Itinerary Highlights
- Awe-inspiring encounter with Mountain gorillas
- Tracking wild Chimpanzees in Kibale Forest
- Carnivores and ungulates in Queen Elizabeth NP
- Birdlife galore!
- Boat excursion on Kazinga Channel and guided bush walk in Mburo National Park
What's Included
- Flights
- Accommodation Throughout
- Travel Guide
- Transfers
11 nights from £8,825 per person
Candice Buchan
Travel Specialist
For first time visitors to Uganda, this private, fully-guided tour is an excellent choice. The itinerary takes in a smorgasbord of Uganda's better-known highlights: expore the Mweya and Ishasha sectors of Queen Elizabeth National Park for savannah habitat, plains game and predators; enjoy the beautiful equatorial forest of Kibale for Chimpanzees, smaller primates and rare birds; visit Lake Mburo for a walk on the wild side, and of course, spend time at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for its incredible Mountain gorillas.
Throughout, you'll have the services of one of our excellent, experienced, professional and knowledgeable driver-guides. Accommodation is in very comforable lodges.
Please note that demand oftentimes exceeds the daily availability of Gorilla permits, so if you plan to travel during peak season (Jul - Sep), do contact us soonest to avoid disappointment.
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Itinerary
Day 1 Flight: UK - Entebbe
Welcome to Uganda!
Take a daytime flight (we recommend KLM) from London Heathrow or selected other UK airports (if you're travelling from UK), arriving into Entebbe this evening.
Upon your arrival you will be welcomed and transferred to the comfortable and well-located Boma Hotel to stay the night with breakfast included.
Day 2 Entebbe - Kibale Forest National Park (drive)
An approximately 6-hour drive on good roads in your private, customized 4-wheel drive vehicle, will take you via town of Fort Portal to the beautiful Kibale Forest National Park.
Here you will stay for 2 nights at the very well-located Primate Kibale Lodge in an en suite cottage, with all meals included.
Your dedicated driver-guide will take you to Bigodi Wetland this afternoon, where among various species of monkey, you have the chance to seek Grey-cheeked mangabey (pictured here)
Day 3 Chimpanzee Trek, Kibale Forest National Park
Spend a half-day tracking wild Chimpanzees in Kibale Forest, a superb opportunity to follow our closest relatives and observe their daily activities, accompanying the reserve researchers and rangers.
This is an early start to watch the chimps wake up, search for food and spend the full day enjoying their behaviour without interfering or changing their natural environment.
We can also arrange a full-day habituation experience for those who are keen - call us for details.
Staying at
Primate Lodge Kibale
Day 4 Kibale Forest National Park - Mweya Sector, Queen Elizabeth National Park (drive)
Depart for the Queen Elizabeth National Park which will take about 3-hours. Stay 2 nights at the Elephant Plains Lodge, which is well located for game drives in Mweya/Kasenyi Plains, as well as launch cruises on the Kazinga Channel.
Mweya/Kasenyi Plains offers very rewarding game viewing, with sightings including African elephant, Cape buffalo and African lions. The boat rides along Kazinga channel linking lakes George and Edward affords plenty of opportunity to see some of Africa’s highest densities of Hippos as well as plenty of enormous Nile crocodiles. Of course birdlife here is abundant.
Day 5 Mweya Sector, Queen Elizabeth National Park
In the morning, enjoy a game drive in wildlife-rich Mweya. After lunch, embark on a launch cruise on the Kazinga Channel.
Staying at
Elephant Plains Lodge
Day 6 Mweya - Ishasha, Queen Elizabeth National Park (drive)
Take a game drive southwards through Mweya to the Ishasha sector of the national park. Its this area where Lions are noted for their tree climbing propensities.
You continue to the beautifully located Ishasha Wilderness Camp on the banks of the Ntungwe River for an overnight stay with all meals included.
Day 7 Ishasha - Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park (drive)
Game drive out of Ishasha, during which one of the targets you'll be seeking are the 'tree-climbing Lions, such as this one pictured in a Candelabra tree.
Continue southwards to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park - the drive time today is about 3 - 4 hours depending on stops taken for sightseeing.
Stay for 2 nights at the very comfortable Buhoma Lodge, with its elevated views over the tropical rainforest, with all meals included.
Time allowing, we recommend a nature walk, especially for keen birders wanting to see some of the 'ARE's (Albertine Rift Endemic species) which are resident here.
Day 8 Gorilla Trek, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
The lodge is a 5-minute walk to the park HQ, where guests gather early in the morning for a briefing on conduct during Gorilla tracking and then, with trackers and scouts, head out in search of a habituated Gorilla family.
Once reached (this can take anything from 40 minutes to a 3 - 4 hours), enjoy that golden hour among these gentle and Critically Endangered giants which form the backbone of Uganda's flourishing wildlife tourism industry.
Staying at
Buhoma Lodge
Day 9 Bwindi - Lake Mburo National Park (drive)
After a leisurely breakfast, drive along the Kigezi Highlands to scenic Lake Mburo National Park - this will take approximately 6 - 7 hours.
Your ends at the charming Mihingo Lodge, a quiet retreat overlooking a waterhole, for a 1 night stay in a thatched roof walk in tent on raised wooden platform, with all meals included.
In the late afternoon, you'll be taken for a game drive in the national park.
A treat here is the presence of some Greater galago (bushbabies), which the staff may be able to show you at night. Birders can seek among others, the Acacia-specialist Red-faced barbet (pictured).
Day 10 Lake Mburo National Park - Entebbe (and Departure)
After breakfast, enjoy a guided bush walk in Mburo National Park.
A final 5 hour road journey will take you to Entebbe via the Equator marker. You will have the use of a day/evening room in Papyrus Guest House.
In the evening, you will be transferred to Entebbe Airport to check in for your late night flight back to the UK.
Day 11 Arrival home
Arrive back into London Heathrow or selected other UK airports, after a wonderful Uganda experience!
Candice Buchan
Travel Specialist
Pricing Information & Dates
11 nights from £8,825 per person
Candice Buchan
Travel Specialist
Price Includes
- Return International Flights as per the itinerary
- All airport taxes and security charges
- Accommodation and meals as specified
- Transfers as specified
- Activities and excursions as specified
- All entrace fees on sightseeing tours as specified
* Return international flights (economy class seating) from London Heathrow or selected other UK airports if travelling from UK, with airport taxes,
* All meals except in Entebbe where meal plan is B&B
* Private road transfers in customized 4-wheel drive vehicle
* Services of your dedicated, professional, experienced, English-speaking Ugandan driver-guide
* National Park permits and park guide/scout fees,
* All game drives and walks; boat trips as outlined
* 1 Uganda gorilla permit per person and 1 chimpanzee tracking permit per person
Price Excludes
- Travel Insurance
- Any meals not specified in the itinerary
- Tips and gratuities
- Optional excursions
* Items of a personal nature (drinks, tips, travel insurance, phone calls, laundry)
* Visa fees
Pricing Notes
Should you wish to Travel on your own as a Single Traveller staying in One Single Room it will cost an additional £2,410
Why Choose Us?
Passionate travel experts
- We've been leading wildlife travel since our first South Africa tours over 25 years ago
- Our Travel Specialists have lived in their specialist area for years
- We work with local guides to immerse you deeper in our diverse range of experiences
Personal & tailor-made
- You'll speak to your own expert who'll share their first-hand knowledge
- We'll make your itinerary seamless with 24/7 emergency contact available
- Your Travel Specialist will listen to ensure you have the best chance of seeing the wildlife you love
Responsible by nature
- We take care to actively contribute to the conservation of environments we visit
- For select countries, we make a charitable donation on your behalf when you make your booking
- We've partnered with conservation experts and NGOs to curate responsible tours
For the latest travel advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office check www.gov.uk/travelaware
