Signature Uganda

Arrive in Entebbe and transfer to your hotel. Nicknamed the “Pearl of Africa,” Uganda shines with stunning greenery, deep lakes, soaring mountains and perhaps the greatest natural treasure of all — half of the world’s last remaining mountain gorilla population.

Take a scenic drive through rolling hills dotted with tea estates to Kibale National Park, one of the most varied tracts of tropical forest in Uganda. Known for its 300 bird species and population of chimpanzees, Kibale is home to 11 primate species. You may also spot mangabeys and a vast array of butterflies. Arrive at your lodge amid Lake Kyaninga and the Mountains of the Moon.

Rise early this morning and make the short drive to the start of your chimpanzee trek. The chimpanzees feed high in the trees, so binoculars are a must. Barks of baboons occasionally pierce the forest silence as you make your way along the trail. Take a guided walk in the wildlife-rich Bigodi Forest swamp, an excellent chance to view birds, sitatunga, mongooses, bush pigs, otters and bushbucks.

Travel from Kibale to Queen Elizabeth National Park, home to a wide array of wildlife, including elephants, hippos, buffalo and baboons. Offering magnificent views of the rift valley, it is also known for its tree-climbing lions. En route to your camp, you may opt to take a boat cruise on the Kazina Channel. Upon arrival at your camp, take in fantastic park vistas and views of the Rwenzori Mountains.

Set out on morning and evening game drives in this majestic national park. Because the region occupies the main migration corridor between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, prolific plains game resides here, including topi and Uganda kob, as well as buffalo, hippos and some of the largest herds of elephants in the country. Spotted hyenas are common, and leopards occasionally glimpsed.

Take a game drive as you leave the park, with views of farmlands and local villages. Check in to your camp, the only one located within Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From this luxurious home base, set off on gorilla treks to track down these magnificent mammals at their most natural, a rare sight experienced by only the most fortunate. An even luckier few might see these placid creatures passing through the Gorilla Forest Camp, as there are no barriers, redefining any close encounter you have ever had with wildlife.

Spend the day tracking endangered mountain gorillas, spending up to an hour with these fascinating creatures and observing their surprisingly human-like interactions. Return to the lodge with time to relax, or set out on another guided forest hike.

Continue tracking mountain gorillas by day and enjoying the amenities of your luxurious lodge in the evening.

Fly to Entebbe, with use of a dayroom until your connecting flight.