9 Days Panorama of Uganda Safari

On your arrival at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda you will be welcomed by our representative and transferred for overnight in BB to the hotel.

Overnight at: Cassia Lodge / Boma Guest House

After breakfast your adventure in Uganda begins by driving northwest towards Masindi and Murchison Falls conservation area, the largest conservation area in Uganda, which offers beautiful sceneries of grassland acacia savannah in the north and tropical forests in the south.nYou will stop over for a nature walk at Ziwa Rhino sanctuary, the breeding project which saw the rebirth of the endangered white rhinos in Uganda. You can see them closely while walking freely in the reserve which is their natural habitat. Lunch at the restaurant. Proceed to the national park. Check in to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Overnight at: Murchison River Lodge / Paraa Safari Lodge (Supplement for Bakers lodge) (C) or Pakuba Lodge (E). Full Board

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 excursion 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. You proceed from the excursion with the walk to the “top of the falls, where the river Nile creates a narrow canyon of thunderous water as it lowers down the Albertine Rift Valley. You will have a view from the top of the falls.

Overnight at: Dinner and overnight at Murchison River Lodge / Paraa Safari Lodge (Supplement for Bakers Lodge) (C) Pakuba Lodge (E). Full Board

Early morning after breakfast you drive to Budongo Forest, in Kaniyo-Pabidi eco-tourist site, for the tropical forest trekking to meet the Great Apes, the chimpanzees in their natural habitat. The forest also is home to many other primates such as black and white colobus monkey, red-tailed monkey, blue monkey, vervet monkey and baboons. The chimpanzee trekking is possible due to the conservation efforts by Jane Goodall Institute and the park authorities to protect the forest and the endangered chimpanzees.nLunch or packed lunch. In the afternoon, you can take a cultural activity with Boomu Women Group eco-tourist site or the Kapega Association made by local guides who have been working in the forest. This is a moment for you to interact with the people living near the forest, to see how they live. nNotes: The chimpanzee trekking activity in Uganda is done according to the rules and regulations of the park and can be reserved both in the morning hours and in the afternoon hours.nn

Overnight at: Dinner and overnight at Hoima Cultural Lodge / Bugoma Jungle Lodge. Full Board

After breakfast, you leave Hoima heading southwest along the Lake Albert and Rift Valley escarpment, with breathtaking panoramic sceneries as you drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Stop over is made in Bugoma Forest South of Hoima.nBugoma Forest: This forest with its size of 410 sq km is the habitat of the chimpanzees and Ugandan mangabeys. It is also the site for a conservation effort by Destination Jungle in support of the Association for the Conservation of Bugoma Forest. You can support the initiative of the “Chimpanzee go!”, a fund raising initiative having the objective to collect funds for reforestation projects of degraded areas; for the protection of the forest though a private patrol Chimp T-RAP project against illegal logging; to maintain a public nursery or tropical trees available in the area.nAccording to the time available, we suggest to take a nature walk in the forest or to plant a tree.Lunch en route in a restaurant. The road follows along the Rwenzori mountain range to Kasese town. nNote: Today transfer is about 6 / 8 hours drive, through dirt road and the conditions are variable according to the rains.

Overnight at: Dinner and overnight Mweya Safari Lodge/ Park View Safari lodge (C) or Ihamba Lakeside Safari Lodge / Enganzi Lodge (E) Full Board

In the early morning, take a game drive along the tracks of the national park, in the Northern sectors and towards Lake George and Kasenyi village. You might see lions, elephants, buffaloes, spotted hyenas, waterbucks, Ugandan kobs, perhaps the leopard which is a rare sight. Queen Elizabeth enjoys unique landscapes and views of crater lakes and the Albertine Rift Valley, which make this area special and unforgettable. Lunch. nIn 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 short transfer to the Ishasha sector of the park, for dinner and overnight at Ishasha Jungle Lodge. Full Board n

Overnight at: Ishasha Jungle Lodge

After breakfast, photographic safari in the Ishasha sector, the southern region of Queen Elizabeth NP, 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 many species of birds. Lunch en route. Reach Bwindi National Park by evening for dinner and overnightnNote: Today transfer can be very long up to 7 hours and depends on roads conditions and place of allocation of gorilla permits. The choice of the area of the gorilla safari depends on the availability of permits.

Overnight at: Dinner and overnight at Bwindi Engagi Lodge (C) Or Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge (C) / Bakiga Lodge (E). Full Board

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, which was allocated according to the permits. Bwindi forest in Uganda has a population of about 420 gorillas, which is half the world population according to 2012 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 for this you might need the support of available porters.

Overnight at: Dinner and overnight at Bwindi Engagi Lodge (C) Or Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge / Bakiga Lodge (E). Full Board

After breakfast, drive to Entebbe for your flight out. Lunch en-route. Half BoardnNote: Today transfer is about 7 / 8 hours drive, through tarmac road, therefore we advise to book late flights from Entebbe International Airport or to add an extra night or to add an extension as listed below.

Day 1 or Day 10

Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary was the first chimpanzee conservation project open in Uganda in the ’90 and it remains an important conservation site where chimpanzees are rescued and can have a home. The island is found on Lake Victoria, about half an hour speed boat from Entebbe pier. Tourists can have the Half Day excursion (at 8.30 am or at 1 pm) or the Overnight Experience staying at Ngamba Lodge, also with the possibility to choose an activity in contact with the chimpanzees.

Day 9 – Mgahinga National Park / Echuya Forest

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a small reserve found at the border with Rwanda. The park is protecting the Virunga volcanoes which are located on the Ugandan side, the Muhavura (4.127 m), Gahinga (3.474 m) and Sabinyo (3.669 m). The park offers the possibility to do the mountain gorilla trekkiong (with a supplement); to climb one of the volcanoes for a day trekking of about 6 to 8 hours trekking, particularly the Muhavura; to take the trekking in search of the golden monkeys, an endangered species endemic of the Virunga eco-system. nIn alternative, today you can have the Batwa Trail, a well design circuit in the nearby Echuya Forest to encounter the Batwa pygmeos in what was their original habitat which today they are regaining thanks to the eco-tourist activities. nIn the evening short transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for dinner and overnight at Bird Nest Resort (C) or Arcadia Cottages Bunyonyi (E). Full Board

Day 10 – Lake Bunyonyi - Entebbe

After breakfast, drive back to Entebbe. Lunch en route. In the afternoon / evening reserved for the transfer to Entebbe International Airport for your flight. Half Boardn

Day 9 – Bwindi – Lake Mburo National Park

After breakfast, drive to Lake Mburo National Park, a small game national park found in the central region of Uganda, the Ankole. This is the perfect stop over between Bwindi and Entebbe. After lunch, go for game drive in search for the beautiful impalas, elands, topi and many antelopes, buffaloes, zebras. Dinner and overnight at Rwakobo Rock Lodge / Mantana Mburo Tented Camp (C) or Arcadia Cottages Mburo / Mpogo Lodge (E). Full Board

Day 10 – Lake Mburo - Entebbe

After breakfast, last game drive (optional: nature walk) and lunch. Then drive to Entebbe for your flight out from Entebbe International Airport. Half Boardn