Uganda Detailed ItineraryPrint this page


Uganda in Depth

Private tour, you choose the dates.


Day 1 Arrive Entebbe:
On arrival at Entebbe Airport you will be met by our representative and transferred to Kampala. Spend two nights at Emin Pasha on a bed and breakfast basis.

Emin Pasha Hotel
Is set in 2 acres of leafy landscaped gardens, this is a tropical version of the country house hotel. Centrally located and within walking distance to Kampala's business district, it is amazingly tranquil and peaceful. Amenities include 20 Bedrooms in a lovingly restored old colonial building, swimming pool, massage rooms, restaurant featuring Fusion Cuisine and a wine bar offering a selection of South Africa's finest wines, a private meeting/conference room, library and two private lounges. The privacy and the amenities make this a perfect base for business travelers and tourists alike. The Main House, where the reception, library and sitting rooms are located, was originally built in the 1920's as a private residence for a British entrepreneur. It is tastefully and classically furnished with rich hardwood furniture, deep, soft armchairs and sofas and features an wonderful collection of Ugandan artwork, some of which were selected for the hotel, others were commissioned. Rooms: Combination of garden rooms, garden facing rooms and standard rooms as well as suites available - 20 in total.

Day 2 Kampala Sightseeing:
Full Day tour of Kampala and Jinja Included in this city tour will be the National Museum, the craft market for shopping, Bulange Palace, Namirembe Cathedral & Rubaga Cathedral. We will visit Jinja, Source of the Nile and Bujagali Falls. Return to Emin Pasha and overnight with breakfast included.

Day 3 Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary:
Drive from Entebbe to the Masindi visiting Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary on the way, journey taking between 6 to 7 hours. After breakfast we head for Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, on arrival an experienced ranger will lead you on a hike to find the resident white rhinos. Unfortunately, rhinos were hunted to extinction in Uganda but are being re-introduced with the hopes of rhinos once again roaming the grasslands of Uganda. It is a truly fascinating experience seeing these white rhinos up close. Following our rhino encounter, we will drive to Masindi. Overnight Dinner Masindi Hotel.

Rhino Fund Uganda's operations at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary are an effort to restore Uganda's wildlife population (with a focus on the rhinoceros) for future generations. A burgeoning ecotourism destination for animal trackers and birders, the predominantly sustainably powered facility includes a solar perimeter fence enclosing 35 square km sanctuary. Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary's holistic breeding and reintroduction projects include community outreach that provides conservation education and jobs for locals as sanctuary support staff, including the rangers who patrol 24-7 to battle illegal grazing and poaching.

Masindi Hotel
This old colonial hotel in the process of being upgraded and renovated. It is situated in the town of Masindi and provides an excellent lunch stop en route to Murchison or overnight stop for birders wishing to visit the nearby famous "Royal Mile" area for forest birding. Meals are simple and good value for money.
Rooms: 28 en suite renovated rooms - 9 singles, 9 doubles and 10 twins.

Day 4 To Murchison Falls:
Drive from Masindi to Nile Safari Camp. You will spend two nights at the Nile Safari Camp on a full board basis.

Nile Safari Camp
Situated on the banks of the Nile River, half way between Murchison Falls and Lake Albert this is an exclusive tented camp and log cabin combination lodge, each with its own private wooden verandah facing the Nile and en suite bathroom facilities. The de?cor is designed to blend into the surroundings unobtrusively as well as provide all the home comforts expected. It has a relaxing pool area and a beautifully appointed dining and bar area overlooking the river. Access is either by road or by river from Paraa. Rooms: 6 en-suite double tents, 6 en-suite double log cabins.

MURCHISON FALLS
This is the largest National Park in Uganda with an area of 3840 km2. The River Nile divides the park into the north and south sectors and forms Falls where it flows over the western rift valley escarpment. Here, the river is forced through a 3-metre gap in the rocks and cascades into a boiling pot 30 metres below. A boat cruise up-stream to the falls provides an unforgettable experience. The falls can also be viewed from the top, which gives a completely different impression. The visitor is able to watch a variety of animals. These include elephant, buffalo, giraffe, lion, hippo, crocodile, several antelope species and a lot of bird life along the Nile. In the southern sector of the park, the Rabongo Forest is home to chimpanzees. One of the greatest attractions in the Choke sector is sport fishing for Nile Perch, which can weigh up to 100 kg.

Day 5 Murchison Falls National Park:
Game drives and boat cruise. Return to the Nile Safari Camp and overnight on a full board basis.

Day 6 To Kibale:
Drive from Murchison Falls National Park to Kibale, journey taking approximately 9 hours. Overnight at Ndali Lodge on a full board basis.

Ndali Lodge
This lodge consists of individual cottages with their own private veranda with views towards the Ruwenzoris, en suite bathrooms and a spacious airy bedroom area. Four-poster beds, draped in mosquito nets and decorated with locally made crafts give each cottage an individual feel. The lodge's water supply comes directly from the Crater Lake 100m below in the crater with an ingenious pressure system and so no external power is needed and ensures hot water is available all the time! The camp is lit with lanterns and candles including spectacular chandeliers above the central dining area, which provides for a very romantic atmosphere. Rooms: 8 individual cottages, catering for between 2-4 persons each.

Day 7 Chimp Trekking and Swamp Walk:
In the morning we set out to enjoy one of our great ape encounters. We hike in Kibale National Park and have a rare opportunity to see chimpanzees in the
wild, truly a special experience. En route we may see other inhabitants of the forest. After lunch, enjoy a swamp walk, where you may see other primates and various bird species. Overnight Ndali Lodge. Kibale

KIBALE NATIONAL PARK
Kibale, 766 km2 is one of Uganda's enchanting forested parks. Here, you can hike in the park for hours observing the drama of life in a rain forest. The park contains pristine lowland tropical rain forest, montane forest, and mixed tropical deciduous forest. In addition to forest, you will also notice areas of grassland and of swamp. The forest is rich in wildlife. It is most noted for its primate population. Some of these are red-tailed monkey, diademed monkey, olive baboon, chimpanzee, black and white colobus, and red colobus. Some of the other mammals you might see are bushbuck, Harvey's red duiker, blue duiker, bush pig, and African civet. More difficult to spot are buffalo, waterbuck, hippo, warthog, and giant forest hog. Herds of elephant once travelled back and forth through the area. These elephants have become more and more rare, and now are seldom seen. The birdlife in the forest and grasslands of the forest is abundant. There are almost 300 species, which have been identified here. One particularly worth noting is the endemic to Kibale forest. There are 144 species of butterfly in the park and a diverse population of moths and other insects. A system of trails has been developed within the park, and tour guides are available to guide visitors.

Day 8 To Queen Elizabeth National Park:
Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park and overnight at Jacana Lodge on a full board basis - journey taking approximately 5 hours.

Jacana Lodge
Set on the edge of a crater lake the lodge blends in perfectly with the wooded surroundings of the Maramagambo forest. Built with sensitive use of rock, wood, rope and other natural materials it combines to form a unique style. Each log cabin is beautifully and uniquely furnished to high standards and all rooms are en suite. A floating dining area on the Crater Lake provides a tranquil and different option for sundowners and dinner in the evenings. Rooms: 10 en-suite double log cabins.

Day 9,10 Game drives, boat cruise, chimp trekking:

QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK
The park spreads over an area of 1978 km2 in the western arm of the Great East Rift Valley. It is a home to a variety of wildlife including elephant, lion, hippo, buffalo, and Uganda knob, baboon, and birds, all typical of riverine and savannah habitats. In the southern part of the park is the Ishasha are with tree climbing lions and the Maramagambo, one of the largest surviving natural forests in Uganda. The northern part of the park is traversed by the equator and is dominated by the scenery of crater lakes with lots of flamingos on some of them. A launch trip from Meyer along the Kazinga channel, which joins Lake Edward and Lake George, provides one of the most memorable experiences of the park. We will head in a southerly direction to the Ishasha area of Queen Elizabeth National Park - journey taking approximately 2 hours.

Two nights at Ishasha Wilderness Camp on a full board basis.

Ishasha Wilderness Camp
This exclusive tented camp offers the only quality accommodation in this un- spoilt remote southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park famous for it's tree climbing lions that can sometimes be spotted resting in the branches of the large fig trees in the area. Combined with excellent game viewing for buffalo, elephants, knob, topi and other species of antelope, the camp provides the ideal location between gorilla viewing in Bwindi and the Meyer area of QENP.

On a clear day views from the area stretch to the ice-capped Rwenzori Mountains to the north, and the Virunga volcanoes to the south, there are few places on earth to rival the scenery in this park. 'Birders' wont be disappointed with the enormous range of species in the area. There are a total of ten spacious safari tents alongside the wooded area beside the Ntungwe River. Each tent has its own private en suite bathroom and dressing area providing hot water "bush" showers and an eco friendly toilet. A central dining area, also under canvas, provides a comfortable environment for meals, plus there is a shaded outdoor lounge area beside the river, and evening "fireplace" for guests to discuss the day's activities.10 twin bedded luxury tents.

Day 11 To Bwindi:
After a morning game drive in Ishasha area of the Queen Elizabeth National Park, we travel to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park - journey taking between 3 and 4 hours. Overnight at Buhoma Lodge on a full board basis.

Buhoma Lodge
The lodge has a total of eight beautifully appointed, large cottages, spaciously set out along the mountainside. Each cottage has large windows fully netted and its own private verandah to take advantage of the spectacular views. Large comfortable beds ensure a good nights rest after a tiring day of gorilla tracking! The en-suite bathrooms are spacious with flushing toilets and piping hot showers, and the honeymoon cottage even has its own 'cuddle-tub'. Lighting throughout the lodge is by solar. The spacious upper level lounge, bar and dining area has fireplaces to provide warmth in the cool evenings, where guests may dine and relax discussing the day's events.

As part of commitment to the local infrastructure, staff are recruited from the local communities of the area and they provide a welcoming environment and excellent service levels for guests. Whenever possible, supplies including local fresh produce, are purchased through local residents and businesses in the area. Meals are wholesome, freshly prepared and generous quantities are served. A variety of international dishes are served as well as local specialties such as matoke and g-nut sauce. Unlimited hot beverages are available all day on a self-serve basis and are delivered to your cottage with early morning wake up calls as required.

Sitting on your private verandah watching the sunrise over the forest in the early morning as you sip your tea, offers a very relaxing way to embark on the day. Rooms: 3 en-suite double cottages, 5 en-suite twin cottages

BWINDI IMPENTRABLE FOREST NATIONAL PARK
The park is located in South-western Uganda, covering parts of Rukungiri, Kisoro, and Kibale Districts. It is situated in a hilly countryside, which, together with some remnant lowland forest outside the boundary, constitutes an important water catchment area for many rivers, supplying the agricultural land of the surrounding region. This is the richest forest in Uganda, in terms of the number of plant species, as the area is one of the few large expanses of forest in East Africa where lowland and montage communities merge. The valley bottoms contain a dense ground cover of herbs, vines, and shrubs with only a few trees hence its name, the impenetrable forest. This is one of the richest faunal communities in East Africa. There exists about one half of the world's population of the endangered mountain gorillas. There are also several endangered species of birds with limited ranges. Gorilla tracking began on 1st April 1993. It is advisable to make reservations at least 3-6 months before your intended date of visit.


Day 12 Gorilla Tracking:
You will be escorted to the National Parks headquarters to meet your guides for your gorilla tracking experience. An early morning trek into the forest on the slopes of the volcanoes, led by experienced trackers will bring you amongst a family of Mountain Gorillas. These massive primates are extremely rare, only approximately 650 remaining. You will get within metres of the family, and be privileged to spend time amongst them. The trekking may be fairly strenuous; up to six hours or longer is not uncommon - at relatively high altitude. Please refer to our information sheet. Mountain Gorillas are wild animals, as such sightings cannot be guaranteed, however the success rate is well over 90%.
Overnight at Buhoma Lodge on a full board basis.

Day 13 to Lake Mburo National Park:
Today there is an option of a forest walk to look for birds and other primates, or just relax in this beautiful area. There are also some curio shops, and the option of meeting some of the local community - including the people running the local orphanage. Depart after breakfast to the Lake Mburo National Park - journey taking approximately 6 hours, where you will overnight at Mihingo Lodge on a full board basis.

Mihingo Lodge
The Lodge is a peaceful and luxurious retreat adjacent to Lake Mburo National Park. Situated on over 200 privately owned acres, it features ten rooms, which are built on wooden platforms and stilts, covered by a thatched roof. Suspended under the thatched roof is a spacious and comfortable tent equipped with en-suite bathrooms, including hot and cold running water, showers, and flush toilets. Each luxury-tented room is nestled on a private piece of the lodge's property, enabling guests to enjoy the tranquil environment in complete seclusion. Placed in varied settings, some rooms are situated in a forest setting, some with a lake view, and some on rock outcrops. The main dining area is a large thatched structure built from rocks, the wood of dead olive trees found on the land, and native grasses. Below the dining area, an infinity swimming pool stretches out from the rocks and seems to disappear into the vast landscape beyond. From the dining and pool area, guests can enjoy the view of a westward oriented valley and its stunning evening sunsets over Lake Mburo National Park.

Animals gathering in the valley will provide guests with fantastic game viewing opportunities or a chance to relax and watch wildlife at water hole and salt lick below the pool. Lake Mburo is home to many different animal species, including zebra, eland, and impala, who are not found in Queen Elizabeth National Park. It is also a favorite birding spot. Aside from lounging by the pool, enjoying the sounds of nature, or watching nearby wildlife, guests can also avail themselves of the numerous activities offered by Mihingo Lodge and Lake Mburo National Park. Diversions include boat trips on Lake Mburo, forest and savanna walks, and game drives in Lake Mburo National Park. Guides from the lodge can accompany guests on nature walks to Lake Kocher.

In appreciation of its fragile surroundings, Mihingo Lodge is an environmentally friendly accommodation. The buildings are constructed in such a way as to melt into the rocky outcrops and savannah landscape around them. Electricity is provided by solar panels and there is a natural water catchment system to take advantage of the rains. Employees of Mihingo Lodge have received training in hospitality services, and the management is dedicated to providing an exceptional safari experience for every visitor. Rooms: 10 tents on fixed platforms.

LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK
Lake Mburo, 260km2 was gazette in 1982 as Uganda's fourth national park. It is composed primarily of grassland, wetland, and acacia woodland habitats.
At the centre of the park lies Lake Mburo, which together with 14 other lakes in the area forms part of an extensive wetland system. The park has topi, eland, klipspringer, zebra, buffalo, oribi, sitatunga, leopard, an excellent variety of water and acacia savannah bird species, like crested crane, marabou stork and bronze-tailed starling.

Day 14 To Ngamba Island:
Today we drive to Entebbe approximately 5 to 6 hours drive, via the equator, stopping en route to shop for curios and at the Royal Drum makers at Mpigi if desired. Arrive at the Entebbe Pier for a briefing and departure from the mainland for your boat transfer (approximately 45 minutes by speedboat or 1 1?2 hours by motorised traditional boat), to Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Reserve on Lake Victoria, where orphaned chimpanzees have been relocated under the management of a group of dedicated conservationists including the Jane Goodall Institute. Ngamba Island is part of the Koome group of islands located on Lake Victoria 23km south of Entebbe, Uganda. It consists of approximately 100 acres, 98 of which are forested and separated from the visitors, area by an electric fence. Ngamba Island was officially opened to visitors in October 1999 and is currently home to over 35-orphaned chimpanzees.

Ngamba Island is a project of the Chimpanzees Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust (CSWCT), established in 1997 by the Born Free Foundation (UK), International Fund for Animal Welfare (USA), the Jane Goodall Institute (Germany and Uganda), The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre Trust (UWECT) and the Zoological Board of New South Wales (Australia) and it provides these orphaned chimpanzees with a secure home to live out their lives, since a return to their natural habitat is not possible, while educating visitors and local communities about their remarkable species and the importance of conserving their fragile forest habitat.

You can help support this project by visiting. The entrance and activity fees paid goes directly towards helping cover the recurring costs of the island sanctuary and ensuring the well being of the chimpanzees. View either a morning or afternoon feeding of the chimpanzees from the visitors platform area along the edge of the sanctuary fence, hear an informative talk by sanctuary staff, and enjoy lunch, kayaking, swimming on the equator, viewing a neighbouring fishing village, fantastic bird-watching and other wildlife encounters, or just sunbathe and relax!

Overnight at Ngamba Island in an East African style tent on a full board basis.

Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, luxury tented camp
Accommodation is offered here in four comfortable large, East African style tents on platforms overlooking the lake. Each tent accommodates two persons (twin beds) in comfort, with duvets and all linen supplied, en suite bathroom facilities and solar lighting. All meals are prepared and served to you by friendly camp staff in either our relaxed covered dining area or open dining area beside the lake. Meals are substantial with several tasty courses for dinner and local specialties such as fresh daily catches from the lake, when possible. Hot
beverages including tea and coffee are available at all times on a self-serve basis. Cold drinks are available on a cash sale basis including water, sodas and beers and anyone requiring anything else is welcome to bring it along with them. Rooms: 4 en suite twin tents

Day 15 Chose your Chimp Activity:
Optional interaction with CSWCT staff. Optional forest walk / other chimp activities. (Optional Forest walk to be paid directly to CSWCT, however this has to be pre-booked and arranged before travel)

Forest walks with the chimpanzees:
The Forest Walk experience offers you an opportunity to join a group of infant chimpanzees on a one hour walk through their forest habitat, either in the late afternoon or very early morning. A maximum of three visitors are allowed in the forest for each walk, always accompanied by trained CSWCT staff for your safety and enjoyment. You will be in the company several chimpanzees ranging in age where you will have direct contact with them and therefore be given very specific instructions regarding clothing, cameras, glasses, and behaviour when signing up for this unique opportunity as these chimpanzees are used to human contact they will play-bite, climb on you, grab your glasses, and pull your hair or even just your hand. And that's where the fun just begins!

Breakfast and lunch included today. Transfer to Entebbe Airport for departure flight home.

Price based on a private tour for two people travelling - USD 6900 per person sharing. Price subject to confirmation of services.

Services Included:
Return Airport transfers/ Meet and greet service/ Kampala Full Day Tour/ Boat cruise on Kazinga Channel, Queen Elizabeth National Park/ Visit to Rhino Sanctuary / Forest walk at Bwindi/ Walk or boat trip at Lake Mburo/ Services of a private driver/guide/ All Park entry fees/ Bottled mineral water on safari/ Ngamba Island boat transfers and entrance fees

Hotels for this quote
Emin Pasha in Kampala on a bed and breakfast basis
Nile Safari Camp on a full board basis
Masindi Hotel on a full board basis
Ndali Lodge on a full board basis
Jacana Lodge on a full board basis
Ishasha Wilderness Camp on a full board basis
Buhoma Lodge on a full board basis
Mihingo Lodge on a full board basis
Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, luxury tented camp on a full board basis .

Excludes:
Flights and airport taxes/ Gorilla trekking permits - USD500 per person per trek/ Optional Chamburu Chimp tracking permits in Queen Elizabeth Park at USD50 and Kibale at USD150/ Travel Insurance/ Optional Chimp Forest walk on Ngamba Island at USD400 or Ngamba 'caregiver for a day" experience at USD150/ Drinks, tips, items of a personal nature/ Any other meals not indicated or activities not mentioned above.

Please ensure you have sufficient medical cover for the duration of your trip
Yellow fever & malaria prophylactics. For gorilla/chimp tracking it is imperative that you are healthy and free of any disease or virus - officials do have the right to refuse entry if you are sick.

Most nationalities require a visa to enter Uganda & Rwanda, which you can obtain on arrival for USD50 depending on passport, per person, single entry.

Duration: 15 Days

Max Group Size: 2

Accomodations: Permanent Tented Camps, Lodges and Hotels

Price: Varies based on accomodation and number of travellers. Please contact us for current price to fit your desired itinerary.