The 9 days Uganda Big 5 tour is an exceptional primate and wildlife safari that will take you to Murchison Falls National Park which is the biggest national park in Uganda, Kibale Forest National Park also known as the primate capital, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Lake Mburo national park and Bwindi impenetrable national park which is famously known for harboring the highest number of mountain gorillas which are found in four sectors namely Rushaga sector in the south, Buhoma sector in the north, Nkuringo sector in the south and Ruhija sector in the East. During the 9 days Uganda Big 5 tour, you will be able to engage in game drives, walking safari, and boat cruises where you will be able to view different animals like buffaloes, elephants, waterbucks, Uganda kobs, lions, leopards, giraffes, bushbucks, warthogs among others. You will also engage in chimpanzee and gorilla trekking activity where you will be able to spend time with the chimpanzees and mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.
Highlights of the 9 days Uganda Big 5 tour
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Murchison Falls National Park via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Day 2: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 5: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 6: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 7: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 8: Transfer to Lake Mburo national park-walking safari
Day 9: Morning game drive and departure to Kampala
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Murchison Falls National park-via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Depending on your location in Entebbe/Kampala on the first day of the 9 days Uganda Big 5 tour, you will be welcomed by our driver guide who will brief you about the safari and then start the journey to Murchison Falls National Park. On the way, you will have a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking and then continue the journey with another stopover for en-route lunch. After lunch, you will proceed to Murchison Falls National Park and upon arrival, you will drive to the top of the falls where you will enjoy stunning views of the most powerful waterfall and later connect to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
On the second day of the 9 days Uganda big 5 tour, you will have an early breakfast and meet up with your driver guide to go for a morning game drive in the park where you will be able to spot different animals like giraffes, Jackson’s hartebeest, buffaloes, elephants, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, warthogs, view lions and leopards looking for a morning hunt, spot different bird species among others. After the game drive, you will return to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, you will go for an amazing boat cruise to the bottom of the falls where you will be able to view hippos and crocodiles in water, view buffaloes, elephants, and antelopes along the shores, view water birds like kingfishers, cormorants, fish eagles, bee-eaters among others. After the boat cruise, you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
On the third day of the 9 days Uganda Big 5 tour, you will have breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kibale Forest National Park. The journey takes about 6 to 7 hours drive and on the way you will have en-route lunch and enjoy stunning views of the Rwenzori peaks, farmlands, landscape, and tea plantations among others. Upon arrival, you will connect to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast on the fourth day of the 9 days Uganda Big 5 tour, you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a chimpanzee trekking briefing. After the briefing, you will start trekking in the forest with an experienced park guide which takes about 30 minutes to 5 hours depending on where the chimpanzees are located. During trekking, you will be able to view different primate species, birds, plant and tree species among others and once the chimpanzees are found, you will be allowed to spend one hour with the chimpanzees in their habitat where you will be able to learn about their habits, behaviors, watch them feed, breastfeed, play, rest, take photos and record videos.
After the encounter with the chimpanzees, you will return back to the lodge for lunch where you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Upon arrival, you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Morning game drive/ lion tracking experience and afternoon boat cruise
After an early breakfast on the fifth day of the 9 days Uganda Big 5 tour, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for a morning game drive in the park where you will be able to spot animals like lions, leopards, hyenas looking for a morning hunt, view other animals like waterbucks, Uganda kobs, buffaloes, elephants, warthogs, view different bird species among others. After the game drive, you will drive back to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, you will go for an amazing boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel a water body that connects Lake Edward and Lake George. During the boat cruise which takes about 2 to 3 hours to drive, you will be able to view large concentrations of hippos in the water, view Nile crocodiles basking on the water banks, view buffaloes, elephants, antelopes drinking water along the shores, view aquatic bird species like cormorants, hornbills, kingfishers, bee-eaters among others. After the boat cruise, you will return to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
On the sixth day of the 9 days Uganda Big 5 tour, you will have breakfast at the lodge, check out, and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey to Bwindi impenetrable national park. On the way, you will enjoy stunning views and also have a stopover in the Ishasha sector where you will be able to view the tree-climbing lions lying on acacia/fig tree branches if you are lucky. After the game drive in the Ishasha sector, you will have an en-route lunch and then proceed to Bwindi impenetrable national park. Upon arrival, you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Gorilla trekking experience
After an early breakfast on the seventh day of the 9 days Uganda Big 5 tour, you will carry your packed lunch and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a gorilla trekking briefing. After the briefing, you will start trekking in the jungle in search of the mountain gorillas which takes about 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on their location. During trekking, you will be able to view other wildlife species and once the mountain gorillas are located, you will be able to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you a chance to learn about their behaviors, habits, watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, breastfeeding, playing, grooming young ones, take photos, record videos among others.
After the encounter with the mountain gorillas, you will return to the starting point where you will be issued a certificate for participating in gorilla trekking and later meet up with your driver guide and drive back to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Transfer to Lake Mburo national park-walking safari
On the eighth day of the 9 days Uganda Big 5 tour, you will have breakfast at leisure, check out of the lodge, and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Lake Mburo National Park which takes about 4 4-hour drive. On the way, you will enjoy stunning views and upon arrival, you will check into the lodge and lunch.
After lunch, you will go for a walking safari in the park where you will get up close and personal with different wildlife species, and butterflies, spot and listen to sweet sounds of bird species, and enjoy the cool breeze among others. After the walking safari, you will meet up with your driver guide and return to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight,
Day 9: Morning game drive and departure to Kampala
On the last day of the 9 days Uganda Big 5 tour, you will have an early breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to go for a morning game drive in the park where you will be able to spot animals like buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, impalas, oribi, topi, waterbucks, warthogs among others.
After the game drive, you will drive out of the park and start the journey back to Kampala with a stopover at the Equator where you will buy souvenirs, take photos, and then have lunch. From the Equator, you will proceed to Kampala arriving early evening upon arrival, your driver guide will drop you off at Entebbe International Airport for your departure flight or drop you off at any place of advise
End of 9 days Uganda Big 5 tour
Tour includes
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Park entrance fee/game drive
- Boat cruise
- Lion tracking experience
- Walking safari
- Services of a professional English-speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Pick up and drop off in Entebbe
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled drinking water
Tour excludes
- Air flight tickets
- Visas
- Life insurance
- Optional activities not included on the itinerary
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, cigarettes, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.
