This Grant East African tour starts in Entebbe, Uganda and ends in Kigali-Rwanda
ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrival and transfer to your hotel
On arrival at the airport, you will be warmly welcomed by a representative who will transfer you to Kampala for a relaxed evening and have an evening city walk if necessary. Overnight at Roots Retreat and camping resort.
Day 2: Kampala City Tour
In the morning, you will be picked from the hotel by 9:00am for a Kampala city tour, and visit Namugongo shrines, where Christian believers were burnt live for failing to denounce their faith, visit the Baha’i temple, the only temple in Africa of the Baha’i faith, later, visit the National museum where Uganda cultural regalia are kept. After Lunch, you visit Makerere University, Kasubi Tombs, currently under reconstruction where the Kabakas of Buganda Kingdom were buried, Gadhaffi Mosque, Namirembe Cathedral, Lubaga Cathedral, Lubili King’s palace. Return to your hotel in the evening for dinner and overnight. Dinner and overnight at Maries Royale Hotel
Day 3: Jinja Tour
In the morning at 8:30am, you will be picked up from the hotel by the guide/driver and you set off for Jinja tour, with en route visit to the Sezibwa falls, Mabira forest, tea and Sugar estates. You will reach Jinja early enough for lunch and after, you visit the source of the Nile, and then Bujagali falls. Return to Kampala reaching in the evening. Dinner and overnight at Maries Royale Hotel
Day 4: Transfer to Murchison Falls National park via Ziwa Rhino sanctuary
After having breakfast, you will be picked from your hotel set off to Murchison Falls National park, reaching Ziwa Rhino sanctuary by 12:00am for Rhino Tracking. After habituating the Rhinos for 1 hour, you will then continue to Murchison National park reaching in the evening for relaxation, dinner and overnight at Parkside Safari Lodge
Day 5: Game Drive and Boat Cruise
In the morning, you will wake up early to go for morning game drives to be able to catch up with early risers like lion, leopard, hyenas, bush bucks, among others before they return to their hiding places. Return to the hotel for late breakfast, relaxation as you wait for lunch. After lunch, you will enjoy a boat cruise to the bottom of the Victoria Nile falls which will reward you with view of game as hippos, crocodiles, buffalos, elephants as well as a variety of bird species. Dinner and overnight at Parkside safari Lodge
Day 6: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
After breakfast, you will embark on a scenic journey to Fort Portal, a beautiful town overlooking the mountains of the moon. Taking the Western scenic route to Kibale National Park, this journey will take you through the Albertine rift found in the Western arm of Great East African rift valley. Reaching Fort Portal early evening, relax and refresh at the Lodge. Dinner and overnight at Kibale Forest camp
Day 7: Chimpanzee Tracking and Nature Walk
Have an early morning breakfast and drive to the park headquarters for the chimpanzee briefing by the forest guide. You will locate the chimps by listening for their pant-hooting calls, then hustle to the area from which they are calling. You will see more other primates such as the red colobus, black and white colobus and the red-tailed monkey. After lunch, head for a Bigodi swamp walk, where you will see over 138 different bird species including the great blue turaco, plant species, and butterflies will be seen in the forest. Dinner and overnight at Kibale Forest Camp
Day 8: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park and a Boat Cruise
After breakfast, drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park, with game drive while entering the park. On your arrival, have lunch and proceed for the launch cruise on the Kazinga Channel. Different animals that come to drink water at the channel and water birds will be viewed along the shores such buffallos, elephants, school of hippos, crocodiles as well as a variety of bird species. Dinner and overnight at Parkview Safari Lodge
Day 9: Game Drives and Nature Walk
After a cup of coffee, go for an early morning game drive along Kasenyi tracks and Queens mile in the park. You will see lions, elephants, cape buffalos, warthogs, spotted hyenas, mongoose, waterbucks, Kobs and many more. Drive back to the lodge for late breakfast and lunch. In the afternoon, go for a forest nature walk in Maramagambo forest, where you will encounter a variety of bird species, tree species, visit the bat caves Dinner and overnight at Parkview Safari Lodge
Day 10: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Ishasha
After breakfast, transfer to Bwindi NP via Ishasha sector with game drives search of the famous tree climbing lions which are always spotted clinging on old fig trees. Proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable National Forest found in the southern part of the country. On your arrival, you will relax at the lodge while preparing for the gorillas the next day. Dinner and overnight Gorilla safari Lodge
Day 11: Gorilla Tracking and Cultural Walk
Early in the morning after breakfast and briefing by a ranger guide, enter the forest for your gorilla tracking adventure. The steeply forested landscape is incredibly dense but criss-crossed by numerous animal trails allowing access to tourists. Tracking may take 3-9 hours depending on the movements of the gorillas in their natural wild. You will stay with the gorillas for a maximum of one hour once you encounter them, and then transfer back to your lodge for relaxation. If still early, you may go for community walk in the evening to visit the Batwa (pygmies) and get entertained with their traditional dances. Dinner and overnight Gorilla safari Lodge
Day 12: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
In the morning, you will transfer to Lake Bunyonyi one of the deepest lakes in Africa and bilhazia-free. Enjoy a boat ride around the surrounding islands with a great view of terraced hills and relax at the shores of the lake. Dinner and overnight at Acardia Cottages
Day 13: Full Day Relaxation at Lake Bunyonyi-Dinner and overnight at Arcadia Cottages
Day 14: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park – Rwanda
In the morning, you will set off a scenic drive to Volcanoes national in Rwanda. This is a border crossing journey. You will have scenic view along the way with photography moments. Dinner and overnight at Mountain Gorillas view Hotel
Day 15: Golden Monkey tracking/Hike to Dian Fossey Grave
This day, you will either go for golden monkey tracking in the forest, where you will encounter other primates’ species along the track. OR, you will hike up to karisoke research centre, established by an American primatologist, Dian Fossey who dedicated her years in concerving the live of the mountain gorillas until she was killed as is buried there at the centre, next to Digit, a grave to a mountain gorilla she treasured. On return, you will take a nature walk to the lakes Buhondo and Burela, or go for community walk, where you will learn about the Banyarwanda culture, and be entertained in their traditional dances. Dinner and overnight at Mountain Gorillas view Hotel
Day 16: Transfer to Lake Kivu
In the morning after a relaxed breakfast, you will set off to Lake Kivu, where you will enjoy a boat ride to the coffee island, the hot springs, the Goma-Congo Boarder, a clear view on Nyiragongo volcanoe. Dinner and overnight at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel
Day 17: Fully day beach relaxation and boat cruise around the surrounding islands. Dinner and overnight at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel
Day 18: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
After a relaxed breakfast, you will set off to Nyungwe forest national park, with en route stopovers for scenic photography and lunch. Reach Nyungwe in the afternoon for dinner and overnight at Golden Monkey hotel
Day 19: Forest Canopy walk and Colobus Monkey Tracking
In the morning, you will enjoy a breathtaking canopy walk, which will give you a clear top view of the Nyungwe forest, view waterfalls and a variety of birds at eye-level contact. In the afternoon, embark on colobus monkey tracking where you will encounter other 12 primate species along the track. Dinner and overnight stay at Golden Monkey Hotel
Day 20: Transfer to Kigali
In the morning, you will set off for a drive to Kigali, with en route visit to the museums, Nyanza king’s palace, among others. Reach Kigali in the afternoon for a city tour. Depending on your departure flight, you will have an additional Kigali city tour to visit areas you will have missed the previous day. Later, you will be transferred to the airport for you departure flight.
What is included?
Gorilla permit
Accommodation
All meals
Chimpanzee permit
Transport in 4x4
Guides & Park fees
What is not included?
International flight ticket
Tourist Insurance
Beverages