Highlights
- Game drives
- Nile Launch Cruise
- Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park
- Boat ride on Kazinga channel
- Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
- Gorilla trekking in Bwindi National Park
- Kigali City tour
Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrival at Entebbe International Airport
Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport our driver shall transfer you to your hotel.
Day 2 – Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park
Pick-up from your hotel is at 7.00am and travel to Murchison Falls National Park. You drive through the famous Luwero Triangle, Nakasongola to Masindi town. You shall have lunch in Masindi town or drive to Red Chilli Rest Camp depending on the time constraint. After lunch you continue to Murchison Falls National Park and do a hike to the top of the Murchison Falls. The breathtaking Murchison Falls are the iconic landmark of the park. From the top you see the entire Nile squeeze through a tiny gorge 7 meter wide and plunges into a violent tempest 43 meter below. It is such an exhilarating sight. After the hike you continue and check in for dinner and overnight stay at Paraa Safari Lodge/Murchison River Lodge/Red Chilli Rest Camp/Global Village Guest House.
Days 3 – Game driver, Nile Launch Cruise
Have breakfast and set out for the early morning game drive to the game rich Northern section of the park. Expect great sightings of giraffes, lions, elephants, buffalos, Jackson’s hartebeests, bushbucks, hyenas, and several bird species. After more than three hours of great game sightings you return to the lodge to refresh and have lunch. You set out for the 2pm Launch Cruise on the Nile. Expect great sightings of lots hippos, Nile crocodiles, buffalos chilling at the shores, elephants drinking water and taking a shower along the shores, water bucks, and lots of bird species. The cruise takes you to the base of the Murchison Falls for yet another angle to view these gorgeous falls. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4 – Transfer to Kibale National Park
After breakfast check out and travel to Kibale National Park. This approximately seven hour journey takes you a verdant countryside along the Albertine Escarpment. You shall make a stopover Hoima town for lunch at Kolping Hotel. Continue with views of traditional homesteads through Mabale, Kagadi, Kyenjojo town to Fort Portal and continue to Kibale National Park. Check in for dinner and overnight at Chimps Nest Lodge.
Day 5 – Chimp trek, Bigodi Swamp walk
Have breakfast and transfer to the park offices at Kanyachu for briefing by the park guide/rangers. The trek starts at 8.00am. The chimps are fun to watch as they squabble and play in the fruiting tees. Other than the chimps, Kibale is home to to over 13 species of primates including the grey cheeked Mangabey, l’Hoest monkeys, bushbabies, pottos, vervet monkeys and baboons. After the chimp experience return to the lodge for lunch and refresh. Later go for an evening nature walk in Bigodi wetland for great views of different flora and fauna, lots of bird species and primates. Return for dinner and overnight.
Day 6 – Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Have an early morning breakfast, check out and travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park. You get to the park via the Northern crater area. .With beautiful lakes and rich grasslands which are set deep in the crater valley, this is truly the most breathtaking scenery in the park. Queen Elizabeth is host to a large variety and volume of wildlife. Check in for dinner and overnight at the Mweya Safari Lodge/Simba Safari Camp.
Day 7 – Game Drive and Boat Ride
Be up for breakfast at 6.30am, and start the game drive by 7am. With this early morning game drive you get a chance to catch the early risers and hunters/nocturnal before they return to their hideouts. Expect to view lots elephants, buffalos, lions, hippos grazing, lots of giant forest hogs, baboons, bushbucks, waterbucks and hopefully leopards and hyenas. After more than three hours of great wildlife sightings you drive back to the lodge for lunch and brief relaxation. The Kazinga channel has high concentration of wildlife along its banks that come to drink, cool off and eat fresh grass. Set out for the 3pm boat ride on the Kazinga. A relaxing ride of about two hours you view lots of wildlife up-close. The channel is host to lots of hippos, buffalos, elephants, monitor lizards, crocodiles and one of the highest concentration of bird species in the world. After this thrilling boat ride we retire to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Days 8 – Transfer to Bwindi National Park
Be up for breakfast at 6.30, check out and go for yet another exiting game drive. Expect to increase your game count and view lots of other fascinating features. Finish the game drive and transfer to Bwindi National Park. We check out of Queen Elizabeth National Park and drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Check in at Buhoma Community Rest Camp.
Day 9 – Gorilla Trekking, Lake Bunyonyi
Be up by 7.00am for breakfast, grab your packed lunch and transfer to the park offices for briefing. The gorilla trekking expedition then starts at about 8am and could last from a few minutes to several hours depending how fast you locate your assigned gorilla family. After the gorilla experience you drive to Lake Bunyonyi, check it at Bunyonyi Overland Resort. This is the best place to relax and unwind after the strenuous gorilla trek in Bwindi. You shall dinner and overnight.
Day 10 – Transfer to Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
Be up at 6.30am for breakfast, check out and travel to Rwanda via the Cyanika boarder and continue to Volcanoes National Park. Check in at Kinigi Guest House for dinner and overnight. Other alternative accommodations include Muhabura Hotel, Hotel la Palme, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
Day 11 – Gorilla Trekking
Be up as early as 6.00am, get ready in your trekking attire, have breakfast and transfer to the park office. Assemble with the rest the group for briefing after which you are transferred to the starting point of the trek. The trek is quite strenuous climbing steep and slipper grounds and going through thick forest cover. The time taken to locate the gorillas varies from a few minutes to several hours. Chances of not locating them are very minimal. In fact by the time you start the trek the park rangers have an idea of where to find them basing on their movement habits and their known location the previous day. When you finally locate them you are allowed no more than one hour to observe and photograph them. After the trek you return to the lodge for relaxation and overnight.
Day 12 – Transfer back to Kigali, City tour
After breakfast check out and travel to Kigali. Do a tour of the city with a visit to the genocide memorials sites, markets and shopping malls. After the tour shall be dropped off to a preferred location or transferred to the airport for your flight.
Additional Information
Inclusions
- 11 breakfast, 12 lunches and 11 dinners
- private safari vehicle
- gorilla permits
- chimpanzee permits
- services of an english-french speaking driver-guide
- accommodation in comfortable self-contained cottages
Equipment Required
Specialist gear required include a day pack and hiking boots
What You Carry
In your daypack you will need to carry light and heavy clothes, water bottle, camera gear.