PGS-LNG-012: 11 Days Rwanda Uganda Primate and Wildlife Safari.
This 11 days Rwanda Uganda Primate and Wildlife Safari allows you to track gorillas both in Rwanda and in Uganda, visit Queen Elizabeth, Kibale Forest and Murchison falls for Primate and wildlife and sightseeing safaris.
This safari starts from Kigali and ends in Kampala/Entebbe. And it runs as follows:
Day 1: Kigali to Ruhengeri:
Upon arrival at the Kigali International airport you will be met by a representative from Pride Gorilla safari, he will drive you to Ruhengeri the nearby town to the Pac de National Virunga, its believed that most of the world’s surviving gorilla are in the forests that are shared within the boundaries of the 3 countries, Uganda Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo. You will check in at your lodge, Sabinyo Silver back Lodge or Virunga Lodge for Luxury, Mountain Gorilla View for Upmarket or at Muhabula Hotel/ Kinigi Guest House for Budget options, dinner and overnight as you prepare for the tomorrows adventure.
Day 2: Day for Gorilla tracking:
In the morning after your breakfast, your guide will pick you from your hotel/lodge in Ruhengeri and he will drive you to Kinigi the park headquarters for the park, where you will be briefed on the procedures, allocation of Gorilla Groups to track and the guides that will help you in this adventure. After this you will be off to this life time adventure to meet face to face with these great giants. Time taken while tracking gorillas ranges from a few hours to a whole day depending on the movement of these gentle giants, have awesome time with these gorillas for an hour when you meet, after you have enjoyed this time, taking photographs you will be directed and will trace back to your starting point thereafter will meet your guide who will drive you to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Before you come for Gorilla tracking prepare your jungle shoes suitable for steep muddy slopes and carry rain jackets because the forest is a tropical forest thus you cannot rule out the fact that it can shower any time in the day, thus you need this jacket to protect your equipments like cameras for example, carry sunscreen lotion and insect repellant.
Day 3: Day for Golden Monkeys.
In the morning you will be driven to the park and the off for golden monkeys tracking Or alternatively may also decide to trek the Karisoke Research centre trek to the grave of Dian Fossey, Dian Fossey was a lady who spent a lot of time studying Gorillas over 20 years , she started the Karisoke research centre between Karisimbi and Bisoke volcanic peaks thus the name ‘Karisoke’ she was later murdered by what is believed to be the poachers, who she had spent most of her time fighting, after this trek, will walk back to your facility for lunch.
Afternoon will drive cross the border to Ugandan side, dinner and overnight will be in Kisoro, at Travelers Rest Hotel, for Upscale option, Kisoro Tourist Hotel for middle or at Heritage Guest House.
Day 4: Gorilla Tracking Bwindi:
In the morning after breakfast and with your packed lunch will be driven to the park headquarters for briefing and allocation of guide before starting on this life time adventure, Registration and believing starts at 0745 local time and at 08.30 start on the adventure. Time taken while tracking gorillas ranges from a few hours to a whole day depending on the movement of these gentle giants, have awesome time with these gorillas for an hour when you meet, after you have enjoyed this time, taking photographs you will be directed and will trace back to your starting point thereafter will meet your guide who will drive you to Kabale for dinner and overnight at White Horse Inn Kabale.
Day 5: Kabale to Queen Elizabeth NP
In the morning after breakfast will depart this area for Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth national park, Ishasha sector is characterized by Diverse habitats, including the Ishasha River, savanna woodland, and the marshy Lake Edward flats support a variety of wildlife including Ishasa’s famous tree climbing lions and rare Shoebill stork, do a game drive around this area thereafter continue driving to the mweya peninsular, dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Game Drive and Launch Cruise
Early morning game drive in the park to catch up with the early risers, Queen Elizabeth national Park hosts 95 mammal species and a remarkable 612 species of birds include elephants, cape buffalo, Uganda kob, waterbuck, warthog, giant forest hog, lion, leopard and hyena, after this game drive will return to your lodge for resting.
After lunch you will go for a launch cruise on the Kazinga Channel, The 40m-long channel that connects Lake George to Lake Edward provides the park’s prime wildlife spectacles. Its shoreline attracts large numbers of birds, mammals and reptiles year round. After this launch cruise you will be driven to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Kyambura to Fort portal:
In the morning after breakfast will check out of the lodge and you will be driven to Kyambura Gorge for chimp tracking, in this gorge you will also be able to see some other primates like monkeys, baboon among other after this you will drive to Fort portal/Kibale Forest national park, dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Chimpanzee Walk and Bigodi Wetland:
In the morning after breakfast, your guide will drive you to Kibale forest national park headquarters for briefing as you prepare for the nature walk in the forest, Kibale forest is a tropical rain forest and hosts different wildlife notable are the 13 primates species including chimpanzees the highest in any tropical rain forest in Africa. The forst hosts over 1450 chimps as well as the rare I’Hoest’s monkey and East Africa’s largest population of the threatened red colobus monkey. Other primates include the black and white colobus, blue monkey, grey cheeked mangabey, red tailed monkey, olive baboon, bush baby and potto. Will track the chips in the forest, after tracking, you will walk back to your lodge for lunch.
Afternoon will be driven to Bigodi wetland the wetland is located adjustment to the park in Magombe swamp, the swamp is known for its variety of wildlife including primates, such as chimpanzee, red colobus, black and white colobus, red tailed monkey and other mammals such as sitatunga, bushbuck, otter and mongoose. The wetland is also home to 138 bird species. These can be seen during guided walks from viewing platforms and a boardwalk trail. The sanctuary is a community-run initiative aimed at conserving the unique biodiversity and environmental values of the wetland, after this, you will be driven back to your lodge/ hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 9: Kibale/Fort Portal to Murchison Falls NP
In the morning after breakfast, you will be driven to Murchison Falls national Park, passing through Hoima to Murchison falls national park, Kibale to Murchison falls is around 350 Kms and takes up to 10 hours of driving and this because the roads there are not in good conditions, arrival will be in the evening, check in at your lodge for dinner and overnight. Paraa safari Lodge/ Chobe safari Lodge for Luxury and Upmarket or at Sambiya River Lodge and red Chilli camp for Middle and Budget options respectively.
Day 10: Murchison Falls.
Murchison Falls National Park with an area of 3,893km2 it makes it Uganda’s largest protect area in the country, it lies at the northern end of the Albertine Rift Valley, where the bulky Bunyoro escarpment merges into the vast plains of Acholi land., You break this day with a morning game drive, where you will be able to encounter different wild animals including the big herbivores and carnivores lion, leopard, elephant, hippopotamus, Rothschild’s giraffe, Cape buffalo, hartebeest, oribi, warthog, and Uganda kob, after this game drive, you will drive back to the lodge for your lunch.
Afternoon will join others on a group launch cruise on the Nile River to the bottom of the falls, this launch trip takes up to 4 hours to and from, while on the this trip you will be able to have a view of different water names, schools of hippos, many crocodiles basting on the sun will also be able see different bird species, there are over 450 bird species that has been identified the areas, there are also chances of seeing the rare shoebill stock, After this trip will retire at your lodge, dinner and overnight.
Day 11: Murchison Falls Kampala.
In the morning after your breakfast will check out of your lodge as you prepare to depart this beautiful area in the country, will drive to visit the top of the falls, this is the point where the wide Nile river of around 40 meters wide compresses its self in a 6m-wide chasm, after this will drive to kampala and continue to Entebbe airport End of safari.
