We will fly to Entebbe / Uganda.

Accommodation: -
Meals: -

After picking up our luggage and completing the local visa procedures, we will meet our team of guides who will welcome us in their native land. We will be driven for approximately 1 hour to get to Kampala, where we will be taken to our first accommodation, the beautiful Kaazi Beach Resort. The hotel is located on the shores of Lake Victoria, and, in its spacious and exotic gardens, we will enjoy the perfect environment to take a rest after our trip. The rest of the afternoon will be free, and tonight we will get together to enjoy dinner at the restaurant of the hotel.

Accommodation: Kaazi Beach Resort (4*)
Meals: Dinner

We are in Africa! On this first day, after our long journey, it is very important to relax so that our body can progressively adapt to the local conditions so as to have an expedition without any worries. This is the reason why today we will take things easy. During a city tour in the capital of Uganda, we will learn a lot about the history, culture and architecture of Kampala with our local guide. We will visit some of the most famous places like the Lubiri Palace, the Gaddafi Mosque & the Baha'i Temple. We will have lunch in a traditional restaurant with the typical local cuisine. After this, we will go back to our hotel to enjoy the view of Lake Victoria from the hotel terrace.

Accommodation: Kaazi Beach Resort (4*)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Unfortunately we have to say good-bye to our dream hotel because adventure is waiting for us. We leave in our vehicles on a 7-hours trip west to Kasese. Today we will have to travel for about 440 kilometers, and the road becomes a meeting place with Uganda, "the Pearl of Africa". This is a country with fantastic landscapes and a great mosaic of tribes and cultures. We will immediately be captivated by its beauty and delighted with the kindness of its people. At the end of our wonderful journey, we will arrive at Kasese. The city is located in the extreme east of the Rwenzori Mountains. We will be driven to our accommodation, a cozy hotel. The dense tropical jungle of the area already gives us an idea of what awaits us in the coming days, a mysterious and intact mountain landscape.

Accommodation: Hotel Margherita (3*)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The expedition to the Mountains of the Moon will start today! In the year 150 A.D., the Alexandrian geographer Ptolemy, wrote about a snow-covered mountain range that must have been located in the heart of Africa. He said that the source of the Nile was in the center of these mountains and he called them the “Mountains of the Moon”. Over the centuries this strange notion of tropical snow faded into the realm of the myth. A long time passed before Henry Stanley returned from Central Africa in 1889 and announced these mountains did exist. He gave them the name the natives had given to the mountains: Ruwenjura or “Rainmaker”.  Even though the mountains are only a few kilometers north of the equator, glaciers and snow-capped peaks were discovered in the higher areas, whose melt water is the highest source of the Nile. Today we will enter into this magical world, the adventure begins!  We will have to climb around 1,200 meters. The route takes us through the dense mountain rainforest. Once and again we will observe exotic birds and monkeys that live in this wonderful ecosystem. After approximately a 7 hour drive, we will arrive at Sine Camp. Our night camp will be a small wooden cabin with 10 beds and a large terrace in the middle of huge trees, on a narrow ridge. A nearby waterfall invites us to take a bath, and after having dinner together, we will finish our beautiful and exhausting day by the campfire.

Duration of the day's stage: 6-8 hours Ascent: approx. 1.200 m
Accommodation: Refuge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After a hearty breakfast, we will strap on our backpacks and start our trek. The vegetation suddenly changes, huge bamboo plants will now dominate the landscape. The ascent becomes steeper, and we have to go through different elevation levels. After an ascent of approximately 500 m., we will arrive at the Kalama Camp, where we can relax with a cup of tea or coffee. Once recovered, we will continue along our winding path along the edge of a steep cliff. The deep valley will disappear in the mist, and we will be able to see it only from time to time. We will cross a few streams, and will orient ourselves following a wonderful river that flows between gigantic Heather trees. The trunks of these centennials are covered in moss and Usnea lichens that hang from their branches like old men´s long beards. Nature with its multitude of flowers and exotic plants, and a concert of noises from birds and monkeys offers us a true spectacle. Spellbound by the impressions of this extraordinary nature, we finally arrive at our camp, located under a ledge in the middle of a fairy tale forest.

Duration of the day's stage: 6-7 hours Ascent: approx. 1.100 m
Accommodation: Refuge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today we will have to cross the high marshes. Here, we enter the realm of the Giant Lobelias. The marshy terrain is tiring and will be physically very demanding. This is not an easy stage but even today, the fantastic landscape with its tall rocky towers will reward us generously for our efforts. With a little luck, we will be able to see one of the typical birds of the area known as the “Sunbird” feeding on the Blue Lobelias. After reaching the pass between the Nyamwamba & the Namusangi Valleys, the trail will take us to our camp at an altitude of almost 4.100 m. This is located above Lake Kopello of a deep black colour, on a plateau with breathtaking views, weather permitting. The lower valley with its 9 glacial lakes offers us an incomparable setting.

Duration of the day's stage: 5-6 hours Ascent: approx. 600 m    
Accommodation: Refuge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Having rested, we slip our hiking boots back on once again and continue with our journey. First, we will walk to Lake Kopello to then start climbing the great slope to Bamwanjara Pass. If we are lucky, we could have a clear day and from the top of the pass we will have the first dream view of the highest peaks of the Mountains of the Moon: Mount Stanley, Mount Speke & Mount Baker. We will be in the habitat of the Ruwenzori duiker, a small antelope which likes to dwell amongst the bushes. If we are lucky we should come across them. From the pass we will descend abruptly through a dense Senecio forest where the use of our trekking poles will be essential.  We take a well-deserved rest at the beautiful Kacholpe Lakes. Then we will go up and down on steps and short climbing ladders to get to Hunwick Camp. From here we will have a sensational panoramic view of Mount Baker and the vast plains of the neighbouring country of Congo.

Duration of the day's stage: approx. 8 hours Ascent: approx. 400 m Descent: approx. 500 m    
Accommodation: Refuge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The stage today will be easier in comparison with the previous days. The moorland landscape in front of us will lead us to the beautiful Lake Kitandra. Later we will have to pass an area of blocks of huge rocks to immediately reach the Elliot Pass at an altitude of 4.370 m. From here our destination of the day is not far away, the Margherita Camp. It is in a well-protected place among the rocks. For those of us who decide to climb Margherita Peak the next day, there will be a special briefing and rappelling exercises with the jumar clamp in the afternoon.

Duration of the day's stage: 3-5 hours Ascent: approx. 550 m
Accommodation: Refuge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Climbing Mount Stanley will be optional and this requires equipment experience with both crampons and ropes. For those who will not intend to climb, there will be the possibility of walking up to the glacier and then descend comfortably to Hunwick Camp.
For the mountaineers, with the light from our headlamps our day will begin in the early hours of the morning, around 02:30. We will pass the Elena Refuge on top of large rocks to get to the tongue of the glacier. Here we will put on our crampons and climbing harnesses. From now on we will continue with ropes over the Stanley plateau towards the highest summits of the Rwenzori Mountains. We will pass at the foot of the Alexandra Peak and after an easy climb we will arrive at the Margherita Glacier which now will become a little steeper. The strange ice formations will soon transform the landscape and will make it almost disquieting.  After approximately 6 hours, we will reach the final section towards the summit that we will reach using fixed ropes. We made it!! We reached the Margherita Peak, the highest of the legendary Mountains of the Moon!! Joyfully we will embrace. The exciting ascent will find its climax here. It will be an unforgettable moment. The Rwenzori Mountains are divided into four main groups. From north to south these are Mounts Emin, Speke, Stanley & Baker. With the Peaks Margherita (5.109 m) & Alexandra (5.091 m), Mount Stanley is the highest and also the largest in terms of its surface. The descent demands again all our concentration. We will take the same route back down to Margherita Camp, and from there to Hunwick Camp.

Duration of the day's stage: 10-12 hours Ascent: approx. 700 m Descent: approx. 1.200 m
Accommodation: Refuge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We will move slowly to lower lands, but first we will have to climb up about 500 m and reach the Oliver Pass (4.505 m). From here all the trekking is practically downhill. Through Bugata Camp we will get to the Namusangi Valley. We will cross the open moorland and large extensions of scrub. This valley is normally very humid and marshy so we will have to move with rubber boots. Further on this valley becomes narrower and steeper. Passing several waterfalls and trunks of trees covered in moss, we will continue our descent to Kiharo Camp. Again, we will be surrounded by a fantastic mountain rainforest, which will offer us the perfect atmosphere for our last night at the Mountains of the Moon.

Duration of the day's stage: 4-6 hours Ascent: approx. 500 m Descent: approx. 1.100 m
Accommodation: Refuge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The last stage of the trip will be waiting for us. Once again, we will boost our energy levels by having a hearty outdoor breakfast in the middle of this wonderful mountain landscape. After this, we will start with another long day of trekking, and we will make the most of it.  The amazing flora & fauna will continue to offer us incredible surprises. We will cross the tropical jungle through a bamboo forest to finally reach the exit of the park. In a solemn ceremony with a cold beer, we will say good-bye to our hard-working local team, without which we would not have been able to survive in the pristine, exotic & wild nature. It is hard to say good-bye, but soon our thoughts will turn to the first hot shower in 8 days. On our way to the hotel in Kasese, we will glimpse once again the realm of the Mountains of the Moon.

Duration of the day's stage: 7-9 hours Descent: approx. 1.900 m
Accommodation: Hotel Margherita (3*)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After experiencing over the last days an incomparable mountain adventure, today we start the 275 km. route to the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where we will arrive after approximately 6 hours. Adventures that will deeply move all nature lovers await for us here, since we are heading to the home of the last mountain gorillas found on the earth. This national park, located in the southwest of Uganda has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994. This is the habitat of a population of mountain gorillas formed by 14 families, so it is the home to almost half of the world’s population. They are used to be near people and accept park visitors in their territory. The vegetation of the national park is formed by a dense mountain rainforest with an impenetrable undergrowth of incomparable biological diversity. This is why the forest complex has been called impenetrable. Our accommodation, the Gorilla Valley Lodge, is located on the edge of the natural reserve. Here, we will be the neighbours of these gentle giants, and it would not be strange that some of them came out of the dense forest with all there majesty and walk around the gardens of the hotel. What a thrill, we are in the kingdom of the last mountain gorillas!

Accommodation: Gorilla Valley Lodge (3-4*)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This protected area, opens up to the visitor an impressive world of flora and fauna. Besides the families of mountain gorillas, other species of primates live in the park such as chimpanzees, Colobus monkeys, Anubis baboons, Spot-nosed & L´hoest monkeys, and various types of nocturnal ones. The forest elephant population has decreased dramatically in recent years due to intense poaching. Wild boars such as the Red river hog, the Giant forest hog, the small Duiker antelope, golden cats, striped jackals, Civet cats and various big genet cats scurry into the thickness of the park.  Besides, there are more than 350 species of birds, 14 species of snakes, 43 other species of reptiles and more than 200 species of butterflies native to Bwindi. After a short drive to the starting point of the trekking at Nkuringo, we start walking to explore this natural paradise. Our 13 kilometers drive along the Kashsasha River will take us to Buhoma, where we will spend the night in another beautiful lodge in the middle of the tropical rainforest. From here we will follow the tracks of the last mountain gorillas the next day.

Duration of the hike: approx. 4-5 hours
Accommodation: Buhoma Haven Lodge (3-4*)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The moment everybody has been waiting for has come! We will go to meet the gorillas!! The encounter with these wonderful animals in their natural habitat will deeply move us all. According to the censuses, there is a world population of around 600 individuals in the cloud forests of Congo, Uganda & Rwanda. Some of them that belong to communities that live in family groups of around 10 to 30 animals, are used to receiving visitors and can be observed without any danger. The approach to the gorilla territory takes us through the dense jungle and is quite arduous. The guides of the national park observe and locate the animals throughout the day, and it is almost 100% sure that they will find them in our search. We will never forget in our lives the moment of meeting them. The extremely human behaviour of our close relatives will fascinate and touch us deeply.  Our feelings now can hardly be expressed in words. After approximately 1 hour, we will have to interrupt this unique experience not to disturb too much the peace & tranquillity of these animals. After walking back, we will go directly to the Queen Elizabeth National Park (60 km / 1.5 h), where we will start the next day our 2-day safari.

Duration time of the search and observation of gorillas: approx. 4-6 horas
Accommodation: Ishasha Jungle Lodge (3-4*)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today a childhood dream will come true for many of us because we will start our safari in the heart of Africa! After having breakfast in the fantastic atmosphere of our lodge, we will go on our first safari. In 1954, the British queen left for Uganda and on her arrival was fascinated by the species-rich fauna of the national park that was founded two years earlier and which bore her name. The reason for the attractive biodiversity of the Queen Elizabeth National Park is the variety of ecosystems ranging from mixed tropical deciduous forests to green meadows, savannas, crater lakes and swamps. But not only the fantastic animal world with herds of buffalo and elephants, wandering leopards and other big cats, as well as more than 600 species of birds, shape the characteristics of this natural reserve. The botanists of the group will be thrilled by all this fascinating nature, especially by the characteristic “euphorbia cactus trees”, which attract immediate attention. However, the great attraction is the so-called “tree lions” found here. These are lions that climb up the trees. This curiosity of the animal kingdom attracts scientists and animal lovers from all over the world, but you really need good luck to see the lions climbing a tree. Our 4 wheel drives will allow us to move comfortably even on difficult terrain, and will also allow us to observe closely a large number of animals which we only know from documentaries. Deeply impressed by the energy of the wild nature of Uganda, we will be driven to a new accommodation very close to our destination the next day.

Accommodation: Ihamba Safari Lodge (3-4*)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After doing another safari in the morning and having lunch, we will experience the wildlife from a different perspective, from the water. The Kazinga Channel offers the best conditions for this.  During the boat trip that we will make, the sighting of crocodiles & hippopotamuses will be very easy. On the other hand, we will have the opportunity to observe a large number of animals that come to the channel to drink.  The majestic Grey crowned crane, the national bird of Uganda, also feels at home here.  In the afternoon, we will go back to our comfortable lodge.

Accommodation: Ihamba Safari Lodge (3-4*)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After enjoying a nice breakfast, we will go back to the starting point of our trip across Uganda’s natural paradise. We will need approximately 6 hours to cover the 400 km route to Kampala. We will spend the last night of our unforgettable trip to Africa at the beautiful hotel that we already know.

Accommodation: Kaazi Beach Resort (4*)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, we will be driven to the airport and take our flight back home.

Accommodation: -
Meals: Breakfast

We return back home.