Gorillas and big game safari in uganda & rwanda

            |ENTEBBE| MURCHISON FALLS|KIBALE | QUEEEN ELIZABETH|VOLCANOES|GENOCIDE MEMORIAL | KIGALI AIRPORT|   

11 DAYS |10 NIGHTS

Uganda is a land of contrast. In half a day you can drive from mist shrouded volcanic mountains to hot hazy savannah, dappled with wildlife. Serene undulating hills of tea plantations, lush but ordered, give way to tangled jungle and rainforest with the musical accompaniment of chaotic, cacophonous birdlife. Uganda is alive!

With these contrast: the tiniest sunbirds, iridescent in the morning light, the massive lumbering yet silent elephant, disappearing like a vapor behind the trees, the chimpanzees crashing about the forest canopy, the lugubrious gorilla, chewing thoughtfully in the bamboo thicket. There’s the Nile, twisting its way north like a shimmering ribbon, through arid semi-desert scattered about with rocky kopjes.

Snowcapped peaks, tropical, sandy freshwater beaches, and smiling faces everywhere. It’s all here, a feast for all the senses.

Let us show you the Uganda we know and love

This is Africa the way it should be!

 OVERVIEW

 Explore the terrific land with all the beauty it has to share with you in these Highlights: 

Primates: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes
Bragging Rights: Seeing the Gorillas and the Tree climbing lion

Details

Day One: Welcome to Uganda, ''the Pearl of Africa''

Arriving at the airport you will be warmly welcomed by a Bigfoot Adventures representative, & transferred to your hotel in Kampala or in Entebbe.

Optional Activities: 

City Tour - The city tour includes excursions to Uganda Museum, Kasubi tombs, Vegetable markets, Owino Market, Rubaga hill, Namirembe Hill, the Kings Lake, etc.

Day Two: Visit Ziwa Rhino sanctuary & transfer to Murchison Falls National Park

Today's journey will take you in about 7 hours drive north from Kampala to Murchison Falls National Park. Along the way, you will visit Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary where you will go for a game walk with an experienced ranger to the rhinos giving you a unique opportunity to view them at close range.

Kidepo Valley and Murchison Falls National Parks once had both black and white rhinos; however, widespread poaching during the Idi Amin era resulted in the disappearance of these majestic animals from the wild. Founded in 1998, Rhino Fund Uganda works to reintroduce black and white rhinos into Uganda and runs a breeding program.

You will be staying 2 nights at a great mid-range lodge, overlooking the River Nile. From here you can relax the rest of your day and enjoy the views.

Day Three: Game drive and boat cruise at Murchison Falls National Park

Wake up early today! In the early morning hours animals are the most active, the sun is not yet so bright and temperatures are cooler. It offers the best time to spot wild animals. After an early breakfast you will go out on a game drive to explore the northern part of the park.
Come eye-to-eye with the African animal kingdom: you may see giraffes, buffaloes, elephants, lions, leopards, antelopes and many tropical birds. So keep your eyes open, they are all there in Murchison Falls National Park!

In the afternoon you will take a boat safari up the Nile River to Murchison Falls. Carefully watched by crocodiles, hundreds of hippos, buffaloes, water birds, monkeys and all the other thirsty wildlife that the Nile attracts, you will reach the base of the 43-meter high Falls. After the boat safari you will hike to the top of the falls. From here you have a wonderful view and fantastic photo opportunities! Return back to your comfortable lodge, to enjoy a good meal and enjoy the views.

Day Four: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park

Today you will begin your journey to Kibale Forest N.P. The long drive is incredibly scenic, passing through tea plantations and the lush green countryside which characterizes so much of Uganda.
After about five hours' driving, you stop in the cozy town Fort Portal. After lunch, you have time to walk around town, observe local life and/or visit the local market.
Then you drive one more hour to the lodge. Spend the late afternoon relaxing and enjoy a lovely view of the forest and its wildlife.

Day Five: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi Swamp walk

Today an experienced ranger will take you chimp tracking in the morning or afternoon. Once you locate the chimps you will have a full hour of eye-to-eye contact with them. Since they are wild animals, we can never guarantee you to see them and might have to settle with hearing their hoots and hollers.
Your swamp walk (2-3 hours) will take you through grassland, small communities and some beautiful scenery, where the locals are likely to greet you with enthusiastic waves. It is usual to spot three to four different primate species during this walk, though the highlight is catching a glimpse of the great blue turaco!

Optional: Chimpanzee Habituation tracking:
For only $70 us dollar pp extra you do the chimpanzee habituation tracking instead of the regular chimp tracking. This will take all day and you will be 100% sure to have a very close encounter with the chimps. Book this in time because only 6 persons per day are allowed to go. Your swamp walk can be postponed to the next morning.

Day Six: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast you will continue to Queen Elizabeth is Uganda’s second largest park, located at the base of the majestic Rwenzori Mountain range, adjacent to Lake Edward and Lake George. The park has prolific game; lions are often sighted both in and at the entrance to the park. Be prepared for huge numbers of hippo and elephant, and keep your eyes peeled for a leopard.

You stay at Bush Lodge in a nice eco cottage-tent with eco-toilet and a private outside bathroom with double “bush” shower with hot water (on request). Of course, your outside bathroom is fenced for your privacy. Your lodge is located on the edge of Queen Elizabeth National Park, overlooking the spectacular Kazinga Channel. Watch wildlife from your own private verandah and fall asleep to the roaring of lions on the distant savannah. This truly is Africa!

Day Seven: Adventuring Queen Elizabeth National Park

You’re on holiday – relax! If you do wish to venture out, take a nature walk on the Mweya Peninsula; or a guided bird walk around Lake Kikorongo. In the afternoon visit the Katwe Salt Lake to learn about traditional salt mining, and view birds on the nearby Lake Munyenyange.

Day Eight: Transfer to Lake Mutanda

A long day driving today. In about 9 hours you drive to Lake Mutanda in the south-western part of Uganda; close to the borders with Rwanda and Congo. You cross a beautiful part of the country often referred to as ‘the Switzerland of Africa’. You will see a great country-side, bamboo forest and have great views over the Virunga Mountains. For lunch you will stop at a local restaurant on the road (lunch is not inclusive).

Perched on a peninsula in Lake Mutanda in the shadow of the Virunga Mountain Range, Mutanda Lake Resort offers comfortable accommodation combined with the most beautiful views on planet earth. Situated between Kisoro town, Mgahinga and Bwindi National Parks the Resort makes a perfect base for gorilla trackers, volcano hikers, bird lovers as well as those looking for a secluded place in nature.

Day Nine: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda

This morning after breakfast you will continue your journey to the Virunga ranges, home of the Mountain Gorilla. You shall stay at one of the lodges known for its tranquility and views.

The coming 2 nights, you will spend at Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge, a small lodge with 9 self-contained rooms set in a lovely bamboo garden with lots of flowers. In the afternoon you can relax or do an optional activity organized by the lodge.

Day Ten: Gorilla trekking in Rwanda

An early start for a special day – tracking the Mountain Gorillas!

From the starting point your driver/guide will take you as close as possible to the starting-point of your tracking.
Your track will be an exciting journey along forested slopes, entwined vines, bushes and bamboo before you eventually reach the Gorillas’ habitat. En-route, your guide will point out signs of previous Gorilla activity, including dung, nests and chewed bamboo shoots.

The time taken to track the Gorillas can take as little as half an hour to as much as 8 hours! Once the Gorillas have been located, you will be allowed a maximum of one hour with them. Coming face-to-face with a Mountain Gorilla is a truly humbling and emotional experience. This is a fantastic and privileged opportunity to get up close and personal with Rwanda’s own ‘Gorillas in the Mist’.

Day Eleven: Visit the Genocide memorial

After breakfast your driver/guide will take you to Kigali. Today you can explore Kigali depending on your time of departure. You can visit the Genocide Memorial and Education Center, which opened in 2004, 10 years after the genocide. It’s a dignified tribute to the victims, including a poignant Children’s Memorial, and a history of the tragedy.

Your driver/guide will drop you at the airport for your scheduled flight back home.