Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

There is nowhere like Africa on the planet for wildlife, wild lands & rich traditions that endure.

Welcome to enchanting Uganda - Pearl of Africa  - a landlocked country in East Africa whose diverse landscape encompasses the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains & immense Lake Victoria. Prepare to fall in love.

Arrive in Entebbe, the gateway to Kampala, the ancient capital city.

After you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? - Kampala Entebbe International Airport, subsequent to Immigration & Customs, you will be welcomed by The Journeys Rep who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel, help you settle in & provide you with some useful tips for exploring the area as well as discuss the program for the next few days

Arrive at the hotel & Check-in.

*Check-in time is 02.00 pm. For earlier arrivals in the morning, we will request the hotel for a complimentary early Check-in but cannot be guaranteed unless reserved & paid for ‘immediate occupancy’.

African Landscapes | Wildlife Bonanza | Cultural Experiences  

Bustling Kampala an attractive, verdant town makes a good introduction to Uganda. It is Uganda's national & commercial capital bordering Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake. A dynamic &  engaging city, with few of the hassles of other East African capitals & several worthy attractions to keep you occupied for a couple of days. Hills covered with red-tile villas and trees surround an urban centre of contemporary skyscrapers. In the downtown area, the Uganda Museum explores the country's tribal heritage through an extensive collection of artefacts. Its landscapes vary from the fertile green areas around the northern shores of Lake Victoria to the snow-capped Ruwenzori Mountains in the west & the semi-desert region in the north.

As the heartland of the Buganda kingdom, Kampala has a rich & colourful history, visible in several fascinating palaces & compounds from where the nation was run until the arrival of colonialism. It served as the capital city during the early years of the British protectorate, though it is the relaxed pace of life & natural attractions rather than any notable colonial relics that give the city its charm.

The city is famed for world class night life not found anywhere else in East Africa. From comedy evenings, music, theater, top clubs & busy streets, Kampala is the real deal for trendy nights in Africa.

Balance of the evening at leisure (we will be happy to offer suggestions).

Overnight.  D  

Morning, meet the Tour-guide / Driver & depart for Mbale, a bustling provincial city.

Enroute, you will stop at Jinja located along the northern shores of Lake Victoria & famous as the historic source of the Nile River.

Jinja is now the adrenaline capital of East Africa. Get your fix of white-water rafting, kayaking, quad biking, mountain biking & horse riding in a gorgeous natural setting with crumbling colonial architecture.

However, the Nile River's world-famous rapids are under threat. In 2011, the Owen Falls Dam & Bujagali Hydroelectric Project both spanning the Nile, buried around half of the rapids under a giant reservoir. It is not the end of Rafting though as locals keep pushing to keep Jinja's tourism industry alive with offerings that have wisely begun to diversify.

The historical source of the Nile known as Coronation Park, encompasses a garden & a monument honoring British explorer John Hanning Speke, who discovered it. Farther north on the river, Itanda Falls is known for its white-water rapids. East of Jinja is the Samuka Island, home to birdlife, including little egrets.

Later, head along the Mount Elgon slopes into Mbale arriving in time for lunch. The famous Arabica coffee grows in this region.

Check-in on arrival

Mbale’s downtown hums with low-key chaos. Away from the dusty centre, there are pockets of charm & it does have a scenic mountain backdrop, but there is no real reason to hang around here, except for the coffee aficionados, of course.

Mbale Town is a boda-boda (bicycle) capital of Africa. There are too many bicycles in town which has forced the Municipality to license them & issue number plates. Other means of transport include 14 seater commuter vans & motorcycles.

However, outside the city, there are some interesting places to see. Bulegeni & Butandinga Cliffs / Ridges; Cultural / Heritage Sites of Semei Kakungulu Tombs; Bulukyeke – Bukigai Hills, a historical campsite dating to the colonial period; Kakoro Rock Paintings; Simu & Sisi Falls 

After lunch, embark on a visit to a couple of Coffee Farms & interact with the farmers as you stroll around.  As Arabica coffee trees thrive best in volcanic rocks, you will be visiting an extinct Volcano to explore.

Return to the hotel.

Overnight.  B L D

Morning, embark on a full day excursion to visit the Gumutindo Co-operative Coffee factory.

With over 7,000 farmers working as a team, the factory has been able to improve lives of the local growers.  You will see the different quality controls of the process - the preparations in terms of picking the right berries, milling and drying & leading up to the finished product -  “washed Arabica’’ coffee.

The Society exports their produce directly & you will be able to see the grading & packing, depending on the season.

Return to the hotel.

 Morning, Check-out & proceed to the magnificent Sipi Falls.

Sipi Falls, in the foothills of Mt Elgon National Park near the Kenyan border, is a stunner - arguably the most beautiful waterfall in all Uganda. There are three falls separated by steep hillsides. Though the upper two are beautiful, it is the 95m main drop that attracts the crowds & the view of the wide plains disappearing into the distance below is also spectacular.

Hikes around the Falls offer stunning views of the Karamoja plains, Lake Kyoga & the slopes of Mt. Elgon. The most popular route starts in Budadiri & follows the Sasa trail to the summit and then descends down the Sipi trail back into the Sipi Falls.

Enjoy some of the excellent walks in the area, including the show-stopping descent to the bottom of the falls.

The Sipi Falls area is particularly famous for locally grown Bugisu Arabica coffee. Arabica is the main cash crop here and is normally inter-cropped or grown alongside other crops such a banana & beans. Bugisu Arabica only grows at an altitude ranging from 1,600 & 1,900 metres.

The locals believe that god lives on Mt. Elgon - far beyond where people venture - & that when he is happy, he delivers rain to the bountiful gardens clinging to the mountainside. Indeed, these green, fertile hillsides are very nearly divine territory for the production of potentially spectacular coffees & producers are increasingly realising their potential.

You may visit (depending on the time) the Sipi Falls Organic Coffee Product factory which is pushing the boundaries of how we think about Ugandan coffee. By promoting the cultivation of Arabica coffee, training farmers in agricultural techniques & best practices, educating widely regarding the importance of harvest & post-harvest activities and building top-notch washing stations, the Project hopes to put Uganda ‘on the map’ as the next big destination for speciality coffee.

In time, board your vehicle & continue on to Kampala.

Arrive by evening & Check-in at the hotel.

Balance of the evening free.

Morning, depart for Masaka, a market town & an important commercial centre for the surrounding rich coffee-growing area. Its industries produce processed meat & fish, beverages, footwear, furniture, bakery products, glass, clay products & milled grain. The town is the site of Fort Mosaka. Masaka town was largely destroyed in 1979 during the Uganda-Tanzania War & again in the 1981-1986 civil war that saw the overthrow of Milton Obote from power for the second & last time.

But enroute, you will stop to make history.

The Uganda Equator is one of the most well-known landmarks in Uganda.” The intersection of the earth’s surface with the plane perpendicular to the earth’s axis of rotation & containing the earth’s center of mass” is what Wikipedia sometimes refers to the equator as, but it is still the imaginary line that divides the world into two halves.

The Equator is an imaginary line that is seen on maps marking the equidistant from the North & South Pole. Along the imaginary line of the equator, a magnetic needle has no dip & stabilizes in perfect horizontal position.

You are able to stand with one of your feet in the northern hemisphere & the other in the southern hemisphere at this point; it is such an amazing experience to stand at both sides of the world. The sun rises & falls rather so fast at the equator, with equal days & nights’ length. You will experience warm temperatures while at the Equator as you stand in the middle of the world. Please remember to have a sunscreen for your skin.

It is quite an exceptional experience at the equator; remember to carry a souvenir for your family & friends on your way back. A number of structures have been set up around the area of the Equator with so many amazing crafts & art pieces from the craft shops.

A number of products are available. You will find T shirts with expressions like ‘I have crossed the equator’ get one for yourself & friends.

You will also be able to enjoy a tasty meal & coffee at one of the restaurants there.

Spend an hour, have a coffee, take pictures & see experiments of the different forces here before departing towards your destination.

Stop at Nyendo for an African buffet lunch.

Drive on to see some Robusta coffee farms in the area.

Then, arrive at Kibinge Coffee Co-operative to meet the team. The coffee harvesting season for Robusta in Uganda is during the months of May to September & November to January. You will see the initial coffee processing at the factory on site before storage for onward processing later.

Depart from the rural area by evening & arrive at the hotel in Masaka town.

Check-in & relax.

Balance of the evening free.

Early morning, depart for Queen Elizabeth National Park, with a couple of Stops enroute.

Stop at Lake Mburo National Park on the drier Ankole area.

Lake Mburo National Park is a compact gem, located conveniently close to the highway that connects Kampala to the parks of western Uganda. It is the smallest of Uganda’s savannah national parks & underlain by ancient Precambrian metamorphic rocks which date back more than 500 million years.

Once covered by open savanna & extensive acacia woodland as there are no elephants to tame the vegetation, Mburo has different fauna compared to other parks.

The green acacia woodland surrounding the lake harbours dense populations of zebra, impala, buffalo, oribi, Defassa waterbuck, leopard, hyena, reedbuck warthog & various other grazers, including the last surviving Ugandan population of eland, the largest of African antelope & the rusty coloured topi, which always stand like a sentry ready to sound the alarm at any sign of approaching danger from carnivores.  While fringing swamps hide secretive papyrus specialists such as the sitatunga antelope and red, black & yellow papyrus gonalek.

Home to 350 migrant & habitual bird species, for birders, this is one of the best places to find the secretive African Fin foot, Papyrus, Bush Shrike, etc. The five swamp-fringed lakes within the park attract hippos, crocodiles & a variety of water birds.

Immediately on entering the Park, continue on a game drive. .

Leaving from here, you will reach Ankole Coffee Producers Cooperative Union in Bushenyi.  

Learn how the local farmers grow their coffee & dry the same on tarpaulins to avoid contamination. You will see the testing for moisture, sorting, grading, weighing & bagging as well as storage on wooden pallets.

Depart by early evening & arrive at Queen Elizabeth National Park, a short drive away.

Check-in at the lodge.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is a stunning reserve that covers almost 2000 square kilometres, driving along the deep and wide dry craters that are occupied by savanna grasses & acacia through the unique western rift valley escarpment and the (southern part of the Park) Ishasha sector.

One of the most popular parks in Uganda, Queen Elizabeth National Park is sometimes dubbed the 'Pearl of Africa' or the 'Switzerland of Africa' due to its amazing array of habitats. Few Reserves in the world can boast such a high biodiversity rating & with landscapes including savannah, bushland, wetlands & lush forests.

The grassland plain supports a variety of wildlife safari animals which can be viewed from a vehicle on the network of designated tracks in the park. Queen Elizabeth National Park contains the most astonishing number of species with almost 606 types of birds & 100 types of mammals including healthy numbers of hippos, elephants, lions & leopards as well as chimps & hyenas. Whilst rhinoceros, giraffe, zebra & impala are not encountered here, the other main species are all present along with some rare ones such as Ugandan kob, sitatunga (a brown antelope with white stripes and spiral horns), giant forest hog and topi.

The savannah woodland covered remote Ishasha sector along Ishasha River & Lake Edward, in the far south of the park, has a diversity of wildlife such as the famous tree-climbing lions; these females, who enjoy spending the long, hot afternoons snoozing photogenically in fig trees, are the most memorable sight in the entire park which is also known to host the world’s highest concentration of hippos.

Geographers will say that the park has around 57 vegetation but in actual sense, it has five levels of vegetation. Namely bushy grassland, Acacia woodland, Lakeshore or swamp vegetation along with forest grassland

Two lakes connected by a channel are set in front of a high peninsula, complete with volcanic craters, whilst grassy plains and tropical rainforest result in a fertile equatorial area that is equally scenic, but in different ways.

Balance of the evening free.

Overnight.  B L D

At dawn, meet the Ranger & embark on a game drive which brings you closer to the Park’s marvelous diversity.

Over 200km of well-maintained tracks give visitors good access to the animals. The slower you drive the more you will see.

Some tracks pass through large mating grounds of great herds of Uganda Kob. Look for Lion kills of Uganda Kob or Cape buffalo. You may also encounter Elephant, spotted Hyena, Giant Forest Hog or Leopard.

Return to the lodge in time for lunch.

Later in the afternoon, proceed for a 2 hour scenic cruise on the Kazinga channel, a natural & pre-historic canal that joins Lakes Edward & Lake George. 33 kilometers long & 2 to 3 km at its widest points, the Kazinga channel was formed by tectonic activity millions of years ago during the formation of the rift valleys. 

Kazinga channel encompasses North Kazinga as well as Kasenyi & it has the perfect view of the Parks’ major wildlife ventures. The shores of the lake attract a large concentration of mammals, birds as well as reptiles all year around. A delight for birdwatchers with many species that can be sighted, including the very peculiar shoebill (or whale-headed) stork, which stands over one metre in height! ,

The plains of channel are focal points for game viewing & tracking is the only way that will enable you see all the wildlife that dwell in the grassland thickets of the Northern Kazinga close to Mweya. Guests are almost always guaranteed excellent wildlife sightings including, multitudes of hippopotamus (possibly the world’s highest concentration), 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 all day long. You will also have the opportunity to see a variety of, zebras, the Uganda-kobs, topis, water bucks, bush bucks, reed bucks, duiker, mongoose, swamp antelopes, spotted hyena, warthog, forest hog.

Come back to the Lodge.

Balance of the day is at leisure or perhaps, you may opt to choose one of the optional activities offered here.

Start early today & accompanied by the local Ranger, proceed for another game drive, in search of tree climbing lions that like to rest on the branches of the large fig trees.

Drive along the Queen’s Mile plus the Kasenyi trail where in the grasslands, you will see elephants, water bucks, lions, buffaloes, leopard, hyena, giant forest hog, Uganda Kobs plus warthogs in addition to several birds.

Enjoy a picnic lunch enroute.

Come back to the lodge to Check-out & depart for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Check-in at the lodge on arrival by early evening.

Balance of the day is at leisure or perhaps, you may opt to choose one of the optional activities offered here.

Arise early today & prepare for the highlight of your safari, an unforgettable encounter with the Gentle Giants !

Today is your big day – the raison d'etre – of coming to Uganda, except the great Ugandan Coffee, of course.

No other wildlife encounter in Africa matches the astounding experience of spending time face-to-face with wild gorillas. Trekking takes place in a handful of far flung locations, adding a layer of exotic adventure to these safaris that is hard to match on any other itinerary. The fact that gorillas as a species are on the brink of extinction & treks are a highly restricted activity, encountering wild gorillas is considered a once-in-a-lifetime travel experience.

Mountain gorillas are on the brink of extinction & trekking is carefully regulated. Permits are both costly & difficult to secure and cannot be held on a provisional basis

Meet the Ranger at 06.00 am & proceed (with packed water & other relevant accessories) to the Headquarter for Registration - a simple process where the Park staff asses your fitness level to determine which Gorilla Family you will visit. Treks vary in duration depending on which Gorilla group you are assigned to.

Then you sit down for a comprehensive & mandatory 30 minute briefing introducing travelers to trekking rules & regulations, which ensure smooth gorilla encounters & safety of mountain gorillas in the presence of tourists. No traveler is allowed to proceed further if he / she do not show up at the briefing point. Visitors & Rangers are also informed about locations of the various groups in the previous evening.

After travelers have been introduced to the dos & don’ts with the gorillas, they are put together in groups of 8 people. There are a total of 24 gorilla permits available each day with a maximum of 8 trekkers visiting any one group. Guests are expected to disclose their hiking ability, based on age & the physical fitness, to their Guide so as to be assigned to a specific Gorilla family. The hikes are categorized as short, medium & long depending on the ease and difficulty of finding mountain gorillas. Travelers with limited physical fitness are given short treks to avoid any difficulties in hiking while the adventurous ones are given long treks which help them to discover & enjoy more.

Travelers are offered a cup of coffee to keep them warm in the early cold mornings. Also, there is a traditional dance during the briefing, which rewards them with extensive cultural knowledge making the whole safari a memorable experience.

Travelers are checked thoroughly to ensure that they are in a fit condition to see these endangered species. Gorilla Permits & Passports are strictly checked to accurately verify name, date of birth, nationality & other relevant information to ensure there is no forgery. Travelers are therefore reminded to bring all relevant documents, including medical, that provide detailed information about them.

Please note that gorillas are very susceptible to human diseases & you should advise the Ranger if you are suffering from a cold or anything similar. It would be irresponsible to risk the health of even one of the last 900 remaining mountain gorillas that are still living in their natural habitat.

And, now you are ready to roll. Accompanied by the Park staff & your new partners, you are driven to the Trailheads where the hiking & trekking up the hills to the bamboo zone begins.

Tracking Gorillas and meeting & staying with these giant apes is worth the effort.

However, trekking for gorillas in mountainous rainforest that may reach altitudes of almost 2000 metres above sea level, is very strenuous & often means hours of hiking on steep, narrow footpaths & walking through dense jungle behind a scout who slashes a path through the foliage with a machete. Depending on weather conditions, some of the paths can be slippery & these paths themselves can change depending on the location of the gorillas. Hence it is very hard to predict how long we need to walk for, but a very good level of fitness is recommended for everyone taking on this trek. You need to be at least walking fit - the guides ensure you take plenty of breaks - and properly equipped for a tough environment. Tacking may take 2-7 hours, depending on their movements.

Once your assigned Gorilla family is located, your Ranger will ask you to leave everything but your camera. He will then take you close enough to observe the gorillas intimately but without threatening them. There are no fences between you, only mutual respect. The gorillas are habituated to human observers and go about their natural business - foraging, grooming & napping - without fear. Indeed, the youngsters are often curious about humans & have a very playful attitude that tests the patience of their teenage gorilla babysitters. The placid nature of the gorilla family is wonderful to see but remember that your presence is shrewdly observed by the patriarch of the family: the massive silverback male. 

Sitting a few metres away from a family of gorillas, seeing your humanity reflected in their social rituals & warm brown eyes, makes for one of the most transformative & intimate wild encounters you can have in Africa, if not the world.

You are likely to get within metres of the family you are tracking. Each gorilla safari encounter is different and has its own rewards, but you are likely to enjoy the close view of adults feeding, grooming and resting as the youngsters frolic and swing from vines in a delightfully playful display

You are allowed to stay with these gentle gorillas for 1 hour to observe & photograph as they go about their daily life - feeding, moving, playing, raising their young & sometimes wrestling by the juveniles.

Head back down the slopes & return to the lodge in time for lunch or a picnic lunch on the Trek may be arranged.

Balance of the day is at leisure.

Early morning, depart for Kampala.

Arrive by late afternoon & Check-in at the hotel.

Balance of the day is at leisure or for optional activities (we would be happy to offer suggestions & arrange).

Alas, the experience comes to an end & it is time to say good-bye.

Check-out of the hotel by 12:00 noon (if the departure time is later in the evening, you are allowed to use the hotel facilities and leave the luggage at the Bell Desk). 

In time, you will be met by a Journeys Rep, who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to Terminal? - Kampala Entebbe International Airport for the flight back home.  B

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