The 22 Days Uganda Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari is an extremely a wonderful safari package that will combine Uganda and Rwanda’s most splendid national parks with unique cultural experiences and taste of world class services from some of the finest lodges in Uganda- the pearl of Africa and Rwanda –the land of thousand hills.
The 22 Days Uganda Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari will take you through Murchison Falls National Park in the north west of Uganda with its world’s powerful Murchison Falls, Kibale National Park dubbed the primate capital of the world with largest counts of habituated chimpanzees, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park which has almost a half of the world’s critically endangered mountain gorillas and the scenic Lake Bunyonyi dubbed the lake of a thousand islands.
You will explore Rwanda’s two national parks, visit different genocide Centers, and have adventure in Lake Kivu. The long 22 days Uganda Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari will start in Kampala Capita, City and end in Kigali Capital City with a visit to different Kigali attractions.
On arrival at Entebbe international Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by our professional driver guide and then be transferred to your booked Kampala lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
The distance from Entebbe to Kampala is about 42 kilometers about 45minutes drive but due to Entebbe-Kampala evening jam, it will take one and half hours’ drive.
Accommodations: Kampala Serena Hotel (Upmarket /Luxury), Acacia lodge (Mid-Range/Standard), Buziga Country Resort (Budget).
After taking your early morning breakfast, you will be picked up by your experienced guide and embark on City tour.
Kampala Capital city is a unique destination of its own and thus taking Uganda safari without exploring the City makes your Uganda Safari Incomplete.
The city is a hub of various attractions ranging from historical to cultural and religious attractions.
On your first day of your 10 days safari in Uganda, you will wake up very early in the morning and take your breakfast in your Kampala Lodge.
The Company experienced guide will pick your up and embark on the city tour. The City tour encounter will take your through religious attractions such as Namirembe and Rubaga Cathedrals local with in Kampala Center, Baha’i temple- the only one in Africa situated in Kikaya Hill overlooking Kampala City, Gadhafi Mosque dubbed after late president Gadhafi’s contribution to its construction .
The safari then links you to famous Cultural attractions like Kasubi tombs, Kabaka’s palace, Kabaka’s Lake, historical monuments and museums like the Uganda National Museum, National buildings like the parliament, educational Institutions like Makerere University, Traditional hospitals like Mulago hospital, Mengo and Nsambya hospitals.
However, Due to the fact that all these attractions cannot explore in one single day, you will be required to choose the ones you can tour in one day.
After exploring the City tour, you will retire back to your Kampala Lodge for Dinner and Overnight.
Accommodations: Sheraton Hotel (Upmarket /Luxury), Acacia lodge (Mid-Range/Standard), Buziga Country Resort (Budget).
After your early morning breakfast in your Kampala Lodge, the driver guide will pick you up and embark on the 5hours drive on the north western side of Uganda to Murchison Falls National Park.
The drive from Kampala will take you through the flat landscapes of Nakasongora with Savannah vegetation dotted with long horned Ankole cows.
After covering distance of 115km from Kampala in Nakitoma, you branch from the mainly route and drive 7 km to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
While at the Sanctuary, you will explore the only white Rhinos protected in this part of Uganda .You will also have your wonderful Lunch at Kabalega dinner and thereafter proceed with the drive to Murchison Falls National park for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Pakuba Safari Lodge (Mid-range/Standard) or Heritage Safari Lodge (Budget/Basic).
After taking cup of coffee, embark on the drive through the park in search of the elusive wild game.
The rolling Savannah combretum of Murchison Falls National Park supports a range of wild game including the elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, water buck, Jackson hartebeest, oribis, lions, leopards among others
The early morning drive through the well-arranged driving tracks of the delta area, Buligi tracks, Albert and Queen tracks provides thrilling opportunity for you to enjoy the views of elusive wild game.
After rewarding drive of 3 – 4 hours, you will retreat back to the lodge for relaxation, lunch while waiting for an afternoon boat cruise.
After lunch and having rest, you drive to Paraa to link-up with the afternoon Lunch Cruise that sets of at 2:30pm and takes 3-4 hours of adventure.
Taking boat cruise to the bottom of the Nile will not only reward you with the encounters of the wild game when they are drinking on the river side, but it also takes you to an area where you can have clear glimpse of wildlife species like Hippos, Nile Crocodiles and a range of water birds such as the endangered species of the Shoebill Stork.
After exploring the boat cruise to the bottom of the falls, you will turn to hiking through narrow path to the top of the falls.
Upon reaching the top, you will enjoy the roaring sounds of the Nile as it crumbles its head on the impermeable rocks that have narrowed its way to less than 8m for centuries past. Thereafter that life time experience, you will to your lodge for dinner, experience sharing and overnight.
Accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Pakuba Safari Lodge (Mid-range/Standard) or Heritage Safari Lodge (Budget/Basic).
On your third day of the safari, you will wake-up early, take your early morning breakfast in your Murchison lodge and thereafter embark on the transfer to Hoima.
The drive journey will take you through the interesting Albertine escarpment exclusive scenery of the rift valley and it will connect you to the oil region in Bulisa.
After that rewarding drive, you will arrive in Kibiro Salt Gardens and hot springs where you will be exposed to skillful local methods of fine salt extraction only found in this part of Uganda.
Besides the Kibiro salt Gardens, you will enjoy the views of the famous Lake Albert and the sights of the great Blue Mountains on the Democratic Republic of Congo.
From here, you will continue with the drive to Hoima for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Kontik Hotel
After your early morning cup of coffee, you will embark on 5 hours’ drive from Hoima to Fort portal dubbed the tourism town of Uganda due to its strategic location in the middle of different natural wonders that make Uganda the pearl of Africa.
The drive will take you through the impressive country side landscapes with rural setting and local populations.
Arrive in Fort Portal town for lunch after which you will continue to do the Fort Portal Crater Lake Hike to gain impressive views of the Fort Portal explosion crater.
You will also visit the Amabere g’ Nnyinamwiru caves with a magical Nyakasura River falling over them forming beautiful water fall.
The caves have breast like features which the locals attach a great cultural connotation and are thought to date back to the Chwezi era. Retreat from the activity and get to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Kyaninga Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse (Mid-range/Standard) or Rwenzori View Guesthouse (Budget/Basic).
After early morning breakfast, embark on the memorable Chimpanzee trekking encounter in the natural habitat of primate Capital of the world – the Kibale Forest National Park.
The Park is proud of 13 primate species including the world endangered species of the Chimpanzees which have been fully habituated increasing the chance of encountering them to 90%.
The chimp trekking encounter in the primates Capital starts at Kanyanchu tourism center at 8:00am local time in the morning and the experienced Uganda Wildlife Authority Park rangers are dedicated to lead you throughout the whole rewarding processes of trekking the Chimps in their natural Habitat.
The trek exposes you to stunning flora, other primate species including black and white colobus monkey and birds before meeting face to face with the chimps.
The Chimpanzees will lure you in a state of amazement as they swing through the branches, make pant hooting calls, play with each other, and imitate your body language along with other features that will make your one full hour with them a memorable experience of its own.
Retreat from the activity which tends to take 2 – 5 hours to embark on the transfer to Bigodi wetland. The Bigodi wetland, lies in close distance to the park thus connecting there is less hectic.
The Bigodi wetland walk exposes you to typical eco –tourism encounter in Uganda. The impressive flora and fauna existing along with the local community is indeed rewarding to encounter.
The sights of great blue turaco and the Sitatnga may not be missed. Retreat from the activity back to lodge for relaxation dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Kyaninga Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse (Mid-range/Standard) or Rwenzori View Guesthouse (Budget/Basic).
In the morning after an early morning breakfast, embark on transfer to Semliki for yet another remarkable experience of encountering unique wildlife species.
The drive distance of 78kms about 2-3hours on rough road will take you through the impressive country side landscapes with rural setting and local populations.
Upon your arrival to the park, you will drive to the lodge to check-in, have lunch and afterwards proceed to do an afternoon visit to the Hot springs.
The long trail which takes like one hour leads you to the outer parts meeting the Male” spring and the trail continues through a patch of forest where you may watch the red-tailed monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys and black-and-white colobus monkeys.
The 30-minutes hike through palm forest from the main road will lead you to the inner, “female” spring, mostly occupied by a boiling geyser where you can do live experiment of boiling Eggs and matooke within period of 30 minutes in boiling hot springs water. After the activity, you will retire back to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accomodations: Semliki Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Mountains of the Moon Hotel (Mid-Range), National Park Bandas and Campsites. (Budget)
After your early morning breakfast, you will embark on early morning game drive through the well-established three tracks that cross the Savannah grassland of Toro Semliki Wildlife Reserve.
The early morning game drive rewards you with the views of the smaller forest and larger savannah elephants, buffalo, waterbuck, crocodile, warthog and the Ugandan bird species called the Uganda kob.
With luck, you may have chance see pygmy hippopotami as well as leopards and elusive bush babies.
After 3-4 hours game drive, you will retreat back to your lodge for relaxation, lunch as you wait for an evening cultural encounter with the local communities around Semulki National Park.
Embark on drive to the local community to have refreshing cultural interaction with the Batwa also dubbed the Pygmies in Uganda.
The encounter will expose you to the local lifestyle of the Batwa people and the local guide will guide you to local homesteads, schools.
The activity will enable you to enjoy cultural performances inform of dances, drama, stories and also visit to craft shops .Retreat back to you lodge after the activity for dinner and overnight.
Accommodations’: Semliki Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Mountains of the Moon Hotel (Mid-Range), National Park Bandas and Campsites. (Budget)
Wake up early morning, take your breakfast and embark on transfer from Semliki to Queen Elizabeth National Park drive distance of 196kilometres about 3-4hours drive along rough road.
The drive will take you through the impressive country side landscapes with rural setting and local people that you will be by-passing on your way to Queen.
On your arrival to the park, you will connect to Mweya for lunch and an afternoon Kazinga Channel adventurous boat cruise which will offer you possibilities of encountering Hippos, Nile crocodiles, wild game drinking on the channel side and counts of water birds. Retire to your lodge in the evening for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Enganzi Lodge (Midrange/Standard) or Pumba Safari Cottages (Budget/Basic).
After a relaxed breakfast, embark on the transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park 157km about 3 hours’ drive excluding stops en route.
You will make a stop at Rwenzori Art foundation – the only bronze casting center in Africa in the shadows of Rwenzori Mountains. The process of sculpture making of which you will be free to participate in will be rewarding.
The extension to visit the Ruboni community wax and craft center expose you the local traditions and the applicability of indigenous knowledge to contemporary development.
Continue to the Queen Elizabeth National Park, drive through the crater are with possible views of the olive baboons and elephants not forgetting magical scenery before connecting to Mweya for an afternoon Kazinga Channel boat cruise which will offer you possibilities of encountering Hippos, Nile crocodiles , wild game drinking on the channel side and counts of water birds. Retire in the evening for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Enganzi Lodge (Midrange/Standard) or Pumba Safari Cottages (Budget/Basic).
After an early morning breakfast, embark on the interesting drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The drive will take you through the prominent Ishasha sector where you will have possibilities of encountering tree climbing lions that tend to lie on the branches of fig trees and also have stopover for Lunch.
Afterwards continue with the drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park arriving in the evening for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Chameleon Hill Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Gorilla Mist Camp (Midrange/Standard) or Broadbill Forest Camp (Budget/Basic).
After your early morning hefty breakfast, your driver guide will drive you with your packed lunch, bottled water, to the Park head Quarters in your respective gorilla trekking region for an early morning briefing at round 7:30am to 8:00am about etiquette of gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
While at the park headquarters, you will meet other trekkers and you will be divided into groups of eight individuals who are only allowed to trek one habituated Gorilla family.
After briefing, UWA experienced ranger guide will lead you to the trail heads where thrilling gorilla trekking experience starts from.
You will enter in the ancient, thick, dark impenetrable forest to begin hiking the hills and slopping the valleys when looking for the unique species of the mountain gorillas inhabited in the famous Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
The trek can take you between 2-8 hours to meet face to face with the mountain gorillas and once up close, you will be allowed to spend one magical hour with these stunning apes.
During this time you can decide to sit down listen to gorilla crumble, study how these apes go about their daily activities and you can take as many photos as possible.
When the one hour is done, you will walk back to the park headquarters and retire back to your lodge for late Lunch, relaxation.
After relaxation, you will be driven to the nearby Batwa community for memorable, refreshing cultural encounter.
Here you will be guided by a local guide who will take you to the different communities to see how people have managed to survive through farming.
You will see how local brew is processed from fresh Bananas and forest remedies to get beer and Waragi and also enjoy the performances done by the local Batwa women groups.
After that interesting cultural encounter, you will drive back to your respective lodge for dinner and overnight.
Thereafter the activity, you will retreat back to your lodge for dinner, memory sharing and overnight.
Accommodation: Chameleon Hill Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Gorilla Mist Camp (Midrange/Standard) or Broadbill Forest Camp (Budget/Basic).
After an early morning breakfast, you will depart Bwindi driving through the fascinating Kigezi Highlands for an afternoon boat cruise, relaxation, dinner and overnight in Lake Bunyonyi.
Lake Bunyonyi is another major tourist stopover that is undeniably amazing. It is the second deepest lake in Africa; it contains lots of the tasty crayfish, so get set for a culinary delight.
Bunyonyi is a local word that means “many small birds” in direct translation. It’s a perfect stopover for committed birders and travelers who are from hectic gorilla trekking activities.
On arrival to Lake Bunyonyi, you will drive to your lodge for check-in, lunch and you proceed to catch up with the afternoon boat cruise ,also participate in refreshing activities such as swimming in the bilharzia free waters of Bunyonyi, you can also enjoy the evening nature walks in the Bunyonyi Islands .
After exploring the different adventurous activities in lake Bunyonyi, you will retire to your lodge to chill in the fire place while enjoying cool evening of Bunyonyi, have your dinner and overnight.
After an early morning breakfast, you will embark on drive transfer of 80kms from Bunyonyi to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. On arrival to the park, you will drive direct to your pre-booked lodge in Mgahinga National Park for relaxation and lunch.
After lunch, embark on exploring the Batwa trail. The Batwa Trail is such an incredible experience as it takes you through the thick forests of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
During this Batwa trail tour, the Batwa local guide will demonstrate to you their hunting techniques; how they used to gather honey; point out medicinal plants and demonstrate how to make bamboo cups.
The tour will lead you to sacred Garama Cave- once home to the Batwa King, where the women of the community perform a sorrowful song which echoes eerily around the depths of the dark cave, and leaves you with a striking and moving sense of the richness of this fading culture.
Thereafter fully exploring the Batwa trail, you will retire back to your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Mountain Gahinga Lodge (Luxury), Mucha Hotel (Standard/Mid-Range) Amajambere Iwacu Camp (Budget)
After an early morning breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters for an early morning briefing about the etiquette to follow when trekking the golden monkeys in the hilly forested areas of Mgahinga national park.
After briefing, UWA Ranger guides will lead you to Gahinga trail head to start the trek. You will start the hike through stunning bamboo forests to see this attractive and endangered primate.
Once-up close to the golden monkeys, you will be allowed one hour to spend with these striking creatures. After the one hour, you will retreat to the starting point and thereafter drive back to the lodge for refreshment and lunch.
After lunch, embark on transfer drive of 68kms about 1-2 hours from Mgahinga Gorilla Park in Uganda to Volcanoes national park in Rwanda.
The drive journey will take you through impressive landscape scenery of south western part of Uganda before crossing to the hilly landscape of Rwanda through Cyanika border.
On arrival to Volcanoes National Park, you will drive to your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodations: Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Standard/Mid-range), Muhabura Hotel (Budget).
After an early morning ebullient breakfast, you will be transferred by your driver guide to the park headquarters for a briefing at 7:30am to 8:00am regarding gorilla trekking etiquette in Volcanoes Park.
While at the park headquarters, you will meet other trekkers and you will be divided in groups of eight individuals who are allowed to trek one habituated mountain gorilla group.
After briefing, you will be led by ranger guide to hike through the verdant jungle searching for mountain gorillas.
The activity which will take 2-8 hours needs someone to be physical fit since it involves a lot of hiking the hills and slopping the Valleys.
Gorilla trekking process is tedious but impressive when you finally set your small eyes direct to bit big round eyes of the mountain gorillas.
When you eventually meet the gorillas, you will be allowed one hour with them, seeing them feed, play and look for their young ones.
While staying with the gorillas, you will be required to maintain a distance of 7 meters away, also turn off the flash of your camera as you take pictures.
Right after one hour, you will retire back to the starting point and transfer to your lodge for late lunch and relaxation.
After lunch, embark on Musanze Cave tour through the tourist walkways, trails and stairs that take you to the dark interior of the caves that illustrates a picture of a house with several rooms and corridors.
The tour will offer you an in-depth understanding of the geological, geographical as well as historical development of the globe. After exploring the cave, retreat back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodations: Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Standard/Mid-range), Muhabura Hotel (Budget).
After an early morning breakfast, embark on trek to Dian Fossey Tomb. The trek will offer you golden opportunity to visit the Dian Fossey Tomb and visit the house where this prominent American researcher was killed from and also listen to the experienced guide explain to you the history of the fallen conservationist.
Afterwards, you will retire back to your lodge for lunch and relaxation. After lunch, embark on transfer drive of 62kms about 1-2hour to Lake Kivu in Gisenyi town.
On arrival to Gisenyi town, you will drive direct to your pre-booked lodge within Lake Kivu for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodations: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel (Luxury), Cormoran Lodge (Mid-Range)
After an early morning breakfast, embark on boat cruise to explore the Virgin Islands like the Napoleon’s Hat Island.
While at Hat Island, you may ascend to the peak of the hat to view thousands of Angola bats in the blue skies.
You may also enjoy swimming in the, Crocodile free, bilharzia free water of Lake Kivu. After exploring the adventurous activities retire back to the lodge for lunch and relaxation.
After lunch, embark on transfer journey of 189 kms about 4-5hours drive without en route stopover. The fascinating drive will take you through impressive hilly landscape of Rwanda.
When you arrive in the park, you will proceed to your pre-booked lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Nyungwe Forest Lodge, (Upmarket/Luxury) Nyungwe Top View Hotel (Mid-Range/standard), Gisakura Guest House (Budget/Basic)
After your early morning breakfast, you will drive to the park headquarters for memorable primate’s encounter.
Nyungwe National Forest is an ideal destination for lovers of primates, with 13 different species living.
You will have the opportunity to trek the chimpanzees in their natural habitat.
In the park you will be briefed by the park ranger guides and divided in groups of 8 people.
At exactly 8:00am, you will be led by the ranger guide through the beautiful forest trail to trek the fascinating chimpanzee creatures.
Along the trails you will enjoy the nice melodies of different bird species housed in the forest and you will also have chance to enjoy the views of other primates like grey-cheeked mangabey, monkeys.
The activity takes between 2-6 hours but experienced guides will also make sure that they take you where you will have to see the primates as fast as possible.
Face to face encounter with the chimpanzees is very amazing because you will observe them play, feed and rest.
After this worthwhile experience, you will head back to the lodge for lunch and later explore canopy walk to see the beautiful twin lakes as well as various bird species.
After an early morning cup of coffee, embark on the fascinating journey transfer of 225kms about 6-7 hours’ drive without en-route stopovers.
The drive will take you through amazing scenery all around the area. The driver guide will drive slowly to allow you capture the best photographs.
You will have lunch en-route and a number of stopovers at Butare National Museum, Nyanza (Rukali) as well as Malaba coffee factory, Murambi Genocide Memorial Site plus other exciting areas.
On arrival to Kigali, the drive guide will drive you to your Kigali place of stay for dinner and overnight.
Accommodations: Kigali Serena Hotel (Luxury/Upmarket), Hotel chez Lando (Mid-Range/Standard), Hotel Okapi (Budget)
Following a cup of coffee, you will embark on an early morning City tour. The city tour will take you through Gisozi genocide memorial center where you will have time to listen to the comprehensive history of Rwanda during the 1994 genocide and the events of the massacres, including personal accounts.
You will view the Photographs, video clips, and artifacts of the genocide. After touring the site, you will proceed to other attractive sites like Nyamata church, local markets within the city and after exploring the unique attractions within Kigali City; you will retire back to the lodge to have lunch.
After lunch, the driver guide will drive you to Kanombe Airport for your scheduled flight back home.
End of The 22 Days Uganda Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari
Cate
Samuel
Robert
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