This week-long Uganda luxury safari takes you through the open savannah plains of Queen Elizabeth to the deep jungle of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home of the majestic mountain gorillas and then onto the elusive chimp forest of Kyambura and Kibale.

Trip Highlights

Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Chimpanzee Tracking in Kyambura Gorge and Kibale
Game Drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Tree-Climbing Lions in Ishasha
Boat Cruises on the Kazinga Channel
Birding
Community Projects in Kyambura and Bwindi

DEPARTURE/RETURN LOCATION	Entebbe, Uganda
DURATION DAYS	7 Days
DIFFICULTY PRIMARY ACTIVITIES	Moderate-Hard Sightseeing
BEST SEASONS	High season: December 15 – February 28 & June 1 – September 30 Low season: October 1 – December 14 & March 1 – May 31
INCLUDED	An expert driver/guide and vehicle for the agreed itinerary. Accommodation on a shared basis and meals as stated in the itinerary. All activities as per the agreed itinerary. So where appropriate, boat trips, park fees, nature and community walk fees, one chimpanzee and one gorilla permit are included. At Lodges (Bwindi, Mount Gahinga, Kyambura Gorge and Virunga), the tariffs are on an all-inclusive basis and include house alcoholic drinks (excludes premium drinks) soft drinks, laundry services: and activities at the lodges. One 30-minute complimentary massage per guest per stay. Extra massages are available at a cost of USD $50 per person for a 50-minute massage. A selection of premium drinks is available at a cost, client to pay on consumption.
NOT INCLUDED	Airfares to Uganda/Rwanda Entry visas and airport taxes Gratuities Personal expenditure such as drinks and laundry at non-Lodge locations For single rooms, a supplement (SRS) applies
ACCOMMODATIONS	Kyambura Gorge Lodge, Uganda Bwindi Lodge, Uganda

Prices are based on a minimum of two people traveling on a private safari. Prices are quoted in US$ per person. Prices are valid until December 31, 2018. *Add 20% to cover single-person supplement.

E-mail [email protected] to set up custom dates.

2018-19 AVAILABLE DATES

2018 Dates:

December 15th – 21st

2019 Dates:

January 19th – 25th

February 9th – 15th

June 8th – 14th

June 29th – July 5th

July 1st – July 7th

August 10th -16th

September 7th-13th

DAY 1

• Arrive at Entebbe airport where an Aerolink member of staff will assist you with the check in and transfer to your 07:45am (arrival 10:05am) or 12:30pm (arrival 14:35pm) domestic flight to Kasese, check in time is one hour before the flight. In Kasese you will be welcomed by your expert guide who will provide knowledge and assistance throughout your journey.

• Transfer to Ndali Lodge, approximate transfer time of 2 hours. The lodge has amazing views of the ancient volcanic landscape, the Bunyaruguru Crater Lake and the Rwenzori Mountains beyond. After your journey enjoy the swimming pool, walk around the lodge garden and grounds or simply relax on the terrace.

• Approximate Travel Times: Flying 2 hours; Driving 2 hours

• Please book flights arriving no later than 09:00am

• O/N Ndali Lodge (L,D)

DAY 2

• Spend the morning tracking the exuberant chimp families in the Kibale forest. Tracking chimpanzees in their natural habitat, as they swing from the branches in the canopy high above the forest floor, is a thrilling experience. Though they can be difficult to spot, you will be in no doubt of their presence as the forest is alive with their noisy calls.

• In the afternoon, explore the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary. The reserve is abundant with butterflies, plants, animals and, in particular, birds. Spectacular birds like Great Blue Turaco and rare Papyrus Gonolek will be of great interest to birders. The swamp is also home to more elusive animals such as Red Colobus monkeys and Sitatunga antelope.

• O/N Ndali Lodge (B,L,D)

DAY 3

• Depart for Queen Elizabeth National Park. En route, take a short walk in the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains and take in the views of this magnificent mountain range. Alternatively, drive straight to the park and take a game drive. What you see depends on the season, but the Kasenyi plains are excellent for sighting lion and large herds of Uganda kob. The Mweya peninsula is one of the best places to look for leopard, which live in the dense, scrubby thickets.

• Time permitting, visit the Kyambura Women’s Coffee Cooperative and its coffee processing station or the wetland reserve to spot birds.

• Approximate Travel Times: Driving 2 hours

• O/N Kyambura Gorge Lodge (B,L,D)

DAY 4

• The Kyambura Gorge is an extraordinary natural environment and forms a stark contrast to the surrounding grasslands. Here you can track one of our closest animal relatives: the chimpanzee. The chimp population is quite mobile and viewing can be unpredictable but the walk itself is enchanting.

• In the afternoon take a cruise on the Kazinga Channel, which flows between Lakes Edward and George. Kazinga is home to one of the greatest concentration of hippo in Africa and herds of elephant, buffalo and other animals come to drink at the waters edge. The channel is a magnet for waterbirds, with great flocks of pelicans and others birds on the shore, and a great spot to see African fish eagle.

• Also in Kyambura Gorge you can visit various community projects including: Women’s Coffee Cooperative Tour, Reclaimed Wetland Tour, Bee-Keeping Fence Visit, Omumushaka Dance Group Performance, Empundu Playground Visit and much more.

• O/N Kyambura Gorge Lodge (B,L,D)

DAY 5

• Your safari now continues to the primeval Bwindi forest. Travelling via Ishasha – subject to road conditions – you can observe the unusual behavior exhibited by the tree-climbing lions. The long journey through the rapidly changing landscape takes you to Bwindi Lodge, which looks across to the towering trees of the forest. Depending on when you arrive, there maybe time to explore the lodge grounds with its clear mountain stream or visit the local village.

• You can also visit the Bwindi bar located just 3 minutes from the lodge. They serve chilled drinks and delicious snacks at pocket friendly prices. A few minutes at Bwindi bar will give you an insight in what life in Bwindi Community is like.

• Approximate Travel Times: Driving 6 hours

• O/N Bwindi Lodge (B,L,D)

DAY 6

• After enjoying an early breakfast, you set off gorilla tracking. Trekking through the steep, densely forested hills and then finally coming across the gorillas camouflaged in the vegetation is an inspiring and privileged moment. Tracking in the Bwindi forest requires stamina and can often take most of the day.

• Alternatively there are other activities and excursions on offer in and around the national park:
> Take a guided walk in the rainforest, home to several endemic bird species, clouds of butterflies and rare plant life. This walk offers excellent photographic opportunities and the knowledgeable guide will provide a great insight into this globally important habitat.
> Walk through the local village, and learn about community life and Bwindi Community Hospital that started as a health clinic under a tree and now provides vital medical and educational services to over 60,000 people.
> Also take a tour of our local tea processing operation at the lodge which enables guests to see the various different methods for tea growing and at the end of the tour taste some of our own grown tea!
> Discover the traditions of the Batwa Pygmies, and learn about the native tribal inhabitants of the forest. The indigenous people of Bwindi forest, though no longer resident in the forest, still practice many of their traditional hunter-gatherer skills.

• O/N Bwindi Lodge (B,L,D)

DAY 7

• Transfer from Bwindi lodge to the Kihihi airstrip.

• Departure time from Kihihi aistrip at 09:45am (arrive at 11:25am) or departure time of 14:05pm-2:05 pm (arrive at 15:55-3:55pm) to Entebbe and connect in time for your return flight home.

• Approximate Travel Times: Flying 2 hours; Driving 2 hours

• Please book return flights departing after 8:00pm

Uganda tourist visas

The latest advice from the Uganda immigration service is the following:

Nationals of the USA, the European Union, and Japan require a tourist visa and should apply in advance of travel to Uganda. The visa fee of $50 is payable upon arrival at any Uganda entry point.

Uganda tourist visas are NOT required by nationals of Ireland, the East Africa community, COMESA. Other nationals should check the Uganda immigration website.

Applications for all Ugandan visas should be made online on the Uganda immigration website.

A single entry visa to Uganda costs US$ 50, and is valid for between two weeks and three months.

For more information about Uganda tourist visas, contact:

In the UK, the Ugandan Embassy is located at Uganda House, 58/59 Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DX. Telephone: +44 (0)20 7839 5783.

In the USA, the Uganda Embassy is located at 5811 16th Street NW, Washington DC 20011. Telephone: +1 202 726 7100.

Please visit the Uganda immigration website for more information on different visa types.

List of Ugandan diplomatic missions around the world.

Please note that immigration rules and visa costs are subject to change at late notice.

Gorilla Parks and Gorilla Families

The Mountain gorilla lives in four parks in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

In Uganda, the gorillas can be trekked in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga National Park.

In Rwanda, the Gorillas can be tracked in the Parc National des Volcans (PNV) where the famous Primatologist Dian Fossey conducted her ground-breaking research.

Virunga National Park in the DRC also has a number of habituated gorilla families but A.T. Adventures International does not currently take clients there.

UGANDA

Uganda has twelve habituated gorilla families with eight permits available daily for each family group.

Eleven of the twelve habituated gorilla families live in the thick tropical forest of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Bwindi’s steep hillsides make tracking more challenging than Mgahinga National Park in Uganda and PNV in Rwanda. Trekking the mountain gorillas in Bwindi can take 3-10 hours after leaving the Park headquarters.

Five of Bwindi’s Gorilla families (Mubare, Habinyanja, Oruzogo, Bitukura and Rushegura) are accessed from Buhoma in the north, for guests staying at Bwindi Lodge. An additional six families can be tracked from Southern Bwindi, which is accessed from Kisoro, for guests staying at Mount Gahinga Lodge. These gorilla families are Nkuringo, Nshongi, Kahunje, Busigye, Bikingi and Bweza.

The Mubare Family: 12 members including 1 silverback.
Mubare is the oldest habituated gorilla group in Bwindi. The group is named after the Mubare Hills, where the family was first spotted and was habituated between 1991 and 1993. The family is led by silverback Kanyonyi.
15-30 minutes from Bwindi Lodge.

The Habinyanja Family: 17 members with 1 silverbacks.
Habinyanja means ‘body of water.’ This family was habituated in 1997. It was a massive family group that split into two families, the other being the Rushegura family.
1 hour drive from Bwindi Lodge.

The Oruzogo Family: 17 members including 3 silverbacks.
The group was named after the local name of a common plant in this gorilla family’s home range.
2 hour drive from Bwindi Lodge.

The Bitukura Family: 13 members including 4 silverbacks
The family is one of the newer groups in the Impenetrable Forest and was named after the Bitukura river. Their habituation started in 2007 and tracking began in 2008.
2 hour drive from Bwindi Lodge.

The Rushegura Family: 16 members with 1 silverback
The family was habituated in 2000. It is named after the place where this group separated from the larger family of Habinyanja. Their name is taken from a tree species that grows in their home area, ‘Ebishegura’. They are a calm group and often visit the Bwindi Lodge gardens.
15 minutes or less from Bwindi Lodge (It is the nearest group to the lodge).

The Nkuringo Family: 12 members with 2 silverbacks
The family was named after the Nkuringo Hill where the group was first spotted. They were originally habituated in 2004 because of difficulties caused by their destroying crops of local farmers. Now farmers benefit from the tourism they provide.
2 hours from Mount Gahinga Lodge.

The Nshongi Family: 7 members with 1 silverback.
The group was named after the river close to where this gorilla family was first sighted. Nshongi was the largest group to be habituated and were first tracked in 2009.
2 hour drive from Mount Gahinga Lodge.

The Kahungye Family: 18 members including 4 silverbacks.
The group was named after the Kahungye Hill. Visitors have been tracking this family since 2011.
2 hours from Mount Gahinga Lodge.

The Busigye Family: 9 members including 1 silverback.

2 hour drive from Mount Gahinga Lodge.

The Bikingi Family: 15 members including 1 silverback.

2 hour drive from Mount Gahinga Lodge.

The Bweza Family: 12 members including 2 silverbacks.

2 hour drive from Mount Gahinga Lodge.

UGANDA

Uganda’s Mgahinga National Park is home to one habituated gorilla family.

Tracking in Mgahinga (and Rwanda) is usually easier than Bwindi as the afromontane forest is lighter and easier to navigate.

The Nyakagezi Family: 10 members, including 5 silverbacks.
Although this group gained a reputation for being nomadic (crossing the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC) they have been resident in Uganda for nearly three years. They are the oldest habituated mountain gorilla group in Uganda.
5 minutes from Mount Gahinga Lodge (the group tends to move frequently and distance to the group itself varies).

RWANDA

Parc National des Volcans (PNV) in Rwanda has twelve habituated gorilla families with 8 permits available daily for each group. These include Susa, Karisimbi, Sabyinyo, Amahoro, Umubano, Kwitonda, Hirwa, Agashya, Bwenge and Ugyenda. Most groups are half-day walks but Susa can take around 7 hours. Tracking in PNV is usually easier than tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda as the afromontane forest is lighter.

The Susa group: 28 members including 3 silverbacks.
Susa was the largest gorilla group before it split into two and was named after the Susa river. It was the group originally studied by Dian Fossey and is popular because of a pair of twins, Byishimo and Impano.
40 minutes from Virunga Lodge.

The Karisimbi group: 15 members including 3 silverbacks.
This is the family that split from the original Susa family. It has 15 members and it always stays in the lower slopes of Karisimbi Volcano.
40 minutes from Virunga Lodge.

The Sabyinyo group: 12 members including 2 silverbacks.
The group was named after the rugged Sabyinyo Volcano. Sabyinyo means ‘old man’s teeth’ and the group is known to stay between the mountains Sabyinyo and Gahinga, enjoying the gentle slopes and easy terrain.
40 minutes from Virunga Lodge.

The Amahoro group: 17 members including 1 silverback.
Amahoro means ‘peaceful’ and the group is usually extraordinarily gentle and peaceful, which is why they were given the name. It is a tougher climb to reach them, though.
40 minutes from Virunga Lodge.

The Umubano group: 11 members including 1 silverback.
Umubano means ‘live together’ as the group originally formed when it split from the Amahoro group. They still share much of the same territory and there is a peaceful relationship between them.
40 minutes from Virunga Lodge.

The Kwitonda group: 18 members including 2 silverbacks.
Kwitonda means ‘humble one’, a name given to the group after the name of their dominant silverback. They generally stay on the lower slopes of Mount Muhavura but are one of the more difficult tracking experiences.
40 minutes from Virunga Lodge.

The Hirwa group: 12 members including 1 silverback.
Hirwa means ‘lucky one’. Hirwa is a new group that was formed when splinters from Sabyinyo group and Group 13 merged. They have twins and are usually on Mount Sabyinyo.
40 minutes from Virunga Lodge.

The Agasha group: 25 members including 2 silverbacks.
Agasha means ‘the news’. The Agasha group was previously known as Group 13 but was renamed when Agasha challenged the dominant silverback by leading the group away from him and assimilating other individuals from groups or solitary wandering.
40 minutes from Virunga Lodge.

The Bwenge group: 10 members including 1 silverback.
Bwenge means ‘brightness’ and shares much of their territory with the Ugyenda group on Mount Visoke.
40 minutes from Virunga Lodge.

The Ugyenda group: 11 members including 1 silverback.
Ugyenda means ‘departure’. The group usually stays around the Mount Visoke region and the tracking is not too difficult.
40 minutes from Virunga Lodge.

Flights

A.T. Adventures International does not organize or sell international flights.

Flights to Uganda are available from Emirates, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Brussels Airlines, KLM, Egyptair, Ethiopian Airlines, African Express, South Africa Airways and Kenya Airways.

Flights within Uganda are offered by Aerolink which operates twice daily flights between Murchison Falls, Kibale Forest, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi and Kidepo. Fly Uganda also offers scheduled flights to Murchison Falls, Kibale Forest, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi and Kidepo.

Flights to Rwanda are available from Rwandair, KLM, Kenya Airways, Brussels Airlines, Qatar Aiways, Turkish Airlines, South Africa Airways and Ethiopian Airlines.

Helicopter transfers within Rwanda can be arranged daily to Virunga Lodge and other destinations.

Flights within East Africa are operated by Kenya Airways, Precision, Coastal Aviation, Air Uganda and Rwandair, making the connection between Uganda, Rwanda and the savannah plains of Kenya and Tanzania easier than ever before!

Please note that A.T. Adventures International does not handle international flights. The airlines operating to the region are subject to change so please check with the airline concerned. Please also be sure that the timings of your flights connect with the beginning and end times of your safari.