- Itinerary
- Planned Hotels
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Uganda: The Great Apes
7 days / 6 nights
Itineraries
Day 1
Entebbe – Kampala / Kigo
Arrival at the airport and welcome by our staff. Transfer to your hotel in Kigo, just outside Kampala, overlooking Lake Victoria. Remainder of the day at leisure. Overnight stay.
Day 2
Kampala / Kigo – Fort Portal / Kibale National Park
Breakfast. Departure for Fort Portal / Kibale National Park (the journey will take approximately 5 hours). This will be your first exposure to Uganda's beautiful landscape. Lunch. In the afternoon, we will travel to the outskirts of Fort Portal for a guided hike through the belt of volcanic lakes and craters, surrounded by spectacular scenery. Our guide will explain various aspects of the traditional culture of the Tooro Kingdom (one of Uganda's traditional kingdoms). We will have the opportunity to visit some homes in the local villages. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.
Day 3
Fort Portal / Kibale National Park – Kibale Forest – Queen Elizabeth National Park
Early breakfast. We head to the meeting point at Kibale Forest National Park. Kibale has the largest concentration of primates in the world, with 13 different species. More than 1.400 chimpanzees reside in this forest, the largest of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa. We will spend the morning hiking through the park in search of chimpanzees and other primates such as L'Hoestes's monkey, the red colobus, the blue monkey, the red-tailed monkey, and the grey-cheeked mangabey. Lunch is served. In the afternoon, we continue to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Arrival at dusk, with free time. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.
Day 4
N'Gorongoro Crater - Lake Manyara or Tarangire
Early breakfast, or tea/coffee and a picnic breakfast. We will go on a game drive in the Kasenyi area, within Queen Elizabeth National Park. We will look for lions, buffalo, elephants, and antelopes—especially the kobo, Uganda's antelope, which is represented on the country's national emblem. We will also look for leopards, hyenas, and the rare hyloquero. We will travel to a lodge for lunch. Afterward, we will take a safari cruise along the Kazinga Channel, which connects Lakes Edward and George. Here, we will have the opportunity to observe one of the world's largest concentrations of hippopotamuses, buffalo, and waterfowl, as well as Nile crocodiles. At dusk, we will return to the lodge for a game drive. Arrival, dinner, and overnight stay at the lodge.
Day 5
Queen Elizabeth National Park / Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Breakfast. Departure for the Ishasha sector, within Queen Elizabeth National Park, in search of the area's famous tree-climbing lions, as well as buffalo, elephants, kobos, topi, and other wildlife. Lunch. Departure for Bwindi National Park, one of the last remaining refuges of one of the most endangered species on the planet: mountain gorillas. Free time. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.
Day 6
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Very early breakfast. We will head to the National Park Visitor Center. We will receive a briefing from the national park guide, who will accompany us on our trek. The park guides and trackers are extremely professional and will inform us in detail about the rules and behavior we must follow both during the trek and while we are observing the gorillas. We will then transfer to the trekking starting point. We will bring a picnic lunch due to the unpredictable length of the trek. We will return to the lodge and have free time. Dinner and overnight stay.
IMPORTANT NOTE: In Bwindi, in the Buhoma and Ruhija sectors, there are a total of 9 gorilla groups habituated to human presence that can be visited by tourists (five groups in Buhoma and four in Ruhija). Each group can be visited by a maximum of 8 people per day, and encounters with the gorillas are strictly limited to 1 hour. The trek can last between 1 and 8 hours and can reach altitudes exceeding 2,500 meters. The terrain is steep and sometimes quite muddy. Although the trek requires physical effort, the beauty of the forest and the landscape make it very entertaining. Once you encounter the gorillas, all fatigue is forgotten, and the experience is often described as the most profound and unforgettable in the animal kingdom. It can rain at any time, so it is highly recommended to wear a raincoat and, of course, trekking boots, as well as long pants, a long-sleeved shirt/t-shirt, high socks, a hat, and sunscreen. A fleece or light outerwear is recommended, as the altitude and humid conditions can make it chilly early in the morning. Your guide/driver will provide you with plenty of water for the hike.
Day 7
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park / Entebbe
Breakfast. Departure for Entebbe, crossing different regions and districts of this beautiful part of the country. We will enjoy the spectacular landscapes of the Kigezi Mountains, the changing vegetation, and the rivers. Lunch en route. Arrival at Entebbe Airport. End of services.
NOTE: The departure flight must be booked in the afternoon/evening.
Kampala/Kigo
Lake Victoria Serena Resort (Standard Deluxe Room)
Kibale National Park
Crater Safari Lodge (Standard Cabana)
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Mweva Safari Lodge (Classic Room)
Bwindi National Park
Engagi Lodge
- Transfers according to itinerary.
- Full board throughout the trip except in Kampala/Kigo, when accommodation will be bed and breakfast.
- Guided walk in the Fort Portal area.
- Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park.
- 2 morning safaris and one afternoon safari en route to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
- Boat safari on the Kazinga Channel.
- Mountain gorilla trekking.
- Transportation in a 4x4 Toyota Land Cruiser with an English-speaking driver/guide (non-exclusive use).
- Spanish-speaking interpreter throughout the tour except during the chimpanzee and gorilla walks.
- Entrance fees to national parks.
- Mineral water en route during the tour.
- Medical evacuation and travel insurance.
- Visas
- Drinks with meals included in the program.
- Tips to drivers and guides.
- Personal expenses or any other services not indicated as included in our itinerary.
- To formalize your reservation, we require copies of your passports and full payment for the gorilla and chimpanzee permits.
- Permits are non-refundable. Once booked, in the event of cancellation or date changes, the fee will be 100% refunded and not reduced.
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