Uganda Comfort – 16 days

After landing in Entebbe, you will be met by our driver at the airport and driven to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, you can visit the Entebbe Botanical Gardens or take a boat trip to the Mabamba Swamp.

Today you drive from Kampala to the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in north-western Uganda. Once there, you will go on a short bush walk. You will walk through the bush with an experienced ranger and seek out one of the giant rhinos. You should always remain calm. You can observe these magnificent animals, which are otherwise so rare, at close range.

After breakfast, you will set off in the direction of Murchison Falls National Park. The drive leads through the evergreen landscape to Masindi and on to the park entrance. After the farm formalities have been completed, you will have your first animal encounters. In the afternoon there is an opportunity for a first game drive or to visit the “Top of the Falls”.

Today we set off early in the morning on our first game drive in the park. Murchison NP offers a wide variety of different animals.  Lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, hartebeests, oribis and of course the Uganda kobs are the best known. Your guide will take you to the most beautiful places and will never tire of answering your questions. The vegetation with the savannah and the riverside forest will inspire you. After lunch, you will set off on a boat safari towards Murchison Falls. Crocodiles, hippos and water birds accompany you on your trip on the Nile to the impressive waterfalls. Just before the thundering spray of the waterfalls, the boat moors on a rock, you enjoy the view of the river and take your photos. If you wish, you can hike along a steep path to the top of the waterfalls from where your guide will pick you up. Alternatively, you can return by boat.

In the morning you leave the park and drive towards Fort Portal. The route runs along Lake Albert, one of the country’s great lakes. You will have the opportunity to take photos of Lake Albert at a viewpoint. You reach Fort Portal in the early afternoon. After a break in a nice café, you can take a stroll around the market. You will arrive at your lodge in the Kibale Forest in the late afternoon.

Today you will follow the tracks of the chimpanzees into the jungle of the Kibale Forest with an experienced guide. With a bit of luck, you’ll soon spot the first primates! You observe the chimpanzees and follow them through the rainforest. In the afternoon, we set off on a tour through the Bigodi Swamp. In addition to the countless tropical birds, this swamp landscape is also home to various species of monkeys such as the colobus monkey. The hike ends in a small village on the edge of the swamp, where you will visit a school and have the opportunity to visit a local family.

After breakfast, you will travel towards Queen Elizabeth National Park. The hilly crater landscape with its more than 50 lakes and green pastures is reminiscent of the landscape of the Swiss Alps.  The slopes of the Rwenzori Mountains on the right-hand side of the road complete the magnificent picture. Kasese, the last town before Queen Elisabeth National Park, offers the opportunity to do a little shopping, after which your first game drive begins. After an exciting game drive, you will reach your lodge in the evening

Today you start early for a morning game drive in Queen Elisabeth National Park. The extensive park lies at the foot of the Rwenzori Mountains, also known as the Mountains of the Moon. Lake Edward and Lake George are located within the park. In the national park you will go on an adventurous game drive with all that the African animal world has to offer. You will find lions, buffalo, hyenas and also the Kobe antelope, which is native to Uganda. The Kazinga Canal connects the two lakes. Crocodiles and hippos live here, as well as a large number of bird species, some of which can only be found in this area. In the afternoon you go on a boat safari on the canal where you have the opportunity to see these animals at close range.

After breakfast, you will go on another game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Around 3000 elephants live in the park. The tour then continues to the south of the park, to the Ishasha region. This area is known for its tree-climbing lions. Ishasha also provides a habitat for leopards, hyenas and hippos

Today we set off on a game drive in the Ishasha area. The golden savannah of this region lies on the southern edge of Queen Elisabeth National Park and is known for its large herds of elephants and tree lions. Topi antelopes and Uganda kobs live here, in addition to numerous bushes where bee-eaters and the African hoopoe like to stay, some fig trees stand out in particular. These are the favorite places of lions and leopards. With a bit of luck, you might spot an entire pride of lions or a leopard in one of the treetops.

Today’s drive takes us to the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The endangered mountain gorillas live here. The population of animals has increased from around 800 to 1100 in the last 9 years. This is largely thanks to tourism, whose payments contribute to the protection of these unique animals. The gorilla families are carefully guarded and their names such as Otaka, Elsa or Nyakina will soon be familiar to you.

Today you have the opportunity to go gorilla tracking. Here in Bwindi Impenatrable NP, the gorillas and chimpanzees have their common habitat – nowhere else will you find both primate species so close together. After a briefing by the rangers at the entrance to the national park, you start your hike in the rainforest. To begin with, you will walk with your guide and a ranger on a well-maintained hiking trail slightly uphill into the park. On the way, the guide will answer your questions about the impressive vegetation of the rainforest and the way of life of the primates. Depending on the location of “your” gorilla family, you then head off the beaten track and cross-country through the bush. The ranger leads the way, you follow him and then suddenly you are standing in front of the gorilla family. You have 1 hour to observe and photograph the animals before heading back. Alternatively, you have the option of going on a hike in the surrounding area or visiting a Batwa community. But you will certainly regret it if you don’t visit the gorillas.

After breakfast, we continue to Lake Mburo National Park.  Numerous rocks and hills alternate with small valleys. Once in the park, you will go on a game drive. Here you will find zebras and antelopes together with the impressive Ankole cattle.

In Lake Mburo National Park you have the opportunity to take part in a walking safari. You go on an exciting hike in the park with an experienced ranger. The ranger will show you the footprints and animal droppings and explain which animals are nearby. In the afternoon, you can go on an extensive game drive in the park or opt for a boat safari on Lake Mburo.

After a hearty breakfast, we will go on a final game drive through the park before heading back to Entebbe. Of course, we will stop at the equator for a souvenir photo.

The last Depending on the departure time, day one of your Uganda trip offers the opportunity to take a city tour in Kampala or to visit the Botanical Gardens in Entebbe. Your driver will take you to Entebbe Airport or to your connecting program in time for your departure flight.