20-day “Pearl of Africa” Uganda Private Lodge Safari

After breakfast, you will be picked up for a Kampala city tour on a boda boda (bicycle taxi) with a “professional” boda boda driver.

During the tour, you will visit various historical and cultural sites such as the Bahia Temple, King's Lake (Kabaka's Lake), the King's Palace, the Uganda Museum, the Gaddafi Mosque, the Namugongo Shrine, Namirembe Cathedral, Owino Market, and the Kasubi Tombs.

There is also a chance to taste local dishes like the “famous” “rolex” throughout Uganda, a rolled omelette with vegetables wrapped in a chapati.

Overnight stay in a hotel of your choice in Entebbe or Kampala in a double room. (hotel) (breakfast)

After breakfast, depart from Entebbe and drive north-west through the famous Luwero Triangle and the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, a drive of approx. 2 hours.

The Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is the only place in Uganda where the endangered southern white rhino can still be found.

The project in Ziwa aims to reintroduce the endangered rhino to Uganda after they completely disappeared from Uganda in the 1970s.

A walking safari is conducted at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in search of the rhinos, after which you can spend approximately one hour with the rhinos.

After visiting the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, there's approximately a 3-hour drive towards Murchison Falls National Park. A lunch break will be taken en route at the Amuka Safari Lodge (lunch not included).

From Masindi, it’s a short further drive to the Kichumbanyabo gate, the most southern gate of the park. Drive through the Budongo Forest to the safari lodge, with a visit to the top of the Murchison Falls en route.

Murchison Falls is where the Nile plummets about 47 metres down through a 7-metre wide gorge. With a thundering roar and a cloud of spray, the Nile plunges into the depths.

Overnight stay in a hotel of your choice in or near Murchison Falls National Park in a double room. (hotel) (breakfast and dinner)

• Tourist class: Parkside Safari Lodge – www.parksidesafarilodge.com of Hornbill Safari Lodge – www.hornbillbushlodge.com
• Mid-range: Fort Murchison – www.naturelodges.biz/fort-murchison of Pakuba Safari Lodge – www.pakubasafarilodge.com

This morning, we got up early and after breakfast, set off around 06:30 for a lovely long game drive through Murchison Falls National Park in search of the animals that live there.

En route, you can encounter, among others, Rothschild's giraffe, lions, baboons, warthogs, buffalo, hartebeest and elephants (there are approximately 76 different species of mammals in the park).

Many other bird species (over 450 different species) including the rare shoebill stork, hornbill, kingfisher, and secretary bird. After the game drive, return to the lodge for lunch (lunch not included).

In the afternoon, a boat trip of approximately three hours on the Nile, where you can see, among other things, hippos, crocodiles, waterbuck, elephants, and many birds, to the foot of the waterfall where the water crashes down with great force into the “Devil's Cauldron” - a spectacular experience.

After the boat cruise, drive back to the lodge. The rest of the afternoon is at your leisure to enjoy the beautiful surroundings.

Overnight stay in a hotel of your choice in or near Murchison Falls National Park in a double room. (hotel) (breakfast and dinner)

After breakfast, depart from Murchison Falls National Park and drive via the Bugungu Gate towards Lake Albert, the sixth largest freshwater lake in Africa.

Along the shores of Lake Albert, we visit the fishing village of Butiaba, once an important port for traffic between Congo and Uganda, but now a fishing village due to the collapse of trade with Congo owing to the unrest in the Congo.

There is an opportunity to take a walk through the village and gain insight into the lives of the inhabitants and the activities in the village. On a clear day, the Blue Mountains in the Congo can be seen from Butiaba.

After the visit to Butiaba, drive to the hotel. The rest of the afternoon is at your leisure.

Overnight stay in the hotel of your choice near Hoima in a double room with an en-suite bathroom. (hotel) (breakfast and dinner)

• Tourist class: Kontiki hotel www.hoimakontikihotel.com
• Mid-range: Hoima Cultural Safari Lodge – www.ugandaculturallodges.com/hoima-cultural-lodge/

After breakfast (around 8:00 AM) depart from Hoima and drive south to Kibale Forest National Park.

Upon arrival at the lodge at lunchtime. After lunch, the guide will give a brief briefing about the activities for the next day.

The rest of the afternoon is yours to relax and enjoy the surroundings.

Overnight stay in the hotel of your choice near Fort Portal/Kibale Forest in a double room with en-suite bathroom. (hotel) (breakfast and dinner)

• Tourist Class: Bahundu Lodge – www.bahundusafarilodge.com of Rwenzori View Guesthouse www.ruwenzori-view.com
• Mid-range: Kibale Forest Camp – www.naturelodges.biz/kibale-forest-camp of Isunga Lodge – www.isungalodge.com

This morning we got up early and drove to Kanyanchu River Camp, where the chimpanzee tracking begins.

Chimpanzee tracking commences at 8:00 AM, a guided hike in search of the chimpanzees.

Uganda and the Kibale Forest are known for the primate colonies found there, with a total of 13 different primate species, of which the chimpanzee is the most “popular”.

A chimpanzee tracking excursion lasts approximately 2-3 hours, with an additional hour spent with the chimpanzees. After the chimpanzee encounter, you will be driven back to the lodge for lunch (lunch is at your own expense).

After lunch, we'll visit the Bigodi Swamps for a nature walk. The Bigodi Swamp walk is a community-led initiative, and the area is renowned for its high diversity of birds and primates (activities can also be reversed, depending on permit availability).

Overnight stay in the hotel of your choice near Fort Portal/Kibale Forest in a double room with en-suite bathroom. (hotel) (breakfast and dinner)

After breakfast, you continue your journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Along the way, there will be a stop at the equator where you can take photos.

If it's not raining, the route can be driven via the crater lakes that were formed 10,000 years ago. On the way to the lodge, a first game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

The afternoon is for you to relax.

Overnight stay at a hotel of your choice near or in Queen Elizabeth National Park in a double room with an en-suite bathroom. (hotel) (breakfast and dinner)

• Tourist Class: Irungu Forest Lodge – www.irunguforestsafarilodge.com of Pumba Safari Lodge – www.pumbasafaricottages.com
• Mid-range: Tabingi Safari Lodge – www.tabingisafarilodge.com of Twins Lake Safari Lodge – www.twinlakesafarilodge.com

Get up on time this morning for the best chance to see wildlife.

Today a game drive through Queen Elizabeth Park in search of the animals that occur here, such as the Cape buffalo, the Defassa waterbuck, the Uganda kob and of course numerous other animals.

The game drive lasts approximately 3-4 hours. Afterwards, there is a stop for lunch (lunch at your own expense). Around 14:00, a boat trip is planned across the Kazinga Channel to Lake Edward, with opportunities en route to see many bird species, wildlife, and take photos.

After the boat trip, return to the hotel and the rest of the afternoon is at your leisure.

Overnight stay at a hotel of your choice near or in Queen Elizabeth National Park in a double room with an en-suite bathroom. (hotel) (breakfast and dinner)

After breakfast, depart for a second chimpanzee tracking, this time in the Kyambura Gorge.

After visiting the chimpanzees, we returned to the lodge for a lunch break.

After lunch, a walk to Lake Katwe and a visit to a local village where the residents make a living by extracting salt from the lake.

After the visit to Lake Katwe, we returned to the lodge and the rest of the afternoon was at your leisure.

Overnight stay at a hotel of your choice near or in Queen Elizabeth National Park in a double room with an en-suite bathroom. (hotel) (breakfast and dinner)

After breakfast, a final game drive through the northern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, followed by departure towards the southern sector, the Ishasha sector.

The southern part of Queen Elizabeth Park is known for the tree-climbing lions found here.

On the way to the lodge, a game drive through Queen Elizabeth National Park. Arrive at the lodge and the rest of the afternoon is at your leisure.

• Overnight stay at a hotel of your choice near or in Queen Elizabeth National Park in a double room with an en-suite bathroom. (hotel) (breakfast and dinner)Tourist Class: Topi Lodge – www.topilodgeishasha.com
• Mid-range: Embogo Lodge – www.embogolodgesuganda.org or the Enjojo Lodge – www.enjojolodge.com

Today, a full day of game driving in the Ishasha sector in search of the tree-climbing lions.

The guide will explain the theory behind why the lions in this park have started climbing trees.

Lunch (at own expense) in Ishasha Village and after lunch, continue the game drive back to the lodge.

Rest of the afternoon to relax.

Overnight stay at a hotel of your choice near or in Queen Elizabeth National Park in a double room with an en-suite bathroom. (hotel) (breakfast and dinner)

After breakfast, drive towards the southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

En route, a stop is made at the Kitagata hot spring, a hot spring that the locals strongly believe has healing properties.

After visiting the hot springs, continue driving to the southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

Rest of the afternoon free to prepare for the gorilla trekking the following day.

Overnight stay in a hotel of your choice in or near Bwindi National Park in a double room. (hotel) (breakfast and dinner)

• Tourist Class: Gorilla Valley Lodge – www.naturelodgesuganda.com of Agandi Lodge – www.agandiuganda.com

Mid-range: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge – www.ichumbigorillalodge.com or Mutanda Resort – www.mutandalakeresort.com

This morning it’s an early start to get ready for one of the biggest highlights of the trip, the visit to the gorillas.

From the hotel, it's a short car ride to the tracking starting point where the registration form will be completed. At 08:00, there will be a briefing on the do's and don'ts during the tracking, after which the walk will commence at 08:30.

For tracking, a certain level of fitness is required and good walking shoes are a must. During the search for the gorillas, the park ranger will provide information about the gorillas as well as other flora and fauna.

The duration of the tracking depends on the search for the gorillas and can last a number of hours or even the whole day. Once the gorillas have been found, a maximum of 1 hour can be spent with them.

After the gorilla tracking, return to the lodge and the rest of the day is at your leisure.

Overnight stay in a hotel of your choice in or near Bwindi National Park in a double room. (hotel) (breakfast and dinner)

Today is dedicated to the Batwa tribe. You will meet the authentic Batwa or Pygmy people who will introduce you to the traditional Batwa culture.

The Batwa people are the original inhabitants of the southern part of Uganda and live by hunting and foraging in the forest. A nature walk is taken under the guidance of a Batwa guide in Mgahinga Gorilla Park.

A demonstration of medicinal herbs, the traditional way of fetching water in bamboo buckets, and the construction of traditional grass huts is being held.

The excursion concludes with a traditional performance at Garama Cave, a highly sacred site for the Batwa used for important ceremonies.

By visiting the Batwa, you are supporting the local population. The rest of the afternoon is at your leisure.

Overnight stay in a hotel of your choice in or near Mgahinga Gorilla Park in a double room. (hotel) (breakfast and dinner)

• Tourist Class: Travellers Rest Camp – www.naturelodges.biz/travellers-rest
• Mid-range: Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge – www.lakemulehesafarilodge.com

After breakfast, depart for Lake Bunyonyi, the second deepest freshwater lake in Africa with a depth of 1400 metres.

In the afternoon, you can swim in the lake or visit the nearby village and local market.

Alternatively, a boat trip can be taken across the lake, visiting one of the 29 islands, or a canoe trip can be made across the lake.

An interesting visit is to “punishment island” in Lake Bunyonyi. In the rural community of Uganda, young girls who became pregnant out of wedlock were under a great taboo.

These girls were often banished to this island where they mostly died of hunger and thirst or drowned in the lake.

This then served as a warning to other young girls. Rest of the day free for activities.

Overnight stay in a hotel of your choice in or near Lake Bunyoni in a double room. (hotel) (breakfast and dinner)

• Economy Class Lake Bunyonyi Overland Camp – www.bunyonyioverland.co.uk
• Mid-range: Bunyoni Rock Lodge – www.lakebunyonyirockresort.net of Bunyoni Eco Lodge – www.lakebunyonyiecoresort.com/en/

After breakfast, depart from the lodge and drive for approx. 3 hours via Masaka town to Bukakata.

En route through small villages, local markets, and magnificent landscapes that glide by.

Arrival in Bukakata and ferry crossing to Bugala Island, one of the Ssese Islands, in Lake Victoria.

Arrival at the hotel and the rest of the day is at your leisure.

Overnight stay in Brovad Sands Lodge in a twin ensuite room (hotel) (breakfast)

• Tourist and Mid-range accommodation: Brovad Sands Lodge – www.brovadsandslodge.com

Two days to rest after the journey.

There are a number of activities possible (optional and extra) such as fishing, hiking in the stunning nature, canoeing, boat trips on Lake Victoria and quad biking around the island.

Overnight stays at Brovad Sands Lodge in a twin en-suite room. (hotel) (breakfast)

This morning the ferry to Entebbe departs at 08:00, so we'll have breakfast and transfer to the ferry port on time.

Arrival in Entebbe around 11.30 am.

There is time to explore the city and have lunch.

At the end of the day, a transfer to Entebbe Airport.

End of arrangement.