16-Day Zambia and Uganda Gorilla &amp; Chimpanzee Trekking

CheetahNone

Accommodation:

Croc Valley Camp

Mid-range lodge located just outside South Luangwa NP (Zambia)

Meals & Drinks:

Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included)
Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 2

River Safari | Walking Safari | Evening Game Drive in South Luangwa National Park

You will start the day with a morning river safari on the Luangwa River. During this trip, you might get the chance to see hippos, elephants, crocodiles, lions, and many other animals that live in the park. Following the river safari, you will embark on a walking safari led by an armed guide before returning to your hotel to relax. You will set out for a game drive in South Luangwa National Park in the evening.

South Luangwa National Park is located at the end of Africa's Great Rift Valley. The Luangwa River winds through vast parklands, offering breathtaking landscapes. The park's abundant natural beauty attracts diverse wildlife, including sizable concentrations of big game such as lions, leopards, giraffes, elephants, hippos, and many other animal species.

You will end the day with dinner and stay overnight at Croc Valley Camp.

Main Destination:

South Luangwa National Park (Zambia)

Accommodation:

Croc Valley Camp

Mid-range lodge located just outside South Luangwa NP (Zambia)

Meals & Drinks:

All meals included
Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 3

Morning Game Drive in South Luangwa National Park | Flight to Lusaka

After having breakfast, we will go on a morning game drive in South Luangwa National Park. The park is known for its numerous large lion prides and abundant populations of elephants, buffaloes, zebras, and pukus. Following the game drive, you will be transferred from South Luangwa National Park to Mfuwe Airport for your scheduled internal flight to Lusaka.

You will have dinner and stay overnight at Mama Tembo Cheza.

Main Destination:

South Luangwa National Park (Zambia)

Accommodation:

Mama Tembo Cheza

Budget guest housein Lusaka (City, Zambia)

+4 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

All meals included
Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 4

Travel to Lower Zambezi | River Safari | Sunset Cruise

After breakfast, we will depart from Lusaka and head to Lower Zambezi. The drive should take about 3—4 hours. Upon our arrival, we will have a short break and begin a river safari on the mighty Zambezi River.

At the end of the day, we will enjoy a sunset cruise.

Dinner and overnight stay will be at Gwabi River Lodge.

Main Destination:

Lower Zambezi National Park (Zambia)

Best Time To Visit July to October (Animals are easy to find)

High Season July to September (Busy and high-season rates apply)

Best Weather April to August (Cooler and it hardly ever rains)

Wildlife in Lower Zambezi NP

ElephantAbundant

LionCommon

LeopardCommon

BuffaloAbundant

ZebraCommon

HippoAbundant

HyenaOccasional

Wild DogOccasional

GiraffeNone

CheetahNone

Accommodation:

Gwabi River Lodge

Mid-range lodgenear Chirundu (Town, Zambia)

Meals & Drinks:

All meals included
Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 5

Travel to Livingstone | Siavonga | Visit Choma Museum

After an early breakfast, we will depart for Livingstone. We will make a stopover in Siavonga, a town located on Lake Kariba, the largest man-made lake in the world. During our stop, we will have the opportunity to tour the Choma Museum, which showcases the history of the Tonga-speaking people of Zambia.

Dinner and overnight accommodation are at Maramba River Lodge.

Main Destination:

Livingstone (City, Zambia)

Accommodation:

Maramba River Lodge

Mid-range lodge located inside Mosi-oa-Tunya NP (Zambia)

Meals & Drinks:

All meals included
Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 6

Helicopter View of Victoria Falls | Rhino Walk | Game Drive in Mosi Oa Tunya National Park

After breakfast, around 8:00am, you will be picked up for an aerial view of Victoria Falls by helicopter. The timings are flexible, and you can choose the time for this activity.

Following the scenic flight over Victoria Falls at around 10:00am, you will tour Victoria Falls on the Zambian side. During the tour, the guide will provide information about Victoria Falls and the Zambezi River, as well as the flora and fauna of the area.

In the afternoon, after lunch, you will head out for a game drive and a rhino walk in the Mosi Oa Tunya National Park in Livingstone. The park is home to various wildlife, such as giraffes, zebras, hippos, antelopes, Cape buffaloes, and more. The rhino walk lets you get closer to the white rhinos in the park.

Dinner and accommodation will be at Maramba River Lodge.

Main Destination:

Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park (Zambia)

Best Time To Visit June to August (Best time to see the waterfall)

High Season July to October (Busy and high-season rates apply)

Best Weather April to September (It hardly ever rains)

Wildlife in Mosi-oa-Tunya NP

ElephantCommon

GiraffeCommon

White RhinoCommon

ZebraCommon

WildebeestCommon

HippoAbundant

BuffaloCommon

HyenaVery Rare

LionNone

LeopardNone

CheetahNone

Wild DogNone

Accommodation:

Maramba River Lodge

Mid-range lodge located inside Mosi-oa-Tunya NP (Zambia)

Meals & Drinks:

All meals included
Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 7

Swimming in Devils Pool | Visit Mukwalantila Village

After breakfast, you have an opportunity to swim in the Devil's Pool. Swimming in the Devils Pool, a natural pool located at the edge of the falls, allows you to experience the thrill of being part of Victoria Falls! You can see Victoria Falls from both an aerial and head-on view.

Following the swimming activity, you will visit Mukwalantila village, approximately 85 kilometers (50 miles) north of Livingstone. This cultural tour offers a half-day or full-day experience in a typical Tonga village. A campsite is available for tourists who wish to spend a night in the Zambian village. The tour aims to showcase the lifestyle of the Tonga people of Southern Province, where you may observe activities such as plowing, harvesting, or gardening based on the season.

The day will conclude with dinner and an overnight stay at Maramba River Lodge.

Main Destination:

Mukwalantila Village (Cultural Village, Zambia)

Accommodation:

Maramba River Lodge

Mid-range lodge located inside Mosi-oa-Tunya NP (Zambia)

Meals & Drinks:

All meals included
Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 8

Water Rafting | Sunset Cruise on Zambezi River | PCR Covid-19 tests

After breakfast, you will go water rafting on the Zambezi River. Test your courage by taking on the magnificent rapids, ranging from rapid 1 to rapid 22, some of which are rated Grade V.

After navigating the Zambezi rapids all day, we will unwind on a sunset cruise on the upper Zambezi with drinks and snacks, enjoying the beautiful natural scenery as the sun sets.

Please note that you will have a Covid-19 test in the morning.

Dinner and overnight at Maramba River Lodge.

Main Destination:

Zambezi River (Zambia)

Accommodation:

Maramba River Lodge

Mid-range lodge located inside Mosi-oa-Tunya NP (Zambia)

Meals & Drinks:

All meals included
Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 9

Final Day in Zambia| Flight to Uganda

After having breakfast, you will be driven to town for shopping. You will then have lunch in town before being dropped off at Livingstone Airport for your scheduled flight to Entebbe International Airport in Uganda. Upon arrival in Uganda, a representative from Kubwa Five Safaris will be waiting for you at Entebbe International Airport in the morning hours with your name printed on an A4 paper. They will then transfer you to Blue Monkey Guest House.

Main Destination:

Entebbe (City, Uganda)

Accommodation:

Blue Monkey Guest House

Budget guest housein Entebbe (City, Uganda)

Meals & Drinks:

All meals included
Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 10

Travel to Murchison Falls National Park | Rhino Tracking | Top of Falls

After breakfast, you will be driven to Murchison Falls National Park. On the way, you will stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a rhino tracking activity, which is a fantastic experience in Uganda, known as the Pearl of Africa.

After the rhino tracking, you will continue to Murchison Falls National Park. Your first stop will be at the Top of the Falls, where you can witness the rushing whitewater as it passes through a narrow crevice, often creating mist and rainbows.

You will then have dinner and stay overnight at Parkside Safari Lodge.

Main Destination:

Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary (Uganda)

Accommodation:

Parkside Safari Lodge

Mid-range lodge located just outside Murchison Falls NP (Uganda)

Meals & Drinks:

All meals included
Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 11

Balloon Safari (Optional Activity) | Morning Game Drive | Boat Cruise | Evening Game Drive

If you choose to go on a balloon safari, it will take place this morning. The cost is USD350 per person. The experience can be arranged in the early morning, after which you can continue with the regular program.

We recommend that travelers book the air balloon safari in advance. The balloon safari departs at 5:20am. You will leave with a packed breakfast for a game drive on the Northern Delta Nile. Animals such as lions, buffaloes, Jackson's hartebeest, and Rothschild's giraffes can be spotted. Other activities include bird watching and sightseeing of the open savannah, dotted woodland, and riverine vegetation along the Nile and Albert Delta.

After the safari, you return to the lodge for lunch and rest until 2:00pm before the afternoon boat ride. The boat ride will take you upstream to the calm Victoria Nile and the base of the falls, where you can marvel at hippos, crocodiles, waterbucks, Uganda kobs, and many bird species.

Dinner and overnight stay are at Parkside Safari Lodge.

Main Destination:

Murchison Falls National Park (Uganda)

Best Time To Visit December to February (Easier to spot animals)

High Season June to September (Peak time for Uganda)

Best Weather June and July (Less rain and lower temperatures)

Wildlife in Murchison Falls NP

ChimpanzeeOccasional

ElephantCommon

GiraffeCommon

BuffaloCommon

HippoAbundant

LionOccasional

LeopardRare

CheetahNone

ZebraNone

Wild DogNone

Accommodation:

Parkside Safari Lodge

Mid-range lodge located just outside Murchison Falls NP (Uganda)

Meals & Drinks:

All meals included
Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 12

Travel to Kibale National Park

After breakfast, you will travel from Murchison Falls National Park, driving southwest through the Albertine Escarpment of the Great Western Rift Valley. You will drive through Hoima, then Kyegegwa district, and reach the colorful and beautiful town of Fort Portal, the capital of the Tooro kingdom, situated in the shadow of the fabled "Mountains of the Moon," the Rwenzori.

Dinner and overnight stay will be at Ndali Lodge.

Main Destination:

Kibale National Park (Chimps)

Best Time To Visit December to February and June to July

High Season June to September (Peak time for Uganda)

Best Weather June to July and December to February (Least rain)

Wildlife in Kibale NP

ChimpanzeeCommon

ElephantOccasional

BuffaloOccasional

LeopardVery Rare

HippoRare

LionRare to None

GiraffeNone

CheetahNone

ZebraNone

Accommodation:

Ndali Lodge

Luxury lodgeless than 1hr drive from Kibale NP (Chimps, Uganda)

+2 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

All meals included
Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 13

Chimpanzee Tracking | Travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park | Boat Ride | Evening Game Drive

The tracking will start early and take about two to three hours, depending on the location of the chimps. You will return to the resort for lunch before heading to Queen Elizabeth National Park, a vast reserve where wildlife and people coexist in harmony.

You will enjoy a scenic boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, which links Lake Edward and Lake George. Along the way, you will spot squacco herons, pied kingfishers, buffaloes, hippos, basking crocodiles, various bird species, and large mammals. Witnessing over 300 hippos in the lake is a truly memorable experience!

Following the boat ride, an evening game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park is on the agenda. The hope is to see lions hunting in the morning. This is a great opportunity since lions typically hunt at dawn when the temperature is cooler. Watch for other wildlife, such as Uganda kob, elephants, buffaloes, warthogs, leopards, and waterbuck.

Your day concludes with dinner and an overnight stay at Engiri Game Lodge.

Main Destination:

Queen Elizabeth National Park (Uganda)

Best Time To Visit January to February and June to July (Dry seasons)

High Season June to September (Peak time for Uganda)

Best Weather June to July and January to February (Less rainfall)

Wildlife in Queen Elizabeth NP

ChimpanzeeOccasional

ElephantCommon

LionCommon

BuffaloCommon

HippoAbundant

LeopardOccasional

GiraffeNone

CheetahNone

ZebraNone

Wild DogNone

Accommodation:

Engiri Game Lodge

Budget lodge bordering Queen Elizabeth NP (Uganda) without fences

+16 Photos

+15 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

All meals included
Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 14

Ishasha Sector | Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest | Cultural Interaction

After having an early breakfast, you will be transferred to the Ishasha sector to see the tree-climbing lions on the Kasenyi Plains.

The Ishasha sector is known for its resident tree-climbing lions, a unique attraction within Queen Elizabeth National Park. In the park's southern section, the lions are occasionally seen hanging on the branches of huge fig trees while the Uganda kob graze on the plains of the Ishasha sector.

You will then move to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, check in for lunch, and prepare for tracking mountain gorillas. The forest is home to over 346 bird species, 120 mammal species, 400 plant species, and 27 frog species, covering an area of 331 square kilometers (127 square miles).

Upon arrival, you will embark on a community walk to visit the Batwa, an indigenous group that has lived in the forest for 500,000 years. You will also enjoy traditional dances and drama from them.

Dinner and overnight stay will be at Ruhija Gorilla Friends Resort Campsite.

Main Destination:

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Gorillas)

Best Time To Visit June to August and December to February

High Season June to September (Gorilla permits are scarce)

Best Weather June to July and December to February (Less rainfall)

Wildlife in Bwindi NP

GorillaCommon

ChimpanzeeRare

ElephantRare

LionNone

GiraffeNone

LeopardNone

CheetahNone

BuffaloNone

ZebraNone