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17 days Uganda, Rwanda Congo safari is a 16 nights/17 day Uganda Rwanda Congo combined safari trip/a comprehensive safari package that features (primate tracking) Mountain Gorillas, Eastern Lowland Gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park, and Common Chimpanzees, extensive wild game viewing in Uganda savannah parks of Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth National Park with the possibility of viewing the Big five, Adventure Mountaineering encounter in the Rwenzori Mountains, Sabyinyo and Nyiragongo Volcanoes and eventually recreation and romance at Lake Bunyonyi and Idwiji Island in Lake Kivu. The Safari commences in Kampala Uganda and ends in Kigali Rwanda.
Day 1: Drive to Murchison Falls Park & Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
Day 2: Morning game drive, launch cruise, hike to the top of Fall.
Day 3: Kibale National Park viewing of the green and lush.
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale & connect to Kasese.
Day 5: Rwenzori Mountain hike exploring the highest peak.
Day 6: Morning game drive in Queen, Kazinga Channel boat ride, evening game drive.
Day 7: Drive to Bwindi Via Ishasha sector game drive to see tree climbing lions and other wildlife.
Day 8: Do Mountain Gorilla trekking in Bwindi & connect to Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation.
Day 9: Morning at leisure with a boat ride and drive to Mgahinga Gorilla Park.
Day 10: Whole day Sabyinyo Volcano climbing.
Day 11: Morning chill at the lodge and drive to Volcanoes National Park – Rwanda.
Day 12: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes & connect to Gisenyi beach for recreational.
Day 13: Hike to Nyiragongo Volcano – the world’s largest and most violent lava lake.
Day 14: Descend from Nyiragongo Volcano and transfer to Idwji Island for relaxation.
Day 15: Transfer to Bukavu – Kahuzi Biega National Park
Day 16: Eastern Lowland Gorilla Trekking & Tshibati Falls tour
Day 17: Transfer to Kigali. Explore the National Museum.
The departure in Kampala is at 6:30 am after breakfast enjoying the scenic landscapes of central Uganda including the flat stretches of Nakasongora which has the flattest road section in the whole of Uganda.
You branch off at Nakitoma driving 7km to the Ziwa Sanctuary headquarters for briefing and setting off for the Rhino trek.
The sanctuary is the only home of the Rhino population in Uganda following their re-introduction in 2005 under the breed and re-stock program.
This marks the beginning of the Big five exploration. Retreat from the activity and settle lunch at Kabalega dinner before proceeding to Murchison Falls National Park.
Accommodation: Upmarket / Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge / Bakers Lodge, Mid-range / Standard: Murchison River Lodge, Budget / Basic: Heritage Safari Lodge
The game drive commences at 7 am in the northern section of Murchison Falls National Park exploring the magical landscapes of this area dotted with a great count of wild game including; Elephants, Rothschild Giraffes, Buffaloes, Lions, Leopards, Jackson’s Hartebeest, Uganda Kob and the Oribis.
The activity tends to last 3 – 4 hours after which you get back to the lodge for relaxation and lunch. Gather at Paraa jetty in the afternoon for a Nile launch cruise departing at 2 pm for a 3-hour ride to the bottom of the falls.
The cruise offers possibilities of viewing Nile crocodiles, Shoe-bill stork, the Hippos along with the wild game drinking on the riverside like Rothschild Giraffes, Elephants, Water-bucks, Buffaloes, Uganda Kobs among others.
Upon reaching the bottom of the falls, you embark on the hike to the top of the World’s powerful waterfall.
The challenging hike brings along the magical sights and sounds of the Nile where it squeezes itself to pass through a less than 7m gorge before dropping 43m below the Devil’s Cauldron deriving a plume spray marked with a trademark rainbow.
You join the driver and the vehicle on the top of the falls to transfer back to the lodge
Accommodation: Upmarket / Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge / Bakers Lodge, Mid-range / Standard: Murchison River Lodge, Budget / Basic: Heritage Safari Lodge
Following breakfast, set off from Murchison Falls National Park to Kibale Forest National Park. It’s a long drive but offers remarkable views of the countryside landscape with a lunch stop at Hoima town. The local settlements and physical features make the journey rewarding.
Accommodation: Upmarket / Luxury: Primate Lodge – Luxury Cottages, Mid-range / Standard: Kibale Forest Camp – Safari Tent, Budget / Basic: Rwenzori View Guesthouse
At 8 am, you congregate at Kanyanchu Tourism Center for briefing about Chimpanzee trekking encounter.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority Park rangers guide you through the lush tropical forest noted to have survived the last ice age and thus with great biodiversity including 375 species of birds, 351 species of trees and 13 primate species.
The Chimpanzee trekking experience lasts 2 – 5 hours but for conservation purposes, the actual viewing is limited to one hour.
The views of Chimpanzees as they forage, much fruit, copulate, patrol, jump from branch to branch and from tree to tree coupled with those of other forest offers like Black and White Colobus monkeys, Red Colobus Monkeys and birds combine to generate lasting experience.
In the afternoon, you drive to Kasese enjoying sightseeing en route for relaxation, dinner and overnight
Accommodation: Upmarket / Luxury: Equator Snow Lodge, Mid-range / Standard: Ihamba Safari Lodge, Budget / Basic: Ruboni Community Camp
Gather at Nyakalengija Ranger station where you get in touch with Uganda Wildlife Authority Park rangers to set off for the day hike on the legendary Rwenzori Mountains.
You trek through the foothills and lower ridges of Africa’s third-highest Mountain and the tallest Mountain range since the other two are free-standing.
Mount Rwenzori is very remarkable to explore as it rises to 5,109m above sea level with snow-capped peaks despite its closeness to the Equator.
The hike offers impressive views of the Mountain, the rift valley flats and lakes below not forgetting Kasese town. Retreat at around 5 pm and connect to Queen Elizabeth National Park for relaxation, dinner and overnight
Accommodation: Upmarket / Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge / Katara Lodge, Mid-range / Standard: Enganzi Lodge, Budget / Basic: Pumba Safari Cottages
You wake up for an early morning breakfast, and connect to the park to do game drive at 7 am in the Savannah stretches of Kasenyi lasting 3 – 4 hours gaining likely possibilities of viewing a range of wild game including; Elephants, Buffalos, Topis, Deffasa Water-buck, Lions, Leopard, Uganda Kobs among others.
The drive an open roof safari vehicle offers good touring and photographic opportunities. In the afternoon, you gather at the Mweya jetty for an afternoon boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel that connects Lake George and Lake Edward lasting 2 hours amidst amazing sights of Hippos, birds like Great Cormorants and African Skimmers not forgetting Nile crocodiles.
The boat starts at 2 pm and by 4 pm, you are back. The evening is spent doing game drive along the channel track to explore more game as you connect to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight
Accommodation: Upmarket / Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge / Katara Lodge, Mid-range / Standard: Enganzi Lodge, Budget / Basic: Pumba Safari Cottages
Following breakfast, connect to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park with an en-route Ishasha sector game drive in the quest for the tree-climbing lions.
The lions in this part of the world tend to climb trees in the mid-morning sun and a drive through the area offers their likely views as they rest on the branches of the fig trees.
The sights of other wild game like Elephants, Deffasa Water-bucks, Topis and Uganda Kobs among others may not be missed. Proceed to the northern sector of the park for relaxation and overnight
Accommodation: Upmarket / Luxury: Chameleon Hill Lodge, Mid-range / Standard: Gorilla Mist Camp, Budget / Basic: Broad-bill Forest Camp
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has a minimum of 400 Mountain Gorillas making Uganda the country with the largest Mountain Gorilla population in the world.
Gorilla trekking starts at 8 am from the respective gorilla trekking region with a briefing by the Park rangers after which you head to the mist in quest of these world’s critically endangered Apes.
The walk takes you through the hilly forested landscapes, traversing the narrow valleys, slippery slopes and dense forest tracts before getting in contact with the Gorillas.
The one hour of direct viewing generates lasting impression as you view them forage, young ones play and the Silver-back administering.
The unlimited picturesque opportunities are available for your advantage. From the activity which takes 2 – 8 hours, you drive to Lake Bunyonyi enjoying the fascinating view of Kigezi Highlands and spend the evening at leisure.
Accommodation: Up market / Luxury: Birdnest @Lake Bunyonyi Resort, Mid-range / Budget: Lake Bunyonyi Eco Resort
The morning is spent at leisure exploring the beautiful Lake Bunyonyi marked with 29 Islands. You can opt for a boat ride or a canoe paddle on the lake or resolve to keep at the lodge relaxing.
In the afternoon, you embark on the drive to Mgahinga enjoying the fascinating scenery along Kabale – Kisoro road with great picturesque opportunities. Retire for dinner and overnight
Accommodation: Upmarket / Luxury: Mount Gahinga Lodge, Mid-range / Budget: Travelers’ Rest Kisoro
Connect to Ntebeko visitor center at 8 am where you will team up with the Uganda Wildlife Authority Park rangers and set off for the day hike to Sabyinyo Volcano rising to 3,669m above sea level.
The Mountain is one of the eight Volcanoes that form the Virunga massif forming one of the greatest scenic sights that the world has ever had. Hiking Sabyinyo lasts around eight hours for the round trip.
The summit is marked by rugged peaks that have formed the background for its naming as the Old man’s teeth. The lush swamp crater on top is also exciting to explore. Retire for relaxation and overnight
Accommodation: Up market Luxury: Mount Gahinga Lodge, Mid-range / Budget: Travelers’ Rest Kisoro
You have a free morning allowing you to chill at the lodge at the back yard of the Volcanoes after which you cross via Chania border post to Rwanda enjoying the views of Virunga massif. Settle for relaxation and overnight in Volcanoes National Park
Accommodation: Upmarket / Luxury: Mount Gorilla View Lodge / Virunga Lodge, Mid-range / Standard: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge, Budget / Basic: Muhabura Hotel
Tracking Mountain Gorillas in Volcanoes National Park presents another experience with the Gorillas but in a varying habitat generating a different tracking experience.
Volcanoes feature relatively short vegetation compared to Bwindi which in turn offers a relatively open Gorilla viewing encounter.
The trek itself is not so demanding compared to that of Bwindi and can at times be short since the gorilla groups tend to dwell at the lower layers of the Mountains. T
he trekking commences at 8 am with briefing but an earlier arrival offers an encounter with the traditional Kinyarwanda performance while sipping a cup of Rwandan coffee. Ten Habituated gorilla groups are always available for tracking daily each taking 8 people.
From Volcanoes, you drive to Gisenyi Lake Kivu 110km about 2 hours for afternoon beach relaxation with options of swimming and sunbathing before retiring for overnight
Accommodation: Up market / Luxury: Lake Kivu Serena Resort, Mid-range / Budget: Paladis Malahide
Connect to Goma very early in the morning before gathering at Kibati Patrol post to embark on the Nyiragongo Volcano Climbing commencing at 9 am.
Nyiragongo is one of the eight (8) Virunga Volcanoes and is gifted with the world’s largest lava lake that is also most violent on a similar scale.
The Nyiragongo Trek offers remarkable views of the surroundings and lasts 4 – 6 hours to reach the summit 3470m. The overnight in the Mountain Shelter is available and night view of the lava lake is very amazing.
Accommodation: Mountain Shelter
You descend down the Volcano enjoying the panoramic views of Lake Kivu, Goma and Gisenyi towns and the lush equatorial jungle of Democratic Republic of Congo which is only second to Amazon on a world scale.
Connect back to Kibati Patrol Post from which you drive to Lake Kivu shores and connect by boat to Idwji by boat. Spend the rest of the day relaxing at the Island.
Accommodation: Congoman Hotel
Take a tour around Idjwi Island in Lake Kivu which is the largest lake in Rwanda shared by Congo as well and one of Africa’s Great Lakes.
The tour allows you to explore the plantations of Pineapples and Quinquinas along with the King’s Museum and the Island Community.
From the Island, you connect to Bukavu in the South Kivu Province to prepare for the Eastern lowland Gorilla Trekking the following day.
Accommodation: Luxury / Midrange: Orchid Safari Lodge, Budget: Hotel Horizon
Embark on the Eastern lowland Gorilla Trekking encounter in one of the world’s re-known lowland gorilla sanctuaries – Kahuzi Biega National Park.
You traverse the dense equatorial jungle of Congo which is only second to Amazon on a world scale in search of the Great Ape subspecies. The Eastern Lowland Gorillas are considerably larger in size by appearance and thrive in larger groups compared to the Mountain Gorillas.
The trek to the Eastern Lowland Gorillas normally lasts 2 – 4 hours with one hour of direct viewing. You retreat from the activity and tour the Tshibati Falls for sightseeing.
Accommodation: Luxury / Mid-range: Orchid Safari Lodge, Budget: Hotel Horizon
Following breakfast, you set off on the drive back to Kigali exploring the amazing forested landscapes of Nyungwe – the home to 13 primate species including Chimpanzees and Black and White Colobus Monkeys.
A stop will be made in Butare to visit the National Museum of Rwanda with over 100,000 artefacts making it one of the largest museums in East Africa. Settle for lunch after which you proceed to Kigali to mark the end of the tour.
Airport transfers Transportation by safari van Accommodation and meals as per itinerary Gorilla permits, one per person to be paid in advance Driver allowances En-route lunches Visit the equator and Igongo cultural Center.
personal nature expenses of excludes: laundry, tips to local guides, telephone, porter fee while trekking, Air fare, Visa, drinks, personal insurance, personal shopping bills and cigarettes.
Cate
Samuel
Robert
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