Stephanie Brownell
Sample Itinerary
Day 1
ARRIVAL TO ENTEBBE
Upon arrival in Entebbe, you will be met by our representative in arrivals. Drive 10-minutes to the nearby Boma Guest House to settle in and spend your evening at leisure.
The Boma dates back to the 1940’s and has retained all of the charm and character of its previous life as a private home. Set in a leafy suburb, the tropical gardens and European décor are warmed with uniquely African touches. Not only convenient and exclusive, the Boma Guest House also boasts all of the creature comforts one would expect from a high-quality hotel.
Overnight Boma Guest House
Day 2
BWINDI FOREST NATIONAL PARK
Rise early this morning for your flight from Entebbe airport to Kisoro airstrip. Upon arrival, you will be met by a guide who will escort you for the 2-hour drive to Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge and Bwindi Forest National Park.
This rainforest is said to be 25,000 years old, making it one of Africa’s most biodiverse habitats. The altitude of this mountain park ranges from 1200 – 2600 meters. Five rivers and a high annual rainfall make the climate rather humid. Besides its mayor attraction, the mountain gorillas, the Bwindi National Park is also home to an amazing 120 mammal species, 350 species of birds, 202 species of butterflies and over 200 species of trees.
Clouds Mountain Gorilla lodge is small and remote, situated high atop a ridge, with sweeping views overlooking the Virunga Volcanoes in the distance. Each of the private cottages are constructed from volcanic stone and decorated with locally-sourced artwork.
The afternoon is yours to relax, or enjoy a community walk nearby to explore your new surroundings.
Overnight Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge
Day 3
BWINDI FOREST NATIONAL PARK
Before 8 am, you’ll report to the ranger station for registration and a talk by one of the rangers. The guides will then take you through the bush pushing your way through the undergrowth, parting thick creepers, to track the gorillas. The trek can take from half an hour to 7 hours. A reasonable degree of fitness is required as well as a sturdy pair of walking shoes.
Once you are close to the group the guides will ask you to leave behind your bags as no food items should be carried close to the gorillas. Just take your cameras with you. Here you’ll have the opportunity to sit in the forest amongst the gorillas, listening to them grumble to each other and marvel at the sheer size of the dominant male: the silverback. It is an extraordinary feeling sitting in the dense rainforest, knowing you are with a few of the last remaining mountain gorillas in the world. Sadly, there are only about 650 of these beautiful creatures left. You are allowed exactly one hour with the gorillas before returning to the base station.
Overnight Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge
Day 4
BWINDI FOREST NATIONAL PARK
This morning, embark on a 3-hour walk through the Buniga Forest, with the opportunity to participate in a Batwa cultural experience. Despite being the original inhabitants of this area, the Batwa people have been heavily marginalized over the years. Visiting the Batwa allows for a glimpse into their fascinating culture.
In this afternoon, set off on another walk to visit businesses that make up the cornerstone of this community, including: the banana brew (a local gin maker), the blacksmith, and the local medicine man.
Overnight Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge
Day 5
SEMILIKI VALLEY WILDLIFE RESERVE
Depart early this morning to Kisoro Airstrip, from where you will fly to Semiliki Airstrip. Upon your arrival in Semiliki, you will be met by your guide and privately transferred to Semiliki Safari Lodge.
Semliki Valley Wildlife Reserve is the oldest protected area in Uganda and is home to a staggering array of flora and fauna. The reserve is situated in the basin of the Western Rift Valley. It boasts one of the most diverse habitats in Africa, with wonderful examples of Riparian forest, gallery rain forest, borassus palm forest, and short and high grass savannas. Chimps exist next to elephant, lion, and buffalo, as well as the usual Western Uganda species.
Nestled on the crest of the beautiful Wasa River Valley is the small and luxurious Semliki Safari Lodge. The eight rooms are tented with large four-poster beds, Persian carpets and en-suite bathrooms. At night, through the canvas, you can hear the animals moving, the lions roaring and often the leopards harsh sawing as it hunts baboons. There is a lovely swimming pool area, ideal for relaxing, while still feeling as though you are truly in the heart of Africa. The food could best be described as ‘fusion food,’ and the chefs endeavor to use as much local, fresh produce as possible.
Overnight Semiliki Safari Lodge
Day 6
SEMILIKI VALLEY WILDLIFE RESERVE
An early morning rise, tea in your tent and a good breakfast before you depart on a boat trip on Lake Albert to try and see the incredible and rare shoebill, visually a cross between a dodo and a dinosaur. The lake is superb: there are sand cliffs where brightly colored colonies of red-throated bee-eaters dart in an out of their burrows. There are several fishing villages along the way, virtually untouched by the Western world. Then drive back to the lodge through the borassus palm forest and the acacia savannah, which reveals different species of raptors and passerines.
Overnight Semiliki Safari Lodge
Day 7
SEMILIKI VALLEY WILDLIFE RESERVE
Another early morning rise, tea in your tent, and then you will head down into the beautiful gallery rainforest to track wild chimpanzees. Chimps are tracked by researchers in Semliki at dawn and dusk, as they tend to disappear in the middle of the day. The Semliki Chimp Project is jointly run by The Uganda Safari Company and the University of Indiana. The project was initiated to study bipedalism and the rare geography of Semliki makes it ideal to study this important stage in man’s development. There are also a number of bird species which are found in this picturesque forest.
Overnight Semiliki Safari Lodge
Day 8 - 10
KIDEPO VALLEY NATIONAL PARK
Early in the morning, depart for a 2-hour drive back to the Kisoro airstrip, from where you will fly back to Entebbe. From Entebbe, you will fly to Kidepo airstrip where a driver will be waiting to escort you to the Kidepo Valley National park and Apoka Safari Lodge.
Apoka Safari Lodge is located in the middle of rugged savanna-land of Kidepo Valley National Park. Game drives and walks at Apoka are directed by nature not time.
You have three days to indulge in your new surroundings. Enjoy a walking safari along a sandy dry riverbed fringed with palm trees or climb to the top of a rocky outcrop and take in the spectacular views. Move slowly along isolated tracks to fully appreciate everything around you, looking for tracks and signs of the animals’ movements. You can stop at any point to investigate further. Track the lions, cheetah, zebra, waterbuck, Jackson’s hartebeest, warthogs, patas monkeys and huge herds of buffalo.
Afterwards, relax in your outdoor bathtub under the stars or take a dip in the big rock swimming pool overlooking the savannah and a waterhole frequently visited by animals before having dinner at the main building.
Overnight Apoka Safari Lodge
Day 11
Departure
Transfer by charter flight back to Entebbe International Airport for your outbound flight.
