This gorilla safari offers you the unique opportunity to meet the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Go on gorilla tracking and spend some unforgettable moments with them!
An unforgettable meeting with the mountain gorillas in Africa. Start your safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park and go in search of the tree climbing lions. Then prepare for a challenging gorilla tracking in Bwindi and enjoy another tracking for the neighbouring great apes in Rwanda. The safari ends in the vibrant capital city of Rwanda.
Day 1 : Arrival You will be welcomed by a representative of our company who will transfer you to your hotel in Kampala. Depending on the time of arrival, our guide will take you on a city tour for an exciting introduction with the capital. We also advise you to have money changed today. Overnight at Le Petit Village.
Day 2 : Kampala – Queen Elizabeth National Park (7 hrs) From Kampala we depart for Queen Elizabeth National Park. On our way we will pass the Ugandan equator where you can take pictures and shop for a souvenir. After lunch in Mbarara we continue to the southwest and head for the Western Rift Valley. Upon arrival in Queen Elizabeth National Park you will enjoy an evening game drive before you check in at the accommodation in the middle of the park. Dinner and overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge.
Day 3 : Queen Elizabeth National Park The day begins early with a morning game drive at the mating ground of the Uganda Kobs. We search for lions, elephants, buffaloes and other wild animals in their natural habitat before returning for lunch. In the afternoon we drive to the beautiful crater lakes in the national park and enjoy the view from up here. With some luck you might even spot wild animals that are coming to drink here. Dinner and overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge.
Day 4 : Queen Elizabeth National Park (Ishasha) After breakfast you can visit the Maramagambo Forest for a walk through the tropical forest, known for the Blue Lake and the Bat and Hunters Cave. You will get the chance to have a close look at the bats and maybe even the rock python and forest cobras that feed on the bats. The same walk will provide you with views of primates, different bird species and trees. Afterwards we transfer to the southern part of the national park. On your way you will notice a change in landscape and you might spot Uganda kobs, buffaloes and topis. In the evening you will enjoy a game drive in search for the famous tree climbing lions. Dinner and overnight at Ishasha Wilderness Camp.
Day 5 : Queen Elizabeth National Park – Bwindi (3 hrs) Another morning game drive will give you a new chance of finding the tree climbing lions, resting in the fig trees. We return to the Camp for lunch and then continue to Bwindi, an impenetrable forest and home to the endangered mountain gorillas. Dinner and overnight at Buhoma Lodge.
Day 6 : Gorilla tracking in Bwindi National Park The highlight of your primate safari: a meeting with the gentle giants of Bwindi! Especially hikers will love the tracking in the beautiful ecosystem of the park. It is difficult to foresee how many hours you will hike, it may take two to eight hours. Expect to walk a long distance in steep and muddy conditions, sometimes with rain overhead, before you encounter any gorillas. But it will definitely be worthwhile as you observe them closely while they eat, play and rest. A unique and unforgettable experience! For conservation purposes, time spent with the gorillas is limited to one hour. The ranger guide always briefs you on how to behave with these giant apes. Dinner and overnight at Buhoma Lodge.
Day 7 : Bwindi National Park – Parc National des Volcans (6 hrs) After breakfast we depart from Bwindi National Park and transfer to the border area. The journey is very scenic and you will enjoy the views en route. Note that the border crossing might take some time and a visa is required (not included). After entering Rwanda we continue to the beautiful national park that accommodates the Virunga volcanoes. This mountain range peaks up to more than 4500 metres. Besides the endangered gorillas, the park has 14 species of primates and other wildlife like the forest elephant, giant forest hogs and the little duiker. Dinner and overnight at Mountain Gorilla Nest Lodge.
Day 8 : Gorilla tracking in PNV Another unforgettable meeting with the gentle giants! Start the day with a briefing on the gorilla sanctuary and then leave for the tracking. Again it is unpredictable how many hours it may take to reach a group of gorillas. However, the forest is not as dense as in Bwindi National Park and in general the walk is easier and shorter. It is advisable to carry packed lunch, which can be arranged with your accommodation the night before. Dinner and overnight at Mountain Gorilla Nest Lodge.
Day 9 : Parque National des Volcans – Kigali (1-2 hrs) After breakfast transfer to the capital city of Rwanda. Kigali boasts a range of hotels, fine restaurants, busy and colourful markets, and lovely local crafts. In the afternoon you are able to experience the delights of the city as we go for a city tour and visit some interesting, historical sites like the Kigali Memorial Centre. Overnight at Serena Hotel Kigali.
Day 10 : Departure Enriched with an experience of a lifetime and unforgettable memories you will say goodbye to the most beautiful countries of Africa. Depending on the time of departure you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back home. We are looking forward to seeing you again!
Included in the price: - Airport transfer - Ground transport per comfortable 4WD safari vehicle - English speaking driver/guide - Accommodation in luxury places mentioned in the itinerary, based on a double room - Full board (breakfast, lunch, dinner) apart from your stay in Entebbe and Kigali (B&B) - Bottled mineral water throughout the safari - Park entrance fees - Game drives - Boat launch on the Kazinga Channel
Exclusions: - International flight - Visa for Uganda and Rwanda - Gorilla permit for Bwindi and PNV (USD $500 per person) - Meals and drinks not mentioned above - Laundry and tips - Items of personal nature
Note: Please note that demand is very high and only 8 persons per day are allowed to see the gorillas. Therefore we advise you to book permits at least 4 months in advance.
If you wish to stay in budget accommodation please notify so we can inform you about the upgrade fees. Please complete the enquiry form below for more details and tailor-made safaris in Uganda and Rwanda!
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I was very impressed with the website when I was looking for a company to plan our trip to Murchison Falls. My friend and I were going to Uganda to visit my daughter and her friend who were working as volunteers with an NGO in Jinja. The four of us wanted to visit Murchison Falls.
We were pleased that the operator was able to make arrangements to suit our budget. They also accommodated our wish to be picked up in Jinja instead of Kampala.
Our driver, Beki was wonderful. Not only was he a very competent driver, but he was full of good humour and knowledge about the culture of Uganda and its animals and plants. He answered all of our questions about everything we saw on our trip to Murchison Falls and we had many as this was our first trip to Africa. He pointed out many things of interest to us and made us feel so comfortable on our trip. Beki helped to make our safri a most enjoyable and memorable experience.
The company sent us an information package and a complete itinerary before we went on our safari. I thought this was very helpful. I have only praise for their staff. If Beki is representative of all their drivers, then you are ensured of an amazing safari experience.
We thought they did a very good job of meeting our needs during our trip to Uganda. They were responsive when we asked to modify the standard itinerary - visiting a local hospital, the Kampala marketplace, and the veterinary school at the University.
At our request, they substituted an extra game drive for the scheduled activity, and accommodated our request for a different hotel in Kampala on our last days.
Our guide/driver was named David, and he answered all of our questions, maintaining his composure despite some unforeseen circumstances (car broke down, and he had to get a different driver to bring us back to Kampala).
We took the luxury option except for Travellers Rest, which we chose when the Nkuringo Lodge was not able to honor our reservations. It was an unexpected pleasure to stay at Travellers Rest -- wonderful food and friendly service at a very reasonable price. The Primate Luxury Tented Camp, where we stayed when we tracked chimps in Kibale, seems like it's not quite ready for prime time but shows promise for the future.
Overall, we were very pleased, and if we were going to make the trip again, we'd call them.
We would be delighted to provide you with information about our holiday. We have nothing but praise for this operator, both for their helpfulness throughout and their flexibility in planning our itinerary.
We had a rather unusual plan for our holiday, in that, as well as touring the game parks, we wished to seeand meet Ugandans on the ground as much as possible,and also we wished to end our holiday by being taken to Gulu, where our daughter is working as an NGO.
They responded to this by including a 2-day visit to a farm in the far south-west, near the Tanzanian and Rwandan borders, and by agreeing to drop us off in Gulu, rather than returning us to Kampala.
We visited Lake Mburo, Queen Elizabth, Kibale and Murchison Falls National Parks, in addition to Nshenyi village referred to above. All this was achieved in an 11-day itinerary, at a very reasonable cost. Our driver was fantastic. He was not only one of the best drivers I've ever come across either inside or outside of Uganda, but he was also very friendly, and most knowledgeable about all the wildlife, including the rich variety of birds we saw. He also had phenomenal eyesight; even when the road he was negotiating was particularly pitted and rough, he still managed to catch sight of birds and game a long way of, which we would have missed.
Altogether a most positive, enjoyable and educational trip. I'd recommend anyone to go; Uganda is a truly beautiful country. We look forward to returning.
I found the safari operator to be very accommodating with any special requests we had regarding the itinerary.
The Safari Lodge pool made for a perfect setting for a sunset swim, overlooking the channel filled with hippos. The lodge also provided the unique experience of waking up to a hippo grazing outside our door.
