10-day Classic Uganda Safari

On arrival at Entebbe International Airport you will be met by a representative and transferred to your hotel. Overnight at Hotel No.5 or similar, with breakfast included.

Transfer after breakfast to the airport for your scenic light aircraft charter flight to Kihihi airstrip. A roughly 90-minute drive through local villages and along mountain roads brings you to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a World Heritage site. Overnight at Buhoma Lodge with all meals and local drinks included.

It’s up early today as one of the most humbling and enthralling wildlife experiences imaginable awaits your discovery. Coming face to face with an endangered mountain gorilla is something words cannot aptly describe. Please note that gorilla trekking is strenuous with treks ranging from 45 mins up to eight hours, at high altitudes in hot African conditions. The thrill of the hour you spend quietly observing these gentle giants once you find them is well worth the hike to get there! Although mountain gorillas are wild animals and it should be noted that sightings cannot be guaranteed, viewing success rates are well over 95%.  Head back to Buhoma Lodge for a complimentary massage after your trek or explore the surrounding Bwindi community. Overnight at Buhoma Lodge with all meals and local drinks included.  

* Please note that days 3 and 4 are interchangeable depending on when we can secure gorilla permits *

Those with additional pre-purchased permits will depart for a second gorilla tracking experience. Guests not tracking have the day free to explore the Bwindi area – optional activities include forest walks, a visit to a local school/orphanage/hospital or Batwa pygmy village, and some local curio shopping.  Overnight at Buhoma Lodge with all meals and local drinks included.  

Continue this morning onto southern Queen Elizabeth National Park (a 2-3-hour drive), with a brief stop enroute at the Ishasha Community Uplift project. Immerse yourself in Agartha’s ‘Taste of Uganda’ tour – an interactive experience for the inquisitive visitor who wonders how a rural Ugandan lady lives. Watch how local crops are transformed into staple food such as millet porridge and kalo bread.  Located in the western arm of the Great Rift Valley, the park is home to a wide variety of wildlife including elephants, leopard, lions, hippos, buffalo, Uganda kob, baboon, and many species of birds. The southern Ishasha area includes the massive Maramagambo, one of the largest surviving natural forests in Uganda, and is home to the tree climbing lions typically found in the area.  Enjoy afternoon game drives, looking out for the huge herds of buffalo, elephant and Uganda kob. Overnight at Ishasha Wilderness Camp including all meals and local drinks.    

A relaxed day out and about enjoying game drives in the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, rounding things off with scenic bush sundowners including drinks and snacks. Overnight at Ishasha Wilderness Camp including all meals and local drinks.

Today we depart Ishasha to the ‘Mweya’ sector of the National park to enjoy a leisurely boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel. Kazinga’s shores are a haven for numerous birds, including many migratory species as they make their way south to warmer climates. The cruise also provides a spectacular view of the beautiful Mweya Peninsula and life in local fishing villages set along the banks. (Cruise normally departs at 14h00, although this depends on availability when booking and is subject to change –no drinks/ snacks included on boat).  Overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge including all meals. The lodge boasts stunning views overlooking the Kazinga Channel on one side and the Rwenzori Mountains on the other.

Depart early this morning to Kyambura Gorge to enjoy Chimpanzee trekking.  A fun photo stop as you cross the Equator can be squeezed in. Overnight at Primate Lodge or similar including all meals.

Your Kibale Forest chimp trek will generally take place in the morning. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight at Primate Lodge or similar.

Depart after an early breakfast for the drive back to Entebbe, arriving back late afternoon.  Please do not book a flight out of Entebbe before 19h00.