EMS Photo Adventures "Pearl of Africa" Ugandan Safari - 11Nights/12Days

Day 1: Arrive in Entebbe / Visit Entebbe Botanical Garden

•Meet and greet at Entebbe Airport

•Transfer to Entebbe Town

•Check in at the Lake Heights Hotel

•Visit Entebbe Botanical Gardens:

oA wonderful introduction into Ugandan wildlife

oIn addition to being greeted at the entrance of the gardens by a pair of Verreaux Eagle Owls, which are beautiful giant owls that are grey in color, there are Black and White Casqued, Uganda Hornbill, hummingbirds, different types of monkeys (even the single red tailed monkey), a 30 year old termite nest, fox bats

oThe gardens are also home to a multitude of plants species from the tropics, subtropics, and temperate zones. To date, there are over 300 species of plants, 200 of which are exclusive to Uganda.

•Welcome Dinner at Hotel

Day 2: Entebbe: Daytime Cruise on Mabamba/Makanaga Bays / Sunset cruise on Lake Victoria

•Breakfast at the Hotel

•Depart for Mabamba/Makanaga bays, a wetland on the edge of Lake Victoria

•Take a boat ride to search for the prehistoric looking for the elusive, prehistoric-looking Shoebill stork

oEven non-birders will enjoy this trip through this unique march fringed with paypyrus

oExpect to see many birds, at least 50 species including the Malachite Kingfisher, Swamp Flycatchers, African Purple Swamphen, African Water Rail, African Jacana, African Pygime Goose, White faced whistling duck, Squacco heron, Blue breasted Bee eater and Saddle billed Stork

•Return to Entebbe town - Lunch on own at selected restaurant in Entebbe

•Enjoy an evening sunset boat cruise on Lake Victoria - Africa’s largest lake and the world’s second largest freshwater lake

Dinner at Hotel

Day 3: Fly to Kidepo Valley National Park / Safari

•Breakfast at the Lodge

•Transfer to Entebbe Airport - Take 12:00 pm Aerolink flight to Kidepo

•Arrive Kidepo Valley NP and check in at Ugandan Wildlife Authority (UWA) Gate

•Lunch at the Lodge

•Enjoy a game drive to the Narus Valley with UWA Ranger Guide:

oWhere we will search for African Bush Elephant, Zebras, African Wild Dog, Black-Backed Jackal, Bat-eared Fox,12 Antelope species (Jackson Hartebeest, Oribi, Elan and Klipspringer) and Ostrich

oIn addition, some of Africa’s rarest and most sought after birds are found in Kidepo. A great birding destination for birds of prey with 58 species recorded (Verreaux’s eagle, the pygmy falcon, and Egyptian vulture), 14 raptors and five species of hornbills.

•Dinner at the Lodge

Day 4: Kidepo National Park / Safari / Kalimajong Tribe Cultural Experience

•Breakfast at the Lodge

•Early morning game drive to the hot springs in search of lions, cheetahs and the largest African Buffalo (Cape Buffalo) herds. Note that the African Buffalo is one of the Big Five.

•Lunch at the Apoka Lodge

•Evening: Enjoy community walk to see the Karamojong culture and enjoy their colorful, cultural performances. This unique tribe has co-existed with the park’s wildlife for a long time. They have grossly rejected civilization and still live communally and practice their ancient traditions.

•Dinner at the Lodge

Day 5: Fly to Murchison Falls National Par / Safari

•Breakfast at the Lodge

•Depart Kidepo for 12 pm flight to Murchison Falls National Park

•Murchison Falls Conservation Area ( MFCA ) comprises of Murchison Falls National Park, Bugungu and Karuma Falls Wildlife Reserves.

oThe vegetation is characterized by savannah, riverine forest and woodland.

oWildlife includes lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, hartebeests, oribis, Uganda kobs, chimpanzees, and many bird species.

•Lunch at the Lodge

•Game drive

•Dinner at the Lodge

Day 6: Full Day Murchison Falls National Park / Safari / Boat Cruise

•Early morning snack

•Go for early morning game drive in search of lions.

•Return to Lodge for breakfast and relax at the Lodge

•Lunch at the Lodge

•Afternoon boat cruise upstream to the bottom of the Murchison Falls. This is where the Nile explodes through a narrow gorge and cascades down to become a placid river whose banks are thronged with hippos and crocodiles, waterbucks, buffaloes and, of course, birds

•Relax and dinner at Lodge

Day 7: Safari / Fly to Queen Elizabeth National Park / Safari

•Breakfast at the Lodge

•Early Morning Game Drive in Kasenyi Sector in search of Lions - expect to see herds of buffaloes, elephants, water bucks, leopard and lots of Uganda Kobs

•At 12:00 p.m. depart Pakuba for flight to Queen Elizabeth National Park

oThe park has a variety of Flora and Fauna and it’s acknowledged to be a habitat for over 95 mammal species with about 612 species of birds.

oThe various species in this park, has made it a unique park most liked by tourists.

oGeographers will say that the park has around 57 vegetation but in actual sense, it has five levels of vegetation. Namely bushy grassland, Acacia woodland, Lakeshore or swamp vegetation along with forest grassland.

oThe grasslands of the park settles wildlife such as Cape buffalo, Uganda kob, waterbuck, warthlog, lion, leopard, hyena, giant forest hog as well as elephants.

•Arrive Kasese Airstrip and drive to the Park

•Lunch at the at selected restaurant in Kasese Town

•Enjoy an evening game drive

•Dinner at the Lodge

Day 8: Queen Elizabeth National Park / Safari / Boat cruise

•Early Morning Snack

•Early Morning Game Drive

•Return to the Lodge for full breakfast

•Relax at the Lodge - enjoy Swimming OR sauna at the Lodge or Massage at own cost

•Lunch at the Lodge

•Afternoon: Take a breathtaking boat ride on Kazinga Channel Boat. Expect to see lots of animals and many varieties of birds at a close range.

•Dinner at the Lodge

Day 9: Queen Elizabeth National Park / Bwindi National Park

•Breakfast at the Lodge

•As we depart QENP for the drive to Bwindi National Park we will take a game drive through the Ishasha Sector of the Park in search of the tree climbing lions

•Lunch will be either a packed lunch from Mweya Safari Lodge or at Savannah Hotel in Kihiihi

•Proceed to Bwindi National Park arriving at around 3:30pm

•Take an optional Village walk

•Dinner at the Camp

Day 10: Bwindi National Park / Gorilla Trekking OR Nature Walk

•Breakfast at lodge

•Gorilla Trekking (important - see Details Section - Gorilla Trek and Permit Details):

oThere are about 880 Mountain Gorillas in the world - half of which are found in Uganda. You can only track Mountain Gorillas in the in the wild in Uganda, Rwanda & DRC.

oMeet at Park Headquarters for Briefing on Gorilla Trekking

oEnjoy Gorilla trekking in the thick Jungle

oPacked Lunch in the Jungle after Gorilla Trekking

•Nature Walk:

oThere are 346 bird species and more than 200 butterfly species, about 324 species of trees, ten of which are only found in this areas in the whole of Uganda

•Dinner at the Lodge

Day 11: Drive to Mbarara / Igongo Cultural Center / Ankole Cow Experience

•Breakfast at the Lodge

•Depart Bwindi for the Igongo Cultural Centre, Mbarara

•Lunch at Igongo Cultural Center and Country Hotel

oA lovely garden awaits you with its flowers and plants reflecting the local countryside

oTraditional dishes such as millet bread, Matooke with ghee – local drinks made from millet and sorghum

oThe ingredients come from local gardens and are organically grown which is a win-win situation for you giving a of taste the freshest ingredients and from the local farmer who makes an income by selling to Igongo Cultural Center.

•Visit the Museum: The center houses one of the best museums in western Uganda highlighting the Ankole culture—one of the most diverse and rich cultures in Uganda—showcasing the history, art and culture of the Ankole people in Western Uganda.

•Evening: Enjoy the Ankole Cow experience:

oThe majestic Ankole cow—the “Cattle of Kings”—sports beautiful long horns and coats.

oSince the Middle Ages, Ankole Cattle have been in Uganda descended from the Ethiopian Sanga Cattle (that originated in Eurasia) with a lineage that goes back for thousands of years

oImages of long-horned cattle have been found in Egyptian drawing and art

•Dinner at the Lodge

Day 12: Transfer to Entebbe for Flight Home

•Early Breakfast at the Hotel

•Depart for Entebbe

•Lunch en Route at selected restaurant

•Drop off at Entebbe for flight home