22 Days Best Of Uganda, Rwanda, Congo & Burundi

AFRICAN SAFARI (RWANDA AND BURUNDI)- #GORILLAS| PRIMATES AND AFRICAN CULTURE

Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe international airport

Welcome to Uganda! Upon arrival at Entebbe international airport, you will be met and greeted by our friendly and Professional drive/ guide. He will brief and take you through your tip plan then transfer you to your hotel in Entebbe for relaxation and dinner.

Accommodation: 2 Friends guest house

Day 2: Transfer to Kibale forest national park

After breakfast, you will have breakfast and checkout of the lodge for your transfer to Kibale forest national park. The drive will take us 6-7 hours to get to fort portal, you will have lunch at the garden’s restaurant. You will drive through Kasenda crater lake after we shall proceed to the lodge for relaxation, overnight stay and dinner.

Accommodation: Kibale forest camp

Day 3: Chimpanzee Habituation

Wake up so early and head to Kanyanchu by 8:00 am to start your chimpanzee trek in Kibale forest. Chimpanzees are considered to be the closest relatives of human beings since they share 98% of their DNA with that of human beings. As you proceed with the search of these beautiful chimps, you will view many other primate and animal species including the LHoests monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkey, grey cheeked mangabeys, bush babies and many bird species including yellow spotted nictor, ramped tinker, crowed eagle, as well as the elephants which are mammals.

These primates are located by listening to their pant hooting calls, and then hurry to the place where they are calling from. You get a chance to observe them as they play, feed; socialize as well as jumping around the trees.

Immediately after the long trek, you will return to the lodge for lunch and relaxation.

Accommodation:  Chimpanzee forest lodge

Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park with a visit to Lake Katwe

after trekking, we shall return to the lodge for hot lunch after Queen Elizabeth National Park. This national park is famous for variety wildlife species and primate species. This famous conservation area is bordered by Lake Edward in the south west and in the north east, it’s bordered by Lake George. This park was named after Queen Elizabeth the second and it has variety of wildlife species including; the impalas, kobs, forest hogs, elephants, buffaloes, tree climbing lions, and the cape buffaloes. You will drive through crater lakes of Ndali and enjoy the scenic views of the Rwenzori mountains. You will drive to Queen Elizabeth passing through lake Katwe for the salt mining experience.

Upon your arrival at the park, check in and prepare to for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation: Lake Munyanyange caves lodge

Day 5: Morning game drive & boat cruise along Kazinga channel

Start the day with an early game drive that exposes us to diverse animals, Big 5 members Elephants, Buffalos, big cats- Lions, Leopards more times in the evening, warthogs- Hunchback carnivals like Hyenas are spotted along the Circuits as we drive along the and many more species that are residents to this park. There is a rich bird life especially our version of storks in the wetland spots as we reach the Flamingoes in the salt lakes at Kasenyi. After lunch we get ready for the Classic highlights on the 2hrs Boat cruise on the famous Kazinga channel, a 36kms channel linking Lake George – Lake Edward. Here you see land and water Adapted Hippopotamuses Yawning, the National Geographical society killing machine the Nile crocodile gaping along the Banks and Savannah version of Pigs the Warthog- Pumba are a hallmark sign in this Animal home. With your Binoculars along the peninsula you have a magnificent view of Birds, animals like the ever-playing African Elephants in Waters.

Accommodation: Lake Munyanyange caves lodge

Day 6: Transfer to Ishasha to see the tree climbing lions

You will drive to Ishasha through Kigezi game reserve where you will see large herds of elephants crossing on good days. You will reach the Ishasha sector of queen Elizabeth in the afternoon and start to search for the tree climbing lions. These lions can be spotted on the large fig trees which are found in the park. Later, you will check in at the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation: Enjojo game lodge

Day 7: Transfer to Bwindi National Park with a game drive in Ishasha

Have breakfast then set off for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Continue to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Bwindi is a big habitat for mountain gorillas in Uganda (harboring an estimated 400 mountain gorillas – roughly half of the world’s population) including several habituated groups, which you will trek. With a strenuous day ahead, you will do less on arrival but just check in your accommodation, relax as you prepare for the Bwindi gorilla trekking experience the following day.

Accommodation: Ichumbi gorilla lodge

Day 8: Gorilla Trekking and Batwa Talks Experience

Encountering the rare and endangered Mountain Gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is an experience of a lifetime. Half of the world’s population of gorillas lives under the mist-covered canopies of Uganda’s oldest and most biologically diverse rainforest. In the company of an experienced park ranger you will be tracking the whereabouts of one of the nine habituated family groups who live in the park.  Your tracking experience will be an exciting, yet challenging, journey along forested (often muddy and slippery) slopes, tangled vines, thick vegetation and bamboo forests before you reach the territory of these gentle giants.

En-route, your ranger will point out telltale signs of previous gorilla activity like dung, nests and chewed bamboo shoots. Depending on the location of the gorillas on any given day the walk can take anything from 2 to 7 hours. Once the family of gorillas has been located, settle in to your surroundings and enjoy the hour you have to quietly observe these fascinating primates whose habits and mannerisms remind us so much of our own.

Encountering the mountain gorillas in the wild is a truly humbling and emotional experience, one that you are sure to remember for the rest of your life.

Accommodation: Ichumbi gorilla lodge

Day 9: Transfer to Volcanoes national park

We leave for Volcanoes national park after breakfast. Enjoy the different sights and winding roads in the land of a thousand hills. You will have opportunities to have different stopovers for pictures and stretching depending on your needs.

Accommodation: Five volcanoes lodge (Midrange)

Day 10: Gorilla trekking

Meet the mountain gorillas in the dense jungles of the Virunga ranges. The trek to the gorillas starts with a briefing at the park headquarters in Kinigi where you are assigned a ranger and gorilla family to trek. After briefing, your ranger guide leads you to the starting point of the trek. You might need to drive to the starting point of the trek depending on location of gorilla group you are trekking. The trek through the habitat of these enormous animals is a fulfilling unforgettable experience that many people look to undertake. The trek can last from a few minutes to several hours depending on where the gorillas nested the previous night.

Accommodation: Five volcanoes lodge (Midrange)

Day 11: Transfer to Gisenyi

After breakfast, you will be driven to driven to Gisenyi town. The city is found on the boarder of Rwanda and Congo surrounded by lake Kivu. This will be more of a rest day for you to think through your entire journey exploring Rwanda on the shores to the beautiful lake Kivu. Upon arrival, you will take a relaxed boat ride which will give you a chance to explore one of the wonderful freshwater bodies in Rwanda.

Accommodation: Paradis Kivu

Day 12: Transfer to Nyiragongo and start the Nyiragongo trek

You will wake up early for breakfast at your lodge. At 8:00 am, your guide will transfer you to Rwanda Congo border of Goma and their transfer to Kibati village where Nyiragongo starting point is located. Begin your hike towards the Nyiragongo summit after briefing from the staff. Hiking Nyiragongo usually lasts 4-6 hours depending on the fitness of individuals in the group. Not much is known about how long the volcano has been erupting, but since 1882 it has erupted at least 3 times including many periods where activity was continuous for years at time, often in the form of churning Lava Lake in the crater.

The volcanoes partly erupt with two elder volcanoes, Baratu and Shaheru and also surrounded by hundreds of small volcanic cinder cones from flank eruptions. Wen hiking, we don’t leave anyone behind.

Day 13: Descend to Kibati and the hotel

After an early morning breakfast, you will begin to descend off Nyiragongo volcano arriving back to Kibati and this will take you approximately 4-5 hours. Your guide will drive you to the Lac kivu for an overnight and dinner.

Accommodation:  Lac Kivu

Day 14: Transfer to Bukavu by boat.

After breakfast, you will take a boat on Lake Kivu to Bukavu. This takes approximately and while on this boat, you will be able to see local fishermen fishing.

Accommodation: Hotel Begonias (Midrange)

Day 15: Bukavu city tour

On this day, you will have breakfast and transfer to Bukavu with a city tour.  You will visit the oldest church in Africa, the craft village where you will buy some souvenirs to take for people you left home.

Accommodation: Hotel Begonias

Day 16:  Low land gorilla habituation at Kahuzi Biega

Lowland gorilla trekking at Kahuzi-Biega National Park starts with registration at the park offices. You will get up early and have breakfast before heading for the park offices. After registration you will be briefed on the rules to follow while tracking lowland gorillas, what to expect and the history of the park. The park authorities will assign you to one of the four habituated Eastern Lowland Gorilla groups. Expect to take about 4 hours out in the jungle looking for the primates. Once you find them take time to observe as much as you can because you will only have one hour with them. Remember to take as many photos and videos as you can. On completion, you will head back to the starting point where you will find the driver to take you for lunch. You will have the afternoon at leisure as you prepare to head back home.

Accommodation: Hotel Begonias (Midrange)

Day 17: Transfer to Burundi through Ruaha boarder

After breakfast, you will checkout of the lodge for your transfer to Bujumbura through the boarders of Rusizi to Ruaha boarder of Burundi. This drive will take you through farm fields of rice and plantations. This drive will also take you a large grave cemetery. It considered to be one of the largest cemeteries in Africa.

Accommodation: Hotel Club du Lac Tanganyika 

Day 18: Discovering Bujumbura on city tour

Have breakfast and afterwards, you will be taken to see the grave of Prince Louis Rwagasore, a hero of the independence in Burundi. You will then be guided on a climb to the “Belvedere” on the top of the hill, a dominating point of Bujumbura, offering a unique view over Lake Tanganyika. Have lunch there after of which you will be driven ten kilometres south to visit “La Pierre de Stanley et Livingstone” the commemorating stone of the place where the famous explorer Stanley uttered the infamous “Dr Livingstone, I presume” on meeting the legendary Scotsman.

Accommodation: Hotel Club du Lac Tanganyika

Day 19: Rusizi national park & game drive

Have breakfast in the early morning and there after take a short drive to Rusizi National Park. You will have an opportunity to view hippos, sitatungas (antelope) and a wide variety of birds attracted to the wetland environment. There after, you can retire for lunch at mid day and later, you are free to relax at your hotel.

Accommodation: Hotel Club du Lac Tanganyika

Day 20: Karera falls and Source of the Nile

On this day, you will walk the Nile in Burundi and then hike to the pyramid where you will be able to see the two basins (Congo basin and Nile basin). You will then proceed to Karera falls where you will hike the five water falls ie Nyakayi 1, Nyakayi 2, Karera 1, Karera 2 and Mwaro. While at these waterfalls, you will enjoy the beautiful views with the canopy walk. This experience will take you 1-2 hours.

Accommodation: Tropitel hotel Gitega

Day 21: Transfer to Gitega for a cultural tour

Today after your early breakfast, you will be driven Gitega museum for the drum experience. While on this tour, you will learn about the Burundi towards the Burundi culture and the political history of Burundi governance.  You will also visit the drummers traditional experience entertainment by Burundi Drummers while enjoying a cold drink. After the experience, you be driven to the hotel for relaxation, overnight stay and dinner.

Accommodation: Tropitel hotel Gitega

Day 22: Transfer to Bujumbura airport.

After breakfast, you will checkout of the lodge and transfer to Bujumbura airport for your flight back home.

End of the 22 Days Best Of Uganda, Rwanda, Congo & Burundi

Includes

• Transportation
• Accommodation
• Gorilla permits
• Chimpanzee permit
• All entrance fees
• Ground transportation
• Meals
• Boat cruises
• Nyiragongo permit
• English speaking driver guide
• All items mentioned above

Excludes

• Visas
• Air tickets
• Tips & gratuities