Overview
| Accommodation | Confirmed together with you — see the Rates tab for general comfort levels we work with. |
|---|---|
| Meals | Full board on safari days; meals as specified for any city/beach nights, per your final itinerary. |
Day by Day (10 days)
ARRIVAL IN ENTEBBE
You arrive at Entebbe International Airport and are met by your driver-guide, who takes you to your hotel in Entebbe or Kampala. The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre has rescued animals, including rhinos and chimpanzees, and is a good stop for beginners. Your guide gives a briefing on the route, the permits and the trekking rules, and checks your equipment and clothing. Entebbe sits on the shore of Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa, and the airport is only 40 kilometres from Kampala. If you arrive early, you can visit the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, the Entebbe Botanical Gardens on the shore of Lake Victoria or the craft markets in Kampala. Tonight's base is a mid-range camp set in the bush, with en-suite tents and three-course dinners by lamplight.
MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK
Murchison Falls is Uganda's largest park, where the Victoria Nile forces itself through a gap just seven metres wide and drops 43 metres. The park holds more than 450 bird species and is one of the best places in Africa for shoebills and for Nile birds such as the red-throated bee-eater. Uganda kob, the antelope that is the national emblem of Uganda, gather in large herds on the plains in the north of the park. A boat cruise from Paraa to the base of the falls lasts about three hours and passes hippos, crocodiles, elephants and buffalo at the water's edge, and many birds including the African fish eagle and, with luck, the shoebill. A hike to the top of the falls takes you to the narrow channel itself. Game drives on the northern bank cover open savannah with lions, giraffes, Jackson's hartebeest, Uganda kob and elephants, and Rothschild's giraffes, one of the rarest giraffe subspecies, are found here. Elephants are frequently seen on the riverbank, and in the dry season groups come down to drink in the early morning. The Budongo Forest in the south of the park holds chimpanzees and is a rewarding stop if you have time to add a forest walk. The night is spent at a quality lodge with spacious rooms, a swimming pool and a good dinner prepared by the camp chef.
MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK
Murchison Falls is Uganda's largest park, where the Victoria Nile forces itself through a gap just seven metres wide and drops 43 metres. The delta at the mouth of the Victoria Nile, where it meets Lake Albert, is one of the best places in Africa to see the shoebill. Game drives on the northern bank cover open savannah with lions, giraffes, Jackson's hartebeest, Uganda kob and elephants, and Rothschild's giraffes, one of the rarest giraffe subspecies, are found here. Uganda kob, the antelope that is the national emblem of Uganda, gather in large herds on the plains in the north of the park. The Budongo Forest in the south of the park holds chimpanzees and is a rewarding stop if you have time to add a forest walk. The night is spent at a quality lodge with spacious rooms, a swimming pool and a good dinner prepared by the camp chef.
CHIMPANZEE TRACKING IN KIBALE FOREST
Kibale National Park near Fort Portal is the best place in Africa to see wild chimpanzees. Chimpanzees live in groups of up to 150, and they are our closest relatives, sharing about 98 percent of our DNA. Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary nearby is a community project that offers guided swamp walks and a chance to see the great blue turaco. You can hear the chimps before you see them, since their calls, called pant-hoots, carry far across the forest. The search takes one to four hours and once you find them you stay for one hour, watching them feed, groom and call. The forest holds about 1,500 chimpanzees and twelve other primate species, including red colobus, black-and-white colobus, L'Hoest's monkeys and grey-cheeked mangabeys. You overnight at a well-appointed safari lodge with en-suite rooms, a restaurant and views over the landscape. Looking ahead to tomorrow: Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest.
CHIMPANZEE TRACKING IN KIBALE FOREST
Kibale National Park near Fort Portal is the best place in Africa to see wild chimpanzees. The search takes one to four hours and once you find them you stay for one hour, watching them feed, groom and call. You are not allowed to join the trek if you have a cold or other infection, because chimps can catch human diseases. At about 7:30 am you report to the Kanyanchu visitor centre for the briefing, then enter the forest with a ranger guide and a small group of up to eight people to track a habituated community. The forest holds about 1,500 chimpanzees and twelve other primate species, including red colobus, black-and-white colobus, L'Hoest's monkeys and grey-cheeked mangabeys. The forest is humid, with trees up to 55 metres tall, and the trails can be slippery, so waterproof boots are a good idea. In the afternoon you can walk in the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, a community-run swamp with more than 200 bird species and several monkey species, or visit a crater lake near Fort Portal. A Chimpanzee Habituation Experience allows you to spend a full day with the chimps as they wake, feed and move, at an extra cost. Tonight you stay at a comfortable mid-range lodge or tented camp with private bathrooms, good food and a pool or garden. Tomorrow's programme: Queen Elizabeth National Park and the Kazinga Channel.
QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK AND THE KAZINGA CHANNEL
Queen Elizabeth National Park covers about 1,980 square kilometres of savannah, crater lakes and forest between the Rwenzori Mountains and Lake Edward. The Katwe Explosion Craters, formed by ancient volcanic activity, hold crater lakes and offer a scenic drive with views across the park. The Kyambura Gorge, a forested valley known as the Valley of Apes, is home to chimpanzees and can be visited on a guided walk. A morning game drive on the Kasenyi plains looks for lions, elephants, buffalo, Uganda kob and warthogs, and the area is one of the best places in Uganda for big cats. The Mweya Peninsula gives views across the channel to the Rwenzori Mountains, which are sometimes clear in the morning light. Your accommodation is a mid-range tented camp with proper beds, hot water, and a bar and dining area under canvas. Next on the route: Ishasha and the tree-climbing lions.
ISHASHA AND THE TREE-CLIMBING LIONS
The Ishasha sector in the south of Queen Elizabeth National Park is known for its tree-climbing lions, which rest on the branches of large fig trees in the heat of the day. Leopards and elephants also live in the area, and the buffalo herds here are some of the largest in Uganda. Your guide follows the Ntungwe River and checks the fig trees on a morning game drive. The Ishasha sector lies in the southern corner of Queen Elizabeth National Park, near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. After the game drive you continue south to your lodge near Bwindi, about 2 to 3 hours on winding roads through the highlands. You also look for topi, Uganda kob, buffalo, elephants and hippos, with large herds around the river bends, and the birdlife is good in the riverine forest. Tonight you stay at a comfortable mid-range lodge or tented camp with private bathrooms, good food and a pool or garden. Looking ahead to tomorrow: Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi.
MOUNTAIN GORILLA TREKKING IN BWINDI
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to about half of the world's remaining mountain gorillas. Wear long trousers, waterproof boots and gloves, and bring a rain jacket as the weather changes quickly. You must keep a distance of seven metres from the gorillas, and masks are worn to protect them from human illnesses. Porters can be hired locally to carry your bag and help on the slopes. The park limits visits to eight people per family per day, and a trek lasts up to one hour once you reach the gorillas. Hiking sticks, gaiters and gloves are worth bringing, since the ground is muddy and there are stinging nettles on the paths. You sleep in a comfortable lodge with private facilities, a terrace for sundowners and attentive, friendly staff.
LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK
Lake Mburo National Park is the smallest savannah park in Uganda and the only one in the country where you can see zebras, impalas and elands. It lies on the road between Kampala and western Uganda, which makes it a good stop on the way to Bwindi or Queen Elizabeth. Hippos, crocodiles and many birds can be seen from the water, and the park is also a good place to see leopards on a night drive. Activities include game drives, a boat cruise on the lake, a guided walking safari and horse-riding safaris. The night is spent at a quality lodge with spacious rooms, a swimming pool and a good dinner prepared by the camp chef.
DEPARTURE FROM UGANDA
After breakfast you check out and your driver-guide takes you to the airport for your flight home, or to your next destination. We hope you leave with wonderful memories of your safari and look forward to welcoming you back soon. We hope to see you again for a visit to Rwanda or a climb in the Rwenzori Mountains. You can buy local coffee, vanilla and handicrafts from the shops at the airport or from the craft markets in town.
Rates Per Person
The Overview tab explains the accommodation and meal options. Send us your dates and group size for an exact price.
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Included
- Private vehicle with your own driver-guide
- Park entry and conservation fees
- Accommodation as specified in your itinerary
- Meals as specified per day (full board on safari days)
- Airport pickup and drop-off
Excluded
- International flights
- Visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Tips and gratuities
- Personal expenses and souvenirs
Getting There
Tour Start & End
This trip starts in Uganda and ends in Uganda.
Airport Information
Entebbe International Airport (Uganda) is the most common arrival point for this trip.
Transfer Information
We meet you at the airport and handle every transfer between destinations throughout your trip.
Accommodation Before/After
Want an extra night in Arusha, Moshi or Zanzibar before or after your trip? Just ask and we will arrange it.