Uganda Holidays & Safaris
Wildlife enthusiasts have long known that Uganda is East Africa’s best kept secret, a lush and spectacularly fertile country with a wide diversity of habitats and host to a remarkable variety of mammals and birds with much more to offer than just gorilla tracking.
Birding Safaris
Africa is renowned as one of the world’s favourite birding destinations with over two thousand species recorded throughout the continent.
Uganda alone has recorded over one thousand of these species and can quite rightly claim to be the premier birding destination in Africa. We can arrange a variety of itineraries taking in all the most important locations including Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi and Kibale Forest National Parks or any other areas that you may wish to visit.
We ensure that you will be accompanied by extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic guides, which is vital on safaris of this nature.
Bwindi National Park
Bwindi National Park is one of Africa’s last great wilderness areas and contains a prolific amount of wildlife including endangered primates and endemic bird species.
This beautiful area of misty rainforest with its extensive stands of bamboo and dense undergrowth is currently home to half of the world’s population of mountain gorilla. Some 300 animals live in this forest in the southwest corner of Uganda and to go trekking through the forest in search of them is one of the most unusual and exciting wildlife experiences left in Africa.
The gorillas move their ‘nests’ every night and so their location can never be guaranteed, but the chances of seeing one of the habituated groups is good and to sit and watch these gentle giants in their natural habitat is a truly rewarding experience.
Please note that the number of trekking permits per day is limited to ensure the gorillas are disturbed as little as possible, it is therefore important to book well in advance.
Our preferred lodges include:
Gorilla Forest Camp
Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge
Volcanoes Safaris Bwindi Lodge
Buhoma Lodge
Fishing on Lake Victoria
Almost one third of Uganda’s surface area is covered by lakes and the greatest of them all, Lake Victoria, is Africa’s largest and contains almost a hundred species of fresh water fish.
The mighty tiger fish and catfish can be found in Lake Albert and below the Murchison Falls, but the real prize is the largest fish in the area, the Giant Nile Perch, which can weigh in at over 150kg.
Around the Ssese Islands in Lake Victoria is the perfect place to try and land one of these monsters or if you want to catch something a little smaller, then the bountiful tilapia can also be great fun to try and catch. We can arrange for full or half day trips onto Lake Victoria.
Kibale Forest National Park
Near to the small town of Fort Portal, centre of the local tea growing area, is the Kibale Forest National Park which plays host to eleven species of primates and is thought to have the highest density of chimpanzees anywhere in the world.
Other than the chimps there are also baboons, red colobus, black and white colobus and grey-cheeked mangabeys. Larger mammals such as duiker, bushbuck, civet and buffalo also live here as do a remarkable number of birds.
This is a stunning area, teeming with life, and it is a real treat to walk here and learn its secrets with some of the best guides in the country.
Our preferred lodges at Kibale are:
Ndali Lodge
Kyaninga Lodge
Kidepo National Park
This is Uganda’s remotest National Park in the far northeast of the country that is rarely visited by tourists and boasts pristine wilderness, rugged mountain scenery and exceptional game viewing and bird watching.
Five primate species, wild dog, striped hyena, lion, cheetah and a remarkable 17 antelope species occur in Kidepo and more than 480 bird species have been recorded with more than 60 that are not found elsewhere in Uganda. Much of the park is arid savannah and acacia country with stands of borassus palms, broken by numerous watercourses which are dry for most of the year.
The most rewarding time to visit is during the dry season between December and early April; during the rains of April-May and July-August travel can be difficult and game hard to locate owing to the long grass. Owing to its remote location it is recommended to fly into the park from Entebbe.
Our preferred lodge in Kidepo National Park is:
Apoka Lodge
Murchison Falls National Park
Uganda’s largest National Park, Murchison Falls is arguably also its most spectacular. It is here that the raging waters of the Victoria Nile are forced through a narrow gap of just several metres, creating the dramatic Murchison Falls. The water at the bottom is so aerated that the river has an abundant fish population that in turn has resulted in a large population of well-fed crocodiles.
The best way of appreciating the river and its wildlife is to take a launch trip towards the falls where there are excellent opportunities to see fantastic bird life including the rare shoebill stork and myriad kingfishers and bee-eaters.
The National Park itself has a steadily improving wildlife population and it is possible to see elephant, Ugandan kob, Rothschild’s giraffe, buffalo and occasionally sitatunga and oribi amongst other large mammals. Otherwise known as Kabalega Falls National Park this is one of East Africa’s most beautiful areas, enjoying a very rich diversity of habitat ranging from rolling savannah and tall grassland to thick bush and riverine woodland.
Our preferred lodges at Murchison Falls include:
Nile Safari Camp
Paraa Safari odge
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Boasting a wide range of habitats – grassy plains, tropical forest, rivers, swamps and a zone of old volcanic craters – Queen Elizabeth National Park was originally established in April 1952 and covers an area of more than 2000 sq. km.
The park is centred around the two lakes of Edward and George which are linked by the Kazinga Channel, a waterway that is incredibly rich in wildlife and hosts one of the highest concentrations of hippopotamus in Africa as well as a prolific array of birdlife including the rare shoebill stork, kingfishers, flamingoes and the black bee-eater.
An early morning or evening boat trip along the channel allows a close look at the elephant, buffalo and various species of antelope that come to the banks to drink. There are some beautiful game drive tracks, which take you through savannah grasslands and acacia woodlands and to stunning Crater lakes. The park is also known as Rwenzori National Park on account of the mighty Rwenzori Range to the north, the famed ‘Mountains of the Moon’ which rise to over 16,000 ft.
Our preferred camps & lodges in Queen Elizabeth National Park include:
Ishasha Wilderness Camp
Jacana Safari Lodge
Mweya Lodge
Kyambura Gorge Lodge
Katara Lodge
Ecologically Uganda is where the East African savannah meets the West African jungle. Where else can one observe lions prowling the open plains in the morning and track chimpanzees through the rain forest undergrowth the same afternoon, then the next day navigate tropical channels teeming with hippo and crocodiles before setting off into the misty mountains to stare deep into the eyes of a mountain gorilla? For those looking for an adrenalin hit then a visit to Jinja – the adventure capital of East Africa – is a treat not to be missed.
Certainly Uganda is no ordinary safari destination.
Murchison Falls Extension
This 4 day extension, starting and finishing in Kampala, can be added to the beginning or end of any Uganda itinerary.
Murchison Falls National Park with the meandering Victoria Nile and the dramatic Murchison Falls is Uganda’s largest protected area, providing a stunning semi arid habitat for a variety of wildlife including elephant, buffalo, giraffe and lion.
The launch trip to the bottom of the Falls is unforgettable, both to experience this mighty river and to see the crocodiles, hippos and birds that bask on its banks. In the nearby Budongo Forest you have the opportunity to track chimpanzees and go bird watching.
Day 1 – Transfer from Kampala to Murchison Falls National Park – Nile Safari Camp – 3 nights
Days 2 & 3 – Two full days of game drives and boat trips
Day 4 – Transfer to Kampala
2015 price from £875 per person
(Price based on two people sharing a twin/double room excluding the cost of international flights London/Entebbe/London).
Uganda Odyssey
Incorporating a selection of the most exciting and unspoiled wildlife areas in East Africa, this 14 days driving safari blends game drives and boat trips with some excellent bush walking.
After arriving in Entebbe, you head off by exclusive 4X4 Land Cruiser with your naturalist guide to Murchison Falls National Park. Staying in the luxurious Nile Safari Camp, you cruise to the base of Murchison Falls, famous for the raw power of its frothing waters as they are funneled through a narrow rock cleft. Here you can see giant crocodiles, large pods of hippo and, if lucky, the rare shoebill stork.
After two nights at Ndali Lodge on the edge of Kibale Forest searching on foot for the resident populations of chimpanzees and other primates and mammals, you continue to the famed Bwindi Impenetrable Forest where you go tracking on foot for the threatened mountain gorilla population. From here you head to Queen Elizabeth National Park to experience the park’s surprisingly varied habitats in which lion, elephant, buffalo and hippo are all to be found. You also trek in the Chambura Gorge in search of our nearest ancestor, the chimpanzee before heading to Lake Mburo National Park.
You then drive back to Entebbe via Kampala for your last night and flight back to London.
Day 1 – Depart London Heathrow – Arrive Entebbe – Lake Victoria Hotel – 1 night
Day 2 – Transfer to Murchinson Falls National Park – Nile Safari Lodge – 3 nights
Days 3 & 4 -Game Drives, game walks and a boat trip to the base of the Falls
Day 5 – Transfer to Kibale Forest – Ndali Lodge – 2 nights
Day 6 – Chimpanzee tracking
Day 7 – Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park – Mweya Lodge – 2 nights
Day 8 – Game drives, game walks, boat trip on the Kazinga Channel
Day 9 – Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest – Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge – 2 nights
Day 10 – Gorilla Tracking
Day 11 – Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park – Mihingo Lodge – 2 nights
Day 12 – Game drives, forest and savannah walks
Day 13 – Transfer to Entebbe for departure flight
Day 14 – Arrive London Heathrow
2015 price from £4,800 per person
(Price based on two people sharing a twin/double room excluding the cost of international flights London/Entebbe/London).
Pearl of Africa
In the dark primeval forests you search for man’s shy cousins: the mountain gorilla and the chimpanzee. The 650 mountain gorillas left in the world are to be found only in the mists of the dramatic Virunga volcanoes and in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
On the savannah plains below the lofty Mountains of the Moon reside the big game of Queen Elizabeth National Park: elephant, lion, buffalo, hippo & leopard. The launch cruise along the Kazinga Channel, linking Lakes Edward and George, is especially rewarding for seeing many animals & birds.
This safari includes one gorilla permit, but it is possible to track the gorillas up to five times and the supplement can be paid at the time of booking.
Day 1 – Depart London Heathrow
Day 2 – Arrive Entebbe – Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park – Kyambura Gorge Lodge- 3 nights
Day 3 – Morning and evening game drives
Day 4 – Morning Chimpanzee tracking, afternoon boat trip on the Kazinga Channel
Day 5 – Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest – Volcanoes Bwindi Lodge – 3 nights
Day 6 – Gorilla Tracking
Day 7 – Optional activities
Day 8 – Transfer to Mgahinga National Park – Mount Gahinga Lodge – 2 nights
Day 9 – Optional activities
Day 10 – Transfer to Rwanda and Parc National des Volcans – Volcanoes Virunga Lodge – 3 nights
Days 11 & 12 – Optional activities
Day 13 – Transfer to Kigali for departure flight
Day 14 – Arrive London Heathrow
2015 price from £5,495 per person
(Price based on two people sharing a twin/double room excluding the cost of international flights London/Entebbe & Kigali/London).