Uganda Honeymoon: Gorillas & Lake Bunyonyi

This morning you transfer to the airstrip for a scenic light-aircraft flight over Uganda's beautiful green hills, forests and shining lakes to the west, landing near Queen Elizabeth National Park, set dramatically beneath the Rwenzori Mountains between two lakes. Your guide meets you and drives you to your romantic lodge overlooking the plains, where you settle in and enjoy lunch with sweeping views. In the golden light of late afternoon you set out together on your first game drive across the Kasenyi plains, in search of elephant, buffalo, warthog, herds of Uganda kob and the chance of lion, pausing for a sundowner as the sky flames over the savanna and the Rwenzoris glow on the horizon. This is African safari at its most romantic. Returning to the lodge, you share a candlelit dinner beneath the stars. Rest well amid the sounds of the bush.

Today you savour the wildlife riches of Queen Elizabeth together at a relaxed, romantic pace. A morning game drive offers the chance of lion, elephant and buffalo across the plains, and later you glide along the hippo-filled Kazinga Channel by boat, watching elephants and buffalo come down to drink at the water's edge, crocodiles basking, and a dazzling array of birds, the two of you side by side as the abundance of life unfolds. In the afternoon you journey into the remote, beautiful Ishasha sector, famous for its tree-climbing lions, scanning the great fig and acacia trees for tawny bodies draped along the branches, an unusual sight seen in only a few places on Earth. As the day ends, you return to your lodge for another candlelit dinner beneath the African sky, reflecting on a magical day of safari. Rest well, ready to journey to the gorillas tomorrow.

After breakfast you journey south from the savanna into the folded, mist-wrapped mountains towards Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home to almost half the world's mountain gorillas, the landscape rising and greening dramatically as you climb through the Ishasha plains and into gorilla country. Your guide is happy to pause for photographs of the spectacular scenery and glimpses of everyday life in the highland villages. You arrive at your romantic forest lodge on the edge of the ancient rainforest in the afternoon, with views over the endless green canopy and the sound of the forest all around, and time to settle in and relax together by the fire. This evening, savour a cosy dinner for two as anticipation builds for tomorrow's great encounter. Rest well, ready to share one of the most moving experiences of your lives in the misty forest of Bwindi.

Today you share the emotional heart of your honeymoon. After an early breakfast you gather at the park headquarters for a briefing, then set off together with your ranger and trackers into the dense, dripping forest of Bwindi, home to almost half the world's mountain gorillas. The trek may be short or several hours of steep, muddy, exhilarating hiking through tangled vegetation, and porters are warmly recommended to help you and to support the local community. When you reach the habituated gorilla family, everything else falls away, and you share a breathless, closely regulated hour just metres from a mighty silverback, gentle mothers with infants and playful youngsters, a memory that will bind you together forever. You return to your lodge tired, muddy and elated, to celebrate with a romantic fireside dinner and perhaps a glass of something sparkling. Rest well, glowing from an unforgettable shared experience.

This morning, after a relaxed breakfast, you leave the forest and drive through the beautiful, dramatically terraced highlands of southwest Uganda to exquisite Lake Bunyonyi, the deepest and loveliest of the country's lakes, whose name means place of many little birds. The scenic journey winds among steep green hills, cultivated in ribboned terraces and dotted with villages, before the shining, island-strewn lake opens below you. You transfer to your romantic lakeside or island lodge, free of crocodiles and hippos and set in one of Africa's most peaceful and beautiful settings, and settle in to pure serenity. The afternoon is yours to relax together, perhaps with a first gentle canoe trip on the mirror-calm water or a swim in the cool lake as the light softens. This evening, share a candlelit dinner over the water. Rest well in blissful tranquillity.

Today is yours to savour together in the enchanting serenity of Lake Bunyonyi, with nothing to do but relax and enjoy each other's company in one of Africa's most beautiful settings. You might paddle a traditional dugout canoe across the calm, clear water between the green islands, swim in the safe, cool lake, walk or cycle the terraced hillsides among villages and birdsong, or visit a local island or craft group to meet the welcoming community. Or you might simply lie back on your terrace with a book, a drink and a view, watching mist rise over the water in the morning and the hills glow gold at dusk. The pace is utterly gentle and the peace enchanting. This evening, enjoy a final romantic dinner over the lake, reflecting on the wild wonder and deep romance of your honeymoon. Rest well in blissful tranquillity.

After a final peaceful breakfast over the tranquil waters of Lake Bunyonyi, you begin your journey home, transferring to the nearby airstrip for a scenic light-aircraft flight back over the green hills, forests and lakes of Uganda to Entebbe (a spectacular road journey is also possible), where you connect with your onward international departure. You leave having shared the honeymoon of a lifetime in the green heart of the Pearl of Africa, the profound, emotional hour with wild mountain gorillas in the misty forest of Bwindi, the romance of sundowners and safari in Queen Elizabeth, and the blissful serenity of exquisite Lake Bunyonyi. The memories stay vivid long after you land, the silverback among the leaves, the hippos in the channel, and the mist over the island lake at dawn. You depart hand in hand, already dreaming of a return to beautiful, welcoming Uganda.