Uganda Highlights

An early start for the scenic drive southwest through Uganda's green highlands. The route passes through the equator — stop for photos and the famous water-spinning demonstration.

The landscape rises through tea estates and banana groves as you approach the Bwindi escarpment. Arrive at your forest-edge lodge in the afternoon with sundowners gazing over the ancient canopy.

The centrepiece of your Uganda journey. After an early UWA ranger briefing, you enter the forest on foot. The trek can last one to six hours — when you find the gorillas, you have one full hour in their presence.

A silverback metres away. Mothers nursing infants. Juveniles playing in the canopy. One of the most profound wildlife encounters on Earth. Gorilla permit ($800) fully included in your tour price.

Drive north to the remote Ishasha sector — famous worldwide for its tree-climbing lions, a behaviour found in only two places on Earth. Your guide knows every fig tree they favour.

Afternoon game drive searching the ancient trees for lions at rest. Buffalo herds, Uganda kob and the occasional leopard complete an extraordinary day in one of Uganda's most beautiful landscapes.

Morning game drive across the Kasenyi plains — home to the world's densest Uganda kob population and the lions that hunt them. Elephant, buffalo and leopard also regularly spotted.

Afternoon: a two-hour launch cruise on the Kazinga Channel. Both banks lined with hundreds of hippos, enormous Nile crocodiles, and an astonishing variety of waterbirds including African fish eagles and pelicans.

Drive north through the Fort Portal crater lake region — a landscape of stunning volcanic lakes set in lush rolling hills. This journey alone is worth writing home about.

Arrive at Kyaninga Lodge perched on the rim of an extinct volcanic crater. The afternoon is at leisure — a guided forest walk to hear the birdsong or simply absorb the extraordinary setting.

Kibale's habituated chimpanzees are remarkably comfortable with visitors. Close enough to hear them call, watch them groom and feel the electric energy of a troop on the move through the forest canopy.

Afternoon: optional Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary walk — over 200 bird species, managed by the local community as a conservation success story. Chimp permit is fully included in your tour price.

Drive north to Murchison Falls National Park. The landscape transforms dramatically as you descend into the flat Albertine Rift savannas.

Afternoon Nile boat cruise from Paraa to the base of Murchison Falls — the entire Nile squeezing through a six-metre gap before thundering 40m below. Banks lined with crocodiles, hippos and elephant. One of Uganda's greatest spectacles.

Rise before dawn for a final north bank game drive — Murchison's most rewarding terrain for lion, elephant and giraffe against the backdrop of the Nile in golden morning light.

After breakfast, drive south to Entebbe for your international flight. A final equator stop, a Ugandan coffee, and the memories of nine extraordinary days. Webale nyo — thank you, Uganda.