Best of Uganda

The source of the Nile river starts in the Rwenzoris, Africa’s tallest mountain range that stretch across western Uganda shrouded in mist and teeming with glaciers, waterfalls and alpine lakes. These ‘mountain’s of the moon’ are the home of Uganda’s mountain gorillas and tracking them through this majestic habitat is one of the country’s most iconic experiences.    

Nature – diverse and resplendent – looms large in Uganda. And Ugandans have worked hard to create and maintain national parks and conservation zones for its incredible biodiversity. Rafting the Nile is a world-class adrenaline adventure while booking a safari will most likely reveal Africa’s Big Five. There are fewer visitors here than in other parts of East Africa so the only competition you’ll have for space is the odd hippo wandering into your campsite.
 

Photos

Itinerary

• Day 1

  Arrival at Entebbe International Airport, Uganda

  Meet and greet at Entebbe International Airport where your Uganda Adventure Safari starts by our representative who will warmly welcome you and facilitate seamless arrival formalities. Your will then be transferred to your hotel where you will be briefed about your adventure safari.
  
  On the shores of gorgeous Lake Victoria, Entebbe is an attractive, verdant town that served as the capital city during the early years of the British protectorate. Today it’s the relaxed pace of life and nearby natural attractions that give the city its charm.
  
  Unless you have reason to rush into Kampala, Entebbe makes a nice, chilled-out introduction to Uganda, and many visitors prefer to base themselves here for a few days rather than in Kampala's traffic-choked streets. It’s also the ideal place to end your trip if you’re stuck with one of the many early-morning flights out of Uganda’s only international airport.
  
  Check in at hotel
  
  Depending on the time of arrival you are advised to have money Changed on this day and time allowing you may go for city tour with the help of our driver/guide, visit the shopping Malls around town and craft villages to get items which you may need while in upcountry
  
  Overnight at Entebbe

• Day 2

  Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park with stopover for Rhino Tracking

  After your early morning breakfast drive northwest to Murchison Falls National Park, you may stopover at the Rhino Sanctuary for an optional opportunity to trek Rhinos at an extra fee of $45 per person.
  
  There are 15 Rhinos which were reintroduced after their extinction in the 1970s through poaching. A local ranger guide will lead you on foot to an up-close encounter with the rhinos and it may take about 1 and half hours.
  
  Proceed to Masindi Town for lunch at your expense and later continue to Murchison Falls National Park arriving at your lodge late afternoon … Total drive of 340 kms. / 6 hrs. drive .
  
  Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda's best-known and biggest nature reserve, and its impressive animal populations and superb activities are further augmented by its location, which straddles the Victoria Nile as it makes its way through multiple rapids and waterfalls (including the enormously impressive Murchison Falls) to Lake Albert. This is an exceptional place to see wildlife and a trip along the Nile should not be missed, not least in order to see the powerful Murchison Falls up close, a simply unforgettable experience.
  
  Once one of Africa’s most famous parks, Murchison had legendary numbers of animals, including as many as 15,000 elephants. Unfortunately, during the war years poachers and troops wiped out practically all wildlife. However, while the park's rhino population was wiped out entirely, all other wildlife has recovered fast since peace returned; elephants, giraffes, lions, antelope, waterbucks, buffaloes, hippos and crocodiles can all be seen with ease today.
  
  Rest of the day at leisure
  
  Dinner & Overnight at Murchison Falls National Park

• Day 3

  Murchison Falls National Park / Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise on the Nile

  Arise very early in the morning for your game drive on the northern bank of the River Nile in your open-roof vehicle which will give you an excellent opportunity to view and photograph the diverse wildlife. Your guide will help you spot elephant, lion, cape buffalo, Roth child’s giraffe, hartebeest, waterbuck, oribi, bushbuck, bohor reed buck, hyena and if you are lucky, the leopard.
  
  After lunch, go for a boat cruise upstream the calm Victoria Nile to the base of the falls stopping just few of meters from the ‘Devil’s Cauldron’, marvel at the schools of hippos, crocodiles and over the 17km stretch you may see elephant, waterbuck and Uganda Kob. This is also the zone of many birds, species like goliath heron, Egyptian goose, pelican bee-eater, kingfisher, hornbill, cormorant and the rare shoebill stork.
  
  After taking shorts of the photogenic Murchison Falls, you may continue to the top of the falls at an extra fee of $15 per person where you will have the amazing view of the falls! See where the Nile -world's longest river explodes violently through a narrow cleft in the Rift Valley escarpment to plunge into a frothing pool 43m below. Later, return to your lodge and relax in the evening.
  
  Alternatively, you may choose to pay a supplement of $500 per group below 10 Persons to join a boat cruise to the bottom of the falls where you will mix with the high concentration of mammals as well you will get a chance of coming close to the endemic Albertine rift Shoe bill stork in the wilderness
  
  Dinner & Overnight at Murchison Falls National Park

• Day 4

  Transfer from Murchison Falls National Park to Kibale National Park

  After your morning breakfast, carry packed lunch from the Lodge and begin your journey to Kibale Forest National Park … 335 kms. / 6 hrs. drive
  
  Drive south via Hoima to Fort Portal through verdant countryside passing through traditional homesteads, farms and Tea Estates.
  
  The 795-sq-km Kibale National Park is a lush tropical rainforest, believed to have the highest density of primates in Africa. It's most famous for being one of the best places in the world to track wild chimpanzees, with five groups habituated to human contact. It's home to 13 primate species, with the rare red colobus and L’Hoest’s monkeys the other highlights.
  
  Larger but rarely seen residents include bushbucks, sitatungas, buffaloes, leopards and quite a few forest elephants. There are also an incredible 250 species of butterfly that live here. While on the smaller side, Kibale also has a great bird list with 372 species.
  
  The park visitor centre is at Kanyanchu, 35km southeast of Fort Portal.
  
  You will arrive at your lodge in the late afternoon. Rest of the day at leisure
  
  Dinner and overnight stay at Kibale National Park

• Day 5

  Kibale National Park / Morning Chimpanzee tracking and optional Bigodi swamp walk in the afternoon

  After breakfast at your lodge, transfer to the starting point of your Chimpanzee tracking experience in Kibale Forest National Park which is reputed to have the greatest variety and highest concentration of primates in East Africa.
  
  The most famous of its 13 species is the Chimpanzee, man’s closest relative. Kibale’s 1450 Chimpanzee represent Uganda’s largest population of this endangered primate. Kibale is also a home to the rare I’Hoest’s monkey.
  
  Other primates include the black and white Colobus, Blue monkey, Grey cheeked mangabey, Red tailed monkey, Olive baboon to mention but a few. So you will enjoy a guided nature walk in the tropical rainforest in search of the wild chimpanzees, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys and many others. Although chimp sightings are not guaranteed, visitors stand a good chance of hearing and seeing our distant cousins as they gloom and bond with one another.
  
  Alternatively you may opt to do chimpanzee habituation experience by paying a supplement of $70, this exercise takes the whole entire day. Only 6 people are allowed per day and you will be sure to come face to face with these closest cousins of man. Advance booking is necessary for this option.
  
  After lunch, head to Bigodi for an optional afternoon swamp walk at an extra fee of $45 per person. Bigodi was established by a local development organization to protect the 4sq-km Magombe Swamp that's home to around 200 species of birds (highlights include papyrus gonolek, white-winged warbler and great blue turaco).
  
  The highlight of this tour is catching a glimpse of the great blue turaco. The swamp is also good for spotting butterflies and primates, with 8 different species here, including grey-cheeked mangabey. The 2-3 hour guided walk is led by experienced local guides who interact with the guests and make the trip both enjoyable and exciting.
  
  Dinner and overnight stay at Kibale National Park
  
  Don’t forget to carry your rain gear, packed lunch, plenty of water, gloves, hat, and water proof bag for protection of your camera in case of rain

• Day 6

  Visit Tooro Palace and Have an optional Ambere ga nyina Mwiru visit – Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park and Boat Cruise on Kazinga Channel

  After your breakfast, you may enjoy an optional community walk and Crater hike leading to Amabeere nga nyina mwiru caves at an extra fee of $11 per person – the Amabere Ga Nyina Mwiru Caves and the three surrounding Explosion Crater Lakes make it a most interesting day adventure! Hit up the trails characterised with a slippery jungle path leading to mysterious hidden Amabere Caves and the three surrounding crater lakes.
  
  Amabere Ga Nyina Mwiru means “the breasts of Nyina Mwiru – these are traditionally surrounded by different myths and folklore which has it that the caves acquired the name after King Bukuku of Toro chopped off the breasts of his daughter Nyina Mwiru and had them thrown inside these caves, following a prophecy that the daughter would one day get married and have a son, Ndahura, who would kill the king and take over his throne. According to local legend the prophecy came true. While another myth has it that the breasts were chopped off following her refusal to marry the suiter that was choosen for her by her parents. Get More astonishing and interesting stories while you are there.
  
  Alternatively, after breakfast at your lodge before you proceed to Queen Elizabeth National Park following the mystical Rwenzori Mountain Range. Your expert driver guide will take you to Visit the Tooro Palace, see the beauty of Tooro and listen to their history, later proceed to the Park and enroute with a game drive where you might spot some animals.
  
  Continue drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park … Total drive of 125 kms. / 3 hrs. drive
  Few reserves in the world can boast such a high biodiversity rating and with landscapes including savannah, bushland, wetlands and lush forests. Covering 1978 sq km, scenic Queen Elizabeth National Park (founded as Kazinga National Park in 1952; later renamed to commemorate a visit by Queen Elizabeth II) is one of the most popular parks in Uganda. The park is inhabited by 96 species of mammals, including healthy numbers of hippos, elephants, lions and leopards as well as chimps and hyenas. The remote Ishasha sector, in the far south of the park, is famous for its tree-climbing lions; these females, who enjoy spending the long, hot afternoons snoozing photogenically in fig trees, are the most memorable sight in the entire park, but don't miss the superb birdlife or the wonderful boat trip on the Kazinga Channel either.
  
  Upon arriving at your lodge, you will enjoy a hot lunch and later in the afternoon take a unique 2-hour boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel into Lake Edward. This trip passes through possibly the highest concentration of hippos and 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.
  
  Dinner and overnight stay at Queen Elizabeth National Park
  
  Don’t forget to carry your rain gear, packed lunch, plenty of water, gloves, hat, and water proof bag for protection of your camera in case of rain if you are interested in amabeere Nga nyina Mwiru Caves

• Day 7

  Queen Elizabeth National Park / Game drive or Optional hot air Balloon safari and Afternoon Optional Nature Walk to the bat cave

  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.
  
  Have an early morning game drive where you have an opportunity to view the massive Rwenzori as backdrop, which provides excellent opportunities to spot lion, leopard, giant forest hog, Cape buffalo, elephant, defassa waterbuck, Uganda Kob, topi and bushbuck.
  
  The game drives and the boat trip (taken prior) are memorable methods of discovering a vast array of Ugandan wildlife. Be sure to have your camera ready for these amazing sightings!
  
  Alternatively you may opt to go for a balloon safari on payment of a supplement of $380. Arise early in the morning and proceed to the starting point of your balloon safari at the Kasenyi gate of Queen Elizabeth NP at 5:30am.
  
  This early drive in the dark is a chance to see nocturnal animals that live in and around the park. You will meet your pilot and be given a safety briefing and instructions for boarding the balloon as well as landing procedures.
  
  The flight gives you great photo opportunities that are different from an ordinary safari on the ground. As you gently drift over the park, you can watch the sun rise as savannah below come to life with birds and animals. After landing, celebrate the flight with a glass of sparkling wine.
  
  After the toast, passengers sit down to a delectable bush breakfast prepared by Mweya Safari Lodge. The bush breakfast makes for a memorable ending to your ballooning adventure in Queen Elizabeth NP.
  
  Have an afternoon optional Nature Walk at an extra fee of $30 per person to the bat and hunters cave where we take a close look at the bats, rock python and forest cobras. The same walk will provide a chance of seeing birds, primates, tree species etc. Return to the lodge for dinner and your last overnight stay.
  
  Dinner and overnight stay at Queen Elizabeth National NP

• Day 8

  Morning Tree Climbing Lions Search & Afternoon Transfer to Bwindi

  After your early morning breakfast, pack-up your bags and transfer to Ishasha Plains for a game drive- Ishasha is a Sector in Queen Elizabeth characterized with its beautifull spectacular highlight of the tree climbing lions, Enjoy the wilderness and its habitants that are highlighted by Uganda’s Tree Climbing Lions as well as numerous Birds and more Mammals.
  
  Have Lunch and Proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park … 295 kms. / 6 hrs. drive
  As names go, there's hardly a more evocative destination than the Impenetrable Forest of Bwindi. This swath of steep mountains covered in thick, steamy jungle is just as magnificent as it sounds. The 331-sq-km World Heritage–listed Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of Africa’s most ancient habitats, even surviving the last Ice Age as most of the continent's other forests disappeared.
  
  The combination of its broad altitude span (1160m to 2607m) and its antiquity has produced an incredible diversity of flora and fauna, resulting in some 120 mammal species and over 350 bird species calling Bwindi home. The stars of the show, however, are the approximately 400 mountain gorillas living here. This is one of the best places in the world to see mountain gorillas up close. Having a look at these critically endangered creatures up close is an unforgettable experience – don't miss it.
  
  Check in at your resort
  
  Dinner and overnight stay at Bwindi National Park

• Day 9

  Bwindi National Park / Ultimate Gorilla Tracking

  After an early breakfast depart to the starting point for briefing about your gorilla trekking adventure after which you will be led by experienced gorilla trackers on the slopes of the volcanoes.
  
  You will start from the site where the gorillas were encountered the day before and from here the gorilla tracking begins. Although the hike can be physically demanding, the anticipation of the exciting experience ahead is amazing, and the beauty of the gorilla forest and its inhabitants are fascinating.
  
  One of Africa’s major highlights is when you encounter these gentle apes. It is a humbling experience to stand just meters from man’s distant cousins as they eat rest, play and bond with their young ones. Follow the mountain gorillas as they range freely in the impenetrable forest, and discover their gorgeous natural habitual and the many species they share it with. You are allowed an hour with the gorillas before finally sloping down back to your lodge.
  
  If your trek was relatively short, you may have a guided community walk around the lodge and the surrounding communities in the evening. Return to the lodge where you will enjoy dinner with your fellow travelers before getting a good night’s rest for tomorrow's journey.
  Don’t forget to carry your rain gear, packed lunch, plenty of water, gloves, hat, and water proof bag for protection of your camera in case of rain
  
  You may opt for Gorilla Habituation on supplement of $900 per person – here you will be sure of meeting and spending enough time with the Gorillas.
  
  Dinner and overnight stay at Bwindi National Park

• Day 10

  Bwindi National Park to Kampala

  Have early morning breakfast, drive back to Kampala with a stopover for lunch in Mbarara and another stopover at the Equator where you will have an opportunity to stand in 2 hemispheres at the same time.
  
  Take some photos, then another stop over at the Mpigi Royal Drum Makers where you will be able to watch the ceremonial drums being crafted using methods passed down through the generations arriving in the afternoon.
  
  Continue drive to Kampala … total drive of 495 kms. / 8 to 9 hrs.
  
  Bustling Kampala makes a good introduction to Uganda. It’s a dynamic and engaging city, with several worthy attractions to keep you occupied for a couple of days. As the heartland of the Buganda kingdom, Kampala has a rich and colourful history, visible in several fascinating palaces and compounds from where the nation was run until the arrival of colonialism.
  
  Kampala has several faces. There's the impossibly energetic central Kampala, its streets thronging with shoppers, hawkers, and the most mind-bogglingly packed bus and taxi parks you’re ever likely to see. As you head up Nakasero Hill, you quickly hit Kampala’s most expensive hotels and the urban core fades into something of a garden city. The contrast is thoroughly Ugandan, and just another reason many people love Kampala.
  
  Check in at hotel on arrival
  
  Today at Kampala you can engage in optional but yet interesting activities with your guide such as;
  
  a. You may opt to hike the famous Gadhafi Mosque tower at an extra fee of about $8; this will reward you with the most magnificent view of Kampala City and its immediate neighborhood. We shall view the original seven hills on which Kampala city, the capital of Uganda stood spreading to over 21 – 22 neighboring hills presently that today envelope beautiful villas with a contradiction of a massive stretched slum that fringe our city.
  b. Or, you may have a guided Owino Market Walk where you will mix in the drama and competition of the natives as they excise their different marketing skills and tricks of attracting people to their merchandise – Owino Market Sprawls around Nakivubo Stadium and has everything from traditional medicines to televisions. It’s most famous for its second-hand clothing, but you can also buy some material and let one of the army of tailors sews you something new! It's possible to spend hours here, not least because it’s so hard to find your way out. Watch your belongings!
  c. Or, visit the Uganda Wildlife Education center (UWEC) at an extra fee of $15 per person. Here you are sure of closely encountering mammals, primates, plants and bird species that include the Albertine endemic shoebill all in captivity among other wildlife species.
  d. Or, choose to sum up your safari adventure with a sunset cruise on waters of Lake Victoria in Entebbe at an extra fee of $35 per person; you may sample delicious fish still at your cost while there!
  
  Overnight at Kampala

• Day 11

  Kampala to Lemala Wild Waters Lodge, Kalagala Island, River Nile

  After breakfast depart for Lemala Wild Waters Lodge
  
  Drive to Jinja, meet staff from Lemala Lodge, and from there take Canoe to Kalagala Island on River Nile. Reach Lemala Wild Waters Lodge for an experience of a life time.
  
  Nestled in a luxuriant rainforest on its own private island, mid-stream in the mighty Nile, Lemala Wildwaters Lodge is breath-taking.
  
  Thick riverine forest naturally covers the island and each of the ten timber-floor rooms is nestled amidst the forest with private views over the River Nile and its rapids. The expansive, canvas walled, traditionally thatched rooms each boast private decks with elegant free-standing baths and wash basins carved from the local pink granite. Softly lit with hand made furniture, you can relax in comfort on this island paradise listening to the thunder of the Nile rapids, and the calls of the many species of bird who call the island home.
  
  Elevated wooden walkways gracefully link the rooms to the restaurant and bar area and offer an unforgettable walk through the heart of the forest.
  
  Full day at leisure to relax at Lemala Lodge or indulge in activities at the resort
  
  Dinner & overnight at Lemala Wild Waters Lodge, Kalagala Island

• Day 12

  Lemala Wild Waters Lodge / At leisure

  Day at leisure
  
  The main lodge is located quite unbelievably on a solid rock peninsula, amidst the rapids of the River Nile.
  
  Relax here, cooled by the constant breezes from the racing rapids or plunge into the adjacent natural swimming pool, carved by the river over millennia from pink granite. This is the ultimate location to enjoy one of the last wild areas of the entire Nile.
  
  The lodge is at the heart of the newly formed Wild waters Reserve, a group of mid-stream islands in the Nile, mostly widely recognised as the home for the legendary white water rafting on the Nile.
  
  They are also home to river otters, giant monitor lizards and hundreds of species of birds. The lodge is the centre-piece for a conservation initiative aimed at protecting this pristine riverine environment for future generations, in part by ensuring that the local communities benefit directly from the visitors to the lodge and the protection of these beautiful, heavily forested islands in the Nile.
  
  Dinner & overnight at Lemala Wild Waters Lodge, Kalagala Island

• Day 13

  Lemala Wild Waters Lodge to Kampala / Departure flight

  After breakfast, depart from Lemala Lodge for Kampala airport
  
  Drop to Kampala airport for onward flight

Notes

Round the year destination ... Extension recommended to Kenya, South Africa & Tanzania

Hotels

The Boma Guest House Entebbe

Entebbe

Murchison River Lodge Murchison Falls National Park

Murchison Falls National Park

Kibale Forest Camp Kibale National Park

Kibale National Park

Mweya Safari Lodge Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Lake Mutanda Resort Bwindi National Park

Bwindi National Park

Sheraton Kampala

Kampala

Lemala Wildwaters Lodge Jinja

Jinja, Kalagala Island, River Nile

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