On arrival at the Entebbe airport, you’ll be welcomed by your CW representative and transported to your hotel. The afternoon finds you slipping across majestic Lake Victoria by boat to reach the secluded Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary. Enjoy the spectacle of a chimpanzee feeding session and other natural wonders as sanctuary staff reveal the secrets of this special place. Experience local life in a neighboring fishing village, and enjoy fantastic bird-watching along with other wildlife encounters. For your added pleasure, swim on the equator or sunbathe and relax before returning to Entebbe. You will overnight in comfort at Lake Victoria Hotel or similar accommodation.

Special Feature: Ngamba Island is a project of the Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust (CSWCT), established in 1997 by a consortium of wildlife organizations. This vital program provides orphaned chimpanzees with a secure home to live out their lives, since a return to their natural habitat is not possible. Its mission is also to educate visitors and local communities about this 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. Ngamba Island was officially opened to the public in October 1999 and is currently home to 40 orphaned chimpanzees.

Included: Airport transfers, boat trip, and visit to chimpanzee sanctuary. Meals: D
Approximate Travel Time: 2 hours

After breakfast, a five-hour drive brings you to Lake Mburo National Park. Enjoy an afternoon game drive, a boat cruise on Lake Mburo, or a walk with your local guide.

Lake Mburo National Park has a variety of habitats: grassland, wetland, and acacia woodland. At its center lies Lake Mburo, which, together with 14 other lakes in the area, forms an extensive wetland system. The park is home to topi, eland, klipspringer, zebra, buffalo, oribi, sitatunga, and leopard, as well as many bird species such as crested crane, marabou stork, and bronze-tailed starling.

Included: Land transfer, game drive, and guided walk. Meals: BLD
Approximate Travel time: 5 hours

Departure after breakfast takes you along mountain roads through areas referred to as the “little Switzerland of Africa.” The wonderful views and lush green vistas are mesmerizing. Enjoy lunch en route before entering Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is named for its dense ground cover of herbs, vines, and shrubs. Rich in plant species, it is one of the region’s few forested expanses where lowland and montane communities converge.

Here, in one of East Africa’s richest faunal environments, dwells half the world’s population of endangered mountain gorilla. The forest is also home to several endangered species of birds.

Included: Land transfer, preparation for gorilla tracking, and afternoon at leisure. Meals: BLD
Approximate Travel Time: 3 hours

After breakfast, you will be escorted to the park’s headquarters to meet your guides for the day’s gorilla-tracking experience. An early morning trek into the forest’s rich volcanic slopes will bring you to a family of mountain gorillas. These massive primates are extremely rare, with only about 650 remaining. Your experienced trackers will safely bring you within feet of the family. It is a privileged and hugely exciting encounter.

Be advised that trekking can be fairly strenuous: up to six hours or longer at relatively high altitudes. While sightings cannot be guaranteed, the success rate is well over 90%.

On returning to the camp, have a late lunch and, time permitting, take a guided forest walk, or just relax and enjoy camp.

Included: Gorilla tracking (additional cost of $500 not included in the tour price), afternoon walk or at leisure. Meals: BLD

If you have opted for a second gorilla trek, your morning takes you once again into the forest to observe a gorilla family. If not, your options include a guided forest walk looking for birds and primates, a walk to a local village, or the pleasure of shopping the area’s crafts. After lunch at the camp, say goodbye to Bwindi and head north to the Ishasha area of Queen Elizabeth National Park, approximately a three-hour drive.

Queen Elizabeth National Park covers over 1,200 square miles in the western arm of the Great East Rift Valley. Its riverine and savannah habitats are home to diverse wildlife including elephant, lion, hippo, buffalo, the beautifully horned Uganda kob, baboon, and many birds. In the southern park is Ishasha, known for its tree-climbing lions, and the vast Maramagambo forest. The northern park is traversed by the equator and dominated by crater lakes, many covered with flamingos.

Included: Gorilla tracking (additional cost of $500 not included in the tour price), community visit, craft shops, or forest walk. Meals: BLD

Approximate Travel Time: 3 hours

Today takes you deeper into Queen Elizabeth National Park on a road safari through the Mweya region. Highlights of your two-day visit include game drives and a boating safari on the Kazinga Channel - said to contain the world’s largest concentration of hippos. Slipping quietly through the water offers many opportunities for observing the park’s spectacular flora and fauna. This region offers an abundance of game and some of the best bird-watching in East Africa.

The park occupies a fertile equatorial area that is especially scenic, with two lakes connected by a channel overlooked by a high peninsula. With terrain ranging from volcanic craters to grassy plains and tropical forest, it has one of the highest biodiversity ratings in the world—with almost 100 types of mammal and 606 different birds. An optional excursion to track chimpanzees in Chamburu Gorge will be offered for those who are interested (permit to be requested through CW and obtained prior to the tour).

Included: Game drives, boat cruise, optional chimpanzee tracking (additional cost of $50 not included in the tour price), and leisure time. Meals: BLD

Approximate Travel Time: 2 hours

Your return journey takes you via the equator and Kampala back to bustling Entebbe. Stop en route to shop for curios and mementos of your African journey. You will be returned to the Entebbe airport for an evening departure.

Included: Land transfer and airport departure. Meals: BL
Approximate Travel Time: 4 hours