Gorillas, Chimps and Queen Elizabeth N.P.
6 Days
From $2,395 per person
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RATED 5/5
Gorillas, Chimps and Queen Elizabeth N.P.
If you are pressed for time but want to see the gorillas and a whole lot of Ugandan wildlife, try this. Awe-inspiring mountain gorilla trek, chimpanzee trek, boat and wildlife safaris in one of Uganda’s best National Parks: elephant, hippos and tree climbing lions? Three excellent, hand-picked lodges. One custom safari vehicle.
- Gorilla trek, chimpanzee trek, games drives and boat safaris
- Custom safari vehicle: window seat, pop up roof, fridge
- Experienced driver/guide
- 2 Parks: Bwindi and Queen Elizabeth
- Equator, mountains, jungle, Rift Valley, savanna
- 3 superb mid-range lodges, 5 nights
Tour Itinerary
Highlights
- Arrive Entebbe
- Transfer to hotel
- Optional activities
Lodge at Via Via
Arrive Entebbe
Whatever time you arrive you will need somewhere to stay. Arriving early morning after a night flight you will need somewhere to rest and recover. Arriving late, the last thing you want on your mind is: Where am I going to stay? In either case, we will meet you on arrival at Entebbe Airport and transfer you to a local hotel, most probably Via Via. We also include dinner and breakfast next morning. And if you have some time on your hands during the day, we are happy to suggest some things to do, maybe recommend some good local bars and restaurants, or perhaps meet up.
Lodge Night
Dinner and overnight at Via Via, Entebbe.
Head for the Hills
Early breakfast meet and greet at your hotel in Entebbe or Kampala. Tour briefing and departure for an early lunch at the Equator. Continue to Mbarara for a leg stretch and a coffee. Head into the hills around Kabale and on into the jungle of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and a scenic forest trail to our destination. This is gorilla country. Relax at the lodge and prepare for the trek early next morning.
Lodge Night
Dinner and overnight at Agandi Lodge, Ruhija.
450k/9hrs – Mostly Road
Highlights
- Depart Entebbe
- Lunch on the Equator
- Break at Mbarara
- Jungle trails
Agandi Lodge
Local Transfers
Highlights
- Gorilla Briefing
- Mountain Gorilla trek
- Relaxing afternoon
Agandi Lodge
Mountain Gorillas
Early breakfast. Suit up and transfer to nearby mountain gorilla centre with day pack and packed lunch. Cultural dancing and briefing for the gorilla trek. Porters and other assistance is available. Depart on the trek of a lifetime, following the guides and rangers for an hour or two through the dense jungle, eventually coming face to face with one of your closest cousins. Spend time with a small family group, usually up to an hour. Watch in awe as they feed, groom and socialise. Return trek to emerge from the jungle trail normally early afternoon.
Return to Agandi Lodge to freshen up and enjoy a relaxing afternoon and evening.
Lodge Night
Dinner and overnight at Agandi Lodge, Ruhija.
Lions in Trees?
Early breakfast and depart for Ishasha game reserve on the Ishasha River border with DR Congo. This is a part of the vast Queen Elizabeth National Park and is particularly famous for its rare tree-climbing lions. We will take a game drive around the park, hopefully to find the lions and perhaps leopard, but also an abundance of wildlife including elephant, buffalo, topi, bushbuck and Ugandan kob. Stop for a packed lunch in the shady trees by the hippo pools on the Ishasha River.
Afternoon transfer to the Kazinga Channel at the heart of Queen Elizabeth National Park and check-in to Bush Lodge, a luxury banda with a view of the channel.
Option to relax with the view or take a late afternoon game drive with ever more wildlife, perhaps to see lion and leopard in their hunting grounds or to the shore of Lake George to see the hippos, crocs and birdlife?
Lodge Night
Dinner and overnight at Bush Lodge, Kazinga Channel.
200k/5hrs – Trail
Highlights
- Ishasha game drive
- Tree climbing lions?
- Queen Elizabeth NP
- Evening game drive
Bush Lodge
Game drives only
Highlights
- Chimpanzee Trek
- Kazinga Boat safari
- Elephants
- Crater Lakes
Bush Lodge
Queen Elizabeth N.P.
Breakfast at Bush Lodge followed by short early morning transfer to the beautiful Kyambura Gorge. Descend on walking trails into the gorge and trek along the Kyambura River to find and spend time with a troop of chimpanzees. Return mid-morning for a boat safari on the Kazinga Channel, a great place to see a whole range of birds and aquatic life as well as elephant, buffalo and crocodiles on the banks.
Lunch at Bush Lodge and options for a relaxing afternoon at the lodge; or, a trip to see the elephant herds on Lake Albert; or, a drive and lake walk at the twin crater lakes at Kichwamba – or both!
Lodge Night
Dinner and overnight at Bush Lodge, Kazinga Channel.
Return to Entebbe
Early breakfast and check out of Bush Lodge for a final game safari in the early dawn to see what we can find at the best time of day. An excellent chance to see lion and perhaps leopard in their hunting grounds as well as a last chance to see the elephant, buffalo and antelope roaming the savanna plains.
Depart Queen Elizabeth mid-morning returning over the Equator to Fort Portal. Journey along the base of the Rwenzori Mountains, the fabled Mountains of the Moon, containing 6 of the 10 highest peaks in Africa.
Lunch at Fort Portal. Return afternoon to Kampala/ Entebbe with rest stops en route.
We don’t include final night accommodation because there are normally too many variables, such as Kampala, Entebbe, Jinja or even Entebbe Airport for a late flight home. Either way, we are happy to make recommendations and to drop you off at your chosen end point.
Tour Ends
450k/9hrs – Road
Highlights
- Dawn game drive
- Rwenzori Mountains
- Lunch at Fort Portal
- Return Entebbe/Kampala
Tour Ends
Like What You See?
Why not take an extra day in the wild at Murchison Falls; or to rest up at Kidepo Savannah Lodge; or spend time in Jinja, the adventure capital of Uganda – perhaps to go white water rafting on the Nile?
Want to upgrade to include more lodges? – or to have your own room? Let us know.
Included
- Airport transfer and hotel on arrival
- Experienced driver/guide
- Custom safari vehicle with pop up roof, fridge
- Lodges as specified or equivalent
- Two persons sharing, double/single beds
- Full board: breakfast, lunch, dinner
- All park fees, guides and excursions
- Gorilla permit ($800)
- Flying Doctors evacuation cover
Excluded
- Flights, visas and vaccinations
- Hotel night on return
- Personal insurances
- Available upgrades: own room