Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe Airport, meet & greet; and proceed to the hotel for relaxation and overnight stay.

Here, a visitor will have a chance to meet the company’s driver guide who is professional and skilled in client handling and hospitality, trained enough to drive you to your most desired hotel in Uganda for dinner.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Serena Lake Victoria Resort

Midrange: Cassia lodge

Budget: Common Lens Inn Hotel

Day 2: Experiential Birding at Mabamba Swamp and an Overnight in Entebbe.

After an early breakfast, you will transfer to the great Mabamba Island, travelling a journey of over 30kms from Entebbe. The drive to this Uganda birding famous site is an experience in itself, offering great chances of exploring various birds species like papyrus Gonolek, white shouldered Tit, red cap, white spotted Fluf tail, weyns weaver, western banded snake eagle and the most “sought after” shoebill stork.

In this wetland, you will enjoy a canoe and head straight to the swamp in the guidance of a local guide. Each wooden boat carries at least 3 people. The swamp features numerous species of birds including the rare and the endangered shoebill stork, the Allen’s and purple gallinule, Grey Herons, Jacanas, and many others.

The swamp dwelling sitatunga may be discovered during this experiential swamp tour. You have a picnic and return to your hotel in Entebbe for an overnight.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Serena Lake Victoria Resort

Mid range: Cassia lodge

Budget: Common Lens Inn Hotel

Day 3: Travel to Mabamba Wetland for a second birding expedition, then transfer to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.

Wake up as early as 06:00 am for breakfast and embark on the search for the famous shoe bill stork and more photo shoots as you make the last glance on these most sought after species before proceeding to Ziwa Rhino sanctuaryfor an afternoon Rhino tracking experience and overnight stay.

Accommodation:

Amuka safari lodge

Day 4: Morning Rhino trekking tour, birding and transfer to Semuliki National Park.

Embark on a morning trek for these boastful white rhinos to have a last view of them and a great photo session for memories.

After this experience you embark on a 7 ½ hours journey to Semuliki National park.

This whole day journey takes you through the amazing rangelands to the far west of the ‘pearl of Africa’, including the romantic plains of Hoima escarpments, Kiboga, and the melodramatic escarpments of the Great western Rift Valley.

You arrive in Semuliki town / Fort Portal town in the evening and relax at the lodge for dinner and overnight

Accommodation.

Luxury: Semuliki safari lodge

Mid range: Ntoroko game lodge

Budget: Kirimia Guesthouse

Day 5: A Sunrise boat trip on L. Albert . Return in the Evening to view bird life.

You will enjoy a morning cup of warm coffee at your place of stay before embarking on a thrilling L. Albert boat cruise. This sunrise boat cruise is one of its kind with the rays all over the lake where the great Nile river pours its waters as it heads for its destination, Egypt making the whole experience an unforgettable one. Retrieve for lunch in the afternoon and return in the evening for an experiential birding encounter where you will view the great horn bill and a short game drive. Return from this activity and rest at the lodge for overnight and dinner.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Semuliki safari lodge

Mid range: Ntoroko game lodge

Budget: Kirimia Guesthouse

Day 6: Morning birding encounter, game drive and transfer to Kibale National Park.

After an early breakfast, embark on game drive in search of the shoe bill stork where you will encounter numerous gem in Semuliki which include the antelopes, various mammals and a chance to view the shoe bill stork.

Retreat from this activity and transfer to Kibale forest National park for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Primate lodge

Mid range: Kibale Forest Camp

Budget: Rwenzori view guest house

Day 7: Chimpanzee trekking in the morning. Transfer to Queen Elizabeth N.P in the Afternoon.

Following your breakfast at the lodge, assemble at the park headquarters, Kanyanchu tourism hub at 8am for briefing and set off. The park staff will take you through this session and clarify on the chimpanzee trekking code of conduct and instructions to be adhered to after which you proceed to meet these closest cousins of man. The hike through the jungle may offer sights of numerous birds, impressive flora and other primate species like white and black colobus monkeys and eventual encounter with the chimps themselves as they roll themselves in their habitat. This experience tends to last for 2.5 hours, including one hour of direct viewing.

You retrieve from this activity have lunch and embark on the trip to queen Elizabeth National park in the afternoon.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Mweya safari lodge

Mid range: Ihamba Safari lodge

Budget: Simba Safari Camp

Day 8: Morning Game Drive and Afternoon Boat Cruise along Kazinga Channel.

After a splendid cup of coffee at your hotel, embark on the drive across the fascinating rolling savanna range lands of Queen Elizabeth in search of wild game, along the Kasenyi plains including elephants, buffaloes, water bucks, and Kobs along with predators like lions, leopards and jackals.

The game drive takes 3-4 hours and you retreat lunch, you continue to Mweya peninsular to catch up with a boat trip at exactly 4pm. The 2hr boat cruise offers a chance to explore the 45km long Kazinga channel that links the twin lakes, George and Edward, this channel is also known to be the capital of Hippos and Nile crocodiles. Retire from this activity and do a game drive along the channel tracks as you proceed to the lodge.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Mweya safari lodge

Mid range: Ihamba Safari lodge

Budget: Simba Safari Camp

Day 9: Transfer to Ruhija Gorilla Region in Bwindi National Park Via Ishasha Sector.

After a delicious breakfast at the lodge, transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park, en route Ishasha sector in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth national park, the exit to the Bwindi where you will do a morning game drive searching for the elusive climbing lions.

Discovering these unfamiliar species is an experience that is not easily forgotten by many. You will eventually arrive in the Ruhija region to the east of Bwindi in the evening to do birding all the way to the lodge for relaxation and overnight.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Ruhija gorilla safari lodge

Mid range: Bakiga Lodge

Budget: Broadbill Forest camp

Day 10: Full day birding in Ruhija Area.

Wake up in the morning and after breakfast; embark on the search for the elusive bird species in this region. These include the African broadbill, African green broadbill, handsome francolin and many other globally threatened species.

Return from this activity in the evening for relaxation and overnight at the lodge.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Ruhija gorilla safari lodge

Mid range: Bakiga Lodge

Budget: Broadbill Forest camp

Day 11: Bwindi Impenetrable N.P – Gorilla Trekking in Ruhija sector.

Following a pleasant breakfast at your lodge, assemble at the headquarters in Ruhija gorilla region for briefing and instructions at 8am, though more information pertaining to gorilla trekking are well stipulated on your individual permits (make sure you read clearly)

This briefing is conducted by the park staff and it stipulates the code of conduct and behavior to be exhibited while trekking gorillas.

Each gorilla family is allocated a minimum number of 8 individuals.

The activity lasts between 2-8 hours inclusive of 1 hour direct encounter with the mountain gorillas.

Encountering the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat is thrillingly wonderful. These elusive and gentle creatures would definitely welcome you with fear and anxiety.The silverback gorilla looks so protective in that it would have to punch on his chest to frighten you.

Let your concentration be on the cameras at this moment as you take as many photos as possible but make sure the flash is off not to provoke gorillas to move away.

Retreat from this expensive when you exhaust your time, and head to the lodge for relation and overnight.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Ruhija gorilla safari lodge

Mid range: Bakiga Lodge

Budget: Broadbill Forest camp

Day 12: Transfer Back to Kampala

After a warm cup of coffee, then undertake the journey of 437km back to Kampala about 7 hours’ drive. The drive is quite long; though impressive as you traverse through the country side sceneries scattered with rural homesteads, cattle farms and extensive banana plantations.

The en route involves small towns bustling with all kinds of local trade and informal businesses that will occupy your journey back to Kampala.

A lunch stop will be made at the fascinating country hotel; Igongo cultural Centre and a stop at Kayabwe at the Uganda equator crossing for amazing photo shoots and a local water experiment that proves the earth split up into two halves, the north and south spheres. Arrive in Entebbe later in the evening to catch up with your night flight marking the end of your 12 days Uganda birding and wildlife experience.

End of tour with Love Uganda Safaris