Off the Beaten Track in Northern Uganda

Arrive Entebbe. Met on arrival and transfer to your hotel.

Depart early with your private safari guide in a specially equipped 4x4 Land Cruiser with popup roof, charging sockets, WiFi and a fridge stocked with fruit, snacks and soft drinks. Drive (approx. 6 hours) to the Semliki Wildlife Reserve. Enjoy a late lunch followed by a game drive. Although carnivores are largely absent, the forests and savannahs of Semliki contain large numbers of Ugandan kob, two endemic species of flying squirrel, buffalo and elephants of both the savannah and forest species. Birdwatchers will enjoy the chance to spot red-necked falcon, black-billed barbet and Abyssinian ground-hornbill. Round it off with a refreshing sundowner before heading back to the lodge for dinner.

Enjoy a morning birding boat cruise on Lake Albert for shoebills and other species. In the afternoon venture out on a game drive to spot savannah species, or take a savannah walking safari if you would prefer.

Morning walking safari (with armed guided) through the Semliki Forest for birds, primates and other wildlife. Primate highlights might include red-tailed monkey, vervet monkey, black and white colobus monkeys plus chimpanzee. If very lucky, you might even glimpse some of the rare forest elephants and buffalos that make Semliki their home.

Lunch at the lodge then drive (approx. 2 hours) to Kibale for dinner.

Depart before dawn for Kibale Forest National Park headquarters and check in for the morning chimpanzee trek. Bordering the Queen Elizabeth National park to the south, the Kibale protects Uganda’s largest expanse of intact forest containing more than 350 species of trees, 375 species of bird and 70 species of mammal including forest elephant, red and blue duikers, bushbuck, sitatunga, bush pig, giant forest hog, common warthog, buffalo, leopard and the occasional lion. The 13 species of primate include Uganda mangabey, Ugandan red colobus, L'Hoest's monkey, black-and-white colobus and blue monkey. It is also offers probably Africa’s best chimpanzee trekking with over 120 individuals within the main habituated community, divided into various sub-groups. After a short briefing, you will be split into parties of eight people and spend the morning tracking one of the chimpanzee groups with an armed ranger, usually starting where the group was seen the previous day. If lucky, the group will be vocalising so you are able to follow their distinctive whoops and calls to find the apes. If not, the ranger will need to use his tracking skills to follow the trail of broken vegetation and dropped fruit which leads to the group. This can sometimes take a little time and may involve plenty of walking through thick forest. Once found, however, you will enjoy an unforgettable hour experiencing chimpanzee behaviour and social interaction before returning to the park HQ and your lodge for lunch.

In the afternoon, have a walk in the Bigodi Wetlands for smaller primates found in the area and rich birdlife. A series of trails and boardwalks pass through farmland, forest and extensive areas of papyrus. Wildlife is dominated by birds including blue turaco, papyrus gonolek, hornbill, waxbill, weaver, cuckoo, flycatcher and a number of kingfisher species. There are also eight species of primate there, including black and white colobus, red colobus, mangabey, red tail, vervet, and L’Hoest monkeys.

Depart early for the long drive to Murchison Falls National Park (approx. 8 hrs). Check-in to hotel and rest of day at leisure.

Morning game drive in Murchison Falls National Park. At 3,893 square kilometres in size, this is Uganda’s largest national park and dominated by the Nile running roughly east to west and dividing the park in two. Here you can see large numbers of Rothschild's giraffe, elephant and buffalo. Specialities of the park include the Jackson’s hartebeest, the tiny oribi antelope and the Uganda kob – an antelope which forms large herds. Lion are seen quite regularly but leopard and spotted hyena less so. Primates include olive baboon, blue and red-tailed monkeys, black-and-white colobus plus the rare savanna-dwelling patas monkey. As well as waterbirds such as shoebill stork, goliath heron and grey crowned crane, there are many savannah species including the Abyssinian ground hornbill, Senegal thick-knee and Northern carmine bee-eater. Afternoon boat trip to Murchison Falls following the Victoria Nile as it flows through the national park. As well as a large number of water birds, the river draws a large amount of game which comes to the river to drink and bathe. Expect hippos, elephants, buffalos and crocodiles. You will continue up the river to the spectacular Murchison Falls where the river hurtles down a seven metre chasm. Disembark from the boat for a fairly steep walk to the top of the falls observing the various cascades as you go. Return to your lodge in the evening.

Morning boat trip to the Nile delta to look for shoebills and other wildlife. Return to the lodge for lunch then enjoy a sunset game drive.

Long drive north (approx. 8 hrs with picnic lunch) to Kidepo Valley National Park.

Morning and afternoon private game drives in the Kidepo Valley National Park. Located in Uganda’s remote north, Kidepo is bordered by South Sudan to the west and Kenya to the east. The park shares similar stunning landscape and wildlife to its Kenyan neighbour with rolling grass plains framed by distant hills dotted with granite outcrops. Wildlife is dominated by the usual plains animals: huge herds of buffalo, giraffe, zebra, elephant and antelope, all stalked by healthy populations of lion, leopard and cheetah. Bird highlights include kori bustard, white-bellied go-away bird, Abyssinian roller, purple heron, Abyssinian ground hornbill, Clapperton’s francolin, Abyssinian scimitar bill, Jackson’s hornbill, African-pied hornbill and around 460 other species.

Morning and afternoon private game drives in the Kidepo Valley National Park. You can choose to take a walking safari in place of one of your game drives.

Morning private game drive in the Kidepo Valley National Park. In the afternoon, you can choose another game drive or visit a nearby tribal community.

Final morning game drive in Kidepo. Take scheduled flight (Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays only) to Entebbe Airport. Visit a nearby restaurant for dinner (included) then take your evening flight home.