Arrival
Arrival
Day 1
Arrival and Welcome at Entebbe Airport
Arrival and Welcome at Entebbe Airport
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 Matoke Tours guide will be with you from the very beginning, welcoming you at the airport and expertly navigating 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. Your accommodation for the night is set on the shores of Lake Victoria, about a 40-minute drive from Entebbe.
- Main Destination:
- Entebbe (City)
- Accommodation:
-
Kaazi Beach Resort
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 2
Rhino Trekking to Murchison Falls National Park
Rhino Trekking to Murchison Falls National Park
Your journey in Uganda will begin with one of the oldest conservation areas in the country; Murchison Falls Park. The drive to Northern Uganda is long but rewarding, taking you through ever-changing landscapes, busy roadside markets and quiet rural villages. Murchison Falls is Uganda's best-known and biggest nature reserve. Its most memorable feature is the Victoria Nile which cuts through the park, running along a series of rapids before shooting out of a narrow crack in an incredibly powerful waterfall.
The Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a Rhino Hike. Uganda used to be home to a healthy population of both black and white rhinos. That was until civil war, widespread poaching and urbanization wiped out the species from our lands back in the 1980’s. In an effort to re-introduce the species to Uganda’s parks the Rhino Fund Uganda together with Uganda Wildlife Authority have set up a breeding program at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. This activity is optional at an additional cost of $60 per person.
- Main Destination:
- Murchison Falls National Park
- Accommodation:
- Pakuba Safari Lodge
Wildlife in Murchison Falls NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 3
Game Drive and Boat Safari
Game Drive and Boat Safari
On your morning game drive a professional ranger with extensive knowledge of the park and its inhabitants will join you in your vehicle. As this is a private game drive you can ask your guide to tailor your trip towards specific birdlife and/or wildlife if you like.
The park is especially known for its massive elephant population, wide array of bird species and big herds of buffalo. Giraffes, lions, antelope and waterbucks can also be spotted here and if you search the trees carefully, you may even spot one of the elusive leopards.
The afternoon boat safari towards Murchison Falls is a special highlight of the day. On this 3-hour journey upstream on the Victoria Nile to the base of the falls you will pass by breathtaking scenery, as well as many crocodiles, hundreds of hippos, buffaloes, water birds, monkeys and other animals that come down to the Nile for a cool drink in the hot of the day. Before hiking to the Top of the falls for 1/2 hrs.
- Main Destination:
- Murchison Falls National Park
- Accommodation:
- Pakuba Safari Lodge
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 4
Trasfer to Kibale Forest
Trasfer to Kibale Forest
Your journey to Kibale Forest will be your longest drive on this tour, but possibly the most scenic. The drive will take 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:
-
Kibale Forest Camp (Safari Tent)
Wildlife in Kibale NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 5
Chimpanzee tracking and swamp walk
Chimpanzee tracking and swamp walk
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!
After socializing with the chimps you will be invited to engage in the human custom of a hot lunch. Served by local residents you will learn about the traditional cuisine of the region and its preparation. This meal will offer a nice insight into the local culture, as well as giving a real taste of Uganda!
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:
- Kibale Forest Camp (Safari Tent)
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 6
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park
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.
- Main Destination:
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Accommodation:
- The Bush Lodge (Banda)
Wildlife in Queen Elizabeth NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 7
Game drive & Boat safari
Game drive & 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. 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 (Banda)
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 8
Transfer to lake Mutanda
Transfer to lake Mutanda
Your journey today will continue south-west toward Kisoro, a bustling town to the south of Bwindi Forest, near the borders to Rwanda and Congo. This is one of our favorite drives in Uganda.
The serpentine roads wind through lush rainforests, skirting hill tops (keep your eyes open for the volcanos!) and dipping into lively villages in the valley before arriving to the serene waters of Lake Mutanda.
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 veranda in time for sundowners.
- Main Destination:
- Lake Mutanda
- Accommodation:
- Mutanda Lake Resort
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 9
Gorilla Trekking Excursion
Gorilla Trekking Excursion
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 10
Lake Bunyonyi - Kabale
Lake Bunyonyi - Kabale
Bunyonyi means 'place of many little birds'. This beautiful lake, surrounded by steep terraced hillsides, contains 29 islands, many of which are inhabited. It is a magical place to wake up in, especially with the early morning mist lingering on the lake.
At this time you will see school children paddling dugout canoes to school and farmers transporting their goods to the market place. Here you can fill your time swimming, hiking, bird watching, and taking boat rides to any of the islands on the lake. The Lake is bilharzia, crocs & hippo free so you can relax and enjoy the waters.
One of our recommended activities is to go on one of the cultural hikes in the area. This is nice opportunity to learn about the legends, traditions and customs of the people who make a home on the shores of the Lake. On the tour you can meet a traditional healer, a craft group, see beautiful views from one of the high points on the lake and try your hand at paddling one of the traditional dugout canoes.
- Main Destination:
- Lake Bunyonyi
- Accommodation:
- Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 11
Lake Mburo National Park
Lake Mburo National Park
Lake Mburo National Park may be a small park but it should certainly not be underestimated. Besides the beautiful scenery, this is the only place in southern Uganda where you can see zebras and the only park in the country with impalas, slender mongoose and giant bush rats. On your game drive in the afternoon you can also look for hyenas, leopards, topis, elands and the beautiful Rothschild's giraffes. The lake itself is home to both hippos and crocodiles. Besides game drives there are many activities on offer in the park, such as horse-riding, mountain biking, bush walks and boat safaris on the lake.
Want to explore Lake Mburo NP at night? A whole new world of animal species (nocturnal) await you on a night game drive. It is the best chance of spotting the elusive and solitary leopards, who come out to hunt at night. Keep your eyes peeled for glowing eyes in the dark as you could be passing one of these rare and beautiful cats. This activity is optional at an additional cost.
- Main Destination:
- Lake Mburo National Park
- Accommodation:
- Rwakobo Rock Lodge
Wildlife in Lake Mburo NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 12
Nature walk, to Entebbe
Nature walk, to Entebbe
After a hearty breakfast back at the lodge it is time to return to Entebbe.
You will rise early today to head out on bush walk in the park. The park is a completely different place when you are removed from the constraints of a safari vehicle. Your senses are aware of every sound and movement in the bush and you see things at ground level that you would otherwise miss. With an experienced guide you will also learn a lot about the inhabitants of the park. Along the way we will stop at the equator for some souvenir shopping.
- Main Destination:
- Entebbe (City)
- Accommodation:
- No accommodation (End of tour)
- Meals & Drinks:
