Classic Uganda Safari

BRIEF ITINERARY

Day 1 | Arrive Entebbe

Arrive at Entebbe International Airport where you will be met by our representative and transferred to the Boma Hotel (or similar) to overnight.  Depending on your arrival time, a half day trip to Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary may be arranged at an additional cost.  Other options include boat cruises on Lake Victoria or the Uganda Wildlife Education Center in Entebbe, where there are a variety of visitor’s programs including behind the scenes work with the animals. 

Day 2 | Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park | Buhoma Lodge

Today you'll be transferred to the Entebbe domestic airport for your flight to Kihihi airstrip, near Bwindi and Queen Elizabeth National Parks.  For the next three nights your home will be the Buhoma Lodge.  The flight takes just over an hour and upon arrival you will be met by our representative and driven to Buhoma Lodge, located on the edge of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.  The drive to the lodge is through local villages, mountain roads, and lovely scenery making for very interesting drive!

Day 3 | Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park | Buhoma Lodge

Today is the day you've been waiting for:  tracking mountain gorillas in the dense jungle!  You will have an opportunity to be within a few yards of these magnificent apes, sharing in their daily lives and experiencing their day-to-day activities.  Mountain gorillas are extremely rare with only an estimated 850 remaining in the wild.  This is an experience you won’t soon forget! 

Day 4 | Second Gorilla Trek or other activities | Buhoma Lodge

Depending on individual preferences there are a variety of different itinerary options for this day.  Embark on a second gorilla trek, enjoy a guided forest walk, visit a Batwa pygmy, or simply relax and explore the nearby Buhoma village. 

Days 5 & 6 | Queen Elizabeth National Park | Ishasha Wilderness Camp

Depart Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and travel by road (2-3 hours) to Ishasha in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park.  Time permitting, during our drive from Bwindi to Ishasha, we may visit a Community Project on the border of Queen Elizabeth National Park.  Here the local people allow you to enjoy some time in their homesteads and visit the local elephant trench project – which stops elephants coming into the village and raiding crops.  Spend the next 2 days on game drives in the Ishasha area, looking for the huge herds of buffalo, elephant, Uganda kob and of course the famous tree-climbing lion typically found in the area.

Day 7 | Queen Elizabeth National Park | Mweya Lodge

Continue north to the Mweya area of Queen Elizabeth National Park, also rich with wildlife.  The many nearby crater lakes and mountain ranges provide a beautiful backdrop for your journey.  Enjoy a leisurely boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park.  You may encounter herds of elephant, many birds, buffaloes and antelopes, large groups of hippos, and crocodiles basking on the shore.   The cruise also provides a spectacular view of the beautiful Mweya Peninsula and life in local fishing villages set along the banks.

Day 8 | Kibale Forest National Park | Primate Lodge

This morning you travel to the Kyambura Gorge to enjoy chimpanzee trekking and then continue north to Kibale National Park, about 3 hours by road.  On a clear day you may get views of the Rwenzoris in the distance.  Two nights spent in the area to allow time for chimpanzee tracking in the forest.  You can also join a guided forest walk, visit the Bigodi Swamps, or the Vanilla Farm close to Ndali Lodge.

Day 9 | Chimp Trekking in Kibale Forest National Park | Primate Lodge

This activity will generally take place in the morning.  We'll arrive at the Kibale Forest National Parks’ headquarters to meet your guides for your morning’s chimp trekking experience.  The forest is alive with noise and you should be lucky enough to see the habituated chimps during your trek.  In the afternoon, you can also join a guided forest walk, visit the Bigodi Swamps, or the Vanilla Farm close to Ndali Lodge.

Day 10 | Return to Entebbe

Depart after an early breakfast for the drive back to Entebbe, stopping for curio shopping on the roadside and a quick photo stop at the Equator.  Arriving back in Entebbe in the late afternoon. The rest of the evening is at your leisure.  

We have scheduled departures dates throughout 2020.  Contact us for dates and availability.

Accommodation will be comfortable, luxurious lodges.  Here's a sample and for full details, please download the full itinerary. 

Buhoma Lodge commands spectacular and uninterrupted views of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home to the endangered mountain gorilla.  Situated on the edge of the National Park, Buhoma is just a short walk from the meeting point for gorilla tracking.   Buhoma Lodge is eco-friendly and has been constructed using sustainable local materials where possible and uses solar power.  Each chalet has a private verandah and enormous windows, giving spectacular views of the forest canopy.  Awaken to chattering forest birds, and the occasional screech of a monkey.   Mountain Gorillas have even been spotted in the garden!  The open-air lounge and bar area offer uninterrupted views, and whether the eerie mists of the forest envelope the surrounding hills, or the views are crisp and bright, Buhoma offers its own special magic. 

Ishasha Wilderness Camp is situated inside the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park on the Ntungwe River.  The camp is an idyllic retreat for people who truly enjoy the wilderness.  This exclusive camp offers quality accommodation and services in this unspoiled remote southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park.  Each of the ten spacious framed canvas rooms, situated in the wooded area besides the river, is comfortably furnished and with large mosquito netted beds, its own private en-suite bathroom and dressing area providing running water, hot water ‘bush’ showers and a flushing eco-friendly toilet.  A central lounge and dining area, under a cool thatched roof, provides a comfortable environment for meals and relaxing during the day.  A shaded area beside the river offers al fresco dining and an evening ‘fireplace’ for guests to relax with sundowners and share their day’s experience.

Transport: You'll travel in rugged, custom-built Land Cruisers. The vehicles are comfortable for cruising and excellent for game viewing with large sliding windows and a top hatch for ease of viewing.  There are several long days of travel providing for a beautiful journey on the way to exciting and varied destinations.

GROUP SIZE:  Guaranteed departure with a minimum of 2.

PAYMENT: A non-refundable, 20% deposit is required to confirm booking.  Balance is due 7 weeks before departure. 

Other terms & conditions apply.

PERMITS (not included in rate):

Uganda Gorilla Permit: $700/person; non-refundable

Rwanda Gorilla Permit: $1500/person; non-refundable

Kibale Chimp Permit: $200/person; non-refundable

Kibale Chimp Habituation Permit: $250/person; non-refundable

Kyambura Chimp Permit: $50/person; non-refundable

Bwindi Forest Guided Walk: $70/person

Buhoma Village Visit: $30/person

Batwa Pygmy Visit: $85/person

Bigodi Swamp Walk, Kibale: $20/person