13 Days Uganda Grand Safari

Arrival at Entebbe International Airport.

Meet and greet at the Airport by your Hallmark Travel Planners guide. You will be transfered to your hotel in Kampala. (D)

Kampala is the capital city of Uganda. With a population of about 2 million, Kampala city is the largest urban settlement in Uganda. Kampala was developed around a fort constructed by Frederick Lugard in 1890 for the British East Africa Company.  In 1962, Kampala replaced Entebbe as the national capital.

Accommodation : Emin Pasha Hotel (****), Hotel Africana (***)

You will depart after breakfast for Murchison Falls NP and travel via Masindi and enter the Park from the south and through Kichumbanyobo gate. On the way to the parc visit of the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. You will take the ferry and cross the river Nile to the north bank where your hotel is located. A late afternoon game drive is foreseen on the programme. (B-L-D)

Masindi Town lies in the Bunyoro Kingdom. Speke met the Bunyoro King in Kijura, now a Masindi suburb, and also met Emin Pasha in the district. Masindi was during the colonial period the gateway to the ‘hinterland of Africa’, where goods from the Northern Congo and Southern Sudan found their way to European markets. Cargo was shipped across Lake Albert, trucked from Butiaba up to Masindi.From Masindi, goods were trucked on to Masindi Port on Lake Kyoga where it was shipped down to Soroti and then by railway to Mombassa.

Activities :  Bird Watching, Wildlife Viewing

Parks & places :  Murchison Falls National Park (MFNP)

After an early morning breakfast, you have a full morning of spectacular game viewing!  The best area for game-viewing on the north bank is the peninsula between the Victoria and the Albert Niles. It’s known for his abundant wildlife and has several tracks (Buligi track, Victoria track, Queen’s track and Albert Nile track). The Uganda kob is common here, but also the oribi and the Jackson’s hartebeest. North to the Nile you have the typical Borassus palm savannah which hosts his beautiful Rothschild’s giraffes, large herds of buffalo and elephants.

The afternoon will be spent on an extensive exploration by boat on the Nile river, upstream towards the Falls. This is where the Nile explodes through a narrow gorge and cascades down to become a placid river. You can admire on the slopes of the Nile river, the big number of hippos, elephants and the Nile crocodiles. Especially January and February are very rewarding for Nile crocodiles since this is the breading season. The launch trip is a unique adventure, full of activity and constant surprises!

Bird watchers will appreciate the rich bird life. The Red-throated bee-eaters breeds in large colonies along the Nile during January up to March. Overnight at your lodge. (B-L-D)

The spectacular Murchison Falls, were ‘discovered’ by Sir Samuel White Baker in 1864. Baker spent some time to explore the Albert Nyanza (lake), during which he demonstrated that the Nile flowed through the Albert Nyanza (lake). The Falls were named after the President of the Royal Geographical Society. The society has been a key associate and supporter of many famous explorers and expeditions, including those of Darwin, Livingstone, Scott, John Speke, Henry Morton Stanley.

Activities :  Bird Watching, Wildlife Viewing

Parks & places :  Murchison Falls National Park (MFNP)

After an early breakfast, you will explore a second time the circuits and focus on  finding lions and leopard. The patas monkeys are also worth to look at as this is the only area where you have reasonable chances to see them. Depending on the wildlife you will see we can extend our exploration to the Pakuba area near the lodge ruins and drive towards  the Tangi Gate known for the herds of elephants.

You will have lunch at your lodge and in the afternoon you will take the ferry for a transfer to the south bank. You will visit and explore the area around the top of the falls. You can descend the paths down to the river and enjoy the falls from another viewpoint. An afternoon with plenty of spectacular sights! You will stay on the southbank and have your overnight at the Nile Safari lodge located on the edge of the river Nile towards the lake Albert delta! If you have chance you can even see the Shoebill stork.

The river Nile flows into Lake Albert and leaves the lake to the north end as the Albert Nile, flows afterwards through northern Uganda, and at the Sudan border becomes the Bahr al-Jabal or White Nile.

Activities :  Bird Watching, Wildlife Viewing

Parks & places :  Murchison Falls National Park (MFNP)

You will depart after breakfast for Kibale and travel via Butiaba, Hoima and Fort Portal. On your way you will see the western escarpment of the Western Rift Valley (Albertine Rift) and explore lake Albert. Lake Albert is a typical Rift Valley lake lying at an altitude of 615 m between two parallel escarpments (Congo and Uganda).

You will visit Butiaba on Lake Albert where you can view the wreck of the Robert Corringdon Steam Ship, which was used to carry cargo and passengers from the Congo to Uganda. Palm lined sand covered roads, sandy beaches with canoes give a picturesque view, which has changed very little in the last century. Arrival at Fort Portal is foreseen in the late afternoon. If time allows, we will have a stop at Fort Portal for some shopping before heading to Kibale Forest NP which takes another hour. (B-L-D)

In 1864, the explorer Samuel Baker became the first European to discover lake Albert; he named it after the recently deceased Prince Albert, (26 August 1819 – 14 December 1861) who was the husband and consort of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

Fort Portal is a small and attractive city. The fort was built between 1891 and 1893 and named after Sir Gerald Portal, the British Consul General of Zanzibar who arrived in Uganda in 1892 to formalise the protectorate of Uganda. He died of malaria a few months after the fort was completed.

Activities :  Bird Watching, Chimpanzee Trekking

Parks & places :  Kibale Forest National Park (KFNP)

After breakfast you leave for Kibale Forest renowned for the greatest variety and the highest concentration of primates in East-Africa. The visitors centre of Kanyanchu is 45 minutes away from your lodge. At the visitors centre the rangers are ready to escort different groups of maximum 6 persons. They will brief you about your guided nature walk in the tropical forest in search of the wild chimpanzees. This is one of the great moments of your safari!

The rangers are very knowledgeable and will answer all your questions about the forest and the chimps. Jan Goodall Institute has been assisting Uganda Wildlife Authority with the training of the rangers. A pic-nic lunch is foreseen at Kanyanchu before heading to Mweya QENP via Fort Portal.

On your way to Mweya after leaving Fort Portal, you will have a good scenery of the Rwenzori Mountains. It’s during the wet season that you will have the best chances to have a clear view of the Rwezori Mountains. On our way to Mweya you will pass Kasese town and stop at the equator for a traditional picture.

You will entrer Queen Elizabeth NP at the Kabatoro gate and have a short game drive on our way to Mweya which lies on a peninsula. (B-L-D)

The Rwenzori Mountains lie along the western border of Uganda and rise to a height of 5100 metres. They form a magnificent landscape of non-volcanic mountains, 120 kilometres long and 48 kilometres wide. The so-called Mountains of the Moon were formed from a single block during the creation of the western arm of the Great East African Rift Valley (Albertine Rift).

Activities :  Chimpanzee Trekking

Parks & places :  Kibale Forest National Park (KFNP)

The best time for game-viewing is early in the morning! You will take the channel track which runs parallel with the Kazinga Channel and we drive slowly towards the Katunguru gate. The channel track is particulrly rewarding with warthog, bushbuck, waterbuck and elephants. There are some chances in the morning hours to see the spotted hyena and leopard. We will cross the Mbarara-Kassese-Fort Portal road and drive to Kasenyi an area near to Lake George which is an interesting game viewing area. The wetlands surrounding the lake are of international importance protected by the Ramsar Convention.

You visit the Uganda Kob Mating Ground which is a defined area specifically used by Uganda Kobs for challenging, enticing and mating. Adult rams defend a circle territory (30 meters diameter) and depending on the season the mating ground can have 20 and more of this small terrirories each defended by a male. Ewes enter the terrirories for mating and move freely between rams.

Watch the spectacular fights as kobs defend their territories, look for lions as well because the high concentration of kobs attracts their predators. After the game drive we also visit the fishing village and the salt works at Kasenyi village near to Lake George. Both sites are part of Queen Elizaberh NP and local communities can develop some of their activities. It will be an opportunity for your guide to explain the conservation policies and the relationship with the local communities. (Fishing is an important activity among the local residents.)

We continue our game drive and we take the Kasenyi track when returning to Mweya lodge for lunch. In the afternoon you will take the launch trip on the Kazinga Channel which many consider as a highlight of the safari. The launch trip takes 2 hours.

The Kazinga Channel is a natural channel of 36 km long between Lake George and Lake Edward. The launch trip is the most popular activity at Mweya. From the safe boat you can see elephants, hippo, nile crocodile and many water birds. The water birds are plenty along the channel: African skimmers, African fish eagles, cormorants, saddle-billed storks, pelicans, etc. The Kazinga Channel divides Queen Elizabteth in a northern (Mweya) and a southern part (Maramagambo, Kyambura, Ishasha). Landscapes will be different. The northern part is an euphorbia savannah while the southern sector is a typical accacia savannah.

After the launch trip you will enjoy from your lodge the splendid views of the channel. Alternatively your driver guide will take you for a late afternoon game drive! (B-L-D)

Activities :  Bird Watching, Wildlife Viewing

Parks & places :  Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP)

Early wake up because we need to drive to Kyambura WR, a one hour drive from Mweya. You will take the Channel track trying the last chance to see leopard. Kyambura lies in the southern sector of the park and we take the main road to Mbarara and cross the Kazinga Channel at Katunguru.

The Kyambura River, about 16 km long, flows into Kazinga Channel. On arrival, the rangers will lead us and we drive to the nearest point, where they (rangers) usually know the chimpanzeess are approximately located. The rangers will give you a briefing before descending into the depths of the gorge. The nature walk takes a few hours and lunch will be served at Kyambura fig tree campsite before heading to Ishasha.

Ishasha is about 3 hours away from Kyambura and you will have a short game drive on your way to the camp. The first night at Ishasha is always the most impressive one for visitors. At night you might have a concert of black-and-white colobus monkeys, baboons, hyena, hippos and the roaring lions! (B-L-D)

Activities :  Bird Watching, Chimpanzee Trekking, Wildlife Viewing

Parks & places :  Kyambura – (QENP), Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP)

You will explore Ishasha, the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth considered by some experts as one of the most alluring game viewing area of East Africa. It’s an off-the-beaten-track destination that you will surely enjoy.

We wake up early, of course, since this is the best time for observing nature.  You start from the southern circuit in search of the elephants and we will drive over the plains of Ishasha in the open savannah. The southern circuit has usually large herds of buffalo, Uganda kob and topi. Near to the swamps of the southern circuit you might see even leopard. 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.

After an initial scouting expedition, we return to the camp for a lunch, we relax, observe the hippos and we take time for a shower or siesta in the shadow of the woods.

In the afternoon you will have another game drive and during the dry season we will drive you to the Edward’s flats to see elephants, large herds of buffalo and different water birds. Occasionally we might find in this area the shoebill stork and by surprise some  hunting lions.

We return late in the afternoon to enjoy the last moments of the day on the Ntungwe river. After diner we sit around the campfire and enjoy the nature sounds of the woods. (B-L-D)

Activities :  Bird Watching, Wildlife Viewing

Parks & places :  Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP)

You will explore Ishasha, the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth considered by some experts as one of the most alluring game viewing area of East Africa. It’s an off-the-beaten-track destination that you will surely enjoy.

We wake up early, of course, since this is the best time for observing nature.  You start from the southern circuit in search of the elephants and we will drive over the plains of Ishasha in the open savannah. The southern circuit has usually large herds of buffalo, Uganda kob and topi. Near to the swamps of the southern circuit you might see even leopard. 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.

After an initial scouting expedition, we return to the camp for a lunch.  After lunch we depart to Bwindi a journey that can take a max. of 2 hours. We shall have a stop over at Kihihi for refueling and some shopping at the local stores. The Muzungu (the white visitors) are an attraction for the children of the village!

Bwindi is not far away and you will arrive at Buhoma in the afternoon. Time to have a cool drink, enjoy the sight and sounds of the rainforest. Overnight at your lodge. (B-L-D)

Accommodation : Buhoma Lodge (***), Bwindi Lodge (****), Engagi Lodge (**), GF Camp (****)

Activities :  Bird Watching, Wildlife Viewing

Parks & places :  Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP)

Bwindi Impenetrable NP is a natural world heritage site. Hikers will love it, with the gorilla excursion as a high point of your safari!

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.

Once you are back from trekking before 5 pm, you can be intertained by  orphans of the Buhoma village, with their traditional Bakiga dances. For participants who want to contribute to the orphans, we advise them to bring some used clothes or school pensils/pens. (B-L-D)

The Bwindi orphans group was created in 1998 with the main objective of taking care of the orphans dwelling on the streets of Buhoma. The high aim of the organization is to provide education, teaching agriculture and handcraft skills, teaching basic hygiene and the importance of sanitation. Today there are more than 160 children from all ages.

Activities :  Bird Watching, Cultural Activities, Gorilla Trekking

Parks & places :  Gorilla Parks of Uganda

After breakfast, we depart for Lake Mburo via Kabale, meandering driving along the Kigezi mountains. Kigezi Mountains is  a unique scenery for you to view during your trip. We stop at Kabale for lunch before continuing to Lake Mburo via Marara. The arrival is foreseen in the afternoon just on time to have the boat excursion on the lake. For bird lovers this will be the best place to see the African finfoot in Uganda! Overnight at Mantana luxury tented camp. (B-L-D)

Lake Mburo is part of a much larger ecosystem that includes Akagera NP (Rwanda),Tanzania’s Ibanda and Rumanyika Game Reserve and rangeland areas north to the Katonga River (Uganda). This eco-system is different from the Albtine rift and explains why you will find here some animals that you have not seen in other parks like Impala, zebra and African Eland. This makes the Park very interesting to be visited.

Activities :  Bird Watching, Wildlife Viewing

Parks & places :  Lake Mburo NP

After an early morning breakfast you will have a guided nature walk. A ranger guide takes you on foot to the bush. Lake Mburo is the only place in this part of Uganda where you can see zebra and Impala and it’s also the best place to see the African Eland, Africa’s largest antelope! You will arrive at Entebbe/Kampala in the late afternoon.

Overnight at your hotel (B-L-D)

Activities :  Bird Watching, Guided Nature Walks & Hikes., Wildlife Viewing

Parks & places :  Lake Mburo NP

Tour Price Per Person