Explore The Pearl of Africa

Quick Facts

Days

18

Takes you to

Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Murchison Falls Park, Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve, Kibale Park, Semiliki Park, Queen Elizabeth Park, Bwindi National Park, and Lake Mburo National Park

SAFARI OVERVIEW OF

Explore The Pearl of Africa

The 18-day Explore the Pearl of Africa is an adventure Tour that takes you on the journey of a lifetime through the spectacular national parks, along with wildlife, nature, and community visits. Join us on an incredible journey through the breathtaking landscapes and vibrant cultures of Uganda, famously known as the Pearl of Africa.

SAFARI HIGHLIGHTS

Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary – A Rhino Conservation Story
Visit the only place in Uganda where you can see rhinos in the wild and learn how they are being protected and reintroduced.
Murchison Falls – Scenic Boat Cruise on the Nile
Enjoy a boat ride along the Nile to see hippos, crocodiles, and birds before reaching the dramatic Murchison Falls.
Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve – Exciting Quad Biking
Ride a quad bike through open landscapes, spotting wildlife and enjoying beautiful views along the Albertine Rift.
Sempaya Hot Springs – Nature Walk in Semuliki
Take a guided walk through the rainforest to see bubbling hot springs and learn about the unique plants and animals.
Chimpanzee Trekking and Crater Lake Views in Kibale
Trek through Kibale Forest to see chimpanzees in their natural home, then relax with views of stunning crater lakes.
Lion Research Experience in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Join a special project that tracks lions using radio collars and learn about their behavior and conservation.
See the Famous Tree-Climbing Lions in Ishasha
Drive through the Ishasha Sector to spot lions lounging in fig trees — a rare and unforgettable sight.
Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Meet the gentle mountain gorillas on a life-changing trek through one of the oldest rainforests in Africa.
Rushaga Community Walk and Traditional Blacksmith Visit
Take a guided walk in the Rushaga area to meet locals, visit a traditional blacksmith, and learn about their way of life.
Stay in Comfortable Midrange Lodges that Support Locals
Enjoy restful nights in eco-friendly lodges that offer comfort and give back to the surrounding communities.

DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe Airport

Upon your arrival in Entebbe, a company representative will warmly welcome you and transfer you to your hotel for an overnight stay at the start of your Explore The Pearl Of Africa Tour.

Accommodation: Papyrus Guest House | Comfort Level: Mid-range

Day 2: To Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary - Murchison Falls National Park

After breakfast at 7:00 a.m., you will be on your way North to Murchison Falls National Park. You will have a stopover at Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary, home to the only wild rhinos in Uganda.

The Rhino trek takes 1-2 hours to get an opportunity to view them at close quarters. Have lunch, then proceed to the park, arriving late in the evening for relaxation.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner | Accommodation: Fort Murchison | Comfort Level: Mid-range

Day 3: Game Drive and Boat Cruise to the Bottom of the Falls

After breakfast, you will continue to Murchison Falls National Park for a game drive on the northern bank of the Nile, offering a greater chance to see animals such as giraffes, elephants, lions, hartebeest, and various bird species.

In the afternoon, you have a boat trip to the base of the falls. Look out for the Nile crocodile, hippos, waterbucks, and a variety of bird species at the bottom of the falls, an amazing scenic view of the Nile awaits you as well before returning to the lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner | Accommodation: Fort Murchison | Comfort Level: Mid-range

Day 4: Murchison Falls – Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve- Nature walk

After breakfast, head out to Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve, one of the most scenic views in the Rift Valley escarpment. You will arrive in time for lunch.

In the evening, have a nature walk along the Albertine Rift Escarpment with breathtaking views of scenery and some games like antelopes, warthogs, and waterbucks, among others.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner | Accommodation: Lake Albert Safari Lodge | Comfort Level: Mid-range

Day 5: Game safari and Quad bike ride

After breakfast, you will head out for a game safari in the reserve, where you can look out for antelopes such as Uganda Kobs, waterbucks, Bushbucks, bush duikers, Jackson’s hartebeests, and Impalas, among others.

After lunch, head out for a quad biking session in the reserve with a guide, taking in the breathtaking scenery of the Wildlife reserve on this 18-day Explore the Pearl of Africa Tour Experience.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner | Accommodation: Lake Albert Safari Lodge | Comfort Level: Mid-range

Day 6: Transfer to Fort Portal

After a leisurely breakfast, head toward Fort Portal, named after Sir Gerald Portal, a British Special Commissioner for Uganda in the late 19th century, which boasts a rich colonial history intertwined with the vibrant traditions of the Batooro people. The town is home to the Tooro Kingdom, one of Uganda's four traditional kingdoms, where you can visit the royal palace and learn about the kingdom's heritage and customs, arriving in time for lunch and evening relaxation at the lodge.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner | Accommodation: Isunga Lodge | Comfort Level: Mid-range

Day 7: Semuliki Park – Hot Springs and Forest Walk

Breakfast and then head out to the Sempaya hot springs. The Sempaya hot springs are divided into two, which were named by local people as male and female hot springs. You will visit the female hot spring Nyansimbi, with the spring boiling at around 2m high.

You will then have a picnic lunch and thereafter have a forest walk, look out for primates such as the Grey-cheeked mangabey, black-and-white colobus, Central African red colobus, baboon, blue monkey, red-tailed monkey, de Brazza's monkey, vervet monkey, and birds along the trails.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner | Accommodation: Isunga Lodge | Comfort Level: Mid-range

Day 8: Amabere Caves / Nyakasura Caves and Evening Spent at Leisure

After breakfast, (Optional activity) head out for 9km out of town to the Amabere Caves on a guided nature walk (these rocks and caves are called stalagmites and stalactites). Visiting the Amabere ga Nyinamwiru Caves gives you a chance to check out the waterfalls and three nearby crater lakes. Many colobus monkeys can also be seen around. Evening relaxation at the lodge.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner | Accommodation: Isunga Lodge | Comfort Level: Mid-range

Day 9: Chimpanzee Tracking and Lake Kyaninga

Today, the forest opens its doors for sensational chimp tracking. Kibale Forest is reputed for having the highest concentration of primates in East Africa. Enjoy a guided nature walk in the tropical rainforest in search of the wild chimpanzee, red-tailed monkey, black-and-white colobus monkey, and many others.

Take a tour of the Ridge of Lake Kyaninga Crater Lake, which overlooks the Lodge for Scenic Viewing, taking in the amazing scenery.

If you can, take a hike to Kyengangwa Hill for a panoramic view of the 3 crater lakes, and the Rwenzoris -mountains of the moon.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner | Accommodation: Turaco Treetops | Comfort Level: Mid-range

Day 10: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park - Kazinga Channel Cruise

Today, you will head out to Queen Elizabeth National Park, arriving in time for lunch. After lunch, head for the scheduled 3 hrs boat ride along the Kazinga channel joining Lake Edward and Lake George with excellent wildlife sightings including, multitudes of hippopotami, Nile crocodiles, wallowing buffaloes on its reedy banks, elephants, multitudes of birds including many endemics as well as hundreds of other plains game that come to it for water.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner | Accommodation: Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge | Comfort Level: Mid-range

Day 11: Lion Experiential Project and Ishasha Sector

After breakfast, you will visit an experiential lion project. This experience allows visitors to actively participate in monitoring the pride in the park, using locator devices and learning habituation calls, as well as monitoring weather, surroundings, and behavior.

The results are added to researchers’ databases, contributing valuable information to the overall understanding of wildlife ecology and helping to conserve this wonderful ecosystem. Later, check out and head to Ishasha Sector – the southern part of the park, arriving in time for lunch.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner | Accommodation: Ishasha Jungle Lodge | Comfort Level: Mid-range

Day 12: Game Safari and Nature Walk

This morning, once again head out for the tree-climbing lion search. Return to the camp for lunch. Thereafter, you can take a nature walk on the Ishasha River. Look out for the hippos, elephants, and buffalo along the river, and spot different bird species. In the evening, you will have sundowner drinks while you enjoy the sun setting over the Ishasha.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner | Accommodation: Ishasha Jungle Lodge | Comfort Level: Mid-range

Day 13: Ishasha Sector – Bwindi National Park

After breakfast, head to Bwindi National Park, the home of the mountain gorillas, with lunch en route, take time to look at the amazing scenery and homesteads of the local communities. You will arrive in the early evening for relaxation in preparation for your gorilla trekking adventure.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner | Accommodation: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge | Comfort Level: Mid-range

Day 14: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi National Park

In the early morning, you will be briefed on gorilla tracking at the park headquarters and assigned to groups of 8 people per group. Accompanied by a guide and your packed lunch, you will go in search of the gorillas in a small group. You walk through the forest, sometimes you descend again, and then climb up a slope again. The duration of gorilla tracking is unpredictable.

The walk can be quite strenuous due to the muddy trails and mountainous areas, and can take up to 8 hours depending on how far the gorillas have moved in search of food. It is worth it, and what awaits you, in the end, is indescribable.

For an hour, you can admire these peaceful ‘Gentle Giants’ as they go about their daily activities of grooming, feeding, and playing. It is a once-in-a-lifetime, memorable experience.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner | Accommodation: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge | Comfort Level: Mid-range

Day 15: Batwa Community Walk and Blacksmiths of Abaheesi Clan.

Start this day of the 18-Day Explore the Pearl of Africa Experience with a relaxed breakfast, then wander through the lively community of Bwindi. Explore the rich culture of Rushaga by observing skilled basket weavers at work, gaining valuable insights into their craftsmanship.

Wrap up this immersive experience with the captivating rhythms and traditional dances of the Batwa people, preceded by a tour of their current residences.

Following lunch, delve into the world of the Abaheesi clan blacksmiths. Witness as they transform scrap metal into modern tools or traditional weapons of the Bakiga people. The ancestral bellows, crafted from wood and cowhide, have been passed down through generations and can generate enough heat to melt metal over an open fire.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner | Accommodation: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge | Comfort Level: Mid-range

Day 16: Bwindi National Park – Lake Mburo National Park

Breakfast and then head out to the Rushaga Batwa Cultural Center. This experience will allow you to learn more about their age-old culture with the Batwa guides, see how they lived and hunted, hear ancient legends, and learn about medical plants.

Later, head to Lake Mburo National Park, arriving in time for lunch. As you enter the park, you will likely spot some wildlife, like impalas, warthogs, zebras, and buffalo.

In the afternoon, you can go on a boat ride on the lake and enjoy the rich birdlife and the hippos that are cooling off.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner | Accommodation: Mpogo Safari Lodge | Comfort Level: Mid-range

Day 17: Nature walk and Evening game drive

Early start of the day as you head out for a bushwalk guided by a ranger for a 2-hour hike. Lake Mburo National Park is renowned for its rich birdlife and beautiful lakes. Enjoy a nature walk searching for zebras, warthogs, buffalo, and impala, and look out for one of Africa’s largest antelopes, the beautiful Eland. Return to the camp for relaxation.

After lunch, you will embark on an evening game drive in the park OR a cycling session around the local communities close to the park. This unique cycling adventure allows you to explore the area at a leisurely pace, interact with the local people, and gain insights into their daily lives and traditions.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner | Accommodation: Mpogo Lodge | Comfort Level: Mid-range

Day 18: Lake Mburo National Park – Entebbe

After breakfast, head back to Entebbe with a stopover at the Equator for a demonstration of the water flowing in the northern and southern hemispheres. You may visit some shops and craft centers at the Equator. Arrive early in the evening in Entebbe for relaxation at the end of your 18-day Explore The Pearl Of Africa Safari.

Optional Refreshment Room at Papyrus Guest House before heading to the airport.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch

Included in the Explore The Pearl Of Africa

Ground transportation in a safari customized 4WD Toyota Land Cruiser with gasoline/fuel
Rhino Trekking
All Nature walks
All Community Visits
All Boat Cruises
All Game Drives
Gorilla trekking permit
Chimpanzee trekking permit
Drinking water / refillable water bottle
English-speaking Birding Guide
Accommodation and Meals
All Park Entrance Fees.

Excluded from the Explore The Pearl Of Africa

International Airfares;
Visa Fees;
Drinks and Beverages
Tips and Gratuities for your Driver/guide and hotel staff
Optional activities unless specified as included
Any other services not expressly shown in the itinerary or indicated as included.

Uganda – The Pearl of Africa’s Untamed Beauty

Uganda, aptly named the Pearl of Africa, is a land gifted by Nature. It is located in the Great Lakes Region with breathtaking landscapes, extraordinary biodiversity, and unforgettable adventures. This remarkably diverse country is where the East African savannah meets the lush West African jungle, creating an ecological paradise unlike any other.

Towering over Uganda’s landscapes are the majestic Rwenzori Mountains, Africa’s third-highest range, and the dramatic Virunga Volcanoes, while the shimmering waters of Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake, cradle its southern border. Lying in a basin between the eastern and western branches of the Rift Valley, Uganda’s elevated position gives it a more temperate climate than its equatorial location might suggest. Most of the country sits over 1,000 meters above sea level, with a landscape that is largely flat apart from the forested mountain ranges that often define its borders.

One of Africa’s most water-rich nations, Uganda’s lakes, rivers, and wetlands cover 25% of its surface, keeping the landscape lush and green for most of the year—though the northern region gradually transitions into semi-desert.

Nowhere else on the continent can travelers witness such a rich variety of primates with such ease. From great apes—mountain gorillas and chimpanzees—to over a dozen monkey species, Uganda is a primate lover’s paradise. But it’s not just primates that thrive here. With over 1,000 bird species, Uganda is a birder’s wonderland, home to rare rainforest specialists and some of Africa’s most sought-after birds.

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.

Entry Requirements:

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$50). Visas cannot be obtained on arrival. You must apply and pay for them online 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 Commission may issue visas where such commissions are located.

Visa Exempt Countries:

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).

East Africa Tourist Visa:

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, valid for 90 days at USD 100 per visa. For more information, go through the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration if you are entering Uganda first, or the Government visa site for the East African country you will be first entering.

Money and Currency:

Before you travel, call your credit card companies to let them know you will be traveling. This will help to ensure the credit card company won’t flag any of your vacation expenses. ATMs are available in major towns or cities, though at times may not be reliable due to a limited amount of money to be withdrawn.

Credit cards are widely accepted in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda. Major hotels and restaurants accept VISA and MasterCard. AMEX and others are not recommended as establishments usually don’t support them. Note that a surcharge of 5% is attached to their usage.
Local Currencies are recommended to use while on safari. There are many forex bureaus and banks in the capital cities and the main towns. Smaller denominations than US$100 may attract a less favorable rate of exchange. Notes older than 2010 may not be accepted in the country.
Forex Bureaus are located in major towns or cities and have regular banking hours Monday to Friday from 08:30hrs to 16:00hrs. Saturdays are open from 09:00hrs to 12:00hrs. Traveler’s Cheques may be changed in major towns/cities. American Express cheques are accepted but they do attract a low rate. If you can, forego this option. Note: A purchase receipt and a passport are often asked for by the bank and forex bureaus as proof of ownership.

Health and Medical Information

Travelers require a Yellow Fever inoculation more than 10 days before your departure, otherwise you won’t obtain a visa. The certificate will be checked on arrival in Uganda. On top of that, it is also advised that you get vaccinations for DTP, Hepatitis A, and malaria. Some organizations may advise you to take Typhoid, Cholera, Hepatitis B, and Rabies as well. Please consult your pharmacist/doctor.

Travel Insurance on tour

It’s highly recommended to have travel insurance that covers medical expenses, trip cancellation, lost luggage, and other unforeseen circumstances. Ensure that your insurance policy provides adequate coverage for your entire trip duration and the activities you plan to undertake, such as wildlife viewing and adventure sports.

Flights & Getting Around

If you need assistance with flight bookings, Travelers Link Africa offers an in-flight service—simply share your travel dates, and we’ll take care of the rest!