Uganda - Land of the Great Apes

See and feel the rage and thunder of these magnificent falls from close range. Enjoy a picnic lunch from the upper view of these falls, before they flow into the Victoria Nile. 

In the afternoon, enjoy a Nile boat journey with great birdlife viewing. Hippos and crocodiles are also common here and we keep a lookout for primates.  Our furthest point on the river is the base of Murchison Falls, giving us another view of the falls. We return by boat to our lodge overlooking the Nile for dinner and a relaxing evening. Overnight at Nile Safari Lodge, Murchison Falls National Park.

Set out on your morning safari game drive. We take a ferry across the Nile before searching for elephants, lions, giraffes, hippos, baboons, several species of primate, numerous types of antelope and of course, excellent birding opportunities. Lunch back at the lodge. 

Enjoy an afternoon boat journey along the Nile to the delta, passing hippos in the water; and gliding past riverbanks teaming with birdlife. At the delta, keep a watchful eye for the massive but elusive shoebill. Dinner and overnight at Nile Safari Lodge, Murchison Falls National Park.

Enjoy another morning game drive in Murchison Falls National Park to view the wild inhabitants who make this place their home. The park itself is part of the Great East Rift Valley. After our safari, we return to our lodge for lunch. 

Enjoy a free afternoon to relax. Gaze out over the Nile from your luxury tent or relax by the pool, while surrounded by jungle. Dinner and overnight at Nile Safari Lodge, Murchison Falls National Park.

In the morning we set out to enjoy one of our great ape encounters. We hike in Kibale National Park and have a rare opportunity to see chimpanzees in the wild — truly a special experience. 

En route we may see other inhabitants of the forest. After lunch, enjoy a swamp walk, where you may see other primates and various bird species. Overnight Kibale.

After breakfast we drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. We enjoy our lunch at a hotel overlooking the Kazinga channel. 

We explore the Kazinga channel by boat, gliding past the banks full of birds, buffaloes, hippos, crocodiles, elephants and other park inhabitants. We continue on to Jacana for dinner and overnight.

Today is easily one of the highlights of the entire journey as we trek up the side of the mountain to spend time with one of the resident gorilla families who make Bwindi forest their home. The reward is great, but there are certainly some challenges along the way. 

We start in the morning with a briefing at the Park Headquarters about what the trek will involve and the etiquette of observing and photographing gorillas. Tracking wild animals can be a challenging physical activity. Eight people are permitted per group and a total of 24 people per day in Bwindi as there are 3 gorilla groups. Depending on which gorilla group you will visit, your trek may take anywhere from 1-7 hours. Local gorilla trackers follow the location of each of the gorilla groups. People are assigned to visit one of 3 groups based on their hiking abilities, the terrain and the distance the gorilla group is from park headquarters. Once we find the family group we will have 1 hour to observe and enjoy them. 

Our trek starts by climbing along the switchbacks going up the side of the mountain. The climb may be upwards along relatively good paths or we may forge a new path.  Every trek is different but be prepared for steep and dense areas, good paths or no paths. To assist with your trek, ElderTreks provides you with a local trekking guide or porter who will give you a hand along the way. This will surely make your trek more enjoyable and easier, while also supporting the local community. The local economic spin-off is important as it encourages the entire local community to support the efforts to protect the gorillas and their habitat. This education and support is important for both locals and visitors alike. Payments/tips for the porters are included. 

Today’s visit with one of the Bwindi resident gorilla families will likely be one of the wildlife highlights in your life. Few things can compare with the playful fighting of the young gorillas, a mother gorilla caring for her baby, or the adrenaline rush of seeing the massive silverback giving the term ‘alpha male’ a whole new meaning. 

After your gorilla encounter, return to your guesthouse and spend the rest of the day reliving your experience. Dinner and overnight in Bwindi.