Uganda is an incredible place to visit for an unforgettable honeymoon, with diverse wildlife, mountainous forests, waterfalls and the mighty River Nile.
It is one of the best places to see gorillas and chimpanzees in their natural habitat, as well as crocodiles, zebra, hippos and the unusual tree climbing lions.
The weather is great year round, although it is best to avoid the two short wet seasons if you can for optimal gorilla viewing.
We spoke to Pearl Africa, one of Uganda's many independent tour operators, to find out about their recommended itinerary.
They recommend a 9 day safari during which you will travel around 1800kms and stay in lodges and tented accommodation.
Your first night is spent in the city of Entebbe where there is a choice of different grades of accommodation. From there you depart for Murchinson Falls National Park, stopping on the way to look at rhinos and walk to a stunning waterfall. A boat awaits you for a 3 hour boat safari in the National Park, with crocodiles, hippos and elephant at the water's edge.
Day 3 finds you in Kibale, a huge National Forest, for chimpanzee walks, then on to the Queen Elizabeth National Park, home of the famous tree climbing lions, for two nights lion safari. You can enjoy another boat ride her amongst the crocodiles and hippos.
Next, the highlight of the tour, the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest where you will be carefully briefed before embarking with a guide to track gorillas. The tour operator assures a 110% chance of seeing a gorilla.
Finish the tour with a day or two at Lake Bunyonyi where you can relax, eat and sleep, or embark on more animal adventures on foot or by boat at Lake Mburo where you will see impalas, zebra and many species of birds.
For those with time to spare, just outside Entebbe is Mgamba Island, home of the Chimpanzee Sanctuary where you will be able to see the workings of a sanctuary and possibly witness the release of a rescued chimpanzee onto the mainland.
Uganda has great weather all year round due to its location on the equator and its elevation which lowers the otherwise scorching equator temperatures.
Uganda has two rainy seasons, called the Short and Long Rains, but even during the rainy seasons the sun is out most of the time with the exception of Lake Victoria and Western Uganda where short but sometimes heavy bursts of rain are not uncommon, and the elevation is a little higher so average temperatures are lower. There are a few very dry regions in Uganda with less than 10cm of rain per year.
The Short Rains are from April to May and often come with fantastic thunderstorms. The Long Rains are September to November, often with a thunderstorm but usually it is during the night or early morning and by mid morning the sun will be shining again.
The best time of the year is December to late February and from June to September, during the dry seasons. This is also the best time to go gorilla tracking as there is a lot of hiking involved.
Tree climbing lion
Uganda's amazing wildlife