Uganda Gorillas, Wildlife & Waterfalls

This morning, enjoy a short guided walking safari around Lake Mburo National Park. You have the chance to encounter animals such as spotted hyena, hippo, common duiker, oribi, eland, topi, klipspringer, bushbuck, defassa waterbuck, bohor reedbuck, Cape buffalo, warthog, side-striped jackal and the elusive sitatunga.

Then, enjoy a private transfer southwest to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (approximately 6 hours). Stay for two nights in an ensuite cottage at Buhoma Lodge, with all meals included.

Today, enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience, visiting magnificent silverback gorillas in the Buhoma sector of Bwindi, just a short walk away from your lodge.

After an early breakfast, you'll be taken to the park headquarters for a briefing on conduct during gorilla tracking. Then, you're allocated to a team of experienced ranger-guides, who'll take you into the national park to seek out one of the resident, habituated gorilla groups. Time taken to reach the gorillas varies from as little as 45 minutes to a few hours.

Once you locate the gorillas, you'll be allowed a maximum of one hour with them. This is one of the most memorable and awe-inspiring wildlife experiences available anywhere in the world – superlatives simply fail to convey just how impressive it really is.

You don’t have to be an athlete to take on gorilla tracking. Still, you must be physically fit, wear suitable footwear and be prepared to traverse fairly steep, rough, muddy, slippery and uneven terrain for what could be a lengthy period, ranging from a four-hour to a nine-hour return trip. Rangers and porters always proceed at the speed of the slowest walker, and you'll be able to make several stops for drinks or snacks (note that permits are sold on a first-come, first-served basis, and there are only a limited number available per day).

After an early breakfast, you're met by a representative from the lodge for your private transfer to Kihihi Airstrip (approximately 1.5 hours), in time to catch your light aircraft flight to Kasese Airport.

Upon arrival, meet your private, professional, English-speaking driver-guide and head out in your 4×4 vehicle on a private transfer to your lodge (approximately 2 hours), with the opportunity of enjoying panoramic views of the Rwenjuba and the Ndicho Crater Lakes en route.

In the afternoon, enjoy an excursion to the Bigodi Wetlands, generally good for birds, monkeys and butterflies.

Stay for two nights in a Luxury Forest Cottage at Turaco Treetops Lodge, with all meals included.

Today, you have the rare opportunity of enjoying an extended ‘Chimpanzee Habituation Experience’ in Kibale Forest National Park.

After an early breakfast, your guide will introduce you to the resident team of researchers. You'll be able to accompany them and learn about their ongoing work to habituate Kibale's chimpanzees. Follow the chimpanzees on a fascinating excursion, while also keeping an eye out for various species of forest-dwelling monkeys and the diverse array of Afro-tropical forest birdlife along the way.

After breakfast, experience a private transfer in your four-wheel drive vehicle to Murchison Falls National Park (approximately 7 hours), enjoying a lunch break around the Hoima area en route (possible lunch stop at the Hoima Cultural Lodge).

Time permitting, if you arrive early enough, you have the opportunity to enjoy a private game drive in the northern sector of Murchison Falls National Park in search of the resident African lion, leopard, hyena, elephant, giraffe, Cape buffalo, hippo, warthog and a huge wealth of antelope and birds.

Stay for three nights in a Thatched Cottage at Murchison River Lodge, with all meals included.

This morning, savour an exciting private game drive in the northern sector of Murchison Falls National Park in search of the wonderful wildlife. This includes African lion, leopard, hyena, savannah elephant, Rothschild's giraffe, Cape buffalo, hippo, warthog, defassa waterbuck, bushbuck, Jackson's hartebeest, Uganda kob and more.

An afternoon boat trip on the Nile allows you to explore the park from a different perspective. Steering upstream towards the falls, you search for the animals and birds that inhabit this lush riverine area. You might encounter large pods of hippo and huge Nile crocodiles basking along the riverbanks. Elephants are frequently observed playing in the water, often within a few metres of the boat. Defassa waterbuck, warthog, bushbuck and Cape buffalo frequent this area, too. Troops of olive baboons and black-and-white colobus monkeys also inhabit the riverine woods.

You can depart the boat at the base of the falls to begin a hike to the top (approximately 90 minutes). This is a natural spectacle as the River Nile thunders down a seven-metre-wide ravine. During this hike, you enjoy spectacular views, experience the cooling sensation of the gentle spray from the falls and listen to the crashing of the water. From this vantage point, you'll see the powerful, churning waters force through a narrow gorge before dropping to the depths below. If you enjoy history, you may be interested to learn that you're following in the footsteps of Winston Churchill and the explorer Samuel Baker, who also explored the area around the waterfall. The 1951 film ‘The African Queen’, starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn, was filmed at Murchison Falls.

This morning, you're met and transferred to Kaniyo Pabidi in Budongo Forest Reserve (approximately 1.5 hours). Budongo Forest Reserve is home to the largest population of chimpanzees in Uganda, about 800, but it's also home to an array of birds and other animals. At Kaniyo Pabidi, a community project exists where local guides take people out on chimpanzee tracking or birding walks through the forest. It's home to nine different species of primates, over 360 species of birds, more than 290 different types of butterflies and some of the oldest trees in Uganda.

Your morning is spent enjoying a half-day chimpanzee trek in the Kaniyo Pabidi sector of Budongo Forest Reserve, where you have the opportunity of spending up to one hour watching their behaviour as they move through the area.

This afternoon, venture out for a wonderful late afternoon game drive in the national park to search for African lion, leopard, hyena, Rothschild's giraffe, savannah elephant, Cape buffalo, warthog and an impressive array of antelope and birds.

After a relaxing breakfast, take a private road transfer to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary (approximately 3 hours), for a rhino tracking excursion.

At Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, enter the territory of the southern white rhinos on foot and get the opportunity to watch these endangered, magnificent creatures in their natural habitat.

After the excursion, which lasts about two hours, continue in your private four-wheel drive vehicle back to Entebbe to stay overnight at Papyrus Guest House, with breakfast included.

After a relaxing breakfast, venture to Mabamba Swamp, located on the shores of Lake Victoria. After a morning pick-up from the guesthouse, you have a short road transfer to the boat landing. From here, enjoy a private speedboat ride to the entrance of the wetlands (approximately 30 minutes). Enter a traditional dug-out canoe and head into the marshes, looking out for the iconic shoebill and other birdlife that inhabit the area. This is a great excursion for anyone with a keen interest in birds and exploring the narrow river channels.

Finally, head back to the boat landing and transfer back to the guesthouse. In the afternoon, you'll be transferred to Entebbe Airport to check in for your international flight back home.