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12 intense days of water safaris, photography and Primate trekking combined with relax at Lake Mutanda and Lake Bunyonyi where you will enjoy spectacular and unique landscapes of this part of Africa.

 
 

Table of contents

 
 

Trip map

 

 

Itinerary of the trip

Note:

Each element can be tailored to your needs and interests based on the duration, type of accommodation, and activities.

Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe and Transfer to your designated Hotel

Upon your arrival at the airport, you will be greeted by our English-speaking driver (or, upon request, an Italian, French, or Spanish speaker) who will take you to your hotel. Depending on the arrival time and the duration of the disembarkation and immigration procedures, you and your guide will decide on any available activities to undertake.

• Mid-range and low-cost accommodation: Airport Link Guest House or similar – Breakfast included
• High-end accommodation: The Boma Hotel Entebbe – Breakfast included
• Scheduled activities: excluded and to be decided on-site based on arrival times
• Travel time: approximately 10 minutes to reach the accommodations

 

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Day 2: Entebbe – Ziwa Rhino Ranch – Game Drive and Top of the Falls, Murchison Falls NP

In the morning, transfer north, stopping midway at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary where we will take a short trek with the white rhinos, allowing us to observe them up close.

The Ziwa Sanctuary currently hosts around 42 specimens of the “white” rhinoceros and aims to facilitate their future reintroduction into Uganda’s national parks. The two native subspecies, the northern white rhinoceros and the eastern black rhinoceros, have both been extinct in the wild since 1982.

We will arrive at Murchison Falls National Park in the afternoon.
We will visit the falls from their highest point, just a few meters away: here we will have the chance to “hear” their powerful roar, which makes them the most powerful waterfalls in the world.

Afterwards, before checking into our chosen accommodation, we will take a Game drive in the northern sector of the Nile, where the game drives are concentrated and where we will start seeing the first wildlife. This national park hosts an incredibly and diverse wildlife and, being bisected by the Nile and having Lake Albert as a natural border, offers an extremely lush and hilly landscape that makes it unique and incomparable to other savanna parks in Africa.

The area encompassing Murchison Falls National Park is the largest in Uganda, approximately 5,000 km², and also includes the reserves of Bugungo, Karuma, and Bugongo. The park is characterized by typical savanna and forest vegetation. The name comes from the stunning waterfalls where the Victoria Nile crosses a rift in the rocks and drops about 45 meters, creating a display of power and rare beauty. The park is home to approximately 76 species of mammals, including elephants, buffalo, giraffes, lions, leopards, antelopes, Uganda kobs, and many others; additionally, there are about 450 species of birds, some of which are very rare.

• Low-cost accommodation: Hornbill Bush Lodge or similar – Half-board included (breakfast/dinner)
• Mid-range accommodation: Bamboo Village Murchison Falls or similar – Half-board included (breakfast/dinner)
• High-end accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge or similar – Full board included (breakfast/lunch/dinner)
• Travel time: Approximately 6 hours and 15 minutes – 420 km
• Scheduled activities: Rhino trekking – Visit to the falls from above – Game drive in Murchison Falls

 

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Day 3: Game Drive – “Cruise” on the Victoria Nile

Wake up at dawn for a photographic safari in the northern part of the Nile. Here, you may encounter animals such as Uganda kobs, buffalo, elephants, waterbucks, Jackson’s hartebeests, hyenas, hippos, giraffes, various types of monkeys and birds, and if you’re lucky, lions and leopards. You will also enjoy the stunning scenery of the savanna and Lake Albert. Lunch will be a packed meal by the banks of the Nile or at the lodge, depending on your accommodation.
In the afternoon, you will take a “cruise” on the Victoria Nile that will take you approximately 500 meters from the point where the Murchison Falls enter the river, allowing you to admire them in all their power and majesty.
Our driver will be waiting to take you back to your chosen accommodation.

• Low-cost accommodation: Hornbill Bush Lodge or similar – Half-board included (breakfast/dinner)
• Mid-range accommodation: Bamboo Village Murchison Falls or similar – Half-board included (breakfast/dinner)
• High-end accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge or similar – Full board included (breakfast/lunch/dinner)
• Scheduled activities: Game drive – Cruise on the Victoria Nile

 

 

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Day 4: Murchison Falls – Fort Portal / Craters

This day is entirely dedicated to the jurney. Departure in the morning towards Fort Portal; lunch will be a packed meal or at a restaurant near Hoima. The journey will be long but absolutely scenic: you will see beautiful views of Lake Albert and the Albertine Rift Valley, tea, coffee, and tobacco plantations, as well as many local villages. Arrival in Fort Portal in the afternoon with the possibility of visiting a market if time allows.

• Mid-range and low-cost accommodation: Rwenzori View Guest House or similar – Half-board included (breakfast/dinner)
• Mid/High-range accommodation: Mountains of the Moon or similar – Full board included (breakfast/lunch/dinner)
• Scheduled activities: Visit to the market
• Travel time: Approximately 6 hours and 30 minutes – 340 km

 

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Day 5: Queen Elizabeth National Park – Kazinga Channel

In the morning, transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, where we will pass to the crater area near Kibale Forest; arrival at the lodge is expected for lunch. In the afternoon, enjoy a “cruise” on the “Kazinga Channel”, a natural channel that connects Lake Edward and Lake George. During these hours, we will observe many hippos, buffalo, elephants drinking at the river, antelopes, and even some very rare birds. This will be one of the most exciting activities of the entire trip, as witnessing the lively wildlife of the savanna near the waterways is a remarkable natural spectacle.

In this park, there is an extremely high number of animals: about 95 species of mammals, including lions, elephants, leopards, Uganda kobs (impala), hyenas, buffalo, and several species of primates such as chimpanzees, blue colobus, red colobus, black-and-white colobus, and baboons. Additionally, there are around 600 species of birds, one of the highest concentrations in all of Africa, along with flocks of pink flamingos along the volcanic Lake Katwe.

• Low-cost accommodation: Pumba Lodge or similar – Half-board included (breakfast/dinner)
• Mid-range accommodation: Bush Lodge or similar – Half-board included (breakfast/dinner)
• High-end accommodation: Elephants Plains Lodge or similar – Full board included (breakfast/lunch/dinner)
• Travel time: Approximately 2 hours – 115 km
• Scheduled activities: Kazinga Channel cruise

 

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Day 6: Chimpanzee Trekking in Kyambura or Kalinzu – Game Drive in Queen Elizabeth NP

In the morning, we will embark on a chimpanzee trekking adventure in the Kyambura Forest or Kalinzu Forest, two forests within the savanna of the park that offer an incredible variety of vegetation. These biodiverse forests are distinct from those you will encounter later and are home to a large community of chimpanzees, which you will be able to observe up close. Sightings are guaranteed at a 90% rate. Lunch at the lodge.
In the afternoon, we will take a photographic safari along the park’s routes: we will explore the “Kaseny and Kazinga tracks” in search of elephants, buffalo, leopards, lions, antelopes, and many other species.

• Low-cost accommodation: Pumba Lodge or similar – Half-board included (breakfast/dinner)
• Mid-range accommodation: Bush Lodge or similar – Half-board included (breakfast/dinner)
• High-end accommodation: Elephants Plains Lodge or similar – Full board included (breakfast/lunch/dinner)
• Scheduled activities: Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura or Kalinzu – Game drive in Queen Elizabeth NP

 

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Day 7: Game Drive in the Ishasha Sector, Queen Elizabeth NP – Transfer to Bwindi Ruhija Sector

In the morning, we will transfer to the south through Maramagambo Forest and arrive in the Ishasha sector by late morning. With a bit of luck, you may be able to see the “lion climbing”, lions that climb the “fig trees,” which branch out a few meters off the ground and serve as their “personal offices” during the hottest hours of the day. Lunch will be a packed meal or at a restaurant in Kihihi.

This park is located in the southwest sector of Uganda, at an altitude ranging from 1,160 m to 2,607 m. It is a true tropical forest spread over mountains and valleys and is considered one of the most biodiverse forests in all of Africa; it has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the local language, “Bwindi” means “dark place,” referring to its impenetrable nature. The park is home to about 350 species of birds, 200 species of butterflies, and 324 different types of trees, 14 of which are found only in this park, making it a prime location for birdwatching excursions in pristine nature, along with encounters with local pygmy communities residing in the park.

Afterwards, we will begin to admire the spectacular views of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest mountains; there will be many exciting stops for photo opportunities.
In the afternoon, you can take a walk in the village, or we can arrange a visit to an orphanage supported by our foundation through various projects.

• Low-cost accommodation: Broadbill Rest Camp or similar – Half-board included (breakfast/dinner)
• Mid-range accommodation: Gorilla Mist Camp or similar – Half-board included (breakfast/dinner)
• High-end accommodation: Kiho Lodge or similar – Full board included (breakfast/lunch/dinner)
• Travel time: Approximately 4 hours and 45 minutes – 160 km
• Scheduled activities: Game drive in the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth NP

 

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Day 8: Gorilla Trekking – Transfer to Kisoro

After breakfast, we will proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest headquarters for a briefing with the park rangers. You will be organized into groups of no more than 8 people, and one of the gorilla families living near this sector of the park will be assigned to you. Two specialized rangers and the “trackers” (who follow and monitor the families from dawn to dusk, enabling this extraordinary conservation process) will accompany and guide you into the impenetrable forest in search of one of the Mountain Gorilla families, which you will be able to observe, follow, and contemplate for one hour from the moment of the first sighting.
Make sure to have the Box lunch (mandatory and provided by the lodge), at least two liters of water, trekking shoes, long clothing, and a rain jacket in your backpack.
The duration of the gorilla trekking varies from day to day and from one gorilla family to another, and we cannot predict it in advance. What makes this activity unique is the opportunity to see these magnificent endangered primates in their natural habitat without interfering in any way with their daily lives due to mandatory rules that must be followed.
The purchase of the entry permit ($800, always included in our packages) supports the conservation process, which is the only one that has yielded concrete results over time; indeed, from just over 400 individuals in 1990, we can now count about 1,100 individuals across Uganda, Rwanda, and the DRC.
You can consult the rules and some guidelines regarding trekking with gorillas or other forest treks on the FAQs page.

• Low-cost accommodation: Broadbill Rest Camp or similar – Half-board included (breakfast/dinner)
• Mid-range accommodation: Gorilla Mist Camp or similar – Half-board included (breakfast/dinner)
• High-end accommodation: Kiho Lodge or similar – Full board included (breakfast/lunch/dinner)
• Scheduled activities:Gorilla trekking

 

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Day 9: Transfer to Lake Mutanda – Cultural boat “Cruise” on the Lake

In the morning, we will transfer to Lake Mutanda, located in the extreme southwest of the country, where you can enjoy spectacular views of the Volcanoes National Park: you will see the peaks of three extinct volcanoes—Muhavura, Sabinyo, and Gahinga—ranging from 3,500 to 4,200 meters in height. In the afternoon, we will take a boat trip to one of the islands on the lake and visit local communities.

• Mid-range/low-cost accommodation: Mucha Hotel – Half board included (breakfast/dinner)
• High-end accommodation: Mutanda Lake Resort – Half board included (breakfast/dinner)
• Travel time: approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes – 65 km
• Scheduled activities:Cultural boat cruise

 

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Day 10: Golden Monkey trekking – transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

Wake up at dawn for the transfer to Mgahinga National Park, where the golden monkey trekking will take place. The vegetation and terrain of this park differ from the previous forests and belong to the Ugandan side of the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. You will enjoy a unique view of the peaks of the Volcanoes National Park; be ready to take photos of bird species like the Ruwenzori Turaco, the colobus, and especially the golden monkeys, an endemic primate of this area that you will encounter along the way, living near the bamboo forest. After the trekking, we will transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for dinner and overnight stay.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a national park in southwestern Uganda, located near the town of Kisoro, in the Virunga Mountains. It is adjacent to Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda) and Virunga National Park (DRC). The park area includes three of the eight volcanoes in the Virunga chain: Muhavura, Gahinga (from which the park takes its name), and Sabinyo. Together with Bwindi Park, Mgahinga is one of the two parks in Uganda that host Mountain Gorillas. In this park, you can spot the “golden monkeys,” which are endemic to this area adjacent to the Virunga.

• Mid-range and low-cost accommodation: Lake Bunyonyi Ecoresort – Half-board included (breakfast/dinner)
• Mid/High-range accommodation: Arcadia Cottage Lake Bunyonyi – Full board included (breakfast/lunch/dinner)
• Travel time: Approximately 2 hours – 80 km
• Scheduled activities: Golden monkey trekking

 

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Day 11: Relax on the lake – Boat ride between the islands

A relaxing day after trekking, on the shores of Lake Bunyonyi, where you can swim, being this lake “bilarzia free”. A canoe ride between the islands of the lake or a boat ride to visit a community of pygmies on the border with Rwanda and a local school are both possible.

Lake Bunyonyi, nicknamed the “Little Switzerland of Africa”, is the second deepest lake in Africa, with an archipelago of 32 islands.

• Mid-range and low-cost accommodation: Lake Bunyonyi Ecoresort – Half-board included (breakfast/dinner)
• Mid/High-range accommodation: Arcadia Cottage Lake Bunyonyi – Full board included (breakfast/lunch/dinner)
• Optional activities: Island canoe trip or boat trip

 
 

12° giorno: Transfer to Entebbe

In the morning, we will transfer to Entebbe for your return flight, which is expected after 5 PM. We will have lunch along the equator, where you can purchase souvenirs before heading to the airport.

• Travel time: Approximately 7 hours and 30 minutes – 410 km

 
 

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