Day 1:

Arrive in Uganda

Arrive through Entebbe International Airport where after entry visa clearance you will be welcomed by our experienced driver guide. He will transfer you to Kampala Serena Hotel. It is an oasis of cool and green, within a peaceful neighborhood that hosts some of Uganda’s hallmark structures-like the Parliament. This five-star hotel boasts of 17 acres of beautifully manicured gardens and a sensational pond—that overlooks its Olympic size swimming pool. This and the other luxurious amenities of the hotel will reward you with the utmost comfort.

Day 2:

Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park.

After breakfast, drive to Kibale Forest National Park through Uganda’s western lush highlands decorated with tea, coffee and banana plantations. Your jaws will drop in awe as you marvel at breathtaking landscapes that sit in the shadows of Rwenzori, Africa’s third highest Mountain. You will be checked in at Primate Lodge, a beautiful forest home located in the heart of Kibale rainforest National Park. It is within five minutes’ walk from the visitor information center—where the forest activities begin from.  From the comfort of your Luxury Cottage, you can unwind and listen to the chattering of the red-tailed monkeys in the dense canopy.

Day 3:

Chimpanzee Trekking

Take an early breakfast and be transferred to the nearby briefing area where you will be welcomed by the park ranger guide. He will give you a detailed brief on dos and don’ts of chimp tracking before leading you into the forest for a lively adventure. Kibale Forest National Park harbours the greatest variety and concentration of primates found anywhere in East Africa. It has over 13 different species including the Black-and-white Colobus Monkey, Blue Monkey, Red-tailed Monkey, Grey-cheeked Mangabey and Bushbaby. The dense forest hosts a population of more than 1,000 wild chimpanzees. Your guide will draw your attention to an evocative pant-hoot call that marks your proximity to the delightful apes.  Spend a full hour watching them feed, socialize and rest before trekking back to your lodge for a hot lunch—made of fresh organic foods.

Later in the afternoon, drive to the nearby Bigodi Community for a signature nature walk in the swamp. This two hours experience is so revitalizing and has been repeatedly featured on international media as the best community conservation model. This includes BBC travel. The local guide will take you through a wetland sanctuary with more than 100 species of birds and primates including the red colobus, black-and-white colobus and other monkeys. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 4:

Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

 After an early breakfast, drive to Bwindi through Queen Elizabeth National Park. You will travel en-route scenic crater lakes and through banana plantations. You will drive past cheerful locals pushing huge bunches of banana on bicycles to the nearby markets. Proceed along the western Rift Valley where Queen Elizabeth National Park sits, stop at the Equator for a photo opportunity and proceed to Ishasha sector, home to the famous tree-climbing lions. This is the second known population that climbs trees as part of their day-to-day behavior (the other is found in Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania). Several theories have been advanced for this behavior of lions including a speculation that these lions climb trees to protect themselves against the biting tsetse flies. Others claim that they seek shelter in the tree branches from the heat.  Proceed to Ishasha river at the hippo pool where you will delight in your packed lunch as you watch the hippos. Next, you will exit Ishasha and drive to Bwindi through the village of Kigezi; the scenery gradually changes from open savanna to mountain slopes covered in dense green rain forest. You will be checked in at Mahogany Springs, a luxury small lodge facing the dense Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home to half the world’s endangered mountain gorillas.

Day 5:

Mountain Gorilla Tracking Experience

This is a big day; you will have a rare encounter with gentle giant mountain gorilla. This is no doubt the absolute highlight of a tour to Africa for most visitors. It is a humbling experience to stand meters from the gentle giants as they eat rest, play and bond with their young ones. After a briefing by park authorities, you will embark on a forest trek lasting between one-five hours, depending on the location of the gorillas—as they range spontaneously in the thick forest. There are 10 habituated gorilla families and you will be privileged to encounter. You will spend time with one of the families that can be visited by a group of eight people per day! You will enjoy an exciting journey along forested slopes, bushes and bamboo before you ultimately reach the gorilla family. Coming face-to-face with a mountain gorilla is a truly awesome and emotional experience. You will return to the lodge relax and in the evening go for a short community visit to interact with the Batwa. It is a Pygmy tribe that was evicted from the forest to pave way for gorilla conservation. They will demonstrate how they used to live in the forest prior to their eviction. How they used to hunt, thatch their huts, harvest wild fruits and groove to traditional forest festivals. Get back to the hotel for dinner.

Day 6:

Fly to Entebbe and Depart

Today marks the end of your safari. After breakfast, your guide will transfer you to Kihihi airstrip for a pre-arranged charter flight to Entebbe Airport. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to Boma Hotel for a day room to relax and refresh as you wait for your departing flight. Have a farewell meal complementary meal with our director before transferring to the airport.