Uganda — Africa — Explore Worldwide 2008/09 online holiday brochure

AFRICA UGANDA Queen Elizabeth NP/Alma Robinson Gorilla & Chimp Safari TREKKING GRADE B Ref UG Ugandan Wildlife & Gorilla Safari TREKKING GRADE B Ref UW JFMAMJJASOND JFMA JFMAMJJASOND JFMA 9 DAYS HOTELS/LODGE/TENTED CAMP PRIMATE SEARCH IN THE PEARL OF AFRICA 15 DAYS HOTEL/CAMPING WHITE NILE, BIG GAME AND MOUNTAIN GORILLAS D E M O C R AT I C R E P U B L I C OF CONGO Fort Portal A chance to see the incredible primates of the African rainforest while staying in comfortable lodge-based accommodation. The raw beauty of Uganda is reflected in special wildlife areas such as Queen Elizabeth National Park. The key highlight of this short trip is set deep in the rainforest near Bwindi where we hope to catch a glimpse of the reclusive mountain gorilla in its natural habitat. Queen Elizabeth National Park We spend our first day exploring Kampala, Ugandas colourful capital before we begin our journey south, crossing the Equator. The vast savannah of Queen Elizabeth NP supports a whole range of African wildlife including elephant, lion, Uganda kob, leopard, buffalo and waterbuck. Here we stay at the luxurious Mweya Lodge and enjoy a spectacular setting overlooking the mystical Mountains of the Moon. Our launch trip on the Kazinga Channel also affords an excellent chance for viewing hippos and aquatic birds at close range. We also descend into Chambura Gorge in search of chimpanzees. Bwindis Mountain Gorillas The dense terrain of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest provides an ideal habitat for around half of the 600 mountain gorillas surviving in the world today. These rare primates can be observed at fairly close quarters and, accompanied by an expert guide, well search for these magnificent giants on foot. They are gentle mannered vegetarians and are very tolerant unless provoked. Reaching them in the dense undergrowth can be quite a challenge, but as the gorillas are carefully monitored, the chances of sightings are normally over 90%. A face to face encounter with these incredible creatures is one of the worlds greatest wildlife experiences! Youngsters in the undergrowth Ugandan Wildlife & Gorilla Safari Ref UW Bujagali Falls Rafting Rwenzori Mountains Crater Lakes game drive JINJA Source of the Nile KIBALE NP Chimp search KAMPALA Equator 0� Entebbe Airport QUEEN ELIZABETH NP MWEYA CAMP Lake George Kazinga Channel Motor launch Mbarara Lake Edward BWINDI NP Tracking gorillas UGANDA LAKE VICTORIA km 0 120 Lake Bunyonyi BUSHARA ISLAND CAMP R WA N D A TA N Z A N I A FACTFILE Itinerary Day 1 Fly London/Entebbe; transfer to Kampala. 2 Kampala; optional visit to national museum & Kasubi tombs. 3 Drive to Mweya in Queen Elizabeth NP. 4 In Queen Elizabeth NP; boat safari and game drive. 5 Morning in Queen Elizabeth NP; drive to Bwindi NP. 6 & 7 In Bwindi; one day gorilla tracking and one day's nature trails. 8 Drive to Kampala. 9 Fly London. Accommodation & Meals: 3nts hotel, 3nts tented camp, 2nts lodge; 8 breakfasts, 5 lunches & 5 dinners included. See insert p2. Mode of Travel: 4WD Safari minibuses/On foot/Boat. Comment: Bwindi NP is currently one of the only secure places where mountain gorillas can be found and demand for tracking permits is high. Park permits are thus pre-booked and pre-paid by Explore and the order of overnight stops may vary due to final allocation by the Ugandan Wildlife Authority. Come prepared for demanding walking/trail conditions in the Bwindi rainforest. Tour Staff & Support: Explore Tour Leader plus driver(s), park rangers/guides/trackers and boat crew. Group Size: Approx. 9 to 12. Our camping safari includes all the best highlights Uganda has to offer: the thunderous White Nile, primate reserves, classic African wildlife in Queen Elizabeth National Park, river trips and volcanic lakes, and we track mountain gorillas on foot in the rainforests of Bwindi. Jinja and Kibale N. park From Kampala we drive to Jinja and the impressive Bujugali Falls. We see the source of the White Nile and have have the opportunity to shoot the rapids with some Grade 5 rafting. Heading west through Ugandas stunning scenery we reach Kibale National Park and take a guided walk to look for chimps and other primates, as well as many of the bird species that the park also boasts. Queen Elizabeth & Bwindi N. Parks After crossing the Equator, we head for the scenic splendour of the Queen Elizabeth II National Park where we may encounter a whole range of African wildlife including elephant, lion, Uganda kob, leopard, buffalo and waterbuck. We camp on the Mweya Peninsula and enjoy game drives and a launch trip on the Kazinga Channel which affords an excellent chance of viewing hippos and aquatic birds at close range. Next, we head to the Impenetrable Forest where mountain gorillas can be observed at close quarters from our base camp at Bwindi. Mountain Gorillas & Lake Bunyonyi Accompanied by an expert guide, well search for these magnificent giants on foot. Gentle mannered vegetarians, they are very tolerant unless provoked. Reaching them in the dense undergrowth can be difficult, but worth the effort. Once youve experienced a face-to-face encounter with these incredible creatures, the memory will stay with you forever! The chances of sightings are usually over 90%. Finally, we spend some time relaxing on an island in little-known but beautiful Lake Bunyonyi. Here you can simply sit back and enjoy the typically African atmosphere of this tranquil stretch of water or explore by dug-out canoe. Rafting the Nile FACTFILE Itinerary Day 1 Fly London/Entebbe; transfer to Kampala. 2 Drive to Jinja and Bujagali Falls. 3 Optional activities including rafting on White Nile. 4 Drive to Kibale NP via Kampala and Fort Portal. 5 In Kibale; guided chimp and swamp walks 6 Drive to Mweya in Queen Elizabeth NP; game drive to Crater Lakes. 7 In Queen Elizabeth NP; boat safari and game drive. 8 Drive to Bwindi NP via Ishasha. 9 to 11 In Bwindi; one day gorilla tracking and two day's nature trails. 12 To Lake Bunyonyi via Kabale; boat to Bushara Island. 13 At leisure on Lake Bunyonyi; optional canoe hire; visit school. 14 Drive to Kampala. 15 Fly London. Accommodation & Meals: 2nts hotel, 12nts camping; 14 breakfasts, 13 lunches & 12 dinners included. See insert p2. Mode of Travel: 4WD Safari Truck/On foot/ Motorboat/Dug-out canoe. Comment: An overland-style, semi-participation camping safari. Order of overnight stops may vary due to final allocation of gorilla permits by the Ugandan Wildlife Authority. Permits are pre-booked and pre-paid by Explore. Come prepared for demanding walking/trail conditions in the Bwindi rainforest. Tour Staff & Support: Explore Tour Leader plus driver, cook, various boat crew, NP rangers/ tracker guides. Group Size: Approx. 12 to 16. Gorilla & Chimp Safari Ref UG Rwe nzor tain i Moun s Crater Lakes Game drive UGANDA Lake George Equator 0� MWEYA LODGE Kazinga Channel Motor launch trip Chambura Gorge Chimp tracking From/To Lake Edward QUEEN ELIZABETH NP KAMPALA Mbarara BWINDI NP Gorilla search Nature trails TENTED CAMP km 0 50 Bwindi camp/Julie Hanke 120 For information, inspiration and latest tour availability visit www.explore.co.uk

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