This cultural tour gives you the chance to explore the real Africa and learn about the fascinating culture of the tribes in Uganda. Besides an introduction with the capital you will visit the Source of the Nile and the fabled Mountains of the Moon. The highlight of your tour will be at Nshenyi Village, a true immersion in the Ugandan culture!
Day 1 : Arrival You will be welcomed by a representative of our company who will transfer you to your hotel in Kampala. Dinner and overnight at King's Holiday Inn.
Day 2 : Kampala city tour After breakfast you will be taken on a tour within the greenest city in Africa. Some of the highlights are: The Kasubi tombs; the largest mausoleum in Africa, a special burial place for Buganda kings. Our guide will be pleased to give you a brief and interesting history. The Ugandan Museum; a historical feature with lots of colonial, cultural and traditional collections. Namugongo Shrines; the place where the first Ugandan Christians were murdered at the orders of a Buganda king. Makerere University; visit the first and the oldest university in East Africa. Kabakas Lake; visit the biggest man made lake in East Africa. It was made under the instruction of the Kabaka of Buganda. Namirembe Cathedral - the first and oldest religious feature that was constructed by the European missionaries. Bahai temple; visit the biggest and only religious temple building of its kind in Africa. The craft village; place to buy African art, carvings, masks of your desire. You can make a choice out of these sites or visit them all if time allows. Late in the afternoon retire to your hotel. Dinner and overnight at King's Holiday Inn.
Day 3 : Kampala Jinja city tour A visit to the lovely town of Jinja. The highlights of the tour are: Mabira Forest; a walk in the lush green forest, which is one of the biggest forests in East Africa and hosts a variety of bird species and monkeys. Sezibwa Falls; a traditional site known for its spectacular falls that subsides into two small rivers that smartly split. One heads northeast to lake Kyoga and the other heads northwest to the Nile. Not surprisingly they are called the Twin Rivers. Bujagali Falls; spectacular falls on the Nile, a grade five rapid for the rafters. Most likely you will be seeing a man daringly sail through the rapids with the aid of only a plastic jerrycan. Source of the Nile; see how the longest river of the world starts its journey through Africa. Check in for dinner and overnight at Adrift Nile High Camp and relax while you enjoy the beautiful sunset over the Nile.
Day 4 : Jinja Ready for a full day of adventure? Then start rafting at the source of the Nile. Enjoy the beautiful scenery and thundering rapids of the White Nile. Dont forget to watch the incredible birdlife as you drift quietly between the rapids of the river. Those who prefer a more peaceful experience of the Nile can also decide to go for a wonderful river journey for the whole family. Instead of choosing the wildest rapids, we drift swiftly between beautiful forested islands, bounce down smaller rapids and explore the least known channels. Dinner and overnight at Adrift Nile High Camp.
Day 5 : Jinja Fort Portal (6 hrs) Early breakfast and then transfer to Fort Portal through the verdant countryside as you pass traditional homesteads and farms. Fort Portal rests in the shadow of the fabled Mountains of the Moon and is famous for the large tea plantations. Dinner and overnight at overnight at Rwenzori View Guesthouse.
Day 6 : Crater Lakes Today we will explore the region of the crater lakes. Enjoy the beauty of the numerous small lakes, surrounded by gentle hills, and the stunning views. Take a hike at Lake Nkuruba to encounter different species of primates and birds, and visit the Mahoma Falls. Meet the local people as you walk through their villages, learn about the customs of the Batoro tribe and enjoy the panoramic views. You can also visit the Rubingo Abeteraine Womens Group and see how they earn their money by weaving baskets. Dinner and overnight at Rwenzori View Guesthouse.
Day 7 : Fort Portal Nshenyi Village (5 hrs) Departure for Mbarara where you will have lunch before continuing to Nshenyi Village. A beautiful route will take you to this hidden, rural farm, where you can experience the traditional way of living. Enjoy the rolling countryside of the Ankole Kingdom, relax in the raw comforts of nature and listen to the silence. Dinner and overnight at the farm Nshenyi Village.
Day 8 : Nshenyi Village The morning starts early as you will go to the field to milk the long horned Ankole cows. Beat the early morning mist as you squat to a lifetime memory of milking with your bare hands. Return to the farm for breakfast, before we take a short walk to a Bahima village. Experience the lifestyle of this traditional tribe and learn more about where they live, what they eat and all their native habits. In the afternoon, after lunch, you may want to decide to go for a nature walk along the River Kagera, a natural border with Tanzania. The trail leads you through the undulating hills that overlook Nshenyi Village. Watch the unparalleled richness of bird species as you look right into Tanzania. In the evening you can enjoy traditional dancing and singing of a non-professional local group. Dinner and overnight at the farm Nshenyi Village.
Day 9 : Nshenyi Village Another day of relaxing in the raw comforts of nature! You may join the pastors and spend some time in the field while grazing the cows. Or enjoy the process of turning milk into ghee while sitting within an enchanting traditional hut. You may also choose to visit a local school, have another nature walk or spend a day on an open market and see how Wall Street comes to life in rural Africa! Dinner and overnight at the farm Nshenyi Village.
Day 10 : Nshenyi Village Kampala (6-7 hrs) After breakfast we leave the surroundings of Nshenyi. Enjoy the magnificent view one more time as we head back to Mbarara. Continue to Kampala with lunch en route and the usual interesting stops like at the Ugandan Equator where you can shop for souvenirs and take photos. In the afternoon arrival in Kampala. Dinner and overnight at King's Holiday Inn.
Day 11 : Departure Enriched with an experience of a lifetime and unforgettable memories you will say goodbye to the Pearl of Africa. Depending on the time of departure you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back home. We are looking forward to seeing you again!
Included in the price: - Airport transfer - Ground transport per comfortable 4WD safari vehicle - English speaking driver/guide - Accommodation in budget places mentioned in the itinerary, based on a double room - Full board (breakfast, lunch, dinner) apart from your stay in Kampala (B&B) - Bottled mineral water throughout the safari - City tour Kampala - City tour Jinja - Cultural experience at Nshenyi Village - Nature walks
Exclusions: - International flight - Visa - Full day rafting in Jinja (USD $125 per person) - Meals and drinks not mentioned above - Laundry and tips - Items of personal nature
Note: If you wish to stay in luxury accommodation please notify so we can inform you about the upgrade fees. Please complete the enquiry form below for more details and tailor-made safaris in Uganda and Rwanda!
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I was very impressed with the website when I was looking for a company to plan our trip to Murchison Falls. My friend and I were going to Uganda to visit my daughter and her friend who were working as volunteers with an NGO in Jinja. The four of us wanted to visit Murchison Falls.
We were pleased that the operator was able to make arrangements to suit our budget. They also accommodated our wish to be picked up in Jinja instead of Kampala.
Our driver, Beki was wonderful. Not only was he a very competent driver, but he was full of good humour and knowledge about the culture of Uganda and its animals and plants. He answered all of our questions about everything we saw on our trip to Murchison Falls and we had many as this was our first trip to Africa. He pointed out many things of interest to us and made us feel so comfortable on our trip. Beki helped to make our safri a most enjoyable and memorable experience.
The company sent us an information package and a complete itinerary before we went on our safari. I thought this was very helpful. I have only praise for their staff. If Beki is representative of all their drivers, then you are ensured of an amazing safari experience.
We thought they did a very good job of meeting our needs during our trip to Uganda. They were responsive when we asked to modify the standard itinerary - visiting a local hospital, the Kampala marketplace, and the veterinary school at the University.
At our request, they substituted an extra game drive for the scheduled activity, and accommodated our request for a different hotel in Kampala on our last days.
Our guide/driver was named David, and he answered all of our questions, maintaining his composure despite some unforeseen circumstances (car broke down, and he had to get a different driver to bring us back to Kampala).
We took the luxury option except for Travellers Rest, which we chose when the Nkuringo Lodge was not able to honor our reservations. It was an unexpected pleasure to stay at Travellers Rest -- wonderful food and friendly service at a very reasonable price. The Primate Luxury Tented Camp, where we stayed when we tracked chimps in Kibale, seems like it's not quite ready for prime time but shows promise for the future.
Overall, we were very pleased, and if we were going to make the trip again, we'd call them.
We would be delighted to provide you with information about our holiday. We have nothing but praise for this operator, both for their helpfulness throughout and their flexibility in planning our itinerary.
We had a rather unusual plan for our holiday, in that, as well as touring the game parks, we wished to seeand meet Ugandans on the ground as much as possible,and also we wished to end our holiday by being taken to Gulu, where our daughter is working as an NGO.
They responded to this by including a 2-day visit to a farm in the far south-west, near the Tanzanian and Rwandan borders, and by agreeing to drop us off in Gulu, rather than returning us to Kampala.
We visited Lake Mburo, Queen Elizabth, Kibale and Murchison Falls National Parks, in addition to Nshenyi village referred to above. All this was achieved in an 11-day itinerary, at a very reasonable cost. Our driver was fantastic. He was not only one of the best drivers I've ever come across either inside or outside of Uganda, but he was also very friendly, and most knowledgeable about all the wildlife, including the rich variety of birds we saw. He also had phenomenal eyesight; even when the road he was negotiating was particularly pitted and rough, he still managed to catch sight of birds and game a long way of, which we would have missed.
Altogether a most positive, enjoyable and educational trip. I'd recommend anyone to go; Uganda is a truly beautiful country. We look forward to returning.
I found the safari operator to be very accommodating with any special requests we had regarding the itinerary.
The Safari Lodge pool made for a perfect setting for a sunset swim, overlooking the channel filled with hippos. The lodge also provided the unique experience of waking up to a hippo grazing outside our door.
