Highlights
- Personally Escorted by one of our experienced tour hostesses
- Volunteer Opportunity at The Emmaus School
- Overnight Accommodation right on the River Nile
- Optional - White Water Rafting on the River Nile (USD 125.00)
- Game Drive in Murchison Falls National Park to see Lions, Elephants, Hyenas and More!
- Boat Ride to the top of Murchison Falls
- Chimpanzee Tracking in Budongo Rainforest
- Crossing the Equator at Bwindi
- Gorilla Tracking Experience in Bwindi's Impenetrable Forest
- Meet and interact with the Batwa Pygmy Tribe
- Two night Stay at the beautiful Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp in Bwindi
Inclusions
- Personally Escorted Tour - Your Sisterhood Tour Hostess is on hand to assist with making your holiday experience a memorable one!
- Return Economy Airfares including taxes with Qatar Airways ex Melbourne (other cities and classes available upon request)
- Specialist Guide upon arrival into Uganda
- All Transportation as detailed in itinerary
- All sightseeing including entrance fees as detailed in itinerary
- Gorilla Tracking Permit (Valued at USD600)
- Variety of Accommodation Styles as per itineary eg. Hotel, Lodge, Guest House
- Meals as detailed in itinerary
- Ugandan Visa Processing Fee (Australian Passport Holders)
- Willing to Share Option
- Meet and Greet Document Distribution Day (subject to minimum numbers attending)
Notice
Vaccinations
A Yellow Fever Certificate is mandatory. For all other vaccination advice please visit www.travelclinic.com.au or visit your local GP.
Tipping for Driver & Guide
Please allow USD150.00 to cover for both our driver and guide - Your tipping money can be handed to your tour leader at the beginning of the tour.
Required Fitness Level - Tracking both the chimpanzees and the gorillas requires you to be of a good level of fitness. Please call the office to discuss your suitability.
Hotel Standards - Please be advised that the standard of hotels will vary on this itinerary.
Itinerary
Day 1 - Sunday 3 November 2019
Melbourne - Uganda (Meals Inflight)
Today, join your Sisterhood tour hostess at the Melbourne Airport at the designated departure point to check in for your flight to Entebbe, Uganda (via Doha). Sit back relax and enjoy the inflight entertainement of Qatar Airways as we head towards our bucket list adventure.
Day 2 - Monday 4 November 2019
Welcome to Uganda (D)
Welcome to Uganda! We'll arrive mid afternoon and be met by our guide who will transfer us to our accommodation. Time to settle in with dinner at our hotel.
Overnight - K Hotel (or similar)
Day 3 - Tuesday 5 November 2019
Volunteer at The Emmaus School, Omuto Uganda (B,L,D)
Today an amazing hands on experience! We'll visit and take part in some activities at a local school. We'll see the daily life of a school student and enjoy spending time with the kids seeing how they learn! We'll enjoy lunch at the school before returning to our hotel for a free afternoon and dinner.
Overnight - Source of the Nile (or similar)
** The children would really love to receive donations of exercise books, pens, pencils etc.
Day 4 - Wednesday 6 November 2018
Kampala - River Nile (B,D)
Today after breakfast we continue our journey to the beautiful Wildwaters Lodge which is a destination in itself. Nestled in a luxuriant rainforest on its own private island, mid-stream in the mighty Nile, Wildwaters Lodge is breathtaking. Thick riverine forest naturally covers the island and each of the ten timber-floor rooms is nestled amidst the forest with private views over the River Nile and its rapids. The main lodge is located quite unbelievably on a solid rock peninsula, amidst the rapids of the River Nile. Relax here, cooled by the constant breezes from the racing rapids or plunge into the adjacent natural swimming pool, carved by the river over millennia from pink granite. This is the ultimate location to enjoy one of the last wild areas of the entire Nile. The lodge is at the heart of the newly formed Wildwaters Reserve, a group of mid-stream islands in the Nile, mostly widely recognised as the home for the legendary whitewater rafting on the Nile. They are also home to river otters, giant monitor lizards and hundreds of species of birds. The lodge is the centre-piece for a conservation initiative aimed at protecting this pristine riverine environment for future generations, in part by ensuring that the local communities benefit directly from the visitors to the lodge and the protection of these beautiful, heavily forested islands in the Nile. Upon our arrival we'll enjoy a free afternoon to soak up our surrounds or for the more adventurous, you might like to enjoy an optional White Water Rafting experience of the River Nile (Approx USD 125.00).
Dinner tonight at our lodge.
Overnight - Wildwaters Lodge
Day 5 - Thursday 7 November 2018
River Nile - Murchison Falls (B,D)
An early breakfast this morning before a long drive to Murchison Falls National Park. With comfort stops along the way we'll arrive into Paraa late afternoon. Dinner tonight at our lodge.
The Murchison Falls Conservation Area is Uganda’s largest protected area covering 5072km2 . This contains the Murchison Falls National Park (3893km2) and the adjoining Bugungu (501km2) and Karuma (678km2) wildlife reserves. Murchison National Park is one of Uganda’s oldest protected areas. It’s conservation history dates back to 1926 when the area was known as the Gulu and Bunyoro Game Reserve. This reserve became Murchison Falls National Park in 1952 (one of the country’s two national parks, with the other being Queen Elizabeth National Park).
During the 1960’s, the park contained an abundance of wildlife including 14,000 elephants, 26,000 buffalos and 14,000 hippos. However, these huge numbers caused great environmental damage. Though today’s wildlife population is far smaller, their population density is more in balance with the limited amount of parkland available to them.
Overnight - Paraa Safari Lodge
Day 6 - Friday 8 November 2019
Game Drive - Murchison Falls (B,L,D)
This morning we'll enjoy a game drive through the National Park in search of lions, giraffe, nefassa waterbuck, hyena, elephants and more! Later we'll enjoy a boat ride to the top of the Murchison Falls, along the way we may see herds of elephants and giraffes, crocodiles, hippos and many birds including kingfishers, bee eaters, African eagles and more. Dinner tonight at our lodge.
Overnight - Paraa Safari Lodge
Day 7 - Saturday 9 November 2019
Free Morning - Budongo Forest (B,L,D)
A free morning before checkout with the option to enjoy another game drive. We then move onto the Budongo Central Forest Reserve with dinner at our lodge.
Overnight - Budongo Eco Lodge
Day 8 - Sunday 10 November 2019
Chimpanzee Tracking - Kampala (B,L,D)
This morning after checking out we'll begin our search of Chimpanzees in the Budongo. We'll not only see chimps playing in the tree tops but also the black and colobus monkeys. Afterwards we continue onto Mbarara with a comfort stop at the Equator. Tonight at dinner we'll be treated to a cultural show with local dancers showcasing tradtional African dancing.
Overnight - Igongo Cultural Centre
Day 9 - Monday 11 November 2019
Kampala - Bwindi (B,L,D)
Today we travel to Bwindi in preparation for our Gorilla Tracking the following day. Our accommodation for the night is the beautiful Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp. Ecologically respectful, contemporary-yet-classic in style, Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp blends in sensitively with the dramatic African mountain landscape and, situated uniquely inside the national park, you are only minutes away from the start of your gorilla trekking adventure. Frequently visited by gorilla families due to its unique location this will be a place to remember! Enjoy the afternoon at leisure. Dinner tonight is at our camp.
Overnight - Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp
Day 10 - Tuesday 12 November 2019
Gorilla Tracking (B,L,D)
An early breakfast before the day we've all been waiting for! We'll be briefed and prepared for our gorilla tracking experience. Whilst it is never guaranteed to see these beautiful creatures up close and personal, over 80% of treks with this Safari company get their once in a lifetime opportunity to see gorillas in their natural habitat. The duration of our trek will be dependant on the location of the gorillas. This is a bucket list moment for all travellers.
This afternoon we'll enjoy a visit from the Batwa Pygmy Tribe who will educate us about village life. Dinner tonight at our Camp.
Overnight - Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp
Day 11 - Wednesday 13 November 2019
Bwindi - Mbarara (B,L,D)
Today we'll travel from Bwindi back to Mbarara for an overnight stay to break the journey. Enjoy the scenery and views of village life as we pass through small villages and towns. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
Overnight - Ingogo Cultural Centre
Day 12 - Thursday 14 November 2019
Mbarara - Kampala (B,L,D)
Today we travel onto Kampala the capital of Uganda for our last night. On our way we will stop at Lake Mburo for a game drive where we will see Zebras, Impala, African Buffalo and much more.. Tonight a farewell dinner to celebrate great times with good friends.
Overnight - K Hotel (or similar)
Day 13 - Friday 15 November 2019
Kampala - Doha (Meals Inflight)
This morning we'll have the opportunity to visit a local handicraft market before being transferred early afternoon for our flight to Doha. Sit back, relax and enjoy the inflight entertainment of our airlines.
Overnight - Warwick Hotel (or similar)
Day 14 - Saturday 16 November 2019
Doha - Melbourne (Meals Inflight)
Upon our early morning arrival into Doha we'll transfer to our hotel for overnight stay. We'll have the chance to explore the up and coming city of Doha and all that it offers before returning to the airport for our evening onward flight to Melbourne.
Day 15 - Sunday 17 November 2019
Welcome Home
Welcome Home! We arrive back home into Melbourne early evening. What an adventure! So glad you joined us and we look forward to welcoming you back