Arrive Entebbe and transfer to Kasese at the foot of the Rwenzori Mountains
Hopefully your flight is scheduled for an early landing (not past noon) in Uganda or else you arrive at least a night before your safari begins. Upon arrival at Entebbe airport, you will be received by the assigned driver/guide from Home To Africa who will welcome you to Uganda and brief you about your safari. Thereafter, you will depart for Kasese via Mbarara with lunch en route. You will reach and do little but check into your accommodation for the overnight stay (awaiting the next day’s adventure).
- Main Destination:
- Entebbe (City)
- Accommodation:
- Hotel Margherita
- Meals & Drinks:
Stage 1: Hike to Nyabitaba Hut (2651m) – approximately 5 hours
After an early breakfast (at the accommodation of your stay), move to the Rwenzori National Park offices at Nyakalengija for a briefing. At this location you will organize your luggage, hire mountaineering equipment and get a porter to help you with the luggage. You will then begin your 5-hour hike to Nyabitaba Hut (2,651m), your destination for the day. Dinner and Overnight will be at this Hut.
- Main Destination:
- Rwenzori Mountains (Mountain Range)
- Accommodation:
- Nyabitaba Hut
- Meals & Drinks:
Stage 2: Hike to John Matte Hut (3380m) – approximately 6 hours
You will leave Nyabitaba hut after an early breakfast and descend through the forest for a short time before crossing the Bujuku River at the Kurt Schafer Bridge to start the ascent. This is the longest and most strenuous part of the Margherita Peak Climb and will take a minimum of six hours. You will have a lunch break at Nyamileju Hut after which you will proceed to John Matte Hut, 3380m. From this location you will be able to see the snowcapped peaks of Mount Stanley. Dinner and overnight will be at the John Matte Hut.
- Main Destination:
- Rwenzori Mountains (Mountain Range)
- Accommodation:
- John Matte Hut
- Meals & Drinks:
Stage 3: Hike to Bujuku Hut (3962m) – approximately 4-5 hours
After an early breakfast you will leave John Matte Hut and cross the Bujuku River entering the two Bigo Bogs, which are often knee-deep in mud. From this boggy valley you will have a good view of Mount Stanley. You will then reach the Lake Bujuku, and then proceed through a muddy swampy area to Bujuku Hut, 3962 m. Dinner and overnight at Bujuku Hut.
- Main Destination:
- Rwenzori Mountains (Mountain Range)
- Accommodation:
- Bujuku Hut
- Meals & Drinks:
Hike to Elena Hut (4541m) – approximately 3-4 hours
From Bujuku Hut you will continue trekking the Rwenzori Mountains with a climb through moss draped groundsel vegetation to Scott Elliot Pass (4.372m) between Mt. Baker and Stanley. Here, you will divert to Elena Hut, 4.540 m. for spending the night before climbing Mt. Stanley.
- Main Destination:
- Rwenzori Mountains (Mountain Range)
- Accommodation:
- Elena Hut
- Meals & Drinks:
Stage 5: Hike to Margherita Peak (5109m) and back to Kitandara hut – 6 hours
From Elena Hut, you ascend the last tract of rock and ice which leads to Margherita Peak on Mt. Stanley (5.109m). Time to complete the climbing is about 3 hours. This last part of the ascent will necessitate application of special equipment such as crampons, ice axe and rope to walk through the glacier area of Mount Stanley. Thereafter, you will descend to Upper Kitandara Lake and through thick mud to Lower Kitandara Lake where Kitandara Hut is located (4.023m). Dinner and overnight will be at Kitandara Hut.
- Main Destination:
- Rwenzori Mountains (Mountain Range)
- Accommodation:
- Kitandara Hut
- Meals & Drinks:
Stage 6: Descent to Guy Yeoman Hut – approximately 5 hours
You will have an early breakfast followed by a short climb in the direction of Mount Baker up to Freshfield Pass, 4282m. You will then begin the descent through steep rocky trails passing the rock shelters of Akendahi, Bujongolo and Kabamba before reaching Guy Yeoman Hut, 3261 m. From the hut, you can enjoy breathtaking views of Mount Baker. Dinner and overnight will be at Guy Yeoman Hut.
- Main Destination:
- Rwenzori Mountains (Mountain Range)
- Accommodation:
- Guy Yeoman Hut
- Meals & Drinks:
Stage 7: Descent to Nyabitaba Hut (2651m) – approximately 3-4 hours
You will have an early breakfast and continue the descent to Nyabitaba Hut, 2651m. The trial is attractive along the valley of the Mobuku and Kichuchu rivers, rich in plants and flowers of the heather zone before reaching the bamboo forest. See Kabamba falls on the way. Time to reach Nyabitaba Hut is about 4 hours. From Nyabitaba starts the 40 minutes trial to see Lake Mahoma and back to the hut. Dinner and overnight will be here.
- Main Destination:
- Rwenzori Mountains (Mountain Range)
- Accommodation:
- Nyabitaba Hut
- Meals & Drinks:
Stage 8: Descent to Nyakalengija (1615m), 3-4 hours and Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP
After breakfast you will descend to Nyakalengija camp – the starting point. On arrival at Nyakalengija, you will hand over the hired equipment and then transfer to the booked accommodation inside Queen Elizabeth NP. Queen, one of the country’s most frequented tourist destinations. The park features diverse ecosystems called home by a variety of wildlife species - ten primate species (including chimpanzees), more than 600 bird species, and classic big games. Depending on interest, you may proceed out for some afternoon (evening) game viewing or do the explosion crater drive (which is mainly sightseeing). Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
- Main Destination:
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Accommodation:
- Pumba Safari Cottages
- Meals & Drinks:
Chimp tracking in the Kyambura gorge and boat trip on the Kazinga Channel
Be up early, have breakfast and proceed for Chimpanzee tracking in the Kyambura gorge. The Gorge is home to habituated Chimpanzees plus other primates including Baboons, Monkeys and also bird species. Today, you will spend the early part of the day tracking chimpanzees here. Thereafter, return to the accommodation for lunch.
After lunch you will go for a two-hour boat trip on the Kazinga Channel which connects Lakes: George and Edward and you will surely be fascinated by the concentrations of giant hippos, elephants and crocodiles among others. You will also see many varieties of birds at the water shores. You will have dinner and overnight at your accommodation.
- Main Destination:
- Kyambura Gorge (Chimps)
- Accommodation:
- Pumba Safari Cottages
- Meals & Drinks:
Exit Queen for Bwindi with en route game viewing in the Ishasha sector
Have breakfast then set off for Bwindi Impenetrable NP through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park – famously known for its resident tree-climbing lions. The chance of spotting these lions is about 70% though sometimes they are really hard to spot (most especially when they’re down in the grassland looking for prey). Hoping you get the chance to spot them, the sight will be spectacular!
Continue to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Bwindi is a big habitat for mountain gorillas in Uganda; harboring an estimated 400 mountain gorillas – roughly half of the world’s population, including several habituated groups, which can be tracked. With a strenuous day ahead, you will do less on arrival but just check in your accommodation, relax as you prepare for the Bwindi gorilla trekking experience the following day.
- Main Destination:
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Gorillas)
- Accommodation:
- Broadbill Forest Camp
- Meals & Drinks:
Go gorilla trekking Bwindi and later transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation
After an early breakfast and a briefing by a ranger guide, you will enter the gorilla sanctuary for your adventure. The beauty of this rain forest is spectacular! The area offers dramatic steeply forested landscape and is incredibly dense, but crisscrossed by numerous animal trails allowing access to tourists. The time taken and the terrain vary with the movements of these great primates. Once you locate a gorilla group, you will be allowed an hour in their presence. The thrill of spending time observing these gentle and endangered giants is an awesome, exciting experience to be long savored.
Return to your lodge. Have your lunch and thereafter check out for a transfer to Lake Bunyonyi. Lake Bunyonyi is framed by lush, green-terraced hills that reach a height of (2,200 – 2,478m) but it’s the 29 islands of various shapes and sizes scattered across the water that make it most magical — you could admire them all day.
- Main Destination:
- Lake Bunyonyi
- Accommodation:
- Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort
- Meals & Drinks:
Depart Bunyonyi for your outbound flight in Entebbe Airport
Have a relaxed breakfast at the accommodation with spectacular view of the Bunyonyi little islands just right in front of you and thereafter embark on your return journey to Entebbe Airport. Expect en route stopovers in Mbarara town for lunch and the Uganda Equator line mark in Kayabwe for some memorable photos and maybe buying some art pieces of interest. Proceed with the journey arriving late afternoon/evening for drop off at the airport. We hope to see you (or any referral) when next, you visit and thanks for choosing Home to Africa!
- Main Destination:
- Entebbe International Airport (Entebbe)
- Accommodation:
- No accommodation (End of tour)
- Meals & Drinks: