Itinerary
Day 1: Kidepo National Park
Meet you helicopter and pilot at Entebbe.
The first stop is in Kidepo National Park, enjoy the wildlife and landscapes of this vast National Park.
Apoka Lodge, 2 nights.
Day 3: Murchison Falls
The following day we will fly south west to Murchison Falls. A boat cruise on the river Nile, where you can view wildlife from the boat. We will then explore the best areas of the park by vehicle and enjoy a picnic lunch above the falls.
Nile Safari Lodge, 2 nights.
Day 5: Rift Valley Lakes & The Rwenzori
Fly north to the Great Lakes region of western Uganda. Evening flight over the Rwenzori mountains.
Ndali Lodge, 1 night.
Day 6: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Fly south to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Our destination is Clouds - positioned on 'Nteko Ridge' high above the afro-montane forest on the south side of Bwindi. After lunch we will meet the Batwa people.
Trekking for Gorillas from the lodge.
Return to Entebee for your flight home.
Clouds Lodge, 2 nights.
End of your safari
Uganda by Helicopter
Situated in the far north east, Kidepo is Uganda’s most remote national park. The pristine wilderness with rolling savannah grassland and rugged spectacular mountain landscape has a constant source of ground water.
An astounding 475 bird species are found here - including some of the rarest such as the Rose ringed parakeet and Claperton’s Francolin. Kidepo has 80 mammal species, 28 of which are found in no other park in Uganda.
DAY 1 & 2: KIDEPO NATIONAL PARK
APOKA LODGE
Apoka has 10 semi tented cottages, each with its own bathroom and veranda, and looking out onto the savannah landscapes.
Raised on decks the rooms have wooden floors, canvas sides and large 4 poster beds. The interiors are crafted locally and add to the charm of this beautiful lodge.
The open plan mess area with the bar,
lounge and dinning, is also raised on a wooden deck with uninterrupted views over the water hole.
DAY 3 & 4: MURCHISON FALLS
The Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s largest conservation area, through which flows the River Nile from its source at Lake Victoria to Lake Albert. Located in the heart of the Park is an area where the entire Victoria Nile is forced through a narrow 6 meter gap creating one of the most powerful forces of water.
We will take a boat trip on the Nile, backing onto Murchison Falls National Park. It is a magnet for wildlife - elephant, buffalo, Nile crocodile, and has one of the world’s largest concentrations of hippos. Birdlife is thrilling, and particularly unique are the shoebill stork, African Skimmer, Papyrus Gonolek and Black bee-eater.
NILE SAFARI LODGE
A family owned lodge located on the southern bank of the mighty River Nile, easily accessible to the vast wilderness of this much sought after National Park. The eight bandas are built of local wood and grass thatch. Full of charm, the lodge is furnished simply with stylish touches. The rooms are spacious and airy, with private viewing decks, large double beds and en-suite bathrooms with a ‘monsoon’ shower and freestanding bathtub.
The main living areas focus on comfort, space and outdoor living – with ample decking, a fire pit and choice of places to relax. The service and food is a priority, and despite the remoteness of the Lodge, produce is fresh and meals are always delicious.
DAY 5: RIFT VALLEY LAKES + THE RWENZORI
The Crater Lakes region of Western Uganda lies in the shadow of the Rwenzori Mountain range, sitting on the border between Uganda and the Congo. These crater lakes are believed to have been formed 8000 years ago. As these volcanoes erupted lava and ash spread across the surrounding areas leaving a large basin behind. They offer great places for swimming and nature trails, with an incredible variety of birds.
The shimmering waters of Lake Albert, a fresh water lake lying between two parallel escarpments, supports thousands of people that depend on commercial fishing activities. Small fishing boats dock for the night, and nets are untangled, repaired and laid out for the morning.
We will fly over the Kibale forest, a tropical rainforest home to a fascinating diversity of animals. It is one of the most beautiful and stunning forests in Uganda, with Africa’s highest diversity and density of primates. It is home to red tailed monkeys, colobus monkeys, olive baboons and chimpanzee's.
Lake Katwe is known for its salt production, producing high quality salt for many years. The lake is located just north of Lake Edward on the outskirts of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
NDALI LODGE
You will spend one night at Ndali Lodge, perched on the rim of an extinct volcano, in which lies the breath-taking Lake Nyinambuga. Ndali is a family run business, with 8 en-suite cottages. The cottages are thatch, wood and stone build, all made from locally sourced materials. Each en-suite cottage has a double or twin bed, plenty of changing room, a seating area and private veranda.
From here we will trek the Kibale forest in search of chimpanzees. There are also many lovely walks around Ndali estate, and the neighbouring vanilla plantation.
DAY 6 & 7: BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST
Within the remote Kigezi highlands of south western Uganda, deep in the Virunga mountain range is the primeval forest of Bwindi - a region of tremendous beauty, best known for its endangered Mountain Gorilla.
Mountain Gorillas can only live in dense vegetation. Bwindi alone is home to half the worlds population of Mountain Gorillas.
Coming face to face with a Mountain Gorilla is one of Africa’s most exciting wildlife experiences. Gaining an insight into the behaviour and family dynamics of one of the world’s rarest primates is nothing short of captivating.
After trekking for Gorillas, spend an evening exploring the Virunga Mountains. They are a chain of 8 volcanoes running along the borders of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda, 7 of which are found in the Virunga National Park and only two are active – Mount Nyamuragira and Mount Nyiragongo.
CLOUDS LODGE
Clouds lodge is where you will stay for two nights. It is located in the southern corner of Bwindi National Park, with the gorilla walking trails starting at the lodge. It is surrounded by rich vegetation and botanical gardens and has eight spacious and cosy cottages overlook the Virunga volcanoes.
Warm and welcoming, each cottage features a bedroom, en-suite bathroom with walk-in shower and separate lounge. Comfortable chairs on the outdoor verandas provide the perfect vantage point to admire the unforgettable vistas of the forest below. Blazing fireplaces create a cosy glow as evening falls.
AIRBUS H130
Capacity: 6 passenger seats and 1 pilot
Passenger Configuration: 2 passengers - center and front right, 4 in the rear, forward facing
Cruise Speed: 130 knots
Endurance: 3.8 hours
The H130 is ideal for: Tourism and passenger transport, Medevac with stretcher patient
These helicopters are the best in their field, they are high performance, single engine helicopters. They are designed for maneuvering through the air with agility and speed, with superior abilities in extreme environments. They are perfectly suited for operations in high altitudes and hot temperatures, typical of east Africa.
They are the most amazing way to travel, reaching places that are inaccessible by any other form of transport, allowing a panoramic sight seeing of all that Uganda and Tanzania have to offer.
Tropic Air is based in Kenya, and offers a broad range of professional air services using helicopters and fixed wing aircraft, throughout sub-Saharan Africa.
Areas of operation: 16 African countries, covering more than 10 million square kilometers: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Congo, Chad, South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Madagascar, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia.