18 Days Uganda and Rwanda Safari

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, meet and greet with our representative for a transfer to your accommodation unit. Dinner and overnight stay. Meals: Dinner, Breakfast Activities: Airport pick up

Meet and greet with your guide by 6:30 am before driving off to Murchison Falls National Park. .Make a brief visit to Ziwa Rhino sanctuary to track the Rhinos and learn more about the re- introduction of the rhinos that were wiped out during the war eras of the past ruling regimes. Lunch break and then proceed to Murchison Falls National Park. Upon arrival at Murchison Falls National Park, visit the “Top of the Falls” for a breathtaking sight of the raging Nile as it forces its way through a rocky gap barely six meters wide and tumbles down into a placid river. Check in at your Lodge for Dinner and overnight stay. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner Activities: Rhino tracking and Hike to Top of the falls

After early breakfast, take on an early morning game drive on the northern bank of River Nile. The Park’s palm studded grassland supports dense populations of lion, buffalo, elephant, Uganda Kobs together with the localized Rothschild’s giraffe among other wild life. The bird life is also impressive, with the eagle being one of the prized sightings and the rare shoebill. Lunch break After lunch, take on a scheduled afternoon launch cruise along the Nile River. The cruise takes you to the bottom of the thundering falls where you will see huge crocodiles, schools of hippos, buffalos, elephants and a variety of water birds such as herons, cormorants, bee eaters, kingfishers, skimmers, and fish eagles and with luck the rare shoebill stork. Later cross to the southern bank of the River and check in your rooms at the Lodge for dinner and overnight stay. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Activities: Game drive, Boat ride the bottom of the falls.

After early breakfast, check out of your rooms and take on the winding road through the country side to the crater lakes rich region of Fort portal. With lunch break enroute, arrive in time for a visit toNyakasura caves where you will be able to see stalagmites and Stalactites that are locally referred to as “Amabere Ga Nyinamwiru” translated as “Nyinamwiru’s breasts” Later Continue to Kibale Forest National Park one of the most beautiful and stunning forests in Uganda and home to our closest relatives – the endangered Chimpanzee. Check in at your accommodation unit for Dinner and overnight stay. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Activities: Nyakasura caves

After enjoying an early delicious breakfast, report at Kanyanchu Tourist Centre and prepare yourself for an exciting meeting with the chimpanzees! Chances of viewing the chimps are over 90% but not a guarantee. Set out into the forest looking out for these great apes the Chimpanzee. Please carry your binoculars as sometimes they tend to foliage in tree canopies. Return to your lodge for lunch. After lunch, optional visit the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary an eco tourism site run by the local community. The guided walk around the Magombe swamp on a boardwalk that traverses the papyrus beds will take you through the wetland’s biodiversity that includes many species of primates. All proceedings from this activity go back to the community a conservation project worth supporting. After your 3 -4 hour wetland walk, return to your accommodation for dinner and overnight stay. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Activities: Chimpanzee tracking, Optional Swamp walk.

After breakfast, leisurely drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park driving along Mountain Rwenzori Ranges and past savanna grasslands. Arrive at the park in time for Lunch. We check in our rooms at the camp/lodge before going for an evening game drive. Look out for the wild life unique to this park of Uganda. Return for dinner and overnight stay. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner Activities: Evening Game drive

Rise very early for a pre breakfast morning game drive that will enable you catch up with the early risers and predators returning to their hideouts. Look out for the herds of Buffaloes, Elephants, lions, kobs and the comical warthogs among other wildlife. Return to the lodge in time for Lunch After lunch, drive to the dock on Kazinga channel for a relaxing launch cruise to view a wide variety of water birds and other wild life coming to water at the channel. Retire to your lodge for a relaxing evening as you watch the spectacular sunset. Dinner and overnight stay. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Activities: Game drive/ viewing and Kazinga boat ride

After breakfast, check out of your lodge with packed lunch and drive to Bwindi Forest National Park through Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park famous for tree climbing lions. Game drive at Ishasha as we look out for the tree climbing lions sunbathing on large fig trees. Later drive further southwards to Bwindi Forest National park arriving in the evening. Dinner and overnight stay at Lodge or Camp. Activity: Tree climbing lions Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

After breakfast, prepare for a meeting with the great apes – the Mountain Gorillas. You will be allowed to spend one hour with these gentle giants upon location. Watch them as they groom each other and as the juveniles delightfully swing from figs to figs in a playful way. On return, meet with colleagues exhilarated to relive your encounter over a drink. Dinner and overnight stay at Lodge or Camp. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Activities: Gorilla tracking, Optional community visit.

Depart for Rwanda through Cyanika border, after going through the immigrations; proceed for the twin lakes of Bulera & Ruhondo located in theNorthern Rwanda at the base of volcano Muhabura and close to the border with Uganda. They are surrounded by steep hills and large waterfalls with a backdrop of the Virunga volcanic mountains. Their deep blue waters ringed by steep hills and tall waterfalls with the outlines of the nearby Virunga Volcanoes provide a spectacular backdrop. Get to the view point then drive to Ruhengeri area the second largest town in Rwanda, with its stunning backdrop of five volcanic mountains – The Virungas- Arriving for dinner and overnight at Guest House. Activities: Twin Lakes Visit Meal Plan: Full board – Lunch, Dinner, bed & breakfast

After an early breakfast, you will proceed to the National Park headquarters – Kinigi to meet your guides for the day. After completing the park formalities, embark on a once in a life time experience of tracking mountain gorillas. These massive primates are extremely rare, with less than 700 living today. You will get within meters of the family, and be privileged to spend an hour amongst them. The trekking may be fairly strenuous; up to six hours or longer at a relatively high altitude. We encourage for your own enjoyment to make sure that you are perfectly fit and healthy. (We’ve had people as old as 70 years old do gorilla tracking so this should not be a problem; all you need is to ask your driver guide to request a shorter group for you if cannot you trek far)It is important to bring good hiking boots, long trousers, gloves for protection against stinging nettles, some snacks & sweets (for you, not the gorillas) as well as sufficient water as the rain forest gets hot and humid during the day. Evening visit to the Kagano community village as you get to know why the community left the park and when was that. Return to your hotel for lunch and later dinner and overnight. Activities: 1 Gorilla Trek, Community visit. Meal Plan: Full board – Lunch, Dinner, bed & breakfast

This day is set out for Golden Monkey tracking in the Volcanoes National Park. Entering dense stands of bamboo interspersed with open glades; you will make your way deep into golden monkey territory. Guides lead visitors to the habitat of groups of ‘habituated’ golden monkeys – monkeys that have become accustomed to human presence. Though viewing is kept to a maximum of one hour, travelers can get an up-close look at the golden monkey in its natural habitat. Adult monkeys frolic in plain view, feeding on bamboo leaves and leaping from perch to perch. Females carry their young, completely comfortable among onlookers. Return to your hotel to freshen up and have lunch then depart for a 4 hours’ drive to Kibuyewhich lies at the eastern tip of Lake Kivu. Kibuye is often hailed as the most impressive scenic spot of the lake. Deeply incised creeks, towering mountain ranges and islands offer a magnificent panorama. Arrive for dinner and overnight at your accommodation unit. Activities: 1 Golden Monkey Trek Meal Plan: Full board – Lunch, Dinner, bed & breakfast

After breakfast you will take a 1 hour boat trip to Napoleon's island with its colony of bats. Have your lunch then depart for Nyungwe National park - a vast untouched tropical rain forest with a high, dense canopy. Nyungwe became a National Park in 2004 as Rwanda sought to increase its tourism beyond the country’s mountain gorillas of Volcanoes National Park, and is certainly worthy of its status because of its spectacular biodiversity. The heart of Nyungwe Forest is like a scene from a fairy tale. Tall old mahoganies, ebonies and giant tree ferns tower above you, whilst orchids and other epiphytes cling to every branch. Brightly colored birds flit around, butterflies are everywhere, and walking quietly you may even encounter larger forest residents, including a variety of primates for which Nyungwe National Park is renowned. Continue to your Guest house for overnight stay Activities: 1 Hour boat ride in Kibuye Meal Plan: Full board – Lunch, Dinner, bed & breakfast

Take An Early Morning Breakfast Then With Your Packed Lunch Drive To This Park For The starting point of your chimpanzee trek. Two species of chimpanzee occur in Africa. There is the Bonobo and the Common Chimpanzee Pan troglodytes (often shortened to Chimpanzee, and sometimes referred to as the Robust Chimpanzee). The largest remaining populations occur in central Africa (Gabon, DR Congo and Cameroon). About only 400 individuals, the population in Rwanda is an endangered one. However; it should be mentioned that it is not guaranteed to see the chimps as they are unpredictable and can move long distances in one day. Nyungwe National Park is the largest block of montane forest in East and Central Africa and it is an incredibly rich area of biodiversity. Later go for the canopy walk which sets 50 me¬ters above the ground with a 150-meter walkway and is the first of its kind in East Africa and third on the continent after South Africa and Ghana. It allows visitors to see the forest from above the trees and be at eye level with birds and monkeys that inhabit the upper storeys of the forest. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay. Activities: Chimpanzee Tracking + Canopy Walk Meal Plan: Full board – Lunch, Dinner, bed & breakfast

After breakfast you will depart for a 6 ½ hour’s drive to Kigali arriving for lunch. Later depart for a 3 hours’ drive to Akagera National Park located along the eastern border of Rwanda, where the typically hilly countryside gives way to the savannas of the Great Rift Valley. Dominated by lakes, swamps and marshland, the area boasts a huge compliment of nature and wildlife that cannot be found elsewhere in the country. We will arrive before lunch at the camp. Have lunch then start your exploration with a game drive by visiting the giraffe valley. Akagera NP allows you not only to visit this beautiful Park but also to enjoy the camp and its astonishing views over Lake Ihema. Later dinner and overnight stay. Activities: PM Game drive Meal Plan: Full board – Lunch, dinner, Bed & breakfast

After an Early breakfast your exploration starts with a boat trip on Lake Ihema which is very rewarding for seeing the large number of hippos, the huge Nile crocodiles and many birds. They are the most interesting part of the park especially for birders. You will break for your lunch then in the late afternoon you will return to the giraffe valley which is usually full of surprises. Later return for dinner and overnight at Lodge Activities: Boat Trip + PM Game drive Meal Plan: Full board – Lunch, dinner, Bed & breakfast

After breakfast you take an early morning game drive then drive to Kigali arriving for lunch then the afternoon is spent at leisure with some last minute shopping and sightseeing to memorial sites. Later stay for overnight at Hotel. Activity: AM game drive Meal Plan: Half board –Lunch, Bed & breakfast

After an early breakfast you will be transferred to the Kigali International airport for your flight back home. End of service. Driving distance: 15 Minutes Meal Plan: Breakfast END OF SAFARI