Safari Itinerary

Day 1 Fort Portal
After an early start in Kampala, we drive towards Fort Portal which nestles in the shadow of the fabled” Mountains of the Moon". In the afternoon we head off for a guided trek through Kibale Forest in search of man’s closest relative, the chimpanzee. Approaching and watching these creatures in their natural habitat is a fantastic wildlife viewing experience. The forest is also home to several other species of primates including black and white colobus, red colobus, olive baboon, red-tailed monkey, blue monkey, L'Hoest's monkeys as well as an incredible array of birdlife.

Day 2 Queen Elizabeth National Park
This morning, we proceed to Queen Elizabeth National Park for 3 hours following alongside the mystical Rwenzori Mountain range for much of the journey.  On route we may be rewarded with views of lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo, hyena and a variety of antelope species.  After lunch, enjoy a 2 hour boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel and into Lake Edward.  This trip passes through possibly the highest concentration of hippos in Africa. Many animals may be seen drinking at the water's edge.  This launch cruise offers an excellent platform for photography, bird watching and game viewing.  The prolific bird life is colorful and stupendous with well over 550 resident species. 

Day 3 Queen Elizabeth National Park
Today you will enjoy two game drives. Queen Elizabeth National Park's diverse eco-system of grassy plains, tropical forest, rivers, swamps, lakes and volcanic craters is home to an incredible abundance of wildlife.  Game drives in this park, with the massive Rwenzoris as a backdrop, provide  excellent opportunities to see lion, leopard, giant forest hog, Cape buffalo, elephants, defassa waterbuck, Uganda Kob, Topi and bushbuck.

Day 4 Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Today you will take your chance tracking chimps again, this time in Kyambura Gorge, before proceeding to Bwindi. We drive south west where winding roads lead through tiered agricultural lands taking up high into the mountain gorillas’ habitat. We spend the night on the misty mountains in anticipation of our tracking adventure.

Day 5 Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Rise with the sun for breakfast, followed by a meeting with a ranger guide before setting off into the gorilla sanctuary.  The rain forest offers a dramatic steeply forested landscape and is incredibly dense, criss-crossed by numerous animal trails. Your trek’s time and terrain vary according to the movements of the marvelous mountain gorillas. Tracking these gentle giants is rated as one of Africa's best wildlife watching opportunities.  Other mammals may include the rare golden monkey, buffalo, elephant, black-fronted duiker, bushbuck, leopard, and giant forest hog. By the time you return to camp your memories will be embedded in your mind forever.  

Day 6 Lake Mburo
Today we leave the mountains behind and drive through the twisted and winding roads before emerging onto the lower thorn and savannah scrub lands of Lake Mburo National Park.  Lying in the one part of Uganda covered in extensive acacia woodland, Mburo has markedly different fauna to other parks and reserves. Zebra, buffalo, Uganda Kob and plenty of other species abound in this beautiful park; this is the best place in the country to see the eland antelope. During the afternoon we take a boat trip to a fishing village, followed by evening game drive. The five lakes within the park attract hippos, crocodiles and a variety of waterbirds, while fringing swamps house the sitatunga antelope and the papyrus gonelek. Mburo is the closest national park to Kampala and offers a refreshing stopover when travelling to or from the western parks and reserves.

Day 7 Walking safari, Departure
This morning we are going to take a walking safari, complete with a ranger, to get close to the many animals that roam within the park.  Afterwards we continue our drive to Kampala, arriving at your destination by late afternoon.

Safari includes accommodations, meals as indicated, Mountain Gorilla permits ($500 US), park entry fees, game drives, boat cruise, chimpanzee permits, ranger fees, guided wild animal walk, return ground transport, and services of driver/guide.  Not included are tips, souvenirs, all beverages and items of a personal nature.  Note that at times during high season, gorilla permits may not be available in Uganda and we may need to take you into Rwanda, in which case the itinerary and price will change.

This trip can start and finish in Jinja, Kampala or Entebbe (Uganda).

Safari Grading: Moderate to Difficult – mountain gorilla trekking conditions can be hard and the length of trek can be anything from 3 to 10 hours. You will need a good level of fitness and mobility.