Gorillas

DAY 1 | ENTEBBE | 1 NIGHT

Welcome to Uganda. Your professional local guide, who will remain with you for entire safari, will collect you from the airport and take you the short distance to your boutique hotel accommodation for your overnight stay. Time to unwind after your journey. We recommend you add another night to enjoy some of the activities on offer here, such as a behind-the-scenes close-up encounter at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre where you can join younger rescued chimps during their daily exercise routine.

DAY 2 | LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK | 1 NIGHT

Depart by road with your guide and 4×4 bound for Lake Mburo, a drive of approx. 4-5 hours passing through traditional villages & farmland en route. Take an afternoon game drive upon arrival in Uganda’s smallest national park or take to the lake for a motorboat excursion on the lake to discover the breadth of bird species in the shores and within the reeds. Plenty of hippo and crocodile reside in the lake whilst on land you might find zebra, eland and impala. Enjoy a three course dinner before retiring for the evening.

DAY 3 | BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST | 3 NIGHTS

Take a leisurely game walk before departing by road to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a beautifully scenic drive of about 5-6 hours. Along the way you will pass tea plantations and lush green mountain ranges before ascending towards Bwindi. Farmlands & villages dot the landscape, it is magical. Arrive at Buhoma Village and to your nearby lodge which sits close to the park entrance for the start of your gorilla trekking. If you arrive early enough take a walk through the local community, even try a local brew. Dinner and an early night before your big day ahead.

DAY 4 | BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST

Depart from the lodge first thing and assemble at the Park HQ to meet your gorilla trackers & National Park Guide. Carrying a packed lunch, you will set off into the forest in search of the magnificent mountain gorillas. Porters are available to assist you if required. Once you have located a family of gorillas you will have one hour to spend in their company, witnessing them interacting with each other. Then it is sadly time to retrace your steps and return to the lodge for a celebratory dinner and reflect on the incredible experience of today!

DAY 5 | BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST

Today you have the opportunity to undertake a second gorilla trek. This is at additional cost and must also be pre-booked. Alternatively, you might wish to join the Bwindi Local Community Village Walk and visit a local homestead, Womens’ Collective, traditional healer, banana brewery and the Mukono Primary School, or spend the day on a hike in the rainforest with local Batwa guides. The Batwa pygmies will reveal how they once lived & hunted whilst teaching you all about medicinal plants and pointing out the abundant birdlife. Enjoy a sunset drink at the lodge before dinner.

DAY 6 | QUEEN ELIZABETH NP (ISHASHA) | 4 NIGHTS

After breakfast depart Bwindi bound for the southern end of Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP). Along the way visit two Ishasha Community Projects ‐ Deo’s farm and Agartha’s homestead ‐ both run by inspiring local people who will give a unique insight into everyday life, growing crops and providing for a family in rural Uganda. Continue to your safari camp in the wildlife rich Ishasha (southern) section of QENP. Arrive in time for lunch and a siesta before heading on a game drive to see what resident wildlife you can find. Sunset drinks before dinner and relaxing by the campfire under the stars.

DAY 7 | QUEEN ELIZABETH NP (ISHASHA)

Today you will enjoy a bush breakfast with morning and afternoon game drives on offer. There will be hardly another vehicle in sight in the Ishasha region but what you will see is plenty of wildlife. Here you will be looking for the vast herds of elephant, perhaps watch hyenas hunt or spying on some of the area’s famous tree-climbing lions.