Uganda general information and map
Capital: Kampala
Getting there: There are daily flights with major airlines fly from London to Entebbe via Nairobi, Dar es Salaam or Johannesburg. Journey time from the UK to Entebbe via Nairobi is approximately 15 hours duration.
Time: GMT plus 3 hours
Try not to miss: Trekking into the hills to watch the gorillas of Bwindi National Park, where we recommend a 3 night stay at Buhoma lodge south east of Lake Edward and close to the Rwanda border. Afterwards head north on a three hour drive to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park for a stay at the 10 bed Ishasha wilderness tented camp. Located in the wild southern sector of park far from the beaten track, this is the perfect base from which to search for the park’s celebrated tree climbing lions.
Another unmissable destination is the lovely Ndali Lodge, not only a destination in its own right, but also the perfect launch pad into Kibale National Park and her wild chimpanzees. Wild and Exotic recommend that you end your Ugandan safari with a stay beside Lake Victoria at the Ngamba Island tented camp, where there is the chance to catch an enormous Nile Perch.
Visas: UK passport holders to require a visa to enter Uganda. Visas can be obtained on arrival or from your nearest embassy before departure. Single entry visas cost approximately $30 per person.
Why Uganda: To explore a beautiful East African country rich in wildlife and diversity, but not considered a mainstream safari destination. And to watch wild gorillas, one of the rarest wildlife experiences on the planet.
Wild and Exotic best of Uganda Itinerary
This ten day Ugandan safari incorporates a visit to Kibale National Park, home to a habituated colony of chimpanzees, before moving on to the stunning Queen Elizabeth National Park where prides of tree climbing lions roam the acacia studded plains. Guests are next driven by their private guide to Bwindi National Park where five independent gorilla families live within the pristine impenetrable forest. At the end of the safari guests can chose between flying back to Entebbe by private charter or breaking the overland journey with a stay in Lake Mburo National Park. Please note this itinerary is our recommended programme for a 10 day timeframe, and those with more time are encouraged to extend their stay in Uganda by visiting Murchison Falls National Park in the north of the country.
Day 1: On arrival at Entebbe airport you will be met and transferred to the Boma hotel for an overnight stay. This hotel is located in a quiet location close to the presidential palace and within ten minutes drive of the airport. Facilities include leafy tropical gardens and an outdoor swimming pool.
Day 2: This morning you will be transferred by your private guide to Ndali Lodge near Fort Portal. During the 6 hour drive through scenic and varied countryside you will stop for a picnic lunch, arriving at Ndali early in the afternoon. Ndali is a stunning privately owned lodge sitting on a ridge of high ground overlooking a beautiful crater lake to the east and the Ruwenzori Mountains in the west.
Day 3: This morning you will visit Kibale National Park to see the habituated colony of chimpanzees during a three hour long trek. Return to Ndali for a relaxing afternoon by the pool and watch the sun setting over the Ruzenzoris.
Day 4: This morning you will be driven to the famous Kazinga channel in the Queen Elizabeth National Park (approx 3 hours), which links Lakes Edward and George and is home to over 2000 hippo. After a picnic lunch you will board a boat for a fascinating voyage down the channel during which you can expect to encounter large populations buffalo and hippo as well as elephant, crocodile and a diverse range of birdlife. After the 2 hour cruise has ended you will be transferred to Katara Lodge (approx 20 mins), which sits on top of an escarpment affording expansive views of the National Park.
Day 5: After breakfast you will be driven to Ishasha Wilderness Camp (approx 2.5 hours), which overlooks a river in the remote southern end of the Queen Elizabeth National Park. The landscape surrounding the camp is stunningly beautiful and home to large populations of game, including buffalo, elephant and lion. After lunch there will be a late afternoon game drive before dinner.
Day 6: This morning you will be woken early with a cup of tea before heading off to the Lake Edward flats, home to rare shoebill storks. You can also expect to see large herds of buffalo, elephant and antelope before returning for a late breakfast. For those who wish another short game drive can be arranged before lunch, however you may prefer to relax at this beautiful and tranquil campsite where a colony of weaver birds nest in thorn trees overhanging the river. The male weaver bird takes a whole week to built a nest for his mate, which is destroyed in seconds if she does not consider it up to scratch. After lunch we recommend a siesta as a prelude to an afternoon game drive during which your guide will take you to look for the park’s celebrated lions that to laze away hot afternoons thirty foot high in the shady limbs of a fig tree.
Day 7: You may prefer to lie in this morning, listening to the sounds of the river and the bush from your tent, but there will be the opportunity to continue your exploration of the park today on up to three more game drives. With the backdrop of the Ruwenzori Mountains to the north, and the Virunga volcanoes to the south, there are few places on earth to rival the scenery of the southern end of this fabulous National Park.
Day 8: This morning you will be driven to Buhoma lodge at the edge of the Bwindi impenetrable forest. The drive takes approx 3 hours and you will stop for a picnic lunch before arriving at this stunning lodge, where individual bandas extend from a steep hillside and are supported by stilts. All rooms offer breathtaking views of the pristine forest, where there may be time for a short exploratory walk before dinner.
Day 9: This morning you will have an early breakfast before walking a short distance to the National Park headquarters, which are the launch pad for treks into the steep and heavily forested mountains that are home to 5 separate families of endangered mountain gorillas. There are believed to be no more that 750 of these extraordinary primates surviving in the wild today, and your chances of encountering them on a trek that can take between one and five hours are as high as 95%.
Day 10: This morning your will be transferred to the Kayonza airstrip (45 mins) where you will be flown by private charter back to Entebbe. On arrival you will be met and transferred to the Boma hotel for a relaxing afternoon with a day room reserved for your use before being transferred a short distance to the international airport for your flight home .
OR for those who do not wish to take a private charter the following itinerary is recommended:
This morning you will be driven by your guide to Mihingo Lodge in Lake Mburo National Park. The lodge occupies an outstanding location atop a natural kopje with commanding views in every direction. This National Park is home to large population of antelope and buffalo and it is also possible to enjoy exhilarating rides through the bush as well as escorted game walks.
Day 11: After an early morning game drive or ride you will return to the lodge for breakfast, after which you will be transferred to Entebbe (approx 5 hours) for your flight home. Depending on the departure time, a day room will be reserved for your use at the Boma hotel close to the airport.
Notes:
Please note this is a sample itinerary only and can be modified and refined according to your requirements. Guests wishing to extend their stay by visiting Murchison Falls National Park in the north (recommended 3 night stay) can either begin their holiday by being driven there from Entebbe (approx 7 hours) and then continuing as above, or they can do the itinerary in reverse by flying to Bwindi at the start of their holiday and then being driven (or flown by private charter if preferred) back from Murchison Falls at the end. Please contact Wild and Exotic for further information and a sample itinerary for this extension.
The price of this holiday will be based on double accommodation as described on the itinerary (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch and D = Dinner) and will be inclusive of all activities and transfers described. The price also includes the full time service of a driver/guide who will accompany you throughout your time in Uganda. Unless specifically requested, guides do not normally dine with their clients. The price does not include items of a personal nature, gratuities, etc.
Neither Wild and Exotic nor the operators or suppliers can accept any responsibility for changes to itineraries or dates that may arise due to weather or unforeseen circumstances such as changes, disruptions or delays to airline flights for whatever reason. This holiday is subject to Wild and Exotic’s terms and conditions, a copy of which is available on this website under the general info tab.
