Uganda

Guess how our journey begins? Exactly, with a flight. We set off and fly to Uganda, super excited. Will we manage to meet the gorillas?

Here we are in Uganda! If the country is called the Pearl of Black Africa, there must be a reason. We land in Entebbe, but before moving on, we have to start from scratch. Or rather, from zero degrees latitude: the Equator! We snap a photo at the Equator so that, by the end of the trip, we can remember how cute we were—clean, fresh, and smelling great.

At dinner, we’ll have a thorough trip briefing to go over everything we’ll be doing over the next few days and how the journey is organized. We’re completely exhausted now, so it’s off to bed.

Oh, here we go! We wake up, hop into our ride, and within a few hours we’re in Jinja, Uganda’s relaxed and charming little town. This is where the White Nile begins its epic journey to the Mediterranean, and we get to follow part of it right from the source.

Once we arrive, we hop on a local boat and head out to see the exact spot where the river begins (see extra activities section). It’s absolutely incredible: the water bubbles up among floating plants, tropical birds, fishermen, and the undeniable magic of a place with amazing energy. Anyone who prefers to take it easy can stay on the shore, stretch out, sip something cold, and enjoy the view. The only downside is having to listen to the rest of the group’s stories when they get back.

With the sound of the current and the rhythm of the town all around us, we soak up the sunset. We have dinner all together and spend the night here!

Rise and shine! Today we head to Sipi and take in a whole new landscape: rolling hills, endless coffee plantations, and breathtaking waterfalls.

Today we set off on a hike through the Sipi Falls and, crossing coffee and banana plantations, we’ll see the spectacular waterfalls along the Sipi River. We’re at the foot of Mount Elgon, a wonderfully scenic area with sweeping views over the dramatic valleys of Karamoja. Ahh, what a sight.

Tonight we’ll stay in a lodge overlooking the valleys. If we’re lucky and the sky is clear, we’ll enjoy a sky full of stars.

With sleep still in our eyes, we leave these incredible hills behind and head toward Moroto, the beating heart of Karamoja, a rugged, remote, and authentic region. That is exactly why we are going! The journey is long, and with easy spirits we enjoy the road, a spectacular parade of savannah, villages, children waving, and colors changing in a flash.

We arrive in Moroto in the afternoon and freshen up at the lodge. Today we are taking it slow: we feel like resting and settling into the atmosphere.

But if you are itching to do something, we can go and meet the Matheniko, a true pastoral tribe—resilient people who until not long ago were known for stealing cattle from their neighbors (let’s just say they had quite a reputation as raiders). Today they have calmed down and started farming the land, but their style remains much the same: no jeans, only traditional dress and plenty of sweat.

Tonight we sleep in Moroto. Off to bed now—because from tomorrow, we will be sleeping in a village!

Too much comfort can get tiring after a while, so today we leave the lodge behind and step into a new dimension. We’ll spend a day and a night with a Karimojong community, who will host us and show us what life is really like in these harsh, extraordinary lands.

We climb the mountains of Moroto to meet the Tepeth. They are the true original locals, the ones who took refuge up here to escape the other tribes. We enter their manyattas and experience their daily life without filters. A local guide and mediator accompanies us, helping us understand the village’s organization, everyday customs, rituals, and symbolism. Everything is different, and everything is so incredible.

In the late afternoon, we help prepare the camp for the night and, if we’re a little lucky, we may get to take part in evening songs and dances.

Tonight, we stay in a homestay or in a tent, beneath the same sky as the community, gazing at the same stars.

After waking up this morning, we say goodbye to Karamoja and set off: we need to reach Murchison Falls National Park.

Today is all about the journey. To get from one incredible place to another, we have to tackle quite a few dirt roads. We take the opportunity to rest, drool on the jeep seats, and lose ourselves in all the different landscapes racing past our windows.

In the afternoon, we arrive in the Murchison Falls area, and if there’s time, we head out for a short walk nearby. We settle in right here for the night!

Rise and shine! Breakfast, and off we go! We head to the Budongo Forest, to the Kaniyo-Pabidi eco-tourism site, for an incredible experience: a trek through the tropical forest to spot chimpanzees.

Before searching for our cousins, though, we enjoy a visit to Murchison Falls. Beautiful, wild, wonderful—wow. What a sight. These waterfalls make an incredible roar and even treat us to a free shower.

We haven’t forgotten about the chimpanzees, so we set off on a trek to spot them. Keep your eyes open! We may also come across colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, and baboons. In short, there’s no shortage of primates here. We don’t know exactly how long our trek will last, but depending on when we finish, we’ll see if there’s time to explore the surroundings by visiting a nearby village and discovering some of the area’s local activities and businesses.

Tonight, we stay nearby.

We still can’t quite believe it, but it’s true: we wake up once again in the Bugoma Forest. This morning we set out on a nature walk to spot the Ugandan mangabey. We do this while supporting the Association for the Conservation of Bugoma Forest, which makes this nature-walking experience possible through the development of ecotourism activities and the training of local guides, helping the surrounding communities.

Theeen we say goodbye to the forest (sigh!) and continue this great journey southwest, along Lake Albert, surrounded by jaw-droppingly beautiful panoramic views.

Tomorrow’s highlight is getting closer and closer: Queen Elizabeth National Park. Full of excitement, we try to get some sleep nearby. We hope the night goes by quickly. See you tomorrow!

Guess what? Today we’re up early! But it’s worth it. Fueled by a strong dose of coffee, we’ll head out for a fantastic photographic safari along the park’s northern trails. There will be a chance to spot lions, leopards, herds of elephants, and buffalo. The park boasts stunning scenery, including crater lakes and the breathtaking viewpoints of the Rift Valley.

In the afternoon, we can choose whether to kick back and relax for a while or head out for another safari session. Later this afternoon, we can also stop by to visit the Kasoga community, located in a fishing village on Lake George: it’s an authentic experience that offers insight into the life and traditions of the local fishing community (take a look at the extra activities section).

In the evening, we’ll all gather for dinner at the lodge and look through the many photos of today’s lions (most of them, of course, slightly blurry).

We’re still in the park because there’s one more thing left to do: an awesome safari in the park’s Ishasha sector, famous for its tree-climbing lions that love to perch in fig trees. To each their own, right…

We’ll have lunch, then in the afternoon continue toward southern Uganda. A mountainous plateau home to tropical forests and, most importantly, their most famous residents: the mountain gorillas. We’re talking about Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Why “Impenetrable”? Your Tour Leader will keep the secret until tomorrow, when you’ll see it with your own eyes.

In the late afternoon, we can decide whether to recover from the long journey or visit the tea production factory in Kayonza, a historic hub for tea growers’ cooperatives in the area near Bwindi (take a look at the extra activities section).

We’ll have dinner and then off to bed! Tomorrow is the big day: we’re heading into the forest to look for our beloved gorillas. But who could possibly sleep tonight? Who?! Who?!

Today. Today is the day. We wake up full of energy and pull on our hiking boots: the excitement is through the roof! Today we may experience one of the most beautiful and thrilling wildlife sightings of our lives. We set off in search of the Mountain Gorillas in the Bwindi Forest. This is not a zoo, and the gorillas are not standing still waiting for us: we’ll need to walk and take a short trek accompanied by the Park Rangers who patrol the area day and night, monitoring the movements of these incredible giants. The trek takes place in small groups of no more than 8 people for each gorilla family located.

It may sound like Mission Impossible, but we’ll make it! And it will be one of the most amazing things you’ll ever do in your life. Goosebumps guaranteed. Can you imagine how incredible that will be?
We’ll return to the lodge still stunned and amazed: “No way, guys… did that really just happen? Did we actually see the gorillas?!”

We definitely won’t be sleeping tonight either—too much excitement. Just too, too much.

Still buzzing from all the emotions we’ve experienced, today we say goodbye to the mountains and the Buhoma community. Our journey back towards Entebbe begins. We head to Lake Mburo, a great stop to break up the long drive. It takes about 5 hours, so sit back and get comfortable!

Once we arrive at the lake, we take in the lush green views, the light mist floating over the water, and the birds singing. Hold on to this idyllic scene—especially when we set foot again at Milan Malpensa.

This is the evening: we’re happy because we’re celebrating, and we’re sad because it’s the end-of-trip celebration.

We wake up and realize that it’s all true. Sigh. Today our journey home begins.

We head toward Entebbe: do you remember the equator? Do you remember the beginning of this great journey in Uganda? Well, this is where it all ends—right here in Entebbe—as we board a plane that takes us back to Italy, feeling a little downhearted.

We land in Italy, and this is the moment to remember that idyllic scene at Lake Mburo, with the little birds singing and the lush green landscapes.

Who knows how long it will take us to truly realize what an incredible, life-changing experience we have had. It was the trip you imagined — and then some.