10 DAYS ESSENTIAL UGANDA: BWINDI, QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK, KIBALE & MORE

Today you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Bwindi. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred by vehicle to your lodge.

The park is located in Southwestern Uganda, covering parts of the Rukungiri, Kisoro, and Kabale 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 montane 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 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.

*Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
*Duration: 3 Nights

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, with only approximately 650 remaining. You will get within meters 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 altitudes. Mountain Gorillas are wild animals, and such sightings cannot be guaranteed; however, the success rate is well over 95%.

The trekking may be fairly strenuous; up to six hours or longer is not uncommon-at relatively high altitudes.

Mountain Gorillas are wild animals and as such, sightings cannot be guaranteed 100%.

*PLEASE NOTE: on certain departures, due to Gorilla Permit availability, this leg of your safari may be undertaken in Rwanda. A similar standard of accommodation will be utilized in Rwanda, but there may be a surcharge depending on availability. Please check at the time of booking..

*Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Today you will have the option of a second Gorilla Trek or Forest Walk in Bwindi. Please inform me at the time of booking. In the afternoon relax or explore the local area on foot.

*PLEASE NOTE: on certain departures, due to Gorilla Permit availability, this leg of your safari may be undertaken in Rwanda. A similar standard of accommodation will be utilized in Rwanda, but there may be a surcharge depending on availability. Please check at the time of booking.

*Meal Plan : Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Today you will head in a northerly direction to the Ishasha area of Queen Elizabeth National park, from Bwindi approximately 3 hour drive, to be welcomed to your established tented camp nestled under trees alongside a river. 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' won't be disappointed with the enormous range of species in the area. The park spreads over an area of 1978 km2 in the western arm of the Great East Rift Valley. It is home to a variety of wildlife including elephants, lions, hippo, buffalo, and Uganda kob, baboon, and birds, all typical of riverine and savannah habitats. In the southern part of the park is the Ishasha is 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 Mweya along the Kazinga channel, which joins Lake Edward and Lake George, provides one of the most memorable experiences in the park.

*Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
*Duration: 2 Nights

The second day in Queen Elizabeth National Park with more game viewing opportunities available to you.

*Meal Plan : Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
*Duration : 0 Days

From Ishasha, you drive approximately 2 hours to the Mweya region of Queen Elizabeth National Park. During your visit here you will have time to enjoy game drives, a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, and an opportunity to trek chimps in Chamburu Gorge (subject to permits being available and group size). Located on a peninsula overlooking the Kazinga Channel on one side and with spectacular views of the Ruwenzori Mountains on the other, this upgraded and renovated lodge provides some of the best accommodation and service facilities in Uganda.

*Meal Plan : Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
*Duration : 1 Night

Today you will travel on a 2-3 hour drive from Queen Elizabeth National Park (north) on good roads. On a clear day, you may get views of the Rwenzoris in the distance. Two nights were spent in the area to allow time for chimpanzee tracking in the forest, (permits must be pre-purchased). You can also do a forest walk (guided) during your stay, or simply enjoy the area and perhaps visit the Bigodi Swamps, or the Vanilla Farm close to Ndali. 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 rainforest. The park contains pristine lowland tropical rain forests, montane forests, and mixed tropical deciduous forests. In addition to forests, you will also notice areas of grassland and of the swamp. The forest is rich in wildlife. It is most noted for its primate population. Some of these are red-tailed monkeys, diademed monkeys, olive baboons, chimpanzees, and black and white 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 elephants once traveled back and forth through the area. These elephants have become rarer and rarer and now are seldom seen. The birdlike in the forest and grasslands of the forest are abundant. There are almost 300 species, have been identified here. One particularly worth noting is endemic to the Kibale forest. There are 144 species of butterflies 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.

*Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
*Duration: 2 Night

This activity will generally take place in the morning. You will either be driven or walk down to the Kibale Forest National Parks' headquarters to meet your guides for your morning's chimp tracking experience (depending on which lodge you are staying at). The forest is alive with noise and you should be lucky enough to see the habituated chimps during your trek.

*Meal Plan : Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

After an early breakfast for the drive back to Entebbe, stopping for curio shopping on the roadside and a quick photo stop at the Equator. Arrived back in Entebbe, in the late afternoon. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

(Departing flights to be booked to depart for after 8pm)

*Meal Plan : Breakfast and Lunch