Day 1 - Entebbe

Entebbe & Kampala Cultural Tour

Two cities, two completely different experiences. Combine them on an insightful tour into Uganda’s past and present.First Entebbe, the colonial capital, a dusty town of fading grandeur that’s draped along Lake Victoria. Think rustic charm, 1950s atmosphere and cocktails by the lake.Then Kampala, the bustling and colourful modern-day capital. It’s often frenetic here, with life overflowing in all its forms. Explore the markets, take in the street life and fill yourself with all the positive vibes. Both cities need a great guide. Entebbe because it’s full of stories, and Kampala because it’s baffling and you won’t know where to go otherwise. Plus you meet more locals this way.

Days 2, 3 & 4 - Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Gorilla Trekking, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Slowly you walk on through dense forest. You sense the gorillas are close. A hushed excitement falls over the trackers. Out of nowhere a mountain gorilla appears. She stares at you. Waving her arms she asserts her power. It’s frightening, yet empowering. And it’s just a way of welcoming and ensuring you don’t get too close.This gorilla troop is habituated to human presence and you will spend an hour with them. Walking closer you see the rest of the troop. Perhaps ten more gorillas. Maybe 20 or more. Now you see the silverback, the dominant male, a giant moving about on all fours. Stay still, don’t look him in the eye, wait for this giant to pass. No other wildlife experience feels as close. No barriers, no borders, just a small group (maximum eight trekkers) and a troop of wild mountain gorillas. They’re the world’s largest primates and you can only find them here and in Rwanda (you can’t see them in any zoo, anywhere). An hour is a good amount of time. You’ll have the opportunity to observe different behaviours and feel completely at home with the gorillas. It’s magical, always.

Go Gorilla Trekking Twice in Uganda

Mist swirls through the trees. Gorilla troops are on the move. You’re in the heart of Africa, exploring a landscape that has never been penetrated by roads or vehicles. Two thirds of the world’s mountain gorillas live in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, including more than a dozen habituated troops. To go gorilla trekking once is a life-changing experience. And after you’ve traveled this far into the heart of Africa, it’s twice as good to do gorilla trekking twice.You will meet two different gorilla troops, spend two hours with the gorillas, and be more immersed in the rainforest.

Day 5 - Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth NP Big-Game Safari

Hippos wade beneath the backdrop of the Rwenzori Mountains. Lions climb trees and buffalo charge across the savannah. Look between the giants and you can find 600 different bird species. Plus the full assortment of zebra, wildebeest and various antelope. This is Uganda’s premier safari destination and this big-game safari will show you different perspectives. Walk in the wild, take a boat alongside the hippos, search for chimpanzees, and go on long game drives tracking lions and elephants. The diversity is superb and it’s easy to combine this national park with gorilla trekking nearby.

Day 6 - Kibale Forest National Park

Kibale Forest Walking Safari

Uganda red colobus monkeys swing through the forest canopy, bashfully surveying the scene. Rare L’Hoest’s monkeys chirp as a herd of bushbuck get close. Now an elephant, a lone bull on the move. Kibale Forest is not open to vehicles. Instead, you can walk with a private guide, on a route that is tailored to your interests. The biggest attraction is the primates and you can see 12 different species here, some 25% of Africa’s total primate population. You may even come across chimpanzees. Consider staying longer if you like trekking, as this is one of Africa’s premier walking destinations. It’s a thick, untouched forest packed with both unusual primates and big four-legged animals.

Day 7 - Kibale Forest National Park

Kibale Forest Chimpanzee Trekking

Fingers curl around branches. Eyes and smiles are filled with emotion. You can immediately see how chimpanzees are so similar to yourself. You stand before the troop, absorbing their behaviour, captivated by similarities. A mother nurtures her young. Two teenage males make mischief, throwing nuts from the tree. Many others swing and feed.Kibale Forest is the most famous place in Africa to meet chimpanzees. You will have a full hour with a habituated troop, completely engrossed by their world.

Days 8, 9 & 10 - Kidepo Valley National Park

Uganda Light Aircraft Scenic Flight

Uganda may look small on a map but it’s a big country. And the roads are not in good shape, even if the ochre-red dirt makes for an adventurous road trip. It takes a lot of time to get around, which is the main reason Uganda hasn’t really kicked off as a destination.This is a country with so much wildlife and culture to offer, a destination with so many unique travel moments to enjoy. You can make it more possible with light aircraft flights. Regular services connect different national parks, so you can easily combine gorilla trekking with big-game safari. Every flight is a scenic flight, the light aircraft providing a beautiful view onto captivating landscapes. You can also charter aircraft and fly almost anywhere in Uganda, with the pilot bringing you down on airstrips that sometimes must be cleared of zebra and buffalo.

Multi-Day Kidepo Valley Big-Game Safari

There is wild African safari. And there is the experience in Kidepo Valley National Park, an arid savannah that butts up against Uganda’s border with South Sudan. Animals have the right of way. There is a genuine danger that your vehicle will be attacked by elephants, or that buffalo will charge past at frightening proximity. Don’t walk alone, as the hyenas are savage and both leopards and lions lurk in the yellow straw-like grass. Most visitors find Kidepo Valley to be too wild and too far away (and too scary perhaps). It’s not usually a destination for first-time safari goers. But with fewer than 2000 annual visitors and a location in a forgotten part of Africa, this surreal national park is highly recommended by the safari connoisseurs. You need great guides, a light aircraft charter to get there, and an unflinching sense of adventure. But what an adventure awaits!

Day 11 - Departure