23 Days East Africa Gorilla Trekking Safari Highlights

Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe

Day 2: Kampala City tour

Day 3: Drive to Murchison falls

Day 4: Morning game drive and Boat cruise to the bottom of the falls.

Day 5: Transfer to Kibale National Park

Day 6: Chimpanzee tracking

Day 7: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park 

Day 8: Transfer to Bwindi National Park

Day 9: Gorilla trekking Bwindi

Day 10: Transfer to Mgahinga National Park.

Day 11: Golden monkey tracking in Mgahinga National Park

Day 12: Transfer to Goma

Day 13: Nyiragongo hiking to the summit.

Day 14: Descend The Nyiragongo Volcano

Day 15: Goma Volcano Observatory.

Day 16: Transfer To Bukavu, D.R Congo.

Day 17: Low Land Gorilla Trekking In Kahuzi Biega National Park, D.R Congo

Day 18: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest

Day 19: Explore Nyungwe Forest

Day 20: Transfer to Akagera national park

Day 21: Game Drive In The Morning & Afternoon Boat Cruise On Lake Ihema

Day 22: Transfer Back To Kigali

Day 23: Departure

Detailed itinerary – 23 Days East Africa Gorilla Trekking Safari

Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be greeted by your driver/guide and sent to your hotel in Kampala where you may spend the remainder of the day at leisure relaxing and recovering from the trip.

Accommodation

Standard: Boma Hotel

Comfort: Cassia Lodge

Luxury: Serena Hotel Kampala

Meal plan: dinner

Day 2: Kampala City tour

Your driver will pick you up from the hotel for a city tour after breakfast. Depending on the time, you will stop for lunch en route and visit the Namugongo shrines, Baha’i temple, National Museum, Makerere University, Kasubi Tombs, Gadhaffi Mosque, Namirembe Cathedral, Lubaga Cathedral, and Lubili King’s palace.

Having dinner and spending the night at your lodge.

Accommodation

Standard: Boma Hotel

Comfort: Cassia Lodge

Luxury: Serena Hotel Kampala

Meal plan: Full board

Day 3: Drive to Murchison falls

After breakfast, travel through small towns, villages, and scenic escarpment views to reach Murchison Falls National Park in the late afternoon. The several towns you pass through on your tour will give you a glimpse into how typical Ugandans live. While traveling, you will stop enroute to visit the Ziwa rhino reserve and for lunch in Masindi. Dinner and overnight at your lodge

Accommodation:

Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge/Bakers Lodge

Standard: Pakuba Safari Lodge/Murchison River Lodge

Basic: Hornbill Bush Lodge/ Red Chilli Rest Camp

Meal Plan:  Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 4: Morning game drive and Boat cruise to the bottom of the falls.

After breakfast, you will go for your morning game drive that will provide you an opportunity of spotting wild game that may include many of the park’s 76 species of mammals including Lions, Leopards, Elephants, Buffalos, Rothschild’s giraffes, spotted hyenas, Jackson’s hartebeests, Hippos, Warthogs, Oribis, Uganda kobs and Waterbucks. You will also have an opportunity to see several of the park’s 451 bird species.

You will then return to the lodge for a lunch break before proceeding to the pier for your two hour boat cruise to the bottom of the falls to witness how river Nile squeezes itself in a 7 meter wide gorge before dropping down while exploding out a 45 meters narrow gorge producing an experience of a lifetime.

On the launch cruise, you will be able to see passing hippos and crocodiles, elephants and waterbuck that come to the river to drink along with numerous birds such as shoebills, Goliath herons, Saddle billed storks, African Jacana, Senegal thick-knee, African quail finch, Squacco heron, kingfishers, skimmers, and Comrants.

Thereafter, you will undertake a challenging but rewarding hike to the top of the falls from where you will be marvelled by the power with which the Nile crashes through the narrow gap in the escarpment with a deafening roar and voluminous spray.

After this exciting afternoon, you will drive back to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and over night

Accommodation.

Luxury:- Paraa Safari Lodge/Bakers Lodge

Standard: – Pakuba Safari Lodge/Murchison River Lodge

Basic:-Hornbill Bush Lodge/ Red Chilli Rest Camp

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 5: Transfer to Kibale National Park

After breakfast, you will travel to Kibale National Park via Hoima and Fort Portal. After lunch, you will go on a nature walk to Bigodi swamp, which is home to the great blue Turaco bird.

Return to the lodge later in the evening for relaxation, dinner, and an overnight stay.

Accommodation:

Exclusive: Kyaninga Lodge/ Ndali Lodge

Luxury: Crater Safari Lodge/ Primate Lodge Kibale

Mid-range: Chimpanzee Forest Guest House-Cottages

Budget: Chimpanzee Forest Guest House-Main House/ Kibale Forest Camp- Tents

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 6: Chimpanzee tracking

Today, the forest opens its doors for a thrilling chimp tracking adventure. After breakfast, you will receive a pre-tracking briefing before walking or driving to the trailhead to begin an unforgettable adventure – hiking in the footsteps of the habituated family of chimps.

Along the way, your guide will captivate you with stories and facts about the forest and its other inhabitants, which include other species of primates, birds, and large mammals. When you first see the chimps, you will spend an unforgettable hour with them in their natural habitat, feeding, playing, grooming, caring for their young, howling and screeching.

Aside from the chimps, you should keep an eye out for sightings of several other primates that live in this forest, such as black and white colobus monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, and Grey monkeys. Return to the park center after the hour-long chimp encounter, where your trekking efforts are recognized with a trekking certificate.

You will return to the lodge for lunch and relaxation.

Accommodation: –

Exclusive: Kyaninga Lodge/ Ndali Lodge

Luxury: Crater Safari Lodge/ Primate Lodge Kibale

Mid-range: Chimpanzee Forest Guest House- Cottages

Basic: Chimpanzee Forest Guest House-Main House/ Kibale Forest Camp- Tents

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.

Day 7: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park 

This morning you will depart for Queen Elizabeth National Park. So, be prepared for some incredible scenery along the way. You will arrive in time for Lunch at the lodge and an afternoon game drive in the plains of Kasenyi in search for Savannah wildlife that may include herds of buffaloes, antelopes, elephants and if you are lucky, you will spot some wild cats such as lions and leopard.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge Mazike Valley Lodge/Katara Lodge

Standard: Engana Came Lodge/Bush lodge/kasenyi Safari camp

Basic: Pumba Safari Cottages/Park View Safari Lodge

Day 8: Transfer to Bwindi National Park

Drive to Ishasha sector early morning with your packed breakfast for a game drive in Ishasha sector for chances of spotting the tree climbing lions. Seeing the lions in Ishasha is not guaranteed and the roads are quote dumpy and bad, so you will not spend a lot of time on the game drive.

After the game drive, you will continue to Bwindi Impenetrable national park. Dinner and overnight stay at your lodge

Accommodation:

Upmarket: – Gorilla Forest Camp/Buhoma Lodge/Mahogany Springs

Moderate: – Silverback Lodge/Haven Lodge Buhoma

Basic: – Buhoma Community Rest Camp

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 9: Gorilla trekking Bwindi

After breakfast and with your packed lunch, you will walk to the park headquarters for briefing about gorilla trekking etiquette and experience. Your guide will take you through all the dos and don’ts while with mountain gorillas and after that, you will be transferred to the starting point of trekking your gorilla family.

Please note that gorilla family allocation depends on your interests, fitness and age. Please inform your guide of your interests and he will try to request for the gorilla family of your choice before you start the trek into the forest. Gorilla trekking can be strenuous and a certain level of fitness is required.  Gorilla trekking can take from 2 hours to 8 hours so one needs to prepare for both. During your gorilla trekking adventure, you’ll also enjoy the breath taking natural scenery of Bwindi and a chance to see other fantastic creatures that inhabit Bwindi including monkeys, colourful montane butterflies, and unique forest birds that will have you wishing your trip was a little bit longer.

You will be allowed only one hour of photography and observing mountain gorillas as they go about with their daily day activities and then trek back to the park headquarters to pick your certificates and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi.

Lake Bunyonyi which is one of the deepest lakes is Africa with about almost 32 Islands. On reaching Lake Bunyonyi, proceed to your reserved lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay

Accommodation:

Budget: Lake Bunyonyi Overland lodge

Midrange: Bunyonyi Eco-Lodge

Luxury: Bunyonyi BirdNest Lodge

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 10: Transfer to Mgahinga National Park.

Take a lake cruise after breakfast to see some of the lake’s islands. Before leaving for Kisoro, you can go swimming or on a nature stroll. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.

Accommodation:

Midrange: Lake Mulehe safari lodge

Luxury: Lake Mutanda safari Resort

Day 11: Golden monkey tracking in Mgahinga National park

After eating breakfast, you will go to the headquarters with your packed lunch for the briefing. Depending on the monkeys’ movements, the hiking time ranges from 2 to 7 hours. While the exercise is demanding, it is also rewarding. You will drive back to the resort after your adventure for a relaxing dinner and an overnight stay there.

Accommodation:

Midrange: Lake Mulehe safari lodge

Luxury: Lake Mutanda safari Resort

Day 12: Transfer to Goma

After breakfast you will transfer to Goma town where you will have a city tour of the town and the Goma caves.  You will have lunch from the Lodge, relaxation and later overnight.

Accommodation

Luxury/ Upmarket: Mikeno Lodge

Midrange/Standard: Bukima

Tented Camp Budget/Basic: Hotel Cape Kivu

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 13: Nyiragongo hiking to the summit.

The driver will pick you from your hotel very early in the morning and drive you to Virunga national park headquarters for briefing and you will be given a well knowledgeable guide after which you will be ready to embark on the day long adventure hike to the one of the few remaining active and violent volcanoes on African continent featuring the most fluid and expanse lava lake on global scale. You will then set off for hiking from Kibati starting point, it’ll take around 5 hours to reach the summit of Nyiragongo Mountain. You will pass in steep, muddy and slippery route, thorns and tall trees will be on the way.

Upon arrival at the summit, you will have the beautiful view of the lava lake although best views can be seen at night. The overnight is spent at the crater rim.

Accommodation and dinner: Mountain Camps

Day 14: Descend The Nyiragongo Volcano

Have breakfast and then descend from Nyiragongo Volcano Mountain. You will meet your driver and return to Goma. You will then be driven back to Kigali for your post-tour accommodation or you may choose to fly out of Kigali on the last day of your tour.

Since you will use the same route back, you will have another stop at the Rwanda-Congo border crossing for photo moments, buying souvenirs or to just relax before continuing to Kigali.

Accommodation

Luxury/ Upmarket: Mikeno Lodge

Midrange/Standard: Bukima

Tented Camp Budget/Basic: Hotel Cape Kivu

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 15: Goma Volcano Observatory.

You are going to the Goma Volcanic Observatory today. The Observatory has a significant duty to keep an eye on Nyiragongo and Nyamulagira, which are located around 20 kilometers from the observatory. The observatory uses equipment and teams of scientists who travel to the locations periodically to keep an eye on any Nyiragongo, Nyamuragira, and other natural disasters that may occur in the area.

Accommodation

Luxury/ Upmarket: Mikeno Lodge

Midrange/Standard: Bukima

Tented Camp Budget/Basic: Hotel Cape Kivu

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 16: Transfer To Bukavu, D.R Congo.

After breakfast, you will drive to Bukavu town. You will have lunch enroute and dinner at your designated lodge

Accommodation:

Luxury/Midrange: Orchid Safari Lodge

Budget: Hotel Horizon

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 17: Low Land Gorilla Trekking In Kahuzi Biega National Park, D.R Congo

After breakfast, you will walk to the Park Headquarters with your packed lunch for briefing about gorilla trekking. Your guide will take you through all the Dos and Don’ts while you are with the low land gorillas. Thereafter, you will be transferred to the starting point to begin your trek into the forest to look for the gorilla family you have been assigned.

PLEASE NOTE; Gorilla family allocation depends on your interests, fitness and age.

You may inform your guide of your interests and he will try to request for the gorilla family of your choice before you start the trek into the forest.

Gorilla trekking can take between 1-7 hours so one needs to prepare for both.

You guide will try to provide information about trees, birds and other wildlife in the forest until you reach a given family of gorillas.

You will be allowed only one hour to observe the gorillas as they go about their daily activities and take photographs of the gorillas after which you will take a nature walk in the Park to explore the astonishing Tshibati falls before you trek back to the park Headquarters.

You will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation:

Luxury/Midrange: Orchid Safari Lodge

Budget: Hotel Horizon

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 18: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest

You will be picked up by our guide and driven to Nyungwe Forest National Park from your hotel or place of residence. As you approach Nyungwe Forest, you will see modest, distinctive wooden homes and rolling hills covered in green tea fields.

Accommodation: Gisakura Guest House

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 19: Explore Nyungwe Forest

You’ll go on a chimpanzee walk with a guide in the early morning to witness a variety of creatures and some of the 300 bird species that may be found here, like the Rwenzori Turaco and black-and-white casqued hornbill. You will move through a completely developed canopy of lush green filled with different species of birds and primates.

After lunch, you will return to the lodge and in the late afternoon, you will go on a tour of the nearby tea plant to observe how the locally grown tea is turned into one of Rwanda’s best exports. You’ll stay the night in the chosen lodge.

Accommodation: Gisakura Guest House

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 20: Transfer to Akagera national park

You will travel to Akagera National Park after breakfast. Prior to stopping for lunch in Kigali, this drive takes you through Rwanda’s stunning countryside scenery. Along the way, you’ll also stop at the Butare Museum, the Nyanza Palace, and the Murambu Genocide Museum. You will travel to Akagera National Park after lunch, travelling through the picturesque Rwamagana region and possibly coming across inyambo cows. You’ll arrive at Akagera National Park in the evening, where you can unwind, eat, and spend the night.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Ruzzi Tented Lodge

Standard: Akagera Game Lodge

Basic: Dereva Hotel Wild

Day 21: Game Drive In The Morning & Afternoon Boat Cruise On Lake Ihema

After an early breakfast, embark on the thrilling game drive encounter in the savannah landscapes of Akagera National Park. Game drives in Akagera national park are done in safari vehicles starting early morning in search of the leopards, hyenas, and the re-introduced lions. Along the carnivores, enjoy the scenery of this beautiful park and several other animals like elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, zebra and giraffes and birds. You will then retreat from the game drive and get to the lodge for relaxation and lunch after which you connect to Lake Ihema for an afternoon boat cruise. Lake Ihema is the second largest lake in Rwanda inhabited by Hippos and Nile crocodile and counts of birds. Birding on Lake Ihema will accord one the pleasure of water species which are otherwise not seen while on the game drive in the Savannah grassland. Thus the boat cruise on this lake presents a memorable encounter on the Rwanda safari.

Retire for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Ruzizi Tented Lodge

Standard: Akagera Game Lodge

Basic: Dereva Hotel Wild Camping

Day 22: Transfer Back To Kigali

After a relaxed breakfast, you will drive back to Kigali City. There you will take a tour of the genocide memorial. The tour to Kigali genocide memorial allows you to pay tribute to the counts of Rwandese that lost their lives in the bloody genocide that befell Rwanda in 1994. Retreat from the memorial centre to mark the end of the safari. You will send the rest of the afternoon touring Kigali city.

Day 23: Departure

Depending on the time of your flight, you will have breakfast and be driven to the airport by our guide to mark the end of your 23 days safari.