17 days Uganda, Rwanda & Congo tour

Overview

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe international airport

Pick up from Entebbe international airport and you will be picked by our Ben the tour guide from Gecko safaris who will transfer to Kampala and you will be seeing a bit of night in Uganda due to many bars and pubs on the roadside and Ben will be able to name some place, The drive take about 45 minutes without traffic but it can be 1 or 2 hours if the traffic is bad. Check in your hotel for overnight but you need a bit let the guide it will be provided.

Hotel: Cassia lodge for mid-range and Red chili for budget accommodation.
Timing: 45 minutes’ drive
Meal plan: Dinner

Day 2: transfer to Murchison falls via ziwa rhinos

check out and drive to Murchison Falls National Park. Stop over at the ziwa rhino to trek the rhinos which take like one hour and have lunch continue to Masindi town where you will fill up the tank and proceed to the top of the falls and view the beautiful Murchison falls. Take a walk on the top and relax, after you will continue to you accommodation and you will be at the lodge in evening to relax and have dinner.

Hotel: Murchison River lodge for mid-range and Red chili for budget accommodation.
Timing: 5-6 hours
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day Activities: rhino trekking, visit to the top of the falls and buffalo pool visit.

Day 3: Game viewing and Boat cruise to the bottom of the falls

Wake up early for breakfast and embark on a game drive in search for early raisers and predators returning to their hide outs. Expect to view wildlife such as; Elephants, Buffaloes, Giraffes, African Lion, Leopard, Jackson’s hartebeest, Uganda Kob, lions, waterbuck, buffalos, oribi, and baboons moving through the lovely savanna grasses among others. Return to the lodge for lunch

After lunch you will take a boat cruise to the bottom of the falls and you will be able to see a lot of animals including buffaloes, elephants, giraffes, Nile crocodiles, birds and then you will hike to the top of the falls and you will be able the other falls called the uhuru falls (independent falls) the guide will pick you from the top of the falls to drive you back to the lodge and tonight will be camp fire till late.

Hotel: Murchison River lodge for mid-range and Red chili for budget accommodation.
Timing: 4-6 hours game drive, 3 hours boat cruise 1 hour hike to the top of the falls
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day Activities: game drive, boat cruise, hike to the top of the falls.

Day 4: Transfer to Kibale national park the home chimpanzees

after breakfast you will checkout and drive to Kibale Forest is a home to 13 primate species. The journey goes through beautiful Butiaba Escarpments and Albertine Rift, you will have the first stop at the escarpment to have the over view of Murchison falls national park and the Albert Nile connecting to lake Albert with some parts of Congo DRC , this is a better spot for photo shop. Another stop at Buseruka landing site and you will able to see how local fishing is done which is the economic product of buseruka, on the way you will have picnic lunch. You will be in for portal town one the cleanest cities in Uganda and the guide will take you through the details of toro kingdom.

Hotel: Primate Lodge for mid-range and tree house at primate lodge for budget.
Timing: 7-8 hours
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day Activities: visit to buseruka landing site, stop over at the escarpment.

Day 5: full day chimpanzee habituation.

Early morning breakfast, you will proceed to Kanyanchu to take chimpanzee experience and other primates within the forest. Also check out the grey checked mangabey, L’Hoest monkey, red-tailed monkey and the vervet monkeys. Have lunch at Chimp Nest Restaurant, this you will spend the all day with chimpanzees from the time they wake up to the time they go back to bed but you can opt to go back to the lodge at any time you want. Tonight you will have a camp fire and tea stories from the guide about the chimpanzees and other primates.

Hotel: Primate Lodge for mid-range and tree house at primate lodge for budget.
Timing: full day in the forest
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day Activities: chimpanzee experience

Day 6: Bigodi Swamp walk &Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast we will proceed for a memorable nature through Bigodi Swamps for more primates, birds and antelopes like statungas and after you will checkout and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National park. En route game drive to see herds of elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, warthogs and many more, arrive in time for lunch at Marafiki game lodge, later proceed for a boat cruise on the Kazinga channel. You will be rewarded with views of the lakes Edward and George, Hippos, yawning crocodiles, several water birds like cormorants and flamingos among the rest.

Hotel: Marafiki game Lodge for mid-range and marafiki wooden cabins for budget.
Timing: 2 hour drive
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day Activities: Bigodi swamp walk and boat cruise on the kanzinga channel.

Day 7: Game drive & Chimp trekking in Kyambura gorge.

Start off your day with breakfast; go for a morning game drive in the Kasenyi plains which is such an exciting adventure. Here you may see the dark and hairy forest giant hogs, leopards,lions, warthogs, large herds of elephants, Defassa waterbuck, and bush baby among others + a lot of birds. After you will drive back to the lodge for the main breakfast and relax at the lodge as you wait for lunch.

This afternoon you will go for chimpanzee trekking the gorge of Kyambura and this will give you a deference between the chimp tracking and chimpanzee experience. This gorge in the north part of Queen Elizabeth National Park and know to inhabit lots of chimpanzees plus some other animals and birds as well. After you will drive back to the lodge to even tea and dinner.

Hotel: Marafiki game Lodge for mid-range and marafiki wooden cabins for budget.
Timing: 5-6 hours game drive, 3-4 chimpanzee trekking
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day Activities: game drive and chimpanzee trekking.

Day 8 : climbing Lions and Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park

On an early morning drive to Ishasha Area of Queen Elizabeth national park, you will indulge in game drives in Ishasha sector. This sector is a home to the famous tree-climbing lions and the large herds of game. The Theshasha sector boasts of scenic beauty, combination of riverine forest, Savannah plain and beautiful equatorial forest. Exploring this sector will result in a memorable day and after lunch you will drive to Bwindi Impenetrable forest and tonight you will sleep in the sounds of the jungle.

Hotel: gorilla mist camp for mid-range and gorilla valley lodge for budget.
Timing: 4 hours game drive in ishasha and 3 hour drive to Bwindi.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day Activities: game drive in ishasha and stop over to see the Edward flats views.

Day 9: Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi and pygmies walk.

You will get an early morning entry into the gorilla sanctuary, which is a spectacular rainforest. This sanctuary offers a dramatic steeply forested landscape and incredibly dense with criss-crossed animal trails. The mammals recorded here are the endangered mountain gorilla, rare golden monkey, elephant, black-fronted duiker, buffalo, bushbuck, giant forest log and leopard. The fascinating gorillas are the main attraction of this sanctuary. The trill of spending time in observing the mountain gorillas will prove to be an awesome and exciting adventure. After you will have a village walk to see how the pygmies leave and other cultures like bakiga.

Hotel: gorilla mist camp for mid-range and gorilla valley lodge for budget.
Timing: 3-6 hours trekking and 2 hours village walk.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day Activities: gorilla trekking and village walk.

Day 10: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

You will be driven to Lake Bunyonyi close to Kabale which is known as the unofficial capital of the Kigezi province. Placed on the northwest of Kabale, Lake Bunyonyi features several islets and is enclosed by densely cultivated hillsides. Take a small boat to explore the water surface and visit some other islands to see the trade and leaving experience. Roam calmly to the many tiny islets and relish the wealthy birdlife. Come back for lunch and then opt for a Bird Walk in Mukoni Village to witness 40-50 diverse species of birds encompassing the African Hobby, Swamp Flycatcher, Black Kite, Bronze, scarlet-chested and red-chested sunbirds, etc.

Hotel: bird nest lodge for mid-range and bunyonyi overland for budget.
Timing: 2hours’drive and 2 hour cruise.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day Activities: canoeing and village walk.

Day 11: Transfer to Rwanda the country of thousand hills.

Have breakfast at the lodge and embark on another scenic drive through the rolling beautiful hills of Kigezi to Kisoro town proceed to Chanika boarder, enter Rwanda and have enoute visit to the beautiful twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo.

Hotel: gorilla hotetmusanze or muhabura.
Timing: 3-4 hour drive.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day Activities: walk at lake burera and ruhondo

Day 12: Gorilla trekking in PNV – Tour Twin Lakes

Have an early breakfast report to the Ruhengeri park headquarters as early as 7:00am. After a short drill as regards your expected gorilla tracking conduct is concerned, you will enter the rain forest in search of the mountain gorillas. It is advisable to carry along with you a packed lunch, energy bite and mineral water on this expedition because sometimes tracking can last very long from 1 -6 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas. On locating the gorillas, the experience is so exhilarating and will be well worth the trouble. Spend a maximum of one hour with the gorillas then return to your lodge. In the afternoon if you’re up for it head out for a village walk and meet locals who live around the park.

Hotel: gorilla hotet musanze or muhabura.
Timing: 3-6 hours trekking.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day Activities: optional gorilla trekking and village walk

Day 13: Golden Monkeys racking – Transfer to Lake Kivu

after breakfast, you will report to the park headquarters for another briefing before setting off for the Golden monkey trekking in the jungle forest. Return back to your lodge for lunch and in the afternoon, you will transfer to Lake Kivu. Upon arrival, you can relax at the beach or take a swim in this fresh and bilharzia – free lake.

Hotel: gorilla hotel gisenyi mid-range and paradise marahide budget.
Timing: 2-4 hour trekking and 1 hours drive to gisenyi
Meals plan: breakfast Lunch and Dinner
Day Activities: golden monkey

Day 14: Visit the Virunga volcanoes in DRC Congo.

After breakfast you will enter Congo at 8:00, and you will be picked up by the local guide in Congo who will transfer you to the starting point of the Nyiragongo trek , driving through Goma town with a lot of markets and goma airport proceed to starting point , the drive will take you about 30 minutes and on arrival you will be briefed to start the trek, as you know expedition is a completion you will have to take your time so that you can be able to finish the day trek, it takes about 5-6 hours depend on your experience with mountain climbing , you will arrival at the top in the evening and you will be able to see the sunset. Dinner will be severed under the sky with teas and coffees all the time. You will sleep in the shelters and tonight you will fill the sounds of the volcanoes.

Hotel: summit shelters.
Timing: 5-6 hour trek
Meals plan: breakfast Lunch and Dinner
Day Activities: volcano

Day 15: descend to Goma and transfer to Lake kivu Rwanda side .

After a full breakfast at 6:30 you will pack up your bags and grab the packed lunch so that you can be able to descend down to the starting point of Nyiragongo, arrival at aroung 10:00am and you will be welcomed by your drive guide who will drive to the boarder through goma town and you can be able to make at stop to buy some traditional cloth kitengi from Congo , cross back to Rwanda transferred to lake kivu to relax and swim in the lake if you want.

Hotel: gorilla hotel gisenyi mid-range and paradise marahide budget.
Timing: 2-4 hour trekking and 1 hours drive to gisenyi
Meals plan: breakfast Lunch and Dinner
Day Activities: Descending the Nyiragongo

Day 16, Boat trip and transfer to Kigali

After breakfast at the Hotel, you will undertake a 2-4 hours launch cruise along the Lake. The cruise will provide you with a spectacular view of the Kibuye and Gisenyi towns. Return for lunch and after, take a short tour around in the fishing villages. Later, you will transfer to Kigali city for dinner and overnight stay at

Hotel: inside Africa hotel mid-range and stip down for budget.
Timing: 1 hour boat and 3 hours’ drive to Kigali.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day Activities: boat cruise and brief city tour.

Day 17: city tour and transfer to airport.

After breakfast you will take a full day city tour Kigali including the visit the genocides sights ,markets, slams of Kigali and urban places for lunch and then after you will be transferred to the airport for check in.