Welcome to Uganda! Upon arrival, a transfer to your first accommodation will be waiting for you. Your comfortable guesthouse boasts a lovely garden and is just a 15-minute drive from the airport. Along the way, you'll get your first glimpse of Uganda's vibrant life – you'll see matatus and boda bodas (local taxis) bravely weaving through traffic, and stylishly dressed people in colorful fabrics lining the streets. Enjoy a relaxing evening before your Ugandan adventure begins the following morning.

Your Uganda journey continues to one of the country's oldest nature reserves: Murchison Falls National Park. Today's drive is long, but it takes you through diverse landscapes, bustling street markets, and tranquil rural villages – a perfect opportunity to experience authentic Uganda. En route, you'll stop at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary – the only place in Uganda where you can see rhinos in their natural habitat. Here, you'll learn all about the conservation program and how the local community is involved in the efforts to protect them. Afterward, you'll continue to Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda's largest and most famous nature reserve. The Victoria Nile divides the park into two sections: to the south lies the dense Rabongo rainforest, while to the west, the impressive Murchison Falls thunder into the depths. Your accommodation ensures a true safari experience – you'll stay in comfortable safari tents. As night falls, you'll drift off to sleep to the sounds of the wilderness. Listen carefully – you might even hear the hippos breaking the silence of the night with their deep, laughing grunts.

Today, you'll rise early for a morning game drive with an experienced ranger. As this is a private safari, you can focus entirely on your favorite animal. The national park is particularly renowned for its huge elephant population, an impressive variety of birdlife, and large herds of buffalo. But you can also spot giraffes, lions, antelopes, and waterbuck here – and with a bit of luck, you might even see a leopard resting high in the trees. In the afternoon, another exciting boat safari awaits. During the 3-hour journey upstream on the Victoria Nile to the base of the falls, you'll enjoy breathtaking scenery and encounter crocodiles, hippos, buffalo, waterbirds, monkeys, and many other animals that come to the Nile to cool off from the heat. A refreshing drink is available on board (optional). The boat will take you close to the falls, where your hike (1–1.5 hours, depending on the water level) to the top of the falls begins. Once you reach the top, you will be rewarded with a breathtaking view.

Your guided tour through Uganda continues to Kibale Forest. Today's leg is the longest of your tour, but also one of the most beautiful. The drive takes you through sprawling tea plantations, lively village markets, and over rolling hills that characterize the lush green landscape of western Uganda. Kibale Forest National Park is a dense, tropical rainforest renowned for its exceptional biodiversity. Here you'll find the highest density of primates in all of Africa. With a bit of luck, you might encounter rare red colobus monkeys or black-and-white colobus monkeys on your forest walks. The absolute highlight, of course, is meeting the playful chimpanzees – an unforgettable experience! For the next two nights, you'll stay in a lodge offering a unique jungle experience. Immerse yourself in the sounds of nature as you relax in a beautifully furnished cottage. From here, you'll have breathtaking views of the treetops – and on clear days, you can even glimpse the snow-capped peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains.

Today, one of the highlights of your Uganda trip awaits! No other animal resembles us as much as the chimpanzee. With 98% shared DNA, they are our closest living relatives – and their behaviors are often strikingly similar to our own. During the optional chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest, you'll have the opportunity to observe these fascinating animals up close. Together with an experienced ranger, you'll follow their tracks and witness them playing, grooming each other, and foraging for food – a truly unique experience! In the afternoon, you can optionally (at an additional cost) take a hike through the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary. This wetland is home to eight primate species, over 200 bird species, numerous butterflies, and various reptiles. For bird lovers, spotting the magnificent great blue turaco is a particular highlight. Both the lunch with the local community and the wetland hike are organized by a community-based organization. The proceeds go directly to community projects such as schools and hospitals. If you would prefer to spend the afternoon relaxing, you can comfortably review the experiences of your Uganda trip so far by the pool at your lodge.

Today, another highlight of your Uganda trip awaits! Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda's most visited and scenically stunning game reserve. Here you'll find vast savannas, dense bushland, wetlands, and forests – all nestled within the breathtaking backdrop of the Rwenzori Mountains. A particular natural wonder of the park is the Kazinga Channel, which connects Lake George in the east with Lake Edward in the west. It attracts an impressive array of animals and birds – including the infamous Nile crocodile and one of the world's largest populations of hippos. On your first game drive, you'll explore this fascinating national park and have the chance to observe many of the wild animals that live here in their natural habitat.

Today you can hike in the impressive Kyambura Gorge (optional, bookable). This gorge, also known as the "Valley of the Monkeys," offers breathtaking views – a deep, ravine covered in lush tropical vegetation. As the name suggests, it is home to various primate species, including chimpanzees, red-tailed monkeys, black-and-white colobus monkeys, baboons, and velvet squirrel monkeys. While the chance of seeing chimpanzees here isn't as high as in Kibale or Budongo Forest, the scenery is among the most spectacular in Uganda and is definitely worth a visit. Later in the day, when the sun is high in the sky and the animals head to the river, an exciting boat safari awaits you on the Kazinga Channel. Here you'll see more hippos than you can imagine! Herds of elephants and buffalo also come to the banks to refresh themselves in the cool water. For many travelers, this boat safari is the absolute highlight of their visit to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Today your journey continues towards Kisoro, a vibrant city south of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, near the borders of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The roads wind through lush rainforests, snake over hilltops – be sure to look out for the majestic volcanoes! – and eventually lead you through lively valley villages before you reach the picturesque Lake Mulehe. Your lodge offers breathtaking panoramic views of the tranquil lake and the imposing Mahabura, Mgahinga, and Sabinyo mountains. Here you can fully appreciate the stunning Ugandan landscape.

Encountering the rare and endangered mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is an experience you'll never forget (optional). Around half of the world's gorilla population lives in this ancient, biodiverse rainforest, hidden beneath mist-shrouded canopies. Accompanied by an experienced park ranger, you'll track one of the nine habituated gorilla families that call this place home. Your tracking adventure will take you through forested slopes, dense, interwoven vegetation, and bamboo forests – an exciting, yet challenging hike. Depending on where the gorillas are that day, the trek can last between 2 and 7 hours. But the moment you finally spot these gentle giants is worth every effort. For a full hour, you can observe them in their natural habitat – a moving and unforgettable experience. This encounter with the mountain gorillas will stay with you forever. (A packed lunch is included.)

After the exciting gorilla trekking, today you have the opportunity to relax or book one of the following optional activities directly at your accommodation: nature and community walk, kayak rental or golden monkey trekking.

Lake Mburo National Park may be small, but it packs a punch! Besides its stunning scenery, it's the only place in southern Uganda where you can see zebras – and the only park in the country home to impalas, mongooses, and giant bush rats. On your afternoon game drive, you can also look out for hyenas, leopards, topi, eland, and the majestic Rothschild's giraffes. Lake Mburo itself is home to hippos and crocodiles. In addition to classic game drives, the park offers a variety of activities such as mountain biking, bush walks, and exciting boat safaris on the lake – perfect for experiencing the wildlife from a completely different perspective!

Early this morning, you'll embark on an exciting bush walk in Lake Mburo National Park as a farewell to Uganda. Your senses will be heightened – you'll hear every sound and notice every movement in the bush. An experienced ranger will provide fascinating insights into the wildlife and ecosystems of the park. After a hearty breakfast at the lodge, it's time to say goodbye, and you'll begin your journey back to Entebbe. En route, you'll stop at the equator – the perfect opportunity to pick up some last-minute souvenirs for your loved ones. With many unforgettable memories, you'll begin your journey home today. If you'd like to enjoy a few days of relaxation in Zanzibar or on the Kenyan coast after this impressive safari, we'd be happy to help you plan a customized extension to your trip!

The permits for gorilla trekking in Uganda are purchased locally only after booking confirmation. The required amount must therefore be paid directly along with the deposit. As this amount is non-refundable, we recommend taking out travel cancellation insurance.