11 DAYS BEST OF UGANDA & RWANDA SAVANNAH

Arrival to Entebbe airport, meet and greet, transfer (30 minutes approx.) to the hotel in the outskirts of Kampala overlooking Lake Victoria. No meals included.
Overnight at Lake Victoria Serena Resort. (-/-/-)

Early breakfast, then we depart to Nakitoma to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary (3 ½ hours approx.,170 Kms northwest from Kampala and half way to Murchison Falls National Park). Game walk to track the white rhinos that are spending the hot hours mostly in the swampy areas. Then we proceed to Masindi, where we will have lunch at Court View Hotel. After lunch we continue our journey to Murchison Falls National Park (aprox. 3 hours). We drive in a beautiful landscape, land gets flat towards the north as you head to the bottom of the Victoria Nile. Check in and relax for the rest of the evening.
Dinner and overnight at Kabalega Wilderness lodge or Pakuba Lodge. (B/L/D)

Morning game drive in the northern bank of river Nile as we look out for the elephant, lion, Cape buffalo, Rhod’schild giraffe, hartebeest, Oribi, bushbuck, Bohor reedbuck, spotted hyena and if lucky you could even spot the leopard. We will be back in time to have breakfast and lunch at the lodge. In the afternoon we take a boat cruise (at 14:00 hours) upstream to the “bottom of the falls”. The Nile here gets calm at the base of the falls, we stop a few meters from the “Devil’s Cauldron”, where it compresses 47 mt to squeeze through a 6-meter canyon dropping 40 mt with a thunderous roar. En-route, marvel at the, hippos, crocodiles and over this 17 km stretch you may see elephants as well as a lot of bird species like Goliath heron, pelican bee– eater, kingfisher, hornbill, cormorant and the rare shoebill stork. At this point
we will get off the boat and, hike to the “top of the falls” to catch a close view of the beauty that forms the Murchison Falls. This is a guided walk that takes about one and a half- hour. Our driver will pick us from the top and then drive back to the lodge (approx. 1 ½ hours transfer).
Dinner and overnight at Kabalega Wilderness lodge or Pakuba Lodge. (B/L/D)

This day we drive to Fort Portal via Hoima, in a breathtaking landscape that forms the Albertine western
Rift Valley. It is a quite long drive ( 8 to 9 hours) but we will have several stop overs to relax, and
sightseeing as we pass verdant countryside, traditional homesteads and farms. We will have our
packed/picnic lunch on the way. Check in and relax for the rest of the evening.
Dinner and overnight at Hotel Mountains of the Moon. (B/L/D)

Early transfer to Kibale Forest NP (approx. 45 minutes), where all morning is dedicated to search for
chimpanzees and other primate including: I’hoestes, red colobus, blues, red tailed and gray– cheeked
mangabey. Lunch, before proceeding to Queen Elisabeth NP / Peninsula sector (aprox. 3 ½ hours) where
we will do an evening game drive around the volcanic craters of Katwe. Check in at the lodge.
Dinner and overnight at Mazike Valley Lodge. (B/L/D)

In the early morning we do a game drive in Kasenyi area, within Queen Elisabeth NP, on a look out for the
lions, buffalos, elephants, and large numbers of Uganda Kobs and other antelopes. Lunch will be at
Mweya Safari Lodge. In the afternoon we will go for a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel (approx. 2
hours), to look out for the hippos, great herds of bufallos, and lots of water birds.
Dinner and overnight at Mazike Valley Lodge. (B/L/D)

In the early morning we do a second game drive in the Kasenyi area, within QENP, on a look out for the
lions, buffalos, elephants, and large numbers of Uganda Kobs and other antelopes. We will stop to have
our picnic/packed breakfast. After we drive to Ishasha (2 ½ hours approx.), which is in the southern sector
of Queen Elisabeth National Park. Check in and lunch at the camp. In the afternoon we will go for a game
drive looking for the tree climbing lions and other game, like large herds of buffaloes, elephants, Uganda
kobs, etc.
Dinner and overnight at Wilderness Camp. (B/L/D)

In the morning we will do our last game drive looking for bird and other animal species are often seen, like
buffalos, sitatungas, elephants that cross from Congo, other antelopes and even lions. After lunch at the
camp, relax before taking a second chance to see the tree climbing lions and other game, like large herds
of buffaloes, elephants, Uganda kobs, on an afternoon game drive.
Dinner and overnight at Wilderness Camp. (B/L/D)

After early breakfast we will depart to Volcanoes NP (Rwanda) (9 to 10 hours approx.), home of the
endangered mountain gorilla. We will cross the Kigezi mountains (so called the “Switzerland of Africa”),
and Kisoro where we will stop for lunch at Traveller´s Rest (where Dian Fossey used to stay, resting from
the long periods spent observing the mountain gorillas in the Virunga Volcanoes). Then we proceed to
Cyanika´s border post, and after clearing we will continue to Ruhengeri, and Kinigi at the base of the
Virunga Volcanoes.
Dinner and overnight at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge. (B/L/D)

After breakfast take a short drive (10 minutes approx.) to Park Headquarters where you will meet up with
excellent local guides and trackers, who will give a talk on the etiquette of gorilla trekking. Thereafter, hike
into the forest where the gorillas were seen the night before and track from that point. Thereafter, enjoy
lunch at the hotel and free* afternoon/evening to relax.
In Rwanda, there are 10 habituated gorilla groups that can be viewing by tourists. Each group can
be visited by a maximum of 8 people per day and the visit lasts only 1 hour.
The trekking can take from 1 to 8 hours and climb to altitudes in excess of 7,500 feet. The terrain is
rough and at times muddy. Although the hike is physically demanding the beauty of the forest and
surrounding scenery make the trekking worthwhile. Once the gorillas are located all fatigue is forgotten,
as the experience is often described as being the most profound natural history experience in the world.
Cameras and plenty of fast speed film is recommended. It can rain at a few minutes’ notice; hence
waterproof clothing is a good essential including zip lock bags for cameras and film. It is important to take
plenty of water.
Dinner and overnight at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge. (B/L/D)

Early breakfast at the hotel and depart to Kigali (it is a 2 ½ hours-drive). Time allowing (depending on the
schedule of your flight) we will visit the Genocide Memorial and the crafts village for souvenirs shopping.
Transfer to Kigali airport for your departure flight (afternoon or evening). (B/-/-)