12 Days Uganda Exclusive Safari

We're as excited as you are to get started on your Ugandan safari. After an introduction to your guide and a few brief formalities, it's time to get out there and find the animals for which Uganda is so famous.Entebbe is the main air gateway to Uganda. It stands on the lush northern shore of Lake Victoria – the world's second-largest freshwater body – only an hour’s drive south of the capital Kampala. It's a very relaxed and low-rise city, offering a good choice of lakeshore restaurants, abundant greenery, and some of the best urban bird watching anywhere in Africa.

You'll be staying at ViaVia Uganda Entebbe while you're in Entebbe, and it's a great place to stay. Activities Day 1 Rest of Day Enjoy some downtime relaxing in Entebbe. It’s a chance to charge your batteries, organize your photos and enjoy replenishing your energy levels. Around Lunchtime

• Briefing, ViaVia Uganda Entebbe

Meal Plan – Day 1

• Lunch & Dinner

Described as the most exciting thing to happen to the Nile along its 6,000km journey from Lake Victoria to the Mediterranean, the 43m-high Murchison Falls is also the centerpiece of Uganda's largest and oldest national park. Here you might encounter four of the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant and buffalo), along with the world's largest population of the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe, and several types of antelope and monkey. Particularly noteworthy among 550-odd recorded bird species are the hulking great shoebill and Abyssinian ground hornbill, and the beautifully marked and very localized white-crested turaco and red-headed lovebird.Fall asleep to the sound of grunting hippos and awake to a chorus of birdsong at Murchison River Lodge, which overlooks a wide stretch of the Nile as it flows downriver from Murchison Falls to Lake Albert. The accommodation and food at this well-managed bush lodge both draw regular praise, but our favorite thing about it is the wild riverside setting, which can be enjoyed from the swimming pool or shady terrace restaurant.

Activities Day 2Morning Transfer by Road, ViaVia Uganda Entebbe to Murchison Falls National Park Transfer time: 5 to 6 hours Evening We break our game drive this evening with a stop at the famous Top of the Falls, a stunning viewpoint from where you can truly appreciate the primal power of Murchison Falls.

Activities Day 3Early Morning Early this morning in Murchison Falls National Park, go on a guided game drive looking for wildlife and learning all about them from your professional guide. Afternoon This afternoon you will join a boat trip along the Nile to Murchison Falls. In addition to the tropical African riverine scenery, expect to see plenty of wildlife on the way. Transfer by Road, Murchison River Lodge to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary Transfer time: 2 to 3 hours Hone your tracking skills as we go rhino tracking through the bush.

Activities Day 4Morning Transfer by Road, Murchison River Lodge to Visit Amuru Hotsprings Transfer time: 2 to 3 hours Afternoon Visit Fort Partiko, Gulu Visit Aruu Falls, Gulu Meal Plan – Day 2, 3 & 4 Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Often referred to as the primate capital of East Africa, Kibale National Park is famed as Uganda's top site for tracking chimpanzees. Other primates you’re likely to see here include red colobus, black-and-white colobus, L’Hoest’s monkey, red-tailed monkey, olive baboon and Uganda mangabey. Only the lucky few will encounter Kibale’s secretive population of forest elephants, but you are certain to enjoy the prominent birdlife. Day 5, Fort Portal Fort Portal is named after Sir Gerald Portal, a former British Consul General of Zanzibar. It's a medium-sized town set amidst the rainforests, tea plantations and crater lakes that characterize the fertile Rwenzori foothills.Our base in Kibale National Park is Kibale Forest Camp, where you will be glamping in a simple tent set below a thatch shelter. Proper beds and bedding are provided, and the tent even has a charging point, but you'll be using a common ablution block with hot showers and flush toilets. The camp lies in the depths of the forest, so you should see and hear plenty of monkeys, birds and other forest creatures.

Activities Day 5 Early Morning

• Transfer by Road, Murchison River Lodge via Fort Portal to Kibale National Park

Transfer time: 4 to 5 hours Afternoon

• This afternoon you'll take a tour of Fort Portal, led by one of our friendly guides.
• Visit Tooro Botanical Gardens, Tooro Kingdom
• Visit Amabere caves, Fort Portal

Activities Day 6 Early Morning

• You'll go trekking through the forest to find chimpanzees, and then spend precious time with a chimp family group in Kibale National Park early this morning.

Afternoon

• Our eagle-eyed guides will take you out looking for birds in Kibale National Park, with so many new and different species to add to your list.
• Join us for a walking safari in Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary. Stepping out into the African wild on foot is very safe and brings a whole new level of excitement to your safari.

Meal Plan – Day 5 & 6

• Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Protecting 95 mammal and 610 bird species, more than any other location in Uganda, Queen Elizabeth National Park ranks among Africa's most biodiverse safari destinations. Lions prey on the antelope that graze the grassy plains. Hippos and elephants are prolific around the larger lakes and waterways. Salt-encrusted crater lakes provide a seasonal feeding ground to flamingos and other wading birds. There are also large tracts of rainforest inhabited by chimpanzees, giant forest hogs and various monkeys. Walking safari, Queen Elizabeth National Park Come with us on a walking safari, where you'll enjoy the thrill of stepping out into the African wild with an experienced guide. Although you won't be watching the animals from a vehicle, it's still very safe, and it's a priceless opportunity to feel really connected to the animals you'll see and the landscapes you'll explore in a whole new way. Boat Trip, Kazinga Channel We join a boat trip following the Kazinga Channel to its confluence with Lake Edward. Hemmed in by steep walls and set below the glacial Rwenzori peaks, Kazinga is home to large numbers of hippo, as well as elephant, buffalo, waterbuck and Uganda kob. Lion, leopard and giant forest hog are more occasional. The birdlife is reliably fabulous.

There's a distinctly African feel to Topi Lodge’s en suite bandas, with their timber floors, beds made from rough-hewn branches, and decor dominated by local matting and woodcarvings. The bandas here all have wide stilted balconies from where you can enjoy the bush setting and possible sightings of passing wildlife from the bordering Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park.Activities Day 7 Early Morning

• Transfer by Road, Kibale National Park to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Transfer time: 1 to 2 hours Morning

• The guided game drive is the best thing about going on safari and that's what you'll be doing this morning in Queen Elizabeth National Park. From the comfort of your vehicle, there's always a chance that you might see some of the animals that you came so far to see.

Afternoon

• Walking safari, Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Boat Trip, Kazinga Channel

Meal Plan – Day 7

• Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Back in Queen Elizabeth National Park, you get the opportunity to look for some of the wildlife you missed first time around.

Ishasha Sector (Day 9) We visit the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, whose celebrated tree-climbing lions tend to favor a few specific acacia and fig trees well known to our knowledgeable guides.Spend another night in Topi Lodge.

There's a distinctly African feel to Topi Lodge’s en suite bandas, with their timber floors, beds made from rough-hewn branches, and decor dominated by local matting and woodcarvings. The bandas here all have wide stilted balconies from where you can enjoy the bush setting and possible sightings of passing wildlife from the bordering Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Activities Day 8 Morning

• This morning you will join the Queen Elizabeth Predator Project, tracking down lions and possibly leopards using radio collars that have been fitted to study individuals.

Afternoon

• Boat Trip, Kazinga Channel

Activity Day 9 Morning

• Learn everything there is to know about coffee on this tour of a working plantation. Apart from what you'll learn, it's lovely to be surrounded by so much greenery.
• You'll be heading down more safari trails in search of animals in Ishasha Sector when we take you on a guided game drive. This is the best thing about many safaris, and you'll hopefully see many animals.

Meal Plan – Day 8 & 9

• Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Supporting almost half the world's mountain gorillas, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is arguably the best place anywhere in the world to track these charismatic gentle giants through their misty forest home. But there is far more to this UNESCO World Heritage Site than just gorillas. The lush forest interior is also home to a diversity of other mammals, ranging from L’Hoest’s monkey and chimpanzee to elephant and the yellow backed duiker. A total of 350 bird species, 23 of which are unique to the Albertine Rift Valley, ensure that Bwindi ranks among East Africa's most rewarding birdwatching destinations.Enjoy grandstand views over the lushly forested southern slopes of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park from Rushaga Gorilla Camp, which stands just 1km from the Rushaga gorilla-tracking trailhead. The wooded grounds at this well-appointed lodge attract plenty of birdlife, and amenities include a massage spa, restaurant and bar.

There's a distinctly African feel to Topi Lodge’s en suite bandas, with their timber floors, beds made from rough-hewn branches, and decor dominated by local matting and woodcarvings. The bandas here all have wide stilted balconies from where you can enjoy the bush setting and possible sightings of passing wildlife from the bordering Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Activities Day 10 Morning

• Transfer by Road, Queen Elizabeth National Park to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Transfer time: 3 to 4 hours Afternoon

• Batwa Trail, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Rest of Day Relaxing, Rushaga Gorilla Camp Activity Day 11 All Day

• You'll never forget the time you spend with the mountain gorillas when we take you trekking through the forests to find them in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Meal Plan – Day 10 & 11

• Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

We wish this safari didn't have to end, but this will be when we go our separate ways. We hope you've loved your safari journey and that you'll be back one day. Until then, travel safely and thank you for choosing us as your safari companions.Transfer by Road, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via Equator point Uganda to ViaVia Uganda Entebbe Activity Day 12 All Day

• Transfer by Road, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via Equator point Uganda to ViaVia Uganda Entebbe.

Transfer time; 5 to 6 hours