On your morning game drive a professional ranger with extensive knowledge of the park and its inhabitants will join you in your vehicle. As this is a private game drive you can ask your guide to tailor your trip towards specific birdlife and/or wildlife if you like.

The park is especially known for its massive elephant population, wide array of bird species and big herds of buffalo. Giraffes, lions, antelope and waterbucks can also be spotted here and if you search the trees carefully, you may even spot one of the elusive leopards.

Your journey to Kibale Forest will be your longest drive on this tour, but possibly the most scenic. The drive will take you through tea plantations, lively village markets and over rolling hills of lush green countryside that is so characteristic of western Uganda.

Kibale Forest National Park itself is an extensive tract of dense tropical rainforest located just south of the town Fort Portal. The various ecosystems in this space are reputed to harbor the highest density of primates in all of Africa. The rare red colobus monkey as well as the black and white colobus are just some of the primates you may encounter on your forest walks here. The highlight of a trip to Kibale Forest is of course to spend some time observing the wonderfully entertaining chimpanzees.

In the midst of the gently rolling evergreen hills of the Great Crater Lakes region you’ll find Papaya Lake Lodge with its series of luxurious cottages dotted along the slopes of an extinct volcano. Here you can enjoy the breathtaking views of the turquoise waters of Lyantonde Lake in complete privacy. Papaya’s fine cuisine combines culinary traditions from all corners of the world, prepared with top quality produce. This lodge has been built with great passion, esteem for local culture and the highest attention to detail.

No other animal reminds us so much of ourselves as the chimpanzee. Besides many common features and mannerisms, chimpanzees also share 98% of our human DNA, making them our closest living relatives. It is not so surprising then that we find the habits and biology of these primates so fascinating to study.

While Chimpanzees can be found in 21 countries throughout Africa, they are most easily sighted in Uganda due to the high concentration of the species here. On a Chimpanzee Tracking experience in Kibale Forest you will have the opportunity to follow an experienced guide into the forest to observe these fascinating creatures at a close range. Watching them interact with each other and go about their daily routine of grooming, playing and foraging is an incredible experience.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s most visited game reserve and arguably the most scenic. The national park protects the vast savannah plains, bushland, wetlands and forests that lie at the base of the Rwenzori mountain range. Kazinga Channel, which flows through the park and connects Lake George in the east to Lake Edward in the west, attracts a rich array of animals and birds, including the infamous Nile crocodile and one of the world’s largest concentration of hippos. On your first game drive you will explore the park along a 200-kilometre network of well-maintained game viewing tracks.

In the morning we offer you an opportunity to contribute to an important conservation program in Queen Elizabeth NP. On this unique Lion Tracking research trip you will follow a research team, off the safari jeep tracks and into the bush, in search of one of the lion prides in the park. A tracking device in the vehicle will leady you directly to the lions where you will spend some time observing these charismatic cats. The data collected by the researchers will further the conservation program in the park, while you get a unique and intimate insight into the lives and habits of these fascinating predators.   

Later in the day when the sun is high in the sky and the animals make their way to the river for a drink, we will head to Kazinga Channel for a private boat safari. You will spot more hippos today than you can possibly imagine. Herds of elephants and buffalo will also wander down to the shoreline to bathe in the cooling waters. A boat safari is a fantastic way to get close to wildlife and for many visitors the boat safari is the highlight of their visit to Queen Elizabeth National Park. 

Optional activity: Chimp tracking Kyambura Gorge

Do you want to explore the Valley of the Apes?

If you find safaris to be a bit too sedentary for your taste, then a hike in the Kyambura Gorge is what you need to get your heart rate up. This stunning geological feature is known as “the Valley of Apes” and is another world unto itself. The view from the top is incredibly impressive with a deep sunken gorge covered in lush tropical vegetation. As its nick-name reveals, the gorge is home to several primate species including chimpanzees, the red-tailed monkey, black-and-white colobus, baboons and vervet monkeys. You will also see your fair share of colorful bird species. While the chances of spotting chimpanzees are not as high here as in Kibale Forest or Budongo Forest, this landscape is among the most impressive in Uganda and absolutely worth visiting.

The additional cost for this optional activity is $50 per person

The beautiful place that you have been spending the past two nights used to be an old coffee store. The lodge is still very involved in the coffee industry in the area and this morning you will go on a Coffee Tour to explore the transformation of coffee bean into delicious Ugandan coffee. The process is all done by hand, by local community members. Sampling some of the coffee will make for a good start of your day and buying some coffee to take home will make a good souvenir as well as support the local community.

The southern part of Queen Elizabeth National park is our next destination. This area is famous for its tree-climbing lions. While you will often see lion cubs climbing trees for fun, adults very rarely do this. In Ishasha however, the lions like to spend the hot afternoons snoozing on a shaded fig tree branch. The raised elevation exposes them to a nice breeze as well as providing an escape from the bothersome tsetse flies below. While you are on the hunt for the tree climbing lions don’t miss the stunning scenery and excellent birdlife in this remote spot of the park.

In the late afternoon you will enjoy sundowners arranged by your lodge at a secluded viewing point. Here you can savor the last views of the landscape before a stunning African sunset closes the chapter on this day.

Before you say goodbye to the savannah and head further south to the rainforest, we invite you to a bush breakfast in the wilderness, complete with a dining set-up and a personal chef. Enjoy your morning coffee as the first rays of sunshine come to rest on the plains.

While you won’t want to leave this beautiful place, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, the home of the Mountain Gorillas of Uganda, awaits.

You will be staying in the northern part of the forest, called Buhoma. You will be introduced to the communities that live in the outskirts of the forest here and welcomed to support the locally founded and managed women’s empowerment initiative Ride 4 A Woman. Join these local women as they go about their daily lives and learn how to weave baskets, sew with traditional fabrics or cook a delicious Ugandan meal.  

For the coming two nights you will stay at Buhoma Lodge, an intimate lodge with spectacular views over the forest, and one of only two lodges that is located within the park. You will stay in one of the ten chalets which are carefully and spaciously designed using locally sourced materials. Your private veranda with wonderful vistas, complimentary house drinks and massage will ensure a sublimely relaxing stay.