Gorilla & Wildlife Walking Safari, Uganda

Day 1 - Fly London to Entebbe

Depart London on your overnight flight to Entebbe.

Overnight: In flight

Day 2 - Arrive in Entebbe. Group transfer to hotel.

On arrival at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda you will be met and assisted through the airport before being transferred to your hotel just a short drive away.  

Overnight: The Boma Hotel Or Best Western Premier Garden Hotel, Entebbe

Day 3 - Visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Drive to Murchison Falls National Park - 6-7 hours.

This morning you will begin your journey to Murchison Falls National Park taking you past the hustle and bustle of Kampala, Uganda's capital city. As you will become accustomed to during your time in Uganda, road conditions are often poor and journeys therefore long and somewhat bumpy – welcome to the Ugandan massage! However, there is always plenty to see as so much of Ugandan life is visible along the roads as you pass through villages and towns. In between, the scenery is varied, lush and often very beautiful.

On route today you'll make a visit to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for your first wildlife experience of the holiday. At the sanctuary you'll have a short walking safari to see up-close the endangered Southern white rhinos that are being re-introduced to Uganda. To date, the project has proudly provided a safe haven for 15 Southern white rhinos and continues to grow its numbers as the rhinos reproduce.

Afterwards you continue on to Murchison Falls National Park. At 1,480 square miles this is Uganda's largest national park and is abundant in wildlife and diverse landscapes. You will arrive at your accommodation for the night. Located on the banks of the River Nile you are likely to spot pods of hippos.

Overnight: Murchison River Lodge, Murchison

Day 4 - Game drive in Murchison Falls National Park and River Nile boat trip with walk to the top of the Murchison Falls.

After an early breakfast you will take a game drive in the park. The drive takes you across the savannah, through the Borassus palm forest and across grassland down to Lake Albert where the Albert Nile heads north. You'll be in search of wildlife roaming the African savannah including elephants, lions, giraffes and Cape buffalo. Be sure to also look overhead, for Murchison Falls National Park has an impressive diversity of birdlife, including the black-chested snake eagle, secretary bird, colourful swallow-tailed bee-eater and, if you’re very lucky, the prehistoric-looking shoebill stork.

You will spend the afternoon on the Nile where crocodiles and hippos reside, taking a boat trip along the river to see the powerful Murchison Falls. The waterfall is between Lake Kyoga and Lake Albert and is where the mighty River Nile forces itself through a narrow seven metre gorge and tumbles down over 40 meters with immense power. At the waterfall you will have the option to walk to the top to get the best view of the falls from above. The walk to the top takes about 45 minutes to an hour but is worth it for the close-up view which you can't quite get from the boat.

Overnight: Murchison River Lodge, Murchison

Day 5 - Drive to Kibale National Park - 6-7 hours. Lunch en route at Fort Portal.

This morning you will leave Murchison Falls National Park for the long drive to Kibale National Park ready for your chimpanzee experience tomorrow. The drive will take about 8 hours and en route you'll drive past many scenic tea plantations and have a break in Fort Portal for lunch. You should arrive at your lodge in the afternoon where you can refresh yourself and perhaps relax on the private veranda and try spotting the wildlife in the surrounding forest.

The 296 square mile tropical rainforest at Kibale boasts the highest concentration of primates anywhere in Africa and is home to 13 different species including the rare red colobus and L'Hoest's monkeys. It is also one of the best places in the world to track chimpanzees in the wild.

Overnight: Isunga Lodge, Kibale National Park

Day 6 - Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest National Park. Bigodi Swamp walk. Optional community visits.

Today you will visit Kibale Forest and spend time tracking and observing chimpanzees, its most famous inhabitants. Kibale has one of the highest diversities and densities of primates in all of Africa totalling 13 species including the black and white colobus, blue monkey, grey-cheeked mangabey, red tailed monkey, bush babies and pottos.

After an initial briefing at the Kibale Visitor Centre, you will set off with your ranger guide and armed ranger. As you are walking through the forest, your guide will identify any primates you see as well as other birds and wildlife that inhabit the forest. Once your guides make contact with the trackers who stay in the forest, you will know you have located a family of chimpanzees and your hour with them will begin. As the chimpanzee troops are so big with as many as 120 family members, you will be observing them with other groups who have also tracked-in. You will be able to observe the chimpanzee’s behaviour as they climb and swing through the trees, play on the ground, feed and interact with each other. It's a truly fascinating experience that is over all too quickly. You will then trek back to the park’s visitor centre where you will be presented with your Chimpanzee Tracking Certificate. A great souvenir!

After lunch you have the opportunity to go on a guided walk through the swamps, of Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary which is adjacent to Kibale National Park. The wetland provides a home for many different primates and other mammals and also has an impressive diversity of birdlife. The walk will be led by a member of the Bigodi Community who will tell you about the local customs and way of life as well as being excellent wildlife spotters. After the walk there is the opportunity to take part in other community activities or you can return to your lodge and simply relax.

Overnight: Isunga Lodge, Kibale National Park

Day 7 - Hike to the ‘Top of the World’ viewpoint near Kibale Forest - 3-4 hours.

Leaving your lodge after breakfast, you will drive to the start point of today’s walk at Lake Nyabikere known as the ‘Lake of Frogs’ in the crater lake region of Kibale. You follow a pleasant trail that takes you past crater lakes, small villages, banana groves and manicured tea plantations. Tea has become one of Uganda's most important crops and the country is now the third biggest producer of tea in Africa. Uganda's climate provides plentiful sunshine and rainfall, along with rich soil conditions and a relatively high altitude; in fact everything required to grow large quantities of good quality tea. As you walk and travel through the countryside you will no doubt see much evidence of this thriving industry.

Your picturesque path takes you uphill to reach an observation point aptly called 'the top of the world'. From here your exertions are rewarded with fantastic, far-reaching views over rainforest and crater lakes, as far as the distant peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains. After your walk you will have lunch and continue to your accommodation at Fort Portal.

Overnight: Kluge’s Guest Farm, Fort Portal

Day 8 - Walking in Rwenzori Mountains National Park - 5-6 hours. Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Today you will be walking in Rwenzori Mountains National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site designated for both its bio-diversity and natural beauty. Located in southwestern Uganda, the Rwenzori Mountain range straddles the equator on the Uganda-Congo border and is the highest in all Africa with three peaks over 5,000m. It is home to Africa's third highest peak after Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya and provides a haven for numerous species of birds, wildlife and flora, including several that are unique to this region.

The trail takes you to a maximum altitude of 2,300m and partly follows the River Mubuku from which you'll get lovely views of Baker and Portal and, on a clear day, the snow-capped Margherita Peak, 5,109 metres, a truly spectacular sight of the Rwenzori Range's highest summit. Along the trail you may come across lots of wildlife, in particular chameleons, vervet monkeys and a variety of birds.

After your walk in Rwenzori Mountains National Park you will drive south to Queen Elizabeth National Park.This should take a couple of hours or so.

Overnight: Kasenyi Safari Camp, Queen Elizabeth National Park

Day 9 - Full day at Queen Elizabeth National Park with game drive and boat trip.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to over 100 mammal species, making it an incredible destination for a safari. The park has a rich diversity of habitats from open savannah to rainforest, dense papyrus swamps and crater lakes to the vastness of Lake Edward. Elephants, hippos, buffaloes, boks and waterbuck are among the mammals you are most likely to spot and you may also see lions although the population in the park is quite small. It is also an excellent park for birders to enjoy with a multitude of colourful and unusual species.

You start the day with an early morning game drive through the park, followed by a cultural visit to one of the fishing villages around the park to get an understanding of the local way of life. In the afternoon you will take a leisurely boat trip on the Kazinga Channel. The natural channel links Lake Edward and Lake George in Queen Elizabeth National Park, and attracts an abundance of birdlife, reptiles, elephants, buffalo and hippopotamus - all of which you will be able to admire as you journey slowly up the channel.

Overnight: Kasenyi Safari Camp, Queen Elizabeth National Park

Day 10 - Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park - 7-8 hours. Game drive en route in the Ishasha section of Queen Elizabeth Park.

After breakfast you will depart for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The road conditions are very poor for much of the drive so be prepared for a long and sometimes uncomfortable journey.

On the way you will pass through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. At the entrance gate your guide will pop the top of your vehicle so that you can look for wildlife as you drive slowly through. Ishasha is renowned for its resident tree climbing lions as this is one of only two places in the world you can see them. However, there are only 20-30 lions in total so sightings are far from guaranteed. Along with the lions you may also see large herds of buffalo, antelope and hippo.

From Ishasha you continue Bwindi the home of the Mountain Gorillas. Of Uganda's forested parks, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is of course best known for gorilla tracking, but it also provides refuge to elephants, chimpanzees, monkeys and various small antelopes, as well as 23 bird species restricted to the Albertine.

Overnight: Engagi Lodge Or Similar, Bwindi

Day 11 - Walking in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest - 5-6 hours.

Today you will walk through Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to Nkuringo via the Ivy River Trail. Bwindi is a primeval forest covering approximately 128 square miles. The forest is within a mountainous region so the trail will involve some steep inclines with altitudes from 1,460m to 2,160m, but during this wonderful rainforest experience you will be able to spot a large variety of wildlife. Colobus monkeys, Bush duikers, 220 species of colourful butterflies and 350 bird species are all abundant in this ancient, 25,000 year old forest.

At the end of the day you will transfer to your accommodation for the night.

Overnight: Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge, Bwindi

Day 12 - Gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

It's an early start this morning as you venture into the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in search of the mighty Mountain Gorilla. Sadly the mountain gorilla is considered critically endangered and only exists in small numbers, so this really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Mountain gorillas depend on strong social bonds and usually live in family groups of up to 20 with a silverback as the dominant alpha male.. Bwindi forest has many family groups, only some of which have been habituated - a process that takes up to five years to get the groups used to human presence. For the trek, each group of trekkers (of up to nine people) is assigned to a single gorilla family.

Your day begins at the park HQ where you will enjoy some energetic dancing by a local women’s group followed by a trek briefing. You will then meet your Ranger guide and assistants and have the chance to employ a local porter to carry your backpack and help you make your way through the tricky forest terrain. Initially you will be walking on forest trails but, as you near the gorillas you may find yourself on challenging ground which can be steep and slippery especially if it has rained.

The length of your day is entirely dependent on the location and movements of the gorillas. Your trek may begin at the HQ or, more likely, you will drive to one of the four different access points in the forest. Your ranger guide will then lead your group through the forest, happily sharing their knowledge about the forest's flora, fauna and the habits of the gorillas. Trackers will have spent the night in the forest at the last location of the gorilla family, and will then track them to their current location – radioing it in to your guide. The moment you hear the calls from the trackers is very exciting as you know you are finally about to come face-to-face with a mountain gorilla.

You will spend an hour with your gorilla family, getting surprisingly close to them, and you will be amazed how little attention they pay to you. They could be on the ground or in the trees, eating, playing or just sleeping. There is something intensely moving about the whole experience and you will undoubtedly feel immensely  humbled to have had this exceptional opportunity. All too soon, you will be told that your time is at an end, and you will say a final goodbye to the apes and the tracker team before trekking back along the same route.

Back at the park HQ you will be given a certificate of achievement, say thank you to your guide and trek team and then return to your lodge to reflect on an incredible day.

Overnight: Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge, Bwindi

Day 13 - Walk to Kisoro - 3 hours. Drive to Lake Bunyonyi.

In the morning you'll walk from your lodge in Bwindi to the town of Kisoro. From here, you'll make your way to one of Uganda's most beautiful lakes - Lake Bunyonyi. The drive is approximately two to three hours, but the stunning views en route of the terraced mountains make this a pleasant journey through what is known as the "Switzerland of Uganda". On arrival you'll be able to take in the natural beauty of this area from the comfort of your hotel - the lake, the hills, and the prolific birdlife.

Overnight: Birdnest @ Bunyonyi Resort Or Arcadia Cottages, Bunyonyi

Day 14 - Drive to Lake Mburo National Park. Guided cycle ride.

Today you drive to Lake Mburo National Park. The park forms a mosaic-like habitat with rocks, dry slopes, open and wooded savannas, forests, and swamp. This diversity of habitats is reflected in the diversity of bird life with 313 bird species recorded in the park including several species of eagles, storks, roller birds, weaver birds, kingfishers, owls and hornbills to name but a few. There are also large numbers of giraffe, zebra, impala and buffalo roaming the landscape as well as leopard and hyena although these are rarely seen during the day. Around the outskirts of the park, you will also come across herds of Ankole cattle which are farmed in this region of Uganda. They have very distinctive large, curved horns and are considered a measure of wealth and social status in the communities that have them.

Once you have settled into your accommodation, you will head out for a cycle ride with a ranger guide in one of the more game rich areas of the park.

Overnight: Rwakobo Rock Lodge, Lake Mburo National Park

Day 15 - Nature walk and game drive in Lake Mburo National Park. Drive to Entebbe - 5-6 hours driving.

After breakfast you will have a final chance to experience the superb wildlife and scenery of Uganda as you take an early morning nature walk and game drive.

Saying farewell to Lake Mburo you then start the long drive to Entebbe. On the way you will stop at an intersection in Kampala which is directly on the Earth's equator! After lunch in a local restaurant, and a chance to stand with each foot on different sides of the world, you will continue to your hotel in Entebbe.

Overnight: The Boma Hotel Or Best Western Premier Garden Hotel, Entebbe

Day 16 - Group transfer to the airport.

After breakfast you will transfer to the airport for your overnight flight back to London.

Overnight: Departure Day

Day 17 - Arrive UK