Welcome to Uganda and welcome to your safari! It all begins here with an introduction to your guide and with a chance for you to ask any questions. Then it's time to get out there and enjoy your safari. Because you chose Uganda, you have so much to look forward to.

Occupying a series of low hills and marshy valleys that roll northwards from Lake Victoria, Kampala has been an important political entity since the mid-19th-century reign of King Suuna II of Buganda. Despite being steeped in traditional and colonial history, Kampala today is a bustling modern capital city situated at the heart of Uganda's road network.

Entebbe, the air gateway to Uganda, could hardly be more different in character to the nearby capital Kampala. Better suited to bird-watchers than to partygoers, it is an attractive small city set on jungle-lined Lake Victoria.

When you stay at Kampala Serena Hotel, you're in a good position to enjoy this leg of your trip. The hotel offers a blend of modern luxury and African elegance, with beautifully landscaped gardens, a large swimming pool, and excellent dining options.

ccommodation: Kampala Serena Hotel, Kampala

Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner, Drinking water

The thrilling opportunity to track rhinos on foot is the main attraction of Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, a non-profit organization that protects 7,000 hectares of dense African bush also inhabited by a wide variety of antelope, small mammals and birds. Starting with six animals relocated from outside Uganda in 2005-6, the white rhinos of Ziwa have now bred up to more than 20 individuals. The long-term plan is to reintroduce rhinos into national parks where they are now locally extinct, but for now, Ziwa is the only place in Uganda where you can see Africa's second-bulkiest land mammal in the wild.

When you stay at Amuka Safari Lodge, you're in a good location to enjoy this leg of your trip. The lodge offers comfortable accommodation in a tranquil setting, with a restaurant serving delicious meals and a bar for relaxing after your rhino tracking experience.

Accommodation: Amuka Safari Lodge, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Drinking water

Today we head to Murchison Falls National Park, which is Uganda's largest conservation area and one of its most rewarding overall safari destinations. Wildlife viewing activities focus on the Nile River, a mesmerizing tropical waterway that supports impressive concentrations of hippo, crocodile and aquatic birds, and attracts plenty of other thirsty wildlife, from elephants and buffaloes to giraffes and antelope. The park is named after its scenic highlight: an explosive waterfall formed by the Nile as it siphons through a narrow crack in the Rift Valley escarpment.

One of the most iconic safari lodges in East Africa, Paraa Safari Lodge was established on the north bank of the Nile below Murchison Falls back in 1954. Like many older lodges, it has the monolithic architectural design of a medium-rise city hotel, but this is offset by the colonial-style safari decor and Nile-front setting, which create a real tropical African feel. There's also no more convenient springboard for activities such as the launch trip to Murchison Falls or game drives on the wildlife-rich Delta road circuit.

Accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge, Murchison Falls National Park

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Drinking water

We once again find ourselves in the lovely surrounds of Murchison Falls National Park. Today offers another full day to explore this magnificent park.

You'll be heading down more safari trails in search of animals in Murchison Falls National Park when we take you on a guided game drive. This is the best thing about many safaris, and you'll hopefully see many animals.

Accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge, Murchison Falls National Park

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Drinking water

Protecting a vast tract of tropical jungle near the eastern base of the Rwenzori Mountains, Kibale National Park is probably the best place in Africa to see chimpanzees in their natural habitat. The so-called primate capital of East Africa is also home to a high diversity of monkeys and birds, while a scenic scattering of at least two dozen forest-fringed crater lakes provides rich scenic interest.

There's so much for you to enjoy at Kibale Guest Cottages. It's a great place to stay, offering comfortable cottages set in lush gardens with beautiful views of the surrounding forest.

Accommodation: Kibale Guest Cottages, Kibale National Park

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Drinking water

We are once again privileged to enjoy the rich forest biodiversity of Kibale National Park. There is something about chimpanzees that makes them one of the greatest safari prizes of all. We'll take you trekking through the forest to spend time with them and enjoy an encounter that you'll never forget.

Mweya Safari Lodge has ranked among the top lodges in Queen Elizabeth National Park since the 1970s. Situated on the Mweya Peninsula, above the launch site for the boat trips on the Kazinga Channel, the lodge offers some excellent in-house wildlife viewing, particularly from its popular terrace restaurant. Hippos, elephants and buffalo are all likely to be seen on the water, and an abundance of colorful birds frequent the lush tropical gardens.

Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge, Queen Elizabeth National Park

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Drinking water

Explore Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda's best all-round safari destination. In addition to being home to four of the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant and buffalo), this biodiverse park is studded with wetlands that support an astonishing 5,000 hippos along with large flocks of flamingos, pelicans and other aquatic birds. Weather permitting, the views to the glacial peaks of the Rwenzori, Africa's second-highest mountain (after Kilimanjaro), are also exceptional.

We have another opportunity to absorb Mweya Safari Lodge's splendid view over the Kazinga Channel. The lodge's terrace restaurant is the perfect spot to watch wildlife come to drink while enjoying a meal or a cold drink.

Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge, Queen Elizabeth National Park

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Drinking water

Back in Queen Elizabeth National Park, you get the opportunity to look for some of the wildlife you missed first time around. The opportunity to see chimpanzees in the wild is one of the most memorable of all safari activities. Getting close to these creatures that share so much of our DNA is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and the excitement of walking through the forest and knowing that they are close will stay with you forever.

Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge, Queen Elizabeth National Park

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Drinking water

You don't need to stray far off the beaten path in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to understand how Uganda's premier gorilla-tracking destination acquired its English name. The steep slopes and dense substrata of ferns and shrubs in this magnificent highland forest can make for challenging walking conditions. Fortunately, the park has a good network of footpaths allowing you to look for its diverse wildlife, not only mountain gorillas but also 10 other primate, six forest antelope, 350 bird and 200-plus butterfly species.

Silverback Lodge is your base for exploring Bwindi Impenetrable National Park with us, and you'll really enjoy staying here. The lodge offers comfortable rooms with stunning views of the forest and surrounding hills, a restaurant serving delicious meals, and a cozy bar for relaxing after your gorilla trekking adventure.

Accommodation: Silverback Lodge, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Drinking water

We return to the lushly forested landscapes of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. When you go mountain gorilla trekking, you'll hike through the forest and then spend time in the presence of these remarkable and soulful family groups. The walking can be strenuous, but you'll never forget your experience here.

Accommodation: Silverback Lodge, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Drinking water

After the intense and unforgettable experience of mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Lake Bunyonyi offers the perfect place to unwind, reflect, and soak in the beauty of Uganda's highlands. Meaning "Place of Many Little Birds," this stunning lake is nestled in the hills of southwestern Uganda, surrounded by steep terraced slopes and dotted with 29 islands. At approximately 1,962 meters above sea level, it is one of the deepest lakes in Africa, with depths reaching up to 900 meters. The cool climate, tranquil waters, and rich birdlife make it an ideal retreat after the rigors of gorilla trekking

Accommodation: Bunyonyi Luxury Resort

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Drinking water

Although it isn't a classic Big Five destination (elephants and rhino are absent, and lion and leopard scarce), Lake Mburo National Park hosts a varied selection of African wildlife, including several iconic species not found elsewhere in western Uganda. The park's acacia-swathed slopes and valleys are home to giraffe, zebra, buffalo, impala, waterbuck, bushbuck and various other grazers and browsers. Hippos, crocodiles and aquatic birds thrive in an extensive network of lakes and other wetlands.

Situated immediately outside the Nshaara Gate of Lake Mburo National Park, Rwakobo Rock is an intimate hilltop lodge offering tremendous views across the plains to its south. The eco-friendly thatch-roofed cottages have solar-powered lights and geysers, and are designed to offer maximum privacy while blending artfully into the rocky natural landscape.

We return to Lake Mburo National Park to enjoy its plentiful wildlife. Come and see the best of Lake Mburo National Park as we take you out on a guided game drive. It really is a terrific way to feel a part of Africa with the wind in your hair as we drive you around to look for animals.

Accommodation: Rwakobo Rock Lodge, Lake Mburo National Park

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Drinking water