Gorillas, Chimpanzees and so much more! - Private Guided Safari

You will be met at Entebbe airport by your guide who will drive you through Kampala and on west ward to Kibale National Park via the lovely town of Fort Portal, resting in the shadow of the fabled Mountains of the Moon and famous for her many tea plantations. After stopping for lunch at a local restaurant, time permitting you will explore the crater lakes and continue on to the your lodge in Kibale

The journey is approximately 370km/5-6hrs drive

Turaco Treetops has 8 luxury cottages situated at secluded locations in the jungle. The cottages are spacious, with large windows and outside wooden decks, providing splendid views over Kibale Forest. The cottages are designed to ‘bring the outdoors inside’ and mix modernity with an 'African feel' by using clean lines in combination with wood and other natural materials. Grab a drink, relax, and notice the Great Blue Turaco or Black White Colobus Monkeys enjoying the forest too.

You can enjoy a lie in this morning to get over your previous day's journey and then you can explore the local area around the lodge

Later in the day you can enjoy a guided tour to Bigodi Wetlands which is an initiative of the local community and is known for its rich diversity of birds and primates.  The walk is on raised boardwalks and is about 4km in length taking 3-4 hours at birding pace with local community guides. ( you can do a shorter walk if you'd prefer ) The trees over the wetlands are full of monkeys and there are 8 species here to enjoy. All proceeds from eco- tourism go back to into the community and is  a conservation project well worth supporting.

Optional evening forest walk available to look for nocturnal creatures including pottos

After breakfast you transfer to the Park offices to meet your Chimpanzee tracking Guide/Ranger. Following a pre-tracking briefing, you drive to the trailhead for the start of an unforgettable adventure – hiking in the footsteps of the big habituated family of chimpanzees, over 120 strong, that has made Kibale the foremost tourism destination in Uganda.

Upon sighting the chimpanzees, you will stay with them for one unforgettable hour as they go about their daily life – growling, grooming, barking, feeding, taking care of their young; agilely climbing up trees and dropping off like thuds before disappearing like they were spirits all over and around you Afterwards, you hike back to the trailhead to re-join your Driver/guide and drive back to the lodge for a welcome shower and lunch.

After breakfast we leave Kibale NP to drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park having explored the crater lakes surrounding Kibale Forest en route., a journey of approximately 185km/3hrs drive. 

Located on a peninsula within the heart of the Queen Elizabeth National Park, Mweya Safari Lodge is surrounded by the magical Rwenzori Mountains aptly described as the 'Mountains of the Moon'.To the east, lie the guardians of the birthplace of mankind, 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.

After lunch your guide will take you out into the park in search of QENP's varied wildlife.

The day begins early when we start with a morning game drive and head to the mating ground of the Uganda Kobs.

The QENP has varied habitats and here we search for lions, elephants, buffaloes and other wild animals in their natural habitat returning to the lodge for lunch

This afternoon you will have the opportunity to enjoy a  boat trip down the Kazinga Channel which is alive with birdlife and the waters are full of hippos and crocodiles

This morning you have the opportunity to become a researcher for a day, as you learn to use telemetry to find the different lion prides who roam the savannah of Queen Elizabeth. We can honestly state there is no better way to find and photograph lions in all of Uganda. The lion is one of the most sought-after safari species, and one of the most impressive to observe. Living in prides of around 15 individuals, lions adhere to strict social structures. Groups consist of related females and their cubs, who are often born around the same time and raised communally.

During the drive, the guides and researchers will discuss human-animal conflict in communities around the park, veterinary issues within the park, and lion family dynamics as part of a very in-depth game drive.

After lunch you can choose to either relax and enjoy the wildlife around the lodge itself or once more join your guide for a game drive into the park.

After breakfast we head towards the south to Bwindi, passing  through the southern sector of the National Park. This part is called Ishasha and is famous for the tree climbing lions. we continue to Bwindi .While driving through a verdant countryside, you will pass traditional homesteads and enjoy panoramic views. In the afternoon arrival in Bwindi National Park, home of the endangered mountain gorillas.

The journey is approximately 200km and will take around 4 hours

Mahogany Springs is located a two minutes’ drive from the headquarters in Buhoma. It offers eight individual bandas with 2 double beds, en-suite bathroom and a private terrace with panoramic views of the forest and surrounding land. The main building includes a craft shop, large bar area, relaxing lounge area with fireplace, restaurant and a large veranda. Mahogany Springs offers privacy and serenity blended with optimal comfort in a spectacular setting. With some of the most luxurious accommodation in East Africa the feeling that you will experience when staying here is beyond compare. At Mahogany Springs it is the little touches that make the big difference, from the tiny details in the design of the lodge through to the unrivalled service levels.

This afternoon you can enjoy a three-hour Community walk unveils to you to the local people living close to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest plus their culture. You will gain knowledge of the cultural ways – Locally made art crafts – the Dances- their Traditional cooking – the Brewing- as well as their Herbal Medicines. At the end of this walk you will meet the Batwa People, the original dwellers of Bwindi Forest.

Following breakfast you transfer to the park offices where participants are divided into groups of 8 and allocated a gorilla family as well as a tracking guide. Please remember to bring your passport for registration, appropriate water proof hiking boots and a light rain coat.
After a pre-tracking briefing by your guide, you drive to the trailhead for the start of your thrilling adventure – participants can expect to walk long distances in steep and sometimes muddy conditions with rain overhead, which can be tough and require a degree of fitness.
Granted, the time taken can be quite unpredictable taking anything from 2 to 8hrs or longer however the thrill of coming face to face with a giant Mountain Gorilla silverback will more than compensate for the effort in their quest.
Upon sighting the gorillas, you spend the allowed one hour with them as they go about their daily life. Afterwards, you hike back to base where your Driver will be waiting to transfer you to the lodge for a deserved shower and lunch or dinner depending on the time taken on the trek

After breakfast we transfer from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to Lake Mburo National Park and as we enter the park it is likely that you will spot some wildlife including impalas, topis, warthogs, zebras and buffaloes. Lunch will be en-route. The journey will take 5-6 hours and is approximately 285km.

Mihingo Lodge has 12 luxury, tented rooms designed to provide guests with privacy and tranquillity. Each room has its own unique charm and character, whether it is nestled in forest, overlooking the lake, perched on a rocky outcrop or down by the water hole. Although no two rooms are the same, Suni and Ralph have ensured they all share stunning views and provide guests with a light and airy sanctuary and a feeling of being alone in the bush.

Each spacious canvas tent is equipped with en-suite bathrooms, hot and cold running water, showers, and flush loos. The rooms have been sensitively designed to complement the local environment with great attention to detail. The doorways are framed by stunning pieces of dead olive wood found on the land

This afternoon you can enjoy an afternoon Boat ride on Lake Mburo  where you will be able to get up close to the hippos and crocodiles that call the lake home as well as experiencing the fantastic bird life that inhabits the surrounding areas of the lake. The UWA guides will make the cruise very entertaining with their stories of the wildlife and the local folk tales.

You can either enjoy a well deserved lie in or  enjoy a bush walk in Lake Mburo National Park accompanied by a ranger guide, walks begin at 7am and take two hours. you may encounter hyenas returning to their dens and hippos retreating to the lake, Zebras and Antelopes. Hikes through the woodland provide an opportunity to sight forest birds and mammals

Then you guide will drive you back to Entebbe stopping at the equator for photos or shopping. and then on to the airport for your evening flight back to the UK