8 Days Classic Primate Safari by Road (Scheduled Group Safari)

Classic Primate Safari by Road (planned Group Safari)

Highlights

Get off the beaten path and into the untamed remoteness of Uganda’s destinations with a small group of like-minded travelers on a scheduled 8-day classic Primate Safari Adventure.

Adventure into the untamed impenetrable jungles and spend memorable moments with a human-habituated mountain gorilla family group. This bucket-list African jungle experience will leave you forever connected with the primitive natural world.

You’ll take the oldest forest trail across the impenetrable forest from Nkuringo southern sector to Buhoma northern sector and get intimate with Africa’s richest and oldest eco-system.

Walk with chimpanzee troops on Kibale Forest jungle trails and get first-hand experience of the life of a wild chimpanzee.

Spend a day on the animal tracks and water channels searching for Africa’s big game animals in Uganda’s savannah parks.

Meet the locals as they tale and showcase their native cultures. Walkthrough remote communities and live a day in the life of a local.

Stay in our best selection of bush lodges and camps, serving an exquisite gourmet selection with enchanting amenities.

At Safari vacations and travel services we like to work with our customers to prepare a journey that will deliver maximum subjective experience. We well know that most guests will be traveling in places they have never been before that require skillful and experienced guidance from a local expert. These are the local experts that will help you plan this safari in your way!

Detailed Itinerary

The 8-Day Classic Primate Safari is an adventure by road to three of Uganda’s most rewarding attractions on the western circuit. The safari begins in Entebbe and drives the longest southwest but breaks the 10-hour drive to Bwindi with a night at Lake Mburo National Park. Though tiny and lacking big game, Lake Mburo is perfect for a relaxed safari and is plentiful with antelope, zebra, buffalo, hippo, and more than 300 bird species. Here, you can even take a walk to meet the grazers up close on foot. Take a guided evening walk on the plains and a short game drive the following day before continuing your journey southwest.

You’ll have two nights in Bwindi at the elegant Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge. Nestled on a ridge at a 7000-ft altitude, Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla lodge brags of unequaled 360-degree views of the Virunga Mountains’ chain and the emerald swatch of the impenetrable gorilla jungle. It’s a perfect base for the off-the-beaten-path gorilla trekking adventure pared with warm-linen nights in spacious private cottages and hearty meals. Spare no emotions when you lock eyes with a silverback mountain gorilla and let the experience change you for the good of the natural world.

You’ll meet the local forest Batwa tribe, walk through local communities, and the oldest foot trails across the impenetrable jungle. From Bwindi, you’ll travel north to Queen Elizabeth National Park for a game drive and boat safari. Here, herds of elephants, buffalo, eland, lions, hippos, crocodiles, leopards, hogs, and mischievous monkeys. You’ll spend a night here and continue to the rainforest jungle of Kibale to meet the naughty, wild chimpanzee troops. Spend two nights at Primate Lodge, explore the scenic area, meet the locals and relax at your forest camp.

The 8-day classic primate safari is a scheduled small group adventure perfect for a solo traveler who wants to share costs with like-travelers, a family, or a group of friends dreaming of Africa. If you want to travel privately on this same trip, yes, you can customize for just yourself with the help of our local expert consultants. Inquire Now!

DAY 1: ARRIVAL, ENTEBBE

Arrive and transfer to Papyrus Guest House, Mabamba Shoebill Tracking (Optional Activity)

Arrive at Entebbe International Airport, and our driver will be there to pick and transfer you to your hotel in the Entebbe suburbs. If your flight arrives in the morning, you can opt-in for one of the introductory tourist activities in Entebbe, like Mabamba shoebill tracking on Lake Victoria, a visit to Ngamba Chimp Island, or downtown shopping. Otherwise, you can relax at the lodge and tone down the jetlag.

If you planned your itinerary to take the Mabamba shoebill tracking excursion on Lake Victoria, the departure is at 2:30 pm or 3:00 pm. A driver will pick you up from the lodge and transfer you to the jetty, where you’ll catch a speedboat or motorized canoe to Mabamba Swamps. The boat will slow down to spot the shoebill, usually wadding in the long swampy grass. The shoebill (aka whalehead) is a massive stork-like bird with a grotesque bill that looks like a shoe. It is believed to have lived through the dino age, occupying the East and Central African mashes. It’s a popular attraction among birding enthusiasts and the like.

The excursion can take 3-4 hours and is managed by an expert guide, who will show more swamp inhabitants, including the African Fish Eagle, Purple Swamped, African Green Pigeon, African Jacana, African Marsh Harrier, African Pigmy Goose, Black Crake, Black Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Black-crowned Waxbill, Black-headed Heron, Black-winged Stilt, Blue Swallow, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater.

Meal Plan

Bed and Breakfast

Papyrus guest house Entebbe

The Shoebill: Watching Africa’s Greatest Bird Specie in Uganda

Mabamba Swamps Entebbe

DAY 2:

LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK

DAY 3:

MBURO — BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK

DAY 4:

BWINDI — THE GORILLA TREKKING EXPERIENCE

DAY 5:

WALK ACROSS BWINDI — QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK

DAY 6:

QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK — KIBALE FOREST

DAY 7:

KIBALE – CHIMPANZEE TRACKING

DAY 8:

KIBALE FOREST AND TRAVEL TO ENTEBBE

What to Expect

The Classic Primate Safari has an activity rating of moderate; travelers should be physically fit and prepared for multiple hours of walking or hiking over uneven terrain on some days. You’ll be trekking mountain gorillas for about 1 to 6 hours through the thick jungle at elevations that may reach 8,000 feet. Treks can be arduous, and the terrain can be steep, uneven, wet, and muddy. Travelers must be at least 15 years old. The journey also involves several long driving trips between destinations for up to ten hours with multiple stops.

Transportation

As specified in your trip itinerary, we have arranged all your transportation needs during your Uganda Gorillas in the Wild Adventure. When spending time on your own, you may choose to visit a site that requires transportation, and if this is the case, your Trip Leader will happily recommend convenient transportation options.

Accommodation

Throughout the Classic Primate Safari Expedition, we stay in ideally located, mid-ranged forest lodges with amenities to deliver an authentic African safari experience. In Entebbe, our property Papyrus Guest House will welcome you into the country and, in the end, give you a good send-off. We also operate a multi-award-winning property in Bwindi, where you’ll spend two nights. To ensure our guest’s safety, we have vetted and checked with all lodges for Covid-19 standards of operation and have found that they comply.

Covid-19 Standards

Please take and carry a NEGATIVE PCR COVID-19 TEST certificate, and you’ll be required to present it for entry. We’ll be keen to observe Covid-19 guidelines to ensure your safety during this trip. The lodges booked for you have been checked for Coronavirus standards of operation and have been found to comply.

OUR Safari Team

Safari vacations and travel services Expert and trip manager will accompany this trip, and local guides will join us along the way.

Safari includes

• 1 Gorilla tracking permit and park entrance to all National Parks ($1140)
• All the excursions and activities indicated in the itinerary (canoe ride, walks, etc.) under the supervision of an experienced English-speaking Walking Guide
• Support of a private 4×4 vehicle with a professional English-speaking driver guide for the 8 days
• Airport transfers
• AMREF Evacuation Insurance cover
• Government taxes
• All accommodation and meals as indicated in the itinerary
• Drinking water in the vehicle (1 liter per person per day) and while at Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge

NOT INCLUDED

• Uganda Entry Visa fee
• PCR COVID TEST
• International air flights
• Any optional activity not indicated in the itinerary.
• Laundry Services
• Gratuities and Tips
• Airfare to and from destination
• Trip cancellation insurance or any other travel insurance
• Alcoholic beverages

Our guests trust us to provide enriching off-the-beaten-track adventures, wildlife viewing safaris, and gorilla trekking safaris tailored to their interests, travel dates, and budgets.

Safari vacations and travel services designs itineraries in Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC with over 10 years of experience and we are proud of our reputation for executing some of the most highly-rated vacation experiences. Our local consultants plan with you your preferred itinerary using expert ground knowledge. We take care of all the local logistics like permits, accommodation, and transport. And also, manage your entire trip, from start to finish.

For inquiries, advice on how to plan for this safari, booking the hiking permits; organizing transport and accommodation, get in touch with safari vacations and travel services, we help you to avoid inconveniences after landing for the safari.