Day 1: Fly From Entebbe to Bwindi
You will start your Uganda fly-in gorilla trek and wildlife safari with a transfer to the airport for your connecting flight to Entebbe. Upon arrival at the airport, you will connect to another flight from Entebbe International Airport to Kihihi/Kisoro airstrip in the south-western part of Uganda.
Your flight schedule is as follows:
Departure Entebbe: 07.45 am (check-in latest at 06.30 am, 1 hr before your flight departs)
Arrival Kihihi: 09.30 am Arrival Kisoro: 08:55 am
On arrival at Kihihi/Kisoro airstrip, you will be picked up by the staff of the lodge you are staying at. You will be transferred in about 1 hour to the lodge.
Journey time: Flight in the morning or afternoon/transfer to lodge 1½ hours
Accommodation options available (all on full board basis)
Up-market: Buhoma Lodge | Mahogany Lodge| Nkuringo Gorilla Camp | Chameleon Hill Lodge | Trackers Lodge Buhoma
Moderate: Haven Buhoma Community Lodge| Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge | Lake Mulehe Lodge
Low Budget: Gorilla Conservation Camp | Rushaga Gorilla Havens
Meal plan: Lunch and dinner
Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Today enjoy gorilla tracking in Bwindi.
After breakfast, proceed for the morning briefing before enjoying the highlight of the trip - gorilla trekking, which may last the entire day. We trek the gorillas through the rainforest and bamboo covered slopes, accompanied by a guide and trackers, in search of a mountain gorilla family. The walking can sometimes be tough and long, but when you catch a glimpse of the magnificent silverback, any discomforts will be quickly forgotten. When the gorillas are sighted, visitors will be guided to within 6 metres from the gorillas, sit around them for a whole hour while gazing into their big round eyes.
Gorilla trekking is unpredictable. It's difficult to foresee how many hours you will hike. The gorilla excursion can take from 2 up to 8 hours. Expect to walk along distance in steep and muddy conditions, sometimes with rain overhead, before you encounter any gorillas. A good physical condition is recommended. For conservation purposes, time spent with the gorillas is limited to one hour. A ranger will brief you on how to behave with the gorillas.
While most of today's forests are no more than 12,000 years old, Bwindi's vegetation has been weaving itself into tangles over at least 25,000 years, in the process accumulating a lengthy species list. This includes 310 species of butterfly, 51 reptiles, 200 trees, 88 moths and an exceptional 120 types of mammals including 10 primates. The latter includes chimpanzee, L'Hoest's, red-tailed and blue monkey, black and white colobus, baboon, and Bwindi's most famous resident, the mountain gorilla.
Bwindi is a prime destination for birdwatchers. Its 350 species include seven which are IUCN red data listed and 90% of all Albertine rift endemics, species which are difficult or impossible to see in any other part of East Africa.
Up-market: Buhoma Lodge | Mahogany Lodge| Nkuringo Gorilla Camp | Chameleon Hill Lodge | Trackers Lodge Buhoma
Moderate: Haven Buhoma Community Lodge| Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge | Lake Mulehe Lodge
Low Budget: Gorilla Conservation Camp | Rushaga Gorilla Havens
Day 3: Queen Elizabeth National Park - Ishasha Sector & Tree-climbing Lions
After breakfast, we drive through stunning savannah grasslands as we head to the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Ishasha is a much more remote and less-traveled part of Queen Elizabeth National Park, but one which has a sense of exclusivity and remoteness. The game densities here are high, and this region has reported some of the largest herds of elephants anywhere in Uganda, as it is their main migration corridor between Uganda and the DRC.
As we enter the park, we do a game drive in search of the wild game. We continue and drive to the northern circuit which is the area near the main road known for its tree climbing lions. We look particularly at the many fig trees where lions like to stay. But we also visit the Uganda kob mating ground, which is their preferred hunting area.
Up-market/Luxury: Elephant Plains Lodge | Deluxe Tent/Deluxe room at Mweya Safari Lodge | Katara Lodge
Mid-range or moderate facility: Buffalo Safari Lodge| Bush Lodge (rooms) | Enganzi Lodge
Budget price: Bush Lodge (tents) | Simba Safari Camp
Day 4: Safari game drive and boat safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park
We set out early in the morning for a game drive in the northern part of the park on the Kasenyi Track in search of lions, elephants, solitary buffaloes. This is the best time for opportunities to view the cats in action, owing to the vast population of Uganda kobs. We have an excellent chance to view just about every animal here at very close range.
In the afternoon, we will go for a launch trip along the Kazinga Channel. This gives you the opportunity to view wildlife up close: hippo’s huff and spray at a mere feet away from the boat, buffalo linger in the shallows. The shores of the channel are also home to an array of birds including pink-backed pelicans, pied and malachite kingfishers, saddle-billed stork and many others.
Up-market/Luxury: Elephant Plains Lodge | Deluxe Tent/Deluxe room at Mweya Safari Lodge | Katara Lodge
Mid-range or moderate facility: Buffalo Safari Lodge| Bush Lodge (rooms) | Enganzi Lodge
Budget price: Bush Lodge (tents) | Simba Safari Camp
Day 5: Transfer to Mweya or Kasese Airstrip for flight back to Entebbe
Our representative will take care of your transfer to Mweya or Kasese airstrip for your flight back to Entebbe International Airport.
