The Very Best of Uganda

Day 1: Entebbe

International flight into Entebbe Airport. Upon landing, clear Immigration and collect your luggage before leaving the airport to meet your driver by the terminal doors. 10 minute transfer to your hotel where you will spend the night. 

Overnight: Hotel Number 5

Meals: Breakfast

Day 2: Kidepo National Park

Your driver will meet you at your hotel and  take you to Kajjansi Airfield for the scheduled morning flight to Kidepo Valley National Park. On arrival you will be met by the lodge safari guide from Apoka Safari Lodge where you will stay for the next three nights. All safari activities and timings are managed by the lodge, but you’ll most likely take a late-afternoon safari drive in the park.

Overnight: Apoka Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunches, Dinner

Day 3: Kidepo National Park

A full day dedicated to exploring the untamed wilderness of Kidepo. This is the Africa of our imagination. You’ll have two safari excursions each day – the lodge guide and managers will discuss the details and timings of these with you.

Overnight: Apoka Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunches, Dinner

Day 4: Kidepo National Park

Another full day exploring Kidepo. 

Overnight: Apoka Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunches, Dinner

Day 5: Murchison Falls National Park

This morning the lodge guide will drop you to the park airstrip to catch a scheduled morning flight to Murchison Falls National park. You’ll land at Pakuba Airstrip in the middle of the park where you’ll meet your guide. Take a short safari through the park as you head head to the Nile Ferry crossing. Traverse the river before heading to Baker’s Lodge where you will spend the next four nights. This evening your guide will drive you a short distance to the boat jetty for a private sunset cruise down the Nile, ending at the lodge.

Overnight: Bakers Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunches, Dinner

Day 6: Murchison Falls National Park

This morning your private boat will arrive at the lodge to take you on a morning delta cruise to the point where the Nile meets Lake Albert.  In the afternoon, take a game drive safari to discover the wildlife of the park.

Overnight: Bakers Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunches, Dinner

Day 7: Murchison Falls National Park

This morning you’ll drive around an hour to Budongo Forest at the edges of Murchison. Budongo is great for chimpanzee trekking. The trekking should take most of the morning. Spend an hour in the company of these amazing animals before returning to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon you can choose to relax at the lodge or take another safari across the river.

Overnight: Bakers Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunches, Dinner

Day 8: Murchison Falls National Park

Today you’ll cross The Nile on the car ferry and have a full morning on safari in the Paraa section of the park. After returning for lunch, you’ll be met by your private boat at the lodge jetty for a river safari to the base of Murchison Falls. You can choose to disembark the boat and hike up the side of the falls (in this case your guide will meet you at the top), or enjoy the boat trip back down-stream to the lodge.

Overnight: Bakers Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunches, Dinner

Day 9: Semliki Valley

Today is a road trip from Murchison the the Semliki Wildlife Reserve. The route is characterised by stunning natural beauty all around, and there will be plenty of stop along the way for photo opportunities and respites. The drive will take around 7 hours. 

Overnight: Semliki Safari Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunches, Dinner

Day 10: Semliki Valley

Wake to an early breakfast before driving 45 minutes to the edge of Lake Albert where you’ll embark on a boat trip to spot the elusive shoe-bill stork. In the afternoon, take a game drive through Semliki.

Overnight: Semliki Safari Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunches, Dinner

Day 11: Queen Elizabeth National Park

Head south via a scenic road to Queen Elizabeth National Park, arriving at Kyambura Gorge Lodge in time for lunch. Afternoon game drive around Queens, Uganda's most biodiverse national park.

Overnight: Kyambura Gorge Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunches, Dinner

Day 12: Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast at the lodge overlooking the savannah grasslands of Queens, you'll head into the Kyambura Gorge to find the chimpanzees. Spend the morning tracking the chimps, which are harder to find than in other areas of Uganda but the trek itself is fantastic and sightings are common. Spend the afternoon at leisure or take a game drive through Queens. 

Overnight: Kyambura Gorge Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunches, Dinner

Day 13: Queen Elizabeth National Park

Spend a relaxed morning around the lodge, soaking in the beauty of Queens. If you're feeling active, you can visit the crater lakes around Queens. In the afternoon, take a 2pm boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel. 

Overnight: Kyambura Gorge Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunches, Dinner

Day 14: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Continue south today as you press on the Bwinidi Impenetrable National Park, home to the mountain gorillas. There is an optional detour en route to the Ishasha sector of Queens, famous for the tree-climbing lions found in the area. Press on into the foothills of Bwindi Forest to the village of Buhoma, where you will check in to Gorilla Forest Camp, your base for the coming days adventures. 

Overnight: Gorilla Forest Camp

Meals: Breakfast, Lunches, Dinner

Day 15: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

The Big Day arrives! Wake up early for a nourishing breakfast (you will need the energy) and then a short transfer to the national park offices where you will be allocated a gorilla family and a gorilla tracking guide. After a pre-tracking briefing on the ecology and history of the gorillas, as well as appropriate safety precautions, you head out by road to the trail-head for the start of your adventure.

The trek begins. Expect to walk between 2 and 8 hours in steep and sometimes muddy conditions, with showers often appearing. The trek can be tough and requires a degree of (average) fitness. When contact is made with the gorillas, you will be able to spend up to one hour with them. Watch them feed, move, play and wrestle. When the hour is up, return through the forest to your vehicle and the lodge for a second night stay.

Overnight: Gorilla Forest Camp

Meals: Breakfast, Lunches, Dinner

Day 16: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Experience the magic all over again as you head out on a second gorilla trek in the Buhoma area. 

Overnight: Gorilla Forest Camp

Meals: Breakfast, Lunches, Dinner

Day 17: Jinja

As your time in the wilderness of Bwindi comes to an end, head to the airport to catch a scheduled flight to Entebbe. Your driver will meet you at the airport and take you to Jinja, Uganda's adrenaline capital on the banks of the river Nile. You’ll take a very short boat trip across a part of the river to Wild Waters Lodge where you will stay for the next three nights. 

Overnight: Wildwaters Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunches, Dinner

Day 18: Jinja

A day of adventuring, or relaxation, whatever you choose. There are loads of activities to choose from if you are feeling active, inlduing white water rafting, kayaking and canoeing, bungee jumping, mountain biking and horse riding. 

Overnight: Wildwaters Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunches, Dinner

Day 19: Jinja

Your second day at leisure - or packed with adventures, you choose. 

Overnight: Wildwaters Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunches, Dinner

Day 20: Jinja

After breakfast, head back to the Entebbe to connect with your international flight home. 

Meals: Breakfast