CULTURAL AND ECO TOURISM – 10 days (Cultural -historical safari Uganda)
High lights: A trip to experience real Africa, meet and interact with the local people, learn about the Uganda culture and history, get involved in the day to day living of Ugandan culture, taste their food and even participate in the preparations, visit local schools etc.
Uganda has a very strong culture heritage. Many regions in Uganda have kingdoms including Buganda, Busoga, Bunyoro, Ankole,Toro, etc etc. Ugandans are remarkable hospitable and hails from a diversity of rich cultures and life styles each tribe has it’s own traditional dance.
Visit Kabarole and enjoy this delightful scenic area called “The Best in the West”. Here you’ll enjoy spectacular views of the Rwenzori Mountains, the legendary “Mountains of the Moon”. You’ll trek in the Kibale Forest National Park – an outstanding tropical rainforest environment, you’ll see sensationally beautiful crater lakes, you marvel at the magnificent kindness and hospitality that you’ll be offered – everywhere, the Ankole culture and lastly the Baganda!
On arrival at the Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by your guide from GetAway Expeditions who will then transfer you to at either Sheraton Kampala hotel (High end accommodation), Cassia lodge or Metropole Hotel (Medium class accommodation) or Sungira guest house (Low budget/basic accommodation. B/B.
After breakfast, and a briefing from the Company representative, you’ll begin your journey from Kampala to the west of Uganda through Mubende to Fortportal arriving in time for lunch. The route travels through breathtaking scenery and delightful rolling tea plantations.
In the afternoon, you will visit the Toro cultural Kingdom and enjoy this delightful scenic area called “The Best in the West”. Here you’ll enjoy spectacular views of the Rwenzori Mountains, the legendary “Mountains of the Moon”. Dinner and overnight at either Mountains of the moon Hotel (High end accommodation) or Ataco Resort (Medium class accommodation) or Raja Hotel (Low budget/basic accommodation. B/B.
After breakfast, you will experience a day of real discovery. You will visit the Kings Royal tombs, the palace where you will learn about the history and culture of the Batoro and the various cultural groups including the Burungu community which is rooted in Traditional Toro culture that may entertain you with music, dancing and story telling if booked in advance.
Spend the day on village walks meeting and interacting with the local people around the crater lakes, get involved in the day to day living of Ugandan culture, taste their food and even participate in the preparations, visit local schools etc. Return to the hotel in the evening. Overnight at either Mountains of the moon Hotel (High end accommodation), Ataco Resort (Medium class accommodation) or CVK (Low budget/basic accommodation. B/B.
After breakfast, you’ll leave Fort portal for Kibale Forest National park visiting the Kanyanchu River Camp the centre for all tourism activities enroute.
Spend the whole day with the local community on village walks/tours arriving at the lodge in the afternoon.
Dinner and overnight at either Ndali lodge or Kyaninga lodge a stunning location overlooking a dramatic Crater Lake and the fabled “Mountains of the moon (High end/luxurious accommodation), Chimps Nest or Kibale Forest Camp (Medium class accommodation) or CVK (Low budget/basic accommodation). Full Board.
After a good breakfast, you are off to Kibale Forest National Park with its families of habituated Chimpanzees – its home to an astonishing 12 species of Primate and provides one of the highest Primates densities in the world! Here on a guided walk, you may find families of Chimps and Red Colobus monkeys.
In the afternoon you will have the opportunity of a guided walk through Bigodi Swamp. Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary is managed by the Kibale Association for Rural and Environmental organisation formed in 1992 with the aim of achieving social and economic development for local communities. You will be taken on a guided walk around the swamp, which is home to approximately 137 bird species including the Snowy Headed Robin Cat, Black and White Casqued Hornbill, Emerald Cuckoo and a variety of Weavers, Warblers, Greenbuls and Sunbirds. There’s also an abundance of Butterflies. It’s also rich in vegetation, such as wild palms, polita figs and the dominant papyrus. Dinner and overnight at either Ndali Lodgeor Kyaninga lodge (High end) Chimps Nest or Kibale Forest Camp (Medium class) or CVK (Low budget accommodation. Full board.
This morning you will drive to Lake Mburo National Park where you will meet the Ankole Culture mainly known for cattle keeping passing via Queen Elizabeth National park.
Lake Mburo National Park has markedly different fauna to other Parks and reserves, and its the best place in the country to see the gigantic eland antelope, as well as Zebra, topi, impala, and several acacia –associated birds. This park is shared by both wildlife and the animals from the local community. The five lakes with in the park attract hippos, crocodiles, and a variety of water birds, while fringing swamps hide secretive papyrus specialists such as the sitatunga antelope and red, black and yellow papyrus gonalek.
When entering the park, you will be able to see the Ankole cows with big amazing big horns, mixture up with the local people and later have an evening game drive.
Dinner and over night at either Mihingo lodge (High end/luxurious accommodation), or Mburo Arcadia lodge (Medium class) or UWA Bandas (Low budget/basic accommodation). F/B.
Spend the whole morning in the park visiting the local community, see how they process ghee, get a chance of participating in milking cows, see how they prepare their staple food (matooke) returning to the Camp in the afternoon. Have a boat trip and later dinner and over night at either Mihingo lodge (High end/luxurious accommodation), or Mburo Arcadia lodge (Medium class) or UWA Bandas (Low budget/basic accommodation). F/B.
After a morning game drive, you will drive to Kampala having lunch on the way and arriving in the afternoon. You will be able to stop and stand on the Equator, be in both hemispheres at once and there after proceed to Kampala arriving at your hotel in the evening. Over night at Sheraton Kampala hotel (High end accommodation), Cassia lodge or Metropole Hotel (Medium class accommodation) or Sungira guest house (Low budget/basic accommodation. B/B.
This morning, your guide will meet you at the hotel around 8.00am and drive through Uganda’s capital city Kampala, to Nakawuka a small village in Mpigi District. This is a unique journey in to the history of Uganda.
You will meet local people and experience a rich and authentic culture, learn about the forgotten times and come face to face with the ancient traditions. Much more than just sight seeing, the local people will entertain you with cultural dancing, music, craft making and story telling. Have lunch and thereafter continue to another village to see a different lifestyle of the Ugandan community. In your visit to the villages, you may also be able to tour the Katereke Prison, which tells the story of a violent and brutal episode in the Buganda history, Nagalabbi Colonial site, and many others.
In the afternoon, you will drive to Kasubi tombs, the king’s palace, the museum, the kings man made lake returning at the hotel in the evening.
Over night at either Sheraton Kampala hotel (High end accommodation), Cassia lodge or Metropole Hotel (Medium class accommodation) or Sungira guest house (Low budget/basic accommodation. B/B.
After breakfast, you will be transfered to the airport and later fly out depending on International flight departure times.
