Day 1 – Arrive- Entebbe
Meet and greet on arrival at Entebbe International Airport and transferred for overnight in BB to the hotel, at Cassia Lodge – Metropole Hotel (C) or Capitol Palace Hotel (E). BBOptional: Depending on the arrival time, you could visit Ngamba Island on Lake Victoria in the afternoon to view the feeding of the chimpanzees and hear an informative talk by the sanctuary staff.
Day 2 – Murchison Falls National Park
After breakfast your adventure begins by driving northwest towards Masindi and Murchison Falls National Park, the largest national park in Uganda, which offers beautiful sceneries of grassland acacia savannah in the north and tropical forests in the south.
You will stop over for a nature walk at Ziwa Rhino sanctuary, the breeding project which saw the rebirth of the endangered white and black rhinos. You can see them closely while walking freely in the reserve. Lunch. Proceed to the national park; you reach the river Nile where the beautiful Murchison Falls create a narrow canyon of thunderous water. You will have a view from the top of the falls. Check in to your lodge for dinner and overnight, Paraa Safari Lodge / Nile Safari Lodge (C) or Red Chilli Rest Camp (E). Full Board.
Note: Today transfer is about 6 hours drive, part of it through dirt road within the park.
Day 3 – Murchison Falls National Park
After breakfast you will embark on an early morning game drive, explore the savannah in the delta of the Nile on Lake Albert, Northern bank. As you view and take memorable photographs of the animals in the wild, you might find elephants, lions, buffalos, giraffes, waterbucks, bushbucks, spotted hyenas and, very rarely, the leopards. Drive back to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, you take the boat safari along the river Nile to the base of the magnificent Murchison Falls. It is amazing the concentration of wildlife in the bank of the river Nile, including hippos, crocodiles, and a variety of bird’s species, like African eagles, pelicans, kingfisher, Egyptian geese and much more. Dinner and overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge / Nile Safari Lodge (C) or Red Chilli Rest Camp (E). FB
Day 4 – Albertine Rift Valley and Fort Portal
After breakfast you leave the National Park heading southwest along the Lake Albert and Rift Valley escarpment, with breathtaking panoramic sceneries. Pass via Hoima the capital town of Bunyoro kingdom, one of the oldest in Uganda. Stop over for a cup of coffee and lunch en route. Drive to Fort Portal the capital town of Tooro kingdom which lies on the shadow of Rwenzori Mountains, the biggest mountain range in Africa. Dinner and overnight at Nyinabulitwa Country Resort / Mountains of the Moon Hotel. FB
Note: Today transfer is about 7 / 8 hours drive, through dirt road and the conditions are variable according to the rains.
Day 5 – Kibale National Park – Bigodi – Kasenda Crater Lakes
After breakfast, today activity is the nature walk in Kibale National Park for experiencing the rain tropical forest, birding and especially to encounter the chimpanzees in their natural environment. Other primates you might see include black and white colobus, red tailed monkey and velvet monkey. After lunch, visit the ecotourism project in Bigodi, a small village close to Kibale forest. The local community organizes “village walks” to see the typical homestead, to hear storytellers, the local healer and get an idea of the traditional culture of the Batoro and Bakiga. In the evening you will have chance to see view points of the Kasenda Crater Lakes or to take the short trekking to Mahoma Falls from Rusoona village, a very unusual and remote destination. In the evening you go back to the lodge for dinner and overnight at Nyinabulitwa Country Resort / Primate Lodge. FB
Day 6 – Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast, the journey through Uganda proceeds to the “pearl” of the national parks, Queen Elizabeth, which lies between Lake George on the East, Lake Edward on the West and the Rwenzori Mountains on the North. Have a game drive as you go for lunch to the lodge. In the afternoon, take the most exciting safari by boat from Mweya peninsula along Kazinga channel, one of the most popular sites in Uganda for its concentration of wildlife, bird’s life and opportunities for good photographs. Moreover, you will see plenty of hippos, buffaloes and elephants while drinking from the channel. In the evening you go for another short game drive and try out your luck. Return at lush to your lodge for dinner and overnight, Mweya Safari Lodge / Jacana Safari Lodge (C) or Simba Safari Lodge (E). FB
Day 7 – Queen Elizabeth National Park
After a cup of coffee, at 6.30 am go for a game drive along the tracks of the national park, in the Northern side towards Lake George and Kasenyi village. You might see lions, elephants, buffaloes, spotted hyenas, waterbucks, Ugandan kobs, perhaps the leopard though is shy and rare to be seen. Reach up to the Baboon cliffs and the splendid crater lakes region. Lunch. In the afternoon the exploration of the park continues: it is possible to see the shore of Lake Edward at Katwe where the salt is produced or the Show Bill swamp on Lake George. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight, Mweya Safari Lodge / Jacana Safari Lodge (C) or Simba Safari Lodge (E). FB
Day 8 – Ishasha in Queen Elizabeth
After breakfast, leave the Northern sector of Queen Elizabeth and proceed to the southern sector, Ishasha, a vast savannah between the rivers Ishasha and Ntungwe. After lunch, take a game drive in search for the “tree climbing lions” which are seen during the hot hours of the day, as they lie resting on top of Figs trees. See also herds of buffaloes, elephants, topi antelopes and more. Dinner and overnight at Ntungwe River Camp – Savannah Resort. FB
Day 9 – South West of Uganda – Bwindi Impenetrable
After breakfast, your journey heads southwards, where you find the rain tropical forests which are the natural habitat for the endangered mountain gorillas. You will reach an altitude of up to 2300 m above sea level in Bwindi. The choice of the area of the “gorilla safari” depends on the availability and allocation of the permits for this activity.Lunch. You arrive in Bwindi National Park for dinner and overnight, Bwindi Engagi Lodge – Nkuringo Safari Lodge (C) or Buhoma Community Rest Camp – Kisoro Travellers Hotel (E). FB
Note: Today transfer is variable, according to the location of the gorilla permits and road conditions. In case the tracking is planned in Rwanda Volcanoes National park, this will be communicated in advance.
Day 10 – Mountain gorilla safari
Early in the morning you enter the rain tropical forest of Bwindi for the gorilla safari. The activity starts at 8am and you will follow the ranger guides in a group of maximum 8 people as you search for the habituated family of mountain gorillas. Bwindi forest in Uganda has a population of about 370 gorillas, which is half the world population according to 2007 gorilla population surveys. It is not predictable the time you will spend to encounter the gorillas. You have one hour for observing the primates and their behaviors, while taking photographs. Ensure you take the packed lunch and water with you in the bag and you might engage for this the support of available porters. In the evening proceed to Lake Bunyonyi, wonderful scenery, for dinner and overnight at Arcadia Cottages – Heritage Lodge (C) or Panorama Jajama Lodge (E).
Day 11 – Lake Bunyonyi – Lake Mburo National Park
After breakfast, enjoy one of the most extraordinary wildlife and birding experience by boat as you cross the Lake Bunyonyi. The forested green islands on the lake are home to different species of endemic birds which the guide will help you to spot. Lunch in Kabale in the Kigezi region, the so called “Switzerland of Africa” characterized by terraced cultivated hills. The inhabitants are the Bakiga and you can visit the local Bakiga cultural museum. In the afternoon proceed to Lake Mburo National Park, the smallest of Ugandan National Parks. As you enter, go for game drive in search for the beautiful impalas, elands, topi and many antelopes, buffaloes, zebras. Dinner and overnight at Mihingo Lodge (C) or budget accommodation in Masaka (E).FB
Note: the accommodation in Masaka is outside the park therefore it will not be possible an extra game drive in the morning.
Day 12 – Return
After breakfast, proceed back to Entebbe and reserved for departure from Entebbe International airport. If you are spending the night inside the park, in the morning you will have another game drive or nature walk. Lunch en route. HB.
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