Arrival
Arrival
Day 1
Welcome to Uganda - Entebbe
Welcome to Uganda - Entebbe
Arriving to a new and foreign place can be overwhelming. All your senses are operating in overdrive as you take in the unfamiliar sights, sounds and smells of your new surroundings. This is certainly the case for a first visit to Uganda. Your driver for the safari will be at the airport to welcome you and expertly navigate you through the lively traffic, while you can lean back and watch your new world go by. If this is your first time traveling to Africa, you will never forget your first acquaintance with her.
The drive to your accommodation is no longer than 20 minutes. Along the way you will catch a glimpse of the shimmering waters of Lake Victoria on your right, see several matatus and boda bodas (local 4-wheel and 2-wheel taxis) weave daringly through traffic, smartly dressed residents in colourful fabrics negotiating the pot-holed streets, food stalls serving delicious Rolex and wooden carts heavily laden with our favourite staple food, the Matoke.
- Main Destination:
- Entebbe (City)
- Accommodation:
-
Kaazi Beach Resort
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 2
Kibale Forest via Mubende - Fort Portal
Kibale Forest via Mubende - Fort Portal
Your journey to Kibale Forest is incredibly scenic, taking you through tea plantations, lively village markets and over rolling hills of lush green countryside that is so characteristic of western Uganda.
Kibale Forest National Park itself is an extensive tract of dense tropical rainforest located just south of the town Fort Portal. The various ecosystems in this space are reputed to harbor the highest density of primates in all of Africa. The rare red colobus monkey as well as the black and white colobus are just some of the primates you may encounter on your forest walks here. The highlight of a trip to Kibale Forest is of course to spend some time observing the wonderfully entertaining chimpanzees.
- Main Destination:
- Kibale National Park (Chimps)
- Accommodation:
- Turaco Treetops Lodge
Wildlife in Kibale NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 3
Chimpanzee Tracking & Swamp Walk
Chimpanzee Tracking & Swamp Walk
No other animal reminds us so much of ourselves as the chimpanzee. Besides many common features and mannerisms, chimpanzees also share 98% of our human DNA, making them our closest living relatives. It is not so surprising then that we find the habits and biology of these primates so fascinating to study.
While your chances of encountering chimpanzees are high during your tracking excursion, it is never 100% guaranteed. These are, after all, wild animals with wills and minds of their own!
In the afternoon you can choose whether you would like to spend more time with the local communities and learn more about their day-to-day lives on a Community Walk or go deeper into the forest on a Swamp Walk in the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary. The Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary is home to 8 primate species, over 200 bird species, butterflies and various reptiles. For bird lovers the highlight of the afternoon is spotting the beautiful great blue turaco.
- Main Destination:
- Kibale National Park (Chimps)
- Accommodation:
- Turaco Treetops Lodge
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 4
To Queen Elizabeth NP through the Craters
To Queen Elizabeth NP through the Craters
Scenic Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s most visited game reserve and arguably the most scenic. The national park protects the vast savannah plains, bushland, wetlands and forests that lie at the base of the Rwenzori mountain range. Kazinga Channel, which flows through the park and connects Lake George in the east to Lake Edward in the west, attracts a rich array of animals and birds, including the infamous Nile crocodile and one of the world’s largest concentration of hippos. On your first game drive you will explore the park along a 200 kilometre network of well-maintained game viewing tracks.
If you wish to upgrade your stay at Bush Lodge, choose the self-contained safari tent or cottage for $40 per person per night.
- Main Destination:
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Accommodation:
-
The Bush Lodge (Tent)
Wildlife in Queen Elizabeth NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 5
Game drive and boat safari
Game drive and boat safari
Safari breakfasts are traditionally served before the day breaks so that you can start your morning game drive as the sun comes up. Sunrise is the best time for wildlife spotting as animals tend to be the most active during the “golden hours”, when the first rays of sunshine come to rest on the savannah. Elephants, buffalo and several species of antelope are some of the characters you may come across today, and if you’re lucky, you may even spot a lion or leopard.
Later in the day when the sun is high in the sky and the animals make their way to the river for a drink, we will head to Kazinga Channel for an exciting boat safari. You will spot more hippos today than you can possibly imagine. Herds of elephants and buffalo will also wander down to the shoreline to bathe in the cooling waters. A boat safari is a fantastic way to get close to wildlife and for many visitors the boat safari is the highlight of their visit to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
- Main Destination:
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Accommodation:
- The Bush Lodge (Tent)
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 6
Lake Mutanda - Kisoro
Lake Mutanda - Kisoro
Offering some of the best views in Uganda, Mutanda Lake Resort is perched on a peninsula overlooking a series of small islands scattered across the water and the volcanoes from the Virunga Range rising out of the mist in the distance.
Gorilla Tracking is the main highlight of a visit to the southern parts of Bwindi Forest, but you are also in the perfect place for volcano hikes, birding, nature and culture walks and canoe and paddle board excursions. The sunset scenes are unforgettable so make sure to find your way to the lodge’s veranda in time for sundowners.
- Main Destination:
- Lake Mutanda
- Accommodation:
- Mutanda Lake Resort
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 7
Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Forest
Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Forest
Half of the world’s population of gorillas live under the mist-covered canopies of Uganda’s oldest and most biologically diverse rainforest. In the company of an experienced park ranger you will be tracking the whereabouts of one of the nine habituated family groups who live in the park.
Your tracking experience will be an exciting, yet challenging, journey along forested (often muddy and slippery) slopes, tangled vines, thick vegetation and bamboo forests before you reach the territory of these gentle giants. En-route, your ranger will point out telltale signs of previous gorilla activity like dung, nests and chewed bamboo shoots. Depending on the location of the gorillas on any given day the walk can take anything from 2 to 7 hours. Once the family of gorillas has been located, settle in to your surroundings and enjoy the hour you have to quietly observe these fascinating primates whose habits and mannerisms remind us so much of our own.
- Main Destination:
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Gorillas)
- Accommodation:
- Mutanda Lake Resort
Wildlife in Bwindi NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 8
Back to Kampala/Entebbe
Back to Kampala/Entebbe
You will set off early today to make the long drive back to Entebbe Airport or Kampala. Along the way we will stop at the equator for some souvenir shopping. It is possible to connect with an international flight tonight, but the earliest departure must be at 10pm. It will be a bit tight however, so we do recommend having an additional night in Entebbe. In case you wish us to include one (or more) nights in Entebbe and/or Kampala, please let us know.
- Main Destination:
- No major destination visited
- Accommodation:
- No accommodation (End of tour)
- Meals & Drinks:
