Highlights of Uganda

Spend your vacation exploring the highlights of Uganda and discover the very best the country has to offer. Explore the beautiful national parks in search for Chimpanzees and Gorillas and take boat cruises to experience the nature from a different angle.   This is a small group lodge safari with all nights accommodated in permanent tented camps or lodges.

 

QUICK FACTS

Tour type:

 

Duration:

 

Start & End:

 

Country visited:

Small group lodge safari

 

11 days

 

Entebbe, Uganda

 

Uganda

Meals:

 

 

Vehicle:

 

 

 

Group Size:

10 x Breakfast

10 x lunches

9 x Dinners

 

4×4 safari vehicle

2×4 vehicle for transfers

 

Min. 4* / Max. 12

2023 Cost:

$4970 per person sharing a room

Single supplement: $1199 per person

Park fees and Activities:   $850pp

DEPARTURE DATES 2023

MONTH TOUR START TOUR END TYPE MONTH TOUR START TOUR END TYPE
January 26/01/2023 04/02/2023 19/08/2023 28/08/2023 F
February 28/02/2023 08/03/2023 September 01/09/2023 10/09/2023 F
April 03/04/2023 12/04/2023 F 17/09/2023 26/09/2023
May 07/05/2023 16/05/2023 October 04/10/2023 13/10/2023
June 25/06/2023 04/07/2023 November 07/11/2023 16/11/2023
July 29/07/2023 07/08/2023 December 11/12/2023 20/12/2023
August 14/08/2023 23/08/2023 D 26/12/2023 04/01/2024 D

D – German guided departures / F – French guided departures

 

ITINERARY

B = Breakfast       L = Lunch     D = Dinner

 

DAY 1: ENTEBBE

Meet and Greet at the Airport, transfer to your hotel.

Accommodation:                          2 Friends Beach Hotel or similar

 

DAY 2: ENTEBBE TO MURCHISON FALLS                                             BLD

You will be met and collected from your hotel in Entebbe and driven to Murchison Falls. Visit the Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch en route, which has the honour of hosting the only wild rhinos in Uganda. Presently the sanctuary is home to nineteen southern white rhinos. The ranch has become increasingly popular with tourists for rhino trekking, bird watching, nature walks and relaxation.

We will enjoy a picnic lunch before continuing the drive to the spectacular Murchison Falls, located within one of Uganda’s oldest conservation areas. Excluding the stop, the journey will take approximately 7-8 hours. Murchison National Park is suited in the northern part of Albertine Rift Valley, where the massive Bunyoro escarpment amalgamates into the enormous plains of land traditionally inhabited by the Acholi people.

Accommodation:                              Paraa Safari Lodge or similar

Lunch:                                                   Picnic lunch at Rhino Sanctuary

Dinner:                                                 At Paraa Safari Lodge or similar

Approx. distance:                            370 km

Approx. driving time:                     8-9 hours (including game drives & game drive speed)

 

DAY 3:  MURCHISON FALLS                                                                                   BLD

After an early breakfast, you will be taken on a morning game drive in Murchison Falls National Park in search of wildlife such as elephant, buffalo, giraffe, hartebeest and oribi. Continue to the launch site for a boat ride combined with a cheese and wine cruise.

A highlight of any visit to Murchison Falls Conservation Area is the launch trip to view the magnificent Murchison Falls. The scheduled boat trip normally departs in the morning and afternoon.  Hippos and crocodiles are abundant and you will see plenty of game and bird life. The voyage takes about three hours.

Return to the lodge for lunch, followed by an evening game drive.

Accommodation:                             Paraa Safari Lodge or similar

All meals:                                             At Paraa Safari Lodge

 

DAY 4: MURCHISON FALLS – HOIMA                                                                            BLD

Trek man’s closet genetic relative, the cheeky chimpanzee on a trekking excursion in the Budongo Forest. In the afternoon you will drive via the Albertine Escarpment of the western Rift Valley on Masindi-Hoima-Fort portal road.  This will be a fairly long drive south to Hoima.

 Accommodation:                            Hoima Cultural Lodge or similar

Breakfast & Lunch:                          Paraa Safari Lode

Dinner:                                                  Hoima Cultural Lodge

Approx. distance:                              150 km

Approx. driving time:                       5 hours (including visit to the top of the falls)

 

DAY 5: HOIMA – KIBALE                                                                                               BLD

After an early breakfast, you will depart for Kibale National Park via Fort Portal, passing through verdant countryside and traditional homesteads and farms.  Picnic lunch will be provided.  Kibale National Park contains one of the loveliest and most varied tracts of tropical forest in Uganda. Forest cover, interspersed with patches of grassland and swamp, dominates the northern and central parts of the park on an elevated plateau.

In the afternoon you will go for a guided walk in Bigodi Swamp to look for different bird species like the Shining Blue Kingfisher, Blue Throated Roller and other rare specifies and also find the fruiting trees, which attract Narina Trogon, Pied Hornbill, Yellow Spotted, HairBreasted and Yellow-Billed Barbets.

Accommodation:                            Primate Lodge or similar

Breakfast:                                          Hoima Cultural Lodge

Lunch:                                                  Hot lunch in Fort Portal

Dinner:                                                 At Primate Lodge

Approx. distance:                                   250 km

Approx. driving time:                         5 hours (including game drives & game drive speed)

 

DAY 6: CHIMP TREKKING KIBALE – QUEEN ELIZABETH NAT. PARK             BLD

After an early breakfast, beautiful morning drive through the dramatic landsape of the Crater Lakes. In the afternoon transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park. This National Park is understandably Uganda’s most popular tourist destination. The Park has diverse ecosystems, which include sprawling savanna, shady, humid forests, sparkling lakes and fertile wetlands.

Accommodation:                             Park View Safari Lodge or similar

Breakfast & Lunch:                         At Primate Lodge

Dinner:                                                 At Park View Safari Lodge

Approx. distance:                             170 km

Approx. driving time:                      5 Hours (Including stop in Kasese, Equator and Queen’s Pavillion)

 

DAY 7: QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK                                          BLD

After breakfast, we continue our journey to observe chimpanzees on a morning chimp trek in Kalinzu forest. In the afternoon go on a boat excursion on the Kazinga Channel which has the world’s largest concentration of hippos and Nile crocodiles.

Accommodation:                               Park View Safari Lodge or similar

Breakfast & Dinner:                          At Park View Safari Lodge

Lunch:                                                    Lunch at Mweya Safari Lodge

 

DAY 8: QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK – BWINDI                            BLD

After breakfast, enjoy game viewing via Ishasha to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park (the drive is approximately 4 – 5 hours). Afternoon at leisure or enjoy one of the various optional activities available in the area (time permitting).

Accommodation:                                    Mahogany Lodge or similar

Breakfast:                                                   At Park View Safari Lodge

Lunch & Dinner:                                      Mahogany Lodge

Approx. distance:                                    220 km

Approx. driving time:                             6-7 hours (including game drives & game drive speed)

 

DAY 9: GORILLA TREKKING – BWINDI!                                                                BLD

After an early breakfast, you will be taken to the Park Headquarters for a short briefing after which you will enter the forest and start your Gorilla trek (please note that a drive may be required to your trekking starting point). The trekking can be quite strenuous, so a good walking fitness is essential!

Accommodation:                                    Mahogany Lodge or similar

Breakfast & Dinner:                                At Mahogany Lodge

Lunch:                                                          Lunch pack from Mahogany Lodge

 

DAY 10: BWINDI – LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK                                               BLD

After breakfast, you will depart Bwindi and drive to Lake Mburo National Park (approximately 4-5 hours’ drive).  Enjoy a late afternoon boat cruise.

Accommodation:                               Mihingo Lodge

Breakfast:                                              At Mahogany Lodge

Lunch:                                                     Picnic lunch from Mahogany Lodge

Dinner:                                                     Mihingo Lodge

Approx. distance:                                     300 km

Approx. driving time:                                5-6 hours (including game drives & game drive speed)

 

DAY 11: LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK TO ENTEBBE/KAMPALA                           BL

After breakfast, you will depart Lake Mburo and drive to Kampala/Entebbe. Time permitting you can stop for curio shopping and a photo opportunity at the Equator (approximately a 5-6 hour drive).

Breakfast:                                            At Mihingo Lodge

Lunch:                                                   Picnic lunch from Mihingo Lodge

Approx. distance:                             260 km

Approx. driving time:                     4-5 hours (including game drives & game drive speed)

 

Please note:

Departure flights to be booked for late evening, alternatively we will be happy to assist you with additional pre and post tour accommodation.

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PRE-DEPARTURE INFORMATION

TRANSPORT:

We use fully equipped, customized, 4×4 safari vehicles, Toyota Land Cruisers, or other appropriate vehicles with comfortable seating, all window seats for game viewing and a music system. These non-air-conditioned vehicles are equipped with pop-up roofs to facilitate the best game viewing. All luggage, besides hand luggage and photo equipment, is carried on the vehicle roof rack or trailer to ensure maximum comfort in the vehicle.

 

TRAVELLING TIMES AND DISTANCES:

All travelling times are affected by road conditions, detours and weather conditions, therefore on certain days travelling times may be longer than anticipated especially where there is a lot of distance to be covered.  Please keep in mind that the time it takes to travel 100 km in your home country is not equivalent to the time it takes to travel 100 km on African roads, therefore we encourage you to sit back and enjoy the spectacular scenery Africa has to offer.  Where possible additional stops will be made to ensure your travelling comfort at all times.

 

ACCOMMODATION:

For this accommodated safari, we make use of mid-range lodge accommodation. Your accommodation is situated either in National Parks, on the banks of a river, or in other places of interest. The accommodation will be a mix of lodges, chalets and permanent tented chalets with en-suite facilities. Some properties are equipped with swimming pools and/or bar areas.

MEALS:

Breakfast and dinner will be prepared by the lodge where you are staying. They will also prepare lunch or a lunch pack depending on the itinerary for the day. Please advise us of any special dietary requirements in advance.

VISAS:

The onus is on the client to organize all visas required to visit Uganda, prior to departure.

 

TRAVEL INSURANCE:

Please note that travel and cancellation insurance is mandatory for every guest travelling. All insurance is solely the responsibility of our guests. Please ensure you arrange your own insurance with protection for the full duration of your journey to cover personal injury, damage and loss of personal items including but not limited to camera equipment and other electronic items, medical expenses, repatriation expenses and loss of luggage, etc. Please speak to your travel agent if you require assistance.

 

Call or text (818) 353-9500