Entebbe is the gateway to Uganda, as it hosts the country’s largest international airport. It is also a charming city on the shores of Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake. Upon arrival, you can check in to one of the many hotels or guesthouses in Entebbe, such as:

Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort & Spa: A luxury resort with a golf course, a spa, a pool, and stunning views of the lake.

The Boma Hotel: A cozy boutique hotel with a garden, a pool, and a restaurant serving local and international cuisine.

Karibu Guesthouse: A budget-friendly option with clean rooms, free Wi-Fi, and a friendly staff.

After settling in, you can explore some of the attractions in Entebbe, such as:

Entebbe Botanic Gardens: A beautiful park with exotic plants, birds, monkeys, and butterflies. You can take a guided tour or just stroll around at your own pace.

Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre: A sanctuary for rescued and orphaned animals, such as chimpanzees, lions, elephants, giraffes, and more. You can learn about their stories and conservation efforts, and even interact with some of them.

Fort Portal is a scenic town in western Uganda, surrounded by green hills and tea plantations. It is also the gateway to several national parks and cultural sites. To get there from Entebbe, you can either take a domestic flight (about 1 hour) or drive there (about 5 hours). Some of the accommodation options in Fort Portal are:

Ndali Lodge: A luxury lodge on a hilltop overlooking a crater lake. It has spacious cottages with fireplaces, balconies, and en-suite bathrooms. It also offers delicious meals made from organic ingredients grown on site.

Kyaninga Lodge: Another luxury lodge on the edge of a crater lake. It has wooden cabins with thatched roofs, four-poster beds, and private decks. It also has a swimming pool, a tennis court, and a restaurant serving fusion cuisine.

Rwenzori View Guesthouse: A budget-friendly guesthouse with clean rooms, free Wi-Fi, and a garden. It also has a restaurant serving local and continental dishes.

After checking in, you can explore some of the attractions in Fort Portal, such as;

Amabere Caves: A natural wonder with stalactites and stalagmites that resemble breasts. According to legend, they belong to Nyinamwiru, the daughter of King Bukuku who cut them off to prevent her from getting married.

Karambi Royal Tombs: A historical site where the kings and royals of Toro Kingdom are buried. You can see their graves decorated with spears and shields, and learn about their history and culture.

Tooro Botanical Gardens: A botanical garden with over 300 species of plants, including medicinal herbs, fruits, flowers, and trees. You can also spot some birds and butterflies here.

Kibale National Park is one of the best places in Africa to see chimpanzees in their natural habitat. The park has over 1,500 chimpanzees living in its dense forests, along with other primates such as monkeys, baboons, and colobus. You can join a guided trek to track and observe these amazing creatures up close, and learn about their behaviour and ecology. You can also visit some other attractions in Kibale National Park, such as:

Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary: A community-run wetland that is home to over 200 species of birds, including rare ones like the great blue turaco, the papyrus gonolek, and the white-winged warbler. You can also see some mammals, reptiles, and amphibians here.

Crater Lakes: A series of scenic lakes formed by volcanic activity. You can enjoy the views, hike around them, or swim in some of them. Some of the popular ones are Lake Nkuruba, Lake Nyinambuga, and Lake Nyabikere.

Tea Plantations: A green carpet of tea fields that cover the hills around Fort Portal. You can visit some of the tea factories and learn how tea is processed and brewed. You can also sample some of the fresh and aromatic tea.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s most visited and diverse national park. It covers an area of over 1,900 square kilometres, and encompasses savannas, forests, wetlands, and lakes. It is home to over 600 species of birds, and over 90 species of mammals, including elephants, buffaloes, hippos, lions, leopards, hyenas, antelopes, and more. To get there from Fort Portal, you can drive for about 2 hours. Some of the accommodation options in Queen Elizabeth National Park are;

Mweya Safari Lodge: A luxury lodge on a peninsula overlooking the Kazinga Channel, a waterway that connects Lake Edward and Lake George. It has elegant rooms and suites with balconies, air-conditioning, and en-suite bathrooms. It also has a pool, a spa, a restaurant, and a bar.

Ishasha Wilderness Camp: A mid-range camp on the banks of the Ishasha River, in the southern sector of the park. It has spacious tents with comfortable beds, solar-powered lighting, and en-suite bathrooms. It also has a lounge, a dining area, and a fire pit.

Simba Safari Camp: A budget-friendly camp on a hill with panoramic views of the park. It has dorms, rooms, and cottages with shared or private bathrooms. It also has a restaurant serving buffet meals.

After checking in, you can enjoy some of the activities in Queen Elizabeth National Park such as;

Game Drives: A thrilling way to explore the park and see its wildlife. You can drive through different sectors of the park, such as Kasenyi Plains, where you can see lions hunting their prey; Ishasha Sector, where you can see tree-climbing lions; and Kyambura Gorge, where you can see chimpanzees and other primates.

Boat Cruise: A relaxing way to enjoy the scenery and wildlife along the Kazinga Channel. You can see hundreds of hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes, elephants, and birds as you cruise on a boat. You can also see some fishing villages and local people along the way.

Chimp Tracking: An optional activity that you can do in Kyambura Gorge or Kalinzu Forest Reserve. You can join a guided trek to track and observe chimpanzees in their natural habitat, and learn about their behaviour and ecology.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that protects one of the oldest and most biodiverse rainforests in Africa. It is also home to almost half of the world’s surviving mountain gorillas, a critically endangered species that lives in small groups led by a dominant silverback. To get there from Queen Elizabeth National Park, you can drive for about 4 hours. Some of the accommodation options in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are;

Buhoma Lodge: A luxury lodge on a hillside overlooking the forest. It has cozy cottages with wooden floors, fireplaces, en-suite bathrooms, and balconies. It also has a lounge, a bar, and a restaurant serving organic food.

Silverback Lodge: A mid-range lodge on a ridge with views of the forest and the valley. It has comfortable rooms with en-suite bathrooms and balconies. It also has a lounge, a library, and a restaurant serving local and international cuisine.

Bwindi View Bandas: A budget-friendly lodge near the park entrance. It has simple rooms with shared or private bathrooms. It also has a campsite for those who want to pitch their own tents.

After checking in, you can relax or explore some of the attractions in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, such as;

Batwa Trail: A cultural experience that takes you to meet the Batwa people, the original inhabitants of the forest who were evicted when the park was created. You can learn about their history, culture, and traditions, and see how they used to live in harmony with nature.

Waterfalls Trail: A scenic hike that takes you to three waterfalls in the forest: Munyanga Falls, Rushura Falls, and Muzabajirro Falls. You can enjoy the views, listen to the sound of water, and cool off in the pools.

Buhoma Community Village Walk: A guided walk that takes you to the nearby village of Buhoma, where you can see how the local people live, work, and play. You can visit a school, a clinic, a craft shop, a banana brewery, and a traditional healer. You can also learn some words in the local language and join in some dances and songs.

The highlight of your trip to Uganda is the gorilla trekking experience. You will join a small group of up to 8 people and a guide, and hike through the forest to find one of the habituated gorilla families. You will need a permit to do this, which costs $700 per person and should be booked in advance. The trek can take anywhere from 2 to 8 hours, depending on the location and movement of the gorillas. Once you find them, you will have one hour to observe them from a distance of at least 7 meters, and marvel at their size, strength, intelligence, and social behaviour. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you will never forget.

After the trek, you will return to your lodge and rest for the rest of the day. You can also visit some of the nearby villages and interact with the local people, who are very friendly and hospitable.

Depending on your flight schedule, you can either drive or fly back to Entebbe from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The drive takes about 9 hours, while the flight takes about 1 hour. You can also stop by some of the attractions along the way, such as:

Lake Bunyonyi: A beautiful lake with over 20 islands, surrounded by terraced hills. You can enjoy the views, take a boat ride, swim, kayak, or hike around the lake.

Equator Line: A landmark that marks the imaginary line that divides the earth into two hemispheres. You can take a photo, buy some souvenirs, or do an experiment to see how water drains in different directions on either side of the line.

Uganda Wildlife Education Centre: A sanctuary for rescued and orphaned animals, such as chimpanzees, lions, elephants, giraffes, and more. You can learn about their stories and conservation efforts, and even interact with some of them. You will then arrive at Entebbe International Airport and catch your flight back home. You will leave Uganda with unforgettable memories and stories to share with your friends and family.