Gorillas in Uganda

Scheduled flight departure to Entebbe. Overnight on board.

Arrive at Entebbe International Airport and transfer to hotel in Entebbe or Kampala. Accommodation.

Breakfast and departure by road to Murchison Falls National Park, the largest national park in Uganda, which offers a varied mix of landscapes, acacias, savannahs in the north and tropical forests in the south. On the way, a stop will be made at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, for a walk through nature and to learn about the breeding and care project for endangered white rhinos. After lunch, we continue towards the National Park reaching the Nile River, for a visit to the top of the Murchison Falls, where the river passes through a very narrow canyon forming a spectacular and unforgettable waterfall. Arrival at the Lodge at dusk after almost six hours of travel, part of which will be through dirt roads within the park. Dinner and accommodation.

Breakfast and departure for a safari, exploring the savannah in the northern region of the Nile Delta, on Lake Albert. The aim of this excursion is to see elephants, lions, buffalos, giraffes, waterbucks, oribís, leopards, as well as spotted hyenas. The park has dense vegetation and offers a spectacular view, so we recommend having your camera ready to take the best photos. Lunch at the lodge. In the afternoon, we will go on another safari, but this time by boat along the banks of the Nile, to spot hippos, crocodiles and a variety of birds such as the African hawk-eagle, common pelican, kingfisher and the Nile goose. Dinner and accommodation.

Breakfast and early departure to Budongo Forest, Kaniyo-Pabidi ecotourism site, for a trek in the rainforest and to meet the great apes, the chimpanzees in their natural habitat. The forest is also home to many other primates such as the black and white colobus monkey, the red-tailed monkey, the blue monkey, the vervet monkey and baboons. The chimpanzee trek is made possible by the conservation efforts of the Jane Goodall Institute and the park authorities to protect the forest and the endangered chimpanzees. Lunch. In the afternoon, the trip continues towards Lake Albert and the Bugoma Reserve, where you can take part in a cultural activity in the Bugoma community, accompanied by local guides. You will be able to meet the inhabitants of the forest, learn about their lives and interact with them. Dinner and accommodation at the hotel.

After breakfast, departure for a nature walk in search of the mangabeys of Bugoma Forest, which with its 410 km2, Bugoma is the habitat of this species of primate. A forest conservation project is being carried out here, the association makes the experience of nature walks possible by developing ecotourism activities in Bugoma and training local guides, for the benefit of the surrounding communities. You will also participate in the planting of a native tree in the area of the reforestation project, to contribute to giving a new habitat to the chimpanzees. At the end, we continue in a south-westerly direction, along Lake Albert and the escarpments of the Rift Valley, with stunning panoramic landscapes as you drive towards Queen Elizabeth National Park. Lunch en route at a local restaurant, arrival at the hotel, dinner and accommodation.

Breakfast and early game drive along the tracks of the National Park, in the northern sectors towards Lake George and Kasenyi village, for sightings of lions, elephants, buffalo, spotted hyenas, waterbuck, Ugandan kobs and perhaps leopard. Queen Elizabeth Park enjoys unique landscapes and views of the crater lakes and the Albertine Rift Valley, making this area a special and unforgettable place. Mid-morning, a boat game drive will take place from the Mweya Peninsula along the Kazinga Channel, one of Uganda's most popular places for its concentration of wildlife, birdlife and good photo opportunities. With the possibility of seeing many hippos, buffalo and elephants as they drink from the channel. Lunch and short transfer to the Ishasha Sector of the park. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast and start with a game drive in the Ishasha Sector of Queen Elizabeth Park. We will go in search of the famous "tree-climbing lions" which are seen during the hottest hours of the day while they rest on the fig trees, and we will also be able to observe the herds of buffalo, elephants, topi antelopes and more. Lunch. We continue our journey into the tropical rainforests, which are the natural habitat of the endangered mountain gorillas. We will reach an altitude of up to 2,300 m above sea level in Bwindi, although the choice of the "gorilla safari" area depends on the availability and allocation of the permits for this activity. Arrival at the lodge in Bwindi National Park. Today the transfer can be very long, up to 7 hours, depending on the road conditions and the location of allocation of the gorilla permits. Dinner and accommodation.

Breakfast and departure to enter the Bwindi rainforest for a gorilla-watching safari. The activity begins at 8 am and we will follow the ranger's instructions in a group of maximum 8 people while searching for the habituated mountain gorilla family, assigned according to the permits. The Bwindi forest in Uganda contains a population of 450 gorillas, half of the world's mountain gorillas according to the 2018 census, of which some families have become habituated to human presence. The time until the gorillas can be found is unpredictable, once found, we have an hour to observe the primates and their behavior, while taking photographs. We must make sure to bring lunch and water with us, in addition, we can count on local porters who will not only help us with our belongings, but also assist us along the way, sometimes with uneven ground or undergrowth (in exchange for payment). Return to the lodge, dinner and accommodation.