Day 1: Entebbe – Kampala: Travel Time: 42 km, 1 hour

Arriving at the airport you will be warmly welcomed by a representative of Peak Cruise Safaris, and transferred to your hotel in Kampala.

Optional Activities: 

1. City Tour:  Depending on your time of your arrival explore the vibrant and chaotic city of Kampala.  Discover historical and political sites including the ancient tombs of the Kabakas, where the Buganda tribe laid their kings to rest or the Bahai Temple, etc.
2. Eat Out: Kampala is a town full of culinary wonders.  Stray out from your hotel to taste some of the eclectic cuisine of the region including Kampala’s delicious Indian food.

Journey Time: 1 Hour
Accommodation: Emin Pasha
Meal Plan: No meals inclusive

Emin Pasha Hotel (High end) is located in the heart of Kampala, close to the busy city center and for instance the Uganda Museum. The hotel has a wonderful garden full with flowers, palm trees and of course a swimming pool. All rooms have different decoration; all in African/colonial atmosphere and all luxury you need. The restaurant offers a mix between continental and Indian food. Its privacy and the amenities make it a perfect base for each traveler.

Day 2: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park

Today after an early breakfast, your guide will come to your hotel to brief you about the safari and will transfer you to Fort portal, close to Kibale National Park.  The drive is incredibly scenic, passing through villages, lush green forests and hills dotted with tea plantations.

You will stay at a wonderful lodge, just outside Fort Portal town, with spacious rooms and amazing views over one of the crater lakes in this area.

Journey Time: 5 hours
Accommodation: Papaya Lake Lodge
Meal plan: All meals

Papaya Lake Lodge (High-end) is between Kibale Forest NP and Fort Portal town, offers nine spacious cottages which are all situated on the extinct volcano crater’s slope and have breath taking views of the Lyantonde Lake. Each of the cottages offers complete privacy, hidden from view by a green wall of sympathetic treetops.

Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking – Bigodi swamp walk

Today you will wake up early to go to the park head offices to be briefed about your chimp tracking experience. Kibale Forest National park boasts the highest number of primate species in the world, including the chimpanzees. Approximately 5,000 chimpanzees live in the wild in Uganda, which makes it a perfect place to see them

An experienced ranger will take you for chimpanzee tracking in the morning or afternoon; you might also see other monkey species that live here. Once you locate the chimpanzees you will have a full hour of eye-to-eye contact with them. Since they are wild animals, we can never guarantee you to see them and might have to settle with hearing their hoots and hollers.

In the afternoon after lunch, you will go for the guided swamp walk. The walk (2-3 hours) will take you through grassland, small communities and some beautiful scenery, where the locals are likely to greet you with enthusiastic waves. It is usual to spot three to four different primate species during this walk, though the highlight is catching a glimpse of the great blue turaco!

Optional Activities:

• Chimpanzee habituation tracking

At an additional fee of only $70 US Dollar per person, you can do the chimpanzee habituation tracking instead of the regular chimpanzee tracking. This will take all day and you will be 100% sure to have a very close encounter with our cousins. Book this in time because only 6 persons per day are allowed to go. Your swamp walk can be postponed to the next morning before heading to Queen Elizabeth National Park. 

• Crater Lakes Hike:

Formed by ancient volcanic activity, the crater lakes of Uganda are located near Fort Portal, and are a great hiking option.  Typical hikes take you through local villages and tea plantations, to the base of several of these incredibly serene and beautiful lakes.  With the Rwenzori Mountains in the background, this is by far one of Uganda’s most peaceful and extraordinary sights

Journey Time: 1 hour each way
Accommodation: Papaya Lake Lodge
Meal Plane: All meals

 Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, your guide will drive you to Queen Elizabeth National Park, home to a high concentration of Uganda’s mammals that include tree climbing and savanna lions, elephants, wart hogs, Uganda kob, water buck, cape buffalo, hippos, leopards, as well as more than 600 species of birds that include the African spoon bill, pied kingfishers, fish eagles, pelicans, vultures

Queen Elizabeth National park is Uganda’s second largest National Park, located at the base of the majestic Rwenzori Mountain range, adjacent to Lake Edward and Lake George. The park has game including Uganda kob, warthog and waterbuck. Lions are often sighted both in and at the entrance to the park. Be ready to see huge numbers of hippos and elephants, and keep your eyes on the lookout for a leopard lazing in the sunshine.

In the late afternoon you will relax at the lodge. You stay overnight at the beautiful Mweya Safari Lodge, located in the heart of Queen Elizabeth National Park on the Mweya peninsula.

*You will stay in the very exclusive and private luxury safari tents
Journey Time: 3 ½ hours
Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: All meals

Mweya Safari Lodge Luxury tents (High end) is located on a peninsula in the heart of the park and offers visitors an unforgettable experience. To the east lies the Great Rift Valley hills, separated from the Mountains of the Moon by the meandering Kazinga Channel. Here the water flows endlessly into two giant lakes – Lake George and Lake Edward, filled with hippo, crocodile and bathing elephant.

The tents are superbly furnished with modern interiors and linens, still reflecting and creating a mood of being ‘in the wild’.

Day 5: Game drive & Kazinga channel boat safari

Today you wake up early. A little before sunrise coffee, tea and donuts will be served in the lounge before we head out for a long game drive in time to see the first rays of light. You will search for all the wildlife in the park and are likely to come across Elephant, Buffalo, Lion, Waterbuck, Leopard, Uganda Kob, and many Warthogs.

A well-deserved brunch will be served back at the lodge in the late morning.

In the afternoon you will take a boat safari along the Kazinga Channel which joins Lake George and Lake Edward.

Here, you will see a lot of hippos (more than you can possibly imagine!), as well as a variety of other animals which come to the waterhole to drink or bathe. You can expect to see buffalo, crocodile, bathing elephant, and a range of beautiful birds. This will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of your tour.

Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: All meals

Optional activity: Hot Air Balloon Safari:
Experience the wildlife of Queen Elizabeth national park in a new, unique way. Wake up early to catch the sunrise, as you silently fly over the plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Admire the herds of buffaloes, elephants and enjoy the serene tranquility of the African bush…

You will take off early at dawn for a flight that lasts for approximately 1 hour. Rise as the sun rises and floats in whatever direction the winds of the morning takes you. Fly higher than the trees and hills and enjoy the best of Uganda, with many great photo opportunities of the scenery and wildlife below.

After a smooth landing you can celebrate this amazing adventure with a glass of sparkling juice before returning to your lodge to continue your safari.

Costing: $380 US Dollars p.p.

Optional activity: Lion Tracking:
For visitors who yearn to get up close to wild African fauna, a research trip is a rewarding adventure. This new and unique experience allows visitors to actively participate in monitoring some of lions in the park, using locator devices and learn habituation calls, as well as monitoring weather, surroundings and behaviour. The results are added to researchers’ databases, contributing valuable information to the overall understanding of wildlife ecology – and helping to conserve this wonderful ecosystem. This will as well give you a 95% chance to see the lions!

The number of people on each outing is limited in order to reduce stress on the animals and to increase the quality of the experience for visitors.

The experiential tourism activities currently available are Mongoose Tracking, Lion Tracking, Hippo Census, and Bird Counts.

Experiential tours last between one and three hours. They usually take place in the early morning or evening, or occasionally at night. All activities must be booked through the Visitor Information Centre in Mweya at least 24 hours in advance.

Cost: $85 US Dollars p.p.

Optional activity: Kyambura Gorge
Another optional activity in Queen Elizabeth National park is to visit the Kyambura Gorge. A hike through the gorge gives you the opportunity to see habituated chimpanzees and other types of primates including red-tailed monkey, black-and-white colobus, baboons and velvet monkeys. Although the chance of spotting chimpanzees is only 50%, the landscape is among the most impressive in Uganda and is absolutely worth it!

Cost: $50 US Dollars p.p.

Day 6: Transfer to Ishasha tree-climbing lions

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park; Ishasha sector which is famous for its tree-climbing lions. To escape from the heat during the day, the lions learned how to climb the fig trees. If you’re lucky you might spot a few during your afternoon game drive.

After the game drive, you will be taken to Ishasha Wilderness Camp, a very nice and luxurious lodge with wonderful views over the savannah and a river packed with hippos.

Journey Time: 2 ½ hours by road
Accommodation: Ishasha Wilderness camp
Meal plan: All meals

Ishasha Wilderness Camp (High end) is situated inside the southern Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park on the Ntungwe River, and is an idyllic retreat for people who truly enjoy the wilderness. This exclusive camp offers quality accommodation and services in this unspoilt remote southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Each of the ten spacious framed canvas rooms, situated in the wooded area besides the river, is comfortably furnished and has its own private en suite bathroom and dressing area providing running water, hot water ‘bush’ showers and a flushing eco-friendly toilet. A central lounge/dining area, under a cool thatched roof, provides a comfortable environment for meals and relaxing during the day. A shaded area beside the river offers al fresco dining and an evening ‘fireplace’ for guests to relax with sun downers and share their day’s experience.

Day 7: Game drive – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Today morning you will go for another game drive for a chance to see the tree climbing lions. After lunch at Ishasha Wilderness Camp you will be transferred to Bwindi impenetrable Forest, home of the mountain gorillas.

You will stay in a very luxurious lodge with stunning views of Bwindi Forest
Journey Time: 3 hours to Bwindi
Accommodation: Buhoma Lodge
Meal plan: All meals

Buhoma Lodge (High end) commands spectacular and uninterrupted views of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

The comfortable cottages have been carefully built, each with its own private verandah, allowing wonderful views of the forest canopy of the National Park. Inside the spacious cottages you will find comfortable beds, a well-appointed en suite bathroom with flushing toilet and a hot shower and also some rooms with bath tubs. An elevated lounge area, complete with bar and dining facilities, offers a cozy, comfortable environment, to discuss the day’s activities around the fireplaces which add atmosphere and warmth in the cool evenings.

Day 8: Gorilla Tracking

Today after early breakfast, you will be transferred to the park headquarters for briefing about gorilla tracking.  You will encounter one of Bwindi’s endangered mountain gorillas. For most people this is the absolute highlight of their tour in Uganda.

Bwindi Impenetrable national park boasts both mountain gorillas and chimpanzees – the only forest in Africa that can make this claim. It also hosts five other species of primates, 113 species of mammals, over 200 species of butterflies and 360 species of birds. The gorillas you track are habituated and can tolerate the presence of humans for a brief period of time, every day.

The time taken to track the gorillas can be as few as 2 hours to as many as 7 hours. Once the gorillas have been located, your group will be allowed a maximum of one hour with them. Coming face-to-face with a mountain gorilla is a truly humbling and emotional experience. This is a fantastic and privileged opportunity to get up close and personal with Uganda’s very own ‘Gorillas in the Mist’.

Accommodation: Buhoma Lodge
Meal plan: All meals

Optional Activities:
Batwa Trail: During this moving tour, the Batwa demonstrate hunting techniques; gather honey; point out medicinal plants and demonstrate how to make bamboo cups. Guests are then invited to the sacred Ngarama Cave, once home to the Batwa King to be entertained by traditional music and dance.

Village Walk: Overlooking the imposing hillsides of Bwindi Impenetrable forest, with the mist swirling over the summits, this is one of the most dramatic settings for your cultural tour! Among others, meet a traditional healer, who not only treats the sick, but uses his knowledge to conserve and educate about the various medicinal plants.

Day 9: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park

After breakfast, you will travel to Lake Mburo National park, one of Uganda’s smallest parks, but certainly not to be underestimated. It is the only Ugandan national park (besides to kidepo valley national park) which is home to zebras, elands and impalas, as well as to an abundance of other wildlife – not to mention the lake itself, which has lots of hippos and crocodiles. Last but not least: The Uganda Wildlife Authority recently brought 15 giraffes from Murchison falls to lake Mburo.

Journey time: 7 hours
Accommodation: Mihingo Lodge
Meal plan: All meals

Mihingo Lodge (high end) absolutely one of the most wonderful lodges in Uganda.

Each luxury tented room is nestled on a private piece of the lodge’s property, enabling guests to enjoy the tranquil environment in complete seclusion. Placed in varied settings, some rooms are situated in a forest, some with a lake view, and some on rocky outcrops.

The main dining area is a large thatched structure built of rocks, the wood of dead weathered olive trees found on the land, and native grasses. Below the dining area, an infinity swimming pool stretches out from the rocks and seems to disappear into the vast landscape beyond. From the dining and pool area, guests can enjoy the view of a westward oriented valley and its stunning evening sunsets Over Lake Mburo National Park.

Day 10: Guided bush walk and transfer to Kampala or Entebbe

Today after breakfast, you will go for a guided bush walk. Lake Mburo National Park is one of two parks in Uganda where bush walks with an experienced ranger are permitted. This opportunity should not be missed. From footprints and animal droppings the ranger will be able to tell you which animal has left it and how long ago. It is exciting to approach wildlife at such close range.

Note: Instead of going for the bush walk, you can go on a horseback riding safari in the park (US $60 p.p. extra for 2 hours).

After, you will drive back to Kampala or Entebbe (Airport) stopping at the equator for the requisite snapshot and a bit of souvenir shopping.

Accommodation for tonight is not inclusive in the program. If you wish to depart tonight from Entebbe Airport, make sure your flight is at 10 pm or later. If you want us to book one (or more) nights in Kampala and/or Entebbe, please let us know.

Journey Time: 5 hours to Kampala, 6 hours to Entebbe
Accommodation: Not included
Meal plan: Breakfast and lunch

Dates
This is a private tour; departure can be organized for anytime throughout the year subject to the availability of accommodation and transport.

Extension Tours
If you want to extend your tour to one of our other destinations or if you’d like to add a few side trips to the itinerary, kindly let us know.

Transport
Our standard offering for this tour is a 4wd safari land cruiser with pop-up roof for easy safari viewing. All passengers will have a dedicated window seat. Your professional and courteous driver/guide will be at your disposal for questions or translations.

Booking
The bookings with the hotels mentioned in the program depend on availability. Reservations will only be made after your booking.

In case the mentioned hotels are not available during the requested period, we will do our utmost best to book a hotel in the same class for you (of course we will only do this after consulting you). It is not possible to ‘reserve’ gorilla and chimpanzee permits. Therefore, we can only buy them after your booking and down-payment and also here it all depends on availability.

Tour Package Including:

• Transport in a 4WD land cruiser with pop-up roof for excellent safari view;
• All fuel for the tour;
• English speaking Ugandan driver/guide;
• Accommodation as listed in the program;
• All breakfasts and dinners included;
• All meals in Murchison Falls NP;
• Packed lunch for the gorilla tracking
• Park-entrance fees according to the program;
• All activities described in the itinerary;
• 1 chimpanzee permit per person (a US$ 150 value);
• 1 gorilla permit per person (a US$600 value).
• Effective 1st July the gorilla permit will cost $700.

Excluding:

• International air fares and entry visa Uganda
• Meals that are not part of your accommodation
• A porter for during the gorilla tracking (someone who carries your daypack);
• Personal (medical/travel) insurance;
• Tips and gratuities to rangers, driver/guide, porter, hotel staff, etc;
• All expenses of personal nature (e.g. drinks, laundry, optional activities, souvenirs etc.).

Important: 
Please note the gorilla tracking in this itinerary can be done in Rwanda as well or in the other sectors on Bwindi or Mgahinga

Gorilla tracking is dependent on the permit’s availability at the time of your booking. Gorilla permits in all parks are on a very high demand and we advise that you book them as early as possible.

This tour can be tailor made to suite budget and mid-range travelers.