Magnificent Queen Elizabeth Safari

Brief itinerary

Day 1 : Transfer to hotel in Entebbe or Kampala

Day 2: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park – Afternoon game drive

Day 3: Morning Game drive – Afternoon Launch cruise at the Kazinga Channel

Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge – Visit the salt and crater Lake Katwe

DAY 5: Tree climbing lions of Ishasha – Transfer back to Kampala

FULL ITINERARY

You will be picked by a guide from Ajuna tours& travel from Entebbe international airport  who will transfer you to a hotel in Entebbe. If time permits, the guide will take you for a city tour around Entebbe. The guide will brief you about the tour, what to expect and traveling arrangements for day two. Dinner and overnight will be at papyrus guest house in Entebbe.

Day 2: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park – Afternoon game drive

The tour starts at 6am on day 2 with a transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park.  Expect to stop at the equator crossing, buy souvenirs if interested before proceeding to the park. Uganda is a beautiful country and you will realize as you travel towards the park. You will go through parts of the East African rift valley, amazing tea plantations, great views of the Rwenzori mountains, peasant farms, small towns and so much more. On arrival, you will check in at your hotel and have lunch then proceed for an afternoon game drive in the Kasenyi sector of the park. Expect to see Waterbucks, Lions, Kobs, Hyenas, Giant Forest hogs, Elephants, Bush bucks and Buffaloes among other mammals. If you are a keen birder, you should look out for Pelicans, Jacana, herons, egrets and Cormorants.

Dinner and overnight Mweya Safari Lodge for luxury, Ihamba river lodge for mid-range and  Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge for budget.

Day 3: Morning Game drive – Afternoon Launch cruise at the Kazinga Channel

Have breakfast very early, and set off for a morning game drive at the Kasenyi sector. This game drive will target early morning risers and predators heading back to their dens after hunting in the night. Expect to have more encounters with Buffaloes, Bush bucks, Elephants, Giant Forest hogs, Hyenas, The Uganda Kobs, Lions and Waterbucks. After the morning game drive, you will head back to the lodge for relaxation and lunch.

The afternoon launch cruise at the Kazinga Channel is a very exciting activity. The channel connects Lake Edward to Lake George and has one of the highest concentrations of wildlife in Africa. Many of the park animals come to the channel at some point for a drink or bath. You will see buffaloes, elephants, hippos, crocodiles, antelopes and predators like prowling leopards or hyenas coming for a drink.

The Kazinga channel is one of the greatest birding destinations in Africa. Among the bird species to look out for are Cormorants, egrets, herons, Jacana and Pelicans. Dinner and overnight Mweya Safari Lodge for luxury, Ihamba river lodge for mid-range and  Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge for budget.

Day 4: Chimpanzee trek

After an early morning breakfast, you will be briefed for chimpanzee trekking in kyambura Gorge. You will drive through long stretches of savanna grasslands until you get to the amazing gorge. The gorge is home to an underground forest which is home to birds, chimpanzees, smaller primates and other mammals. You will begin searching for the primates. The chances of seeing the chimps in the gorge is not as high as it is in Kibale national Park, but a walk in the underground forest exposes you to amazing scenery and incredible biodiversity.

You will head back to the hotel for lunch and after be transferred to Lake Katwe in the Mweya peninsula. Lake Katwe is one of the leading producers of salt in Uganda. The lake is too salty to support wildlife but is a great source of livelihood for communities in the area. The practice of salt mining has been in place since the 16th century with mining skills passed on from generation to generation. You’ll interact with the salt miners and learn more about Lake Katwe, the process of salt mining among others.

Dinner and overnight Mweya Safari Lodge for luxury, Ihamba river lodge for mid-range and Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge for budget.

DAY 5: Tree climbing lions of Ishasha – Transfer back to Kampala

After breakfast, the driver will start the journey back to Kampala but through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The Ishasha sector is not as rich as the Kasenyi plains or Mweya Peninsula in terms of game but it is characterized by the tree climbing lions. The lions spend most of their afternoons on top of fig and acacia trees. About 4 prides of tree climbing lions can be found in the area, visitors can also see about 1000 elephants, Uganda Kobs, Topis, other antelopes and warthogs.

After the tree climbing lions experience, the driver will continue with the journey back to the hotel in Kampala or to Entebbe Airport for your  flight.

 End of the 5 days Queen Elizabeth national park Adventure.