Ultimate Uganda Wildlife Small Group Tour

This morning, enjoy an exhilarating private game drive in the northern sector of Murchison Falls National Park in search of wonderful wildlife such as lion, leopard, hyena, side-striped jackal, elephant, Rothschild's giraffe, Cape buffalo, hippo, warthog, defassa waterbuck, bushbuck, Jackson's hartebeest, Uganda kob and other species.

In the afternoon, take a boat trip on the River Nile, exploring the park from a different perspective. Stirring 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.

This morning, enjoy a final morning game drive in Murchison as the sun rises over the national park in search of the big cats, predators, plains game, reptiles and birds.

After the game drive, you're met and transferred to Kaniyo Pabidi in Budongo Forest Reserve (approx. 1 hour). Budongo Forest Reserve is home to the largest population of chimpanzees in Uganda, with a population of about 800, but it's also home to an array of birds and other animals.

Your afternoon is spent enjoying a half-day chimpanzee trek in the Kaniyo Pabidi sector of Budongo Forest Reserve, where you can spend an hour watching as they move through the forest.

NB. Gorilla or chimp tracking requires a mask. You'll wear it from the point where you get close enough to the great apes.

After breakfast, you're transferred southwest to Kibale Forest National Park (approx. 7 hours), driving parallel to Lake Albert, and up and over the Albertine Rift escarpment.

By late afternoon, you can enjoy a walk between the beautifully scenic Lakes Nkuruba and Nyabikere, passing Lake Nyamirima en route (approx. 2-3 hours). Rolling hills, verdant forest, and banana and vanilla plantations overlook the three naturally formed crater lakes.

Stay in the comfy Turaco Treetops Lodge for two nights.

This morning, enjoy a half-day chimpanzee tracking excursion in Kibale Forest National Park. Experienced trackers will take you to seek one of the habituated troops of chimpanzee. Once you've reached the chimps, you can observe them for one hour. You should also see monkeys, like ashy red colobus, which are sometimes preyed on by the chimps.

After lunch at Café Kibale, you visit the Bigodi Wetlands. Explore the boardwalk trail for birds, monkeys and butterflies. Rich in biodiversity and scenic beauty, the eight-kilometre-long Bigodi Wetlands are an important wildlife corridor of Kibale Forest. It harbours eight species of primates, and is one of Africa's best places to see the endangered ashy red colobus.

Guided nature/bird walks around the Magombe Swamp, on the boardwalk trail and viewing platforms, last around two hours. Bigodi is managed by Kibale Association for Rural and Environmental Development (KAFRED). Here, you can find out about the Bigodi Women’s Group, Bigodi Peanut Group, and Enyange Dance and Drama Group.

After an early breakfast, take a private transfer to the Southern 'Rushaga' Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (approx. 8 hours).

You can alternatively take a scheduled light aircraft flight with required road transfers (£460 per person). Should you prefer to fly from Kasese to Kisoro instead of the drive, the rest of the afternoon is yours to relax at leisure in/around your lodge.

Stay in a Cottage at Kaara Mountain Gorilla Lodge for three nights.

Today is set aside for your once-in-a-lifetime experience: tracking magnificent mountain gorillas.

After an early breakfast, you're taken to the Park HQ in Rushaga for a briefing on conduct during gorilla tracking. You'll then be allocated to a team of experienced ranger-guides, who'll take you into Bwindi Impenetrable 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 them, you'll be allowed a maximum of one hour with them.

This is one of the most awe-inspiring wildlife experiences to be had anywhere in the world – superlatives simply fail to convey just how impressive it is! You don’t have to be an athlete to take on gorilla tracking, but you do have to 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 of time (anything from a 4-hour return trip to a 9-hour one).

After a relaxing breakfast, enjoy a private transfer to the beautiful Lake Mutanda (approx. 1.5 hours). The Kigezi Highlands, coined the Switzerland of Uganda, is one of the country's most scenic and dramatic areas. Your venture passes steeply terraced hills, dense forests and beautiful lake views.

Then enjoy a traditional canoe trip on Lake Mutanda. Listen to the sounds of nature and spot the wonderful birdlife while you float along and take a glimpse into the indigenous woods, marshland and swamps - the ideal habitat for a variety of birds, including the crested crane (Uganda's national bird). You might even encounter the resident Chameleon Bay otters.

The rest of the afternoon is yours to relax at leisure in/around your lodge.

Spend two nights at Chameleon Hill Lodge.

After an early breakfast, enjoy a private transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (approx. 1 hour and 15 minutes), where you'll experience your golden monkey trek.

Get briefed at the Park HQ and set off to seek these endangered monkeys unique to the Albertine Rift. The Virunga Volcanoes harbour the only remaining viable breeding population. You'll venture through open farmland and search high in the dense bamboo groves. Here, the golden monkeys feed on bamboo leaves, insects and ripe fruit when available. Spend around an hour with the primates.

Afterwards, travel back to Chameleon Hill Lodge, where the late afternoon is yours to relax, watching the sun set over Lake Mutanda.

After breakfast, you'll be transferred to Kisoro Airport (approx. 1.5 hours), in time to check in for your scheduled light aircraft flight to Entebbe Airport.

Upon arrival, collect your luggage and meet our representative, who'll be holding a sign with your name on it.

From here, you're transferred back to Papyrus Guesthouse (approx. 15 minutes), where you enjoy a hot lunch.

In the afternoon, transfer back to Entebbe Airport in time to check in for your international flight back home.