20 days Rwanda and Uganda wildlife, gorillas and chimps

This 20 days safari gives you the chance to visit two countries in east Africa. You will visit Rwanda where you have a chance to do chimp and golden monkey tracking before you cross to Uganda for mountain gorillas, shoebill trekking and wildlife experience.

Day 1: transfer to Nyungwe forest national park

You will be picked up from your hotel or airport by one of our guide who will give you a briefing of the safari. Later you will drive to Nyungwe forest national park and have a stop at the king’s palace museum for a tour. You will have lunch en-route and then proceed to the lodge to check in and relax.

Accommodation: Chimpanzee lodge

Day 2: chimpanzee tracking

After your morning breakfast, you will drive to the park headquarters for registration and briefing. You will then be assigned a group and ranger guide who will take you through the chimp trek activity. On allocating the chimps, you will have an hour of viewing and photographing these apes. After the trek you will drive back to the lodge for relaxation.

Option: canopy walk after chimpanzee tracking.

Accommodation: Chimpanzee lodge

Day 3: transfer to volcanoes national park

You will have breakfast from the hotel and after your guide will pick you up to embark on your journey to the next destination. The drive goes through hills with beautiful views of the landscapes and hills. Reach the lodge in the afternoon and have lunch. Check in and later have a visit to the Dian Fossey museum. Return to the lodge in the evening for relaxation and dinner.

Accommodation: Da Vinci Gorilla lodge

Day 4: Golden Monkey tracking and transfer to Bwindi

After an early morning breakfast at the hotel, you will be driven to the park offices for registration and briefing about the activity. After the briefing, you will be assigned a ranger who then takes you through the whole experience which takes about 2 to 5 hours. You will embark on your journey to the forest where you will be trekking in search of these monkeys. On finding these beautiful monkeys, you will be allowed to view and take photos for 1 hour. After tracking, you will drive to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park.

Accommodation: Bweza lodge

Day 5: gorilla tracking

After an early breakfast, your lodge will provide you with a packed lunch and you will then be driven to the briefing point in the park where you will check in. The briefing begins at 8:00am; however guests are requested to arrive by 7:30 am for the safety briefing. With your assigned ranger guide and small group, you will then begin your trek into the Impenetrable Forest in search of the gorillas. Depending on where the gorillas slept the previous night, this trek can take 4 hours or more. Once you locate the gorilla family, you will have one hour to photograph them and observe their behavior, after which you will hike back to the ranger station to receive your gorilla tracking certificate. Drive back to the lodge or visit the Batwa (pygmies) communities around the park. 

Accommodation: Bweza lodge

Day 6: transfer to Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth national park

After breakfast, your guide will drive you to Ishasha sector through the rolling hills of Kigezi with nice views of the mountains. You will reach in time for lunch and then check in at the lodge. In the afternoon, you will go for a game drive in the park. Most people who go to this park in search of the tree climbing lions, you will be on a look out for these famous tree climbing lions but other animals such as the leopard could be spotted on a lucky day. Other animals that can be seen in the park include the elephants, Uganda kobs, topis, warthogs, buffalos and waterbucks among others.

Accommodation: Topi lodge

Day 7: transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park

After breakfast in the morning, you will then go back to the park for a short morning game drive and later drive to the northern part of Queen Elizabeth national park. On arrival you will have lunch and later go for an afternoon boat cruise on the Kazinga channel where you hope to see many schools of hippos and other animals such as buffalos and elephants that come to the channel to drink water and cool off from the water. Many birds can also be spotted along the channel, these include the African fish eagle, pied king fisher, malachite king fisher and many others. After the boat cruise you will go to the park for a short evening game drive.

Accommodation: Kazinga wilderness camp

Day 8: morning game drive and visit to Bunyampaka salt lake

After an early morning breakfast, you will go the park for an early morning game drive which may take 2-3 hours. Waking up early gives you more chances of spotting the early grazers and browsers. Some animals especially the big cats such as lions and leopards are active in the night, early morning and late evening thus your chances to spot some of all are high though it’s not a guarantee. Other animals that are found in the park include hyenas, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, buffaloes, elephants and warthogs among others. 

Accommodation: Kazinga wilderness

Day 9: drive to Lake Albert

Early morning breakfast at the lodge and later you will drive about 6 hours to Lake Albert one of Uganda’s most beautiful lakes found in the Albertine rift valley a. Lunch en-route and later proceed to the lodge. You will later have a relaxed evening as you enjoy the view of the lake.

Accommodation: Kikonko Lodge

Day 10: drive to Murchison falls national park

Wake up in the morning to your served breakfast and then drive to Murchison falls national park. on checking in at the park, you will drive to the top of the falls for a hike to the falls. It’s a short hike that is worth the visit as you witness the world’s most powerful waterfalls. After you will drive to the lodge

Accommodation: pakuba safari lodge

Day 11: game drive and boat cruise

On this day you will have an early morning game drive in the park in search of wildlife such as lions, leopards, giraffes, buffalos, kobs and other antelopes depending on your luck. The game drive takes s about 3 to 4 hours depending on the arrangement of the day with your guide. You will later go for a boat cruise along the river Nile where you may have chance to see other wildlife such as hippos, crocodiles and several bird species. You will also have a chance to see a different angle of the waterfalls. After the boat, you will do a short evening game drive as you head to the lodge.

Accommodation: Pakuba safari lodge

Day 12: early morning game drive and community walk

You will have breakfast at the lodge and later embark on a game drive in other different game tracks with hopes to spot more animals in the park. Later check out of the lodge and drive to pakwach which is closer to the park. Check in to another lodge for lunch and embark on a community visit in the afternoon.

Accommodation: Fort Murchison lodge

Day 13: transfer to kidepo valley national park

After breakfast in the morning, you will drive to kidepo valley national park via gulu town where you will have a short break and proceed to kidepo. Lunch en-route as you continue to kitgum through the communities of the karamoja region. Reach in the park later in the evening. Relax at the lodge

Accommodation: kidepo savanna lodge

Day 14: full day game drive

Kidepo national is one of the most beautiful parks in Uganda and its regarded as the true African wilderness. After breakfast, you will drive to the park for a safari where you will drive through different game tracks in search of different animals where by on a lucky day you may spot lions and cheetahs. Other animals that can be spotted include buffalos, elephants, hartebeests, reedbucks, kobs, and giraffes among others you will drive back to the lodge and later drive back to the park for afternoon/evening game drive.

Accommodation: kidepo savanna lodge

Day 15: full day game drive

After breakfast in the morning, you will have another morning game drive in the park with hopes of spotting more wildlife in the park. Return to the lodge for lunch and then go back for evening gamedrive or opt to relax at the lodge.

Accommodation: kidepo savanna lodge

Day 16: transfer to Moroto

Wake early morning for breakfast and then after drive to moroto through the communities in kabong and other karimajong villages. You will have a chance to pass through bokora and matheniko wildlife reserves. Reach in moroto early afternoon and later go for the community tour in the karimajong villages.

Accommodation: kara-tunga camps

Day 17: transfer to Sipi falls

You will wake up early in the morning for breakfast and then later transfer to sipi in kapchorwa. You will have a 2 hour game-drive in Pian-Upe wildlife reserve and then proceed to sipi. You will reach later in the afternoon/evening and relax at the lodge.

Accommodation: Lacam lodge Sipi

Day 18: visit to the falls and transfer to Jinja

After breakfast in the morning, you will visit the Sipi waterfalls in Kapchorwa which takes about 2 hours or more. Later you will drive to Jinja through the beautiful hills. Reach later in the afternoon to check in at the lodge.

Accommodation: Haven lodge Jinja

Day 19: source of the Nile and transfer to Entebbe

After breakfast, you will do a boat cruise on the Nile to visit the source of the river nile. The boat takes about 1 hour and after you will have lunch and prepare to drive to Entebbe.

Accommodation: the Boma Entebbe

Day 20: shoebill trekking

You will wake up at leisure and have breakfast then your guide will later pick you up and drive you to Mabamba swamp for your shoebill trekking experience. This normally takes about 2 to 3 hours. Later have lunch and then your guide will drop you at the airport for your flight out.

End of safari

Included

·         All accommodations as per the itinerary

·         All activities unless indicated as optional

·         Transportation

·         Professional guide

·         Meals as per itinerary

·         Drinking water

·         Gorilla and chimpanzee permits

·         Golden monkey permit

Excluded

·         Additional accommodation before and after the tour

·         Visa

·         International flights

·         Tips

·         Other drinks apart from water