9 DAYS: QUEEN ELIZABETH AND BWINI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARKS.

Uganda is a land of contrast. Dappled with wildlife. Serene undulating hills of tea plantations, lush but ordered, give way to tangled jungle and rainforest with the musical accompaniment of chaotic, cacophonous birdlife. Uganda is alive with these contrasts: yet silent elephants, disappearing like a vapour behind the trees, the chimpanzees crashing about the forest canopy, the lugubrious gorilla, chewing thoughtfully in the bamboo thickets. This is my country. Let us show you the Uganda we know and love.

Day 1: Game Drive.Rise early and prepare for a game drive. The wildlife to be seen include lions, buffaloes, Uganda kob, bushbuck, elephants and rare occasional leopard.

Day 2: Kazinga Channel.
Have an early tour to the channel so that you can have a chance to see early raisers and predators returning to their hideouts. The 40km-long channel that connects Lake George to Lake Edward provides the park’s prime wildlife spectacle. Here we get to see elephants, buffalo, water buck, Uganda kob and large hippo pods, gaint forest hog, leopard and lion. Watch for the waterbirds such as water thickknee, yellow-billed stork, pink-backed pelicans, white-bellied cormorants and enormous water monitor lizard.

It’s the best place for the migratory birds in Africa. world’s great species of birds found here includes the Red eagle, kingfisher, great shoebill, water duck and many others. We visit the baboon cliff which offers magnificent scenic beauty. On the launch cruise we shall see the hippos, buffalo, Uganda kob and Nile crocodiles along the banks.

Day 3: Kyambura Gorge and Kyambura Wildlife Reserve.
Get up early and visit to kyambura Gorge. This is a home to a community of chimpanzees unlike those in maramagambo forest. In addition to chimp tracking, black and white colobus, vervet monkeys and olive baboon are regularly observed. They can be tracked within confines of a forest Gorge carved into the surrounding community. For bird watching Kyambura Gorge is the best destination for black bee-eater and blue-bellied kingfisher. Chimp tracking excursions depart at daily from fig-tree camp which lies on the rim of the Gorge.

Day 4: kasenyi plains and Lake George
We visit the plains and Lake George which is the most reliable place for lion sightseeing.kasenyi is one of the most important breeding grounds for Uganda kob.It also supports an interesting selection of grassland birds, including grey-crown crane, red-throat spurfowl and the yellow-throated long crow.

Day 5: Maramagambo Forest.
Visit to Maramagambo forest which harbors a great biodiversity of both fauna and flora. With a beautiful Nyamasingiri and Kyasanduka crater lakes there is magnificent scenic beauty. Guided Nature walks can be conducted with an opportunity to observe rich forest fauna. Mammals such as chimpanzees, red-tailed and L’Hoest’s monkey, potto, gaint forest hog, yellow-backed duiker, pgmy antelope and giant elephant shrew are likely to be seen. Bird watchers can have a glimpse of the birds.

Day 6: Gorilla safari.
Four Gorilla groups, Mubare consisting of 10 Gorillas with 1 silverback, Habinyanja composed of 21 individuals with 2 silverbacks, Rushegura group composed of 10 Gorillas and 1 silverback and Nkuringo composed of 19 Gorillas and 1 silverback have been habituated for tourist visitors in the vicinity of Buhoma.Gorilla-tracking excursions leave from Buhoma for three to ten hours, depending on the proximity of the Gorillas and how easily they are accessed. Nkuringo is found on the southern edge of the forest. This is an extremely beautiful area with good potential for hiking the approach along the Nteko Ridge provides grandstand views across kashasha river valley to the bwindi forest. One of the Gorilla groups has been habituated here and consists of 18 individuals: two silverbacks, three black-backed males, four adult females, one sub-adult female, four juveniles and three infants.

Day 7: Batwa Pygmies community tour.
Former inhabitants of the present-day Echuya Forest Reserve and Bwindi National park.TheBatwa were hunter and gatherers who traditionally foraged mainly within the interiors of the forest. Traditional dances are organized by the community.

Day 8: Buhoma Guided day walks.
Five different day –trails, ranging from 30 minutes to eight hours can be conducted, lead from Buhoma, offering the opportunity to enjoy the tranquility of the forest from where you can see many primates

The Muyanga River trail lies outside the national park and so no guide is required. It’s a half-hour walk, starting at the end of Buhoma road to Bizenga River. Other trails are the Mazubijiro Loop Trail and Rushara Hill Trail, which both take about three hours and offer good views across to the Virunga Mountains. River Ivi follows an old road through beautiful forest emerging near Nkuringo on the southern edge of the forest.
Birdwatchers can hope to see 40-50 species of birds which include shrike-flycatcher, chestnut wattle-eye, Narina trogon, little greenbul, chestnut-winged starling, grey apalis,petit’s cuckoos,icterine,waxbill,Elliot’s woodpecker, red-tailed bulbul, mountain, dwarf and pygmy kingfisher and hornbills.

Day 9: departure