9 night / 10 day Scheduled Classical Uganda Safari package starting and ending in Entebbe including meet and greet service, return airport transfers from / to Entebbe airport, accommodation in top quality hotels / lodges, all meals on safari, services of driver / guide, all park entry fees, excursion to Ngamba Chimpanzee Island Sanctuary by boat, forest walk in Bwindi or Rwanda, game drives in Lake Mburo and either a guided walk or baoting excursion, game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park and a boat cruise on Kazinga Channel.

Excluding visas, drinks, travel insurance, and all items of a personal nature.

Two gorilla tracking opportunities are available in this itinerary.

2012 Scheduled Uganda Safari rate: USD 3420

Includes:
Meet & greet service, airport transfers to Entebbe/return, accommodation in top quality hotels / lodges, meals as above, services of driver/guide, all park entry fees, excursion to Ngamba Chimpanzee Island by boat & entrance fees. Forest walk Bwindi or Rwanda, game drives in Lake Mburo and either guided walk or boating excursion. Game drives in QENP & Boat cruise on Kazinga Channel in QENP.
Note chimp and gorilla permits shown separately.

Excludes:
Visas, permits, drinks, travel insurance, items of a personal nature. Gorilla & Chimp tracking permits.
NB – Should guests not be able to visit Ngamba due to flight connections etc, a deduction of USD64 applies if notified at time of booking.

2012 Scheduled Departure Dates
THU 12 Jan – Sat 21 Jan 2012
THU 16 Feb – Sat 25 Feb 2012
THU 8 Mar – Sat 17 Mar 2012
THU 12 Apr – Sat 21 Apr 2012
THU 7 June – Sat 16 June 2012
FRI 29 June – Sun 8 July 2012
SAT 14 July – Mon 23 July 2012
THU 19 July- Sat 28 July 2012
FRI 10 August – 19 August 2012
THU 16 Aug – Sat 25 Aug 2012
THU 13 Sep – Sat 22 Sep 2012
FRI 21 Sep – Sun 30 September 2012
THU 11 Oct – Sat 20 Oct 2012
THU 15 Nov – Sat 24 Nov 2012
THU 27 Dec – Sat 5 Jan 2013

Private departures are available at any time.

Private departure rates: 1 Jan – 31 Dec 2012
(Xmas & Easter supp excl)
Four persons +: USD 3420 pp sharing
Three persons: USD 3730 pp sharing
Two persons: USD 4350 pp sharing
One person alone: USD 6300 + USD 505 srs

Gorilla permits excluded USD 500 per trek / USD 350 low
Chimp permit Chamburu USD 50 per trek
Chimp permit Kibale USD 150 per trek

Day 1: On arrival in Entebbe, you will be met at the airport by a representative and transferred your hotel in Entebbe.

Travel this afternoon from Entebbe pier by boat, across Lake Victoria to Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary and view a chimpanzee feeding session close-up from the visitor's platform area. Listen to a talk by sanctuary staff, view a neighbouring fishing village, enjoy some fantastic bird-watching and other wildlife encounters, with the option to swim on the equator, or just sunbathe and relax before returning to Entebbe. (Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary excursion could go at the end of the itinerary depending on your flight arrival time)

Overnight at Lake Victoria Hotel, or similar, on a bed and breakfast basis.

Spacious and elegant, the Lake Victoria Hotel nestles in well-manicured, palm-studded gardens. Step over the threshold of Lake Victoria Hotel into an oasis of tranquillity in classic colonial style. Each room is equipped with air-conditioning, and the veranda or terrace overlooks the tropical gardens and calm beauty of Lake Victoria. Service with a smile is the established hallmark of Lake Victoria Hotel. The staff take pleasure in making you feel like an honoured guest from the moment you arrive and consider it their privilege to serve you well during your stay.

Entebbe is a small town located on the edge of Lake Victoria. Depending on your time of arrival, you may like to spend some time exploring the town on foot, or you can take a taxi to Kampala and visit the craft and curio markets, or the Kasubi Tombs and Museum there. In Entebbe there is the Wildlife Education Centre where you can see close-up the large slow-moving Shoebill Stork, or you can try your hand at golf on the local 9-hole golf course.

Ngamba Island is a project of the Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust (CSWCT), established in 1997 by the Born Free Foundation (UK), International Fund for Animal Welfare (USA), the Jane Goodall Institute (Germany and Uganda), the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre Trust (UWECT) and the Zoological Board of New South Wales (Australia) and it provides orphaned chimpanzees with a secure home to live out their lives, since a return to their natural habitat is not possible, while educating visitors and local communities about their remarkable species and the importance of conserving their fragile forest habitat. Ngamba Island consists of approximately 100 acres, 98 of which are forested and separated from the visitors area by an electric fence. Ngamba Island was officially opened to visitors in October 1999 and is currently home to 40 orphaned chimpanzees.

Day 2:
After breakfast, drive to Lake Mburo National Park, approximately 5 hours from Entebbe. Enjoy an afternoon game drive, a boat cruise on Lake Mburo, or a walk with a local guide.

Overnight at Mantana Lake Mburo Tented Camp, or similar, on a full board basis.

Mantana Lake Mburo Tented Camp is a classic tented camp in the grand safari tradition, providing the only luxury accommodation inside the Lake Mburo National Park. It is set in a commanding hilltop position overlooking Lake Mburo and its surrounding eco-system. Each of the guest tents are set on wooden platforms with veranda, twin bedroom, dressing room and en-suite bush shower and toilet. Solar power electric lighting is fitted in each tent. The dining and bar facilities are also set on raised wooden platforms that provide stunning views of Lake Mburo. Lake Mburo Tented Camp provides first class service and comfort in a truly tranquil and natural setting, in the classic African safari tradition.

Lake Mburo National Park, which is 260 square kilometres in size, was gazetted in 1982 as Uganda's fourth national park. It is composed primarily of grassland, wetland and acacia woodland habitats. At the centre of the park lies Lake Mburo which, together with 14 other lakes in the area, forms part of an extensive wetland system. The park is home to topi, eland, klipspringer, zebra, buffalo, oribi, sitatunga, and leopard as well as an excellent variety of water and acacia savannah bird species like crested crane, marabou stork and bronze-tailed starling.

Day 3:
Depart after breakfast and drive to the west of Uganda, along mountain roads, to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest - where permits are held. Lunch will be en-route. This journey takes you through the mountainous areas of southern Uganda, often referred to as the Little Switzerland of Africa, with great views and vistas of this lush green area.

Overnight at Buhoma Lodge, or similar, on a full board basis.
Please note: Overnight may take place in Rwanda.

Buhoma Lodge, one of only two located inside Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, is on the edge of the forest offering spectacular views of the forest, and is only a short walk to the starting point for gorilla tracking. Its peaceful location means that you may truly relax after your tracking experience while you listen to the birds and primates in the forest. Each cottage has its own private veranda and is self-contained with a shower, flush toilet and basin. There is a cosy central lounge area for you to unwind around the evening fire, and meals are served in a separate dining room.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is located in south-western Uganda, covering parts of Rukungiri, Kisoro and Kabale Districts. This is the richest forest in Uganda in terms of the number of plant species as the area is one of the few large expanses of forest in East Africa where lowland and montane communities merge. The valley bottoms contain a dense ground cover of herbs, vines and shrubs, with only a few trees - hence its name "the Impenetrable Forest". This is also one of the richest faunal communities in East Africa where about one half of the world's population of the endangered Mountain Gorillas live. The forest is also home to several endangered species of birds.

Day 4:
You will be escorted to the National Parks headquarters after breakfast to meet your guides for the day for your gorilla trekking experience. An early morning trek into the forest on the slopes of the volcanoes, led by experienced trackers, will bring you amongst a family of Mountain Gorillas. These massive primates are extremely rare, with only approximately 650 remaining. You will get within metres of the family, and be privileged to spend time with them. Time permitting, return to the camp for a late lunch with the opportunity of forest walks with the guides, or just to relax.

Overnight at Buhoma Lodge, or similar, on a full board basis.
Please note: Trekking and overnight may take place in Rwanda.

The trekking may be fairly strenuous - up to six hours or longer is not uncommon - at relatively high altitudes. Mountain Gorillas are wild animals and, as such, sightings cannot be guaranteed. The success rate however is well over 90%.

Day 5:
Today, for those who have opted for a second Gorilla Trek, set off once again into the forest in search of one of the gorilla families. Those not trekking will be able to go on a forest walk in Bwindi looking for birds and primates with a local, knowledgeable guide, go on a local community village walk, or indulge in some curio shopping. After lunch at the camp, head in a northerly direction to the Ishasha area of Queen Elizabeth National Park, approximately 3 hours drive from Bwindi.

Overnight at Ishasha Wilderness Camp, or similar, in Queen Elizabeth National Park on a full board basis.

With the backdrop of the Rwenzori Mountains to the north and the Virunga Volcanoes to the south, there are few places on earth to rival the scenery in the Queen Elizabeth National Park. The exclusive Ishasha Wilderness Camp is located on the Ntungwe River within the southern Ishasha sector of the park - an idyllic retreat for those who truly enjoy the wilderness. Each of the ten spacious East African-style meru tents, situated in the wooded area beside the river, is comfortably furnished and consists of its own private en-suite bathroom and dressing area providing hot water "bush" showers and an eco-friendly toilet.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is spread over an area of 1,978 square kilometres in the western arm of the Great East Rift Valley. It is home to a variety of wildlife including elephant, lion, hippo, buffalo, Uganda Kob, baboon and birds, all typical of riverine and savannah habitats. In the southern part of the park is the Ishasha area with tree-climbing lions and the Maramagambo, one of the largest surviving natural forests in Uganda. The northern part of the park is traversed by the equator and is dominated by the scenery of crater lakes with lots of flamingos on some of them. A game viewing boat cruise from Mweya along the Kazinga channel, which joins Lake Edward and Lake George, provides one of the most memorable experiences of the park.

Day 6:
Drive through to the Mweya region of Queen Elizabeth National Park and enjoy a game drive and a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel. Overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge, or similar, on a full board basis.

Mweya Safari Lodge is located on a peninsula within the heart of the spectacular Queen Elizabeth National Park. It is a safari lodge compared to no other, with sumptuous accommodation, breathtaking views from every room, an abundance of game and some of the best bird-watching in East Africa. Each and every room is luxurious, with a balcony overlooking the Kazinga Channel and Lake Edward, a private bathroom and electricity.

Day 7:
Game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge, or similar, on a full board basis.

Day 8:
Early morning, head to Kibale Forest. Enjoy an afternoon forest walk.

Overnight at Primate Lodge, or similar, on a full board basis.

Primate Lodge in Kibale is an exclusive eco-lodge situated in the heart of Kibale Forest National Park. It is surrounded by a lush tropical forest which is home to 13 different species of primates, including the chimpanzee. Privately secluded in the rainforest, this safari lodge offers you a truly authentic jungle experience. The lodge features eight luxury safari tents, seven comfortable forest cottages, and an adventurous Tree House. All the rooms are privately situated within the forest, making it an ideal place to unwind and enjoy the natural surrounding beauty.

Kibale Forest is one of Uganda's enchanted forested parks. Here you can hike in the park for hours observing the drama of life in a rain forest. The park contains pristine lowland tropical rain forest, montane forest, and mixed tropical deciduous forest. In addition to forest, you will also notice areas of grassland and swamp. The forest is rich in wildlife. It is most noted for its primate population. Some of these are red-tailed monkey, diademed monkey, olive baboon, chimpanzee, black and white colobus, and red colobus. Some of the other mammals you might see are bushbuck, Harvey's red duiker, blue duiker, bush pig and African Civet. More difficult to spot are buffalo, waterbuck, hippo, warthog and giant forest hog. The birdlife in the forest and grassland is abundant. There are almost 300 species which have been identified here. There are 144 species of butterfly in the park and a diverse population of moths and other insects. A system of trails has been developed within the park, and tour guides are available to guide visitors.

Day 9:
Today you have the opportunity for chimpanzee tracking. Alternatively, spend the day relaxing and exploring the area on foot. Overnight in a tented camp or lodge on a full board basis.

Day 10:
Return to Entebbe, via the equator and Kampala, stopping en-route to shop for curios. Additional accommodation can be arranged on request. Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary recommended for an optional overnight.

DO NOT BOOK A FLIGHT OUT BEFORE 20H00 THIS EVENING!!

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