6D/5N ULTIMATE BIG GAME SAFARI
From SGD 4248
Your ultimate game safari adventure starts in Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is home to a wide variety of African animals and over 600 bird species. You will take a boat safari on the fertile Kazinga channel. If you are lucky you might witness the lion preying over the Uganda Kob (similar to antelope) and you may even spot the elusive leopard. If you are a bird lover, get ready to be amazed by the different species including African Skimmers, Great white pelicans, Spoonbill and other magnificent creatures. Your next leg will be in Bwindi’s impenetrable Forest. Look our for the tree climbing lions in this region and the fascinating Gorillas. Rangers will help you track Gorillas and study their behaviour. An unclose encounter with the Gorillas will definitely be one of your most cherished experiences.
Day 01: Arrival
On your arrival at Entebbe International Airport you will be met by your driver/ Safaris guide who will greet you and transfer you to your guesthouse, taking between 15 minutes to 40 minutes, depending on traffic.
Overnight at The Boma. (B)
Day 02: Depart for Elizabeth National Park
This morning we will departfor Fort Portal andexplore the area around the base of the Rwenzori Mountains with an (optional) visit to the world-famous Ruwenzori Mountain Sculpture Foun dation. From here, your driver will take you via Kasese towards Queen Elizabeth Nation al Park, set on the floor of the Rift Valley, with the (occasionally visible peaks of the) Rwenzori Mountains behind you. The landscape of northern Queen Elizabeth comprises dozens of ancient craters carved into gentle rolling hills. The Kazinga Channel lies in central Queen Elizabeth, its banks fertile with large mammals such as hippo, elephant and buffalo and over 600 bird species, more than any other national park in Uganda.
Overnightat Katara Lodge (B,D)
Day 03: Boat Safari on the Kazinga Channel
Start your day early with a 6 o clock coffee or tea wake-up call, ready for your early morning game drive. Make sure to ask the hotel staff for a packed breakfast that morning. A popular route for the game drive is the Kasenyi sector, well-known for its lions that prey on Queen Elizabeth’s large population of Uganda Kob (antelope). If you are very lucky, you may spot a Giant Forest Hog, Africa’s largest pig. Keep your eyes peeled to spot an elusive
leopard!
After your Safari, you will head back to the lodge for a few hours relaxation by the pool and lunch. In the afternoon, you will take a boat for a water safari on the Kazinga Channel at Mweya thatconnects the two lakes of Edward and George. This is likely to be a big highlight of your trip! The expert Uganda Wildlife Authority guides will identify many of the Channel’s 100 bird species and you’re likely to see African Skimmers, Great White Pelicans, Spoonbill and a number of Bee-eater species. Hippos wallow at the edge of the water, huge Nile crocodiles bask in the sun and elephants come down to drink. The Kazinga Channel boat ride is a brilliant opportunity to take some close-up wildlife shots.
Overnightat Katara Lodge (B,L,D)
Day 04: Tree Climbing Lions – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Today we will depart for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest with an ‘en route game drive’ passing through Ishasha, the remote, southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. It is on the expansive plains of Ishasha that you will be on the lookout for its famous resident: the tree climbing lion. A sighting is not guaranteed but you have a better chance of seeing them here in the large low-limbed fig trees of Ishasha than anywhere else in Africa.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is a UNESCO Natural World Heritage site and one of the richest biological and botanical regions in the world. The forest covers an area of 331 km² at the south-western edge of the western Rift Valley. Bwindi’s most-revered species are the approximately 400 wild Mountain Gorillas (2011 census) that make up half of the world population of these gentle apes. After a few hours in the vehicle, you may enjoy an afternoon walk around the village of Buhoma (your home for two nights) and a chance to visit one of the handicraft shops or to meet the Batwa, the ancient forest-dwelling tribe.
Overnight at Mahogany Springs (B,L,D)
Day 05: Gorilla Tracking
You will be up early on the morning of your Gorilla Tracking for a good breakfast in preparation for the day physical activity. You will report for registration at the Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger station by 8 AM. After a briefing by the rangers, your gorilla trek will start.
The trek usually takes between three and six hours so a reasonable degree of fitness is required, as well as a strong pair of walking boots or shoes. The rangers will guide you through the village gardens and into the jungle-like forest. They will escort you through the sometimes thick bush, occasionally hacking the dense undergrowth with a machete as you search to locate the gorillas. The mountain gorillas are under 24 hour monitoring for their own safety, so you’re almost guaranteed to see them. The rangers monitor each gorilla family by keeping in close radio contact.
In part due to gorilla tourism, the population of gorillas is slowly increasing but the species remains critically endangered. Gorillas and humans share almost identical genetic material and their health must not be compromised by coming into contact with human diseases (via our food, for example). To reduce transmission of disease from humans to gorillas, you will also be advised to keep a distance of 7 metres from the gorillas.
Once you have located the gorilla family, you will be asked to leave all your belongings to one side, and approach the gentle giants, just with your camera. The guides will interpret the animal’s behaviour and advise on what you are watching. Females and their young, young males and even a dominant Silverback may be seen: feeding, playing, interacting with each other, or just sleeping! Youwill never forget your encounter with the gorillas. They will be quite curious to see you! You are allowed exactly one hour with the gorillas before returning to base.
Overnight at Mahogany Springs (B,L,D)
Day 06: A tryst with the Equator before departure
After breakfast, we start our journey back towards Entebbe International Airport, stopping for a picnic lunch and a fun photo opportunity at the Equator. A dayroom will be organized for you to shower and change in Entebbe. After a farewell dinner, your Around Africa Safaris guide will transfer you to Entebbe International Airport for your outbound flight.
Please note that check-in for international flights should be done two hours prior to flight departure. The departures area of the airport has a small restaurant, several duty-free shops and a seating area.
Dayroom at Lake Victoria Serena (B,L,D)
PRICES INCLUDE:
- Accommodation with Breakfast
- Lunch and Dinner as indicated in Itinerary
- 1 Gorilla Permit per person
- Game Drive and walk
- Safari Vehicle and fuel
- Entrance fees to national parks
- All boat tours
- Mineral water during tour
- English speaking guide
- AMREF emergency evacuation insurance
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
- Price is valid till October 2017
- Price is per person on sharing basis
- Confirmation of package is subject to Hotel Availability
- All rates & tour itineraries are subject to change without notice
- All activities are subject to change relative to weather conditions
- Prices do not include any additional Airport charges or other charges