Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth N. P. via Ishasha

Trip Duration & Length: 6 Hours (125km)

Enjoy your breakfast and head northeast of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park in search of tree climbing lions in the Ishasha sector where on a lucky day, you will be able to spot many of them lounging on trees and enjoying the sun! Continue and proceed to Queen Elizabeth national park arriving in the evening. Check in to your hotel, unwind, and enjoy dinner and overnight stay. 

Day 6: Game Drive & Launch Cruise – Queen Elizabeth

Go for an early morning game drive in Queen Elizabeth national park where you will spot a lot of wildlife including African elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, impala, among others and a lot of birds. Return to the lodge for breakfast, relax a bit and enjoy your lunch. In the afternoon, go for a launch cruise along the Kazinga channel inside Queen Elizabeth Park where you will come up close with hippos, crocodiles among other aquatic life and an array of birds on the bay! Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight. 

Day 7: Rwenzori Mountains

Distance from the park gate and back is 8.1km plus the 2.2km walk up and back from the hostel.

The trek starts at Trekkers Hostel at 1,450 metres in Kyanjiki 12 kilometers from Kasese past Kilembe. Best to start by 8.30am but can leave as late as 10am. You walk 2.2km to the UWA rangers post at 1,727metres where you pay your park entrance fee.

This is a relativity easy walk as you climb steadily through montane forest, with tall trees thick undergrowth and a multitude of different species of birds and primates. Then a steep-ish climb up a ridge below Omusita Rest Spot where you join the trail coming down from Samalira and is the highest point of the walk at 2,373 meters. The forests are untouched and carry a wide variety of trees and plants. Many species of birds can be heard and seen in this rich environment. The first few kilometers climb steadily crossing several small streams and rivers then we branch off on our birding trail, within a few hundred meters from the turnoff your will see evidence of bush pigs digging for roots and grubs in the undergrowth and along the path. If you walk quietly you may get a chance to see these shy animals.

The trail then moves along the top of the Nyamwamba River where you see the river and the beautiful ravine forests along the river. There is a small trail where you can walk down to the river’s edge and maybe see kingfisher and the water loving birds. As you climb the trees become taller, bigger in size and very straight.

It is common to see and hear many types of primates hear chimpanzee calls echoing around the valley. You will see chimp nests made of twigs and branches high up in the tallest trees which the chimps will use for several weeks during the fruiting season then more on in search for other food sources. You may be lucky and see a troupe of 10 to 15 black and white Colobus monkeys as they swing through the trees particularly when the various trees are bearing fruit. Occasionally you may see a blue monkey. The forest, the wide variety of plant species and the environment along the river is stunning and well worth the effort to experience this unique environment.

Walk starts at 8.30am and returns about 3pm.
Upon return, head back to your lodge to unwind, and enjoy dinner and overnight stay.