Uganda Safari Adventure

Day 1: Entebbe, Uganda
Welcome to Uganda! Upon arrival in Entebbe you are met planeside by your Big Five representative and be assisted with immigration and customs formalities, and then transferred to your accommodations. Nestled in the leafy suburbs of Entebbe, Hotel No.5 is a stylish boutique hotel. From the moment you arrive, you are warmly welcomed with all luxurious rooms opening onto the garden and swimming pool.  Attention to detail and an attentive guest experience are synonymous with Hotel No 5, making it the perfect choice for a restful stay in this bustling city. No. 5 Boutique Hotel – Luxury room

Day 2: Entebbe / Murchison Falls National Park
You have the morning at leisure or you can choose to take a guided walk in the botanical gardens. Later you are transferred to the airport for your afternoon flight to Bugungu airstrip in the Murchison Falls National Park, where you will be met and transferred to your lodge. Enjoy lunch at the lodge. This afternoon you can take a drive to the top of the falls or relax at the lodge. Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s largest national park, with an area of 3840km²/1483mi². It lies in the core of the Murchison Falls Conservation Area and protects a chunk of untamed African savannah bisected by the mighty river Nile. The dramatic Murchison Falls, where the world’s longest river explodes violently through a narrow cleft in the Rift Valley escarpment to plunge into a frothing pool 43m/141ft below strikes an exhilarating impression on all senses. Murchison Falls is occupied mainly by lush grasslands. The highest diversity of wildlife is found on the open plains north of the Nile, where elephant, buffalo, giraffe and a huge variety of antelope are regularly encountered. The Nile itself boasts one of Africa’s densest hippo and crocodile populations, and a dazzling variety of water birds including the world’s most accessible wild population of the rare shoebill. The park is also home to the largest population of Nubian (Rothschild) giraffe in Africa. Nile Safari Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 3: Murchison Falls National Park
Today explore the wonders of this magnificent park, by safari vehicle and a private boat. This morning you take a private delta boat trip followed by a game drive in the northern sector of the park. Most of the game is to be found in the area north of the Victoria Nile River and East of the Albert Nile and Lake Albert. This is where part of the classic movie The African Queen was filmed. Game has been returning to the area and game drive sightings can include elephant, oribi, giraffe, waterbuck, hartebeest, buffalo, sitatunga, bushbuck, warthog, bush pig, lion, leopard, mongoose, genet, hyena, jackal and bat eared fox. Nile Safari Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 4: Murchison Falls National Park
Early this morning you go for a morning game drive in the park. This afternoon you take a private launch trip along the Nile to the bottom of the falls. Murchison Falls National Park is said to be the best game park in Uganda. During a typical game drive you encounter a large number of antelope species, including bush buck, water buck and dik dik as well as larger herbivores such as giraffe and elephant. This is the most accessible park in Uganda to see giraffe. Huge groups of buffalo are also a common sight. Primates include baboon and patas monkey are found in the park as well as more than 450 species of birds. Nile Safari Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 5: Murchinson Falls National Park / Kibale Forest National Park
This morning is at leisure or you can set out on a game drive or go to the top of falls, if you have not done so already on day of arrival. This afternoon you are transferred to the airport for your flight to Kasese. On arrival you are met by your private guide and vehicle for your transfer to the Kibale area.

You have the option to take a tour of a local dairy and cheese making farm followed by a cheese tasting, or go on a guided crater lake hike. Afterwards settle in at your lodge for the night. Set against the stunning backdrop of Lake Kyaninga and the Rwenzori Mountains beyond, Kyaninga Lodge is the spectacular result of one man’s vision and six years of unwavering commitment to creating an experience of Africa’s beauty unlike anything else. Experience the beauty and romance of this unexplored region, while staying in the height of luxury and elegance. Nine exclusive cottages made from hand carved logs, superb dining, and a wealth of adventures await. The edge of a spectacular crater lake provides the perfect start to your exploration of this hidden region. The gardens provide a stunning setting for relaxation, reflection, and space for games, or play a game of tennis on the lawn court. With amazing wildlife on your doorstep, take a guided walk around the beautiful Kyaninga Crater Lake and Forest. Kyaninga Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 6: Kibale Forest National Park
This morning you explore Kibale Forest National Park, home to 13 primate species. A guided forest trek takes you in search of one of the most popular primate species, the chimpanzee. Although chimp sightings are not guaranteed, the odds are very good. While trekking in the depths of the lush green forest, you are surrounded by bird song and can expect to see at least five or maybe more types of primates such as the grey-cheeked managebey and the red-tailed monkey as well as chimpanzee.  The walking is relatively easy due to the well-maintained trails and reasonably flat terrain. Enjoy a traditional feast during lunch at Tinka, which features a spread of fresh and organic traditional Ugandan dishes, mostly vegetarian. In Uganda, most people are vegetarians by default. Meat is expensive and therefore is typically only served on holidays or to welcome visitors. In the afternoon, take a swamp walk in Bigodi, a village is situated in the highlands of western Uganda in the shadow of the Ruwenzori Mountains, the famous “Mountains of the Moon”. The swamp walk takes place in the Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary in the Magombe wetland. The sanctuary is a major eco-tourism attraction in the Kibale Forest area. It  operated by the Kibale Association for Rural and Environmental Development (KAFRED), a registered local community-based organization. Kyaninga Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 7: Kibale Forest National Park / Queen Elizabeth National Park
This morning, you descend into the Great African Rift Valley and Queen Elizabeth National Park. Queen Elizabeth National Park resides in a fertile, equatorial area with beautiful scenery. It is Uganda’s most popular and accessible savannah reserve, with a total area of 1978km²/767mi². Primarily associated with grassy savannah plains, this impressive park also includes within its boundaries, leafy rainforests, dense papyrus swamps and natural volcanic crater lakes. As a result, it has one of the highest biodiversity ratings of any game reserve in the world, including a total of 95 recorded mammal species and more than 610 species of birds.  After lunch at the lodge, relax or participate in one of the lodge-based activities such as learning about a coffee co-operative, hiking to a waterfall, or visiting a bee-keeping project. Kyambura Gorge Lodge (B,L,D)

Days 8/9: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Early morning you can set out on a game drive or opt to go lion tracking (at an additional cost) with the Uganda Carnivore program. This afternoon take a private boat launch on the Kazinga channel. The launch trip along the Kazinga Channel is one of the most popular activities in Queen Elizabeth National Park. It provides an amazing chance to sit back, relax and enjoy the fresh river breeze while observing a large variety of animals including elephant, buffalo, waterbuck and Ugandan Kob. You may also see giant forest hog, leopard and lion. Water birds are plentiful, especially water thick knee, yellow-billed stork,  plovers, white pink-backed pelicans and white-bellied cormorants, with more than 560 recorded bird species.  You may see some of the largest concentrations of hippo in the world, reported to be about 30,000.  Kyambura Gorge Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 10: Queen Elizabeth National Park / Entebbe / Depart
This morning you are transferred to Kasese airstrip for your scheduled flight back to Entebbe. You are met on arrival and transferred to your hotel where a dayroom has been reserved for you.  The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure, before you are transferred to the airport for your departure flight home. No. 5 Boutique Hotel – Dayroom (B,L)