Uganda Encompassed Wildlife Adventure

After breakfast at the Protea Hotel, you’ll depart on a scenic drive towards the heartland of the Ankole Kingdom and Lake Mburo National Park. Leave the suburbs of Entebbe behind as you journey through open marshlands and grasslands, dotted with grazing Ankole cattle.   

On arrival at Lake Mburo, you’ll jump aboard a boat cruise to spot the diverse wildlife that calls the park “home”, including large numbers of hippos, buffalos and crocodiles. The lake is also renowned for its birdlife, with sightings of colourful kingfishers, rare shoebill storks and majestic fish eagles common.  

Your boat cruise will be followed by a game drive through the surrounding grasslands, with a variety of antelopes, Rothschild’s giraffes and Burchell’s zebra all inhabiting the park. At the end of an incredible day, you’ll be transferred to the Mihingo Lodge where you can freshen up before dinner is served. 

After a leisurely breakfast at the Mihingo Lodge, you’ll begin the long drive to the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park along Uganda’s border with the Congo. Soak up the scenes of rural life along the way, with plenty of opportunities to stop and stretch your legs or take photographs. In the afternoon, you’ll arrive at the Mahogany Springs Lodge where you’ll spend the next couple of nights. 

Wake early for breakfast before being transported to the headquarters of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where you’ll be briefed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority guides. They’ll be in constant radio communication with a team of scouts who’ve gone ahead to determine where the gorillas are currently located. The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park lies on the edge of the Albertine Rift and is one of the most biologically diverse areas in the world, making it the ideal location for families of mountain gorillas to find refuge.   

Trek into the forest for an unforgettable encounter with the mountain gorillas, which is limited to one hour for conservation purposes. Other animals you might witness along the way include antelopes and rare monkeys, as well as myriad birdlife that can be spotted with a keen eye. After completing the trek, you’ll return to the Mahogany Springs Lodge for a well-earned rest and time to reflect on this once-in-a-lifetime experience. 

Today you will head north to the Queen Elizabeth National Park as the landscape transitions from thick forest to open savannah. It’s renowned as one of the most famous wildlife-viewing destinations in Uganda, with a plethora of animal, bird and plant species to lure nature enthusiasts. Embark on a game drive through the Ishasha sector to witness the park’s famous tree-climbing lions that can often be seen hanging out in the fig trees, together with elephants, antelopes and hippos. You’ll spend the night at the stunning Ishasha Wilderness Camp, which lies on the banks of the Ntungwe River. 

Spend another day exploring Queen Elizabeth National Park, which sprawls across almost 2,000 square kilometres of forest, savannah and lakes. A highlight of the park is a boat ride along the Kazinga Channel, a 32-kilometre-long water body that links Lake Edward and Lake George. Beginning at the Mweya Peninsula, the three-hour journey offers up-close sightings of hippos, buffalos and elephants, as well as a whole host of birds that include storks, kingfishers and African fish eagles.     

After your boat ride, you’ll embark on another game drive, this time across the Kasenyi Plains in the northeast section of the park. Keep your eyes peeled for warthogs, baboons and prides of lions, as well as the occasional leopard (if you’re lucky). End the day at the gorgeous Mweya Safari Lodge in one of their beautifully appointed deluxe tents.

After breakfast at the Mweya Safari Lodge, you’ll travel north into the Kibale Forest in the heart of the Tooro Kingdom in preparation for your chimpanzee trekking experience. Begin at the Uganda Wildlife Authority HQ for a short briefing before heading into the forest to track the chimpanzees and spend an unforgettable hour with them. Along the way, you may spot some of the diverse array of bird species that also call the forest “home” while learning about the native flora from your informative guide. After your trek, you’ll check-in to the Kyaninga Lodge where you can relax and freshen up before dinner is served.