Itinerary
Day 1
You will be met on arrival at Entebbe International Airport and assisted to your domestic flight to Kasese. Flying time is approximately two hours. Your guide will be waiting for you. Your transfer to the lodge will take about two hours by road. Once you’ve gotten settled in you can enjoy the pool or take a guided hike to the banana and vanilla plantations in the area. The lodge has views of the ancient volcanic landscape, the Bunyaruguru Crater Lake and the Rwenzori Mountains beyond.
2 Nights at Ndali Lodge
Day 2
This morning you will track the noisy chimps and other primates crashing around through the high canopy of the Kibale Forest with colorful birds squawking nearby. After a picnic lunch, explore the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, a haven for birds, butterflies and a number of primates. You will learn about the community development projects being financed by tourism.
Day 3
Depart for Queen Elizabeth National Park stopping for a walk in the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains to take in the views of this magnificent mountain range. Keep on the lookout for lion and herds of Uganda kob on the Kasenyi plains. The Mweya peninsula is one of the best places to look for leopard, which live in the dense, scrubby thickets.
2 Nights at Kyambura Gorge Lodge
Day 4
Set off on an excursion to the nearby Kyambura Gorge to track the fast moving and elusive chimpanzees, one of man's closest relations. This is real Tarzan territory with thick treetop canopies and vines dangling down to the soft forest floor. The chimpanzees crash about and chatter high up in the branches. They are quite mobile and viewing is unpredictable but the walk is enchanting. In the afternoon take a cruise on the Kazinga Channel, which flows between Lakes Edward and George. Kazinga is home to one of the greatest concentration of hippo in Africa and herds of elephant, buffalo and other animals come to drink at the edge. The channel is a magnet for water birds, with great flocks of pelicans and others birds on the shore, and a great spot to see African fish eagle.
Day 5
Your safari continues to the primeval Bwindi forest with a day-long transfer (approximately a six hour drive). Route options -- going via Ishasha, home of the tree climbing lion, or the alternative route through cultivated expanses – are dependent on road conditions. Depending on when you arrive, there may be time to explore the lodge grounds or visit the local village. Bwindi Lodge offers a truly unique jungle experience. Separated by nothing more than an idyllic stream, the gorillas themselves are frequent visitors.
2 Nights at Bwindi Lodge
Day 6
Today is the day for you to come face to face with the endangered mountain gorillas! You will set out early to meet with the local guides and trackers for trekking formalities and a talk on the etiquette of gorilla tracking. Although the hike is physically demanding, the beauty of the forest and surrounding scenery along with the anticipation of your quest seems to lessen the trekking effort. Once you locate your assigned gorilla group, you will have one hour to spend with them before making your way back. Tracking in the Bwindi forest requires stamina and can often take most of the day.
Optional activities are available for those not wanting to go gorilla tracking or interested in staying longer in this area. Guided walks in the rainforest offer excellent photographic opportunities to capture endemic bird species, rare plant life and clouds of butterflies. Visits to the local villages, the Bwindi Community Hospital and tours of the local tea processing operation at the lodge are always popular with visitors. Discover the traditions of the Batwa Pygmies, the indigenous people of Bwindi forest. They no longer live in the forest, but still practice many of their traditional hunter-gatherer skills.
Day 7
Depart for the two-hour transfer by road to the Kihihi airstrip to catch the domestic flight back to Entebbe. Connect with your international flight.
