Day 1: Entebbe to Kasese
- Arrive at Entebbe airport.
- Transfer to domestic flight to Kasese.
- Welcomed by Adventures & Hikes guide.
- Drive through Queen Elizabeth National Park.
- Check-in at Kyambura Gorge Lodge or Elephant Plains Lodge.
- Pre-dinner cocktails with a view of the savannah plains and Rwenzori Mountains.
- Flying time: 1 to 1.5 hours, driving time: 2 hours.
- Overnight at Kyambura Gorge Lodge or Elephant Plains Lodge (lunch, dinner).
Day 2: Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Early breakfast.
- Morning game drive in Kasenyi plains for wildlife sightings.
- Afternoon cruise on Kazinga Channel.
- Witness hippo concentrations, elephants, and water birds.
- Overnight at Kyambura Gorge Lodge or Elephant Plains Lodge (breakfast, lunch, dinner).
Day 3: Chimps and Honey Harvest
- Breakfast at the lodge.
- Walk into Kyambura Gorge to track chimpanzees.
- Unpredictable but exciting chimp viewing.
- After lunch, harvest honey with Kyambura bee-keeping cooperative.
- Evening entertainment at the lodge.
- Overnight at Kyambura Gorge Lodge or Elephant Plains Lodge (breakfast, lunch, dinner).
Day 4: Bwindi Forest
- Breakfast at the lodge.
- Continue to Bwindi forest via Ishasha sector for tree-climbing lions.
- Lodge on the edge of the impenetrable forest.
- Pre-dinner cocktails overlooking Bwindi Forest.
- Driving time: 5-6 hours.
- Overnight at Sanctuary Gorilla Lodge or Bwindi Lodge (breakfast, lunch, dinner).
Day 5: Gorilla Tracking
- Early breakfast.
- Gorilla tracking in Bwindi forest.
- Trek through steep, densely forested hills.
- Approximate driving time up to 2 hours.
- Overnight at Sanctuary Gorilla Lodge or Bwindi Lodge (breakfast, lunch, dinner).
Day 6: Second Gorilla Trek or Conservation Activities
- Choose second gorilla trek or conservation activities.
- Options include rainforest walk, village visit, hospital visit, or birding walk.
- Overnight at Sanctuary Gorilla Lodge or Bwindi Lodge (breakfast, lunch, dinner).
Day 7: Departure
- Transfer from Bwindi Lodge to Kihihi airstrip.
- Morning or afternoon flight to Entebbe.
- Connect for international flight.
- Approximate travel times: Flying 1 to 2 hours, driving 2 hours.
- Day room upon arrival in Entebbe.
- Breakfast at the lodge.
Note: It is recommended to book international flights departing after 8 pm.
DAY 1
Arrive at Entebbe airport where a staff representative will assist you with the transfer to your domestic flight to Kasese. Once in Kasese you will be welcomed by your expert Adventures & Hikes guide who will provide knowledge and assistance throughout your journey.
Drive through Queen Elizabeth National Park on the way to either Kyambura Gorge Lodge or Elephant Plains Lodge. Enjoy pre-dinner cocktails on the veranda overlooking the savannah plains with the magnificent Rwenzori Mountains in the distance.
Flying time between 1 to 1.5 hours, driving time 2 hours
Overnight at either Kyambura Gorge Lodge or Elephant Plains Lodge (lunch, dinner)
DAY 2
Enjoy an early breakfast and set out for a morning game drive for the best wildlife viewings in the park. Depending on the season the wildlife seen varies. The Kasenyi plains are excellent for sighting lion and large herds of Uganda kob. The Mweya peninsula is one of the best places to look for leopard, which live in the dense, scrubby thickets.
In the afternoon take a cruise on the Kazinga Channel, which flows between Lakes Edward and George. Kazinga is home to one of the greatest concentration of hippo in Africa and herds of elephant, buffalo and other animals come to drink at the waters edge. The channel is a magnet for water birds, with great flocks of pelicans and others birds on the shore, and a great spot to see African fish eagle.
Overnight at Either Kyambura Gorge Lodge or Elephant Plains Lodge (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
DAY 3
After breakfast walk from the lodge directly down into Kyambura Gorge, to search for the ‘Lost Chimpanzees of Kyambura’. The gorge is an extraordinary natural environment and forms a stark contrast to the surrounding grasslands. Here you can track one of our closest animal relatives: the chimpanzee. This group of isolated chimps are quite mobile and viewing can be unpredictable but the walk itself is exciting and enchanting.
After lunch, harvest honey with the Kyambura bee-keeping cooperative enjoy an evening entertainment while back at Lodge.
Overnight at Either Kyambura Gorge Lodge or Elephant Plains Lodge (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
DAY 4
After breakfast at the lodge your safari now continues to the primeval Bwindi forest. Driving through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park who can look for the famous tree-climbing lions. The fascinating journey through the rapidly changing landscape takes you up in the highlands to your Lodge situated on the edge of the impenetrable forest.
Enjoy pre-dinner cocktails at your lodge overlooking the dramatic Bwindi Forest with the calls of more than 150 bird species echoing in the distance.
Approximate driving time 5-6 hours
Overnight at Either Sanctuary Gorilla Lodge or Bwindi Lodge
(breakfast, lunch, dinner)
DAY 5
After enjoying an early breakfast, you set off gorilla tracking. Trekking through the steep, densely forested hills and then finally coming across the gorillas camouflaged in the vegetation is an inspiring and privileged moment. Tracking in the Bwindi forest can be steep and requires stamina as some gorilla families can be more elusive, and tracking can take a full day, especially if it is wet and muddy.
Approximate driving time up to 2 hours, depending on the location of the gorilla groups.
Overnight at Either Sanctuary Gorilla Lodge or Bwindi Lodge
(breakfast, lunch, dinner)
DAY 6
Either go for a second gorilla trek (additional permits required, upon payment of supplement and subject to availability), choose from one of the following community and conservation activities:
- Take a guided walk in the rainforest to a beautiful waterfall.
- Visit a local village and learn about community life.
- Visit the Bwindi Community Hospital.
- Visit Conservation Through Public Health to learn about their gorilla conservation programs.
- Enjoy a guided birding walk along theMunyanga River Trail
Overnight at Either Sanctuary Gorilla Lodge or Bwindi Lodge
(breakfast, lunch, dinner)
DAY 7
Transfer from Bwindi lodge to Kihihi airstrip for your morning or afternoon return flight to Entebbe and connect in time for your international flight.
Approximate Travel Times: Flying 1 to 2 hours; Driving 2 hours
Please book international flights departing after 8pm
(Breakfast at the lodge)
A day room to rest and refresh will be arranged upon arrival in Entebbe.
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp
Once-in-a-lifetime encounters with Uganda’s endangered gorillas await when you stay in one of these only ten private luxury tents in the heart of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
Ecologically respectful, contemporary-yet-classic in style, Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp blends in sensitively with the dramatic African mountain landscape and, situated uniquely inside the national park, you are only minutes away from the start of your gorilla trekking adventure.
Bwindi Lodge
Overlooking the primeval Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and with stunning views of the forest canopy across a serene stream, Bwindi Lodge is one of Africa’s unique lodges.
The property has dramatic views of the impenetrable forest and is a great place to spot the monkeys and birds hidden in the foliage. Experience upgraded rooms either Deluxe or Standard, a spa, sauna, the lounge and library that have all the Luxury reimagined.
Ishasha Wilderness Camp
Ishasha Wilderness Camp is situated within the Southern Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park on the Ntungwe river, an idyllic retreat for people who truly enjoy the wild. This exclusive camp blends the magic of a wilderness tented camp with superb service in this unspoilt and remote region of the National Park.
The Ishasha savannahs are famous for its population of tree climbing lions that can sometimes be spotted resting in the branches of the large fig trees. Being within the park the wildlife is free to also pass through the camp and elephants can be seen bathing in the river, buffalo enjoy grazing and resident troops of Black-and-White Colobus and vervet monkeys are frequently viewed.
Kyambura Gorge Lodge
This renowned Kyambura Gorge Lodge, with entirely remodeled public areas and gardens, has been converted from a coffee store to create a breathtakingly beautiful space. The lodge is located on the edge of Queen Elizabeth National Park with sweeping views of the rolling savanna, the distant mountains of the moon, and the sunken Kyambura Gorge.
The guest bandas have an afro-chic theme with the accent on local artifacts re-imagined in a new context. Each banda offers a unique view either across the savanna or the gorge. There are four new deluxe bandas and four standard bandas. A spa and swimming pool come in handy after a day’s activity.
Elephant Plains Lodge
Set in 80 acres of pristine wilderness, a short drive to the Queen Elizabeth National park gate, nowhere else here can you sleep closer to the equator. Nestled next to beautiful lake Kikorongo this is where the open plains merge into the crystal waters and seeing large numbers of Elephants coming to drink from the water, hence the lodges name.
A short drive to the Kasenyi plains offers open savannah filled with various wild animals. This area has fantastic game viewing, a huge number of grassland birds and is a major breeding ground for the Ugandan Kob which readily attract lions and other big cats to the area. The open plains and large number of wildlife mean photographic safaris are extremely rewarding.
