Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Arrival
Our representative will pick you up from Entebbe International Airport and transfer you to your hotel in Kampala. If you arrive in the morning, you will be taken around Kampala for a city tour to introduce you to the beautiful hills of Kampala and the historical sites; e.g. Uganda Museum, the Namugongo Martyrs Shrine, Kasubi Tombs, and the African Craft Village.
You will have dinner and overnight at Serena Hotel (Classic) or Namirembe Guesthouse (Budget).
Day 2: Kampala – Murchison Falls
After breakfast, depart to the most beautiful and largest protected area in Uganda; Murchison Falls National Park! Have lunch en route at Masindi then proceed. On arrival we will visit the magnificent falls where you will enjoy and marvel at the mighty Nile as the water is plunged into a seven meter a seven meter fissure to thunder 45 meters below in a series of falls. This scenery can be spectacle from different points up at the baler's high point. We then proceed to the hotel.
Dinner and overnight at Paraa Lodge (Classic) or Red Chili Rest Camp (Budget).
Day 3: Murchison Falls National Park
After breakfast, we head out for an early morning game drive on the northern bank of the Nile. We will encounter Rothschild giraffe, oribis, waterbucks, elephant, lions, Jackson hartebeest and a variety of savannah woodland birds. After lunch we will go for a Nile cruise watch how hippos take a bath, elephants come to drink and crocodiles lying lazy at the shores.
After this activity we return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Murchison Falls - Fort Portal
After breakfast, we leave Murchison Falls and head to Fort Portal. The drive will provide you with marvelous views as we pass small African villages and banana plantations. We arrive in the evening.
Have dinner and overnight at Ndali Lodge (Classic) or Rwenzori View Guesthouse (Budget).
Day 5: Semliki National Park
After breakfast in Fort Portal we start on a picturesque, snaky road which will lead us through the green mountains and offers us a superlative outlook at the River Semliki and Congo.
On arrival in confined area, a ranger will accompany us on a stunning nature walk through the Ituri Rainforest. We enjoy the passivity of the forest, search for the bird species at the swamp and on our journey, we make a stop over at the hot springs. We boil some eggs in the hot springs just to experiment the free natural boiling system.
This has become an interesting natural charm. A picnic lunch provided by the guide, while we delve into real Africa.
Later in the afternoon we return to the hotel.
Dinner and overnight at Ndali Lodge (Classic) or Rwenzori View Guesthouse (Budget).
Day 6: Kibale National Park & Bigodi Swamp
This day begins with a sensational chimp tracking. Kibale Forest is the park that offers you a chance to watch the greatest diversity and highest concentration of primates in East Africa. Indulge in the nature guided walks in this tropical rainforest in search for the wild chimpanzee, black-and-white colobus monkey, red-tailed monkey. After a hearty lunch we transfer to the Bigodi Swamp for another, totally different nature walk. The Bigodi Swamp Walk is an initiative of the local community and takes approximately two hours. The swamp is known for its rich diversity of birds and primates.
Dinner and overnight at Ndali Lodge (Classic) or Rwenzori View Guesthouse (Budget).
Day 7: Kibale - Queen Elizabeth National Park
We transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park. It is a beautiful route via Kasese, with the Rwenzori Mountains on our right and the green valley on the left. A game drive on our way to the accommodation in the middle of the national park gives us the chance to spot waterbucks, warthogs and other wildlife. After lunch we go for a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, a natural channel that joins Lake Edward and Lake George.
Dinner and overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge (Classic) or Hostel (Budget).
Day 8: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Wake up very early in the morning and head to the mating ground of the Uganda kobs along the Kasenyi track. We look for buffaloes, lions, elephants, and other wild animals in their natural habitat, before returning for lunch. In the afternoon you will have the chance to indulge in a nature walk in the Maramagambo tropical forest. Here you will find the blue lake which got its name Kimera Njojo (meaning the shallower of the Elephant) after it had drowned an elephant. This is a small lake and you may not believe that it might have drowned a big elephant. The Hunters Cave is another interesting scene which will expose you to bats and the Rock python that preys on them. You will get the chance to have a close look at the bats and the rock python and forest cobras that feed on the bats. The same walk will provide you with views of primates, different bird species and beautiful fauna.
Dinner and overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge (Classic) or Hostel (Budget).
Day 9: Queen Elizabeth National Park - Bwindi
After breakfast we head for the Chimpanzee exploration in Kyambura Wildlife Reserve. Driving through a grassland area, all of a sudden we come across an amazing gorge of 100 meters deep, covered with tropical rainforest. Here we hike into the gorge of the Kyambura River in search of the wild chimpanzees. It is a beautiful walk through the river valley, home to many birds and butterfly species.
Later on after about 2hrs, we leave the park head towards Bwindi. The scenic route runs through a verdant countryside while you pass traditional homesteads and farms. We arrive in Bwindi early in the evening.
Dinner and overnight at Lake Kitandara Luxury Tented Camp (Classic) or Buhoma Community Bandas (Budget).
Day 10: Gorilla Trek at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
After an early hearty breakfast to give you the strength you need for the D-DAY - we report to the Rangers Station before 8:00 am for registration and a briefing by park officials. The trek to find gorillas can be quite short, but on most days an hour or two or three of rough hiking each way is necessary. Dress warmly, as the weather can be cool at this altitude.
The guides stay on the trails until close to the troop, then cut trail to get close. As you get closer to the troop, the guides will point out signs that lead them straight to the gorillas. The rangers might show you some wild celery or some giant blackberries that the gorillas love. They definitely will show you the different species of stinging nettles that the gorillas eat, but warn you not to grab hold of a stinging nettle. When you are very close, the guides will tell you to leave your bags and take only your cameras. The lead guide will edge forward grunting as he goes to announce your arrival to the group so as not to startle the gorilla. Normally the silverback is lying in thick vegetation lazily watching. One or more females are often close by and are unperturbed by your appearance. Your guides will take you through the undergrowth, parting thick creepers, to track the gorillas by cutting a path through the tangle of vegetation to try to see them. Frequently they are in open glades, which makes photography very rewarding. One of the most entertaining experiences is to watch the young Mountain Gorillas having a great time, play fighting, climbing trees and wrestling. The hour of viewing will pass very quickly.
This is a rewarding safari when you finally sit in the forest among the gorillas, listening to them grumble and have fun with each other, and marvel at the sheer size of the dominant male; the silverback. It is an extraordinary feeling sitting in the dense rainforest knowing you are with a few of the last remaining mountain gorillas in the ENTIRE WORLD. The adventure of spending time with and scrutinizing these gentle giant gorillas is a peculiar, moving, awesome and exciting adventure that will leave you with long lasting reminiscences of a truly unique experience. The gorillas are introverted and peaceful animals and it is an unforgettable experience to watch and photograph them as they play and interact. This may happen once to ones lifetime. Our guests are therefore, advised to maximize the time to shoot as many pictures as possible. It’s amazing to think there are only about 650 of these beautiful creatures left and half of the population is located on the Ugandan side!
If you have the energy this afternoon, take a guided walk on the Munyaga River trail, which is an ideal short walk.
This trail leads to three delightful crystal clear waterfalls, and there is a profusion of tree ferns, epithytic ferns, orchids and Bwindi’s colorful array of butterflies. Here you may also see birds and primates from the forest edge.
OR You may also choose to have the afternoon free, and just interact with people in the village around the Park and listen to stories of how Ugandans on this side live.
Dinner and Overnight at Lake Kitandara Luxury Tented Camp (Classic) or Buhoma Community Bandas (Budget)
Day 11: Bwindi - Lake Bunyonyi
After breakfast we take a short guided tour in the village to meet with the local community. Learn about their way of life as we walk through coffee, tea and banana plantations. Afterwards we depart to Lake Bunyonyi, the deepest lake in Uganda. This area is often called "Little Switzerland of Uganda" and boasts to be the most beautiful part of the country. Here we shall relax or go for a canoe trip while you watch the beautiful sunset.
Dinner and overnight at Arcadia Cottages (Classic) or Bunyonyi Overland Camp.
Day 12: Lake Bunyonyi
After the challenging and strenuous hike in Bwindi, some relaxing moments on the shores of this peaceful lake are most welcome. The options here are birding, nature walks, swimming or canoeing.
Dinner and overnight at Arcadia Cottages (Classic) or Bunyonyi Overland Camp.
Day 13: Lake Bunyonyi - Lake Mburo National Park
After breakfast we drive to Lake Mburo National Park with lunch en route. As we enter the park and head towards the accommodation it is likely that you will see some wildlife, like impalas, topis, warthogs, zebras and buffaloes. After checking in you will go on a boat ride on the lake and enjoy the rich birdlife and the hippos that are cooling off.
Dinner and overnight at Mantana Tented Camp (Classic) or Rwonyo Camp (Budget).
Day 14: Lake Mburo National Park - Kampala
At the start of the day we will go for a nature walk guided by a ranger. Lake Mburo is the only national park where you can experience a safari on foot. After breakfast we transfer to Kampala with a stop at the equator for photos or shopping. Arrival late in the afternoon in Kampala.
Dinner and overnight at your hotel.
Day 15: Departure
Enriched with an experience of a lifetime and unforgettable memories you will say goodbye to the Pearl of Africa. Depending on the time of departure you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back home. We are looking forward to seeing you again!
