8 DAYS/7 NIGHTS TO SSESE ISLAND/QUEEN ELIZABETH & KIBALE FOREST PARKS

Day 1 - Hotel Africana
Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport we will be met and transferred to Kampala. Hotel Africana is an elegant mid-range hotel located in the heart of the central business district of Kampala overlooking the beautiful Centenary Park. Each room has individual air conditioning, 24 hour satellite TV, direct dial telephone and in room safety locks. A cafeteria restaurant serves delightful oriental, continental and African specialties. The hotel offers a swimming pool, modern business center, well equipped fitness center, aerobics, gym and sauna, tennis courts and guest laundry service.

Day 2 - Ndaali Lodge
After breakfast we depart for Kibale Forest via Mityana, Mubende and Fort Portal. We will pass through breathtaking scenery and delightfully rolling hills covered with the tea plantations of Kabarole. Ndaali Lodge is set high above Lake Nyinambuga and affords breathtaking 360° views. Its location at 1500m above sea level makes for a cooler climate. The lodge is built from local materials, in harmony with its spectacular setting. Eight individual cottages provide en suite bathrooms and spacious, airy bedrooms with high ceilings. The four-poster beds are draped in elegant netting and decorated with local craftwork. Each cottage has a private verandah from which to savor the views towards the Ruwenzori Mountains.

Day 3 - Mweya Safari Lodge
Early breakfast and depart for Kibale Forest for an exciting 1-2 hour trek in search for chimpanzee and at least 12 species of primates in an area that has one of the highest primate densities in the world. We will meet with families of chimps and red colobus monkeys chattering and swinging through the ancient forest trees. 325 species of birdlife and over 144 species of butterflies inhabit the forest. On return we will have quick lunch followed by our departure to Queen Elizabeth National Park via Kasese.
Mweya Safari Lodge is located on a peninsula within the heart of the spectacular Queen Elizabeth National Park. A Safari lodge compared to no other - with sumptuous accommodation, breathtaking views from every room, an abundance of game and some of the best bird watching in East Africa.

Day 4 - Jacana Safari Lodge
Before breakfast we have a game drive through the Kasenyi track where we will see abundant game such as kob, warthog, and possibly lions and leopards. Birdlife will be abundant. We return to the lodge for breakfast and remain at leisure until lunchtime. This afternoon we take the boat trip to Kazinga Channel, where we will encounter schools of hippos, many varieties of birds and the fishermen at work.

Jacana Safari Lodge is an intimate, luxury eco-lodge set on the edge of a crater lake in Uganda's Queen Elizabeth National Park. It has luxury chalets constructed from natural local materials in harmony with its forest setting. Each spacious chalet is individually decorated and has an enclosed verandah with large windows, providing panoramic views over the Crater Lake. In the central area, you will find the dining room, main bar and the comfortable lounge. There is a gorgeous swimming pool, with swim-up bar, and a sauna to restore you for the next day's activities. Jacana Safari Lodge will provide a naturalist so that you can explore your surroundings on foot and take advantage of the outstanding bird and butterfly watching opportunities.
Alternatively, you might prefer to hike into one of the spectacular gorges. You can enjoy the lake on one of the canoes or small pontoons, and the lodge will provide rod, tackle and bait for those who wish to go fishing.

Day 5 - Ssese Island Club
After an early breakfast we depart for the Ssese Islands via Mbarara and Masaka arriving in time for a 12 noon ferry.

The 84-forested Ssese Islands lie off the northwestern shore of Lake Victoria and are among Uganda's undiscovered treasures. Though only an hour from the mainland by speedboat, the islands remain unspoiled. Many of the islands are virtually uninhabited and the forests and coastal swamps are inhabited by a variety of birds including touraco, flycatcher, whale-headed Stork, many geese and herons, Fish Eagles, Grey Parrot, and kingfishers. Among the wildlife are hippos and crocodiles, waterbuck and the elusive sitatunga1. Chimps, vervet and colobus monkeys dwell in the forested areas and butterflies are prolific. The Basese, a distinct tribal group with its own language and culture, who fish and cultivate coffee, sweet potato, cassava, yams and bananas, inhabits the Ssese Islands. The main islands are hilly and forested, except where cultivated. The islands offer superb fishing - Nile perch and tilapia - and verdant forest walks. There are lovely sandy beaches, crystal clear waters and safe, secluded swimming areas.

Day 6 - Ssese Island Club
After breakfast we take a full day boat cruise to the different islands. Ssese boasts of over 80 islands, most of them virgin and unexploited. We'll enjoy a picnic lunch on one of the islands while watching a variety of birdlife and primates.

Set in a forest on Buggala Island, the locally owned and run Island Club provides both log cabins and tented accommodation near a dazzling white beach and is a good base from which to enjoy this delightful area. The cabins are set among trees on the shore of the lake all with en suite facilities. The central dining area has mosquito and lake-fly proof sides and provides traditional buffet meals. On clear evenings, there is often a barbecue served on the beach.

Buggala is 43 km long and its forest is still inhabited by animals and birds. The paradise flycatcher of Buggala may be endemic. Butterflies are abundant, too.

Day 7 - Imperial Botanic Beach Hotel
After breakfast depart for your return journey to Kampala via Bukakata and Masaka with a stop over at the Equator. Late Lunch in a city restaurant is followed by visits to the batik shops and market. This evening we leave for Entebbe for dinner and overnight at Imperial Botanic Beach Hotel.
The Imperial Botanic Beach is the finest hotel in Entebbe on 10 acres overlooking beautiful Lake Victoria. The hotel has exquisite bedrooms and suites that are centrally air-conditioned, equipped with long baths, direct dialing, satellite TV, and direct access to Internet in all rooms via dedicated satellite connection. The modern health and recreational facilities include swimming, sauna, steam, massage and various games. The garden bar and poolside terraces provide a most pleasant ambience during the day and night for relaxing and soaking up hot sun in a friendly Ugandan atmosphere.

Day 8 - Flight Home
After breakfast and depending on your flight connections we will have an optional visit to the wildlife Education Center and the Botanical Gardens or Ngamba Island. We'll have lunch before departing for the airport for your flight connections.

Ngamba Island
Ngamba Island is part of the Koome group of islands located on Lake Victoria. It consists of approximately 100 acres, 98 of which are forested and separated from the visitors' area by an electric fence. Ngamba Island was officially opened to visitors in October 1999 and is currently home to 35-orphaned chimpanzees. Ngamba Island is a project of the Chimpanzees Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust (CSWCT), established in 1997 by the Born Free Foundation, the Jane Goodall Institute and other international trusts. It provides these orphaned chimpanzees with a secure home to live out their lives, since a return to their natural habitat is not possible, while educating visitors and local communities about their remarkable species and the importance of conserving their fragile forest habitat.

Cost of the Itinerary
The cost of the itinerary will include:

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