Wildlife of Western Uganda Safari

You will be met at Entebbe International Airport and transferred to your hotel guesthouse, and given any help you need to check in and settle. To leave you the flexibility to rest after your journey and acclimatise to Uganda, as well as to allow clients flying in from different countries to all arrive and settle, we leave this afternoon and evening free for you to do as you wish. We can advise you on where to eat, and if you would like some ideas of where to explore.Overnight: Papyrus Guest house or Via Via Guesthouse

We have an early start this morning in order to transfer (1hr 30) to the shores of Lake Victoria and to catch a boat to Mabamba swamp. It lies near a relatively small village, Kasanje, where fishing is the main form of work and activity. Tilapia and lungfish can be found in the small streams of the papyrus grass-covered swamp. From a small wooden boat which carries 5 - 6 people each, we will hope to see the Shoebill Stork which hides in the water weed to hunt, or may, if we are lucky, be seen on land too, overlooking the water. Other beautiful birds we will spot are the African and Lesser Jacannas, Pygmy goose and the Blue Breasted Bee Eaters. Our tour, around 3 hours, will be led by a birding guide.This afternoon, we will stop at the Gorilla Conservation Cafe ("Saving Gorillas one sip at a time") for a visit and talk from Dr Gladys Kalema Zikusoka, the charities founder and previously the first Wildlife Veterinary Officer of the Uganda Wildlife Authority. The cafe is a social enterprise of the award-winning NGO Conservation Through Public Health. Overnight: Papyrus Guest house or Via Via Guesthouse

Today we leave Entebbe for arguably the most beautiful protected area in Uganda: Murchison Falls National Park. It is a journey that will take the day, with a worthwhile stop en route at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, which is home to the only wild rhinos in Uganda after they became extinct in the country in 1982. Accompanied by a guide, we have the wonderful opportunity to track and observe the rhinos in their habitat at a close, but safe, distance. Enjoying lunch here also, we then continue on to Murchison Falls National Park. The southern part of the park is mostly covered by dense woodlands and is one of the most varied forest faunas in East Africa. The northern area is grasslands with scattered acacia trees, borassus palms and riverine woodlands. The Victoria Nile passes through the Falls National Park and we will visit Murchison Falls themselves this afternoon - not to be missed!We stay this evening at an Eco Safari Lodge in an area of Murchison Falls National Park called Budongo Forest, the largest natural rainforest in the whole of East Africa. It is one of the best areas for chimp tracking in Uganda (tomorrow's exciting activity!). We will be staying in Twin or Double eco-log cabins which enjoy an en-suite shower, ash-based eco-loo and a private verandah overlooking the forest. We will be eating on the terrace restaurant. Overnight: Sambiya River Lodge- cottage

Today brings the incredible experience of walking into Budongo forest with an experienced wildlife guide from the Uganda Wildlife Authority, to learn about the forest and its inhabitants including primates and birds. The chimpanzee area is managed by the Jane Goodall Institute for Research and permits for tracking the chimpanzees are strictly controlled in order to manage exposure to the primates, for their protection. Our permits allow us to 'track' the chimpanzees, and on sighting them, we are permitted to stay with them for an hour, watching them go about their daily routine; grooming, playing, feeding, communicating, and taking care of their young. It is an incredible privilege, to see them in their natural habitat. After an hour we reluctantly return to our accommodation, with a visit to the top of the falls en route. Overnight: Sambiya River Lodge- cottage

The range of animals we will see on our game drive this morning will make the early start well worth it: as always with a safari drive, there are no guarantees, but the common sightings include Rothschild Giraffe, elephant, lion, Jackson Hartebeest, Oribis, Waterbucks and potentially the elusive leopard, to say nothing of the savannah woodland birds.After lunch, we enjoy a Nile launch cruise to the bottom of the stunning Murchison Falls for viewing game at close quarters, followed by a walk up to the top of the falls for incredible views of the Nile. This evening we have dinner and stay overnight at Sambiya River Lodge.Overnight: Sambiya River Lodge- cottage

To explore the most striking areas of Western Uganda, we need to travel, so today we settle into our journey that takes us from Murchison Falls National Park, south towards Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for another highlight of our adventure: the Gorilla Tracking. We split the journey over 2 days, staying tonight in Fort Portal (441kms from Murchison Falls, so a journey of 7 - 8 hours), a city that rests in the shadow of the fabled 'Mountains of the Moon' and is famous for her many tea plantations. Driving through Africa is not comparable to a similar length drive in the West - the sights and sounds of Africa are engaging and interesting, and the kms will fly by. However, en route to Fort Portal, to break the drive and give our legs a stretch, we enjoy a forest walk in Bugoma Forest, along Kaboya Wildlife Reserve. Our accommodation tonight is a charming guesthouse offering simple twin and double rooms with small verandahs.Overnight: Rwenzori Guesthouse

We continue our travels south through Queen Elizabeth National Park for another 380kms this morning (approx 5hr drive), arriving in Bwindi National Park, home to the Mountain Gorillas (gorilla beringei beringei), by lunch. Bwindi lies on the edge of the Albertine Rift Valley, with mountains ranging in height from 1,160 - 2600m high. The forest itself dates back to the ice ages and is one of Uganda's oldest and most ecologically diverse. It is home to 23 endemic species of bird as well as a host of mammals that includes gorillas, of course, baboons, chimpanzees, elephants and antelope. After a pause to settle into the Gorilla Conservation Camp, run by the Conservation through Public Health NGO, we became acquainted with at the start of our adventure, and rest, we set off on a village walk to get an opportunity to meet members of the local community. Overnight: Gorilla Conservation Camp

The excitement of seeing Mountain Silverback Gorillas up close in the wild will probably mean a light sleep, so it is no problem to arise early today for breakfast and to transfer to the park offices where we split into groups of 8, each with a Uganda Wildlife Authority tracking guide. Each group is allocated a gorilla family and the unforgettable experience begins to meet these gentle giants of Bwindi. Before your hike into the jungle starts, you will be given a briefing with information about your gorilla family as well as any health & safety considerations. You will enjoy a transfer to the trailhead but from there you will be hiking to track the gorillas who build new nests every day so are always to be found in a new place. Expect uneven ground, potentially muddy conditions with rain overhead, and steep gradients at times. Depending on where your gorilla family are found, you might be walking for between 2 and 8 hours. On sighting the gorillas you spend an hour with them as they go about their daily life; a totally unique and breathtaking experience. After the hour, your group will be guided back to the trailhead where a driver will be waiting to transfer you back to the Gorilla Conservation Camp for a well-deserved shower and meal. NB: Gorilla permits cost $800 (not included in the cost of your holiday) and are issued by the UWA on a first come, first served basis. For this reason, you need to book this holiday as far in advance as possible to ensure we can secure you a permit. Permits are purchased on booking, so in addition to your deposit, we will ask you for the cost of your permit. This is refundable (on cancellation by you) only if our partner agency is able to re-sell the permit on to another operator (which they make every effort to do). Overnight: Gorilla Conservation Camp

Echuya Batwa, commonly known as pygmies, are an endangered group of people around the Echuya Forest Reserve in Kisoro and Kabale District of South Western Uganda. Originally forest dwellers, they have been almost entirely dispossessed of their land by the combined pressures of Government Gorilla conservation efforts and cultivators claiming land. Their home, before eviction, was the Bwindi impenetrable National Forest of Uganda where they were hunter-gatherers and had spiritual and religious ties with the forests. Specific sites are revered and considered central to their existence. Today is a fascinating tour by a Batwa guide to demonstrate their hunting techniques, gathering honey, pointing out medicinal plants and demonstrating how to make bamboo cups. Women of the community perform an emotive and traditional song and we gain an insight into the richness of this fading culture.Our accommodation this evening is an hour away; Lake Mulehe Lodge is a peaceful oasis with individual twin and double cottages that have en-suite facilities and views of the lake.Overnight: Lake Chahafi Lodge or Lake Mulehe Lodge

After breakfast, we transfer 2hrs to Mgahinga National Park, part of the Virunga Mountains where we will accompany a game ranger to track another wonderful primate species, the endemic and endangered golden monkey (cercopithecus minis kandti). Between 2 and 4,000 individuals exist, living in troops of about 100, led by an Alpha male and feeding on bamboo shoots, seasonal fruits, flowers, leaves and small invertebrates. The monkeys we will track today have been habituated to tracking and are a little easier to find as they don't make new nests daily like the gorillas. After our tracking experience, we return to the lodge to relax and enjoy another African sunset and evening.Overnight: Lake Chahafi Lodge or Lake Mulehe Lodge

You may wish to relax at your leisure today, or alternatively, after breakfast, enjoy a community walk through the local villages to learn a little about the way of life in the nearby communities. This afternoon we drive to Lake Bunyoni, close to the Ugandan border with Rwanda, and believed to be the second deepest lake in Africa. Bunyonyi means 'place of many birds' and is said to be one of the best places in Africa to see otters.. it is also referred to as the 'Switzerland of Uganda'. The lake is dotted with 29 islands of different shapes and size including Punishment Island with its tragic past; young girls who got pregnant out of wedlock were taken and abandoned there to starve to death! Framed by lush green terraced hills ranging from 2200 to 2478m, the lake vista is breathtaking. We stay in individual cottage rooms sat Bunyonyi Overland Resort, on the lakeside, from where you can drink in the views. Overnight: Bunyonyi Overland Resort

There is no hurry for breakfast this morning as you have some time to relax and enjoy your environment before enjoying a boat cruise on the lake this morning. You will visit the nearest islands, including pushishment island before returning back to the Bunyonyi Overland Resort for dinner.Overnight: Bunyonyi Overland Resort

With some big distances to cover between Bwindi and Entebbe, today we reluctantly leave the sanctity of the lakeshore and start the journey Eastwards. We are by no means winding down from your experience yet though - we drive this morning, until lunch, before entering Lake Mburo National Park for a wonderful game drive this afternoon. Although one of Uganda's smaller National Parks, it has a wonderful selection of African birds and mammals to spot: impala, warthog, zebra, buffalo and is particularly known for its hippos and African fish eagles. Tonight you stay in an eco-friendly hotel
estaurant nestled on a scenic outcrop at the edge of the park: a secluded retreat in the Ankole ranch lands where we stay in comfortable and spacious 'cottages' dotted around the hill. During dinner the game spotting continues as herbivores often congregate at the water hole beneath the dining area. Overnight: Hyena Hill Lodge

We start our last full day in Uganda in the best way possible - with an early game drive to see the savannah awakening and the sun rising. Later, we transfer to Entebbe with a stop at the equator for photos and a little souvenir shopping. We will arrive in Entebbe during the afternoon, and check in at our familiar guesthouse located within easy reach of the airport for tomorrow's departing flight.Overnight: Papyrus Guest house or Via Via Guesthouse

Depending on your flight departure time, after breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for your flight home. Time to start planning the next adventure!