5 days Queen Elizabeth & Kibale
Day 1: Kampala – Queen Elizabeth National Park
Set off from Kampala and head to Queen Elizabeth national park which is placed on the foothills of Mountain Rwenzori and Kasese in the northern direction via Mbarara. (7hrs drive and 417km) stop over at Mpambire drum makers and the equator for photographs. Go on to Queen Elizabeth; check in at Mweya Safari lodge/Mweya Hostel/Simba Safari Lodge. After checking in take some time off to relax, you will head for an afternoon game drive in the Mweya Peninsular. You will spot buffaloes, warthogs, antelopes, and elephants along the way as you drive slowly. Visit the Lake Katwe town with its attractive display of crater lakes. Check out salt mining. Return back to Mweya Safari Lodge (luxury)/ Institute of Ecology (budget)/ Simba Safari (middle range).
Day 2: game viewing and launch cruise
Rise up early, take breakfast thereafter head for a game view to Kasenyi. You will be able to see black and white Colobus, bush buck, Uganda Kob, topi, Defassa waterbuck, and Cape buffaloes. A collection of birds like Cassin’s grey flycatcher, broad billed roller, black bee-eater along the banks of Lake Edward. This can take you 2-3 hrs. Head back to lodge for lunch then in the evening go for a launch cruise on Kazinga channel (2hrs) along lake George-lake Edward, come eye-eye with yawning hippos, crocodiles, leopards though sporadic. Watch birds for birders with over 550 resident species like flamingos, red chest, papyrus Gonolek, pink backed pelicans, malachite kingfishers, yellow crown, pink backed pelicans, water thick-knee, yellow billed stork, shoebill stock. Don’t forget your camera. Return to Mweya Safari Lodge/ Institute of Ecology/Simba Safari.
Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura
This morning take your breakfast then head straight for chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge at exactly 8:00am. Did you know that chimps are our closest relatives? They act like humans so do spend an hour them to learn more. There are more diverse primates mainly Black and white Colobus monkeys and other animals like antelopes, hyenas in the middle of savanna grassland. This gorge has many bird species. Continue to Mweya Lodge, have lunch. After lunch, depart for Kibale national Park which is just 4 hrs away. Kibale national Park is famous for having the highest concentration and variety of primates in East Africa with 13 species and overall 60 mammal species and so far offers the most excellent chimpanzee tracking in Uganda. Dine and sleep in Primates Lodge/ Mountains of the Moon/ Rwenzori Guesthouse.
Day 4: chimpanzee tracking in Kibale
After morning breakfast, wake up early to track chimps near Kanyanchu. This can take you half a day. There are primates in the area like the golden monkey, L’Hoest monkey, baboons, white and black Colobus monkeys, grey checked mangabey, red Colobus, blue monkeys and pottos. Other animals involve forest elephants unique from the common type, giant forest hogs and a striking tree species. Later take a guided nature walk to Bigodi swamp sanctuary, a good site for birders. The Great Blue Turaco and Papyrus Gonolek can easily be marked among the other bird 137 species. There is also an array of butterfly species. Return to Ndali Lodge/Crater Valley afterwards.
Day 5: last day
After enjoying breakfast and the past 4 days, we hit the road and drive back to Kampala.