Uganda safari, tailor made
Tree climbing lions, boat safaris and a chance to see the famous shoebill stork: explore three great national parks in Uganda on one trip for the country's best wildlife. The standout highlight is the chance to go gorilla trekking in Bwindi.
Entebbe Queen Elizabeth National Park Ishasha Bwindi National Park Murchison Falls National Park safari drives, gorilla trekking, boat cruises
Price
US $11999 including domestic flights only
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Description of Uganda safari, tailor made
This exceptional itinerary presents an opportunity to experience Uganda’s most captivating highlights without enduring long, tiresome drives. Begin your journey with an overnight stay in Entebbe, where you can relax and prepare for the adventures ahead. The next day, a short flight will take you to Queen Elizabeth National Park, famed for its diverse wildlife and striking landscapes. Here, you’ll embark on thrilling game drives, spotting elephants, buffalos, and an array of birdlife, as well as enjoy scenic boat safaris along the Kazinga Channel, where hippos, crocodiles, and numerous water birds await.
From there, a scenic drive brings you to the Ishasha sector, renowned for its rare and iconic tree-climbing lions – a true photographic delight. Next, venture to the lush Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, one of the last remaining strongholds of the endangered mountain gorilla. Prepare for an unforgettable experience as you trek through dense forests, guided by expert rangers, to encounter these magnificent creatures up close. It's an experience that leaves an indelible mark on the heart.
To round off your adventure, you’ll fly to Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest and oldest conservation area, for a unique safari experience. Here, marvel at the dramatic waterfall, where the mighty Nile River forces its way through a narrow gorge, creating a stunning display of power and beauty. You’ll enjoy game drives and a river safari, offering a chance to spot species such as giraffes, lions, and perhaps the elusive shoebill stork. Finally, return to Entebbe for your international departure, carrying with you memories of Uganda's extraordinary landscapes and wildlife encounters.
Price information
US $11999 including domestic flights only
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This itinerary is priced per person and designed to give you an idea of what can be included on your bespoke luxury tour of Uganda, tailor-made to suit your personal tastes and preferences.
Departure information
This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements
Travel guides
This guide attempts to capture why this is considered by many to be one of the most magnificent wildlife safaris in the world.
So much more than just mountain gorillas - our travel guide is your ultimate resource for Uganda.
Accessibility
Accessible Overview:
We are always up for meeting the challenge of catering for as many individual requirements as we can. If we can’t help, we are honest and straightforward about it. More often than not this is due to budget or availability and we’ve never had to say no to anyone with physical or mental disabilities. Not that we have had many requests but in the cases we have had, it simply requires a bit more planning.
Being accessible, empathetic and welcoming is a huge part of our identity and I would describe every member of our team as caring and compassionate.
Limited mobility:
Yes. We can limit the walking needed to literally zero. In planning an itinerary for those with limited mobility we can pick properties with limited walking required or indeed level pathways, which are wheelchair accessible - there are all sorts of plans that can be made within an itinerary. For example, you can be carried by porters on a ‘throne’ to go see the gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda: an experience which is often labelled as ‘gorilla trekking’. On a safari or a cultural tour we can use vehicles throughout and there is no requirement for walking. Walking is very much an optional activity.
Wheelchair:
We have had guests in wheelchairs before and we have adapted our trips accordingly. For example we have picked wheelchair accessible accommodation, ensured vehicles are able to handle the requirements of the person and their chair, built ramps where necessary, booked extra luggage allowance on internal flights and had the chair stored in the hold, informed local guides and hotel staff that extra attention is needed and some assistance in lifting into/out of vehicles etc.
Blind or limited vision:
We have not done this before but we would certainly be excited to try. We were just talking about this in our Africa team and we feel certain an audio described safari would still be worth it: the sounds and smells on safari are a huge part of the experience and sight is not the be all and end all of the safari experience!
Please do get in touch to discuss this with us.
Deaf or limited hearing:
We have not done this to date but again would definitely be up for the challenge. Guides proficient in sign language would be sourced, written correspondence including use of WhatsApp or other instant messaging service, etc.
Cognitive conditions:
We have not encountered this yet but we would have no objection and not view this as an insurmountable issue. Perhaps the simplest way if the client has their own carer already, is simply to book them on the same trip. All we really need is a list of requirements and we can then get to work!
'Free from' food:
There are some destinations where they say they can cater to e.g. vegans but the choice really is very limited. In Namibia, for example, at a lot of the lodges we have found that the vegan choice is very poor at the moment. I would say it mostly depends on the maturity of the hospitality industry in the destination as to what requirements they are well set up to cater to. It’s also important to have that personal experience and client feedback so that we know that when a lodge says ‘yes, we can do it’ they really mean ‘we can do it but it’s not going to be good.’ Please do get in touch and we will give you honest advice on this, drawn from our own experience or feedback from travellers to date.
LGBT:
Yes but with certain strings attached dependent on the destination. For example, it is illegal to be gay in Uganda. You can still go to Uganda as an LGBT traveller but you need to careful about being discreet as it is technically against the law.
We would always advise our clients of important information before booking and we do also include information on LGBT travel in our pre-departure documents as well.
Reviews
1 Reviews of Uganda safari, tailor made
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed on 29 Jul 2024 by David Golton
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Seeing the gorillas up close
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Try to have the gorilla tracking at the end of the trip
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes. We have established contact with the Batwa people to try and help them. We will also be supporting Ride 4 a Woman with money for loans.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Brilliant!
Responsible Travel
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we've screened this (and every) holiday so that you can travel knowing we've worked to maximise the benefits of your holiday to local people and places, and minimise any negative impacts.
Planet
On this holiday you’ll visit Uganda’s well known national parks - Queen Elizabeth National Park, Ishasha, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, and Murchison Falls. By visiting these parks and paying the entrance fees you are helping to fund ongoing conservation activities, including paying for park rangers, improving infrastructure, and improving the livelihood of communities (please note we include the national park entrance fees in your holiday cost).On this Ugandan adventure you’ll also visit villages which are off the main tourist trail as we believe that it is important to spread the benefits of tourism to more remote communities.
As this itinerary is only 10 days in duration, you’ll fly from Entebbe to Queen Elizabeth National Park, from Kihihi airstrip (near Bwindi National Park) to Murchison Falls and from Murchison Falls back to Entebbe. By flying between these destinations you’ll avoid spending long days in a minivan, driving on bumpy roads, and you’ll make the most of your time away. If you prefer, we can offer an alternative version of this holiday without the flights where you will drive between destinations rather than fly but of course this will be a longer itinerary due to the time spent on the roads.
We believe that overall this holiday helps to support and promote conservation efforts in Uganda’s national parks and has benefit to local communities which you might not have time to visit if you weren't able to fly between given the significant distances covered.
On this holiday you’ll track endangered mountain gorillas in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Well managed tourism practices have helped to save the last of the mountain gorillas from extinction, and your trekking permits and national park fees contribute to the ongoing conservation efforts in Bwindi National Park. Revenue generated from gorilla permits funds conservation activities, including buying medicine, paying veterinarians and park rangers, improving infrastructure, and improving the livelihood of communities living around Bwindi forest.
Before your departure you will receive a detailed travel pack in which we outline the rules and regulations for gorilla trekking in Uganda. These regulations will be repeated to you by your guide before you embark on your trek and it is essential that you adhere to them. You will not be allowed to track them if you’re suffering from any illness including a cold or flu which can be transmitted to the gorillas. You will be instructed to talk in a low voice whilst you’re with the gorillas and you’re requested to keep a seven metre distance from them. You must not touch the gorillas under any circumstances - although they are used to seeing people on a daily basis, they are wild animals and they can sometimes react unexpectedly so it is essential that you listen to your guide’s and trackers’ instructions. You will also be advised to disable the flash on your camera before you get to your group of gorillas as flash photography is not permitted.
You’ll have the chance to spend up to one magical yet fleeting hour quietly observing the gorillas in their natural habitat and it will undoubtedly be an experience that you’ll never ever forget. Unfortunately your time with the gorilla family will pass too quickly and after one hour you must follow your guide as they lead you out of the forest. Should you wish to spend longer with the gorillas we offer a unique opportunity to participate in a full day Gorilla Habituation Experience, run by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, which allows you to spend up to four hours with these magnificent creatures. By participating in the Gorilla Habituation Experience you are supporting the crucial work in habituating gorillas and ensuring their survival. Please ask us for more details about this.
We also highly recommend that you participate in the Batwa cultural experience during your time in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. This is a fascinating full day excursion offers an opportunity to hike in the forest with a Batwa guide and learn about the history, culture and traditions of the Batwa pygmies who inhabited Bwindi forest for centuries.
One of the accommodation options on this itinerary is Murchison River Lodge - a wonderful family-owned lodge on the southern bank of the River Nile overlooking Murchison Falls National Park. We love the eco-friendly elements at this lodge - the cottages are all equipped with solar lights, they don’t have fans or air conditioning, and the water is heater by solar panels!
During your stay here we recommend that you visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. This 70 square km sanctuary currently protects 20 white rhinos and it’s a true success story after the extreme poaching that killed the last rhino in Uganda in 1982.
People
As mentioned above, one of the accommodation options on this itinerary is Murchison River Lodge. One of the reasons we love this lodge is because it encourages the philosophy ‘think global, act local’ and this is reflected in the number of staff employed from the local area. The majority of the staff had never worked in the hotel industry before, but with encouragement and enthusiasm they now have a fantastic team who will ensure that you have a wonderful stay.The lodge is outside of the national park which means that it is possible to take a guided walk around the local community. Your guide will be one of the lodge’s staff members and they will be keen to show you their village, their home and their way of life. This guided walk is typically 2-3 hours in length and can easily be arranged whilst you are staying at the lodge. All donations made from the walk go back to the community. Please remember to ask before taking photos within the village.
We additionally support local guides and drivers as well as the work of the Ugandan Wildlife Authority on this trip.
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