8 Days Exceptional Luxury Uganda Safari
8-day Exceptional Luxury Uganda safari to Bwindi ‘the impenetrable forest national park’ home to one of the richest ecosystems in Africa. Mountain Gorillas are one of the world’s most endangered apes. Almost half of the Mountain Gorillas can be found in Uganda, and populations can also be found in neighboring Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The next destination is Kidepo Valley National Park. Kidepo Valley is possibly the only national park left in the whole continent where you can have the park all to yourself.
This park teems with wildlife and must have been like safaris were in Kenya 35 years ago before the arrival of mass tourism! In fact, you are unlikely to meet more than a couple of different cars on any given day of game driving.
Kidepo is also home to almost all of the animal species present in the Uganda National Parks system, including lion, giraffe, elephant, buffalo, leopard, ostrich, and cheetah. Kidepo is definitely the best-kept secret in Uganda. It was rated 3rd best National Park in Africa by CNN.
DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrival and Pick up
On your arrival, our guide will meet you at Entebbe International Airport and will transfer you to your hotel for refreshments and an overnight stay.
Depending on your time of arrival we can do a city tour in Entebbe, visit the reptile village, Uganda Wildlife Education Center, have a walk at the beach, etc.
ACCOMMODATION – LODGE/HOTEL
Luxury: Hotel No. 5
Meal plan: Dinner
Day 1: Arrival and Pick up
On your arrival, our guide will meet you at Entebbe International Airport and will transfer you to your hotel for refreshments and an overnight stay.
Depending on your time of arrival we can do a city tour in Entebbe, visit the reptile village, Uganda Wildlife Education Center, have a walk at the beach, etc.
ACCOMMODATION – LODGE/HOTEL
Luxury: Hotel No. 5
Meal plan: Dinner
Day 2: Entebbe – Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
After an early breakfast and briefing, we will fly you to southern Uganda. During the short flight, you will be able to see Uganda´s diversity from high up. An Aerolink member of staff will assist you with the check-in and transfer to your 07:45 a.m. or 12:30 p.m.
For domestic flights to Kihihi, check-in time is one hour before the flight. Once at Kihihi, you will be welcomed by your guide who will provide knowledge and assistance throughout your journey.
After lunch head for Community Village Cultural Walk through the local Buhoma Village. This walk is led by a community guide who will take you through the Buhoma market area and out on the local trails to meet the village banana brewer and a traditional medicinal healer.
Along the way, you see traditional farms and homes. Villagers may come out to greet you. If you choose, arrangements can be made for you to visit the people of the local Batwa tribe. These people were displaced from their traditional forest habitat by the Ugandan government in 1991 when Bwindi Forest was declared a World Heritage site.
ACCOMMODATION – LODGE/HOTEL
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 3: Gorilla Trekking experience
Transfer to the visitor’s reception to track one of the gorilla groups in the Buhoma Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Once there you will first receive a briefing at 8:00 a.m. and then start the tracking.
Once you have found the gorillas, you will be able to spend an hour with them. Your time in the forest cannot be pre-determined as every day is different from the previous. On your return to your vehicle, you will proceed directly to the lodge.
ACCOMMODATION – LODGE/HOTEL
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 3: Gorilla Trekking experience
Transfer to the visitor’s reception to track one of the gorilla groups in the Buhoma Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Once there you will first receive a briefing at 8:00 a.m. and then start the tracking.
Once you have found the gorillas, you will be able to spend an hour with them. Your time in the forest cannot be pre-determined as every day is different from the previous. On your return to your vehicle, you will proceed directly to the lodge.
ACCOMMODATION – LODGE/HOTEL
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 4: Transfer to Kihihi Airstrip – Entebbe
Depart the lodge and drive back to Kihihi airstrip for your flight back to Entebbe. Approximate arrival time 11.25hrs. Arrive at Entebbe International Airport to wait at the Airport for the connecting flight to Kidepo. The flight takes approximately two and a half hours to Kidepo. Kidepo Valley National Park lies in the rugged, semi-arid valleys between Uganda’s borders with Sudan and Kenya, some 700km from Kampala. Gazetted as a national park in 1962, it has a profusion of big game and hosts over 77 mammal species as well as around 475 bird species.
Kidepo is Uganda’s most isolated national park, but the few who make the long journey north through the wild frontier region of Karamoja would agree that it is also the most magnificent, for Kidepo ranks among Africa’s finest wildernesses. From Apoka, in the heart of the park, a savannah landscape extends far beyond the gazetted area, towards horizons outlined by distant mountain ranges.
During the dry season, the only permanent water in the park is found in wetlands and remnant pools in the broad Narus Valley near Apoka. These seasonal oases, combined with the open, savannah terrain, make the Narus Valley the park’s prime game viewing location. You are picked up from the airstrip and dropped off at Apoka Lodge to check in, relax, and have lunch. After lunch, take an evening game drive through Kidepo Valley National Park.
ACCOMMODATION – LODGE/HOTEL
Apoka Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 5: Full Day in Kidepo Valley National Park
Early morning breakfast, we set off for a 2-3 hours morning game drive to Kidepo Valley National Park in search of lions, cheetahs, and leopards. Return to the lodge for a late breakfast, and enjoy mid-morning at the open swimming pool with the sighting of wildlife from the lodge. The lodge offers a nice viewing platform for wildlife and often at night you will hear the lions roar and the hyena cries. We relax at Apoka Lodge, lunch and we arrange for an evening game viewing drive.
Kidepo is a wildlife bonanza you can either conduct a morning nature walk accompanied by a ranger escort or another game drive. In the afternoon visit the nearby Karamojong village. The Karamojongs are cousins to the Masai in Kenya and they were mostly nomadic pastoralists however they have been recently introduced to farming, learn more about their culture, and enjoy their cultural dance.
ACCOMMODATION – LODGE/HOTEL
Apoka Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 5: Full Day in Kidepo Valley National Park
Early morning breakfast, we set off for a 2-3 hours morning game drive to Kidepo Valley National Park in search of lions, cheetahs, and leopards. Return to the lodge for a late breakfast, and enjoy mid-morning at the open swimming pool with the sighting of wildlife from the lodge. The lodge offers a nice viewing platform for wildlife and often at night you will hear the lions roar and the hyena cries. We relax at Apoka Lodge, lunch and we arrange for an evening game viewing drive.
Kidepo is a wildlife bonanza you can either conduct a morning nature walk accompanied by a ranger escort or another game drive. In the afternoon visit the nearby Karamojong village. The Karamojongs are cousins to the Masai in Kenya and they were mostly nomadic pastoralists however they have been recently introduced to farming, learn more about their culture, and enjoy their cultural dance.
ACCOMMODATION – LODGE/HOTEL
Apoka Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 6: Cultural Guided visit
Kidepo is a wildlife bonanza you can either conduct a morning nature walk accompanied by a ranger escort or another game drive. In the afternoon visit the nearby Karamojong village. The Karamojongs are cousins to the Masai in Kenya and they were mostly nomadic pastoralists however they have been recently introduced to farming, learn more about their culture, and enjoy their cultural dance.
ACCOMMODATION – LODGE/HOTEL
Apoka Safari lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 7: Transfer to Entebbe and departure
Morning Game drive and return to the lodge for breakfast and lunch. You will be transferred to the Airstrip to proceed to Entebbe. Our driver to transfer you to a guesthouse to shower and freshen up and later in the evening transfer to Entebbe International Airport for the evening flight.
ACCOMMODATION – LODGE/HOTEL
no accommodation
Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch
Day 7: Transfer to Entebbe and departure
Morning Game drive and return to the lodge for breakfast and lunch. You will be transferred to the Airstrip to proceed to Entebbe. Our driver to transfer you to a guesthouse to shower and freshen up and later in the evening transfer to Entebbe International Airport for the evening flight.
ACCOMMODATION – LODGE/HOTEL
no accommodation
Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch
INCLUSIONS
-
- Vehicle, Safari Van + Fuel
- Transport in 4X4 Vehicle/Landcruiser with pop roof
- English speaking Guide/ driver
- All meals as indicated in the itinerary
- Accommodation as per the itinerary
- Park Entrance fee
- Bottled water while on the safari
- Gorilla permits
- Domestic flight fares
EXCLUSIONS
-
- Drinks
- Tips
- Porters
- Laundry services
- Visa (Uganda)
- Any other personal interests
- No accommodation on last night in Uganda (But can be arranged at extra cost)
- Insurance