16-Day Uganda Safari with Gorilla Tracking and Murchison Falls

• We will pick you up early in the morning from your hotel or guesthouse and drive to Murchison Falls National Park. We will stop for lunch in Masindi before continuing for 90 kilometres through the park to Paraa. Along the way, we will stop at the top of the falls, which offers a spectacular view of Murchison Falls National Park and the Nile.
• We will arrive in Paraa late in the afternoon. Luxury Tour participants will take a ferry across the Nile to Paraa Safari Lodge. Budget Tour guests will stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking and lunch before proceeding via Karuma Bridge to Fort Murchison, just beyond the park's limits, arriving later in the afternoon. The day will end with a cold drink and a spectacular view of the Nile, while the evening brings all the bustle of an African night.

Time spent driving: 7.5 hours

• The day will be spent watching wildlife in the park and along the Nile. We will leave early in the morning. If staying at Nile Safari Lodge or Red Chili Paraa, we will cross the Nile by ferry at 7 a.m. and begin a wildlife drive from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., looking out for lions, giraffes, and other creatures.
• In the afternoon, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., we will take a spectacular Nile launch ride up to the falls, giving you the chance to observe hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes, elephants, and various birds.

• Early in the morning, the boat will take us downstream to the delta, where the Nile meets Lake Albert. This 5-6 hour journey reveals the grandeur of the national park, especially the delta, with its wide variety of species. This is an excellent opportunity to observe the rare Shoebill Stork. You can rest in the afternoon, and if you are on the Luxury Tour, you can swim at your separate lodges.

• We will leave early in the morning for Kibale Forest National Park. On a clear day, the view from the top of the Albert Rift over Lake Albert is breathtaking. We will arrive at Kibale Forest Camp in the afternoon and spend the night surrounded by the sounds of the tropical jungle. We occasionally stay at Chimpanzee Guesthouse, which overlooks Nyabikere Crater Lake. The lake is famed for its frogs, which constantly perform a lovely concert at night.

Time spent driving: 9 hours

• We will begin the 4-hour chimp walk at 8 a.m., where you may also spot ten other primates. Kibale National Park is also well known for its abundance of butterflies and birds. In the afternoon, we will take a trip to Bigodi Swamp, home to a community-based project.

Day 4 and 5: Kibale Forest Camp - "Lazy" camping.

• We will set off early in the morning, driving across the Crater Lake field to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Crater lakes are formed by powerful eruptions that blow off the top of a volcano, creating a crater that later fills with water. There are several lakes of different sizes and characteristics. The craters are suitable for swimming, and black and white colobus monkeys are frequently seen here. Nyinambuga is one of Uganda's most famous lakes, and its image appears on the reverse of the 20,000 shilling note. The journey via Kasese takes you across the green stretches of the arid plains. We will arrive at Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park at about lunchtime. Later in the day, we will visit Kyambura Gorge, where you may encounter chimpanzees on a 3-4 hour hike into the gorge's subterranean jungle.

Time spent driving: 4.5 hours

• This day is dedicated to a wildlife drive across the plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park, where hundreds of Ugandan kobs, lions, and elephants may be seen. A two-hour launch ride on the Kazinga Canal is also on the agenda, offering the chance to observe wildlife from the water's edge.
• This is our second full day in this lovely park. We will enjoy all-day game drives in the Ishasha Sector in search of tree-climbing lions. Other wildlife, including herds of elephants and Ugandan kobs, will also be seen.

• This is our second full day in this lovely park.
• We will spend the day on game drives in the Ishasha Sector, looking for tree-climbing lions. Other wildlife, including herds of elephants and Ugandan kobs, will also be seen.

• After breakfast, we will drive to Lake Bunyonyi, a magnificent location surrounded by the highlands of Western Uganda. The route takes us through a stunning area known as the "Switzerland of Africa." Lake Bunyonyi is well known for its birds, otters, and delicious crayfish. We will spend the rest of the day here - swim, try a canoe, or simply relax and watch the more than 300 bird species from the balcony. Bring your binoculars.

Time spent driving: 4.5 hours

• Gorilla Valley Lodge: a relaxing tour.

• Today is gorilla tracking day. The Nkuringo, Nshongi, Mishaya, and Kahungye groups in South Bwindi are about a 30-minute drive from Gorilla Valley Lodge or Gorilla Safari Lodge. You will arrive at the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park offices at 7:45 a.m. for a pre-briefing, and at 8:30 a.m. you will begin the journey, which will last no more than an hour. All guests must return to the starting location by 7:00 p.m. Physical fitness is advised.

• We will start early in the morning for Kisoro, passing through stunning scenery known as the "Switzerland of Africa": mountains, lakes, hills with agricultural terraces, tropical rainforest, and bamboo forest. From the last hill, the landscape opens up below us, revealing the broad plains between Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo, with the Virunga volcanoes dominating the view. Near the bottom of the valley lies Kisoro, where we will stay at the well-known Travelers Rest Hotel.
• Dian Fossey, the famed American "gorilla-woman," visited the Travelers Rest Hotel many times in the 1960s to complete paperwork, rest, or meet people. "It was my second home," Fossey remarked of the hotel. Located just outside Kisoro, Travelers Rest Hotel provides comfortable lodging for travellers visiting the endangered mountain gorillas. The hotel was built in a colonial style and completely rebuilt in 1999, creating a welcoming atmosphere.

Driving time: 3 hours and 30 minutes

• Continue with the tour of Kisoro.
• Enjoy a comfortable stay at Travelers Rest Hotel on the Budget Travelers Rest Hotel Tour.
• Days 12 and 13 will be spent in and around Kisoro, with Travelers Rest Hotel serving as the operations hub.

• We will depart early in the morning for Lake Mburo National Park. You will stop for lunch in Mbarara before continuing to Lake Mburo, a small but distinctive park that is the only one in Western Uganda with impalas and zebras. In the afternoon, there will be a village and cultural walk.

Time spent driving: 5.5 hours

• We will go for a game walk first thing in the morning. In the afternoon, we will take a Lake Mburo boat cruise, followed by a wildlife drive in the afternoon or early evening. This small park is home to 68 mammal species, including a considerable number of impalas, the antelope from which "Kampala" takes its name, as well as plains zebras, Uganda kobs, duikers, bushbucks, topis, buffaloes, leopards, spotted hyenas, Defassa waterbucks, warthogs, and oribi. There are also 315 different bird species.
• The vegetation is primarily open savannah with acacia, Olea, and Boscia trees. Lake Mburo National Park is a refuge for biodiversity and plant life. Animals and birds abound along the riverside. Crocodiles and hippopotami are permanent residents, while buffalo visit during the dry season to drink. Fin feet, malachite kingfishers, pied kingfishers, African fish eagles, and Ruppell's eagles are among the many permanent birds. Long-tailed starlings, blue-headed coucals, tambourine doves, hammerkops, pelicans, herons, cormorants, red-faced barbets, grey-crowned cranes, papyrus yellow warblers, and even uncommon shoebills are among the birds to be found.

• After breakfast, we will begin the final leg of our journey back to Kampala. On the way, you will stop for lunch in Mbarara town, and after Masaka, you will have the chance to stop at the Equator for photos, souvenir shopping, and tea or coffee. We will then transfer you to a guesthouse, campsite, or hotel of your choice in Kampala or Entebbe. If you choose to continue your vacation elsewhere or return home, we can also take you directly to Entebbe Airport for your onward flight.