Our adventure begins at 08h00, when we depart from our hotel in Entebbe to head south west through verdant green hills and countless villages. We will stop frequently at local markets, including a drum market, and at the equator we’ll experiment to see which way water really drains from a bath. We have lunch at the equator (own expense).

We arrive at our camp in the late afternoon. An upgrade to accommodation is possible, but to ensure availability this should be pre-booked.

Meals

Dinner (Lunch own expense)

Accommodation

Leopard Rest Campsite or similar

Highlights

• Drum market
• Equator

This morning we enter Lake Mburo National Park early for a game drive. Lake Mburo is just one of a group lakes scattered like jewels between the hills, and the park is well known for its herds of plains game, and especially for the numerous hippos in the lakes.

Leaving Lake Mburo, we travel through a lush tropical landscape of rolling green hills covered with a patchwork of banana plantations and market gardens. Look out for the impressive, long-horned Ankole cattle. The roads are rough as we pass remote villages, often shrouded in mist, we there for head toward the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for check-in at the lodge or we camp.

We set up camp for the night at the edge of the forest and prepare for the gorilla trek the following day.

*NOTE: Flexible itinerary, rate is dependent on the allocation of the gorilla permits

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation

Lake Bunyonyi Camp or similar

Highlights

• Game Drive in Mburo National Park
• Scenic drive to Bwindi

The gorilla trek is undoubtedly the highlight of the entire tour. The mountains and tropical forests are spectacular in their own right, but spending time with a group of Mountain Gorillas is an experience that really defies any description. Many people are moved by the obvious kinship we share with these magnificent animals. We split into small groups and trek up into the forest, each group led by a local guide, in search of a different family of gorillas. The going can be quite tough, and you should come prepared for a hike through dense forest, up steep, muddy paths over uneven terrain.

The gorilla permits are limited, with strict rules to minimize the impact on the gorillas, so we allow two days for trekking to ensure everyone gets their chance. You must be prepared to be flexible with the timing and the location of your trek. On occasions when permits are only available for Day 4, we will visit Lake Bunyonyi on Day 3, but where permits are spread over Day 3 and 4, those not trekking have the option to visit a local village, led by a local guide. The forest also offers fantastic birding.

* NOTE: Flexible itinerary, rate is dependent on the allocation of the gorilla permits

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (x2)

Accommodation

Karungi Camp or similar

Highlights

• Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
• Gorilla trekking (Permit paid separately)
• Bwindi Forest

Leaving the mountains and forests behind us, we descend to the grasslands of the Queen Elizabeth National Park. The Ishasha area is renowned for its huge tree climbing lions, but fantastic bird life, numerous species of primates, and abundant plains game, including the kob that the lion’s prey on, are reason enough to visit. We will spend two nights here and have a full day to game drive extensively, and especially to search the tall fig trees for lions.

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (x2)

Accommodation

Ishasha Camp or similar

Highlights

• Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Full day game drive
• Tree climbing lions
• Massive hippo population

Today we travel the length of the park, looking for animals all the way, through the Maramagambo Forest and over the Kazinga Channel which links Lake Edward and Lake George, to exit the park in the north. We pass through the town of Kasese, before stopping at a viewpoint where we have lunch with the Rwenzori Mountains in front of us. The “Mountains of the Moon” rise over 5000m above sea level, with slopes covered in tropical forest and the highest peaks permanently snow-capped, a bewildering sight considering their proximity to the equator. Glaciers high up form one of the sources of the waters of the Nile River.

Tonight we camp amongst the tea plantations near Fort Portal.

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation

Kluges Guest Farm Camping or similar

Highlights

• Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Drive through Maramogambo Forest
• Kazinga Channel
• Ruwenzori Mountain views
• Tea plantations

We have a long drive today, over some rough roads, so we leave early this morning. We pass through the luminous green tea plantations surrounding Fort Portal before taking the long road, via Hoima, to Masindi, our stop for the night. Given the long drive and the state of the roads, we don’t camp tonight, staying at a local hotel or lodge.

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation

Masindi Hotel or similar

Highlights

• Scenic drive
• Masindi

This morning we enter Murchison Falls National Park, where we spend the next two nights. Here we will track chimpanzees on foot, game drive in the park, view Murchison Falls, and take a boat cruise on the Victoria Nile River. The program is flexible, depending on the season, road conditions and availability of bookings, but all these activities will be included.

The southern part of the park is heavily forested, great habitat for chimps, with the northern part, where we game drive, open savannah with abundant plains game, including the relatively rare Rothschild’s Giraffe. Getting to the northern part of the park means crossing the Nile using the ferry at Parra, an adventure all on its own.

Meals
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation

Red Chili Camp or similar

Highlights

• Chimpanzee trek, permit included
• Murchison Falls
• Game drive in Murchison Falls National Park
• Victoria Nile boat cruise

We leave the park early this morning to drive south towards Jinja, near the source of the White Nile where the water pours out of Lake Victoria in a wild torrent.

The area around Jinja is regarded as east Africa’s adventure capital, and we spend a full day here so you have time to participate in any of a number of adventure activities: white water rafting, bungee jumping over the source of the Nile, boat cruises, horse riding, visiting local community projects are all options (own expense).

Meals

Breakfast (x2), Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation

Kalagala Adrift Camp or similar facility

Highlights

• Drive through many villages
• Jinja Area (adventure capital of Uganda)

Awaking on the last morning of our tour, the truck will depart after breakfast and make our way back to Entebbe to drop the guests off at the Imperial Heights Hotel or the airport gate.

The tour officially ends on arrival in Entebbe.

Alternatively, you can extend your stay in Kalagala Falls or participate in further optional activities and take a later transfer directly to Entebbe, all of which Discovery Slayers can arrange on your behalf.

Meals

Breakfast