Safari Highlights

Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe

Day 2: Flight to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Day 3: Game drive and boat safari on Kazinga channel

Day 4: Road transfer to Ishasha and a game drive for tree climbing lions

Day 5: Game drive Ishasha and road transport to Bwindi

Day 6: Mountain Gorilla tracking

Day 7: Return flight to Kajansi

Day One: Airport Transfer

Arrival at Entebbe Airport where you will be welcomed by Bwindi Gorilla Safaris’driver guide and transferred to your accommodation in Kampala. Overnight at Fairway Hotel. (B&B;)

Day Two: Kampala – Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Today after a very early breakfast you will be taken to Entebbe Airport to catch your flight from to Queen Elizabeth Kasese Airstrip. Upon arrival in Kasese, you will be picked up from the airstrip by Bwindi Gorilla Safaris’ driver guide and taken to Katara Lodge which is only a 30 minutes’ drive away from the main entrance of Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Queen Elizabeth is Uganda’s second largest park, located at the base of the majestic Rwenzori Mountain range, adjacent to Lake Edward and Lake George. The park has prolific game, including gazelle, Uganda kob, warthog and waterbuck. Lions are often sighted both inside and at the entrance to the park.

Situated on the Great Rift Valley escarpment with uninterrupted views of the savannah, Lake Edward and the Virunga and Rwenzori mountain ranges beyond, Katara Lodge Accommodation is offered in luxurious thatched cottages on a beautiful stretch of hills in a serene and relaxing atmosphere.

Day Three: Queen Elizabeth National Park Game drive & boat cruise.

A very early wake up today as you will have a game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park. You will search for all the wildlife present in the park; elephant, buffalo, lion, waterbuck, leopard, Uganda kob, warthog, etc. After lunch, you will have a boat safari along the Kazinga Channel. Here, you will see a lot of hippos (more than you can possibly imagine!), as well as a variety of other animals which come to the waterhole to drink or bathe. You can expect to see: buffalo, crocodile, bathing elephant, and a range of beautiful birds.

This will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of your tour. Day Four: Queen Elizabeth National Park to Ishasha – tree climbing lions Today you will be transferred to the southern part of Queen Elizabeth. This area is called Ishasha and is famous for its tree-climbing lions.

To escape from the heat during the day, the lions learned how to climb the fig trees. If you’re lucky you might spot a few during your afternoon game drive. After the game-drive, you will be taken to Savannah Resort, a very nice and luxurious lodge with wonderful views over the savannah and a river packed with hippo!

Day Five: Queen Elizabeth National Park – Game drive – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

This morning you will have another game drive and with that, another chance to spot the tree climbing lions. After lunch at Savannah Resort, you will be transferred to Buhoma in Bwindi; Home of the Mountain Gorillas. Comfortable cottages have been carefully built, each with its own private verandah, allowing wonderful views of the forest canopy of the National Park. Inside the spacious cottages you will find comfortable beds, a well appointed en suite bathroom with flushing toilet and a hot shower.

An elevated lounge area, complete with bar and dining facilities, offers a cozy, comfortable environment to discuss the day’s activities around the fireplaces which add atmosphere and warmth in the cool evenings.

Day Six: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest – Gorilla Trekking

Today is the big day… Prepare yourself for an encounter with one of Bwindi’s gentle giants: the rare Mountain Gorilla. For most people this is the absolute highlight of their tour in Uganda. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest boasts both Mountain Gorillas and Chimpanzees – the only forest in Africa which can make this claim in fact. It also hosts five other species of primate, 113 species of mammal, over 200 butterflies and 360 birds.

The Gorillas you will track belong to one of nine habituated family groups who can tolerate the presence of humans for a brief period every day. Your trek will be an exciting journey along forested slopes, entwined vines, bushes and bamboo before you eventually reach the Gorillas’ habitat. En-route, your guide will point out signs of previous Gorilla activity, including dung, nests and chewed bamboo shoots.

Once the Gorillas have been located, your group will be allowed a maximum of one hour with them. Coming face-to-face with a Mountain Gorilla is a truly humbling and emotional experience. This is a fantastic and privileged opportunity to get up close and personal with Uganda’s very own ‘Gorillas in the Mist’.

Day Seven: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest – Entebbe

Today you will be flying back to Entebbe. You will be provided with a packed lunch which you will have to pick before departure from the lodge. Timings may vary depending on aircraft routing.