uganda 8 days | 2019 uganda highlights Kidepo National Park - rolling grasslands and wildlife Murchison Falls Ndali - Fort Portal, western Uganda Kibale National Park and Chimpanzee trekking Scenic over the snowy peaks of the Rwenzoris - ‘Mountains of the Moon’ Kazinga Channel boat cruise - Nile crocodile and swimming elephant Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, endangered Mountain Gorilla Lake Mburo National Park - landscapes, wildlife and birds Mountain springs, Rwenzori Mountains kidepo valley uganda apoka lodge itinerary Day One & Two - Meet your heli and pilot at Entebbe Airport and fly to the north eastern corner of Uganda. Enjoy the wildlife and landscapes of Kidepo. Apoka Lodge murchison falls bakers lodge Day Three & Four - Fly south west to the Murchison Falls. Boat cruise and wildlife experience. Bakers Lodge Lake Albert Day Five - Continue south to the Great Lakes Region of western Uganda. Afternoon Kibale Forest Chimpanzee Mt Elgon Trek. Evening flight over the Rwenzori mountains. Ndali Lodge uganda Day Six - Kazinga Channel boat cruise. Fly south to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, via the ‘salt gardens’ of Lake fort portal Katwa. Clouds is our lodge for the next ndali lodge 2 nights - perfectly positioned on ‘Nteko entebbe Ridge’, high above the afro-montane Start & End forest on the south side of Bwindi. Rwenzoris Clouds Gorilla Mountain Lodge Kazinga Channel Day Seven - Gorilla Trekking. Clouds Lake Edward Gorilla Mountain Lodge Queen Elizabeth National Park Lake Victoria Day Eight - Fly west to Lake Mburo National Park. Mount Mihingo Lodge Day Nine - Early departure back to bwindi impenetrable forest Entebbe Airport. Safari ends! clouds UGANDA kidepo valley - North east Uganda - Situated in the far north east, Kidepo is Uganda’s most remote national park. The pristine wilderness with rolling savannah grassland and rugged spectacular mountain landscape has a constant source of ground water. © Richard Roberts © Richard Roberts An astounding 475 bird species are found here - including some of the rarest and most sought after birds such as Black-breasted Barbet and Karamoja Apallis. Kidepo has 80 mammal species, 28 of which are found in no other park in Uganda. © Richard Roberts apoka lodge - Kidepo Valley - Located in the heart of Kidepo Valley, Apoka is a small lodge, with 10 semi- tented rooms, surrounding a rocky kopje with endless views across the golden savannah. The rooms offer comfort beyond expectations, with private verandas, looking out over the © Richard Roberts vast plains, dotted with wildlife. The lodge has a beautiful rock swimming pool. Guests can walk with experienced guides along the sandy river bed, as well as enjoy exciting game drives, and visit the Karamajong cultural village. © Richard Roberts scenic flight - Granite Inselbergs - murchison falls - White Nile - The Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s largest conservation area, through which flows the River Nile from its source at Lake Victoria to Lake Albert. These incredible Falls are in the heart of the Park - where the Nile is channeled through a narrow gorge, creating one of the world’s most powerful flows of natural water. bakers lodge - Murchison Falls - Bakers Lodge is set on the southern bank of the Nile, amongst shady trees and adjacent to a wetland area where the birdlife is abundant. The thatched living areas are raised on wooden decks with an outstanding 180 degree view of the river. Its 6 luxury and spacious ensuite cottages are also elevated to give the best views. Named after the British explorer Samuel Baker, famous for his explorations in the late 1800’s, Bakers Lodge is the perfect destination to make the most of Murchison’s natural treasures. boat cruise - Murchison Falls - lake albert - Uganda Congo border - The shimmering waters of Lake Albert, a fresh water lake lying between two parallel escarpments, supports thousands of people that depend on commercial fishing activities. Small fishing boats dock for the night, and nets are untangled, repaired and laid out for the morning. western uganda - Fort Portal - Over 85% of Ugandans live in rural areas, and depend on subsistence agriculture - the rich soils and favourable climate mean that small scale farms are very productive. © Tom Parker ndali lodge - Fort Portal - Ndali Lodge near Fort Portal in western Uganda is the perfect base to explore the beautiful snow-covered mountain peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains. The Lodge is perched on the rim of an extinct volcano, in which lies the breath-taking Lake Nyinambuga. Ndali is a family run business, with 8 ensuite cottages. From Ndali one can trek in Kibale forest in search of chimpanzees. There are also many lovely walks around Ndali estate, and the neighbouring vanilla plantation. kibale forest - National Park - With lush tropical rainforest and a fascinating diversity of animals, Kibale National Park is one of the most beautiful and stunning forests in Uganda, with Africa’s highest diversity and density of primates. chimpanzees - Kibale Forest - The forests, hills and valleys of Kibale National Park are home to a highly protected population of Chimps (over 1,450 individuals). These tropical rainforests have the highest diversity and density of primates in Africa. Red tailed monkeys, colobus monkeys and olive baboons also thrive here, and the bird life is prolific. rwenzori mountains - Uganda Congo border - Known as the ‘Mountains of the Moon’ - not only are the Rwenzori’s permanently snow capped, but the largest glaciers in Africa are found here. © Richard Roberts queen elizabeth - scenic flight - In western Uganda, in the shadow of the Rwenzori mountains, lies the magnificent Queen Elizabeth National Park, set between Lake Edward and Lake George. Characterised by a mosaic of habitats - open savannah, papyrus wetlands, lowland forest and green meadows, Queen Elizabeth is home to a diverse array of wildlife species. There are only 2 populations of lion in the world that climb trees, one of which live in the Ishasha plains in the south of the park, the other at Lake Manyara in Tanzania. © John Moller kazinga channel - Queen Elizabeth National Park - The 32km Kazinga Channel, that links Lake Edward and Lake George, is one of Queen Elizabeth National Park’s greatest attractions. It is a magnet for wildlife - elephant, buffalo, Nile © Richard Roberts crocodile, and one of the world’s largest concentrations of hippos. Birdlife is thrilling, and particularly unique are the shoebill stork, African Skimmer, Papyrus Gonolek and Black bee-eater. boat cruise - Kazinga Channel - lake katwa - salt gardens - Inside Queen Elizabeth National Park lies Lake Katwe - a crater lake which several streams drain into, but without an outlet, and intense evaporation has resulted in the water having a 60% salinity. Salt mining here dates back to the 13th century, and remains the main source of income among the inhabitants. - Mountain Chain of - virunga The Virunga Mountains are a chain of 8 volcanoes running along the borders of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda, 7 of which are found in the Virunga National Park and only two are active – Mount Nyamuragira and Mount Nyiragongo. © Richard Roberts bwindi impenetrable - National Park - Within the remote Kigezi highlands of south western Uganda, deep in the Virunga mountain range is the primeval forest of Bwindi - a region of tremendous beauty, best known for its endangered Mountain Gorilla. This is a pristine habitat rich in biodiversity, and unique in that it has both lowland and montane forest, with diverse species of trees, ferns, butterflies and birds. Steep hills and narrow valleys, along with the dense vegetation, means that Bwindi Impenetrable forest - as its name suggests - is only accessible by foot. © Richard Roberts clouds - Mountain Gorilla Lodge - ‘Clouds’ is located in the southern corner of Bwindi National Park, with the gorilla walking trails starting at the lodge. Surrounded by rich vegetation and botanical gardens, the 10 spacious and cosy cottages overlook the Virunga volcanoes. ‘Clouds’ is a community tourism venture, dedicated to protecting the forest habitat. Partners in the lodge are the Nkuringo community, who are actively engaged in forest conservation, and directly benefit from gorilla tourism. mountain gorilla - Bwindi Impenetrable Forest - The last remaining habitat of the Mountain Gorilla is within the Virunga Mountains. This highly endangered charismatic animal is the flagship species that has enthused the conservation of the entire array of wildlife and habitat that make up this unique part of our planet. gorilla trekking - Bwindi Impenetrable Forest - Half the world’s population of Mountain Gorilla are resident in Bwindi - the 340 individuals are constantly monitored for their protection. In the company of experienced guides, we will have the privileged opportunity to trek in search of the ‘Nkuringo’ and ‘Habinyanja’ groups – both which have 19 and 15 gorillas respectively and 2 silverbacks each. lake mutanda - Virunga Mountain Range - The Virunga Mountains are a chain of eight major volcanoes on the border of Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo. The third highest of the range is Mount Muhavura which stands over 4000 meters tall, and although it is the youngest of 8 volcanoes, it lies dormant. An afternoon flight will take us over this dramatic landscape, dominated by cone shaped volcanoes - carpeted green, with intriguing volcanic crater lakes. lake mburo - National Park - The smallest of Uganda’s savannah national parks, Lake Mburo National Park harbors several wildlife species not found anywhere else in Uganda, including Impala (from which Kampala city derives its name), Eland, and only one of the three protected areas countrywide where Burchell’s zebra occurs. It also leopard, hippo and buffalo, and has over 310 species of birds. The combination of woodland, savannah, rock-kopjes, wetlands and the lake, provides a diverse habitat for an array of life, and never disappoints when visiting. mihingo lodge - Lake Mburo - Set atop a small hilly rock, Mihingo lodge commands a stunning expansive view of the Lake Mburo National Park. The 10 en-suite thatched cottages are built on wooden platforms with stunning views.