Uganda Wildlife Explorer: Small Group

Our journey kicks off with a burst of excitement as we depart from our hotel in Entebbe and head southwest, traversing verdant green hills and passing through countless villages.

Along the way, we'll make frequent stops at local markets, including a vibrant drum market, and at the equator, we'll conduct a fun experiment to determine which way water really drains from a bath.

After enjoying lunch at the equator, we'll arrive at our camp in the late afternoon, ready to immerse ourselves in the beauty of Lake Mburo.

We rise early to explore Lake Mburo National Park on a thrilling game drive. The park, with its sparkling lakes nestled between hills like precious jewels, is renowned for its herds of wild game on the plains and abundant hippos in the lakes.

Leaving the park, we venture through a lush tropical landscape of rolling green hills adorned with banana plantations and market gardens. Keep an eye out for the majestic Ankole cattle with their impressive long horns.

As we journey through remote villages often shrouded in mist, we make our way towards the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

We set up camp at the edge of the forest, eagerly anticipating the gorilla trekking adventure that awaits us the following day.

The gorilla trek is undoubtedly the pinnacle of our tour.

The mountains and tropical forests are spectacular in their own right, but spending time with a group of Mountain Gorillas is an experience that really defies any description. Many people are moved by the obvious kinship we share with these magnificent animals. We split into small groups and trek up into the forest, each group led by a local guide, in search of a different family of gorillas. The going can be quite tough, and you should come prepared for a hike through dense forest, up steep, muddy paths over uneven terrain.

The gorilla permits are limited, with strict rules to minimise the impact on the gorillas, so we allow two days for trekking to ensure everyone gets their chance. You must be prepared to be flexible with the timing and the location of your trek.

On occasions when permits are only available for Day 4, we will visit Lake Bunyoni on Day 3, but where permits are spread over Day 3 and 4, those not trekking have the option to visit a local village, led by a local guide.

The forest also offers fantastic birding.

Leaving the mountains and forests behind, we descend to the grasslands of Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Our destination is Ishasha, famous for its elusive tree-climbing lions. However, the park has much more to offer, from incredible bird life to diverse primate species and abundant plains game, including the kob that the lions prey on.

We'll spend two nights here, embarking on extensive game drives and keeping our eyes peeled for lions perched on tall fig trees, a sight that never fails to thrill.

Today, we traverse the length of Queen Elizabeth National Park, soaking in the stunning scenery and searching for wildlife along the way.

We pass through the Maramagambo Forest and cross the Kazinga Channel, which links Lake Edward and Lake George, before exiting the park in the north.

We make a stop at a viewpoint where we enjoy a picturesque lunch with the majestic Rwenzori Mountains as our backdrop. These "Mountains of the Moon," soaring over 5000m above sea level, are a breathtaking sight with their tropical forest-covered slopes and permanently snow-capped peaks, a true marvel considering their proximity to the equator. Glaciers high up in the mountains are one of the sources of the Nile River.

As the day draws to a close, we set up camp amidst the tea plantations near Fort Portal, ready for our next adventure.

We have a long drive today, over some rough roads, so we leave early this morning.

We pass through the luminous green tea plantations surrounding Fort Portal before taking the long road, via Hoima, to Masindi, our stop for the night. Given the long drive and the state of the roads, we don’t camp tonight, staying at a local hotel or lodge.

This morning we enter Murchison Falls National Park, where we spend the next two nights.

Here we will track chimpanzees on foot, game drive in the park, view Murchison Falls, and take a boat cruise on the Victoria Nile River.

The program is flexible, depending on the season, road conditions and availability of bookings, but all these activities will be included.

The southern part of the park is heavily forested, great habitat for chimps, with the northern part, where we game drive, open savannah with abundant plains game, including the relatively rare Rothschild’s Giraffe.

Getting to the northern part of the park means crossing the Nile using the ferry at Parra, an adventure all on its own.

We leave the park early this morning to drive south towards Jinja, near the source of the White Nile where the water pours out of Lake Victoria in a wild torrent.

The area around Jinja is regarded as east Africa’s adventure capital, and we spend a full day here so you have time to participate in any of a number of adventure activities: white water rafting, bungee jumping over the source of the Nile, boat cruises, horse riding, visiting local community projects are all options (own expense).

After breakfast, our tour officially comes to an end. However, you have the flexibility to extend your stay in the captivating Kalagala Falls or transfer directly to Entebbe, and we will be happy to make arrangements on your behalf.

Reflect on the incredible memories and unforgettable experiences as you bid farewell to this enchanting corner of Uganda.