Big Cat Adventure

Morning departure through the forests and wetlands of southern Uganda. You will stop at the equator for a photo opportunity and coffee before heading on to Lake Mburo national park and your lodge in time for lunch. Lake Mburo is a delightful small park with a healthy population of leopard and occasionally lions and hyena. It also has zebra, impala, Topi, reed buck, eland, hippos, Oribi, giraffe and a wide variety of birds. During the afternoon you will have time to enjoy the view from the lodge perched high above the park, or from the rock top swimming pool. You can also stretch your legs around the lodge grounds

You will be up in time for sunrise as you head first through Lake Mburo National Park in search of the morning game activity. You will then head west through the farms and tea plantations to the volcanic highlands of the south-west stopping for lunch en route. You will arrive at your lodge in the late afternoon in time for an evening game drive in the Ishasha sector of the park on the look out for its famous tree climbing lions and healthy population of hyena and leopard as well as Topi, buffalo, elephant and hippos. The evening will be spent in the tranquil surrounds of your delightful lodge.

Hippos, Topi, buffalo and more. You will then take the route through the conservation area to the main sector of Queen Elizabeth NP where you will have your packed lunch. After lunch, you will cruise the Kazinga channel enjoying the wildlife such as buffalo and elephants on its banks and the hippos and crocodiles within the water. In the evening you will be taken to your lodge in time for dinner.

You will be up at dawn for this rare opportunity to track lions on foot. You will be aided in locating the lions through electronic GPS systems and the whole trek normally takes two to three hours. During the trek you will help record data on weather and environment as well as learning calls. The information is used to learn more about and consequently protect the ecology of the area and the habitat of the lions and is a brilliant opportunity to not only experience lions in a totally different way, but to contribute to their conservation. After your trek you will head back to the lodge for lunch and have a couple of hours to relax and enjoy the stunning views from your room. In the evening you will head onto the Kasenyi plains for a game drive which will include the search for more big cats and a drive along the famous “leopard drive”.

An early start and long drive through some lovely scenery, starting with the Rwenzori mountains in the distance, through Fort Portal for coffee and on through the farmland, sugar cane and tea estates, and forests of western Uganda. You pass through the burgeoning town of Hoima and onto Masindi before you enter Murchison Falls NP. Immediately you will be in Budongo Forest, the oldest surviving forest in East Africa having always been conserved initially as Royal Hunting grounds, then as forest reserve and now as de facto National Park. You will shortly arrive at your lodge for the night, nestled right in the heart of the forest. Depending on the road conditions' en route and the consequent journey time, you may be able to enjoy a two our walk within the forest which is home to a huge variety of birds, small antelope, reptiles and a wide variety of primates, including Chimpanzees. You will have dinner at the lodge before falling asleep to the cacophony of forest noises.

Awake to the sounds of chimpanzees and an early start heading for a game drive on the secluded “honeymoon track” in the wilderness of the Rabongo sector, near the top of the falls. (Alternatively you can opt for a walk in the forest or a chimpanzee trek). You will see hippos and crocodiles naturally and a wide variety of spectacular waterbirds and on the banks there’s a chance of seeing buffalo, warthog, elephant and various antelope. Once at the foot falls we moor briefly to a large rock to wonder at the power of the mighty river before disembarking and the steep walk to the top of the falls, where your guide will be waiting for you to take

An early light breakfast followed by a game drive then something more substantial. Around lunchtime, you cross the Nile at Para before driving into the delta area where the Victoria Nile briefly enters Lake Albert turning northwards into the Albert Nile. The huge variety of landscapes within Murchison Falls NP gives rise to a similar variety of animals including leopard, lion, Kobs, hartebeest, elephant, buffalo, crocodiles and the world’s largest population of Rothschild giraffe as well many species of birds. In the late afternoon you will go on a game drive in search of some of these before returning to lodge.

You will have breakfast before leaving Murchison and heading into northern Uganda. As you head north through Acholi land you will notice that the terrain and the people change. You first head to the bustling market town of Gulu, the capital of the north, before moving on to Kitgum through an inspiring landscape of rocky outcrops and villages recovering with dignity from the ravages of the past. You stop for lunch in the dusty outpost of Kitgum before turning to the east towards Kidepo. Gradually the flat plains give way to a more mountainous terrain before climbing through the stunning mountain pass, finally emerging to view its secret: the beauty of Kidepo Valley NP. Once inside the park you will head to your campsite and then a short scramble up Amapuis rock viewpoint for a sundowner.

Wake up in the middle of the action and watch the sunrise over the Morongole mountains with a coffee and some fresh fruit. Then we begin our day of game viewing with a visit to the Narus valley in search of lion, elephant, giraffe, eland, zebra, and leopard and to marvel at the sight of the huge herd of buffalo grazing in the wetland. We return to camp for a more substantial breakfast before heading towards the seasonal Kidepo river in search of cheetah and ostrich. We take a packed lunch among the Barassas palms at the Kidepo river, from which the area take their name before returning to lodge in the mid-afternoon. You can find a nice shady spot to relax or take the optional nature walk or community visit

Another stunning sunrise over the Morongole mountains and breakfast at the lodge before packing up and heading east through the park on one final game drive en route to the easternmost gate. It is a long but beautiful drive through and over the rocky ridges and outcrops of Karamoja and through endless acacia woodlands inhabited only by cattle herders and their charges. You’ll arrive at Pian Upe in the evening, in time to enjoy a cold drink as you watch the sun go down over this little visited reserve, with the view of Mount Elgon in the distance.

You’ll again rise early to go for a game drive in this reserve. Pian Upe is home to cheetah and hyena as well as ostrich, eland and various other antelope. The accessible area is quite small so you will return to camp mid-morning and then head south towards Mount Elgon and Mbale for lunch. After lunch, you will continue on to Jinja and then on to your lodge on the banks of the River Nile. After some long journeys and nights under the stars, you will spend your final night in a little bit of luxury.

Depending on your flight times you may have some time to enjoy one of the adventure activities Jinja is famous for (not included in price) such as horseback safari, quad biking, kayaking, or white water rafting. You may prefer just to spend a lazy morning taking in the stunning views of the Nile from your room, or, if your flight is early, you may just have to regretfully make your way to the airport!