13 days – 12 nights Uganda / Rwanda 13days – 12 Nights
Day 1 : ARRIVAL ENTEBBE AIRPORT
On your arrival, you will be met at the airport by AA AFRICA Safaris representative and transfer to your hotel in Kampala for Safari briefing. Check in your hotel and ease from the jet lug as you wait for dinner and overnight at the Bougainviller Hotel / Emin Pasha Hotel Transfer time 50 minutes
Day 2: TO MBALE UGANDA TOUR
Take breakfast and depart for Mbale. Tour Mbale City formerly known as the cleanest city of Uganda and the environs probably encounter a circumcise occasion, visit their High school and Primary school, coffee plantations and water system. Overnight in Mbale at the Mount Elgon Hotel/ Mbale Resort Hotel. Transfer time 5hrs
Day 3: ABAYUDAYA OF MBALE
Having taken breakfast, you will visit the Abayudaya Synagogue and later transfer to Jinja city. Jinja is the second biggest and Industrial city of Uganda .
Introduction: Jinja – Source of the Mighty River Nile
Major attraction here is the source of the world’s longest river, the Nile River beginning its long journey of 4145 miles which is the life blood of both Sudan and Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. The Bujagali falls: For those who are not weak hearted, this is a great place to do the rafting and Bungee jumping this is where rafting begins but unfortunately if you haven’t rafted here, soon the stunning world class grade 5 rapids are going to disappear due to the new Hydro-power extension that’s to be built there. Get the briefing from the rafting guides and it’s on your way to hit the grade five world class white water rapids. Later get back in the evening share the moment of the events with the group. Stay in Jinja at the Jinja Nile Resort or drive back to your Kampala Hotel time permitting. And dinner and over night. transfer time 4hrs from Mbale
Day 4: To KIBALE NATIONAL PARK
After breakfast prepare to drive to Kibale National Park arriving early afternoon stop over for a stretch and lunch break at the Traveller’s hotel check in to Ndali Lodge/ primates Lodge/ Mountains of the Moon Lodge/ Rwenzori View guest House.
This is located in Western Uganda, 35 km from Fort Portal town, which is 360kms from Kampala via Mubende town. With lush tropical rainforest and fascinating diversity of animals, Kibale National Park is one of the most beautiful and stunning forests in Uganda. Kibale Forest is certainly worth protecting as it is home to the Largest number of our closest living relatives with a 98.4% same DNA composition like us.(The endangered Chimpanzees ). As well as the Red colobus monkeys, and the rare L’Hoesti monkey. The forest has one of the highest diversity and density of primates totaling to 13 species including the Black and white colobus monkey, Blue monkey and Grey cheeked mangabey, red tailed monkey bush babies and pottos . The park also hosts over 325 species of birds including the yellow spotted nicator, yellow rumped tinker bird, little greenbul, green breasted pitta, the African pitta, the crowned eagle and the black bee eater. There are a number of impressive mammals including; forest elephants, buffaloes, bush pigs, duikers, and bats. A keen observer may see some of the reptiles and amphibians as well as a variety of colorful butterflies. Further more 250 species of trees have been recorded. But the most famous inhabitants are the Chimpanzees with over than 1,450 individuals are protected with in the park. At Kanyancu , a community of chimpanzees has been habituated since 1991, allowing visitors the unique opportunity to view these great apes in the natural environment with more than 95% chance of viewing.
Day 5: Chimpanzee Tracking
After breakfast your guide will take you to the Park head quarters where you will join other groups for briefing of the adventure. Later its on to your adventure to meet these closest cousins of ours, the Chimpanzees. Chimpazee tracking normally takes between 3- 4 hrs, later get back for lunch. After lunch you will proceed to the the Bigodi Sanctuary for the swamp walk. An effort by the local women. Later get back to the Lodge refresh and relax. Overnight at Ndali lodge. / primates Lodge/ Mountains of the Moon lodge/ Rwenzori View Guest House.
Day 6: TO QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK
Take breakfast prepare to leave for Queen Elizabeth National Park. You will arrive in the mid morning . relax as you warm up for a cruise on the canal. Transfer time 4 hrs. After lunch proceed for the boat cruise on the famous Kazinga Channel linking Lake George to Lake Edward get back by 5:00pm. Go for an evening game drive which will see you back at the Lodge by 7:00pm. Refresh and relax Overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge/ Jacana safari Lodge/ Institute of Ecology.
Queen Elizabeth National Park: The park spreads over an area of 1978 sq kilometres in the western arm of the Great East African Rift Valley 418 km from the capital Kampala and takes approxmately 6 hours. Air Charter services can be organized by Uganda Wildlife Scene which land at the Mweya Peninsula.
Attractions: Queen Elizabeth national park is a home to a variety of wildlife including elephants, lions, hippos, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, baboons and birds all typical riverine savannah habitats and the famous Kazinga Channel. In the Southern Parts is the Ishasha sector with the tree climbing lions and the Maramagambo forest, one of the largest surviving natural forests in Uganda. The Northern part is traversed by the equator and is dominated by the scenery of crater lakes with lots of flamingos. There is a launch trip on the Kazinga channel which joins Lake George to Lake Edward.
Day 7: HIKES IN KYAMBURA GORGE
A game drive in the park in the early morning (about 6:30) will be ‘a good opportunity to see lions, leopards, giant forest pigs, buffaloes, elephants, waterbucks, kobi of Uganda, mice and many others . Back to the lodge for breakfast. Relax by the poolside until lunchtime. In the afternoon at 2:00pm an option to do the Kyambura Gorge chimp tracking; time allowing after chimp tracking you may opt to do the nature walk in the Maramagambo forest as an extra option for $10USD each person. ( AS you asked is it Worth?) It’s only a short forest walk and indeed you will see the bat cave and the bats in thousands if lucky you might see the resident Python as well but the strong smell from the bats’ droppings is not that pleasant. Hunter’s cave well but it is a small cave as they say satisfaction lies in the beholder’s eye. Later get back in the evening refresh at the your lodge.
Day 8: TO BWINDI NATIONAL PARK
Take breakfast and leave this part the world. Head to Bwindi National Park. Take the scenic Ishasha route road condition permitting to go for a short game drive in search for the tree climbing lions. Lunch along with the game drive after prepare to drive to Bwindi, arriving early afternoon check in to the Refresh and relax. Get the briefing about tomorrow’s Gorilla tracking, later meal plans dinner and overnight at Gorilla resort camp/ Buhoma Homestead/ Buhoma community bandas Transfer time 5 hrs
Day 9: GORILLA TRACKING
After an early breakfast your guide will take you to the park head quarters to join the group and get briefing from the park rangers. Later its on to your adventure to meet these thrilling gentle giants of Bwindi. Tracking time is unpredictable and can only be predicted when you start hearing the grunting of the Gorillas . For the more youthful ones at strength and depending on the time you get back from Gorilla safari tracking you can do the community walk where you can meet the community of pigmies. Get back to the lodge refresh and relax overnight
Day 10: TO RWANDA RUHENGERI
Take breakfast and depart to Rwanda via Kabale and Kisoro Towns. With a stop over for lunch in one of the towns later proceed to cross the border at Cyanika and head straight to Ruhengeri Kinigi. Check in your accommodation refresh and relax, meal plans dinner and overnight at Mt Gorilla Nest Hotel Rwanda/ Kinigi Guest House/ Muhavura lodge Transfer time 5hrs
Day 11: GORILLA TREKKING
After an early breakfast your guide will take you to the park head quarters to join the group and get briefing from the park warden. Later it’s to your adventure to meet these thrilling gentle giants of Rwanda. You will get the comparison from the group you tracked in Uganda the previous day. Still Tracking time varies according the movement of these giants later get back to the hotel refresh and relax. Overnight at Gorilla Nest Hotel Rwanda/ Kinigi Guest House/ Muhavura lodge.
Day 12: DIANNE FOSSEY HIKES
After breakfast doing the Diana Fossey Tomb / Karisoke research and the Golden Monkeys each of these activities takes a whole 8hrs. So the choice is yours to choose on which one you will do. Trekking to the Diana Fossey is not that steep so it is easy on the elderly as well. Later prepare to drive to Kigali Capital of Rwanda stay the night at the Mille Collines Hotel/ Kigali serena Hotel transfer time 3 hrs
Day 13: CITY TOUR KIGALI
After breakfast prepare to visit the sights of Kigali among those the famous being the Genocide Museum, keeping time for the Airport transfer to connect to your home bound flight. Transfer time 45 minutes End of Safari.
