17 Days Uganda & Rwanda Between Great Lake & Thousand Hills

Arrival at Entebbe International Airport, pick up by your drive/ guide to then transfer to your accommodation.

Overnight : Papyrus Guesthouse   (B&B)

After breakfast, transfer to the Waterfront pier to take boat to Ngamba Island, the boat departs at 9am and returns at 12noon.  On return from Ngamba Island, transfer to the Botanical Gardens and have lunch at the Gardens and transfer back to the Hotel.

In the evening, there is an optional Sunset Cruise on Lake Victoria.

Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Lake Victoria: home to 49 rescued orphaned chimps, it provides exceptional opportunity to closely observe these fascinating apes in a unique setting. Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust (CSWTC), the NGO responsible for all aspects of the sanctuary, is deeply committed to the education of local communities and works in close cooperation with the government and the wildlife authorities in their rescue operations of orphaned and confiscated chimps. While it can’t compare to the experience of seeing chimps in the wild, it still makes for a unique excursion and, by participating, you also support the works of the trust. On the island there are also big monitor lizards and abundant birdlife - by speedboat (50 min) from Entebbe docks.

Entebbe Botanical Gardens - laid out on the northern shores of the lake in 1898, they cover an area of 35 hectares and are perfect for a leisurely stroll and for some excellent birdwatching (115 species registered) - watch out for black and white colobus monkeys and for tree squirrels too!

Overnight : Papyrus Entebbe  (B&B)

With an early morning breakfast, transfer to Ziwa Rhino sanctuary, an asylum to the Rhinos. Enjoy a glimpse of the white Rhino, continue to the Royal Mile, enjoy the view and some birding around the vicinity and the road. Have lunch and then transfer to Murchison falls National Park. Enjoy more birding before checking in to the lodge.

Overnight : Nile Safari Camp (FB)

After breakfast, enjoy the game drive with a view of; giraffes, elephants, lions, hartebeest and different species of birds, on the way to the morning delta boat ride to the bottom of the waterfall.  Look out for the Nile crocodile, hippos, water bucks and a variety of bird species. Upon reaching the bottom of the waterfalls you will disembark and hike your way up to the Top of the Falls where you will be rewarded with amazing views of the Nile. Also be on the lookout for different birdspecies. Look out for mammals like the graceful Roth child Giraffe, Jackson’s Hartebeest, Uganda Kob, Defassa Waterbuck, Buffaloes, Elephants, Warthog, Hippos, Oribi and when lucky a leopard and Lion among others. Hike up to the top of the falls and enjoy the magnificent view before retiring back to the lodge.

Overnight : Nile Safari Camp (FB)

Have an early breakfast, enjoy another game drive. View more game as you catch them from their hunt expeditions before driving to Kibale. Proceed via the Escarpment, enjoy the land scape and look out for different bird species like the African Crowned Eagle, Heuglin’s Francolin.

You will then set off to Kibale Forest National Park found in Fort Portal, a town at the south-western side of Uganda. The park bares homage to a very large number of primates. This day will be a long driving day of 7-9 hours; we will have numerous stops to stretch your legs.

Overnight :Primate Lodge (FB)

Proceed early morning at 6:30am for full day chimpanzee tracking experience; you will spend the entire day with Chimpanzees following them from nest to nest. While tracking, you will be able to spot different animal species like the Red Colobus, Black and white Colobus, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, Olive Baboon, Red-tailed Monkey, and L’Hoest’s Monkey among others and different bird species.

Overnight :Primate Lodge (FB)

With an early morning breakfast travel to Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for a nature walk, Rich in biodiversity and beautiful scenery, the wetland is a birder’s paradise with about 138 species. Located outside the park in Magombe Swamp, it also hosts eight species of primates including the black-and-white colobus, grey-cheeked mangabey, red-tailed, l’Hoest’s and blue monkeys, and olive baboons. Bushbucks and mongooses can also be found here. The sanctuary was set up to preserve the exclusive environmental features along with the wetland and is managed by the local community.

Later depart Kibale Forest to Queen Elizabeth National Park, lying 1978 sq. km west of Uganda. It harbours a diverse eco-system with a lovely savannah, fertile wetlands making it home for the big game, 10 primate species and a large number of bird species.

After checking in, you will enjoy an afternoon Launch cruise along the Kazinga channel.  The channel is 40 wide and offers beautiful scenery of hundreds of hippos along the banks as well as different bird species seen when cruising west towards Lake Edward.

Overnight : Katara Lodge  Lodge (FB)

With an early breakfast, procced to a spectacular game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park in the morning and after lunch; we will drive down to the Kazinga Channel and take a boat ride along the river. The launch trip along the Kazinga Channel is one of the most popular activities in Queen Elizabeth National Park. It provides an amazing chance to sit back, relax and enjoy the fresh river breeze whilst observing a large selection of animals. Those species commonly seen along the riverbank are elephants, buffalo, waterbuck and Ugandan Kob. Large breeding pods of hippos are also seen on a daily basis. On occasion visitors will also see giant forest hog, leopard and lion. The water birds in the area are plentiful; in particular, water thick knee, yellow‐billed stork, various plovers, white pink‐backed Pelicans and white‐bellied cormorants.

Overnight : Katara Lodge   (FB)

After breakfast you will head for a game drive through Kasenyi sector, watch out for the Albert endemic birds, buffalos, elephants and different bird species.

With packed lunch proceed to Ishasha sector, very famous for the tree climbing lions. The Ishasha sector is the only other place in the entire world where you will find tree climbing lions apart from Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania.

Overnight : Ishasha Wilderness Camp  (FB)

Spend the day enjoying game drives in the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park.

The Ishasha area of Queen Elizabeth National Park is rich with wildlife including warthog, water buck, bush buck, leopard, Ugandan kob, elephants, countless bird species and even the rare giant forest hog.  The Ishasha sector of the park is known for its famous tree climbing lions sometimes found lying about in the branches of the native fig trees.

Accommodation: Ishasha Wilderness camp

Meal Plan: Full board arrangement

• 15km about 4 hours depending on your speed

• 15km & 4km about 6 hours.

After breakfast at around 7:45am with packed lunch and drinking water you will transfer to the starting point for briefing on the dos and the don’ts while with the gorillas. You will then continue to the forest for gorilla tracking following them. This activity can last from a few hours up to a full day, depending on the location of the gorillas as they range freely in the impenetrable forest.

Optional afternoon activity -  Batwa experience in Buniga Forest. Evening bird watching along the road adjacent the nearby Buniga pocket forest outside the village of Nkuringo

Overnight : Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge (FB)

Relaxed morning at the Lodge, and transfer mid-morning to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, the drive through Kisoro town and cross the Cyanika border into Rwanda.

Optional activities; visit to Karisoke Research Centre; a place which was set up by the famous primatologist Dian Fossey, a brave lady who protected and saved a lot of these gentle creatures from inhuman savages. Or visit the local communities around the park.

Overnight : Volcanoes Virunga Lodge (FB)

With an early breakfast, drive to the park headquarters for gorilla briefing. When venturing into this gigantic forest, a packed lunch, comfortable clothes, shoes and a walking stick is a must before gorilla tracking. The time spent gorilla tracking is unpredictable, It varies from 2-8 hours before an encounter with the family of these gentle creatures. The location of each gorilla family depends on temperature, their feeding range and movement of the previous day.

After trekking gorillas, return tot he lodge to freshen up and you will transfer to Gisenyi town which is located on the shores of Lake Kivu. On arrival, you will go for relaxing activities like swimming, sport fishing and boat cruise. The cruise will provide you with a spectacular view of the Kibuye and Gisenyi towns. 

Overnight : Serena Lake Kivu (FB)

Enjoy Lake Kivu, relax at the hotel and also enjoy relaxing activities; swimming, sport fishing and boat cruise. The cruise will provide you with a spectacular view of Kibuye and Gisenyi towns.

Accommodation : Lake Kivu Serena Hotel (FB)

After breakfast, either drive to, or you will have an enjoyable speed-boat trip to Gisenyi. You will encounter local fishermen,fishermen, fishing villages and also the residents of Idjwi Island (Congo) who are rowing long distances in their dugout canoes to visit the Rwanda markets..

Accommodation : Lake Kivu Serena Hotel (FB)

Enjoy Breakfast; afterwards take a boat ride on Lake Kivu – take in the fishing villages along the shores, the fishermen who are out with their boats in search for Tilapia or at night Sambaza. You can hear them singing their songs as they return in the morning from the night of fishing on Lake Kivu. Afte. lunch take the afternoon walk into Gisenyi and get a touch of the local flavor and culture, buy a few souvenirs to take home. Then rendezvous with your vehicle to transfer into the Kigali town.