Distance travelled +/- 390 Km
Approx driving time: 7 Hours

From Kampala, our journey begins by traveling west towards Queen Elizabeth National Park. Stopping briefly at the equator in
Kayabwe. Uganda is among the few countries in the world where you can have the opportunity to cross the equator line.
Continuing through fertile terraced hillsides, steep mountains, and tangled forests there may be opportunities to spot herds of
Ankole cattle, with their notably long curving horns, before arriving at Simba Camp, our accommodation for the next two nights.
Simba Camp is nestled atop a hill overlooking Lake Kikorongo on the edge of Queen Elizabeth National Park, with panoramic views across the park’s extensive savannah plains teeming with wildlife as well as Lake George and the famed Kazinga Channel. It is the closest accommodation to the Kasenyi plains on the edge of Lake George. Here we will have the opportunity to relax and unwind, take a walk in the surrounding areas, or meet with the local community.

Accommodation: Simba Camp – Twin share accommodation with en-suite facilities
Meals included: Lunch, Dinner
WIFI: Yes
Optional Activities: Nil

After breakfast we enter Queen Elizabeth National Park and take in the superb views of the mountains that separate Uganda from central Africa as well as Lake Edwards and Lake George. Queen Elizabeth National Park has over 500 species of bird and 100 species of mammals, making it one of the most biodiverse national parks in the world. As we continue to Kyambura Gorge, the Valley of the Apes, we may get to spot these animals en route to our encounter with the chimpanzees. We spend some time walking through the verdant rainforest with an expert guide, observing the habituated chimpanzees in the forest canopies. Kyambura Gorge is also home to various other primates, namely the black-and-white colobus monkey, baboon, red tailed monkey, and vervet monkey.

Please Note: Chimpanzee Trek permits are issued by the wildlife authority in groups of up to 8 people per batch. Depending on
our group size and availability, the itinerary may vary slightly with the Chimpanzee trek taking place either on the afternoon of
day 1, morning of day 2, afternoon of day 2, or morning of day 3.

Accommodation: Simba Camp – Twin share accommodation with en-suite facilities
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
WIFI: Yes
Optional Activities: Nil

Distance travelled +/- 240 Km
Approx driving time: 5 Hours

A new day begins as we make our way to Lake Bunyonyi, locally translated as the place of many little birds. The lake is 27km long, 7km wide and at an elevation of 1950m above sea level, it is surrounded by undulating hills between 2200m to 2478m high. With a depth of nearly 900m in parts, this lake is the second deepest lake in Africa (the deepest being Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania). There are twenty-nine islands that can be visited by local boats, each island has a mystical and ancestral story behind it, be sure to ask your local guide about these folklore stories. Lake Bunyonyi is a birders paradise, home to the White-tailed Blue Monard, Africa Harrier Hawk and Levaillant’s Cuckoo just to name a few. The serene lake further attracts international migratory birds during winter, making it an ideal destination for birding enthusiasts. This feature lake is our base for the next three nights.
Lake Bunyonyi Our en-suite accommodation, Bunyonyi Overland Resort, is ecologically built, with local materials. It is locally owned and provides important employment opportunities for the people around the lake. There are many activities to do here such as hiring canoes, visiting nearby tribes and villages, participating with the community school and orphanage, bird watching and nature walks.

Alternatively, one can simply relax, read a book on the sun terrace, or sit around the campfire on the main deck overlooking the
lake.

Accommodation: Lake Bunyonyi Overland Stop/ Gorilla Trek area – Twin share accommodation with en-suite facilities
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
WIFI: Yes
Optional Activities: See day 4

On the day of our Mountain Gorilla trek, we depart in the early morning to meet with our local expert guide and tracker. After an
introductory briefing we commence our trek in small groups as we descend into the thick rainforest. The trek can be demanding
at times with uneven terrain and hilly rainforest but the privilege of spending time with a family of these gentle primates makes
the effort well worthwhile. This region of Africa is home to the world’s remaining wild mountain gorillas, many of which inhabit
the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the location of our trek. The park also offers a remarkably wide range of things to see:
350 bird species, 310 butterflies, 200 tree species, and 120 primates including chimpanzees and the black-and-white Colobus
monkeys.
The usual procedure, once we have located the gorillas, is to squat or sit down and quietly observe them for around an hour – the time set by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Gorillas are highly social creatures, living in groups between 12 and 20 individuals,
usually led by an alpha male (the silverback – so called because of the silver hair on his back which grows once the male gorilla
attains maturity). Most people find that the gorillas are remarkably human-like at close range – particularly in the social interaction between family members and the playfulness of the young. Photography is permitted (although not with a flash and there are restrictions for those who wish to use a video camera.)

NB: The permits allow for one entry to trek and view the gorillas (viewing time limited to one hour). The authorities maintain strict limits on the number of visitors allowed to observe the gorillas each day. Depending on our group size and the availability of the gorilla permits, the tour itinerary may vary in day to day running order while at Lake Bunyonyi. Alternating between either a day of trekking or a day of leisure. From time to time members of our group may have to trek on different days. If circumstantially and by a very slim chance our Gorilla trek should take place in a neighbouring country, i.e., heading into Rwanda for the day (instead of Uganda) this may entail extra visa fees and we shall advise you well in advance. Please take the day to day itinerary as a guideline only. This applies to day 3 – 5 of this tour.

As mentioned above, today is either a trek day or a day of leisure, enjoying the many optional activities at Lake Bunyonyi. Whether relaxing on the shores of this deep crater lake with a good book or heading out to the village and orphanage to gain an insight into the everyday life of Ugandans in this area.

Accommodation: Lake Bunyonyi Overland Stop/ Gorilla Trek area – Twin share accommodation with en-suite facilities
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
WIFI: Yes
Optional Activities: Island Boat Trips US$25 – US$80, Village Walk US$10, Traditional Dance US$100, Bird Watching US$20, Canoe
Hire US$10

If we are not trekking, today is free to explore the surrounding area, discover the dotted islands by boat or catch up on some welldeserved rest and relaxation.

Accommodation: Lake Bunyonyi Overland Stop/ Gorilla Trek area – Twin share accommodation with en-suite facilities
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
WIFI: Yes
Optional Activities: See day 4

Distance travelled +/- 480 Km
Approx driving time: 9 Hours

Leaving Lake Bunyonyi after breakfast, we travel back across the Equator through lush pasture lands and the northern reaches of Lake Victoria (the largest lake in Africa) to Kampala, Uganda’s capital city where this tour ends.

Accommodation: Nil
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
WIFI: Yes
Optional Activities: Nil