Duration: 16 days East Africa is romantic. It offers dream beaches, stunning islands and wildlife that is simply unsurpassed: nowhere else in the world do you see such variety and such vast populations in so compact an area. This itinerary is a dream come true, but please read it as a suggestion – every aspect is adjustable to match your wish. It includes a couple of lodges that are simply stunning. In fact, we think that if you spent the rest of your life travelling, one of these lodges would always remain in the top three “Best places I’ve stayed” list.
Days 1-2: Ngamba Island
Your experience begins with a visit to a chimpaneze sanctury situated on an island in the middle of Lake Victoria. Here you will see and learn about the great work being done by The Cimpaneze Sanctuary & Wildlife Conservation Trust (CSWCT).
Read more... Day 1 Heathrow to Entebbe, Uganda’s main airport.
We’ll meet you at the airport and you are driven to your hotel. This is a four star hotel, conveniently located for international arrivals.
Overnight Windsor Lake Victoria Hotel
Day 2 Entebbe to Ngamba Island
N’gamba Island is a chimpanzee sanctuary, set up in 1998 and a a 40 min trip by launch offshore in Lake Victoria. The island receives chimps that have been rescued from illegal traffickers. They are often in rough shape when they are rescued, so N’gamba has an impressive veterinary facility which eases the young chimps from reception back to full health, before integrating them, with the resident tribe.
After visiting the sanctuary return to shore and transfer to Cassia Lodge in Kampala.
Cassia Lodge sits on top of one of Kampala's hills with great views south to Lake Victoria and to the north of Kampala. It’s owned and operated by Ugandans and is charming: friendly staff, local flavour and, for a city hotel, full of character.
Ngamba Island — Kampala Days 3-4: Lake Mburo National Park
The flora of Lake Mburo National Park is acacia woodland, different to most other parks in East Africa, which means its fauna is also different to other reserves. It's the best place in the country to see the gigantic eland antelope and has about 68 different species of mammals including zebras, impalas, buffalo, leopards, hyenas and jackals. There are five lakes within the park which are home to hippos, crocodiles and a variety of waterbirds, while the papyrus swamps provide cover for the sitatunga antelope and red, black and yellow papyrus gonalek. This small park is less well-known among tourists so it's much quieter than some of the more famous East African parks.
Read more... Day 3 Kampala to Lake Mburo NP
Lake Mburo National Park is a fantastic park with lots of game but no large cats, which means you can do a walking safari; you must have an armed guide with you because there are buffalo and crocs around. The Rubanga forest, which is a true forest (closed canopy) is home to several primate species. One of the most peaceful ways to go on safari is by boat: the animals are less spooked by watercraft and you can get very close indeed. Particularly good at evening time.
Your accommodation tonight is Mantana Camp
The magic of Africa lies in the bush and tonight is where the dream really begins! African cities are one thing, but the wilderness, wildlife and villages, rural life in general, is where the unique feel of Africa glows. And you’ll feel that uniqueness tonight in Mantana. Almost all the decent camps in East Africa are owner managed, which means attention to detail is superb, hospitality is simply spot on and no two properties are quite the same. This one is one of the best.
Day 4 Mantana to Bwindi
Today the road climbs. You leave the dusty dry plains behind and climb into the brilliant green of the mountains. This is the western edge of the Great Rift Valley which runs from the Danakil Depression in Ethiopia all the way to the gold fields of South Africa. A few miles to your west, across the Ruwenzori Mountains (“The Mountains of the Moon”) is the start of the Congo Rainforest, which reaches all the way to the Atlantic. This is a unique habitat where everything seems to be oversized: nettles grow to 8 feet, rainfall reaches nearly 2 m a year and the oversized star of the whole show is the Mountain Gorilla. This is only a 3 or 4 hour drive, but you’d think you’re in a different country.
Your accommodation tonight is top draw! Gorilla Forest Camp. If Mantana (last night) was magic; this is a step beyond. I’d go as far as saying that if you travel for the rest of your life, this place will always remain in your top three favourite hotels.
Lake Mburo National Park — Mantana Camp — Gorilla Forest Camp Day 5: Gorilla Tracking
Today is special...you will have the opportunity to get up close to the most magnificent and intriguing animals on planet earth. With a team of trackers and a qualified guide we trek into dense forest in search of one of the habituated gorilla families. Make sure your camera is charged!
Read more... Day 5 Today’s the day: Gorilla tracking!
There is a pretty specific etiquette to follow when it comes to visiting gorillas. It’s all common sense and these two documents will provide more detail:
Gorilla Tracking Detailed Information
Gorilla Tracking Rules
The guides will brief you at breakfast and depending upon where the gorillas are will determine departure time from the lodge. You will be trekking into pristine forest areas, so long trousers and long-sleeved shirts are the order of the day. This is a full day activity.
Overnight Gorilla Forest Camp.
Friend a Gorilla Days 6-7: Queen Elizabeth National Park
You leave Bwindi today and head into Queen Elizabeth National Park to spot lions hanging about in trees and possibly a leopard or two before making our way across the park looking out for elephants, crocodiles, hippos and an amazing array of birdlife.
Read more... Day 6 Bwindi to Queen Elizabeth NP
The drive to QE NP takes about 2 hrs and as soon as you arrive you know you’re somewhere special, and it’s a good bit warmer than Gorilla Forest Camp! The range of habitats in the park is unusually broad and includes open plains, papyrus swamps, rainforest and several large lakes. Consequently the range of mammal and bird species is huge. The star performer in the Ishasha sector is the pride of lions which regularly climb trees. There are few places in Africa where lions climb trees (I can only think of Lake Manyara in Tanzania) so this is a fairly unusual wildlife sight. Ishasha is in the southernmost corner of QE NP.
Home tonight is the Ishasha Wilderness Lodge
Day 7 QE NP. Ishasha to Jacana Lodge
QE NP is so vast and so varied that to do it justice you have to move camp. So we travel to the Jacana Lodge which has stunning views across Uganda’s biggest crater lake. This is the lodge Queen Elizabeth II selected to use on her last visit to the park that shares her name. It has all the magic of the very best lodges combined with unique construction techniques and views that leave you silent!
Ishasha Wilderness Lodge — Jacana Lodge Day 8: Chimp Tracking
Kyambura (or Chambura) Gorge lies on the north-east boundary of Queen Elizabeth Park and has thick treetop canopies and vines dangling down to the forest floor, the perfect home for chimpanzees. Many other species of forest-dwe lling animals live in the Gorge including hippo and red-tailed monkeys. The view from the edge of the Gorge is one of the most spectacular in the park.
Read more... Day 8 QE NP. Chambura Gorge
Having visited chimps at N’gamba, now’s the time to see them in their wild habitat. The chimp troupes move between Chambura Gorge and Kitomi forest: it depends on the season and the time of day. The gorge gets really hot around mid-day, so if you’re OK with early starts, the gorge is a good option first thing in the morning. The chimps are habituated, like the gorilla families, which means they are tolerant of human presence. The guide will be able to bring to close quarters and there should be some great photo opportunities. The choice of venue is yours and it’s probably best to speak to the manager at Jacana who will know which chimp troupes are where, on the day.
Days 9-16: Zanzibar
After a week of adventure in Uganda its time to relax on beautiful white sand beaches on the spice island of Zanzibar in the Indian Ocean.
Read more... Day 9 Depart from Uganda
We set off from QE NP in good time to catch the flight from Entebbe to Zanzibar.
Day 9 to 15 Zanzibar
The flight to Zanzibar is only an hour-and-a-half, but the difference is utter!
Zanzibar is just off shore from Dar es Salaam, the capital of Tanzania. It’s an absolutely beautiful coastline with hidden bays, sand as fine and white as talcum powder and crystal clear water, protected by a barrier reef. Zanzibar
There are lots and lots of accommodation options, catering for all budgets. We like Pongwe Beach Hotel for an affordable, laid-back luxury option Pongwe Beach hotel . For something much larger and altogether more opulent, www.baraza-zanzibar.com is the one for you. At the other end of the spectrum is www.matemwebeach.com which is run by husband (the very excellent dive-master) and wife (the very excellent lodge maestro) partnership.
Zanzibar is all about relaxing: how long you stay, and how much you do is completely flexible. A week is great, two weeks fantastic! Airline communications with Europe are pretty good, so your itinerary can be tweaked to fit.
This itinerary is based on 7 nights at Pongwe Beach.
Day 16 Returning home
Transfer to Zanzibar airport for your flight home. Flights to London are usually overnight (depends which airline is used)
Pongwe Beach Price & Whats Included
Read more... Included in the price
Uganda
• Personal safari guide throughout.
• Private use of safari vehicle
• Airport collection and transfer at Entebbe
• Boat transfer to N’gamba Island and entry fee
• Boat safari on Lake Mburo
• Hotel accommodation throughout stay in Uganda, full board.
• Gorilla tracking permits x 2 persons for one day (with guide)
• Chimpanzee tracking permit for one day (with guide)
• National Park entry fees at:-
• Lake Mburo x 1 day
• Bwindi Impenetrable Forest x 2 days
• Queen Elizabeth x 3 days
• Boat trip in QE NP
• Safari drives throughout
Zanzibar
• Airport collection and transfer at Zanzibar town
• Return transfers
• 7 nights B&B accommodation
• To upgrade to Dinner add 25 $ per person per day
Not included in the price
• International flight from London to Entebbe and from Zanzibar to London (Please call for a quote)
• Internal flight from Entebbe to Zanzibar (Please call for a quote)
• Travel insurance. For a quote click here
• Visa for Uganda and Tanzania
• Tips
• Alcoholic drinks .