Overview.
15 Days Primates and Wildlife Safari will expose you to three countries with wonderful scenery and wildlife in Africa where you participate in different activities that will reward you with a great experience and memory.
Some of the activities include gorilla, chimpanzee and golden monkey trekking, game drives, boat cruises, and cultural encounter among others in different national parks such as Queen Elizabeth, Kibale and Murchison falls National parks in Uganda-the pearl of Africa; volcanoes national park, Nyungwe national park in Rwanda and Kahuzi-Biega in Congo.
You will have several stop overs to take photos but the main will be at Ziwa rhino sanctuary for rhino trekking. Therefore, the safari will reward you a chance to view the big five animals. The safari will start in Uganda and it will end in Rwanda.
Detailed itinerary.
Day 1: Transfer to Murchison falls National Park.
The safari will begin by arriving at the airport in Entebbe/ picked by the driver guide at the hotel and he will brief you about the safari. Transfer to Murchison falls national park in north western Uganda famous foe the world’s most powerful waterfalls and the biggest national park in Uganda.
Depending on your arrival time at the airport, you will have a stopover at Ziwa Rhino sanctuary for rhino trekking. This is the only place where you can trek Rhino in the wilderness. Proceed to Murchison falls NP as you enjoy the beautiful scenery of forests and monkeys such as vervet monkeys, olive baboons as so much more in Budongo forest.
Day 2: Game drives and boat cruise.
Start the day with an early breakfast and head for the game drive in the savannah plains to search for early raisers. While here, you will enjoy the lions, hyenas, cheetahs, leopards among others and a game drive takes 2hours of massive adventure.
Return to the lodge for a mid-lunch and later board a launch trip on river Nile. It’s a home for schools of hippos, crocodiles an also on the banks, you will find herds of buffaloes, beautiful bird species and elephants. Later hike to the top of the falls and view the most powerful waterfall in the world.
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale National Park.
Transfer to the home of 13 primates – Kibale national park after your breakfast in a lodge. The journey takes over 5 hours with a beautiful view of tea and banana plantations. You will have a stopover in Fort portal tourism city at Gardens Restaurants.
In case you arrive in time, you may visit the Amabere Ga’Nyinamwiru caves for an exciting feature with a great history of Bacwezi and Batembuzi and also enjoy the Nyakasura falls and Saaka crater on the same point. Proceed to Kibale NP late check in and dinner
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and community visit.
An exciting day comes as it starts with an early breakfast at the lodge/hotel you spent a night. Head for a briefing at the information center in Kanyanchu which may take 30 minutes where the park ranger guide elaborates on the dos and the don’ts about the chimpanzee trekking.
With the help of the guide / ranger, enter the forest to search for man’s closest cousins whom you will spend only and only one hour after locating them as they play, laugh, and feed their young ones among others. A Chimpanzee tracking tour lasts between 2-4 hours depending on where you locate them and this is because they keep moving from one place to another I order to search for food.
Trek back to the starting point to meet your driver guide to transfer you to the hotel/lodge for a hot lunch.
In the afternoon, visit the nearby community either Isunga or Bigodi for village experience and you may meet local brewers, children playing football, traditional healers among others.
Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park and afternoon boat cruise.
Depart to Queen Elizabeth National Park after a relaxed breakfast. With attractive lakes and rich grasslands which are set deep in the crater valley in the northern side, this is truly the most breath-taking scenery in the park.
The park is a home to a large variety and volume of wildlife which include Hippos, Lions, and Buffalos, Leopard, Spotted Hyena and the elusive giant forest hog.
On the arrival, take lunch and head for an afternoon boat cruise on Kazinga channel which is 32km long between Lake George and Lake Edward. The channel has spectacular view of hippos, crocodiles and water backs at the banks of the channel. After dinner in the evening, rest and prepare for the next amazing day.
Day 6: Game drive and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Wake up early and head for an early morning game drive to watch early raisers like leopard, hyenas, among others. While on the drive, you will view other animals such as elephants, buffalos among others. Return to the lodge for mid breakfast and later transfer to Bwindi through Ishasha sector.
While in Ishasha sector if lucky, you will view the rare tree climbing lions as well as other mammals and birds. On arrival in Bwindi, you will check in for your accommodation at the booked lodge.
Day 7: Gorilla trekking and cultural encounter.
You will have a hearty breakfast to give you the energy needed for gorilla tracking in the morning. Report to the headquarters at 8:00am where the ranger guides will take you through a short briefing and be divided into groups of 8 people to be able to trek these apes well. Penetrate the impenetrable forest which involves slashing the undergrowth, parting thick creepers and track gorillas.
This trek can take from 2 to 8 hours so a reasonable degree of fitness is required as well as a sturdy pair of walking shoes because it involves hiking. You will have an hour with the gorillas as your listening to them grumble at each other and marvel at the sheer size of the dominant male, the silverback.
After lunch meet the Bakiga / Batwa community with an amazing culture performances, the energetic dances and the traditional delicacies.
Day 8: Transfer to Mgahinga NP.
Take a nature walk in Bwindi national Park after breakfast and transfer to where the gold meets silver-Mgahinga National park a journey taking 3 hours of about 100km. the park is famous for homing the remaining endangered mountain gorillas in the Virunga ranges.
Other main attractions are the golden monkeys, colobus monkeys, Rwenzori monkeys, over 300 bird species among others.
Day 9: Golden monkey trekking.
This day starts with breakfast followed by a drive to the park headquarters for briefing about the golden monkey trekking. After, head to the forest with the help of the armed park ranger guide to search for these beautiful animals. Trekking can take only one hour after locating them as you watch them play, jump from one tree to another while you’re taking the memorable photos.
Day 10: Transfer from Mgahinga NP to Volcanoes NP in Rwanda.
Here comes an exciting day as you cross the border-Gatuna between Uganda and Rwanda. You may have a stopover as you interact with the locals, visiting the local markets, craft shops among others. Proceed to Volcanoes national park for dinner and overnight.
Day 11: Mountain gorilla trekking and transfer to Nyungwe forest NP.
The second day starts with a heavy breakfast and transfer to the headquarters for briefing about the rules to follow while trekking the mountain gorillas. This can take around 40minutes, you should note that flash lights are not allowed while trekking. Enter the forest with a guidance of a ranger guide to search for the great apes.
Trekking requires someone who is physically fit because it involves hiking and moving long distances. After locating them, you will be allowed to be with them for only an hour and later trek back for mid breakfast.
In the afternoon visit the transfer to Nyungwe national park famous for canopy walk and chimpanzees. The park also is a home to over 250 bird species. On the arrival in Nyungwe NP, you will check in the booked accommodation facility.
Day 12: chimpanzee trekking and Canopy walk in Nyungwe forest.
Head for a briefing at the park headquarters after breakfast for another chimpanzee trekking activity. After chimp trekking, you will transfer back to your lodge and in the afternoon after lunch, head to the great activity canopy walk which is the only one East Arica.
While here, you will spot a number of monkeys such as colobus monkeys, varvet monkeys, red tailed monkeys and different bird species. It takes only 2 hours of exciting and adventure.
Day 13: Transfer to Kahuzi-Biega NP in eastern D.R. Congo.
Transfer to Kahuzi-Biega national park famous for harbouring the eastern lowland gorillas, over 136 mammals, eastern chimpanzees, 345 bird species, owl faced monkeys among others. The distance from Nyungwe NP to Kahuzi-Biega NP is 186km taking 3-4hours depending on the speed. On arrival at your hotel in Bukavu town, you will relax as you wait for a delicious dinner.
Day 14: Low land gorilla trekking.
At this point after breakfast, you will be informed about the dos and don’ts while trekking the low land gorillas of Kahuzi-Biega National Park. Immediately after the briefing, you will be escorted by the park ranger into a narrow path jungle in search for the endangered low land gorillas.
Trekking time depends on the location of these apes and this is because, they keep moving in search for food. On locating them, you will be given strictly an hour as you take photos and record memorable videos.
Day 15: Transfer to Kigali Rwanda and departure
