OVER VIEW
Immerse yourself in the beauty of Uganda while promoting conservation and sustainability with our 12 Day Ecotourism Experience. This journey offers unique insights into responsible, conservation practices and community-driven projects.
SAFARI HIGHLIGHTS
Upon your arrival in Entebbe, a company representative will warmly welcome you and transfer you to your hotel for an overnight stay.
Meal Plan: Dinner depending on time of arrival.
Accommodation: Papyrus Guest House
Comfort Level: Mid-range
Set off today for an inspiring visit to Clarke’s Farm and Coffee Estate, an expansive property stretching across 1,500 acres of fertile land. The estate boasts 700 acres dedicated to coffee cultivation, primarily Robusta with a few hectares of Arabica. Clarke’s Farm was established to impart expert agronomy practices to both smallholder and large-scale farmers.
It serves as a vital educational tool, offering insights into the production of Ugandan food and Robusta coffee. The estate also welcomes non-farmers and school children, providing a hands-on learning experience about the agricultural processes and the importance of sustainable farming. You will arrive in the evening for relaxation at the lodge.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: The Coffee Lodge
Comfort Level: Mid-range
After breakfast, set off for an enriching coffee tour that will immerse you in the fascinating world of coffee production. Led by experienced farm staff, this tour will drive you through lush coffee forests and guide you through the nursery and coffee factory, offering an in-depth look at coffee processing from start to finish.
Discover how coffee is meticulously grown and prepared for the market. Engage in hands-on activities such as picking ripe coffee cherries and potting young coffee trees, gaining a true appreciation for the craftsmanship involved. The session culminates in a unique coffee-tasting and cupping experience in the coffee lab, where you can savor and identify the rich and varied flavors of freshly brewed coffee.
End your day with a relaxing evening, reflecting on your newfound knowledge and appreciation for the art of coffee-making.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: The Coffee Lodge
Comfort Level: Mid-range
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before immersing yourself in a day filled with nature activities at the farm. You can embark on scenic walks with breathtaking hilltop views, take nature river walks, go jogging, or explore mountain biking trails that cater to various skill levels. Additionally, you can try bouldering or rock climbing for a more adventurous experience. The farm offers a diverse range of outdoor activities to suit all interests and fitness levels.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: The Coffee Lodge
Comfort Level: Mid-range
After enjoying breakfast, you will depart for Rubalika Farm, arriving just in time for lunch and a bit of relaxation. Later in the afternoon, you will embark on a guided tour of the farm. During the tour, you'll have the chance to try your hand at milking the cows. Additionally, you can look forward to seeing the goats, rabbits, turkeys, and chickens. This farm visit offers a wonderful opportunity to engage with various farm animals and learn about their care and management.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Rubalika Safari Lodge.
Comfort Level: Mid-range
Have a Rubalika jungle breakfast and thereafter head out for a 2 hrs community walk to experience and learn more about their village, home, and way of life. After lunch, you will head out for the Vanilla chain value experience to learn about the processing of Vanilla and thereafter you will experience the processing of brewing Bananas into Uganda waragi -local gin or make banana juice.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Rubalika Safari Lodge.
Comfort Level: Mid-range
Today you will take a nature walk along Rubalika Rapids which runs along the border of the lodge’s property. The riverbanks provide a sanctuary for a variety of fauna and flora such as the agama lizards, the monitor lizards, and many different bird species.
You may head back to for relaxation and lunch at the farm. Thereafter head out for the indigenous tree planting experience. This is an opportunity to reduce your carbon footprint and contribute to sustainable, responsible tourism.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Rubalika Safari Lodge
Comfort Level: Mid-range
Today, embark on a scenic journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park, arriving in time for a delightful lunch. In the afternoon, set out for an exciting 3-hour guided walk through the breathtaking Kyambura Gorge. Marvel at the stunning panoramic views of the gorge, parklands, and Kyambura Reserve. Immerse yourself in the beauty of the landscape and experience authentic encounters with local homesteads.
Look out for vibrant bird species and playful primates, including chimpanzees, black-and-white colobus monkeys, and red-tailed monkeys. This nature walk promises unforgettable moments and rich wildlife encounters.
Optional: Evening game drive in the park before you return to the camp.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Elephant Hab Lodge
Comfort Level: Mid-range
Today you will have a community and conservation experience in Kyambura. You will visit the Omumashaka Bee Keepers who have been producing honey in Kyambura since 2006 to improve their community livelihoods. The sales of honey and fees paid by visitors help make the project sustainable and increase the livelihoods of local people.
Head back for lunch and thereafter visit the Omwani Women’s Coffee Cooperative set up to provide vocational training to women and an alternative, but sustainable, source of income. The community tends to over 1,500 Arabica and Robusta coffee plants on 100 acres of land and processes the coffee by hand at a communal processing plant. Head back to camp for relaxation.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Elephant Hab Lodge
Comfort Level: Mid-range
Today set off to Lake Mburo National Park arriving in the early afternoon. You will head out to the fishing village of Ruragara situated on the peninsula village of Nyanga where you get a clear insight into rural life and an understanding of just how close humans and wildlife co-exist.
After lunch, have an evening game drive in the park. Look out for waterbucks, giraffes, zebras, elands and impalas among others.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Mpogo Safari Lodge
Comfort Level: Mid-range
Today you will have an immersive nature walk experience in the park. The walk takes you through diverse landscapes, including rolling hills, savannah grasslands, and acacia-dotted woodlands. Get a close encounter with zebras, impalas, elands, and warthogs among others. The park is a bird-watcher’s paradise with over 350 bird species as well. Later check out and proceed back to Entebbe with lunch en route arriving in the evening for relaxation.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Papyrus Guest House
Comfort Level: Mid-range
Depending on your flight details, you will visit the Uganda Wildlife Education Center to participate in the Behind the Scenes Tour. The two-hour educative adventure offers a special close-up session and interesting information about the resident animals and bird species. You will have a close-up and personal encounter with the lions, elephants plus many more wonders you have perhaps never imagined meeting. Later you will transfer to the airport for your onward flight back home at the end of your East Africa Experience.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch.
• Comfortable hiking boots and lightweight clothing.
• Rain jacket and a warm sweater for cooler evenings.
• Insect repellent and sunscreen.
• Reusable water bottle.
• Binoculars and a good camera.
• Personal medications and a small first-aid kit.
• Nature blending clothes
Uganda, deservedly dubbed the Pearl of Africa, is in the Great Lakes Region in central Africa and boasts an ecological diversity that rivals that of many larger countries. Here, the Eastern Savannah meets the West African jungle. Uganda offers visitors incredible diversity through its multitude of varying ecosystems. Bordered by the Rwenzori Mountains (often called the Mountains of the Moon, the third highest in Africa), the Virunga Mountains, and Africa's largest lake, Lake Victoria, it's a beautiful country bursting with birds and wildlife.
In no other African destination can one see a comparable variety of primates with so little effort - not just the great apes but also more than ten monkey species. And, if Uganda had primate enthusiasts grinning with satisfaction, it would have birdwatchers doing cartwheels. Uganda is, by far, the smallest of the four African countries in which more than 1,000 bird species have been recorded, and it is particularly rich in western rainforest specialists - undoubtedly the finest birdwatching in Africa.
For most, the highlight is found amongst the forests in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, where facing endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat is one of the most profound wildlife encounters you will ever experience. Discover tree-climbing lions around Ishasha in Queen Elizabeth National Park, trek chimps in Kibale Forest or Kyambura Gorge, or snatch massive Nile perch up north at Murchison Falls, where the mighty Nile cascades through a gap just seven meters wide. Adrenaline junkies will find Jinja simply exhilarating with its white-water rafting, kayaking, and bungee jumping activities. Jinja is rapidly emerging as East Africa's answer to the more southerly "adrenalin capital" Victoria Falls.
We invite you to explore Uganda, a diverse landscape with abundant wildlife, plenty to discover, and unique experiences. When recounting your time in this jewel of a country, you'll struggle to find the words that do justice to it.
Your passport must have a minimum of at least two full clear pages for visas and stamps and be valid for more than 6 months from the date of entry into Uganda.
Please check visa requirements prior to travel with your booking agent or Bush Wander, as requirements are regularly changed with little notice.
Most passports require a single-entry visa (US$55). Visas cannot be obtained on arrival. You must apply and pay for them online at https://visas.immigration.go.ug at least two weeks before your arrival.
You must upload clear copies of your current passport, a yellow fever certificate, and a passport photo.
Only Visa and Mastercard cards are accepted for visa payments. Once payment is made, the system will process your application and send you a barcoded email. Print out this email and bring it with you to Uganda. Upon arrival, you should present the barcoded email to the immigration officer, who will scan the barcode, take your fingerprints and photo, and place a visa in your passport.
Alternatively, the Ugandan High Commissions may issue visas where such commissions are located.
The following nationalities do not require a visa to enter Uganda: all nationalities from East African countries (Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya, Burundi), all nationalities from COMESA countries (Angola, Eritrea, Malawi, Madagascar, Seychelles, Swaziland, Zambia, Comoros, Kenya, Mauritius, Zimbabwe), and passport holders from OTHERS (Antigua, Barbados, Fiji, Grenada, Lesotho, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, The Grenadines, Vanuatu, Cyprus, Bahamas, Belize, Gambia, Jamaica, Malta, Singapore, St. Vincent-Tonga and Ireland).
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If you are planning an East Africa trip to Uganda, Rwanda, and/or Kenya, it may be better to apply for a multiple-entry visa, which is valid for 90 days for tourists only. The cost is USD100 per visa. For more information go to: https://visas.immigration.go.ug/#/apply if you are entering Uganda first, or alternatively, the Government visa site for the East Africa country you will be first entering.
US Dollars cash is widely accepted and, in most cases, preferred as the currency that travellers should use to EXCHANGE into UGX on arrival for spending money on the road e.g. for drinks, curios, tips. Please note that USD bills older than 2009 are not accepted. Ensure your USD bills are 2009 or younger. Small USD bills are difficult to change – use Uganda shillings for small tips.
Credit cards can be used at some lodges and hotels, but a transaction fee of up to 5% may be charged. Ask first.
Travel, Transport, and Getting Around Flights:
Note that baggage allowance on all domestic flights is max 15 kgs in soft bags
Travellers require a Yellow Fever inoculation more than 10 days prior to your departure. The certificate will be checked on arrival in Uganda. If you have a history of liver disorders (hepatitis etc.), consult your physician first.
Tetanus and Cholera inoculations are recommended but not compulsory. Hepatitis inoculation is at the discretion of the traveler.
Malaria prophylactics are a must and can be purchased from your local pharmacy. Please consult your pharmacist/doctor.
Diarrhoea / Giardia - Bottled water is readily available throughout Uganda, however, it’s advisable to bring medicine just in case.
This is a guide only. Please check with your doctor or travel clinic for the latest information