Best of Uganda Safari - 12 Days

Hopefully, your flight is scheduled for an early (not past noon) landing in Entebbe. Your Guide/driver will pick you from the Entebbe International Airport and hit the road to Murchison Falls National Park. The highlights of this park include: the roaring rapids of the Murchison, the rolling plains of Uganda’s largest National Park where you will have the chance of viewing lions, giraffes, hartebeest, buffalo, and elephants. Then surely you will be fascinated by the concentration of hippos and the Nile crocodiles here. For any birder, Murchison Falls boasts 450 bird species including the elusive shoebill stork (though a rare sighting), dwarf king fisher, the white-thigh hornbill and the Goliath heron among others. En route, make a stopover at Zziwa Rhino sanctuary for your first Big 5 experience where you will have an hour of rhino tracking. Another stop will be in Masindi in order to enjoy your lunch. Continue to the park and check in to your accommodation to relax for the Evening. Driving Distance: 350kms, Approx transit time: 6½ hrs. Dinner and overnight at Paraa Lodge (LD).

After an early breakfast, tour the Northern section of Murchison with a high concentration of savannah wildlife. Enjoy game viewing and photography of elephants, buffalos, waterbucks, giraffes, Uganda kob and lions, the leopards (if you’re lucky) plus a variety of bird species. Return to your accommodation for lunch as you prepare to have a 3-hour boat trip to the base of the falls. This trip is said to be the highlight of the safari in Murchison falls since it allows you to get up close to the animal species within the water. Cruise past huge hippo pods, crocodiles and numerous aquatic birds adorning the north bank on the way to the mighty waterfalls. You will have an opportunity to take thousands of pictures (and so carry your camera with you if you like). Also, proceed for a hike (if you like) to the top of the falls. The hike is a strenuous one but the thrill on reaching the top is unforgettable. Miss it only if you must! Return to your accommodation for dinner and overnight at Paraa Lodge (FB).

After breakfast at your accommodation, drive to the top of the falls (if you didn’t hike) where you will have spectacular view of the falls. Else, depart right away for Kibale Forest National Park after breakfast. Kibale is popular for its primates like the chimpanzees, colobus monkeys, mangabeys and red tailed monkeys. On your chimpanzee trails, these are regularly seen swinging in the forest trees and others feeding on the wild fruits. You will reach and do little but check into your accommodation where you will have dinner and the overnight rest. Kibale Forest Camp (FB).

Today you will experience some serious primate adventure! Kibale Forest National Park boasts the highest number of primate species in the world, including the chimpanzees. Approximately 5,000 chimpanzees live in the wild in Uganda, which makes it a perfect place to spot them! An experienced ranger will take you chimp tracking in the morning. The activity begins at 8.00am with a briefing regarding the rules of trekking the chimpanzees after which you set off to search for them in the forest. Once you locate the chimpanzees, you will have a full hour with them. You will return to the lodge for lunch after which you will head out for Queen Elizabeth National Park. You will arrive in the evening and overnight at your booked accommodation. Mweya Safari Lodge (FB)

n this day, you will have a game drive and launch trip (boat trip) on the Kazinga Channel. Early in the morning, you will go out for a game drive through the park, with magnificent views of the plains, valleys, terraced hills and abundance of wild animals like: reedbuck, bushbuck, kob, warthogs, elephants, lions, buffaloes and so much more. Have a break and relax as you eat lunch served at the lodge. The afternoon adventure entails a launch trip (boat trip) on the Kazinga Channel, a water stream joining Lake Edward and Lake George. The channel attracts a large school of hippos and Nile crocodiles, besides the variety of birds that flock the reed shores like: the pelicans, kingfishers, saddle billed stork and sometimes the crowned cranes. Return to your accommodation in time for your dinner. Mweya Safari Lodge (FB)

Have breakfast then set off for Bwindi NP through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park – famously known for its resident tree-climbing lions. The chance of spotting these lions is about 70% though sometimes they are really hard to spot (most especially when they’re down in the grassland looking for prey). Hoping you get the chance to spot them, the sight will be spectacular! Continue to Bwindi National Park. Bwindi is a big habitat for mountain gorillas in Uganda; harboring an estimated 400 mountain gorillas – roughly half of the world’s population, including several habituated groups, which can be tracked. Its mist-covered hillsides are blanketed by one of Uganda's oldest and most biologically diverse rainforests, which dates back over 25,000 years and contains almost 400 species of plants. With a strenuous day ahead, you will do less on arrival but just check in your accommodation, relax as you prepare for the Bwindi gorilla trekking experience the following day. Dinner and Overnight at SiverBack Lodge (FB).

After an early breakfast and a briefing by a ranger guide, you will enter the gorilla sanctuary for your adventure. The beauty of this rain forest is spectacular! The area offers dramatic steeply forested landscape and is incredibly dense, but crisscrossed by numerous animal trails allowing access to tourists. The time taken and the terrain vary with the movements of these great primates. Once you locate a gorilla group, you will be allowed an hour in their presence. The thrill of spending time observing these gentle and endangered giants is an awesome, exciting experience to be long savored. While in the forest you enjoy weather in these protected areas which is ever chilly offering a unique ambiance and serenity for the visitor seeking to meet and interact with their closest cousins in one of the most ancient rain forests for the best memorable tracking experience. Dinner and Overnight at SiverBack Lodge (FB)

Depart after breakfast to Lake Mburo National Park. Enjoy the evening Game drive for the best wildlife safari experience in this sculptured landscape, rolling hills, rock outcrops, and open wooded savanna. The expected animals include: Zebras, Antelopes, Elands, Topis, Giraffes, Waterbucks, Kipsringers, Velvet Monkeys, Buffalos, Warthogs, Baboons, and several bird species. This park alone has 332 known bird species, and 69 species of mammals. Evening Game Drive in Lake Mburo National Park. After wards, drive to the lodge to check in for an overnight. Mihingo Lodge (BLD)

After breakfast, drive to the park and the compact jewel there are well presented wildlife at only 370Kms2. The park is small compared to other savanna national parks in Uganda. Being a home to surprising wildlife, and the only national park in Uganda that has Impalas, you enjoy the beauty of this whispers of the wild. After game drive, return to the lodge for lunch. Afternoon Boat Cruise in Lake Mburo National Park. The boat moves along the shores of Lake Mburo. This trip is two hours and very engaging especially when you spot Crocodiles and Hippos. You can also spot herons, African Fish Eagles, Pelicans, and perhaps the African Fin Foot and the Shoebill the sought after bird by bird watchers. After wards, drive to the lodge to check in for an overnight. Mihingo Lodge (BLD)

This morning after breakfast, we drive to Kampala with stop over at the equator for a photo session and then in Kampala for lunch at a selected restaurant or hotel. This drive is a memorable one with a fantastic view of the dry rolling of Ankole with their signature long horned cattle just besides the roads. Afternoon embark on a leisurely drive from Kampala to Jinja at the source of Nile in readiness for the Nile Whitewater adventure the following day. Dinner and overnight at Speke Hotel in Jinja (BLD)

You can choose between a whole day rafting expedition, a half day expedition – whichever fits your adventure spirit. For the 12-year old not to miss out, you can chose a Family rafting expedition. Instead of choosing the wild rapids, you drift swiftly between beautiful forested islands. Children will love floating down the calmer section of the river. Alternatively, if white water rafting does not appeal to your adventure spirit, you can choose to go on a Quad bike safari (not included in price) along trails that have been developed beside the young Nile in Jinja. Dinner and overnight at Speke Hotel in Jinja (BLD)

Have a relaxed breakfast with spectacular view of the beautiful sorroundings around the hotel. After lunch at the end of this exciting trip, you are transferred to Entebbe International Airport in time for you to check-in for your onward flight.

These items form the basic components of your tour / safari cost and MAY NOT be excluded / removed from the tour pacakge all-together. However, if you still like the tour without some of of the basic components, kindly request for customization of the tour. The tour cost includes;

· Free pick-up / drop-off from your Hotel / Kampala / Entebbe Airport

· All transportation in a custom-built safari vehicle with window seat guarantee

· 3 meals a day / Full-Board accommodation whilst on Safari Hotels, lodges or Camps

· All parks and game reserve entry gate fees including vehicle & driver fees

· Boat launch to the bottom of the powerful Murchison Falls

· Gorilla Tracking Permits from Uganda Widlife Authority

· Services of an English - speaking and professional safari driver/guide

· Unlimited Supply of Complimentary Bottled Drinking Water on safari

· Lunch of Mbarara Town mid way from Bwindi Gorilla Forest

· Guaranteed Departures with a minimum of just 2 travellers!

· ALL Government taxes and levies

These items are excluded from your tour cost / package. You are therefore expected to make own arrangement for some such as your International Flight Tickets, Travel Insurance and so on. Others are available as 'add-ons' to your tour and we shall be glad to include any extras you like at a reasonable cost. The tour cost excludes;

· International Air Fares to and from Africa

· Accommodation in Entebbe / Kampala before the tour

· Travel Insurance Cover, Personal or Baggage (Highly Recommended)

· Cost of Tourist or Business Visa and any other associated expenses

· Optional excursions not mentioned in the inclusions and/or quoted separately

· Expenses of personal nature such as phone calls, internet, laundry etc

· All soft and hard drinks (alcoholic drinks, wines and spirits)

· Tips and gratuities to driver guides/lodge/hotel staff

· Festive days supplements such as those on Easter and Xmas dates

· All other extras not mentioned in the 'included'

When you book a tour with us, we want always want you to fee special. That is why we go the extra mile not only to make you smile but to ensure that your are taking home only the fondest of memories from our trips. Below are some of the special treatments you are unlikely to find with other tour operators;

· Special 'Welcome Package' for you upon arrival

· Free upgrade to a 4x4 Safari Vehicle with UNLIMITED game drives on safari

· Free supply of UNLIMITED bottled mineral water whilst on safari

· Complimentary 'AfriChoice!® Authentic African Safari Sun Hat

· Free Membership to AMREF's Flying Doctors Emergency Evacuation Programme*

· Signed & Sealed 'Participation Certificate' (Gorilla Experience*)

· Special 'Farewell Dinner' at the end of your trip (Time Permitting*)