8-Day Horseback, Gorilla, and Wildlife Safari
8-Day Horseback, Gorilla, and Wildlife Safari
The 8-day horseback and hot-air balloon safari starts in Entebbe and ends in Entebbe/ Entebbe, Uganda. The safari will involve horseback riding in Lake Mburo National Park, Mountain Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, viewing wildlife both by boat and hot air balloon in Queen Elizabeth National Park, as well as tracking the chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park. One of the main tourist destinations to visit is Kibale National Park, which is famous for harboring 13 primate species, including chimpanzees, olive monkeys, vervet monkeys, white and black colobus monkeys, and many more. You will then end your 8-day horseback and hot-air balloon safari by driving back to Entebbe for your flight out.
Safari Highlights
Pick up from Entebbe
Horseback wildlife viewing
Scenic drive to Bwindi
Gorilla Tracking
Hot air balloon tour
Boat Cruise
Chimp Tracking
Bigodi Community Visit
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Pick up from Entebbe and transfer to Lake Mburo National Park
On your first day of the 8-day Horseback and hot-air balloon safari, after having breakfast, you will be picked up by your driver guide from the Hotel in Entebbe or Kampala to embark on the journey to Lake Mburo National Park. Upon arrival, you will check in at your lodge and then embark on your horseback riding tour. This activity is organized and spearheaded by Mihingo Lodge, and the hours taken to ride on horses are determined by the amount paid and expertise in riding the horses. Rides depend on one’s level of expertise, while those who do not know how to ride a horse are also catered to. Enjoy the zebra’s curiosity over their giant close relatives (horses) as it will be visible through the way they stare at them. After, ride back to the lodge for either overnight.
Accommodation: Mihingo Lodge/Kigambira Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Bed and breakfast
Drive Time: Approximately 6-7 hours’ drive from the airport
Day 2: Morning game drive and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
After breakfast, your driver-guide will pick you up for the first adventure of your safari, where you will be taken through Lake Mburo in a game drive to see different animals. The large number of zebras and giraffes is the highlight of the park, plus Lake Mburo, which the national park was named after. You will see many other animals like buffalo, elephants, leopards, and many bird species. Later on in the day, after the game drive, you will transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park via Kabale town, where you will have lunch and then proceed with your journey through the rolling hills of Kigezi (the Switzerland of Uganda).
Accommodation: 4 Gorillas lodge/Rushaga Havens Gorilla Lodge
Meal Plan: Full Board
Drive Time: Approximately 4-5 hours’ drive
Day 3: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
On the 3rd day of your horseback and gorilla safari, after your morning breakfast, you will drive to the park headquarters for a briefing about the dos and don’ts of gorilla trekking in Bwindi. The rangers will then accompany you to the rainforest to start your search for the gentle giants. The gorilla trek can sometimes be strenuous, but locating the gentle giants makes the trek seem to be worth it. You will be allowed to spend one hour with the primates, where you will have to ask questions and take plenty of pictures before your time lapses to getting back to the lodge.
After the trek, you will return to the park headquarters. This is where you will meet up with your driver-guide to proceed back to the hotel to relax for the following day’s activity.
Accommodation: 4 Gorillas/Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge
Meal Plan: Full Board
Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park and evening game drive
On a bright early morning, you will have breakfast and check out for your next transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park. You will enjoy the beautiful nature of the trip. On your arrival, check in at the lodge and enjoy your lunch as you prepare to go for an evening game drive, which highlights all the activities in the park. You will be able to see many animals feeding, like warthogs, elephants, hippos, and many others. Alternatively, you can visit the crater lake of Katwe and Lake Munyanyange which is home to many species of beautiful birds. You will then drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge/Buffalo Lodge
Meal Plan: Full Board
Drive time: Approximately 3-4 hours’ drive
Day 5: Morning Game Drive and afternoon boat cruise
On the 5th day of your horseback and gorilla safari, you’ll embark on a morning game drive that will allow you to see animals that you might have missed the day before. You may spot leopards, lions as they lookfor prey in the savannah plains. You’ll also see buffalo, elephants, elands, gazelles, and many other animals. After that, you’ll head back to the lodge, relax, and later embark on a launch cruise in the park.
In the afternoon, you will embark on a boat cruise on the Kazinga channel. The boat cruise highlights all the activities in the park and has the highest concentration of Hippos in the entire world. You will view many animal species, including birds, elephants, lions, buffalo, kobs, antelopes, and many more. You’ll also see crocodiles basking in the sun.
Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge/Buffalo Lodge
Meal Plan: Full Board
Drive Time: Approximately 5-6 Hour Drive
Day 6: Morning game drive and transfer to Kibale National Park
On this day, you will embark on a journey to track lions in the plains of Mweya, providing you with an experience that will bring you close to wildlife. This will include lions, leopards, hippos, elephants, buffalo, antelopes, Uganda kobs, and many others. You will thereafter head back to the lodge in the afternoon for lunch. After checking out at the lodge, you will transfer to Kibale Forest National Park. You will have a good time and also take some photos as you approach Fort Portal and enjoy the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains. Then, continue with a warm welcome of Olive Baboons along the way to Kibale National Park.
Accommodation: Primate Lodge/Chimpanzee Capital Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Full Board
Drive time: 3 hours
Day 7: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi community walk
On the 7th day of your horseback and gorilla safari, early morning, you will embark on a drive to the headquarters, where you will receive a comprehensive briefing about chimpanzee trekking. By 8:00 am, you will be starting your search for the chimpanzees within the park. These primates are the closest relatives to human beings, and they share 98% of their DNA with human beings. Along the trek, you will also be able to see other wild primates like Black and white colobus monkeys, grey-cheeked Mangabey, red-tailed monkeys, bush babies, and many bird species. These primates are playful, and thus, you will have to be extra attentive to take beautiful pictures on your trek.
Later on in the day, after the trekking experience, you will visit Bigodi swamp. Bigodi Swamp is also good for watching primates and birds. It’s mainly maintained by the local people, and they earn a living from there. You will enjoy many bird species here, including the great blue turaco and many more. The other primate species to view here include: the baboons, mongoose, otters, bush pigs, and bushbucks. It’s upon this that you will be able to directly support the communities in their projects and foster their human manpower.
Accommodation: Primate Lodge/Chimpanzee Guest House
Meal Plan: Half-Board
Day 8: Transfer back to Kampala/Entebbe to end the tour
After breakfast, you will check out at the lodge and start your journey to Kampala/Entebbe International Airport for your return Flight.
End of 8 Days Horseback riding and Gorilla safari
We can arrange accommodation before and after the tour at an extra cost.
