DETAILED ITINERARY

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Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe, Uganda

You will be received by your driver/guide at the airport. Depending on your arrival time, if you arrive night time, we check into Imperial Resort Beach Hotel for a relaxation moment after the long flight.

 

Accommodation Options:

      Luxury: Protea Hotel Entebbe

      Medium: Boma Guesthouse Entebbe

      Low Budget: Airport Guesthouse Entebbe

 

Day 2: Sezibwa Falls, Mabira Forest & Jinja Source of River Nile

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After breakfast, an early morning drive on Jinja road with our first visit being at the historical Ssezibwa Waterfall for 1 hour.

The falls are about seven meters high and with the sweet hissing sound created by the falling water forms beautiful scenery. This is complemented by the natural vegetation cover and the undulating and steep rocks over which the waters fall. The site has several bird species which present a wonderful opportunity for bird watching. The site presents several tourist activities such as bird watching, camping, rock climbing, nature walks, hiking, canoeing.

We continue to the Mabira Forest for 2 hours where we have a forest walk. The Mabira Forest is a rainforest area covering about 300 square kilometres (120 sq mi) in Uganda, located in Buikwe District, between Lugazi and Jinja. Mabira forest is home to over 300 bird species, and many Ugandan primates.

We continue to Jinja, to view the source of the River Nile.

 

Accommodation Options:

Luxury: Wild Waters Lodge

Medium: The Haven Lodge

Low Budget: The Haven Lodge

 

Optional activities while Jinja

Aside from the above program,  you can choose to do any of the following  optional activities:

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1. White water rafting  (full day USD 145 / half day USD 125)

2. A horseback safari  (USD 50 for 2 hours / USD 70 for 3 hours)

3. Quad-biking  (USD 70 for 2 hours / USD 90 for 3 hours)

4. A day of whitewater kayaking on the river (USD 120)

5. A sundowner cruise on the Nile (USD 35)

6. A visit to Jinja market

 

Day 3: Sipi Falls

After breakfast you drive through the eastern part of Uganda takes you to beautiful Sipi Falls, on a plateau 1800m above sea level.

The Sipi River flows over the foothills of Mount Elgon, forming a spectacular series of waterfalls (some nearly 100m high), surrounded by village walking trails and lush green coffee-producing hills. You will stay in a wonderful lodge. From your lodge you have beautiful views over one of the waterfalls.

Accommodation at Sipi River Lodge (full board basis)

 

 

Day 4: Sipi Falls, Mt. Elgon

Prepare yourself for a beautiful day in paradise. After breakfast, choose to go on a 3-hour or - for the real adventurers - a 7-hour hike through the region. A local guide accompanies you on your hike to explain flora, fauna and culture.

Whichever option you choose, you can be certain that you pass many picturesque waterfalls, plantations and caves. Local villagers will be sure to greet you with ‘Jambo!’ and beaming smiles.

Accommodation at Sipi River Lodge (full board basis)

 

Day 5: Karamojong tribe and visit the traditional "Kraal"

After and early breakfast you will continue your journey to Moroto town where you have an exclusive cultural interactive experience with the Karimajong tribesmen. Karamoja is an area in North-Eastern Uganda where the Karamajong people live. They are related to the Maasai in Kenya and live and dress similar. The main difference is that not any other tourist is going here. Only few years ago, tourism in Karamoja would not have been possible due to armed inter-tribal conflict but nowadays it’s safe.

 

The Karamajong live in a Kraal, better known as Manyatta or Boma in Swahili. A Kraal is basically a village made out of huts surrounded by fences made of wood and thorns to keep the cattle in and to protect them against rivaling tribes and wild animals. Some of Kraals are permanent and others are temporarily as the karamajong follow the fresh grass to feed their cattle. The Karamajong are related to the Maasai in Kenya and live a similar lifestyle.

 

The main difference is that the Karamajong is completely unknown and you are therefore sure to experience a very authentic and unique visit. In the afternoon you will visit one of the impressive Kraal or Manyatta of this community.

Tourist infrastructure does not exist in Kotido. Please be patient and do not expect the services from hotels and restaurants that you would expect in other parts of Uganda. You will spend the night at Lia Springs Hotel in Moroto with stunning views overlooking the hills.

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Optional activity: Night in the kraal US$ 20 per person

For the true adventurer you can sleep in one of the non-permanent Kraals. Here you will pitch your tent to spend an evening with a specific Karamajong family. Part of the evening is a goat roast ceremony. It’s a great event for them and they will be likely to sing and dance all night; 

 

During a night at the kraal you will experience how the Karamajong lives. They will bring their cattle back in the kraal, they will make local beer (which you can try as well) and you can be part of the bloodletting ceremony, whereby they tap blood from a cow to drink. After the traditional goat-roast you will have some dinner for yourself.  After dinner you will spend the rest of the night interacting and dancing with the Karamajong or listening to the songs next to the fire until it’s time to go to sleep.  After waking up in the early morning you can see the sunrise on the Karamajong Valley and see the Shepard’s take their cattle from the kraal to look for fresh grass on the plains.

 

Accommodation :

Luxury, Medium and lower budget: Lia Springs Hotel Moroto

 

Day 6: To Kidepo National Park

After breakfast leave Moroto to Kidepo Valley arrive in time for the afternoon or evening activities depending on the conditions of the roads This afternoon you can either take a game drive around the lodge area or refreshing dip in stunning swimming pool. Carved out of a granite kopje the pool affords fantastic views down the Narus valley and over a waterhole frequented by many animals including Bullbull- our friendly elephant and unofficial head gardener, Overnight.

If you can plan today on a Tuesday you'll have the chance to experience an authentic Karamajong cattle market on Wednesday (that is today in this tour). Some herders walk for 5 hours to be able to buy or sell their goats, cows or chicken here. It’s a colorful and stunning sight and one of the few remaining authentic experiences. Don’t miss this!

          

Accommodation Options:

           Luxury: Apoka Game Lodge

          Medium: Kidepo Valley Lodge

          Low Budget: Kidepo Valley Lodge (tents)

 

Day 7: Safari Kidepo valley National Park

After an early breakfast, go for a morning game drive to Kanangorok hot spring. A variety of animals can be seen roaming around including Ostrich. In the afternoon have a cultural experience that will bring into contact with Karamojong peoples at Karenna and Kapedo. Meet the local elders and have an opportunity to interact with them. They will show you the kraals, the grinding stones and many more interesting items.

 

Accommodation Options:

Luxury: Apoka Game Lodge

Medium: Kidepo Valley Lodge

Low Budget: Kidepo Valley Lodge (tents)

 

Day 8: Murchison Falls National Park

We set off from Jinja at 7a.m. after our morning breakfast and drive to Murchison Falls and the Ziwa Rhino tracking.

You will track the rhinos in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for about 2 hours depending on where the rhinos are feeding from. Continue to Masindi town for lunch at the Masindi Hotel and continue to the park.

Murchison Falls National Park is the largest in Uganda at 3,840 square kilometres. Here is the awe inspiring Murchison Falls where the River Nile hurls itself in convulsions through a narrow crevice and then plunges 40 metres in one breathtaking leap.

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The park has a variety of vegetation ranging from riparian forests and swamplands to broad savannah, and provides visitors the opportunity of seeing large concentrations of wildlife including lion, leopard, civet, hyena, elephant, giraffe, buffalo, hippo, crocodile, a host of smaller game, small primates and many bird species, including the rare shoebill stork. The park is especially famous for crocodiles and hippos.

Apart from game viewing, the launch trip to the bottom of the falls is another memorable adventure giving you the experience of the mighty Biblical Nile.

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Accommodation Options:

Luxury: Baker's Lodge

Medium: Murchison River Lodge  | Fort Murchison Lodge | Murchison River Lodge | Pakuba Lodge

Low Budget: Fort Murchison Lodge (Tents) | Red Chilli Rest Camp

 

Day 9: Murchison Falls National Park

After breakfast head to the delta in search for bird life and enjoy the game drive to look for lions, giraffes, herds of elephants, buffaloes and many more.

We will drive back to the lodge for lunch before taking an afternoon boat cruise to the foot of Murchison Falls. This boat trip along the Nile is often cited as being the highlight of a trip to Murchison since it allows you to get up-close and personal with the animals. Along this stretch of the river, there are reported to be around 4,000 hippos in addition to some enormous Nile crocodiles.

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The bird life is stunning with brightly colored kingfishers and bee-eaters darting along the riverbanks. If lucky, you may see the rare and prehistoric looking shoebill, which is a cross between the dodo and a dinosaur. The boat takes you to the base of the falls which only adds to their impressiveness.

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Luxury: Baker's Lodge

Medium: Murchison River Lodge  | Fort Murchison Lodge | Murchison River Lodge | Pakuba Lodge

Low Budget: Fort Murchison Lodge (Tents) | Red Chilli Rest Camp

 

Day 10: Fort Portal & Kibale National Park

Leave Murchison Falls National Park for Kibale Forest National Park via the Lake Albert escarpment, having a good view of the lake.

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Stopover at Kolping Hotel in Hoima for lunch and after drive across the interesting river Nkusi (flowing from the southern end of Lake Albert, through the villages of Kagadi, joining Victoria Nile). Both rivers join Lake Kyoga and flow through the Murchison Falls continue to Lake Albert and north to the Mediterranean Sea.

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This is a great day as the drive takes you through the community and forests with chances of seeing vervet monkeys, black and white Colobus monkeys jumping up in the trees as you advance into the Kyenjonjo on a rocky road.

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Luxury: Kyaninga Lodge | Ndali Lodge

Medium: Kibale Forest Camp

Low Budget: Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse

 

Day 11: Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale National Park & Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary

 

Assemble at Kanyankyu River camp at 08:00 hours to go for the most popular activity in this park which is chimpanzee tracking.

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Chimpanzees are man’s closest cousins though they are one of the most threatened primate species. More primates like black and white colobus monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, red-tailed monkeys, bush babies, pottos and many bird species like the yellow spotted nicator, rumped tinker bird, little greenbul, green breasted pitta, the crowned eagle, black bee-eater and mammals like elephants can be seen in this walk.

 

Kibale National park, which averages about 3,300 feet in elevation, is an extension of the great rainforests of central Africa. It is inhabited by three large communities of chimps, each numbering more than 100 individuals. Each community has a complicated social structure. The big adult males dominate the group and defend the community territory against incursions by male outsiders; the females usually wander in small family groups.

 

Typically, we locate the chimps by listening for their pant-hooting calls, then hustle to the area from which they are calling. We get to observe them as they feed in fruiting trees, lounge, and socialise with each other, or even, occasionally hunt.

In the afternoon we visit a nearby forest swamp that is excellent for viewing primates and other forest animals. At the eastern edge of Kibale Forest is Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary which is maintained by the local community. You will expect birds like the great blue turaco, blue monkeys, baboons, otters, mongoose, bushbucks, bush pigs and among others.

 

Luxury: Kyaninga Lodge | Ndali Lodge

Medium: Kibale Forest Camp

Low Budget: Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse

 

Day 12: Tour Fort Portal, Crater Lakes, Amabeere ga Nyinamwiru Caves & Queen Elizabeth National Park

Leave the national park after breakfast and drive to Fort Portal.

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You will visit the Amabere caves in Nyakasura area. This is the traditional home of the Bachwezi who were believed to be demi-gods. This area still has historical regalia of the Bachwezi that helps one in understanding the life they lived while still on earth (they later disappeared). You will then take a nature walk to the crater lakes whose history is associated with the mysterious Bachwezi.

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We incorporate some crater lake hikes into our this program. You will be simply by amazed by the beauty of these ancient and not ancient crater lakes found in the Fort Portal area.

After you have witnessed all these amazing landscapes, you will be transferred to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

 

Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge | Katara Lodge

Medium: Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge

Low Budget: Queen Elizabeth Mweya Hostels

 

Day 13: Safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast we depart to Queen Elizabeth National Park which is dominated on its northern border by the snow-capped 16,000-foot Rwenzori Mountains - the famed "Mountains of the Moon". This 767-square-mile conservation area is bordered on the north-east by Lake George and on the south-west by Lake Edward; its western border adjoins the Congo Parc du Virunga.

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As we drive through the park, expect to spot teeming herds of impala-like Uganda kob, as well as topi, elephant, Cape buffalo. There are also several soda lakes filling ancient volcanic calderas where flamingos reside seasonally.

In the afternoon we will go for a boat trip along the Kazinga Channel. This gives you the opportunity to view wildlife up close: hippo’s huff and spray at very close range from the boat, buffalo linger in the shallows. The shores of the channel are also home to an array of birds including pink backed pelicans, pied and malachite kingfishers, saddle billed stork and many others.

 

Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge | Katara Lodge

Medium: Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge

Low Budget: Queen Elizabeth Mweya Hostels

 

Day 14: Queen Elizabeth National Park & Maramagambo Forest Bush Walk

Another early start for a bush walk through the Maramagambo Forest.

This is one of the largest forests in Uganda, and forms a habitat for a number of primates and forest dwellers. Due to its location, Maramagambo also has a great diversity of butterflies and birds. The walk culminates in a visit to volcanic caves that are home to thousands of bats. Pythons are often observed in the crevices of the bats cave as they prey on bats. In this walk you will see the picturesque blue lake Kimeranjojo which got its name after swallowing an elephant. Other trails will lead you to the Crater Lake and habitats of the wild chimps and forest bird.

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In the afternoon you will proceed to Ishasha Sector. Drive along the deep and wide dry craters that are occupied by savanna grasses and acacia. The drive takes you through the unique western rift valley escarpment and the (southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park) Ishasha sector where you will take on yet another game drive in search of tree climbing lions in the afternoon and evening. 

 

Accommodation Options (Full Board)

Up-market/Luxury: Ishasha Wilderness Campsite

Mid-range: Enjojo Lodge | Ishasha Ntungwe River Camp

Budget: @ the River

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

 

Day 15: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Early morning guided bush walk for a closer interaction with nature in Ishasha. The mid morning will be spent on a game drive for the tree climbing lions, elephants and other Big Mammals, thereafter proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

The journey takes about 2-3 hours but driving through interesting features. We shall be arriving in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in the evening. This park is home of the rare mountain gorillas plus 11 other primates species including the blue and red tailed monkeys. The forest itself is lush and green and there are streams running through it.

 

Accommodation Options (Full Board)

Up-market: Buhoma Lodge| Mahogany Lodge

Moderate: Engagi Lodge | Silverback Lodge | Gorilla Mist Camp | Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge

Budget: Rushaga Gorilla Camp | Ruhija Gorilla Friends Camp | Buhoma Community Campground

 

 Day 16: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After breakfast, proceed for the morning briefing before enjoying the highlight of the trip - gorilla trekking, which may last the entire day.

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We trek through the rainforest and bamboo covered slopes, accompanied by a guide and trackers, in search of a mountain gorilla family. The walking can sometimes be tough and long, but when you catch a glimpse of the magnificent silverback, any discomforts will be quickly forgotten. When sighted, visitors will be guided to within 6 metres from the gorillas, sit around them for a whole hour while gazing into their big round eyes.

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Gorilla trekking is unpredictable. It's difficult to foresee how many hours you will hike. The gorilla excursion can take from 2 up to 8 hours. Expect to walk along distance in steep and muddy conditions, sometimes with rain overhead, before you encounter any gorillas. A good physical condition is recommended. For conservation purposes, time spent with the gorillas is limited to one hour. A ranger will brief you on how to behave with the gorillas.

        

         Luxury:  Buhoma Lodge | Mahogany Lodge | Chameleon Hill Lodge

         Medium: Engagi Lodge | Silverback Lodge | Gorilla Safari Lodge | Lake Kitandara Camp

         Budget: Buhoma Community Campground | Travellers Rest Hotel | Ruhija Gorilla Friends Camp

 

Day 17: Lake Bunyonyi 

After having breakfast, we shall take a scenic drive to Kabale taking you through the beautiful terrain of the rolling hills with terraced landscape. A short drive leads us to the beautiful Lake Bunyonyi where we can relax and enjoy some reflection time. With its fresh water, bilharzias-free and beautiful landscapes, Lake Bunyonyi is a small paradise for travellers.

 

Luxury: The Bird Nest 

Medium: The Bird Nest

Low Budget: Lake Bunyonyi Overland Resort

 

Day 18: Lake Mburo National Park

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After an early morning breakfast, you will drive to Lake Mburo National Park.

Upon arrival, you will go for the game drive which will give you insights of animal species like the zebras, topes, elephants, elands, impalas, buffaloes, antelopes and so many others.

        

          Luxury: Mihingo Lodge | Mantana Tented Camp | Arcadia Cottages

         Medium: Rakobo Rock Lodge or Lake Mburo Safari Lodge

         Low Budget: Mburo Eagles Nest | Rwonyo Restcamp

 

Day 19: Game Drive & Canoe Ride on Lake Mburo - Entebbe

After breakfast, you will go for the last game drive within the park to search for the early risers and also look out for animals missed out in the previous game drive.

Later transfer back to Kampala with a brief stopover at the Equator for photographs; Reach Kampala in the afternoon. Proceed to Entebbe for your flight departure back home.

 

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