Gorillas of Uganda

After taking your included VIP door-to-door service to the airport, fly overnight to Uganda.

Arrive in Entebbe where your guide will meet you, and transfer to the 3-star Boma Guest House (3Q).

This intimate lodge is set in tropical gardens in a leafy suburb of Entebbe and combines contemporary comfort with the quaintness of the original 1940’s property. Hotel facilities include a bar and restaurant, swimming pool and craft shop. You are also able to rent bikes at the hotel to explore the safe city of Entebbe. Once the colonial capital of Uganda it benefits from a relaxed tempo and urban oases of green. D

This morning transfer to the Kibale National Park (197 miles, five hours), where you’ll spend the next two nights at the 3-star Mountains of the Moon Hotel (3Q). Transfers on the tour are long but incredibly scenic, making ‘getting there’ half the fun of the tour.

On today’s journey you pass through Uganda’s tea and coffee growing area and have the opportunity to explore a plantation to find out how these important export crops are grown and harvested. Arrive at your hotel in the afternoon and enjoy some free time. Perhaps explore the 15 acres of landscaped gardens, take a dip in the pool or relax in the wellness centre.

Alternatively, you could take a 10-minute walk into Fort Portal to discover its many tourist attractions. All 33 rooms in the hotel have free WiFi, outdoor seating area, TV and tea and coffee making facilities. B, L, D

Kibale Forest is home to the largest population of endangered chimpanzees in Uganda as well as 12 other primate species, including red colobus monkey, the rare L’Hoest’s monkey, bush babies and pottos. It has the highest diversity and density of primates in Africa. This morning you will trek through the forest in search of the chimpanzees. You might also spot African grey parrots, black bee-eaters, the black-and-white flycatcher and yellow-mantled weavers.

Enjoy local delicacies for lunch at Tinka Homestead before a guided walk through the swamps of Bigodi in the afternoon. This is a terrific experience for birders and another chance to see more of the parks primates. After, you can either relax at the lodge or visit a local school to meet the teachers and pupils. B, L, D

This morning you will drive to Kasese to begin a hike on Mount Rwenzori’s diamond trail. Accompanied by an experienced guide explore the verdant forests of the foothills, spotting primates and birds with fleeting glimpses of the Mountains of the Moon through the canopy. The hike takes four hours and covers a distance of 6 miles.

Continue your journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park (81 miles, two hours and 30 minutes), and check into the 3-star Mweya Safari Lodge (3Q) for a two-night stay. On your way into the National Park enjoy a game drive, hopefully spotting a variety of beasts in the savannah, wetlands and lowland forest. The hotel sits on a peninsula of the Kazinga Channel, with fantastic views of the water from the rooms and the infinity pool. There is a restaurant and bar at the hotel and the opportunity to eat indoors or al fresco. All 46 rooms have a balcony, a fan, telephone and electronic safe. B, L, D

This morning, set out on a thrilling game drive through the Queen Elizabeth National Park. The park includes savannah, rainforest, dense papyrus swamps and crater lakes, which support over 100 species of mammal including the elusive giant forest hog and a host of primates including colobus, chimpanzee, red tailed monkey and olive baboon.

After lunch at the lodge visit a local fishing village and meet the men who work the boats. In the afternoon, take a boat ride along the Kazinga Channel, a 32-kilometre long natural channel that links Lake Edward and Lake George. As you slip silently down the channel you’ll hopefully see a many wild animals and birds, including hippo and monstrous Nile crocodiles. B, L, D

Depart after breakfast to Bwindi National Park, home of the mountain gorilla (182 miles, six hours). On the way you’ll enjoy a game drive through the Ishasha sector, where you might catch a glimpse of a rare tree-climbing lion snoozing in a fig tree.

Continue to Bwindi National Park and check into the 3-star Silverback Lodge (3Q) for a three-night stay. Overlooking the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park the hotel has fantastic nature viewing opportunities. The hotel restaurant serves local and international cuisine and there is also a spa in which to relax. B, L, D

This morning you set out in search of the mountain gorillas of Bwindi.

While personal porters assist you with your gear, an experienced guide leads you through the tropical rainforest and imparts their knowledge of the wildlife and 400 species of plants, including rare fern and orchid. But the real reward of what can be a two to six-hour trek is finding mountain gorillas. These peaceful and highly intelligent creatures live in family groups lead by a patriarchal silverback. You are safely able to get quite close to them as they feed and rest on the forest floor and some groups are accustomed to the presence of tourists. There are 700 individuals in the park at present, a great improvement since war and poaching cut their numbers to 300 in 1991. In the evening, enjoy a lecture on the parks most famous inhabitants, from an eminent primatologist. B, L, D

Today you can relax at the hotel and enjoy the stunning views of the park and wildlife from the comfort of the terrace or join one of the many optional excursions on offer. These include a second distinct gorilla trek, a community walk to meet a traditional healer, local beer maker and Batwa Pygmies, or a Bwindi forest walk that as well as exploring the magical cloud forest takes you to three stunning waterfalls. B, L, D

Please note: the optional gorilla trek is subject to permit availability. Please speak to your driver guide on arrival.

Depart Bwindi National Park and drive to Lake Mburu National Park (182 miles, six hours). As you enter the park, a patchwork of savannah, forest, swamp and isolated rocks, you’re treated to a game drive, with the chance to spot herds of impala and zebra among other wild creatures. The park’s diverse biosphere also supports a huge variety of bird life with a total of 313 species waiting to be discovered.

Check into the 3-star Mihingo Lodge (2Q), an environmentally friendly, family-owned lodge set on a rocky ridge overlooking the Lake Mburo National Park. From the luxury of your accommodation and the hotel’s infinity pool you can spot buffalo, eland, impala, warthog, bush buck and zebra drinking at the watering hole in the valley below – you might even see the resident family of klipspringer antelope.

After settling in, visit a cattle-herding family to learn about their lives, their work and how to churn the milk into butter. B, L, D

Set out on an early morning guided nature walk to witness one of the most active times in the park’s daily cycle. With the absence of lions and elephant these walks are safe and you will hopefully encounter zebra, topi, impala, warthog and buffalo in the early hours. Return to the lodge to refuel on a hearty breakfast before returning to Entebbe for your flight home. On the way out of the park you are treated to a farewell game drive then, at the equator, you’ll stop for lunch, a photo opportunity and the chance to buy some souvenirs.

Fly overnight to the UK from Entebbe International airport. B, L

Arrive in the UK for your included VIP door-to-door travel service home.