CLASSICAL GORILLA EXPEDITION
LAKE MBURO, BWINDI GORILLAS & QUEEN ELIZABETH – 5 DAYS / 4 NIGHTS
Day 1: KAMPALA
On arrival at the Entebbe International Airport, you will be met by Classic Journeys customer care representative who will transfer you to Kampala to arrive in time for check in at the Grand Imperial Hotel.
Overnight: Grand Imperial Hotel
Meal Plan: Bed and Breakfast
Day 2: KAMPALA – LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK
After breakfast, you will drive to Lake Mburo National Park. Enjoy the boat ride on Lake Mburo and get quite close to crocs and hippos.
Birdwatchers will enjoy the more than 250 species of birds found in Lake Mburo including Papyrus Gonolek, Brown faced Lapwing. Carruther’s Cisticola, the extraordinary White winged Warbler and Bare-Faced-Go- Away bird.
Evening game drive along the Lakeshore track. With its own system of game trails and cleared walkways the “Kigambara Loop” offers interesting guided lakeside walks. Find here herds of zebra, Cape buffalo and eland. Oribi and topi are easily approached.
Overnight: Lake Mburo Tented Camp
Meal Plan: Full Board
Day 3: LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK – BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST
After breakfast, proceed for a game drive or a safari walk under the escort of an armed ranger. The leisurely pace of a walking safari also provides excellent opportunities for the keen photographer. The Kopjes are particularly interesting and camouflage kilpspringers and topis. Due to cattle herding in the area it is amusing to see zebra grazing alongside the long horned Ankore Cattle peaceably.
Drive through the “Switzerland of Africa” area known as the Kigezi Highlands with its terraced hillside and winding roads to Bwindi.
Overnight: Engagi Lodge
Meal Plan: Full Board
Day 4: BWINDI GORILLA TREK
Early morning entry into Gorilla sanctuary. This rainforest is spectacular. It offers a dramatic steeply forested landscape and is incredibly dense, but criss-crossed by numerous animal trails allowing access to tourists. Mammals recorded include the endangered mountain gorilla, rare golden monkey, buffalo, elephant, black-fronted duiker, bushbuck, leopard, giant forest log and others. This park is best known for the fascinating gorillas. The time taken and the terrain varies according to the movements of this marvellous primates. The thrill of spending time and observing the gorillas is a rare, moving, awesome and exciting adventure. The gorilla is a shy and peaceful animal and it is unforgettable experience to watch and photograph them as they interact.
Overnight: Engagi Lodge
Meal Plan: Full Board
Day 5: BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST – QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK
Proceed to Queen Elizabeth National Park via the Ishasha sector. In the afternoon enjoy the unique 2 hour boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel and into Lake Edward. This trip passes through possibly the highest concentration of hippos and many animals may be seen drinking at the water’s edge. This launch cruise offers an excellent platform for photography, bird watching and game viewing. The prolific bird life is colorful and stupendous with well over 550 resident species.
Overnight: Katara Lodge
Meal Plan: Full Board
Day 6: DEPART
Morning game drive. Queen Elizabeth National Park’s diverse eco-system of grassy plains, tropical forest, rivers, swamps, lakes and volcanic craters is home to an incredible abundance of wildlife. Game drives in this park, with the massive Rwenzoris as a backdrop provides excellent opportunities to see lion, leopard, giant forest hog, cape buffalo, elephants, defassa waterbuck, Uganda Kob, Topi and bush buck. The game drives and the boat trip (taken prior) are a memorable method of discovering a vast array of Ugandan wildlife
Drive back to Kampala stopping at the Mpigi Royal Drum Makers en route where you will able to watch the ceremonial drums being crafted using methods passed down through generations. There will also be time to stop at the equator for photographs. You arrive Kampala in the early evening.
End of our services.