Join Indepth African Safaris on this trip of a lifetime to Uganda, also known as the Pearl of Africa and Rwanda. This lush, tropical country is one of the finest places in the world to get close to primates, including the chimpanzee and mountain Gorillas, as well as a population of tree climbing lions and the bizarre shoebill. This tour has been designed to incorporate all these iconic species and introduce you to a wealth of other wildlife that’s on offer.

Day 1 – Arrival

Arrival into Uganda in the early morning hours of the day and be pick up from the Entebbe international airport by company representative for the trip and later be transferred to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary which will take approximately 4 1/2 hours, here we shall go straight for the Rhino trekking before checking into our lodge to have lunch. The rest of the afternoon will be spend at leisure by the swimming pool cooling off the heat of the day and the jet lag.

Accommodation: Amuka Lodge

Meal Plan: Full board – breakfast & Dinner

Day 2 – Drive to Murchison Falls National Park

MurchisonAfter breakfast, we shall drive to Murchison Falls National Park in the north-western part of Uganda. Murchison Falls National Park sits on the shore of Lake Albert, in northwest Uganda. It’s known for the famous Murchison Falls, where the Victoria Nile River surges through a narrow gap over a massive drop. Park wildlife includes elephants and hippos, and there are chimpanzees in the Kaniyo Pabidi mahogany forest. The Lake Albert Delta is home to rare shoebill storks.  The park is also bisected by the renowned River Nile into two parts such as the Northern bank and the Southern bank. Game drives are best done in the Northern bank since that’s where you can find a large concentration of wildlife in the Savannah plains whereas the Southern bank a lesser number of antelope herds and other few animals. Upon arrival, you will embark on your first game drive through the beautiful Murchison Falls National Park. This is a beautiful drive across savannah, Borassus Palm Forest and grassland down to Lake Albert where the Albert Nile heads north.  Drive in the open African savanna in search for Lions, Leopard, Hyena, Buffalo, Elephant, and Jackson Hartebeest. Oribi, Waterbucks, Uganda Kobs, and enjoy spotting various Bird species such as the Secretary Bird, Black Chested Snake Eagle, Tawny and Marshal Eagles Carmine and Swallow Tailed Bee-Eaters, and many more. You will have a game drive. Retire to your lodge for an overnight.

Accommodation: Pakuba Lodge

Meal Plan: Full board – breakfast, lunch & Dinner

Day 3 – Game drive, boat cruise

The day begins with early breakfast. At 7:00am, you will be taken for your first morning game drive (Usually along the Delta of Lake Albert) where you will finally see the parks great Savannah grasslands and overlooking Budongo Forest. Throughout the safari, you will be escorted by a park guide/ranger who is familiar with the area and where to find the animals. You will also see several mammals including warthogs, antelope, lions, hyenas, giraffes and primates among others. You will then head back to your lodge to have lunch, freshen up and prepare for the mega launch cruise.

While on the cruise, be prepared to spot more than 200 bird species (Kingfishers, the shoe billed stork etc.), Nile crocodiles, hippos, monitor lizards, elephants and many of the animals seen during your early morning safari drinking along the river Nile shores. 

The boat slowly takes you up to the foot of the Murchison falls were you will climb to.  After this activity, Peter will pick you up and take you back to your lodge.

Accommodation: Pakuba Lodge

Meal Plan: full board – breakfast, lunch & Dinner

KibaleDay 4 – Transfer to Kibale National Park via Fort Portal

Here we set off to Kibale National Park through Fort Portal.  Fort Portal is commonly known as the tourism city of Uganda because of its strategic location to most of the tourism sights and its very green scenery, you will have a chance to taste some local foods in Fort Portal. The drive through Fort Portal takes you through scenic views from the tea plantations, as well the national park itself as you proceed to your lodge

Be aware of the road side wild animals like baboons that might want to jump into the car here we try to keep the windows closed as we enjoy seeing them.

Accommodation: Kibale Tourist safari lodge

Meal Plan: Full board, breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

About Kibale National Park

This tranquil tropical forest provides an ultimate chimp encounter thanks to its status as a fully-fledged primate capital, boasting of 13 species of both old world and new world monkeys. These range from black-and-white colobus, blue monkey, red-tailed monkey, vervets, L’Hoest’s monkey, the bonus being bush babies.

Situated in the shadows of Mountain Rwenzori, this 795km2 lush jungle is surrounded by scenic tea plantations on one side, and Uganda’s most beautiful crater lakes on the other side.

On its third side, you will find a contiguous wildlife corridor linking Queen Elizabeth National Park. This means you should brace yourself for random elephant turns up, or other mammal species like duikers, forest hogs, bushbuck and even bush pigs.

Day 5 – Chimpanzee trekking and Community tour

Clients will have their early morning breakfast before setting off very early to the park offices for briefing in preparation for Chimpanzee trekking.

The Chimpanzee tracking takes roughly 2 to 4 hours or less depending on the location of the Chimps. The walk in the Kibale Forest at times takes the slippery paths and some bit of climbing and therefore you should have good hiking shoes, enough drinking water, rain jacket, long pants and long sleeved shirts.

 You will spend more hours observing and taking pictures of the Chimps in the forest a moment which is worth- while. Based on the time clients finish their Chimpanzee trackig, we shall return to the lodge for a hot meal.

In the afternoon, we shall head out for a community experience to see how locals in the area live their life and this will involve a run through how local beer is made, local coffee processing at home, visit to the local medicine man who is one of the most respected man in the community and local cow milking methods.

The full community tour experience takes roughly 2 to3 hours involving visiting different homes and it’s done immediately after lunch from Chimpanzee trekking so clients need to make a decision on it if they are not tired.  Dinner will be at the lodge again.  

Accommodation: Kibale tourist safari lodge

Meal Plan: Full board – breakfast, lunch & Dinner

Day 6 – Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park  

164A6331After breakfast you will embark on your journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park. One of the common features we shall be able to see during the drive is the famous ranges of Mountain Rwenzori with the highest peak Magherita Standing at 5109M. The drive takes us through community markets ad if clients wish, a stop will always be made for them to take some pictures. You will then go for an evening game drive at the Kasenyi plains to spot warthogs, buffaloes, elephants, lions, and several species of antelopes among others.

Accommodation: Buffalo lodge

Meal Plan: Full board – breakfast, lunch & dinner

Day 7 – Morning Game drive – Boat Cruise at the Kazinga Channel

Get up early for heavy breakfast as you wait to be taken for the morning game drive. The morning game drive allows you to spot the early risers and nocturnal animals like leopards going back to their den. Queen Elizabeth national park has remarkable landscape, you will marvel at the savanna plains, crater lakes, swamps, rivers and woodlands. The Rwenzori Mountains can be seen from almost every part of the park. All these physical features attract a variety of wildlife including buffaloes, lions, elephants, leopard, giant forest hogs, and waterbuck, bush bucks, the Uganda Kob and many others.

119577815_3572589912774314_7943860419489699135_oAfter the morning game drive, you will go back to hotel for rest and have your lunch before proceeding for the boat cruise at Kazinga Channel. This boat will provide a perfect platform for viewing most of the wildlife as they gather to drink and bathe in one place.  The Kazinga Channel is one of the great birding spots in Uganda and Africa. You will see all kinds of water birds feeding close to giant crocodiles, elephants and hippos.

Accommodation: Buffalo lodge

Meal Plan: Full board – breakfast, lunch & dinner

Day 8 – Morning Game Drive and tree climbing lions of Ishasha

In the morning at 6:30am, start off your game drive in the park. Queen Elizabeth boasts of one of the highest biodiversity ratings of any game park or reserve in the world. Located on the floor of the Albertine Rift Valley south west of Kasese, its vegetation comprises of savannah, acacia, euphorbia trees and large papyrus swamps. A number of over 100 mammal species and 500 bird species make this territory and great tourist destination. The maramagambo forest houses a large selection of monkeys and birds with flamingos on the crater lakes. The morning Game drive provide excellent opportunity to see lions, elephants, Leopards, Topi and many other animals. After the Game Drive transfer to lodge for lunch but through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park for an opportunity to see the tree climbing lions of Uganda. The Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth is as rich as the Kasenyi plains or Mweya Peninsula in terms of game, however it is the only sector with tree climbing lions. The lions spend most of their afternoons on top of fig and acacia trees.  Prides of tree climbing lions can be found in the area.

Accommodation: Enjojo lodge

Meal Plan: Full board – breakfast, lunch & dinner

Day 9 – Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Clients will have an early morning breakfast before transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The drive to this area takes approximately 3- 4 hours on dusty roads. Lunch before transfer to the accommodation in Bwindi. The road is strictly bumpy and dusty as we shall be driving through the national park.

Accommodation: Haven Lodge

Meal Plan: Full board- Break Fast, lunch & Dinner

About Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi is all a 25,000 year old rainforest should be. It is mystical, dense, ever green and very wet. Sitted on a mountainous landscape on the edge of the rift valley, it is renowned for gorilla trekking as it has the highest number of habituated groups, numbered at 50 groups. This is a huge advantage compared to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and Congo’s Virunga National Park that have 10 and 8 groups respectively. On the part of population, Bwindi has roughly 459 gorillas now, basing on projections made during last year’s gorilla census. 95% of the park is made of a lush tropical forest that cover 321km2. The remaining 5% is made up of marshlands like Mubwindi, a piece of paradise where you can pursue the park’s 350 recorded species, inclusive of 23 endemics, 6 of which are ranked among the 10 most sought birds in East Africa.

Bwindi is divided into sectors where Gorilla trekking is done and these include Buhoma, Ruhijja, Nkuringo, Rushanga and Kigezi. It depends on the availability of Gorilla permits.

Day 10 – Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Clients will be transferred to the park offices at 7:30am for a briefing about the whole process. While here, they are also told about the major safety procedures to follow while in the forest to ensure a successful jungle expedition and to get the best of the mountain gorilla tracking experience. We shall leave the lodge with packed lunch boxes to prepare for the Gorilla tracking because we can’t be certain what time clients will return from the tracking.

After briefing from the Ranger guide, traverse to the Gorilla sanctuary to start tracking these lovely creatures. It takes approximately 2 hours or less to find the gorillas based on where they are located. Clients spend 1 hour observing and taking pictures of a particular Gorilla family. The time you spend observing these endangered species is worth a trip to any part of the world and can never be forgotten.  Clients are expected to have enough drinking water, good hiking shoes, rain jackets in case it rains, gloves if necessary, long sleeved clothes. Time spent with these Gorillas is very priceless.

It’s also very wise for one to be in good physical shape because at times there are very steep slopes and muddy at times which requires one to be in good shape. . There are however porters for hire who can carry luggage or the tourist on a stretcher in case hired. They are hired for about $10 to $15.

At the end of the Gorilla tracking, retire back to the lodge to rest or take part in a community experience tour that can be organized by the lodge at a cost. 

Accommodation: Haven Lodge

Meal Plan: Full board- Break Fast, lunch & Dinner

Day 11 – Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

Have breakfast in the morning, then meet up with your guide. You will embark on about 7 hours’ drive to Volcanoes National park in Rwanda, arriving in time for lunch at your lodge. Spend the rest of your evening relaxing at the lodge as you prepare for your golden monkey trek the following day. If you wish to adventure more in the evening, you do have an optional visit to Karisoke centre where you can visit Dian Fossey museum.

Accommodation: mountain View Gorilla Lodge

Meal Plan: Full board- Break Fast, lunch & Dinner

Day 12 – Golden Money Trek and Ibyi’wacu village Tour

Golden monkeyAfter breakfast, you will go for a golden money trek. This activity also takes like 2-6 hours or more depending on the location of the golden monkeys in the forest. Once you have located a golden monkey family, you will be given an hour to spend with them

After the trek, you will have lunch and then visit Ibyi’wacu village which is also known as the Gorilla Guardians village. You will visit the former Kings palace, dress in the traditional Rwandan attire and also be entertained to traditional Rwandan folk dance and singing performances from the local intore dance troupe. Later return back to your lodge

Accommodation: mountain View Gorilla Lodge

Meal Plan: Full board- Break Fast, lunch & Dinner

Day 13 – Volcanic climbing at Bisoke

BisokeWake up very early in the morning, have breakfast and then relocate to another volcanic climbing at Bisoke which is a one day activity and one is able to experience the difference in African volcano altitudes the return for dinner and overnight

Accommodation: mountain View Gorilla Lodge

Meal Plan: Full board- Break Fast, lunch & Dinner

Day 14 – Transfer to Lake Kivu

After breakfast in the morning, Peter will pick you up from the Hotel and you head out for your Lake Kivu safari, while driving through the rolling hills and the far-flung Virunga Volcanoes, Still in the afternoon, you have an option to go Kayaking and get to explore the pristine coastline while immersing yourself in the breathtaking scenery, gazing up at the magnificent mountainous backdrop and the calm waters. You will then proceed for Lake Kivu arriving in the evening. You will check in at the lodge for relaxation followed by dinner and overnight

Accommodation: Palm resort hotel

Meal Plan: Full board- Break Fast, lunch & Dinner

Lake kivuDay 15 – Morning Lake Kivu boat cruise and afternoon cultural experience

Have a relaxed start of the day and later transfer to the pier for a midmorning boat cruise on Lake Kivu. The private cruise is by small intimate motor-boats providing opportunities for accessing the lake shores. These are also the best boats for people and nature photography.

The boat cruise takes a smooth ride towards stunning Islands and the fishing villages. The most popular islands on Lake Kivu are Napoleon and Nyamirundi.

If you love Birds, Lake Kivu is the right place! Over 300 bird species have been recorded here!  Look out for African fish eagles, Grey-crowned Cranes, African Openbill, Saddle-billed stork, Great white and pink-backed pelicans, Spur-winged Goose, White-backed Duck, Great cormorants, Water thick-knees among others.

Lunch will be at the lodge or can opt to have local dishes in one of the restaurants in Rubavu town.

In the afternoon, you have an option of visiting the Imbabazi Orphanage. This center was founded in 1994 by Carr Rosamond (a great friend and confidant of Dian Fossey).  Rosa established the orphanage on her Flower plantation on the foothills of Virunga Mountains and was named “Imbabazi” because it was meant to provide Love and Care a mother can give. The orphanage took care of children who lost their parents during the Rwanda Genocide.

Later in the afternoon, you may relax at the lodge or go for a sunset cruise and watch the fishermen cast their nets. Alternatively, you may participate in the traditional fishing activity. This will depend on the season. Local fishing involve casting of nets as fishermen row in unison while singing and whistling songs of courage. Gas lanterns are normally used to attract fish to the nets

Accommodation:  Palm resort hotel

Meal Plan: Full board- Break Fast, lunch & Dinner

Day 16 – Transfer to Nyungwe National Park – Canopy Walk

Canopy walkHere you embark on the journey to Butare with amazing views of the countless hills of Rwanda. There will be stops at the Kamegeri’s rock, the National Ethnographic Museum in Huye, Murambi Genocide Memorial and the former King’s palace. The Museum is houses a collection of artifacts and ethnographic objects from Belgium, Rwanda and other parts of the world. Much of the museum showcases all the cultural aspects of the country and the people.

Lunch will be taken from a restaurant in one of the sites. The final part of the six-hour journey ends in a hotel or lodge close to the park. You will check-in and proceed to register for the canopy walk.

The amazing canopy walk takes you across a hanging platform which crosses over the tall and majestic trees of Nyungwe.  The hanging platform is built 50 meters above the ground and is 200 meters long. You will have an aerial view of the forest enabling you to spot birds and more of the primates feeding on top of the trees or jumping from one tree to another.

Accommodation: Top view Hotel

Meal Plan: Full board- Break Fast, lunch & Dinner

Day 17 – Chimpanzee Trekking – Nature Walk

Wake up early for breakfast at the lodge and prepare for a long day of activities. The driver will take you for the briefing which starts at Uwinka by 5:30 am.

There are two trails for chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest – The Uwinka and Cyamudongo trail. After the briefing, park officials will assign you one of the trails depending on the number of participants. Each group will be driven to the starting point of the trek.

Chimpanzees and bonobos are the closest relatives to humans. They share 98% of our DNA. They are highly intelligent, can be taught sign language and how to use specific tools. During your time with them expect to observe individuals grooming, breast feeding, mating and playing. Unlike mountain gorillas, chimpanzees spend a lot of time on top of trees which can be very inconveniencing if you want to take good photos.

They are also very mobile and rarely stay in one place for a long time like gorillas. The good thing is that they are very noisy and easy to detect even in very thick forest.

During chimpanzee tracking, expect to spot 12 smaller species of primate including Hamlyn’s Monkeys, owl-faced monkeys, golden monkeys, Dent’s Mona Monkeys, Angola Colobus, Silver monkeys, Olive Baboons, Red-tailed Monkeys, grey-cheeked Mangabeys, vervet monkeys and l’hoest’s monkeys. Nyungwe forest is one of the top places for birding in Rwanda. Apart from small primates, expect to spot birds like the Rwenzori Turaco, great blue Turaco, paradise flycatcher and forest hornbills among others.After spotting the chimps, you will go for lunch at the hotel. After refreshment from the hotel, you will be taken for a nature walk to spot more birds, smaller primates and waterfalls. Nyungwe National Park has over 14 trials for nature walks. The trails are designed to allow visitors experience the flora and fauna in the park.

Accommodation: Top view Hotel

Meal Plan: Full board- Break Fast, lunch & Dinner

BunyonyiDay 18 – Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

Morning pick up from your hotel, and head for Kabale in the south western region of the country to the legendary Lake Bunyonyi, arriving for lunch time at the lodge, and later continue for a boat cruise to discover one of the deepest lakes in Africa and famous for its amazing scenery with a total of 29 islands.

Accommodation: Bunyonyi arcadia lodge

Meal Plan: Full board- Break Fast, lunch & Dinner

canoeingDay 19 – Canoe paddling and community visits in the morning

Wake up and have breakfast then set off for a nature walk/hike on the surrounding hills. You will take a village guide to lead you through the hills. The hike is as scenic as you walk through small villages meeting the local people. Later return to the lodge refresh, and have lunch.

You will meet your driver and then start your canoeing experience along Lake Bunyonyi. This will allow you to visit several islands including the famous Akampene Punishment Island. This famous island is known as a place where unmarried pregnant women were taken as a punishment for conceiving outside wedlock. Also, you will have the chance to see different bird species as you move on

Accommodation: Bunyonyi arcadia lodge

Meal Plan: Full board- Break Fast, lunch & Dinner

20191122_082704Day 20 – Transfer to Lake Mburo National park

Today, drive to Lake Mburo National Park which is the smallest of Uganda’s savannah national parks and it is home to 350 bird species Once covered by open savanna, Lake Mburo National Park now contains much woodland as there are no elephants to tame the vegetation. In the western part of the park, the savanna is interspersed with rocky ridges and forested gorges while patches of papyrus swamp and narrow bands of lush riparian woodland line many lakes.

After lunch, you will relax at the lodge and later go for an evening game drive in the park where you will be able to view animals like leopards, buffaloes, giraffes, among others. After the game drive, you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Mihingo Lodge

Meal Plan: Full board- Break Fast, lunch & Dinner

Day 21 – Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise

20191121_180141After an early breakfast, you will be picked from the lodge to go for a morning game drive where you will be rewarded with great views of buffaloes, waterbucks, zebras, warthogs, impalas, elands, oribi, Uganda kobs, bush bucks, giraffes among others and different bird species. After the game drive, you will return to the lodge for lunch.

After lunch, you will go for an exciting boat ride where you will get an opportunity to cruise near different wildlife species like hippos and crocodiles in water. During the boat cruise, you will also be able to view water bird species like the illusive shoe bill stork, cormorants, hornbills, kingfishers, bee-eaters and view the fishermen preparing their fishing gears. After the boat cruise, you will drive back to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Mihingo Lodge

Meal Plan: Full board- Break Fast, lunch & Dinner

Day 22 – Nature walk and Game Drive to Entebbe and Depart

You will get up early morning for a guided nature walk and game drive in the park, thereafter return to the hotel for breakfast. In the afternoon you will proceed to Kampala crossing the equator along the way, you will have time to take photos and later drive to Entebbe for your flight

Note:

Gorilla trekking Tips

Package Includes,

Package Excludes,

Extra Notes

Accommodation named in the itinerary is based on availability during the preferred travel dates. In case of non-availability, similar types of accommodation will be recommended.

The Safari is done in 4WD Safari cars with a pop up roof for Game Viewing. Each client has a window seat for better travel moments

Where half board meal plan has been indicated, clients will be taken to a restaurant on an en-route our destination where they can have their lunch

                   Expect the exceptional in the wild

END OF INDEPTH AFRICAN SAFARIS TOUR