5 DAYS - GORILLAS, CHIMPS AND MAMMALS
Day 1:
We will continue through savannah grasslands seeing banana plantations and herds of Ankole cattle with their incredible long curving horns. Queen Elizabeth as host to a large variety and volume of wildlife. It boasts one of the highest bio diversity ratings of any game park in the world, from the open Savannah to Rain forest, dense swamps and beautiful crater lakes to the vastness of Lake Edward. Almost 100 species that include Hippos, Lions, Buffalos, Leopard, Spotted Hyena and the elusive giant forest hog. The primates include Chimps, Black and White Colobus Monkeys, Blue, Black Faced Red Colobus, and Red Tailed Monkeys, Olive Baboons. After checking in and having some time to relax, we will go for an afternoon game drive to Kasenyi Area of the park. Here you will be able to see numerous elephants as well as water hogs, lions, hyenas, Uganda Kobs, waterbuck and bushbuck as well as the salt lakes. Overnight at Kyambura game Lodge, Mweya Safarii Lodge or Institute of Ecology [FB], for two nights.
Day 2:
This morning we will leave for the 08.00am chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura gorge. Expect to see various primates most especially Chimpanzee of different species, Black and White Colobus monkeys and other animals like antelopes, hyenas, Lions and many others in the middle of savannah grassland. This gorge is a home of very many bird species.
We will return to the lodge for lunch and a chance to relax by the side of the swimming pool before taking an afternoon boat trip along on Kazinga channel. This will give you the opportunity to view wildlife up close: hippo’s huff and spray mere feet away from the boat, buffalo linger in the shallows. The shores of the channel are also home to an array of birds including pink backed pelicans, pied and malachite kingfishers, saddle billed stork and many others. After this wonderful afternoon, a slow drive back to the lodge. [FB]
Day 3:
This morning, we will leave for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. We will drive through the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth called Ishasha. Here we will try to find the famed Ishasha tree-climbing lions. Have lunch Enroute, before continuing on to Bwindi, home to the few remaining mountain gorillas. Bird life and primate life in Bwindi is quite superb, and there is an incredible variety of flora. Bwindi is the Bird watchers haven! It holds 348 species of birds and supports 24 of 26 Albertine Rift Endemics that occur in Uganda; and seven red data book species. Once continuous with the forests of the Virunga Volcanoes [Dian Fossey’s stomping ground], Bwindi is now an ecological island, surrounded by cultivation on the rich volcanic soils. Overnight at Buhoma Community Bandas [FB].
