Trip Info
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Suitable for solo travelers and groups
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This tour is a 5 days and 4 nights tour and it begins and ends in Entebbe.
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Pop-up roof 4x4 vehicle
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Pre and post tour accommodation for the package can also be arranged at an extra cost
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Can start any day
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Mid-range, private tour
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All meals included
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English
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18
Overview
Embark on an 8-day Pearl of Africa tour, featuring thrilling wildlife safaris, gorilla trekking, and cultural experiences across the country’s most stunning national parks.
This 8 days tour will take you to Kibale for chimp tracking, Queen Elizabeth for game drive, launch trip, salt lake, twin lakes, Mgahinga national park for tracking gorilla’s, Batwa experience and Lake Mburo for game drive, and walk. Here, you will be in the community and also have the experience of adventure life as you engage with the community members. In this program, you will surely meet the mountain gorilla in its natural setting and the chimpanzee in its natural domain.
Highlights
- Can start any day
- Private tour
- Mid-range tour
- Can be customized
- Suitable for solo travelers
- Minimum age of 18 years
- A transfer from and back to the airport is included
Itinerary
We make a stopover at Mubende for coffee/ tea and snacks, then proceed to Fort Portal town where you will have lunch with the community. The following day, visit Amabere ga Nyinamwiru including Rock formations and craters, Dinner and Overnight at the lodge, spending the next day at Kibale national park resting at the lodge before the next activity.
Main Destination:
Kibale National Park (Chimps)
The best time to visit can be said to be the dry seasons, which are January to February and June to July because chimp trekking is easiest then.
High SeasonJune to September (Peak time for Uganda)
Best WeatherJanuary to February and June to July (Least rain)
Wildlife in Kibale NP
Chimpanzee, Elephant, Buffalo, Lion, Leopard, Hippo, Giraffe, White Rhino, Black Rhino, Cheetah, Zebra, Wildebeest
Accommodation:
Chimpanzee Forest Lodge
- Moderate cost accommodation located near the Kibale National Park which is popular for chimp trekking.
Meals & Drinks:
- All meals included
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Then in the afternoon we have a chimp tracking in Kibale National Park, this is one park that is popular for the primate capital of uganda the time for this activity will depend on the shift in movements of the gentle primate.
The next day head to Kyambura and take part in the community cultural dances as well as engage in nature walks to view the twin lakes. Diner and overnight at the lodge.
Main Destination:
Kibale National Park (Chimps)
Accommodation:
Irungu Forest Safari Lodge
- Moderately priced accommodation option that is situated in the vicinity of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Meals & Drinks:
- All meals included
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Morning game drive, salt Miner’s, Lake George, Boating along the Kazinga channel which is a channel between the two lakes of George & Edward, Have lunch at the lodge, Dinner & Overnight at the lodge We spend the night at a lodge because the following day we scorch the roads.
Main Destination:
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Best Time To VisitJanuary to February and June to July (Dry seasons)
High SeasonJune to September (Peak time for Uganda)
Best WeatherJune to July and January to February (Less rainfall)
Wildlife in Queen Elizabeth NP
Chimpanzee, Elephant, Lion, Buffalo, Hippo, Leopard, Giraffe, White Rhino, Black Rhino, Cheetah, Zebra, Wildebeest, Wild Dog
Accommodation:
Irungu Forest Safari Lodge
- Moderately priced accommodation option that is situated in the vicinity of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Meals & Drinks:
- All meals included
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Later in the morning, we will go for a drive to the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park commonly referred to as Ishasha, here you can sight tree climbing lions they have been seen climbing fig trees and at times lions can be sighted climbing the trees.
Drive to Kisoro via an informal lunch stop in Kabale, arriving in Kisoro in the evening. Diner and overnight at your lodge.
Main Destination:
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (Gorillas)
The Best Time to Visit: This is from June-August and December January (This is the easiest time to go gorilla trekking).
High SeasonJune to September (There are limited gorilla permits available.
Best WeatherJun to Aug and Dec to Jan (Less rainfall)
Wildlife in Mgahinga Gorilla NP
Gorilla, Chimpanzee, Buffalo, Elephant, Leopard, White Rhino, Giraffe, Black Rhino, Lion, Cheetah, Zebra, Wildebeest, Hippo
Accommodation:
Travellers Rest Hotel
- moderate commercial lodges thirty minutes to two hours’ drive away from the lush forest of Mgahinga Gorilla NP – Gorillas
Meals & Drinks:
- All meals included
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
In the morning after taking your breakfast at your lodge you are briefed on a general information about the park –gorilla tracking is a one hour direct observation of gorillas in their natural habitat ,optional take a hike up the miraculous mount Sabyinyo where you get to stand in three countries.
Return to the lodge/ camp for dinner and spending the night.
Main Destination:
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (Gorillas)
Accommodation:
Travellers Rest Hotel
- Mid-range hotel within 1-2 hours’ drive from Mgahinga Gorilla NP (Gorillas)
Meals & Drinks:
- All meals included
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
The next day we take a community walk of the people of Batwa who used to live in the forests sleeping at night in trees but were driven out by other people, we shall dance, taste tree top food, and learn how the Batwa make their baskets for use, dinner and then sleep at the lodge.
Main Destination:
Batwa Experience (Highlight)
Accommodation:
Travellers Rest Hotel
- It is a mid-range business hotel found in the Kisoro Town.
Meals & Drinks:
- All meals included
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
This is followed by lunch enroute, before proceeding to Mbarara through Lake Bunyonyi where you will enjoy a boat and spotting exercise before having dinner and sleeping at the lodge. This park has many legends of the natural sounds and there are many antelopes here like zebra, impala, topi among others.
Main Destination:
Lake Mburo National Park
Best Time To VisitJanuary to February and June to August (Dry seasons)
High SeasonJune to September (Peak time for Uganda)
Best WeatherJune to August and January to February (Little rainfall)
Wildlife in Lake Mburo NP
Giraffe, Buffalo, Zebra, Hippo, Leopard, Hyena, Elephant, White Rhino, Black Rhino, Lion, Cheetah, Wildebeest, Wild Dog
Accommodation:
Eagle's Nest Camp
- Tented bush camp with no fences in the vicinity of Lake Mburo NP, Uganda
Meals & Drinks:
- All meals included
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
In the morning we shall drive in the office Lake Mburo and if lucky lots of hippos, zebra et Gratis.
Go to equator for photography then continue to kampala arrived at evening.
This culminates our tour, thank you for choosing Mugenyi Eco-Tours.
Main Destination:
Entebbe International Airport (Entebbe)
Accommodation:
No accommodation (End of tour)
Meals & Drinks:
- Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included)
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
End of tour
- Extra bedding can also be provided but at a fee.
- You will be taken to the airport.
Includes/Excludes
Cost Includes
- • Park fees (For non-residents)
- • Gorilla permits (One per person, non-resident)
- • Chimp permits (One per person, non-resident)
- • All activities (Unless labeled as optional)
- • All accommodation (Unless listed as upgrade)
- • A professional driver/guide
- • All transportation (Unless labeled as optional)
- • All Taxes/VAT
- • Roundtrip airport transfer
- • Food in General: The detailed breakfast, lunch and dinner choices may include the
- • following:
- • Drinking water (On all days)
Cost Excludes
- • International flights (From/to home)
- • Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
- • Tips (Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)
- • Miscellaneous (Souvenirs, travel insurance, visas and other expenses etc).
- • Government-imposed raise in taxes and/or park fees
FAQs
The 8-Day Explore the Pearl of Africa and Wildlife trip provides tourists with an unforgettable opportunity to explore Uganda, a country referred to as the “Pearl of Africa” due to its beautiful sceneries, wildlife, and cultural diversity. This tour will walk you trough different types of landscapes such as the forest in kibale National park, plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park and the astonishing hills of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Some of the activities that you will enjoy include a one-day chimpanzee and/or habituated Gorilla trek, wildlife viewing on a Big Five safari, and cultural experiences with the Batwa People.
This tour is wonderful for wildlife enthusiasts as the visitor is able to view most of the animals in their natural settings. There is chimpanzee tracking and other primate tracking in the Kibale National Park. Elephants, lions, leopards, hippos, tree-climbing lions all freely roam in and around Queen Elizabeth National Park. The key attraction of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is mountain Gorillas which are on the list of endangered primates. You will find that in this park there are various animals such as zebras, antelopes and various kinds of birds. This balanced program of activities guarantees a close encounter with wildlife to those who choose as their holiday destination the Pearl of Africa.
Indeed, gorilla trekking is one of the most exciting activities in the 8-Day Explore the Pearl of Africa and Wildlife. Day 4 and 5 will be spent at the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park to trek in the park to see the mountain gorillas in their natural environment. It is still possible to experience such a thing, as the nature of the trek involves hours of forest trails and steep mountainsides, but it is worth it just to see these amazing animals so up close. Gorilla trekking permits; these are essential and they are inclusive in the tour package.
In addition to wildlife viewing, there are Cultural encounters that are offered in the 8-Day Explore the Pearl of Africa and Wildlife tour. Noteworthy is the Batwa Experience on Day 6, during which the guests are introduced to the Batwa tribe – the dwellers of the forest, also called the Batwa Pygmies or “First People of the Forest”. You will be introduced to their methods of hunting, uses of herbs and plants, and cultural dances. This experience enhances the understanding of Uganda’s cultural and historical wealth as well as the interaction of human beings and wildlife in the Pearl of Africa.
The best time to begin the 8-Day Explore the Pearl of Africa and Wildlife tour is in the dry season, which runs from June to September as well as December to February. The major advantage of wildlife viewing is that it is excellent during these months since animals are concentrated around water sources while trekking challenges such as muddy trails are limited. However, unlike some other destinations, Uganda has beautiful scenery and wildlife throughout the year and even when it is rainy in Pearl of Africa’s parks.
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