8 Days Uganda Wildlife Highlights

You will arrive at Entebbe International Airport, and a representative will assist in your transfer to a light aircraft bound for Kibale Forest National Park, located in the far west of Uganda. Descend with views over the Africa’s highest mountain chain, and then disappear beneath the canopy on your transfer to Ndali Lodge. After lunch, you can spend your afternoon on a walking safari in the surrounding area as blue monkeys, and black-and-white colobus monkeys can be seen with astonishing frequency. Sitatunga and bushbuck will provide new charm, and into the late afternoon, you might spot serval and various mongoose species. It will be an easy safari today and a chance to tune your senses to the sounds of the forest. Lounge on your lodge verandah after dark, and you will continue to see and sense the wild animals, as well as spot those that roam beneath the lodge’s floodlight.

Ndali Lodge is a fantastic traditional colonial lodge set in the stunning crater region of Western Uganda. Built of local stone and thatch, the 8 luxury bandas offer views over the dramatic Rwenzori Mountains; each banda is en-suite with a private veranda. The dining room and lounge offer relaxing views over the crater lake below. Ndali Lodge is set in a stunning location on the rim an extinct volcano which has now filled with water to become the breathtaking Lake Nyinambuga – 250 acres in size and 130 metres deep.

Follow the elephants and replicate their migratory route between the Kibale Forest and the savanna of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Occasionally, the elephants are spotted along the road, an indication of how many are hiding at today’s destination. As the forest rescinds, you will journey into the iconic image of East Africa, with the open savannah and the short golden grass and clumps of strange trees. Arrive in time for a short walking safari around the lodge before a luxurious lunch while overlooking the Kazinga Channel. Then move to get even closer with a boat safari that will take you past hundreds of rambunctious hippos.

The hippos are not the only icon found along the water as this channel is the park’s lifeblood, the permanent source of goodness that all animals must stay close to. Along the banks, you will see large herds of Ugandan kob taking a drink with their black and white spiraled horns making for fabulous photos. Nile crocodiles sunbathe on the banks while elephants disappear beneath the water, poking their trunks up like snorkels. Spending the day on a boat safari is a very relaxed introduction to big-game African safari as you can just sit back and absorb all of the encounters along the water.

Ishasha Wilderness Camp is a tranquil retreat set on the banks of the Ntungwe River. Blending perfectly into their wild natural setting, just ten spacious tented rooms create a true refuge in the wilderness. Large, mosquito-netted beds look out onto private verandas with beautiful river views. Simple but elegant interiors, as well as hot bush showers and flushing toilets ensure a taste of pure comfort in this wild setting.

A spacious thatched lounge provides the ideal place for guests to relax, while meals are served either in the cosy dining area or al fresco on the banks of the river. A blazing bonfire is the ideal focal point for guests to share stories of the day’s adventures over an ice-cold beverage. Activities include game drives in some of the most unspoilt and remote sectors of the Queen Elizabeth National Park and bush walks, as well as the opportunity to visit the nearby community and experience the local schools and traditional medicinal herbalists.

The southern side of Queen Elizabeth National Park has a lower density of wildlife yet an enhanced sense of drama. Resources are meager here with the grasslands almost burnt in color. Competition brings a theater of wildlife, and it will be a wonderful place to see lions on the prowl as they descend from their lofty perches to cross the savanna with menace. You will find intense scenes around the crater lakes as animals come to drink in sight of the predators, and you will keep following the elephants as you journey across Uganda’s most visited national park. It will be a further two to three-hour drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park as you stop to visit a traditional village on route. Eat your beautiful picnic at a viewpoint before disappearing into the trees and ascending to Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla lodge. The afternoon will be relaxed with glorious views over the volcanic mountain forest of your verandah as the mist swirls through the colors as sunset arrives.

The Nkuringo section of the forest is home to three Mountain Gorilla families. Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge provides a prime access point to the start of the excellent gorilla trekking activity. And about 25 minutes drive away if another trailhead, Rushaga, has eight habituated gorilla families and is also an alternative to trekking Nkuringo gorilla groups.

Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge is entirely eco-friendly. Its design is inspired and built with the natural material locally sourced within the communities that surround the lodge. It is owned and operated by a woman owner who employs from the local population to support the growth of the native population. Because the team at Nkuringo focuses on great service delivery, the lodge has won the WTA’s for the “Best Safari Lodge in Uganda” every year since 2016.

Uganda looks marvelous from above with the volcanic hills draped in dense forest and the golden plains divided by ochre-red dirt roads. You will fly back to Entebbe this morning, the plane looping around Bwindi Forest before crossing open swathes of savanna. It will be a dreamy aerial safari and a chance to savor the scale of what you have just explored. Touching down in Entebbe, you will be assisted in transferring onto your international departing flight.