3-5 Days Private, Guided Safari
If you have limited time, but the visit to the mountain gorillas has always been on your bucket list, then this one is for you. Perhaps you are climbing Kilimanjaro or you are visiting one of the other East African countries, then this Gorilla Express is the perfect add-on! Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located closer to Kigali/ Rwanda than it is to Entebbe/ Uganda. So your tour starts and ends in Rwanda with a short journey through beautiful panoramic landscapes connecting both countries.
Award-winning Chameleon Hill Lodge, located between Mgahinga and Bwindi National Parks, is the perfect base for your gorilla experience. The location is magical with views across island dotted Lake Mutanda and the Virunga Volcanoes as a backdrop. Delicious organic meals and personalized service with great attention to detail guarantee an unforgettable experience.
Tour Price (per person)
| 1x Flametree & 2x Chameleon Hill2 travellers: US$ 2,941.00 4 travellers: US$ 2,549.00 5 travellers: US$ 2,390.00 (+ single supplement) Single supplement: US$ 713.00 | 1 x Flametree & 3x Chameleon Hill2 travellers: US$ 2,986.00 4 travellers: US$ 2,749.00 5 travellers: US$ 2,581.00 (+ single supplement) Single supplement: US$ 737.00 |
| 1x Flametree & 4x Chameleon Hill2 travellers: US$ 3,332.00 4 travellers: US$ 2,950.00 5 travellers: US$ 2,673.00 (+ single supplement) Single supplement: US$ 833.00 |
Inclusions
| Inclusive Airport transfers Transport in a 4×4 minibus Fuel & all other costs for the car English speaking, Ugandan or Rwandan driver/ guide Accommodation and meals as stated above **1 Gorilla permit per person** NEW: Tips for driver/ guide, gorilla tracking rangers and lodge staff Drinking water in the vehicle and at the lodges | Exclusive All international flights Cost for Visa Travel and accident insurance |
Highlights
- From: US$ 2,441.00
- For those with limited time
- Flexible
- 2, 3 or 4 nights at Chameleon Hill Lodge
- Private transfers & your own personal driver guide
- Choose from a long list of optional activities
- Chameleon Hill Lodge – an award winning one of a kind experience
Entebbe / Arrival and Meet & Greet at the airport
After passing through immigration and collecting your luggage, transfer to your accommodation in Entebbe.
- 1x ViaVia Guesthouse – Bronze
- 1x 2 Friends Beach Hotel – Silver
- 1x Boutique Hotel No. 5 – Gold
Murchison Falls National Park/ Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
In the morning you will meet your tour guide at your guest house. Welcome talk where you have the chance to get to know each other and ask questions you might have. Let your safari begin!
Drive to Murchison Falls National Park. Stopover at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to participate in a spectacular rhino tracking. Until about 30 years ago, the Kidepo Valley National Park, as well as the Murchison Falls National Park, had white and black rhinos. Due to extensive poaching during the Idi Amin era, these majestic animals disappeared from the wild. The Rhino Fund Uganda was founded in 1998 to reintroduce rhinos to Uganda. It maintains a successful rhino breeding programme and an initiative to inform the Ugandan population about the endangered rhinos, poaching and environmental protection.
- 2x Murchison River Lodge/ safari tent, B/L/D – Bronze
- 2x Murchison River Lodge/ cottage, B/L/D – Silver
- 2x Nile Safari Lodge, B/L/D – Gold
Murchison Falls National Park / Sunrise Safari, Boat cruise, Waterfall Hike
After an early breakfast, you will embark on a sunrise safari that offers countless opportunities for impressive pictures. Watch herds of elephants, giraffes, buffalos and various species of antelope, and try to spot a lion or leopard as they rest in the sunshine. In the afternoon, you will take an amazing boat trip on the Nile to the bottom of the falls. Here you will discover hippos, as well as an incredible variety of birds on the banks and of course the huge Nile crocodiles! Listen to the thunderous and electrifying sounds of the famous waterfall as you approach the lower base.
You will disembark here and make a hike to the top of the waterfalls in the company of a ranger. Do not miss the spectacular view, when the longest river in the world falls from a 7m narrow crevice into a foaming pool 43m below. B/L/D
Kibale Forest National Park/ scenic drive to the park
Your destination today is the Kibale Forest National Park. The impressive park is the dream of every primate fan. 80% of its area is covered with evergreen forests. The rest of the park consists of swamps and grasslands. Due to the high proportion of forest, more than 1.000 chimpanzees live here, of which a group of around 80 animals are habituated, which means they are accustomed to the presence of visitors. There are also some easily observed monkey species such as the Black and White and the Red Colobus Monkey, as well as the Red Tailed Monkey. With a little luck you may even find the rare forest elephants here.
- 1x Kibale Forest Camp, B/L/D – Bronze
- 1x Turaco Treetops, B/L/D – Silver
- 1x Ndali Lodge, B/L/D – Gold
Queen Elizabeth National Park/ Bigodi Swamp
Optional: Chimpanzee Tracking
Today after breakfast you have the possibility to go on an exciting chimpanzee search. Kibale Forest is home to the largest number of primate species in the world, including our relatives, the chimpanzees. Nowadays, there are about 4.950 wild chimpanzees in Uganda, which makes it a unique area of observations. During your guided forest walk you will learn a lot about the diverse flora and fauna in the park. In the afternoon you will take an exciting walk in the Bigodi Swamp (approx. 2-3 hours). This tour takes you through pastures, small villages, tea plantations and other impressive landscapes where the locals will warmly welcome you by waving enthusiastically. It is normal to see up to three or four different types of monkeys on this hike, but the highlight of the tour certainly is spotting the Great Blue Turaco, an unbelievably beautiful bird!
You then say goodbye to the forest and drive a short distance to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Before checking into your accommodation, go hunting for gazelles, warthogs, waterbucks, lions, hippos, elephants and buffalos – but only with your camera! ☺
- 2x Bush Lodge, B/L/D – Bronze
- 2x Marafiki Safari Lodge, B/L/D – Silver
- 2x Elephant Plains Lodge, B/L/D – Gold
Queen Elizabeth National Park/ Explosion Crater Drive, Safari & Kazinga Channel Boat Tour
Start the day with another game drive through the national park. Keep your eyes open and the camera ready – the chance of meeting a group of lions resting in the sun, after an eventful night, is very big. En route to your next activity, the Kazinga Channel boat cruise, you will experience the scenic Explosion Crater Drive. This route winds 27 kms through one of Uganda’s most picturesque areas and is well worth a visit. There will be many photo opportunities of dozens of breath-taking craters, some filled with grass, forest, fresh water or salt water. With a little bit of luck, you will even see herds of elephants and buffalos. Because Explosion Crater Drive is not on most safari itineraries in Uganda, you will most likely not meet (m)any other travellers. Finally enjoy the wonderful view of the western Rift Valley below.
In the afternoon you’ll experience a boat trip on the Kazinga Channel, connecting Lake Edward and Lake George. You will see more hippos and buffalos than you can imagine. More birds than you can count. Bathing elephants are also regular guests here. This boat safari will undoubtedly be another highlight of your tour. B/L/D
Queen Elizabeth National Park (Ishasha Sector)
Another highlight awaits you today: Ishasha, located in the southern part of the park. This area is famous for its tree-climbing lions that are unique in Africa. The lions climb on the trees to relax and escape the sun at the hottest time of the day. You have a good chance to spot the lions in the tops of African fig trees. This offers the unique opportunity for wonderful photo shots.
- 1x Enjojo Lodge, B/L/D – Bronze
- 1x Enjojo Lodge, B/L/D – Silver
- 1x Wilderness Camp, B/L/D – Gold
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Lake Mutanda)
Today your journey takes you to the next breath-taking attraction – the home of the mighty mountain gorillas. These gentle giants can be found in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The roads are somewhat bumpy, but the many impressions through the wonderful landscape, past banana plantations, lakes and islands, with unique panoramic views, will certainly compensate you. You will also pass extensive hilly landscapes and tropical rainforests before the impressive Virunga volcanoes finally appear in front of you.
- 2x Chameleon Hill Lodge,
- B/L/D – Bronze, Silver, Gold
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Lake Mutanda)
Optional: Gorilla Tracking
Today is the big day, get ready to meet the rare mountain gorillas! For most visitors, this is the absolute highlight of their Uganda safari! The gorillas you will see today belong to one of the few habituated families that are used to the presence of humans. Your tour will be a very special and exciting one – along the wooded slopes, through winding vines, past bushes and bamboo trees before you finally see the gorillas.
En-route your ranger will show you traces of previous gorilla activities such as droppings, nests and nibbled bamboo shoots. You will learn a lot about the Ugandan gentle giants and if it gets slippery, a ranger will lend you his hand. It is an emotional, touching and very impressive experience to see a gorilla face to face. B/L/D
Lake Mburo National Park/ Sunset Game Drive
Time to say good bye to the jungle and its gorillas. A 5h drive takes you to Lake Mburo National Park. Here you will go on a sunset game drive en route to your accommodation. This national park has an extraordinary fauna compared to other parks and reserves. It offers the best opportunity to see eland antelopes as well as zebras, topis, impalas, the recently introduced Rothschild girafffe and various bird species. At the five lakes in the national park, you can admire hippos, crocodiles and a great variety of fish eagles and other water birds.
- 1x Eagle’s Nest, B/L/D – Bronze
- 1x Rwakobo Rock, B/L/D – Silver
- 1x Mihingo Lodge, B/L/D – Gold
Entebbe/ Bush Walk at Lake Mburo & Equator monument
After breakfast, you and your guide will go on a bush walk together with a park ranger. By walking through the grassland, you will be able to see the park from an exciting and new perspective.
On the way back to Entebbe you have a short stop at the equator monument. Here you can see the interesting “water experiment” and take some last photos.
Finally, your tour guide will take you to the airport. Here we say goodbye to you and wish you “urugendo rwiza” – a good journey. B/L