$5,586 to $5,852 pp (USD)
2 travelers on Start dateArrival
Arrival
Day 1
Arrival in Entebbe (Optional Shoebill Tracking)
Arrival in Entebbe (Optional Shoebill Tracking)
Arrive at Entebbe International Airport, clear with immigration (Visa, Yellow Fever, and Covid Vaccine Certificates). We will pick you up and transfer you to the hotel.
If you arrive early, you can do optional activities in Entebbe, including birding in Botanical Gardens, market walks, shopping, zoo, and Ngamba chimps Island. The most popular with our guests is a canoe ride on the Lake Victoria mashes to track the prehistoric shoebill bird.
Otherwise, you can use this time to shop, visit the bank, or forex exchange.
- Main Destination:
- Entebbe (City)
- Accommodation:
- Papyrus Guest House
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 2
Drive to Lake Mburu National Park
Drive to Lake Mburu National Park
Enjoy an early breakfast, then journey to Western Uganda across the beautiful landscape of central Uganda with
vast cultivated plains, banana plantations, and cattle farms. Briefly stop over en route at Mpambire and watch the
making of traditional and local artifacts. The equator stop will be another excellent stop for a few Instagram
moments. You’ll arrive in time for lunch at Rwakobo Rock Lodge.
Rwakobo Rock Lodge is a wilderness retreat secluded on a rocky outcrop at the edge of Lake Mburo National
Park’s northern border. The lodge provides private getaways in the locally-styled cottages dotted around a massive
granite outcrop, with stunning views over the wilderness plains.
After a hearty lunch at the lodge, take a game drive and meet resident favorites like buffalo, impala, zebra, eland,
warthogs, and bushbuck. You can also take a one-hour boat safari to find crocodiles, hippos, and plenty of water
birds or a horseback safari (not covered in the price.).
- Main Destination:
- Lake Mburo National Park
- Accommodation:
- Rwakobo Rock Lodge
Wildlife in Lake Mburo NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 3
Drive from Lake Mburo to Bwindi
Drive from Lake Mburo to Bwindi
Enjoy an early morning game drive in the park, then continue to Western Uganda across its rolling hills, tea plantations, tropical rainforest, and towards the Virunga Volcanos majestic chain.
Drive via Mbarara, Kabale, and Kisoro towns before heading onto the 32-km countryside dirt road to Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, on the edge of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
Keep your eyes out on the rugged Tuscany-like landscapes: the views are to-die-for! On the edge of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, on a magnificent ridge, sits Nkuringo Lodge’s ten luxurious cottages.
The private cottages have a distinctive elegance and surprising luxury amid forest trees, flowers, and shrubs. Locally styled furnishings grace the spacious rooms, and light fills the space from your private viewing deck over the forest swath and beyond the entire Virunga Volcanoes chain.
- Main Destination:
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Gorillas)
- Accommodation:
- Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge
Wildlife in Bwindi NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 4
Gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Have breakfast early and be at the trailhead in time for the gorilla tracking briefing, which takes about 10 minutes to walk. The excursion briefing starts at 8:30 am, and it's during this time, you will be briefed about the guiding rules, assigned a gorilla group, a lead tracker guide, and two armed rangers.
The jungle has dump floors and thick shrubs, which will definitely require you have waterproof hiking boots, a rain jacket, a waterproof backpack (it could rain anytime), trousers, long-sleeved and garden gloves. The tracking is at your pace, ask to stop when you want to, and body fitness will be required because it's a mountainous region.
Once you have found the gorillas, you will be allowed to spend an hour with them. Keep your camera silent (no shutter sound of flash photography), observe a 10 meters distance from the gorillas, and keep your mask on. Your time in the forest cannot be pre-determined as every day differs from the previous.
- Main Destination:
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Gorillas)
- Accommodation:
- Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 5
Dug-out Canoe Experience
Dug-out Canoe Experience
This morning after an early breakfast, drive to Rubuguri Junction (10k – 1 hour) to start a nice hike across beautiful landscapes and local communities - a great opportunity to experience authentic village life (9km – 2/3 hours). Upon arrival at Lake Mutanda you then “settle” in a dugout canoe for 1.5-2 hours of gentle relaxed cruising across the lake, enjoying the beautiful panorama. Meet with your vehicle and drive back to Nkuringo.
Of course you could also drive from the lodge directly to the lake (20k - 90 minutes), enjoy the canoe ride around the lake and drive all the way back to the lodge again. Guests decide!
- Main Destination:
- Lake Mutanda
- Accommodation:
- Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 6
Hike across Bwindi, Transfer Queen Elizabeth National Park
Hike across Bwindi, Transfer Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast, drive along Nteko Ridge to the junction of the Ivy River Trail to start the unforgettable hike across the forest
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is a unique natural reserve - monkeys, duikers, bush pigs and some of the world's renowned bird species & butterflies can be sighted. If you are lucky you may encounter gorillas! This activity is not simply an A to B hike but it's for your walking guide to share his knowledge of the forest with you. The trail is also an important footpath for locals travelling from Nkuringo & Nteko to Buhoma. There is no road through Bwindi so vehicles driving between the locations have an incredible 170 km journey taking 6 to 8 hours.
Upon arrival in Buhoma, meet with the vehicle and departure to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The southern area of Queen (Ishasha) is notably recognized for its resident tree climbing lions which are an exceptional attraction that can be spotted hanging in fig trees.
- Main Destination:
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Accommodation:
- Katara Lodge
Wildlife in Queen Elizabeth NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 7
Game Drives & Boat Safari on Kazinga Channel
Game Drives & Boat Safari on Kazinga Channel
Full day dedicated to game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park and to the boat trip on the Kazinga Channel - the 36 km waterway which connects Lake George and Lake Edward which allows special viewing of game and birds on the river banks, as the boat passes through pods of hippos. Crocodiles have only recently been seen in the Channel, they disappeared for 8,000 years after they were eliminated from Lake Edward by toxic ash from local volcanoes.
QENP is one of Uganda’s oldest parks being formed officially in 1952. The park was initially known as ‘Kazinga National Park’ before it was renamed in 1954 to commemorate a visit by Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. QENP hosts 95 species of mammals, more than any other park in Uganda, and 619 bird species, the second highest of any park in Africa – the sixth highest of any park worldwide.
- Main Destination:
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Accommodation:
- Katara Lodge
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 8
Drive from Queen to Kibale (Early Game Drive)
Drive from Queen to Kibale (Early Game Drive)
Game drive through the northern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park and continuation to our lodge in Kibale National Park via the town of Fort Portal.
In the afternoon trek to the ‘Top of the World’ to enjoy fantastic views of the Rwenzori Mountains, crater lakes, tea plantations and local villages.
The drive takes about 3 hours (180 km).
- Main Destination:
- Kibale National Park (Chimps)
- Accommodation:
- Primate Lodge Kibale
Wildlife in Kibale NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 9
Chimpanzee Tracking Experience & Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary
Chimpanzee Tracking Experience & Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary
Morning chimpanzee trek. The density and diversity of primates in Kibale National Park is the highest in the whole of Africa. The most well-known of its 13 species are the chimpanzees, our closest relative. Kibale’s 1450 chimpanzee population of this threatened primate is Uganda’s biggest. Additionally, Kibale is home to the uncommon L’Hoest’s monkey as well as East Africa’s biggest population of the endangered red colobus monkey. The black & white colobus, red-tailed monkey, blue monkey, olive baboon, grey-cheeked mangabey, bush baby, and potto are among the other primates.
Afternoon excursion to the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, is a great example of a community-based approach to natural resources management that can be of good economic benefit to the local residents living within the area and to the tourism industry. This sanctuary is a paradise for bird watchers - skilled birders can spot up to 50 new species on a bird list.
- Main Destination:
- Kibale National Park (Chimps)
- Accommodation:
- Turaco Treetops Lodge
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 10
Northbound to Murchison Falls NP
Northbound to Murchison Falls NP
After an early breakfast, departure to Murchison Falls National Park. Located at the northern end of the Albertine Rift Valley, where the sweeping Bunyoro escarpment tumbles into the vast palm-dotted savannah, the park is bisected by the Victoria Nile.
The “mythical” river plunges here 45m from the rift valley wall thus creating the dramatic Murchison Falls, the centerpiece of the park and the final “event” in an 80km stretch of rapids. The mighty cascade drains the last energies from the river and transforms it into a broad placid stream flowing quietly across the rift valley floor into Lake Albert. This stretch of river provides one of Uganda's most remarkable wildlife spectacles.
The drive takes about 8 hours (400 km).
- Main Destination:
- Murchison Falls National Park
- Accommodation:
- Murchison River Lodge
Wildlife in Murchison Falls NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 11
Game Drive & Boat Safari on The Nile
Game Drive & Boat Safari on The Nile
Full day dedicated to the discovery of this unique national park.
Early morning game drives en route to the Victoria Nile Delta for a boat trip in this spectacular area teeming with birds and wildlife - several endemic species like the Rothschild's giraffe, the Shoebill stork, and the red-throated bee-eater. Water level permitting, short walk accompanied by the ranger guide.
In the afternoon, scheduled boat trip to the Murchison Waterfalls (with the possibility to disembark and walk to the top of the falls – walk included) - amazing for the panorama and the possible encounters with the local fauna: elephants, giraffes, buffalos, crocs, antelopes … Game drive on the way back to the lodge.
- Main Destination:
- Murchison Falls National Park
- Accommodation:
- Murchison River Lodge
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 12
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and Drive to Entebbe
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and Drive to Entebbe
After an early breakfast, departure to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking – located in Nakasongola it is the only place in Uganda where southern white rhinos can be tracked. In 1983 both black rhinos and northern white rhinos were declared extinct throughout Uganda so the purpose of the NGO Rhino Fund Uganda is to return rhinos back into the country, through a program of breeding and release. The first 6 rhinos were translocated in 2005-06 (4 from Kenya and 2 from the USA) and it was 5 years before the first healthy calf was born, making him (“Obama” is the name) the first rhino born in Uganda in almost 30 years!
After lunch continuation to Entebbe where arrival is expected around 17.00. Transfer to the airport in time for the evening flight out. End of services.
The drive takes about 6 hours (390 km).
- Main Destination:
- Entebbe (City)
- Accommodation:
- No accommodation (End of tour)
- Meals & Drinks:
