8 Days Uganda Classic safari & Amazing Lake Bunyonyi
8 Days Uganda Classic safari tour covering Uganda’s most visited destination every traveler has on the list planning to come the pearl of Africa. Queen Elizabeth national park is named after Queen Elizabeth II and is home to 95 species of mammal and over 500 species of birds. The area around Ishasha in Rukungiri District is famous for its tree-climbing lions, whose males sport black manes, a feature unique to the lions in this area.
The park is also famous for its volcanic features, comprising volcanic cones and deep craters, many with crater lakes such as Lake Katwe, from which salt is extracted. Set against the backdrop of the jagged Rwenzori Mountains, the park’s magnificent vistas include dozens of enormous craters carved dramatically into rolling green hills, panoramic views of the Kazinga Channel with its banks lined with hippos, buffalo and elephants, and the endless Ishasha plains.
Whoever, visits Lake Bunyonyi sees one of the most beautiful lakes in Africa. Visitors from near and far are simply awed by its mystical, magical beauty. As you approach it, you see it snaking along the Ugandan landscape. It is dotted by 29 islands of various shapes and sizes, surrounded by a ring of terraced farms, their greenery accenting this mystical lake like a lovely frame and is no wonder that Lonely Planet called it “A scene from Lord of the Rings.”
Bunyonyi – means the “place of little birds,” not only is it a place for birds but a restorative place, a place of solace, of rest, of quietness, reflection, and tranquility.
The Lake Mburo National Park is named after the lake which falls in this territory.
Its sculptured landscape, with rolling hills and idyllic lake shores has a varied mosaic of habitats; forest galleries, seasonal and permanent swamps, and rich acacia-woodland, and grassy valleys which all support a wealth of wildlife.
Being near the equator, the rainfall pattern is bimodal, with the long rains occurring from February to June, and the short rains from September to December.
Lake Mburo national park hosts a variety of animals, that is to say 68 mammal species, including a large number of Impalas (the antelope from which “Kampala” is named after), plains zebras, Uganda kobs, duikers, bushbucks, topis, buffaloes, leopards, spotted hyenas, Defassa waterbucks, warthogs, oribi. There are 315 bird species. The vegetation is mainly open savannah of acacia trees, olea and boscia. Lake Mburo NP is a natural haven for fauna and flora. The bank teems with animals and birds. Crocodiles and hippopotami are permanent residents, and buffaloes come to drink during the dry season. The wide variety of resident birds includes finfoots, malachite kingfishers, pied kingfishers, African fish eagles, Rüppell’s long-tailed starlings, blue-headed coucals, tambourine doves, hammerkops, pelicans, herons, cormorants, red-faced barbets, grey crowned cranes, papyrus yellow warblers and even rare shoebills.
8 Days Uganda Classic safari Highlights
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Kazinga Channel
- Ishasha Sector
- Lake Bunyonyi
- Lake Mburo National Park
- Fort Portal
Day 1 of 8 Days Uganda Classic safari : Travel To Queen Elizabeth National Park
Early in the morning after breakfast, your guide will pick and transfer you south west toward the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Located in western Uganda, spanning the districts of Kasese, Kamwenge, Bushenyi and Rukungiri. Its location is approximately 376 kilometers (234 mi), by road, southwest of Kampala.
The area of the park extends from Lake George in the northeast to Lake Edward in the southwest, and includes the Kazinga Channel that connects the two lakes.
The drive will take you through some of the most breathtaking sceneries of the country in Fort portal. Known for having large tea plantations and beautiful crater lakes. You will enjoy driving through the green endless tea fields, several beautiful crater lakes dotted along the road.
As you approach the park, the Rwenzori ranges are just breathtaking! Towering high in the clouds, the 70km wide are just amazing to watch the slopes dotted with little houses, terraced fields and rivers flowing down to the villages.
On arrival in the evening, you will check in for dinner and an overnight stay.
Hotel; Buffalo safari lodge or Bush lodge
Day 2 of 8 Days Uganda Classic safari: Game Drive And Boat safari On The Kazinga Channel.
Early in the morning you will set off for a morning game drive to the Kasenyi track.
With an astonishing 5000 hippos, 2500 elephants and over 10,000 buffalo thriving in its grasslands and shorelines, Queen guarantees sightings of some of Africa’s most iconic species. Hearing the elephants’ calls reverberate around Queen’s crater-filled valleys is a magical experience.
Other common herbivores include warthogs, waterbuck, Uganda kob, cape buffaloes, mongoose and on a good day, a pride of lions is found roaming the plains and leopards chilling in the cactus or acacia trees.
Birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park is an incredible treat as it contains a variety of habitats that range from savanna to wetlands to lowland forests. This diversity is reflected in the list of over 600 bird species, the biggest of any protected area in East Africa. A majority of the birds found in this area are regarded as famous birds of East Africa and are a must see for birdwatchers in Africa!
Later your you will head back to the hotel for your lunch and set off an afternoon boat ride on the famous Kazinga channel.
A boat safari on the Kazinga channel is one of the most amazing activity in this park with hundreds of hippos in their schools enjoy the fresh cool waters of the lake, huge Nile crocodiles basking on the shores, several colorful birds will catch your eyes like the night herons, fish eagles, hammerkops, ibis, red throated bee eaters, pied and malachite kingfisher and many more will be sighted on this 2 hour boat ride.
Later, you have an optional game drive in the Kasenyi plains to try out what you missed in the morning safari or enjoy more of the sightings and have a sunset safari at the same time before heading back to the hotel
Hotel: Buffalo safari lodge or Bush lodge
Day 3: Visit The Ishasha Sector of Queen Elizabeth national park
Early after breakfast you will drive through to the Ishasha sector where you will be able to see the tree climbing lions. There is nowhere else in the world where you will get a chance to have closer look at tree climbing lions lying on fig trees other than at Ishasha sector at the Queen Elizabeth National Park. The game drive will also enable you to see animals that you may have missed while at the Kasenyi track.
Hotel: Enjojo lodge
Day 4: Transfer To Lake Bunyonyi
After breakfast, check out of your lodge as you embark on a scenic drive to Kabale with views of several rolling hills. The brief drive will get you to the beautiful Lake Bunyonyi where you will relax in Acadia lodge as you gaze at the beautiful scenery as well as getting to swim in the bilharzia free lake. Lake Bunyonyi is a little paradise for many visitors. In the late afternoon you will visit the locals while on a community walk and get interact with them and find out more about them and their culture. Later return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 5: Explore Lake Bunyonyi
Get up to a beautiful morning at the Lake Bunyonyi with the chapping sound of birds chirping and ushering you into another beautiful day. Have breakfast and later you will pick up a canoes and sail on a beautiful calm lake and go cray fishing with a local at the shores of the lake.
Cray fish is the most common fish in Lake Bunyonyi. Unlike other lakes in Uganda, Lake Bunyonyi is very deep deep and can’t favor perfect breeding of other fish species like the tilapia.
As you fish on the shore, you will enjoy bird watching many colorful birds like the pied kingfisher, variable sunbird, malachite kingfisher, bee eaters, swamp warbler, village and black headed weavers and many more. Later, you will paddle back to the hotel for lunch and relaxation.
In the evening, you will set off on a motorized boat for an island exploration on the lake. Visit some of the most famous islands out of the 29 like the punishment island, leprosy island, wildlife island as you enjoy sighting some of the most colorful birds on the lake including flocks of grey crowned crane, pink backed pelicans, long tailed and great cormorants.
An evening boat of this lake offers one the best sunset views in the country as the sun slowly disappears in the volcanoes forming a golden shimmering lake dotted with patches of islands! Later, you will sail back to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Hotel: Arcadia lodge or Bird nest resort
Day 6: Depart Lake Bunyonyi To Lake Mburo National Park
In the morning, you will drive east to Mbarara; a major town in western Uganda and the former capital city of Ankole kingdom for 400 years until it was split during independence in 1962. From there proceed to Lake Mburo national park which is famous for its many antelopes and home to the rare Bushel’s Zebra among others that include a wide array of bird species.
Check in Mihingo lodge
Day 7: Morning horse ride/ cycling/ walking safari and Night game drive safari
Early in morning after breakfast, you will have chosen the most convenient way to enjoy the day’s safari. If you are able to ride a horse, you will pick up one and follow your instructor, cycling is also an amazing way to ride on the game tracks and a walking safari is just perfect for those willing to even learn more about the wild deep in the wilderness as you get close to herds of zebras, impalas, waterbucks, warthogs, towers of giraffes watching you intently, buffaloes at a distance and some times spot leopards in the trees before they disappears.
After an amazing morning in the wilderness, you will head back to the lodge for a warm lunch and relax. At 6pm, you will have your dinner and later drive down to the park gate to start you night game drive with your ranger.
A night safari is always aiming at seeing what you haven’t seen during the day; nocturnal animals. These are animals that are very active in the night than in the day time. Aardvarks, hippos, leopards ,porcupines, nightjars, owls, puff adders, hyenas, jackals and many more.
Its not only the sightings in the night but also the experience of the wild in the dark; listen to the sounds different animals, look at he stars with a cocktails of cricket calls and hippos granting at a distance. Such memories are meant to last for ever!
Later you will drive back to the lodge for your overnight stay.
Lodge: Mihingo lodge
Day 8:Optional morning game drive or walking safari And Departure
Wake up to another wilderness experience have a relaxed breakfast. You can opt for another morning game drive. Later drive back to Kampala. Reach in time to catch your flight or head to your hotel.
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