Countries: Uganda
Destinations: Entebbe , Murchison Falls National Park , Kibale National Park , Queen Elizabeth National Park , Bwindi Impenetrable Forest , Lake Mburo National Park
Group Size: 12
Duration (days): 11
Number of Adults: 0
Number of Children: 12
Child Ages: 0
Indulge in an unforgettable adventure by immersing yourself in the natural wonders of Uganda. Embark on a thrilling expedition to encounter chimpanzees and gorillas in their natural habitat and witness the breath-taking beauty of the national parks from a unique perspective as you cruise along the waterways.
Itinerary Outline
Uganda - The "Pearl of Africa." Uganda offers a vastly different experience from the standard safari itinerary, with lush jungles, volcanic mountains, plenty of primates, and the Nile River all creating a fabulous adventure.
Uganda has earned the well-deserved reputation of being the friendliest country in Africa, and you will be delighted by the local hospitality. While having quite a turbulent history, the people of Uganda have remained warm and welcoming.
With wonderful birdlife, a vast array of plains game, and the most extensive species list of primates, a wildlife safari in Uganda offers something special.
As asked on Uganda's Tourism website, "where else but in this uniquely lush destination can one observe lions prowling the open plains in the morning and track chimpanzees through the rainforest undergrowth the same afternoon, then the next day navigate tropical channels teeming with hippos and crocodiles before setting off into the misty mountains to enjoy viewing the unique mountain gorillas?"
Best Western Premier Garden Hotel Entebbe
The Best Western Premier Garden Hotel Entebbe is conveniently located just a few minutes away from the Entebbe Airport on the Kampala-Entebbe Highway. The hotel is adjacent to the Victoria Shopping Mall, giving guests direct access to the mall and all its facilities. The UN Base, Entebbe Golf Club, the Botanical Gardens and the lake are right next to the hotel. The hotel offers 51 full-service rooms, equipped with all amenities for the demanding business traveler.
Day 2 : Murchison Falls National Park
You will be met and collected from your hotel in Entebbe and driven to Murchison Falls. Visit the Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch en route, which has the honour of hosting the only wild rhinos in Uganda. Presently the sanctuary is home to nineteen southern white rhinos. The ranch has become increasingly popular with tourists for rhino trekking, bird watching, nature walks and relaxation.
We will enjoy a picnic lunch before continuing the drive to the spectacular Murchison Falls, located within one of Uganda’s oldest conservation areas. Excluding the stop, the journey will take approximately 7-8 hours. Murchison National Park is suited in the northern part of Albertine Rift Valley, where the massive Bunyoro escarpment amalgamates into the enormous plains of land traditionally inhabited by the Acholi people.
Described by Winston Churchill in 1907 as "Kew Gardens and the zoo combined on an unlimited scale" the Murchison Falls National Park lies at the northern end of the Albertine Rift Valley, where the bulky Bunyoro escarpment merges into the vast plains of Acholi land.
The park is bisected by the Victoria Nile which first races down 80km of white-water rapids before plunging 40m over the remnant rift valley wall at Murchison Falls, the centre piece of the park. The Falls drains the last of the river's energy, transforming it into a broad, placid stream that flows quietly across the rift valley floor for 55km to Lake Albert.
Established in 1954, Paraa Safari Lodge is in Murchison Falls National Park. The lodge is located in the north west of Uganda over looking one of natures best kept secrets, the River Nile, on its journey from its source at Lake Victoria to join Lake Albert – here it is suddenly channeled into a gorge only six meters wide, and cascades 43 meters below.
The earth literally trembles at Murchison Falls - one of the worlds most powerful flows of natural water. Paraa Safari Lodge offers a unique blend of comfort, relaxation and adventure. Each of the rooms is a haven of style and serenity, complete with balcony and private bathroom.
Day 3 : Murchison Falls National Park
After an early breakfast, you will be taken on a morning game drive in Murchison Falls National Park in search of wildlife such as elephant, buffalo, giraffe, hartebeest and oribi. Continue to the launch site for a boat ride combined with a cheese and wine cruise.
A highlight of any visit to Murchison Falls Conservation Area is the launch trip to view the magnificent Murchison Falls. The scheduled boat trip normally departs in the morning and afternoon. Hippos and crocodiles are abundant and you will see plenty of game and bird life. The voyage takes about three hours.
Return to the lodge for lunch, followed by an evening game drive.
Day 4 : Kibale National Park
After an early breakfast, you will depart for Kibale National Park via Fort Portal, passing through verdant countryside and traditional homesteads and farms. Picnic lunch will be provided. Kibale National Park contains one of the loveliest and most varied tracts of tropical forest in Uganda. Forest cover, interspersed with patches of grassland and swamp, dominates the northern and central parts of the park on an elevated plateau.
With it southern edge joining Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kibale National Park helps make up a 180 km long corridor for Africa's wildlife, and is home to some wonderful creatures, as well as an astonishing 13 species of primates.
As one of the most beautiful tropical forests in Uganda, Kibale Forest provides a beautiful location for chimpanzee trekking, and is one of Uganda's most delightful parks.
Turaco Treetops is a lush semi-luxury lodge on the edge of Kibale National Park. The lodge sits under 5.2 hectares of rainforest, which creates a serene green environment for a perfect hideaway. It’s got stunning views of the forest canopy, the massive Rwenzori mountains, and the creator lake decorated landscape of the region. If you’re staying for a chimpanzee tracking adventure in Kibale, hiking around the area, or for a romantic getaway, Turaco Treetops is a suitable choice.
Some of the lodge visitors that hang around the lodge grounds include various bird species like the famous Great blue turaco (which inspires the lodge name), butterflies, monkeys, and primates like Bush Babies, Black and White Colobus monkeys.
Turaco’s main building features a stylish restaurant, a lounge area with a cozy fireplace, a bar, an outside terrace, and a first-floor lounge with spectacular views over the forest. Enjoy a sumptuous meal, read a book, watch the butterflies and birds, play a game, or grab a drink and watch the sun setting behind Mount Stanley. Free WiFi and charging docks are available in the main building.
The lodge is family-friendly, offering kids an outdoor playground and an indoor kids’ room in our main building. The pool on the premised also caters to children with a shallow end.
Day 5 : Kibale National Park
Trek man’s closet genetic relative, the cheeky chimpanzee on a trekking excursion in the Budongo Forest.
In the afternoon you will go for a guided walk in Bigodi Swamp to look for different bird species like the Shining Blue Kingfisher, Blue Throated Roller and other rare specifies and also find the fruiting trees, which attract Narina Trogon, Pied Hornbill, Yellow Spotted, HairBreasted and Yellow-Billed Barbets.
Day 6 : Queen Elizabeth National Park
After an early breakfast, enjoy a beautiful morning drive through the dramatic landscape of the Crater Lakes. In the afternoon transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park. This National Park is understandably Uganda’s most popular tourist destination. The Park has diverse ecosystems, which include sprawling savanna, shady, humid forests, sparkling lakes and fertile wetlands.
Stretching from the crater-dotted foothills of the Rwenzori ranges in the north, along the shores of Lake Edward to the remote Ishasha River in the South, Queen Elizabeth National Park incorporates a wide of variety of habitats that range from savanna and wetlands to lowland forest.
Besides fantastic wildlife sightings, the park is also famous for its volcanic features, comprising volcanic cones and deep craters.
Combining with Kibale National Park in the north, and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in the south to form one of the most remarkable safari regions in Africa.
Located on a peninsula within the heart of the Queen Elizabeth National Park, Mweya Safari Lodge is surrounded by the magical Rwenzori Mountains aptly described as the Mountains of the Moon.
Each room at Mweya Safari Lodge has a breathtaking view of the Kazinga channel. You can watch the forest hogs grazing the grass outside, as well as the odd curious hippo!
A variety of en-suite accommodation is offered: 32 Standard Rooms, 12 Deluxe Rooms with air-conditioning, 2 Suites, the Presidential Cottage, the Queens Cottage, 2 Family Cottages, 2 Luxury Tents, and 2 Standard Tents. You will enjoy the simple safari atmosphere of the accommodation with a level of comfort that will not disappoint.
The cuisine is of the highest quality, presenting a range of exquisite Continental, Indian and International dishes.
The Lodge offers a range of activities and attractions: take a game drive and discover a vast array of wild game; experience a launch trip on the Kazinga Channel on a luxury boats; or watch some of the 619 different species of birds available to be seen. Nearby, chimpanzees can be found in the breathtaking Kyambura gorge - a formation of the natural rift in the earth. Here the ancient movement of tectonic plates has created a natural forest habitat for hippos, monkeys, chimpanzees, elephants and buffaloes.
If you want to unwind and relax, the Mweya Health Club and spa offers treatments to revitalize you after a long day out in the game park, or enjoy a cooling dip in the pool with spectacular views.
With an abundance of game, and some of the best bird watching in Africa, your stay Mweya Safari Lodge will be a highlight of your Ugandan experience.
Day 7 : Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast, we continue our journey to explore the National Park on a morning game drive. In the afternoon go on a boat excursion on the Kazinga Channel which has the world’s largest concentration of hippos and Nile crocodiles.
Day 8 : Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
After breakfast, enjoy game viewing via Ishasha to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park (the drive is approximately 4 – 5 hours). Afternoon at leisure or enjoy one of the various optional activities available in the area (time permitting).
Located in the south-western corner of Uganda, in the Virunga Mountains along the border with the DRC, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is a thick, lush, green jungle, housing heaps of wildlife and half of the world's remaining mountain gorilla population.
This pocket of huge primeval forest is one of the most biologically diverse areas on earth. It has
an eco-system that defines the very essence of the continent and has therefore been designated as a World Heritage Site.
Mahogany Springs is situated in one of the most intimate, secluded, beautiful and most importantly natural settings in the world and only around 2 minutes away from the Gorilla tracking starting point.
All the rooms at Mahogany Springs are high end suites. All Suites can be twin, double or triple. There is 24/7 power in all the rooms. All rooms have large en-suite bathrooms with a gorgeously designed open terracotta shower.
All 12 luxurious suites have their own private terrace with magnificent panoramic views over the grounds, river and surrounding areas.
The main dining area is exquisitely furnished and with panoramic views beyond the lodge’s own gardens you will enjoy dining in a tranquil and unrivalled setting. The service provided is as much an art form as the food therefore, the staff are trained to very high standards. Within the main building there is a stunning bar where guests can sit all day and night trying one of the many cocktails or simply a bottle of fine wine. Most of the produce used at Mahogany Springs is grown on site to provide guests with the freshest ingredients. Mahogany Springs cater to all dietary requirements and understands the importance of delicous meals.
Come and stay at Mahogany Springs for an experience that will stay with you forever.
Day 9 : Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
After an early breakfast, you will be taken to the Park Headquarters for a short briefing after which you will enter the forest and start your Gorilla trek (please note that a drive may be required to your trekking starting point). The trekking can be quite strenuous, so a good walking fitness is essential!
You then will have the opportunity to Interact and work with the women of the Buhoma community to weave baskets from grass collected from Bwindi Impenetrable forest. These baskets serve as an income for the women of this community. Sit and relax in the gardens as the women will get you started showing you the skills needed to weave. Enjoy lovely home-made doughnuts and cinnamon bread during a tea break.
Day 10 : Lake Mburo National Park
After breakfast, you will depart Bwindi and drive to Lake Mburo National Park (approximately 4-5 hours’ drive). Enjoy a late afternoon boat cruise.
Although a very small national park, at only 260 square kms, Lake Mburo has an amazing diversity of habitats including forest galleries, seasonal and permanent swamps and rich acacia wood valleys, all which support a wealth of wildlife.
With an extensive area of wetland, Lake Mburo attracts some beautiful waterbirds, and provides a habitat for a wide range of both fauna and flora.
Mihingo is a luxurious, family owned lodge in a magical setting adjacent to Lake Mburo National Park. Perched high on a rocky kopje, whose pre-Cambrian granite boulders were formed over 500 million years ago, it has spectacular views over a vast savannah landscape. Designed to blend in with its fragile surroundings, this environmentally friendly lodge offers comfort, relaxation and the experience of being at one with nature.
An infinity pool overlooks the valley below where buffalo, eland, impala, warthogs, bush buck and zebra can be seen at the waterhole. On the rocks you may have the rare chance of seeing the resident family of Klipspringers. We cannot guarantee that you will see a leopard, but on a night game drive you do have a good chance. As Rungwe Kingdon (the son of the well-known wildlife author, Jonathan Kingdon, and one of Mihingo’s guests) once told us “I have seen more leopards in Lake Mburo National Park than any other park in East Africa”.
To further enhance your experience of wild Africa, Mihingo is the only lodge in Uganda to offer daytime and overnight horse safaris into the national park.
The only regret that many of our guests have is that they wish they had booked to stay longer than only a night or two. We hope this website will help you to see how many wonderful things there are to do when you stay at Mihingo Lodge.
