Shared service with other clients and an English-speaking driver-guide.
Entebbe or Kampala - Ziwa Rift Reserve - Masindi Conservation Area - Murchison Falls National Park - Lake Albert - Chimpanzee viewing in Budongo Forest - Bugoma Community - Bugoma Forest - Kasese - Queen Elizabeth National Park - Kazinga Channel - Ishasha - Bwindi National Forest - Mountain gorilla safari
This Western Circuit itinerary of the renowned Albertine Rift Valley offers an engaging nature-based journey with numerous ecotourism activities (such as trekking to see primates, chimpanzees, gorillas, and other species), photo safaris, scenic landscapes and tourist attractions like Murchison Falls, birdwatching excursions, and cultural village walks. Therefore, this active program is recommended for those who wish to fully immerse themselves in nature and its beauty. But primarily, this itinerary supports the Bugoma rainforest conservation project in Uganda.
Alternative programs
Circuit details
-Scheduled flights.
-Arrival and departure transfers in Entebbe.
-Transportation in a 4x4 Land Cruiser vehicle. Maximum 6 passengers per vehicle.
-8 nights' accommodation.
-Full board (drinks not included).
-Entrance fees to National Parks and excursions as described in the itinerary.
-Gorilla watching permit.
-Chimpanzee watching permit in Budongo.
-English-speaking driver-guide.
-Mineral water in the vehicle.
-Travel assistance Plus insurance.
-Visa.
-Tips and personal expenses.
-Drinks during lunch and dinner.
-Optional activities.
-Spanish-speaking guide (see supplement).
-Any other service not specified as included.
-Optional insurance.
Ground Services:
- Cancellations made between 61 – 32 days before the start of the trip are subject to a penalty of 30% of the total amount of the confirmed services.
- Cancellations made between 31 – 17 days before the start of the trip are subject to a penalty of 60% of the total amount of the confirmed services.
- Cancellations made between 16– 0 days before the start of the trip are subject to a penalty of 100% of the total amount of the confirmed services.
Flights:
Air reservations do not allow name changes and once the tickets have been issued, they are non-refundable.
-Guaranteed departures from 2 passengers.
-Hotels and camps do not guarantee room availability before 2 pm on the day of arrival.
-Room use is limited until 10 am on the day of departure.
-Free time: During free time, clients do not have transportation or a local guide.
-Possible route change: Our representative in Uganda has the full right to modify the program for the benefit of the client or for reasons of force majeure without losing any of the scheduled visits.
-Possible changes in accommodations: If it is not possible to confirm the planned hotels or lodges on any of the departures, an alternative will be offered to the client within the same contracted category.
-Luggage: In the event of luggage being lost by the airlines, It will be the passenger's responsibility to manage the claim and call the company directly to arrange delivery or compensation that may apply. Luxotour will not be responsible for any processing of lost or broken luggage.
-People with reduced mobility: some places, accommodations and transport are not adapted for wheelchairs, please check and notify before making the reservation. Any additional assistance costs that may be required throughout the tour will be the responsibility of the client.
-Special foods: cases of food intolerances (allergies, celiac disease, vegetarian food, etc.) must be communicated before arrival in Uganda, although it is not possible to guarantee any type of special diet or menu.
-Withdrawal of the consumer: the circuit is sold as a closed package, so there will be no refund or discount for services that customers decide not to enjoy or in which they cannot participate due to personal, medical, flight schedule or other events.
-Behavior during the trip: in the event that the attitude of a passenger endangers the operation of the tour and/or causes inconvenience to the rest of the group, he or she will be forced to leave the circuit without any type of discount or refund for the services that he or she cannot enjoy.
-Credit card: for example, if the passenger's behavior is unfavorable to the group, he or she will be forced to leave the circuit without any type of discount or refund for the services that he or she cannot enjoy.
- In general, hotel establishments require the passenger to present a credit card or cash deposit as a guarantee in order to provide telephone calls, extras in bars and restaurants, minibar, laundry, room service charges, etc.
-Personal documentation and entry requirements in Uganda: It is the client's responsibility to inform themselves about the current regulations regarding entry and exit of the country to which they are traveling, as well as to carry the personal documents required by the authorities. Luxotour assumes no responsibility in this regard. Please note that visa, transit, entry and vaccination regulations vary from one country to another and may also be modified at short notice and without prior notice.
This program does not have a discount for children.
Tracking mountain gorillas in Bwindi is one of the highlights of any trip to Africa. The euphoria that comes with seeing a mountain gorilla in the wild for the first time is hard to describe. They are enormous animals: up to three times larger than humans, their exaggerated size only increased by their lush fur. However, despite their fearsome appearance, gorillas are extraordinarily peaceful creatures, much less aggressive than monkeys or baboons. Despite this, it's important to remember that they are animals and that they react as such.
Even more impressive than the gorillas' size and demeanor is their curious attitude toward people, which is very different from that of any other wild animal. As cliché as it may seem, almost everyone who visits the gorillas experiences an almost mystical sense of recognition. Often, one of the gorillas will stop chewing bamboo to study its human visitor, its soft brown eyes staring at you as if searching for a connection, one of the most exciting life experiences you'll ever experience.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is home to half of the world's mountain gorilla population, with approximately 11 families habituated to human presence. Only 8 permits are issued per family each day, so it's important to book your trip well in advance, otherwise sightings are not possible.
The trekking begins at 8 a.m. Groups are limited to a maximum of 8 people. A park ranger will brief you on important aspects of the activity, including rules for behaving in their presence. We will have a strict time limit to stay with the gorillas once we have located them.
Each group is assigned a family of gorillas that are accustomed to human presence. The scouts have previously located the area where they are located, however, the walk time is unpredictable and can extend up to 6 or 7 hours.
Equipment: It is important to wear comfortable boots, a raincoat, and gardening gloves to remove nettles. The hotel provides a picnic and plenty of mineral water to consume during the walk.
Porters: In addition to the ranger and a group of park employees, we will be accompanied by porters who will carry our backpacks and walk alongside us to help us in the less accessible sections. Our contribution (15 USD) per person helps each of them and their families.
Day 1: CITY OF ORIGIN - ENTEBBE
Scheduled flight departure to Entebbe. Overnight on board.
Day 2: ENTEBBE OR KAMPALA
Arrive at Entebbe International Airport and transfer to hotel in Entebbe or Kampala. Accommodation.
What will you see today?
Day 3: ENTEBBE OR KAMPALA - MURCHISON FALLS NP
Breakfast and drive northwest via Masindi to Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda's largest national park. It offers a diverse mix of landscapes, including acacia trees and savannas in the north and tropical forests in the south. Along the way, we'll stop at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a nature walk and to learn about the breeding and care project for the endangered white rhinos. After lunch, we continue to the National Park, reaching the Nile River for a visit to the top of Murchison Falls, where the river flows through a narrow canyon, forming a spectacular waterfall. We arrive at the lodge at dusk after a nearly six-hour drive, part of which will be on dirt roads within the park. Dinner and overnight stay.
What will you see today?
Day 4: MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK
Early breakfast and departure for a safari to explore the savanna in the northern Nile Delta region, on Lake Albert. The aim of this excursion is to see elephants, lions, buffalo, giraffes, waterbuck, oribi, leopards, and spotted hyenas. The park has dense vegetation and offers spectacular views, so we advise you to have your camera ready to capture the best photos. Lunch at the lodge. In the afternoon, we will go on another safari, this time by boat along the banks of the Nile, to spot hippos, crocodiles, and a variety of birds such as the African hawk-eagle, great pelican, kingfisher, and Egyptian goose. Dinner and overnight stay.
What will you see today?
Day 5: Murchison Falls National Park - Budongo Forest - Bugoma Forest
(*) The chimpanzee trekking activity in Uganda is conducted according to park rules and regulations, and we can confirm morning or afternoon schedules.
What will you see today?
Day 6: BUGOMA FOREST - KASESE
What will you see today?
Day 7: KASESE - PN QUEEN ELISABETH
What will you see today?
Day 8: QUEEN ELISABETH NP - BWINDI FOREST NP
What will you see today?
Day 9: BWINDI FOREST NATIONAL PARK
What will you see today?
Day 10: BWINDI-ENTEBBE FOREST PARK
Breakfast and departure by road to Entebbe, making a stop en route to visit a local craft market. Lunch en route and continuation with transfer to Entebbe International Airport.Note: Today's transfer is approximately 9 hours (approximately 450 km), therefore we recommend booking flights departing late in the day or considering adding an extra night (not included) in Entebbe or Kampala.
Flight from Entebbe International Airport, Uganda to your hometown.
Day 11: CITY OF ORIGIN
Arrival in the city of origin and end of the trip.