6 Days Uganda Safari – SAFARI HIGHLIGHTS

Day 1: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP. En-route stops at the Equator & Igongo Cultural Centre for a traditional lunch.

Day 2: Morning Game Drive, Afternoon Kazinga channel boat cruise & evening game drive.

Day 3: Full-day game drive in Ishasha sector in search of tree-climbing lions & other wildlife.

Day 4: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable NP with a community & coffee plantation tour en route.

Day 5: Do gorilla trekking & transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for an evening boat cruise & relaxation.

Day 6: Morning village walks around Lake Bunyonyi & transfers back to Kampala.

6 Days Uganda Safari – DETAILED SAFARI ITINERARY

Day 1: Transfer To Queen Elizabeth National Park

After having an early breakfast from your place of stay in Kampala, you’ll be picked up at 6 am by your driver guide and embark on a 420km (6-7 hours) travel to Queen Elizabeth National park– the most prominent park for Uganda wildlife safaris boasting over 600 birds and 95 mammal species including all the African safari big five except rhinos.

It boasts the rare tree climbing lions and holds the world’s highest concentration of hippos in one place in its 32km Kazinga channel.

You’ll have a stop en-route at Uganda equator Kayabwe (77km from Kampala) for incredible photoshoots as well as equator water experiments to justify the geographical separation between the northern and southern hemispheres.

You can buy a souvenir of your Uganda safari from the craft shops around. After, you precede for lunch- a tasty traditional dish at Igongo Cultural Centre- 12km to Mbarara town.

After lunch, you’ll embark on the drive to Queen Elizabeth park through the spectacular countryside offering scenic views of tea and banana plantations, Bunyaruguru craters, the lush green Kalinzu forest– home to chimps in Queen Elizabeth park, plus unlimited views of the snowcapped Rwenzori Mountains.

Upon arrival, you’ll check in at the Lodge for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge, Mazike Valley Lodge, Katara Lodge

Midrange: Enganzi Game Lodge, Bush Lodge, Kasenyi Safari Camp

Budget: Pumba Safari Cottages, Park View Safari Lodge

Drive Distance & Time:  420km 6- 7 hours drive

Activities & Services Of The Day

• Transfer from Kampala to Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Incredible photo shoots at the equator (Uganda equator crossing experience)
• Traditional lunch stop at Igongo Cultural Centre

Optional Activities You Can Choose To Do On This Day Include:

• Short game drive in the evening
• Night game drive

Day 2: Do Morning Game Drive & Afternoon Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise & A Cruise Evening Game Drive Along The Channel Track

After an early breakfast at around 7.00 am, you’ll embark on a 3- 4 hour game drive in Kasenyi plains to start up your day with early grazers as they tend to be active in the golden hours, and on a lucky day, you can spot lions hunting.

While on the drive, you look out for lions, buffalos, leopards, hyenas, crocs, hippos, common warthogs, numerous antelopes counting, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, bushbucks, topis, oribis, etc.

Since Queen Elizabeth park is one of the birders’ havens in Uganda with over 600 bird species, you’ll encounter various bird species such as the Palm-nut vulture, African fish eagles, Black bee-eaters, Lappet-faced vulture, Brown snake eagle, Martial eagle, Kingfishers, Grey crown cranes, Long-created eagles, African Wattled plover, Black-bellied bustard, etc.

Retreat from the game drive, settle for lunch, and after embark on a 2 pm boat cruise on the Kazinga channel.

This 2-hour 32km relaxing boat cruise will allow you to encounter at a close range over 100s of hippos amazingly submerged in water, countless crocodiles basking, and elephants and buffalos bathing along the channel plus 100s of water birds along like the saddle-billed storks, pink-backed pelicans, yellow-billed stork, etc.

Retreat from the activity and do a game drive along the channel track as you connect to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge, Mazike Valley Lodge, Katara Lodge

Midrange: Enganzi Game Lodge, Bush lodge, Kasenyi Safari Camp

Budget: Pumba Safari Cottages, Park View Safari Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Activities & Services of the day

• Morning game drive in the Kasenyi sector
• Afternoon boat cruise on the Kazinga channel
• Evening game drive along the channel track

Optional activities you can choose to do on this day include:

• Bush breakfast
• Chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge, Kalinzu Forest
• Lion tracking
• Cultural visits to Leopard Village
• Night game drive

Day 3: Full Day Game Drive In Ishasha Sector In Search Of Tree-climbing Lions & Other Wildlife

After an early breakfast at 7 am, you’ll embark on the drive (75km) to Ishasha sector– south of Queen Elizabeth park through a lovely rolling savannah landscape with views of numerous animals and birds of the park.

On arrival in the sector, you’ll embark on the game drive in search of the rare and incredible tree-climbing lions.

These mysterious creatures are usually spotted resting up comfortably in big tree branches especially in the afternoon hours staring at their prey “the Uganda kobs and buffalos” feeding in the open savannah plains.

Do lions climb trees? Why do lions climb trees? Not all lions climb trees however, it’s said that lions of Ishasha climb trees to get rid of the heat on the ground and also the biting insects on the ground.

While in this sector, you’ll spot other game animals counting waterbucks, kobs, topis, buffaloes, leopards, plus elephants and after the encounter, retire to the lodge for relaxation, dinner, and overnight

The highlight of the day: Encountering the rare tree-climbing Lions

Accommodation:

Luxury: Ishasha Wilderness Camp

Midrange: Enjojo Safari Lodge

Budget: Enjojo Safari Lodge, Topi Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Activities & Services of the day:

• Drive to Ishasha sector
• Whole day game drive in Ishasha sector in search of tree climbing lions

Optional activities you can choose to do on this day include:

• Bush breakfast
• Birding
• Chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge or Kalinzu Forest
• Night game drive

Day 4: Drive To Bwindi National Park With A Community & Coffee Farm Tour En Route

After having an early breakfast at 7:30 am, transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park driving through scenic landscapes of Rukungiri and Kanungu districts.

Have an en-route stop in the local villages to explore coffee growing practices ranging from planting, growing, and maintenance to harvesting, and learn the traditional means people have been using to grow coffee for many past years.

While on your coffee tour, you’ll get amazed getting to know the incredible cultural roles of coffee seeds in strengthening friendships among people and families.

You retreat from the encounter and embark on the transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park– a UNESCO world heritage site boasting almost 50% of the 1,063 mountain gorillas in the world, 350 bird species counting the 23 Albertine endemics, 400 plant species, 10 primate species,120 mammal species counting forest elephants and buffaloes though, rarely seen.

Arrive at your lodge in the evening for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Gorilla Forest Camp, Buhoma Lodge, Mahogany Springs

Mid-range: Silverback Lodge, Haven Lodge Buhoma

Budget: Buhoma Community Rest Camp

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Drive Distance & time: Approx. 745km or 4-5 hours

Activities & Services of the day

• The scenic drive to Bwindi
• A community & coffee plantation tour

Day 5: Do Gorilla Trekking & Transfer To Lake Bunyonyi For Relaxation

After an early breakfast at around 6:30 am, you transfer to Buhoma Bwindi park headquarters with your packed lunch for a memorable gorilla trekking adventure. You’ll start with a briefing at 8 am and get allocated the gorilla family to track. After, embark on a relatively challenging trek in the misty forest for 2-8 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas.

On encountering the shy gentle giants, you spend one magical hour observing them communicating, feeding, grooming, plus marveling at the sheer size of the silverback- the dominant male gorilla in the family weighing 135- 195kg.

After the memorable encounter, return to the starting point to get your gorilla trekking certificate, enjoy, have your packed picnic lunch and depart for Lake Bunyonyi– the most magnificent lake in Uganda holding 29 dazzling islands. You’ll drive (1-2 hours) through the beautiful terraced hills of Kigezi.

Upon arrival, you’ll undertake a tranquil boat cruise to explore some of the incredible islands. You can visit the famous Akampene Island (Punishment Island) where unmarried girls could be taken by their fathers to die of hunger or drown while trying to escape due to embarrassing their families. Retire from the activity and transfer to your lodge, relax, have dinner, and overnight.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Birdnest @Bunyonyi Resort

Mid-range: Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort, Lake Bunyonyi Eco Resort

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Activities & Services:

• Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable NP
• Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
• Evening boat cruise on Lake Bunyonyi

Optional activities you can choose to do on this day include:

• Birding in the Bwindi Buhoma sector
• Cultural visit to Batwa, and Bakiga communities around Bwindi.
• Swimming at Lake Bunyonyi

Day 6: Undertake Morning Village Walks & Transfer Back To Kampala

After a thrilling breakfast at around 7:30 am, you’ll undertake a memorable 2 hours walk in villages around Lake Bunyonyi- the 2^nd deepest lake in Uganda (over 900m). While on the walk, you’ll get an opportunity of getting a close encounter with the local people in their homes, and gardens thus, making your Uganda safari adventure superb.

You can visit Batwa community villages where you’ll be introduced to their amazing traditional forest life as well as visit the schools around and interact with the school-going children. Retreat from the activity and transfer to Kampala 473km (7-8 hours) drive passing through striking landscapes of southwestern  Uganda.

You stop at Igongo Cultural Center for lunch and then at Uganda Equator crossing Kayabwe for photoshoots and getting memorabilia for your Uganda safari as you go back home.

The highlight of the day: Lake Bunyonyi community walk

Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch

Activities & Services:

• Village walks at Lake Bunyonyi
• Transfer to Kampala
• Lunch stop at Igongo Cultural Centre
• Another stop at the Equator

End of the 6 Days Uganda Safari Tour

6 Days Uganda Safari Tour – SAFARI INCLUSIONS

• Full-time English professional safari driver-guide
• 4×4 safari van/ 4×4 Safari land cruiser with pop-up roof for game viewing with functional A/C
• Full board accommodation
• Gorilla trekking permit fees
• Boat cruise fees
• Wi-Fi Internet on board the safari vehicle
• Bottled water

6 Days Uganda Safari Tour – SAFARI EXCLUSIONS

• International & domestic flight fees
• Visa fees
• Laundry services
• Items of personal nature
• Gratuities and tips
• Other beverages/drinks
• Other extras not mentioned in the itinerary above