Uganda's Big Game and Gorillas

En route to Kidepo, the tour stops at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, home to a population of southern white rhinos reintroduced to Uganda after local extinction. An experienced ranger guides you on foot to locate the rhinos - a notably different experience from vehicle-based game viewing. The duration depends on where the animals are on the day.

Overnight in Amuka Safari Lodge

Kidepo Valley sits in the far northeast of Uganda, close to the South Sudan and Kenya borders, and is among the most remote and least-visited of the country's national parks. The landscape - dry, open savannah broken by rocky outcrops and acacia - is unlike anything further south, and supports a roster of species found nowhere else in Uganda: oryx, striped hyena, maneless zebra, kudu, cheetah, and caracal among them. Lion, leopard, elephant, giraffe, and large buffalo herds are also regularly seen. Game drives here cover rolling grassland and seasonal riverbeds, with the sense of space and low visitor numbers that has made Kidepo a word-of-mouth recommendation among seasoned Africa travellers. A visit to a Karamajong community on the park boundary offers insight into one of East Africa's more distinctive pastoral cultures - traditionally semi-nomadic cattle herders whose customs and beliefs remain largely intact. On a further afternoon, a guided nature walk and an evening game drive under the stars extend the time in the park beyond what vehicle-only safaris allow.

Overnight in: Apoka Safari Lodge

The drive south from Kidepo descends from the savannah highlands toward Uganda's oldest and largest national park. Murchison Falls takes its name from the point where the Victoria Nile forces itself through a seven-metre gap in the Rift Valley escarpment, dropping 43 metres into a churning pool below. Game drives in the park offer lion, elephant, Cape buffalo, Rothschild's giraffe, hartebeest, waterbuck, oribi, and occasional leopard. The afternoon boat trip upstream along the Victoria Nile to the base of the falls is one of the park's defining experiences: a 17km stretch of water where hippos, crocodiles, and elephant congregate along the banks, and where the shoebill stork is sometimes seen. The boat takes you as close as possible to the falls before a short hike to the top completes the visit.

Overnight in: Nile Safari Lodge

The drive to Kibale passes through the agricultural landscape of western Uganda before the road enters the forest zone. Kibale is among the most significant primate forests in East Africa, supporting around 13 species, with chimpanzees the most frequently encountered. After a briefing at park headquarters, the trek begins at around 8am. Chimps are located by following their pant-hooting calls through the forest; the tracking itself takes two to three hours. Alongside chimpanzees, you may encounter red-tailed monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, L'Hoest's monkeys, black-and-white colobus, and olive baboons.

Overnight in: Ndali Lodge

Queen Elizabeth National Park covers a broad sweep of savannah, wetland, and forest along the Rift Valley floor, supporting elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, spotted hyena, warthog, and more than 600 recorded bird species. An early morning game drive covers the main grasslands, with good chances of predator sightings before the heat builds. An afternoon boat trip along the Kazinga Channel - the waterway linking Lakes Edward and George - gives close-range views of hippos, buffalo, and elephant from the water. A visit to the Katwe salt lake, a working crater lake mined for centuries, adds a different dimension to the day.

Overnight in: Kyambura Gorge Lodge

Ishasha is the remote southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, reached by a drive through open savannah south of the main park area. It is best known for its tree-climbing lions, which are regularly found resting in the large fig trees around the sector - behaviour uncommon among African lions and the subject of ongoing study. A sundowner game drive offers the best chance of finding them settled in the branches before dusk. Elephant and buffalo are also regularly seen, and the sector is noticeably quieter than the northern park.

Overnight in: Ishasha Wilderness Camp

The drive from Ishasha climbs steadily into the mountains of southwestern Uganda. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to roughly half the world's remaining mountain gorillas. On the afternoon of arrival, there is the option to visit a Batwa community - forest-dwelling people with a long history of living within the forest, whose traditions around hunting, shelter, and forest knowledge offer a distinctive cultural encounter. On the morning of the trek, guides lead you into the forest to locate a habituated family group after a briefing at park headquarters. Duration depends on where the gorillas have moved: it can be as short as two hours or stretch to a full day. The terrain is steep and frequently muddy; a walking stick is strongly advisable. Once the group is found, you spend one hour with them at close range, observing feeding, social interaction, and the younger animals at play. The afternoon after the trek is free; there is also the option to visit a local women's craft cooperative in the area.

Overnight in: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge

Lake Mburo is Uganda's smallest savannah park and one of the few places in the country where impala are found. It also supports buffalo, waterbuck, oribi, zebra, hippo, and around 350 bird species. A game drive on arrival is followed by the option of an evening game drive or horseback riding in the park. The following morning, the drive returns to Entebbe via the Equator.

Overnight in: Mihingo Lodge

The final day involves the drive back to Entebbe with a stop at the Equator for photographs. A day room is available at No.5 Boutique Hotel before the onward international departure.