DJ Panorama of Uganda Safari

Destination: Uganda

06 Oct, 2023

5 days remaining

The Panorama of Uganda is an itinerary of the Western Circuit of the Albertine Rift Valley of Uganda, that offers an interesting nature based journey with many eco-tourism activities (like the trekking to see the primates, the chimpanzees, gorillas and other species), photographic safaris, landscapes and tourist attractions like Murchison Falls of river Nile, excursions for birding and cultural community walks. Therefore, this is a very active program recommended to those willing to have a full immersion into nature and its beauties. On top of the main program, it is possible to make a choice of one among some short extension, according to personal interests, from the nature based attractions to cultural tourism.

OUR APPROACH TO SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

We have a “carbon neutral” approach, whereby our carbon emissions are computed. We compensate them through supporting the project of land acquisition and reforestation “Every 5 Acres” in Bugoma Forest by the Association for Conservation of Bugoma Forest (ACBF – www.bugomaconservation.org ). We invest in the conservation of Bugoma forest, chimpanzee sanctuary. through development of eco- tourism activities, which are part of this itinerary. All clients will also symbolically plant one indigenous tree in the reforestation ground.



Day 1
Entebbe / Kampala

On your arrival at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda you will be welcomed by our representative
and transferred for overnight.

Overnight at: Cassia Lodge / 2Friends Beach Hotel. BB

Full Board. After breakfast, your adventure in Uganda begins by driving northwest towards Masindi and Murchison Falls conservation area, the largest conservation area in Uganda, offers beautiful sceneries of grassland acacia savannah in the north and tropical forests in the south.

You will stop over for a nature walk at Ziwa Rhino sanctuary, the breeding project which is nurturing the rebirth of the endangered white rhinos in Uganda. You can see them closely while walking freely in the reserve which is their natural habitat. Lunch at the restaurant at the Sanctuary. Proceed to the national park thereafter and visit the top of the fallls, where the river Nile creates a narrow canyon of thunderous
water as it lowers down the Albertine Rift Valley. Check into your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Note: Today transfer is about 6 hours drive, part of it through dirt road within the park for a distance of
about 350 km.

Overnight at: Twiga Safari Lodge / Pakuba Lodge / Bamboo Village Lodge.

Full Board. After breakfast, you will embark on an early morning game drive, and explore the savannah in the delta of the Nile on Lake Albert, the Northern bank. As you view and take memorable photographs of the animals in the wild, you might find elephants, lions, buffalos, giraffes, waterbucks, bushbucks, spotted hyenas, and, very rarely, leopards. Drive back to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, you take the boat excursion along the river Nile to the base of the magnificent Murchison Falls. It is amazing the concentration of wildlife on the bank of the river Nile, including hippos, crocodiles, and a variety of bird species, like African eagles, pelicans, kingfishers, Egyptian geese, and much more.

Overnight at: Twiga Safari Lodge / Pakuba Lodge / Bamboo Village Lodge.

Full Board. Early morning after breakfast you drive to Budongo Forest, in Kaniyo-Pabidi eco-tourist site, for the tropical forest trekking to meet the Great Apes, the chimpanzees in their natural habitat. The forest also is home to many other primates such as black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, vervet monkeys, and baboons. Chimpanzee trekking is possible due to the conservation efforts by Jane Goodall Institute and the park authorities to protect the forest and the endangered chimpanzees.
Lunch or packed lunch. In the afternoon, proceed your journey in the direction ofLake Albert to BugomaForest reserve. You can take a cultural experience of the Bugoma community walk in the local villages. Thisis an opportunity for you to interact with the people living near the forest, to see how they live and theactivity is guided by a local guide. Dinner and overnight at Bugoma Jungle Lodge / Kikonko Lodge.

Notes: The chimpanzee trekking activity in Uganda is done according to the rules and regulations of the park and can be reserved both in the morning hours and in the afternoon hours.
The transfer today is about 3 hours with 180 km.

Full Board. After breakfast, we organize the Ugandan mangabey nature walk in Bugoma Forest. With its size of 410 sq km, Bugoma is the habitat of the chimpanzees and Ugandan mangabeys. It is also the site for a conservation effort by the Association for Conservation of Bugoma Forest ( www.bugomaconservation.org ). The Association makes possible this experience of the nature walks through the development of eco-tourism activities in Bugoma and the training of local guides, to benefit the surrounding communities. You can actively support the conservation projects of the Association: Every 5 Acres reforestation project; the private patrol Chimp T-RAP for the law enforcement against illegal logging; the public nursery for indigenous trees and the beekeeping project with the local farmers.

You will find here available the local products of the community like the tea and the honey. You will also participate in the planting of one indigenous tree in the reforestation project area, to contribute to giving new habitat to the chimpanzees. Then you leave Bugoma forest heading southwest along the Lake Albert and Rift Valley escarpment, with breathtaking panoramic sceneries as you drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Lunch en route in a restaurant. The road follows along the Rwenzori mountain range to Kasese town. 

Note: Today's transfer is about 5 hours driving 280 km, through dirt road and the conditions are variable according to the rains.

Overnight at: Marafiki Safari Lodge / Ihamba Lakeside Safari Lodge / Enganzi Lodge.

Full Board Early morning game drive along the tracks of the national park, in the Northern sectors, and towards Lake George and Kasenyi village. You might see lions, elephants, buffaloes, spotted hyenas, waterbucks, Ugandan kobs, and perhaps the leopard which is a rare sight. Queen Elizabeth enjoys unique landscapes and views of crater lakes and the Albertine Rift Valley, which make this area special and unforgettable.

Lunch at the lodge. In the afternoon take the exciting safari by boat from the Mweya peninsula along the Kazinga channel, one of the most popular sites in Uganda for its concentration of wildlife, bird life, and opportunities for good photographs. Moreover, you will see plenty of hippos, buffaloes, and elephants while drinking from the channel. In the late afternoon short transfer to the Ishasha sector of the park.

Overnight at: Ishasha Jungle Lodge.

After breakfast, photographic safari in the Ishasha sector, the southern region of Queen Elizabeth NP, in search of the “tree climbing lions” which are seen during the hot hours of the day, as they lie resting on top of Figs trees. See also herds of buffaloes, elephants, topi antelopes, and many species of birds. Lunch at the lodge or en route as you proceed to Bwindi Forest. Reach Bwindi National Park by evening for dinner and overnight.

Note: Today's transfer can be very long up to 7 hours and depends on road conditions and the place of allocation of gorilla permits. The choice of the area of the gorilla safari depends on the availability of permits and so it is for the accommodation option.

Overnight at: Ichumbi Lodge / Mwebesa House / Bakiga Lodge / Rushaga Gorilla Camp Standard.

Full Board.

In the morning you enter the rain tropical forest of Bwindi for the gorilla safari. The activity starts at 8 am and you will follow the ranger guides in a group of maximum of 8 people as you search for the habituated family of mountain gorillas, which was allocated according to the permits. Bwindi forest in Uganda has a population of 459 gorillas, which is half the world's population according to 2018 gorilla population surveys. It is not predictable the time you will spend to encounter the gorillas. You have one hour for observing the primates and their behaviors, while taking photographs. Ensure you take the packed lunch and water with you in the bag and for this you might need the support of available porters. 

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Overnight at: Ichumbi Lodge / Mwebesa House / Bakiga Lodge / Rushaga Gorilla Camp Standard

Half Board. After breakfast, drive to Entebbe for your flight out from Entebbe Airport. Lunch en-route. Note: Today's transfer is about 7 / 8 hours drive for 400 km, through tarmac road, therefore we advise you to book late flights from Entebbe International Airport or to add an extra night or to add an extension as listed below.

Please contact us to get flight itinerary for this package.


Itinerary Extention

You can choose to extend your safari package with these activities

Option 1: 2 – 1 extra day/ night in Mgahinga National Park / Echuya Forest

'Day 9 – Mgahinga National Park / Echuya Forest Full Board.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a small reserve found at the border with Rwanda. The park is protecting the Virunga volcanoes which are located on the Ugandan side, the Muhavura (4.127 m), Gahinga (3.474 m), and Sabinyo (3.669 m). The park offers the possibility to do mountain gorilla trekking (with a supplement); to climb one of the volcanoes for a day trekking of about 6 to 8 hours trekking, particularly the Muhavura; to take the trekking in search of the golden monkeys, an endangered species endemic of the Virunga eco-system.

In the alternative, today you can have the Batwa Trail, a good design circuit in the nearby Echuya Forest to encounter the Batwa pygmies in what was their original habitat which today they are regaining thanks to the eco-tourist activities. In the evening short transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for dinner and overnight at Arcadia Cottages Bunyonyi / Bird Nest Resort / Sharp Island Gorilla Resort.

Day 10 – Lake Bunyonyi - Entebbe Half Board.

After breakfast, drive back to Entebbe. Lunch en route. In the afternoon/evening reserved the transfer to Entebbe International Airport for your flight.

 

Option 2: 3 – 1 day 2 nights Community experience in Buhoma

Day 8 – Bwindi - Ride 4 a Woman community project Transfer to the site of the community project Ride 4 a Woman. Dinner and overnight at Noel’s Cottage or Mwebesa House.

Day 9 – Bwindi - Ride 4 a Woman community project Full Board. After breakfast, spend the full day having experience of the community projects of Ride 4 a Woman and interaction with the people of the place. See the website: https://www.ride4awoman.org/ ). Set up in 2009 by Evelyn Habasa, the organization is supporting women from 11 villages making a living. Particularly, the community based organization provides working opportunities in pedal sewing and basket weaving; the products of the work are for sell in the community shop where you can find very attractive fabric gift. Visitors can experience and work in the workshop with the women of the community. Also, they can experience the cooking of the traditional Bakiga food and have a typical lunch. The women can also arrange the Kiga dance which is the most interesting cultural expression for the people of the area of Bwindi. Accommodation and meals are provided at the guest area of the project, at Noel’s Cottage or Mwebesa House.

Day 10 – Bwindi Entebbe Half Board. After breakfast, drive to Entebbe for your flight out. Lunch en-route. Note: Today transfer is about 7 / 8 hours drive for about 400 km through tarmac road, therefore we advise to book late flights from Entebbe International Airport or to add an extra night.


The price includes:

  • Water on board
  • Entrance fees and game drives
  • Ziwa rhino’s sanctuary nature walk
  • Shared boat excursions in Murchison Falls and Kazinga Channel
  • Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo Forest
  • Gorilla permit
  • English speaking Driver/Guide
  • Ground transportation by 4x4 tourist Land Cruiser
  • Full board accommodation excluding drinks
  • Airport transfers
Next tour dates
  • 06 Oct 2023 5 days
  • 20 Oct 2023 19 days
  • 03 Nov 2023 33 days
  • 08 Dec 2023 68 days
  • 22 Dec 2023 82 days
  • 26 Dec 2023 86 days



Accomodation

Cassia Lodge

Sanctuary