Gorilla Tour and Safari in Uganda and
Rwanda Itinerary
Day One:
Arrival at Entebbe airport, meet and greet and transfer to the hotel in
Kampala. Briefing. Time allowing we will visit the Kasubi (Royal) Tombs.
No meals included. Overnight at Hotel Emin Pasha (garden room) or Grand
Imperial Hotel.
Day Two:
Early breakfast, then we depart to Nakitoma to the recently opened Ziwa
Rhino Sanctuary (170 Kms northwest from Kampala and half way to
Murchison Falls National Park). Game drive and walk to track the white
rhinos that are spending the hot hours mostly in the swampy areas . Then
we proceed to Masindi, where we will have lunch at Court View Hotel.
After lunch we continue our journey to Murchison Falls National Park. We
drive in a beautiful landscape, land gets flat towards the north as you
head to the bottom of the Victoria Nile. As we enter the national park,
we will do a game drive on the way to our lodge. Check in and relax for
the rest of the evening. Dinner and overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge or
Red Chilli Camp (bandas or fix tents).
Day Three: Morning game
drive in the northern bank of river Nile as we look out for the elephant, lion,
Cape buffalo, Rhod'schild giraffe, hartebeest, Oribi, bushbuck, Bohor reedbuck,
spotted hyena and if lucky you could even spot the leopard. We will be back in
time to have lunch at the lodge. In the afternoon we take a boat cruise upstream
to the 'bottom of the falls'. The Nile here gets calm at the base of the falls,
we stop a few metres from the 'Devil's Cauldron' . where it compresses 47 meters
to squeeze through a 6-meter canyon dropping 40 metres with a thunderous roar.
En-route, marvel at the, hippos, crocodiles and over this 17 km stretch you may
see elephants as well as a lot of bird species like Goliath heron, pelican bee'
eater, kingfisher, hornbill, cormorant and the rare shoebill stork. At this
point we will get off the boat and, hike to the 'top of the falls' to catch a
close view of the beauty that forms the Murchison Falls. This is a pleasant
guided walk that takes about one hour. Our driver will pick us from the top and
then drive back to the lodge. Dinner and overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge or Red
Chilli Camp (bandas or fix tents).
Day Four: This day we
drive to Fort Portal via Hoima, in a breathtaking landscape that forms the
Albertine western Rift Valley. It is a quite long drive ( 8 to 9 hours) but we
will have several stop overs to relax, and sightseeing as we pass verdant
countryside, traditional homesteads and farms. We will have our packed/picnic
lunch on the way. Check in and relax for the rest of the evening. Dinner and
overnight at Ndali Lodge or Rwenzori View Guest House.
Day Five: Early transfer
to Kibale Forest NP, where all morning is dedicated to search for chimpanzees
and other primate including: I'hoestes, red colobus, blues, red tailed and gray'
cheeked mangabey . After we will stop in Fort Portal to have lunch, before
proceeding to Queen Elisabeth NP / Peninsula sector where we will do a game
drive in the crater lakes (Katwe) area, a stunning landscape where we will look
for elephants, buffaloes, antelopes and if lucky even the leopard. Dinner and
overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge or Kingfisher Kichwamba Lodge.
Day Six: In the early
morning we do a game drive in the Kasenyi area, within QENP, on a look out for
the lions, buffalos, elephants, and large numbers of Uganda Kobs and other
antelopes. After lunch at our lodge we will go for a boat cruise on the Kazinga
Channel, to look out for the hippos, great herds of bufallos, and lots of water
birds. Dinner and overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge or Kingfisher Kichwamba Lodge.
Day Seven: In the early
morning we do another game drive in the Kasenyi area, within QENP. After we will
go back to the lodge bor breakfast, and then we drive to Ishasha, which is in
the southern sector of Queen Elisabeth National Park. We will arrive in time for
lunch at Wilderness Camp, before going for a game drive looking for the tree
climbing lions and other game. Dinner and overnight at Ishasha Wilderness Camp
Day Eight: After early
breakfast we will depart to Volcanoes NP (Rwanda), home of the endangered
mountain gorilla. We will cross Kabale and Kisoro where we will stop for lunch
at Traveller´s Rest (where Dian Fossey used to stay, resting from the long
periods spent observing the mountain gorillas in the Virunga Volcanoes). Then we
proceed to Cyanika´s border post, and after clearing we will continue to
Ruhengeri and Kinigi, at the base of Sabinyo mountain (one of the Virunga
Volcanoes). Dinner and overnight at Gorillas Nest Hotel or Asoferwa Kinigi Guest
House.
Day Nine: After an early
morning breakfast, we will be transferred to the national park headquarters for
being briefed by the park rangers before departing for the hike in search for
the Great Mountain Gorillas. The excursion in a thick rainforest and the
interaction with the mountain ape, gives a wonderful experience in life. We will
have lunch after returning to the hotel. In the afternoon we will depart to
Kigali. Dinner at the hotel or restaurant. O vernight at Hotel des Mille
Collines (pool side room) or Hotel Chez Lando.
Day Ten: Breakfast
before being transferred to the airport for your departure flight.
Note: Time allowing, we will
visit Gisozi´s Genocide Memorial, and the crafts village.
