11 days Uganda Premium Gorilla, Wildlife & River Nile Adventure

Welcome to Uganda, “Tusanyuse okukulaba” meaning we are happy to see you. Depending on your arrival time, our company representative will meet and pick you up. Transfer to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay, if you need to check out the city in the late evening, you can let your driver know about your plan for the night.

*There is free spa for Standard and luxury accommodation clients.

After breakfast, transfer to Jinja driving 80km from Uganda’s capital City Kampala which takes about 2 hours. The drive takes you past the impressive landscapes of the city outskirts before entering into the sugarcane plantations at Lugazi, the forested lands of Mabira and eventually arriving in Jinja for impressive white-water rafting.

You raft in the company of expert guides who are at your rescue in case the waters push you off the raft. The crowd cheers from the locals on the riverbank enjoying the free sights of your struggle with waters makes you part of the community and loved more.

This trip lasts a half day, after which you can unwind for a while before connecting to the Nile’s source in the afternoon. The boat ride to the Nile’s source is a rewarding adventure because it exposes you to opportunities to count birds, especially gorgeous Kingfishers. Stepping on the spot where John Speke stood as the first European to discover the source of the Nile transports you back in time to when the mysterious Nile River Source drew great men into the unknown. Retire from Jinja and spend the night in Kampala. You will eat dinner and sleep at your lodging.

Fort Portal crater lake encounterAfter breakfast at your hotel in Kampala / Entebbe, you embark on the drive to Fort Portal Area 300km about a 5 – 6 hours’ drive.

You will drive through impressive scenic landscapes on smooth tarmac viewing the unique geographical features including the Mubende Inselbergs not forgetting the small towns en route including Mpigi, Mityana, Mubende, and Kyenjojo.

You arrive at Mpanga tea estates in the mid-morning and then embark on a cycling experience. Retreat from the adventure and continue to Fort Portal town where you will settle for lunch after which you will connect to Fort Portal Crater Lake Area. Upon arrival, you are welcomed by the local inhabitants of the place with deep understanding and history.

Withdrawal from this encounter and embark on the hike to the Fort Portal Crater Lake field where you traverse the challenging slopes of Kyeganywa Hill surrounded by a range of crater lakes and crater hollows presenting one of the most beautiful scenic sites in Uganda.

The top of Kyeganywa hill offers the views of Rwenzori Mountains on a clear day. Retreat from the activity and transfer to Kibale National Park 26km from Fort Portal town for relaxation, dinner, and overnight

Gather at Kanyanchu Tourism Center in Kibale National Park to catch up with Chimpanzee trekking which begins at 8 am.

The encounter commences with a briefing from the respective park rangers who will be your guides through the activity detailing the conduct of the exercise. After this, you head to the forest in search of the man’s closest relative.

Note that other than chimps, Kibale also supports other 12 Primate Species including the threatened red colobus with the highest population thriving in Kibale, the rare I’Hoest’s monkey, black-and-white colobus, grey-cheeked mangabey, red-tailed and blue monkeys, bush baby, olive baboon and potto which may be viewed during the trek.

After the encounter filled with unforgettable excitement, you are free to take as many photos as you can, retreat from the activity which tends to last 2 – 5 hours and get back to the starting point where you will rejoin your Friendly Gorilla safari guide, settle for your packed lunch after which you transfer to Bigodi Wetland for an afternoon eco-walk to experience some of the 138 species of birds including the famous Great Blue Turaco and a range of hornbills.

Retreat from the activity and transfer to Kasese arriving in the evening for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

At 8 a.m., meet at the Nyakalengija ranger post to begin the Mount Rwenzori walk. The Rwenzori trek is a daylong experience that allows you to explore the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains in depth. It is organized by the Rwenzori Mountaineering Services, which handles the central circuit.

The Rwenzori Mountains are Africa’s third tallest, towering 5,109 meters above sea level with snowcapped summits. The day-long journey to the mythical mountains of the moon includes spectacular views of the Rwenzori ridges, the rift valley lakes below, including Lake Edward and Lake George, the savannah stretches of Queen Elizabeth National Park, and a panoramic view of Kasese town. At 5 p.m., retire to your favorite lodge for leisure, dinner, and overnight.

After an early breakfast at your hotel, depart at 6 a.m. and connect to the park, where you will embark on a game drive at 7 a.m. to see the magical animals of Queen Elizabeth National Park.

You drive through the Kasenyi plains, exploring the Kob’s mating grounds as well as the extensive grassland and woodland that supports a diverse range of wild game species such as Cape Buffaloes, African elephants, Defassa Waterbucks, Bushbucks, Uganda Kobs, side-stripped jackals, leopards, spotted hyenas, and lions, among others.

Retreat from the 3 – 4-hour activity and connect to the lodge for relaxation and lunch after which you connect to the Mweya jetty for an afternoon Kazinga Channel boat cruise for the possible sight of herds of Hippos, the Nile crocodiles, the water birds on the shores and a range of wild game drinking water from the channel.

Upon retreating from the cruise, you embark on a mini game drive along the channel track in the Mweya peninsular as you connect to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, depart for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, passing via the southern section of Queen Elizabeth National Park known as Ishasha, which is famous for its tree-climbing lions.

The Ishasha sector offers an unforgettable experience with the rare tree-climbing lions, which can only be found in two places on the planet, with the Ishasha sector offering the finest viewing options.

You continue your journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, where you will arrive for leisure, supper, and sleep in the evening.

This is a unique day to appreciate the magnificent mountain gorillas. Going gorilla trekking in Bwindi’s steep forested landscapes is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that will leave you with lasting memories. At 8 a.m., you assemble at the park headquarters for a briefing and are allocated to one of the gorilla families to track.

The experience lasts 2–8 hours, depending on gorilla movements, including one hour of direct interaction with the gorillas. When you approach a gorilla, you never know what it’ll say. They may greet you politely, or they may ignore you and charge at you. Leave the activity and go to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park via the intriguing Kigezi Highlands, where inhabitants use terracing methods to farm steep slopes, resulting in outstanding picturesque panoramas. You arrive at your lodge and go to supper and sleep.

Mgahinga Mountain forest was one of the ancient habitats for the Batwa people before they were evicted to settle on the margins of the gazetted park. The trail has been developed to enable you to explore the heritage of the Batwa under the company of the Batwa guides who are well set to give an interesting, themed interpretation of their past and the present.

You start off at Ntebeko visitor center in the morning following the designated trail with the Batwa showing you a range of items and what they meant to their traditional life including medicinal plants, edible plants, and roots, wild honey extraction, Bamboo cup-making, tree houses, forest hunting techniques until you reach the Ngarama Cave which was their center and the home to their chief.

The Batwa women will sing a range of traditional songs that will take you back to life in the forest and their remarkable culture and heritage. It is a journey back to the authentic culture that now facing the risk of extinction.

Retreat from the encounter takes about 5 – 6 hours and embark on the transfer to Lake Bunyonyi driving along the scenic Kisoro – Kabale Road with its challenging road sections, branch off at Muko and connect to Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Take a leisurely boat trip on Lake Bunyonyi, sometimes known as the “Lake of a Thousand Islands” because to its 29 islands. Lake Bunyonyi, Africa’s second deepest lake, is surrounded by the picturesque Kigezi highlands, providing a magical sightseeing experience while boating on the tranquil waters.

The boat journey stops at numerous ports, allowing you to enjoy the local people and their way of life, including traditional delicacies, traditional musical performances, local beer, and visits to local schools.

There are a variety of different canoes and boats on the lake, which allows you to engage with the navigators and fishermen. You take a break from the action to unwind at the lodge.

After breakfast, embark on the 437km about 7 hours transfer to Kampala making a stop at Igongo Cultural Center to visit the Erijukiro Museum which features a range of artifacts of all tribes of southwestern Uganda.

There is also a range of sculptures and writings that brings out the history of the region. You proceed to visit the 1520AD Eclipse monument which is a living testimony of the total solar eclipse that befell the region in that year.

Retreat from this historical tour and settle for lunch at Kahwa Kanuzire restaurant at Igongo Cultural Center and then continue on the drive to Kampala. Another stop is made at the Uganda Equator crossing Kayabwe for impressive photo shoots and water experiments that justify the geographical divide between the north and southern hemispheres. You can visit any of the gift shops to get yourself a souvenir to take back home.