Located at the heart of the African continent, Uganda is a country truly gifted by nature and well deserves the title of the "Pearl of Africa". Uganda is best known for viewing the endangered mountain gorillas, chimpanzees and other primates as well as being home to savannahs teaming with wildlife, tropical rainforests, spectacular waterfalls, shimmering lakes and rivers as well as the glacial peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains. Uganda is Africa's most complete birdwatching destination with more than 1000 species recorded: the Shoebill, Great Blue Turaco, Black and White Casqued hornbill and the Green Broadbill to name a few. Explore Ugandan National parks on this 12-day itinerary with visits to Lake Mburo National Park where birdwatching is most abundant, Queen Elizabeth National Park, where you will search for hippos along the Kasinga Channel, Semliki National Park where you will experience a unique Chimp tracking experience, Murchison Falls with boat rides and game viewing and finishing up with some Rhino tracking at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary by foot. A highlight of this itinerary is Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, one of the few ancient rainforests in Africa to have flourished and home to half of the world's endangered mountain gorillas. Looking into the expressive brown eyes of these giants is surely the most exciting and poignant wildlife encounter Uganda has to offer.

NOTE: Gorilla permit fees are sold on a first come first served basis and are non refundable or non transferable. The park authority/management reserves the right to cancel any permit without any refund or further reference.

Kampala is the capital of Uganda. With a population of 1,208,544, it is also the nation's largest city. The city grew as the capital of the Buganda kingdom, from which several buildings survive, including the Kasubi Tombs (built in 1881), the Buganda Parliament, the Buganda Court of Justice and the Naggalabi Buddo Coronation Site.

Welcome to Uganda! You will be met at the airport by an english speaking guide and transferred from Entebbe international airport to your Kampala hotel.

Cassia Lodge is located on Buziga Hill, one of the highest hills of Kampala, close to Lake Victoria. The environment is cool with few mosquitoes and an astonishing view of the lake as well as the city. We offer excellent international cuisine in a serene environment. In addition, we have conference facilities, a business centre, wireless Internet connection, a large swimming pool and 20 luxurious rooms with satelite television, bar and balcony overlooking the lake.

Overnight at Cassia Lodge Hotel.

Lying in the one part of Uganda covered in extensive acacia woodland, Mburo has markedly different fauna to other reserves. Lake Mburo is the best place in the country to see the gigantic eland antelope, as well as zebra, topi, impala, and several acacia-associated birds. The five lakes within the park attract hippos, crocodiles and a variety of waterbirds, while fringing swamps hide secretive papyrus specialists such as the sitatunga antelope and red, black and yellow papyrus gonalek.

Transfer Kapala to the Lake Mburo National Park driving south westwards stopping at the Mpigi Drum Makers where you will watch the ceremonial drums being crafted using methods passed down through generations. Another stop at the equator to take photographs. Passing through papyrus swamps and tracts of tropical rainforests and the rolling plains of Ankole, continue on to Lake Mburo National Park.

Your park fees are included for this day.

Enjoy a game drive to view the parks' plains, game and birds in their evening habitats, when they are usually the most active.  Return to lodge in time to freshen up for dinner.  

Mihingo Lodge is a quiet and luxurious retreat adjacent to Lake Mburo National Park. The Lodge has ten rooms which are built on wooden platforms and stilts, covered by a thatched roof. Suspended under the thatched roof is a spacious and comfortable tent equipped with en-suite bathrooms, including hot and cold running water, showers, and flush toilets. Each luxury tented room is nestled on a private piece of the lodge’s property, enabling guests to enjoy the tranquil environment in complete seclusion. Placed in varied settings, some rooms are situated in a forest setting, some with a lake view, and some on rock outcrops.

Overnight at Mihingo.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is a magnificent verdant swathe across the steep ridges of the Albertine Rift Valley. This ancient rainforest, one of the few in Africa to have flourished throughout the last Ice Age, is home to roughly half of the world's mountain gorillas. Looking deep into the expressive brown eyes of these gentle giants is surely the most exciting and poignant wildlife encounter that Africa has to offer. Hikes through the park will also explore Bwindi's broader biodiversity, a result of its immense antiquity and an altitude span from 1,160 to 2,607m. The national park has 90 mammal species, including 11 primates, of which the black-and-white colobus, with its lovely flowing white tail, is prominent. The forest birding ranks with the best in Uganda, with 23 highly localised Albertine Rift endemics present.

After an early morning game drive we depart for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The park derives its name from its thick vegetation with an immense variety of evergreen trees, festooned with lianas, epiphytes, which reach great heights in their search for sunlight plus half of the world’s population of mountain gorillas.

En-route to Bwindi, stop at a local school for a visit with some of the school children. 

In the afternoon, enjoy some time on your own to relax.

The Gorilla Forest Camp is a luxury tented camp centered in the deep and steamy rainforest of the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The park is host to around half of the world’s endangered mountain gorilla population. The 8 double tents offered by the camp are ideal quarters for those looking to track gorillas. The camp offers all the facilities of home, plus more. Décor is intricate weavings and hand carvings, with a personality for each room. Tents have romantic en-suites looking out on the forest, with bathtubs raised on little feet. Dining can be taken outside or indoors under candle light, with fires built on some evenings. Service and cuisine is top notch, with many giving in to indulgence. Others take part in nature walks and birding, and of course, gorilla tracking.

Overnight at Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp .

Early this morning, your guide will take you for a forest walk. Bwindi has several hiking trails. On all these trails, you have opportunities to see and learn about primates, many species of birds, butterflies, trees, and other organisms. The forest has about 30 elephants and 120 species of mammals including 7 diurnal primates, 360 species of birds and over 200 species of butterflies. This Afro-montane forest has dense under storey of fern, vines, and shrubs. About 324 tree species have been recorded here, of which 10 don't occur anywhere else in Uganda.

This afternoon, your guide will take you for a forest walk. Bwindi has several hiking trails. On all these trails, you have opportunities to see and learn about primates, many species of birds, butterflies, trees, and other organisms.The forest has about 30 elephants and 120 species of mammals including 7 diurnal primates. 360 species of birds and over 200 species of butterflies. This Afro -montane forest has dense under storey of fern, vines, and shrubs. About 324 tree species have been recorded here, of which 10 don't occur anywhere else in Uganda.

Overnight at Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp .

The park is named after Queen Elizabeth II and was established in 1954. QENP is known for its wildlife, although many animals were killed in the Uganda-Tanzania War. Many species have recovered, including hippopotamuses, elephants, leopards, lions and chimpanzees; it is now home to 95 species of mammal and over 500 species of birds. The area around Ishasha in Rukungiri District is famous for its tree-climbing lions, whose males sport black manes, a feature unique to the lions in this area.  The park is also famous for its volcanic features, comprising volcanic cones and deep craters, many with crater lakes such as Lake Katwe, from which salt is extracted.

Enjoy an early game drive this morning before making our way to Queen Elizabeth National Park. You will make a stop in Ishasha where, if you are lucky, you will catch a glimpse of the famous tree climbing lion. 

Your park fees are included for this day.

Enjoy time at leisure to explore at your own pace, or relax at your hotel.

Mweya Safari Lodge is located in the Queen Elizabeth National Park, which boasts numerous unique attractions, in addition to all the game viewing and ornithology, which have become synonymous with the term safari.

Overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge.

Enjoy a morning game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The Park has several spots stretching over 200kms of well maintained game viewing tracks. The best time for game drives is in the morning hours where there are high chances of seeing elephants, buffaloes, lion and a variety of antelopes and other wildlife.

The boat cruise on the Kazinga channel usually lasts for 2 hours and it gives visitors the opportunity to see a variety of yawning hippos in water, water birds, buffaloes, elephants, zebras, the Uganda-kobs, topis, water bucks, bush bucks, reed bucks, duiker, mongoose, swamp antelopes, spotted hyena, warthog, forest hog and in difficult routes in the south.

Overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge.

Semuliki National Park is situated in the remote corner of extreme west of Uganda, in bundibugyo District. It lies on Uganda-Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) border within the western arm of the East African Rift Valley.  It is one of Uganda’s newest national parks.  It is one of the richest areas of floral and faunal diversity in Africa, with bird species being especially diverse.

Enjoy an early morning game drive before setting off to Semliki National Park. The drive will take approximately 4 hours.

Enjoy a box lunch while you travel (included in tour price).

Semliki Safari Lodge is situated in the Semliki Valley Wildlife Reserve (formerly called Toro Game Reserve), in the Western Rift Valley.  It is the only accommodation in over 500 square kilometres of wilderness, offering a truly private experience.  Built out of local materials, the lodge has a feeling of traditional rustic without losing that all-important comfort.

Overnight at Semliki Safari Lodge.

Walk down into the beautiful gallery rainforest to track wild chimpanzees. These are usually tracked at dawn or dusk due to the fact that these apes tend to disappear in the middle of the day. There are also a number of bird species which are found in this picturesque forest. Retire from the chimp tracking and then in the afternoon you may relax at the pool or go for a game drive as you watch the sun set.

Enjoy a game drive to view the parks' plains, game and birds in their evening habitats, when they are usually the most active.  Return to lodge in time to freshen up for dinner.  

Overnight at Semliki Safari Lodge.

Murchison Falls National Park is a national park in Uganda. The park lies in north western Uganda, spreading inland from the shore of Lake Albert around the Victoria Nile. It is named for the Murchison Falls waterfall, itself named for a president of the Royal Geographical Society. The park is known for its wildlife which has partly recovered from a massacre by poachers and troops under Idi Amin. Together with the adjacent 748 square kilometers (289 sq mi) Bugungu Wildlife Reserve and the 720 square kilometres (280 sq mi) Karuma Wildlife Reserve, the park forms the Murchison Falls Conservation Area.

Depart early this morning for Murchison Falls.  On arrival at the park, you will pass over the top the falls for a great view.  Approximate travel time is 7 hours.

Paraa Safari Lodge is in Murchison Falls National Park, North West Uganda. The 40 metre wide River Nile, on it's journey from its source at Lake Victoria to join Lake Albert, is suddenly compressed into a gorge only six meters wide, and cascades into a boiling pot 43 metres below. The earth literally trembles at Murchison Falls, one of the world's most powerful flows of natural water. Elevated high above the Falls on the north side of the river, the historical Paraa Safari Lodge enjoys simply astounding views.

Overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge.

In the cool early morning before the sun rises too high, you will see plenty of game on the Buligi, Albert and Queen's tracks north of the River Nile. The bulk of Murchison falls wildlife is concentrated to the northern bank of the Nile, and the beast are for game drive is the circuit of tracks that run west from the ferry jet at Paraa to the Lake Albert Delta

Enjoy a boat excursion today from lodge to the foot of Murchison Falls. Hippos and crocodiles are abundant, and you will see elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks and birds like; Herons, Cormorants, Ducks, Bee-eaters, Fish Eagles, Kingfishers, and the rare Shoebill. The trip from Para to the Falls and back takes about three hours. A boat trip to the Delta where the Victoria Nile engorges into the Lake Albert leads through papyrus swamps. The trips takes about four to five hours and you will see a similar variety of animals and birds.

Overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge.

Kampala is the capital of Uganda. With a population of 1,208,544, it is also the nation's largest city. The city grew as the capital of the Buganda kingdom, from which several buildings survive, including the Kasubi Tombs (built in 1881), the Buganda Parliament, the Buganda Court of Justice and the Naggalabi Buddo Coronation Site.

After breakfast you will depart for Kampala.  En-route, you will stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for an afternoon rhino tracking venture which is approximately three hours from Murchison Falls.   Kampala is an additional two hour drive from Nakasongola.  Please talk to your Kensington Tours Travel Consultant if you wish to overnight at the Sanctuary.  Please note lodging is simple with en-suite bathrooms. 

One of our trained rangers will meet you upon arrival and give you an introduction to the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Depending on where our rhinos happen to be when you arrive, you will drive to the closest location and then approach the rhinos on foot.  You will then have an opportunity to observe our rhinos in their habitat at a very close, and very safe, distance.  The animals are magnificent and the opportunity to see them up close is truly one not to be missed!  The tracking excursion lasts on average between 1-2 hours.

Overnight at Cassia Lodge Hotel.

Transfer from Kampala hotel to the Entebbe international airport.

Departure from Entebbe International airport.

Overnight at Depart.