Kasese, Uganda
Six days in Uganda's most biodiverse national park — Queen Elizabeth NP offers an extraordinary diversity of ecosystems in a compact area. Track chimpanzees in Kyambura Gorge, cruise the hippo-lined Kazinga Channel, search for the iconic tree-climbing lions of Ishasha, and enjoy exceptional birdwatching in the Maramagambo Forest. This tour combines natural wonder with authentic Ugandan cuisine and warm community hospitality.
Your day-by-day journey from arrival to departure.
Arrive at Entebbe and meet your guide. Drive southwest past the Equator (photo stop), through Fort Portal and the Rwenzori foothills. Arrive at Queen Elizabeth NP by evening. Welcome dinner with views of the crater lakes. Overnight: Queen Elizabeth lodge.
Early morning drive across the Kasenyi plains — excellent for lion prides, hyenas, and large elephant herds. After lunch, boat launch on the 32 km Kazinga Channel: hippos, buffalo, crocodiles, and over 600 bird species. Overnight: Queen Elizabeth lodge.
After an early breakfast, head to Kyambura Gorge for a stunning descent into the forested rift valley. Track the habituated chimp community with an armed ranger. Treks last 2–4 hours. Afternoon rest and optional guided bird walk. Overnight: Queen Elizabeth lodge.
Morning forest walk in the Maramagambo — bat caves, python forest, and primate diversity. Afternoon at leisure. Evening: traditional Ugandan cooking and dining experience prepared under the stars. Overnight: Queen Elizabeth lodge.
Long drive south to the remote Ishasha sector. Spend the full day exploring the fig woodland and savanna floodplain looking for lions lounging in branches overhead. Also excellent for Uganda kob, topi, and waterbuck. Overnight: Queen Elizabeth tented camp.
One last dawn game drive, then breakfast and the drive back to Entebbe (approx. 6 hours) with a stop at the Equator for the water trick demonstration and souvenir shopping.
Permits guarantee entry to the chimp habitat, but sightings depend on chimp movement. Habituation rate in Kyambura is very high — over 90% of treks result in sightings.
A small pride in the Ishasha sector has learned to climb fig trees to escape heat and insects — one of only two known tree-climbing lion populations in the world.
On day 4, the cook prepares a full traditional Ugandan dinner: matooke, groundnut stew, g-nut sauce, rolex, and fresh Lake Edward tilapia.