Activity Day 1

After arrival

• 
  Transfer upon arrival to the Lodge of your choice arranged through our shuttle driver. 
  Transfer time; about 15 to 20 Minutes

Activity Day 2

Around 1 pm

• 
  Relax in the morning and join the Shoebill Boat Safari in the afternoon
  Our boat guide will pick you at the Guesthouse shortly before 1 pm. After a short walk you reach the boat which takes you over the lake to the Mabamba Swamps, a Ramsar wetland whose prolific birdlife includes the eagerly sought shoebill. There you change to a smaller boat.
  Please apply enough sun lotion - very important, come with a rain poncho in your backpack and wear a hat. Clothes can be leisure, like shorts and sandals depending on temperatures. 
  Use the toilet before you start! The boat trip will last 3-4 hours.
  Following applies to all outdoor activities in Uganda: 
  • apply sun protection even when it's cloudy, 
  • have your rain poncho with you, even when the sun is shining, 
  • go with a hat or cap
  • do not forget to take enough water water with you
  • early morning and towards evening apply insect repellent!
  • walking safaris: long trousers, closed shoes and trousers inside the socks (ANTS!)
  
  

Activities Day 3

After Breakfast

• 
  Transfer by Road, Entebbe to Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch
  Transfer time; about 4-5 hours

During transfer

• 
  Stop at the Pineapple and Fruit Market in Luwero
  Luwero is the best area for pineapples and other fruits in Uganda. You might stop here, take pictures and ask your guide to buy some fruits for you. These can be used for lunch picnic stops, but as well the lodges can prepare them for you without any extra charge.

Activities Day 4

At about 8 am

• 
  Rhino walking safari, Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch - please wear long trousers, closed shoes and put your trouser ends inside the socks, that the ants cannot attack you. Come with a hat, enough sun protection and water.

After Rhino tracking

• 
  Transfer by Road, Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch to Murchison Falls National Park
  Transfer time; about 2-3 hours

Around midday

• 
  A picnic lunch is planned at the viewpoint at the top of the Falls. Your guide will organize a Rolex with you along the way in Masindi at the entrance to the Masindi Market. This is a typical, delicious Ugandan street food. It is a flatbread (chapati) in which an omelet with or without vegetables is rolled. The name doesn't come from the famous watch brand; it comes from the words 'to roll' and 'take it out'.
  If you wish, you can also book a luxurious bush lunch at a hidden spot overlooking the falls. This costs $60 per person and must be booked before the start of the trip.
• 
  Visit View Point Top of Murchison Falls
  The Top of the Falls viewpoint is one of the park's highlights. Sturdy shoes are recommended, as it can be muddy and slippery.
  After descending to the lower viewpoint, don't miss the opportunity to climb to the higher Platform 1 and then on to Platform 2. 
  

Afternoon

• 
  Afternoon Game Drive in Murchison Falls NP. Enjoy your first encounter with the wild in best afternoon light. The park offers lots of animals and with luck you can complete the spotting of the big five within 24 hours.

Activities Day 5

Early Morning

• 
  Early Morning Game Drive, Murchison Falls National Park
  You set off at dawn and are excited to see the animal world awaken. In the morning, it can be chilly in the car with the roof open. Please remember to bring a scarf and a thin jacket.
  

Around midday

• 
  You return to the lodge for a short lunch break

At about 2 pm

• 
  Boat Safari on the Nile to Murchison Falls.
  A diverse range of wildlife awaits you on the banks and in the water, and at the end, you'll see the Murchison Falls from below.
  This Boat Safari is booked as a seat on the big boat not in a small private boat.

   

Late afternoon

• 
  Late afternoon Game Drive, Murchison Falls National Park

Activities Day 6

All day optional

• 
  You can choose several options for this Day before or after moving from Murchison to Kibale Forest.
  • OPTION 1 Early Morning Game Drive
  • OPTION 2 second boat safari early morning on the Nile to the Delta, which costs 50$ pp extra
  • OPTION 3 afternoon a nature walk or relax and enjoy the nature around Ensiko Primates Lodge in Kibale
  
  
  Except Option 2 which has to be pre-booked, all can be decided during the trip
  
  

Early Morning optional

• 
  OPTION 1: Early Morning Game Drive, Murchison Falls National Park
  You set off at dawn and are excited to see the animal world awaken. In the morning, it can be chilly in the car with the roof open. Please remember to bring a scarf and a thin jacket.
• 
  OPTION 2: Nile Delta Cruise (+50$pp extra)
  Today it's time to get up early. We have planned the next boat trip to the Nile Delta on Lake Albert for you at 7 a.m. A 4-hour boat trip begins with the sunrise over the Nile. Again there are many mammals and birds to see. The morning sun is ideal for great photos. With luck you might even spot the rare shoebill in the Delta.

Time to be defined

• 
  Transfer by Road, Murchison Falls National Park to Kibale National Park
  Transfer time; about 6-7hours

After arrival optional

• 
  OPTION 3: Guided Nature and Birding Walk, Ensiko Primates Lodge Kibale or enjoy the Ensiko Gardens and the rain forest views from your private Veranda.

Activities Day 7

After Breakfast

• 
  Guided Walk, Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary 
  After breakfast, you will walk through the Bigodi Wetlands to see monkeys, birds and a diverse range of flora. Be careful, it can get muddy and wobbly, the "walkways" often consist of loose boards laid over the muddy areas. If you are lucky, you will see red or black and white colobus monkeys and the stately blue turacos.

Around midday

• 
  Local Lunch at TINKA
  For lunch today we organise a typical Ugandan meal at Tinka's in Bigodi. A selection of delicious dishes with explanations of Ugandan food traditions.
  

At about 2 pm

• 
  Chimpanzee Tracking, Kibale National Park
  The highlight of the day comes at around 2 p.m. You walk into the rainforest with a ranger in search of our closest relatives, the chimpanzees.
  Good hiking boots, a rain poncho, a face mask and drinking water should be part of the basic equipment here, as well as a camera. Since the chimpanzees are visited in the morning, your ranger knows roughly where the animals are and chimpanzees often give themselves away with their loud roars. As soon as you have found the great apes, they can spend an hour with you. They are used to human visitors and are not disturbed by our presence. After an hour, you return to civilization. 

During the day optional

• 
  Visit some community activities in Bigodi 
  depending on the time, you can join these either after Bigodi Walking Safari or after the Chimps Tracking. You have these options: a women cooperative weaving baskets, ⁠the Banana Man, explaining for what bananas are used in Uganda, the coffee experience from the plant to the cup
  When time is too short you can still add one of them next morning after breakfast.

Activities Day 8

After Breakfast

• 
  Transfer by Road, Kibale National Park to Queen Elizabeth National Park
  Transfer time; about 3 hours net driving time

At 2 pm

• 
  Boat Safari, Kazinga Channel from Mweya to Lake Edward
  We have once again organised a wonderful boat trip for you. This time on the Kazinga Channel from Mweya half peninsula to Lake Edward. Many animals on the banks and hundreds of pied kingfishers, nesting in the cliffs along the banks will be spotted. A dreamlike scenery awaits you.

Late afternoon

• 
  With this late afternoon game drive we try to give you the opportunity to spot lions and leopards. The big cats often doze in the heat of the day, hidden in bushes or tall grass, and start to become active towards evening.

Activities Day 9

Early Morning optional

• 
  Before you move to Bwindi or Mgahinga, you start with a short and early morning game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park 
• 
  OPTION instead of normal Game Drive:
  Lion and Leopard tracking, Queen Elizabeth National Park (costs $520pp extra)
  A highlight in Queen Elizabeth National Park is lion tracking with the rangers. The big advantage is that you can drive off-road. If you're lucky, you'll get up close to the impressive big cats and even spot a leopard. This project has the background to save the lions and leopards in this region. The park here is a mixture between National Park and communities with farmers. Researchers track the animals to prevent them from getting too close to farmers. The money paid for this activity goes partly to the project and partly to the community to compensate them for the damage and losses caused by lions and leopards.
  Lion and leopard tracking, Queen Elizabeth National Park
  OPTIONAL INSTEAD OF NORMAL GAME DRIVE 

   

Time to be defined

• 
  Transfer by Road, Queen Elizabeth National Park to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Transfer time is to be defined depending on what you choose to do in the morning before setting off to Bwindi.
  Transfer time; about 5 to 7 hours

During transfer optional

• 
  Visit Twin Lakes View Point - Kichwamba 
  Can be done by car as a short Photo Stop. 
• 
  The Elephant Dung Project is a women's cooperative supporting farmers. Since the farmers' fields are repeatedly infested by elephants, this project offers a small compensation by buying up the manure. Handmade paper is then made from this. During the visit the project and the manufacturing process will be explained. You can buy products made from 'elephant' paper there, but also others such as cold-pressed avocado oil for the skin. They expect that you buy something or leave a donation.

   
• 
  Kitagata Hotsprings
  A photo stop at the Kitagata Hotsprings is worth a small detour, if you have enough time…on Uganda's roads, you never know exactly how long it will take. The hot springs serve as an open-air spa for locals.
  

Activity Day 10

Morning to possibly afternoon

• 
  If you track in Bwindi or Mgahinga:
  Important for gorilla tracking: good waterproof hiking boots, gaiters if necessary, muted colors, long pants and sleeves, gardening gloves, sunscreen, and rain gear.
  A briefing by the rangers begins at 7:30 a.m. and includes a cultural performance. Afterwards, visitors are divided into groups of up to eight people, each visiting a gorilla family. Our clients are usually back at the lodge between 1 and 3 a.m. at the latest.
  The ranger trackers go into the forest early in the morning in groups of three people and begin searching for the gorillas, starting from the sleeping areas where the apes were abandoned the previous evening. A ranger and two security guards set out with their group of visitors after the briefing. There will be frequent breaks along the way, as the trail includes steep uphill and downhill sections, often on the elephant trails, which can be slippery depending on the weather.
  To ensure a safe and relaxed arrival at the gorillas, we recommend booking a porter/supporter. Young women and men from the surrounding, very poor communities accompany the visitors, carry their backpacks, and provide support in difficult areas. A helping hand on steep, slippery terrain, when balancing over streams, and in muddy areas can be very helpful. The additional $20 paid for each porter, not including tips, is money well spent.
  Once you reach "your" gorillas, your magic hour begins. These mighty animals are unbothered by us humans. It is incredibly fascinating to observe the mighty gorillas so closely and in their natural habitat. Their mostly leisurely but powerful movements, their interactions, their facial expressions. You almost feel like you can read their emotions on their faces. What an experience!
  After an hour, you must bid a heavy hearted farewell to these impressive great apes. The trackers stay in the forest—they accompany the gorillas until they prepare their night camp—and then receive their tips in the forest, with the ranger and security guards receiving their tips at the end when they hand over their certificates. The happy visitors take the shortest route out of the beautiful rainforest with their ranger, the security rangers, and the porters and return to civilization. Completely elated—we know that feeling ;-)

Activities Day 11

After Breakfast

• 
  Transfer by Road, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to Lake Mburo National Park
  Transfer time; about 4-5 hours

During transfer optional

• 
  View Point Lake Bunyonyi
  A short detour to the best Lake Bunyonyi View Point is recommendable. The access is only possible inside Arcadia Lodge. Enjoy a coffee or a soda on their terrace and get the best impressions and pictures of the most beautiful lake in East Africa.

Late afternoon

• 
  Late afternoon Game Drive, Lake Mburo National Park

Activities Day 12

After Breakfast

• 
  Walking Safari In Lake Mburo
  Best time as early as possible in the morning:
  We organised one game drive as walking safari guided by a park ranger for you. This means as soon as a herd is spotted, you leave behind the vehicle and guided by the ranger you walk among the animals. 
  Don't worry, it's safe and an amazing experience to be so close to the animals. Giraffes, in particular, offer a whole new perspective.
  

After Morning activity

• 
  Transfer by Road, Lake Mburo National Park to Entebbe
  Transfer time; about 5 to 6 hours

During transfer optional

• 
  Photostop at Equator Memorial East
• 
  Visit a traditional Drum Manufacturer, Mpigi

   

  On the last leg of the journey before Kampala/Entebbe, you'll pass an area home to many traditional drum manufacturers. They're always happy to welcome visitors, explain the purely manual manufacturing process, and are even happy to host a small drum session with guests and guides. As usual, the event is free for anyone who purchases something; otherwise, a donation is expected.

Activity Day 13

After Breakfast

• 
  Transfer by Road, Secrets Guest House to Entebbe International Airport
  Transfer time; about 15 to 20 Minutes