15 Days Combined Uganda, Rwanda, Congo and Burundi Safari

15 Days Combined Uganda, Rwanda, Congo and Burundi Safari

Safari Summary:

Day 1: Transfer to Fort portal, Amabere Ga’nyinamwiru caves.

Day 2: Chimp trekking and Bigodi wetland walk.

Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park, community walks along Lake George.

Day 4: Game drive and afternoon boat cruise along Kazinga channel.

Day 5: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi.

Day 6: Activities on Lake Bunyonyi & transfer to Parc National Des Volcans

Day 7: Golden monkeys & transfer to Lake Kivu

Day 8: Cross to DRC, Kahuzi-Biega national park

Day 9: Do Eastern lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi-Biega national park.

Day 10: Transfer to Bujumbura, straight from Bukavu.

Day 11: Visit to the Source of Nile, Karera waterfalls.

Day 12: Gishora drum sanctuary-Gitega National Museum

Day 13: Transfer back to Kigali.

Day 14: Kigali city – at leisure

Day 15: Departure

Detailed Itinerary:

Day 1: Transfer to Fort portal, Amabere Ga’nyinamwiru caves

Pick up from your lodge in Kampala in the morning, and transfer to Fort Portal next to Kibale forest national park – the “primate capital of East Africa”.

Fort Portal is the tourism town in the far western region of Uganda, and it’s known for its clean streets and amazing conical hills that overlook the mid of the town, creating an outstanding magnificent scenery.

Traverse the undulating slopes of Mityana from Kampala, via scenic country side on this high way; arrive in Fort Portal in the afternoon for lunch at the lodge, and proceed to the Nyakasura area thereafter.

The Nyakasura area is the proud home of the Amabere Ga’nyinamiru caves, the magical stalagmites and Stalactites whose history is both geographical and cultural; you will get both stories told by a local guide explaining the touching historical myth behind these caves. Return from this adventure in the evening and transfer to Kibale forest national park for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation:

Budget: Rwenzori View Guest House

Midrange: Kibale Forest Camp

Luxury: Primate Lodge

Day 2: Chimp trekking and Bigodi wetland walk

In the morning after breakfast, undertake the lifetime experience of trekking chimpanzees. This encounter will begin at 2:00 pm, heading to the thick jungles of Kibale forest. The Chimpanzee trekking experience tends to last 2 – 5 hours, including one hour of direct encounter with these amazing creatures.

Other species that dwell in this rain forest include the baboons, Bush-babies, colobus monkeys, Mangabeys and a variety of squirrels.

After lunch, you will transfer to Bigodi community wetland for a nature walk, to explore this ecologically diverse habitat. Set out for a walk in the impressive Bigodi Swamp sanctuary to enjoy birding and unveil the exceptional wetland vegetation and animals that dwell in this sanctuary.

Get back to the lodge after this experience, relax and have dinner.

Accommodation:

Budget: Rwenzori View Guest House

Midrange: Kibale Forest Camp

Luxury: Primate Lodge

Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park, community walks along Lake George

After morning breakfast at the lodge, head to Queen Elizabeth national park, one of the premier and most famous parks in Uganda, located in Kasese just after the jagged Rwenzori Mountains.

Admire the panoramic views of the Rwenzoris along the way, and arrive at Lake George in mid-morning, to begin your community experience; Mix up with the communities along the landing site, and let you know how the natives behave, interact and get introduced to their daily activities.

Retire from this encounter, and head straight to your lodge for relaxation and overnight.

Accommodation:

Budget: Simba safari camp

Midrange: Ihamba Safari Lodge

Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge

Day 4: Game drive and afternoon boat cruise along Kazinga channel

Early game drive after a morning cup of hot tea; drive in the main camp at Mweya peninsular which is attractively positioned, separating Lake George from Lake Edward by Kazinga channel. Stretch to the Kasenyi plains, the renown mating ground offers you a lifetime opportunity of encounter a variety of wild game families at a glance including elephants, buffaloes, water bucks and Kobs along with predators like lions, leopards and jackals. The game drive takes 3 – 4 hours before you retreat back to the lodge for lunch.

After lunch proceed for a launch cruise along the Kazinga Channel. This boasts to be home to one of the largest concentrations of hippopotamus, as well as herds of elephants, buffalo, and other wildlife that come to drink from the channel. The Kazinga also attracts a tremendous variety of bird species including the African Eagle, Open-Billed Stork, and Pied Kingfishers.

Accommodation:

Budget: Simba safari camp

Midrange: Ihamba Safari Lodge

Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge

Day 5: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

After a daybreak cup of coffee, embark on the trip to Lake Bunyonyi in south western part of Uganda. You undertake a game drive en route in Ishasha sector in search of the tree climbing lions. This section of the park is well endowed with the infamous climbing lions together with other wild game that dwell in this woodland part of the park. The tree climbing lions prefer to lie flat on fig tree branches in the mid-morning sun while waiting for their prey. After this encounter, proceed on the drive to the scenic Lake Bunyonyi arriving in the evening for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation:

Budget: Supreme Adventure Park

Midrange: Bunyonyi Safaris Resort

Luxury: Arcadia cottages, Bunyonyi

Day 6: Activities on Lake Bunyonyi & transfer to Parc National Des Volcans

Wake up in the morning to admire the beautiful sun rising over this scenic lake and enjoy viewing it just from the Balcony of your room.

Lake Bunyonyi is famous for its unequalled terraces overlooking one of the deepest lakes in East Africa and the countless islands dotted all over the lake.

Take a mid-morning boat cruise to explore the 29 islands all around Lake Bunyonyi, and visit the local Batwa communities who have lived in this area for centuries.

Return from this excursion early enough to transfer to Rwanda, in Volcanoes national park through verdant country side across the Virunga chain of mountains.

Arrive in the evening for relaxation, and overnight.

Accommodation:

Budget: Muhabura Hotel

Midrange: Le’ Bambou Gorilla Lodge

Luxury: Kigali Serena Hotel

Day 7: Golden monkey trekking & transfer to Lake Kivu

Head to the jungles of Parc National Des Volcans to explore the endangered golden monkeys in their natural habitat. Trekking these uniquely created creatures is an epic encounter that allows you to see, study, and photograph as they mix up freely within their distinctive troops. In the jungles, you will be able to spot other primates that dwell in this park, including Red & white colobus monkeys, Red tailed monkeys, baboons, among others.

Golden monkeys are also considered as endangered – and Volcanoes national park currently has two habituated golden monkey troops that are available for visiting by tourists in the park, both of which make about 80 members.

Retreat from this activity, and prepare to travel to the western side of Gisenyi, to Lake Kivu near Congo boarder for an overnight stay and relaxation along the lake.

Accommodation:

Budget: Paradise Malahide Hotel

Midrange: Water front resort, Lake Kivu

Luxury: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel

Day 8: Cross to DRC, Kahuzi-Biega national park

Transfer to Bukavu area in Democratic Republic of Congo after your breakfast. Cross to Congo via Changugu border, with undulating views of Gisenyi based Lake Kivu and the scenic Congo Nile trail occupying your journey to the Kahuzi – Biega national park.

Spend the rest of the evening chilling at the lodge in Bukavu town awaiting gorilla trekking tour in Kahuzi – Biega national park the following morning.

Accommodation:

Luxury (Midrange): Orchid Safari Lodge

Budget: Hotel Horizon

Day 9: Do Eastern lowland gorilla trekking safari

In the morning, you will head for the memorable adventure of trekking the lowland gorillas in Kahuzi-Biega National park. Tracking lowland Gorillas is very amazing, lowland Gorillas differ from the mountain gorillas, the lowland gorillas are bigger in size, usually takes 1-4 hours tracking the lowland Gorillas. These Gorillas stay in bigger families as compared to mountain gorillas; you will not regret the safari effort once you meet the amazing Gorillas! After tracking, you will go for a nature walk in the Kahuzi Biega Park and visit Tshibati waterfalls, visit bukavu town, Mbayo tea plantations, the research center and the surrounding traditional homes. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation:

Luxury (Midrange): Orchid Safari Lodge

Budget: Hotel Horizon

Day 10: Drive to the border and transfer to Bujumbura city.

After breakfast, check out from the lodge, and drive to Bujumbura city; arrive in the evening to relax, and have dinner at your lodge in Bujumbura.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Club du lac Tanganyika

Midrange: Roca Golf Hotel

Budget: Hotel Dolce Vita Resort

Day 11: Visit Source of Nile, Karera waterfalls.

Early morning after breakfast visit Source of Nile, after breakfast drive to Rutana to admire Karera waterfalls; later you will visit visit the Source of the River Nile at Rutovu, a not-so-small forest with a river stream that several researchers, including the BBC, have corroborated to be the Source of the River Nile, the longest river in Africa and second-longest in the world.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Club du lac Tanganyika

Midrange: Roca Golf Hotel

Budget: Hotel Dolce Vita Resort

Day 12: Gishora drum sanctuary-Gitega National Museum.

After breakfast, you will drive to Gishora drum sanctuary and visit the Burundi National museum, visit Mushasha catholic village, ancient administrative offices during colonial time, before returning to your hotel for dinner and overnight. Overnight at the lodge.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Club du lac Tanganyika

Midrange: Roca Golf Hotel

Budget: Hotel Dolce Vita Resort

Day 13: Transfer back to Kigali city

Breakfast at Club du lac Tanganyika and Drive to Kigali city, to your lodge; rest and have dinner.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Kigali Serena Hotel

Midrange: Hotel Chez Lando

Budget: Murugo Hostel

Day 14: Explore Kigali city – at leisure / Relax at the lodge.

Explore Rwanda’s city, Kigali one of the highly rated smart and cleanest cities in the world, marked with amazing hospitable people, historical buildings and monuments, genocide sites, craft markets and shopping centres.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Kigali Serena Hotel

Midrange: Hotel Chez Lando

Budget: Murugo Hostel

Day 15: Transfer to the airport and departure flight.

After breakfast, transfer to Kigali airport for check in procedures and catch your departure flight, depending on flight time.

End of tour with Love Uganda Safaris.

What is included in this safari:

• Gorilla permits
• Chimpanzee permits
• 4 WD Vehicle – with a pop – up roof for game viewing
• A professional English speaking Driver guide
• Entrance fees to all parks and protected areas
• Free Wi-Fi internet in the vehicle
• All ground transportation and fuel
• Accommodation and Meals
• All activities / services as per itinerary
• Drinking water in the vehicle

Exclusions of the safari:

• Visa fees
• International air fares
• Activities / services not included in the itinerary
• Alcoholic drinks / wines
• Laundry and any service of personal nature