This small group adventure holiday takes you on an exciting 7-day journey to explore the wildlife, the gorillas, and the mighty river Nile in Uganda.
The trip starts off in Kampala and takes you to Jinja where you get to raft the great river Nile at its source. Jinja is regarded as the adventure capital of East Africa and will give you an adrenaline rush to blow your mind.
Your journey will then turn back west and go to Queen Elizabeth National Park where you will see all kinds of savannah wildlife and birds. You will then ascend the Kigezi highlands and go to the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – home of endangered mountain gorillas.
You will hike in the thick and dark rainforest in search of gorillas, and you will meet them for 1 hour before hiking back. From Bwindi, you will return to Kampala and complete your trip with a stopover at the equator line for some photos and some crafts shopping.
This trip is ideal for someone who wants to see gorillas and savannah wildlife as well as the adventure activities that are popular around the source of the Nile. Look through the detailed day-by-day program to get a feel of how your safari would flow.
As with all our safari packages, we can customize this Small Group Adventure Safari package to fit your personal preferences. Just reach out to us and we’ll be eager to help you.
Safari Highlights
- Entebbe International Airport /Kampala
- Source of the Nile & Jinja City
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Kazinga Channel
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- The Equator line
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Airport pick up, transfer to Kampala
Our driver/guide will wait for you at Entebbe International Airport and welcome you to Uganda. You will then be transferred to your hotel for the night.
Your guide will also brief you on the details and expectations of your specific Small Group Adventure Safari such that everyone is well prepared and ready.
Accommodation:
| Standard | Boma Hotel |
| Comfort | Cassia Lodge |
| Luxury | Serena Hotel Kampala |
Meal plan: Dinner
Day 2: White Water Rafting Adventure in Jinja
Today you will go Rafting on the Nile and see a number of falls, also tour Jinja town depending on the time available. In the evening you will be transferred back to Kampala for your overnight stay.
Accommodation:
| Standard | Boma Hotel |
| Comfort | Cassia Lodge |
| Luxury | Serena Hotel Kampala |
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 3: Drive from Kampala to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast, you drive for about 5 hours with a stop for lunch in the cozy town of Fort Portal then later continue to Queen Elizabeth National Park. This is Uganda’s second largest park and is located at the base of the majestic Rwenzori Mountain range, adjacent to Lake Edward and Lake George.
The park has prolific wildlife including Gazelle, Uganda Kob, Warthog, and Waterbuck. Lions are often sighted both in and around the entrance to the park.
Be prepared for huge numbers of Hippo and Elephant, and keep your eyes peeled for a leopard lazing in the sunshine. Watch wildlife at the waterhole from your own private verandah and fall asleep to the roaring of lions on the distant savannah.
Accommodation:
| Standard | Bush Lodge |
| Comfort | Kasenyi Safari Camp |
| Luxury | Kyambura Gorge Lodge |
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 4: Wildlife viewing & Boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth N.P
After breakfast, you will go for an early morning wildlife safari game drive in this park. With the massive Rwenzori Mountains as a backdrop, this provides excellent opportunities to see lions, leopards, giant forest hog, cape buffalo, elephants, defassa waterbuck, Uganda Kobs, Topi, and bushbuck.
Queen Elizabeth National Park’s diverse eco-system of grassy plains, tropical forests, rivers, swamps, lakes, and volcanic craters is home to an incredible abundance of wildlife.
After lunch, you will go on a 2-3 hour boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel and into Lake Edward. This trip passes through possibly the highest concentration of hippos and many animals may be seen drinking at the water’s edge.
This launch cruise offers an excellent platform for photography, bird watching, and game viewing. The prolific bird life is colorful and stupendous with more than 600 different species.
You will be transferred back to your lodge after the boat trip.
Accommodation:
| Standard | Bush Lodge |
| Comfort | Kasenyi Safari Camp |
| Luxury | Kyambura Gorge Lodge |
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 5: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
After early morning breakfast, today we drive from Ishasha to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
This is a 5 hours journey passing through the “Switzerland of Africa” area known as the Kigezi Highlands, with its terraced hillside and winding roads to the Bwindi forest. We will have a stop-over on our journey in Kabale town for lunch.
Accommodation:
| Standard | Buhoma Community Camp |
| Comfort | Rushaga Gorilla Camp |
| Luxury | Mahogany Springs Lodge |
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 6: Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Early morning after breakfast, get ready for an encounter with one of Bwindi’s gentle giants: the rare Mountain Gorilla. For most people, this is the absolute highlight of their tour in Uganda.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest boasts both Mountain Gorillas and Chimpanzees – the only forest in Africa which can make this. It also hosts five other species of primate, 113 species of mammal, over 200 butterflies, and 360 birds.
The Gorillas you will track belong to one of nine habituated family groups that can tolerate the presence of humans for a brief period every day. Your trek will be an exciting journey along forested slopes, entwined vines, bushes, and bamboo before you eventually reach the Gorilla’s habitat.
En route, your guide will point out signs of previous Gorilla activity, including dung, nests, and chewed bamboo shoots. The time taken by Gorilla trekking can be as little as 2 hours to as much as 7 hours before one returns.
Once the Gorillas have been located, your group will be allowed a maximum of one hour with them. Coming face-to-face with a Mountain Gorilla is a truly humbling and emotional experience. This is a fantastic and privileged opportunity to get up close and personal with Uganda’s very own Gorillas in the Mist.
In the Evening visit the community and interact with the local people.
Accommodation:
| Standard | Buhoma Community Camp |
| Comfort | Rushaga Gorilla Camp |
| Luxury | Mahogany Springs Lodge |
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 7: Drive back to Kampala
After breakfast, you continue your drive back to Kampala or Entebbe (Airport). Of course, you stop at the equator, the best place for your souvenir shopping.
Your tourist driver/guide will bring you to your accommodation in Kampala/Entebbe or to Entebbe Airport (this is only possible if your flight leaves at midnight or later).
Accommodation: None. (Last day)
Meal plan: Breakfast & Lunch
This will mark the end of your 7-day Small Group Adventure Safari in Uganda.
Inclusions;
- Transport in a 4WD vehicle with a pop-up roof.
- All fuel for the tour
- English-speaking Ugandan driver/guide.
- Accommodation and Meals on Full Board (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner)
- Park-entrance fees for all National parks
- All activities described in the itinerary
- 1 Gorilla tracking permit per person.
- 1 Chimpanzee tracking permit per person
- Drinking water throughout the safari.
Exclusions;
- International airfares
- Entry visa to Uganda
- Meals that are not part of your accommodation.
- A porter. Helps to carry your backpack & push/pull you on the slippery slopes.
- Personal (medical/travel) insurance
- Tips and gratuities to rangers, driver/guide, porter, hotel staff, etc.
- Expenses of personal nature (e.g. drinks, laundry, optional activities.)
This 7-days Small group adventure can be customized to include more attractions or exclude some as you may see fit. Here are other relevant safari packages to inspire you some more.
