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: D (Lunch own expense)
Distance: 230 km
Accommodation: Lake Mburo Camping (2 person dome tent) or Accommodation Upgrade
Included Highlights/Activity:
- Drum market
- Equator
Optional Activities:
- None, all included
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, toward the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
We set up camp for the night at the edge of the forest and prepare for the gorilla trek the following day.
Meals: B L D
Distance: 250 km
Accommodation: Bwindi Forest - Camping (2 person dome tent) or Accommodation Upgrade
Included Highlights/Activity:
- Game Drive in Mburo National Park
- Scenic drive to Bwindi
Optional Activities:
- None, all included
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 minimise 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 Bunyoni 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.
Meals: B L D; B L D
Accommodation: Bwindi Forest - Camping (2 person dome tent) or Accommodation Upgrade
Included Highlights/Activity:
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- Gorilla trekking (Permit paid separately)
- Bwindi Forest
Optional Activities:
- Forest walks
- Birding walks
- Pygmy village visits
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 lions 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: B L D; B L D
Distance: 150 km
Accommodation: Ishasha - Camping (2 person dome tent) or Accommodation Upgrade
Included Highlights/Activity:
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Full day game drive
- Tree climbing lions
- Massive hippo population
Optional Activities:
- None, all included
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: B L D
Distance: 120 km
Accommodation: Camping (2 person dome tent) or Accommodation Upgrade
Included Highlights/Activity:
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Drive through Maramagambo Forest
- Kazinga Channel
- Ruwenzori Mountain views
- Tea plantations
Optional Activities:
- None, all included
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: B L D
Distance: 300 km
Accommodation: Masindi Hotel
Included Highlights/Activity:
- Scenic drive
- Masindi
Optional Activities:
- None, all included
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: B L D, B L D
Distance: Roughly 50 km per day
Accommodation: Camping (2 person dome tent) or Accommodation Upgrade
Included Highlights/Activity:
- Chimpanzee trek, permit included
- Murchison Falls
- Game drive in Murchison Falls National Park
- Victoria Nile boat cruise
Optional Activities:
- None, all included
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: B L D, B L
Distance: 430 km
Accommodation: Kalagala Falls
Included Highlights/Activity:
- Drive through many villages
- Jinja Area (adventure capital of Uganda)
Optional Activities:
- White water rafting
- Bungee Jumping
The tour officially ends after breakfast this morning. The crew and vehicle usually leave for Kampala immediately after breakfast, in order to attend to post tour responsibilities. You are welcome to ride along, at no charge, to Kampala, but be aware that this trip to Kampala, and the timing, is not guaranteed.
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 Drifters can arrange on your behalf.
Meals: B
Distance: 116 km
