Day 1: Arrival in Uganda.
Upon our arrival at Entebbe airport, we will be met by our driver-guide and be transferred
to our first accommodation. Here you can relax from the long flight and adjust a little bit to Uganda, the climate of the country and its people. If you still have enough time, today you should visit Lake Victoria and have a look at the back-and-forth ferry at the harbour. For newcomers to Africa, it is fascinating to see how such a harbour can function.
Your program today includes:
* Pick up at Entebbe airport and transfer to your accommodation.
* Overnight
Day 2: Shoebill and Botanical gardens.
After breakfast, we will drive about ten minutes to our boat station at Lake Victoria. In the dense papyrus swamp today, we want to find a bird that looks like a pelican, a flamingo and a goose crossed together which exists as a species only once on earth – the shoebill! In small boats you will drive for about an hour to untouched edge of the lake. In the past there were almost no more of these birds existed. It was considered to bring bad luck, and whenever a shoebill was seen, the curious bird was killed. Since people can earn money by observing them, this view has changed and the number of these birds are increasing from year to year. With a little luck you will observe one of more relaxed pursuing his exciting hunting behaviour, without disturbing him. At the end of the tour, we will have lunch and drive to the botanical garden of Entebbe. Here the very old Tarzan movies were filmed and we have our first contacts with the black and white monkeys, baboons, vervet monkeys, hornbills, turacos and grey parrots. The botanical garden is supposed to become a building site, but we are advocating for the preservation of the Botanical Garden. Tourism helps to keep the greenness of Entebbe.
Travel time about 30 minutes (10 km).
Your program today includes:
* Qualified, English speaking tour guide
* Boat trip in the Mabamba swamp with the support of a Local site guide
* Transfer to Entebbe Botanical Garden
* Breakfast, lunch and dinner
* Overnight stay at Airport guest house BB- pay for their lunch and dinner
Day 3: Sipi falls
It is a long day today, you with early breakfast after the first day of introduction and a relax from the long flight, driving for about 5hours depending of the traffic in Kampala, you will arrive at the slopes of mountain Elgon-Sipi village.
After a nice lunch, you get prepared for the hike to the falls, there is also a coffee experience if you are interested-just talk to your guide.
Travel time about 5 hours (290 kms).
Your program today includes:
* Qualified, English speaking tour guide
* Hike to the Sipi falls
* Coffee experience if interested
* Breakfast, lunch and dinner
* Overnight
Day 4: Rhino trekking and hike to Murchison Falls.
Our Rwanda trip continues adventurously with a rhino trekking. On foot, you go together with trained guides on the search for the grey pachyderms, which are to be reintroduced into the wild in Uganda. Here, the white rhinos are guarded around the clock by rangers to protect them from poachers.
So, they know approximately where the animals are. Nevertheless, it is exciting every time when the giant creatures suddenly stand in front of you. Due to the poor eyesight of the rhinos, with a little luck you can get quite close to them and observe them wonderfully. This is followed by a long drive in a jeep. One highlight and so you will start the second half of the day with a hike to the rushing Murchison Falls. The waterfalls are a must Uganda trip. Here the White Nile plunges 42 meters into the depths and
on a width of only 7 meters. The spray of the water masses will cool you down a little bit after the hike.
Travel time about 6-7 hours (about 410 km).
Your program today includes:
* Qualified, English speaking tour guide
* Visit to the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
* Hike to the top of Murchison Waterfalls
* Breakfast, lunch and dinner
* Overnight
Day 5: Walking safari and game drive in Murchison Falls National Park
You will stay in Murchison Falls National Park, but today you will view it first on foot and later from a jeep. The walking safari at Delta Point is accompanied by a ranger and lasts about one to two hours, depending on how long you want to walk. Afterwards you sit down relaxed in the jeep and observe the nature from the car. With a little, first animals like giraffes, antelopes and even lions, elephants. The park is the largest protected area in Uganda with the highest concentration of wildlife and is home to a large variety of different vegetation. After your first real day of safari, you will have plenty to talk about and fall tired into bed.
Drive time approx. 3-5 hours safari (approx. 80 km).
Your program today includes:
* Qualified, English speaking tour guide
* Walking safari with armed ranger guide
* Game drive in Murchison Falls National Park
* Breakfast, lunch and dinner
* Overnight
Day 6: Boat tour and relax.
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Murchison Falls National Park still holds many surprises and spectacular wildlife sightings in store for you and so you start the day with a leisurely boat trip to the Murchison Falls and marvel at the huge herds of buffalo and elephants on the shore. Below the waterfalls you will get and hike along the thundering waterfalls to the top, where you can enjoy a spectacular view. This will be one of the highlights of the of the trip. You will then drive back to the lodge, where you can relax after lunch or go on a bird watching tour around the lodge. If you wish, you can go on a game drive with the driver for several hours before it gets dark.
Drive time approx. 2 hours (approx. 100 km).
Your program today includes:
* Qualified, English speaking tour guide
* Game drive in Murchison Falls National Park
* Boat trip to the of Murchison waterfall
* Breakfast, lunch and dinner
* Overnight in Murchison falls national park
Day 7: Game viewing in Murchison Falls national park and transfer to Fort portal
The Murchison falls National Park still holds many surprises and spectacular wildlife sightings in store for you, and so you will start the day with another drive-through safari. This means that you will drive through the national park and you see something by chance, you will of course stop. Again, you have the chance to see lions, leopards, buffalos…. In addition, with each safari you will become more and more practiced observer and you will find out that you already see many more animals than at the beginning of the trip. Afterwards, you will continue to the next destination Semuliki Forest national park. On the way there you can see how the savannah slowly changes into a jungle.
Driving time about 6 hours (about 350 km)
Your program today includes:
* Qualified, English speaking tour guide
* Game drive in Murchison Falls National Park
* Breakfast, lunch and dinner
* Overnight
Day 8: Visit to the Sempaya hot springs in Semuliki national park and after lunch transfer to Queen
North of Fort portal city, lie Semuliki national park where trials that leads you to the Sempaya hot springs are found. The vegetation cover of the park is stunning and ranges from plain open grassland to tropical rainforest. In the valleys of the Rwenzori mountains is where these hot springs are found.
To the locals, this place is believed to have super natural power as the boiling can make a nice tender steak and boiled eggs of your choice. We still have to driver to our next destination-Queen Elizabeth national park
Travel time approx. 5 hours (approx. 230 km)
Your program today includes:
* Qualified, English speaking tour guide
* Hot springs
* Community experience
* Breakfast, lunch and dinner
* Overnight around Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 9: Chimpanzee tracking and community experience in Kalinzu
Today you will need to unpack your sturdy footwear again as we head into the jungle. After a briefing by an experienced ranger the chimpanzee tracking starts. Since the chimpanzees move freely in the jungles of Uganda, there are no fixed paths to them. So, you have to go through the undergrowth. The ranger goes with his machete and shows us how and where you should walk along. Depending how far the apes are from the starting point, our trekking is sometimes longer and sometimes shorter. But when they are finally in front of us, all strains and efforts are forgotten. Chimpanzees are the apes that are genetically most similar to us humans. Their facial expressions and gestures will seem strangely familiar. Often the older chimpanzees just lie comfortably on the ground, while the younger ones swing playful through the treetops – a truly incredible experience. After the chimpanzee trekking, you will visit the new travel-to-nature project in Kalinzu. Our friends in Uganda are supported by travel-to-nature and will show you today how to cook in Uganda in a small cooking class. You will get to know our project up close. In the afternoon you can put your feet up and enjoy the jungle.
Travel time approx. 1 hour (approx. 35 km)
Your program today includes:
* Qualified, English speaking tour guide
* Chimpanzee tracking
* Community experience
* Breakfast, lunch and dinner
* Overnight
Day 10: Kyambura Nature Walk and boat trip on the Kazinga Channel
We drive from our lodge to Kyambura (about half an hour). In the Kyambura Gorge is known as “the lost world” for nature lovers, an absolute highlight, which you should not miss if you are you are in Queen Elizabeth National Park. A unique habitat for animals, which you can observe here with a local, English-speaking ranger. There is even a chimpanzee population, which is not in focus today. Fish eagles and Uganda’s heraldic animal, the crowned crane, are at home here. The walking safari lasts about 3 hours and again you will walk through the national park with a ranger who is of course armed. In the afternoon you will board a boat and cruise along the Kazinga Channel. This 32 km long natural channel connects the large Lake Edward and the smaller Lake George. Watching the African wildlife from the water is an extraordinary and spectacular experience. In addition to hippos and crocodiles, you can see all kinds of animals drinking and playing. Especially baby elephants love bathing in the channel and run excitedly back and forth. Also, the bird world seems to change completely suddenly you see birds like kingfishers, ospreys and nesting bee-eaters.
Drive time approx. 1 hour (approx. 40 km).
Your program today includes:
* Qualified, English speaking tour guide
* Nature in Queen Elizabeth National Park/Kyambura gorge
* Boat trip on the Kazinga Channel
* Breakfast, lunch and dinner
* Overnight around Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 11: Visit Ishasha sector and extensive game drives.
Lion-Experience: On another game drive in the Ishasha Sector in the southwest of the Queen Elizabeth National Park you can especially admire the unique savannah landscape, which is broken up by a few fig and acacia trees. But also, the typical African animals like elephants, tops and buffalos can be observed here. Famous for its “tree-climbing lions” – this habit is otherwise only known from lions in one region of Tanzania and is used to escape the heat on the ground. In the trees rather, a fresher wind blow and from up there they can better spot potential prey. We have hired a local guide to spot the animals for you. The duration of today’s game drive depends on how quickly you find the animals. The chance is very high.
Driving time approx. 1-2 hours (approx. 80 km) – Safari approx. 2 to 3 hours
Your program today includes:
* Qualified, English speaking tour guide
* Game drive in Queen Elizabeth NP/ Ishasha Sector
* Breakfast, lunch and dinner
* Overnight
Day 12: Game drive to the tree lions and drive to the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
In the morning you will try – in case you had no luck on the days before – to again find the tree lions. Then it’s time to go: even further south is Buhoma, our destination today. After arriving at our camp, we can relax a bit and prepare for the coming day. Because in the nearby Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park tomorrow you will be searching for the gorillas – one of the absolute highlights of our trip! which is gorilla trekking you will do depends on the permits and the accommodation. But tonight, you will get to learn a lot about the shy and rare forest elephants.
Travel time approx. 2-5 hours (approx.70 to120 km)
Your program today includes:
* Qualified, English speaking tour guide
* Breakfast, lunch and dinner
* Information about the rare forest elephants of the region
* Overnight
Day 13: Visiting the gorillas in the Bwindi Forest
The time has finally come for gorilla tracking. As with the chimpanzees, you will need sturdy shoes and long clothes, because you will fight your way through the jungle again. Also, here the experienced ranger plays an important role. He explains to you, how to behave when facing the gorillas, and a few other important things before you start. Through the dense undergrowth you make your way to the imposing apes. The gorillas in their natural environment is something very special. Of course, the animals are used to people, but they behave in a very relaxed way – as if we were not there. They give you an intimate insight into their lives. After this unique experience, you continue to your accommodation at Lake Bunyonyi. You will arrive there approximately for dinner.
Driving time approx. 2-4 hours (approx. 50-110 km).
Your program today includes:
* Qualified, English speaking tour guide
* Gorilla tracking
* Breakfast, lunch and dinner
* Overnight
Day 14: Village walk, canoe on Lake Bunyonyi and Rwanda border crossing
You will have a leisurely breakfast for once today. In the morning you will go 2-3 hours by canoe on Lake Bunyonyi and look for birds, zebras and so on. A variety of different bird species can be seen here. Among others ibises, crowned cranes, different hawks and kingfishers. If you are lucky, you will also have the chance to see the Cape Otter which is native to the lake. If you wish, you can even canoe to the infamous “Punishment Island”, which is actually called “Akampene Island”. Where young women were banished (condemned and thus sentenced to death), who became pregnant when unmarried. Afterwards you will drive south to Muko. From the border is not far (about 2 hours’ drive). From the border to the hotel, it is only 45 minutes’ drive.
Driving time about 3 hours (about 140 km).
Your program today includes:
* Qualified, English speaking tour guide
* Village walk and canoe trip at Lake Bunyonyi
* Breakfast, lunch and dinner
* Overnight
Day 15: Hike to the golden monkeys-Volcanoes national park (Rwanda).
You will drive about 10km to the next highlight: Today you will go on a hike to the highly endangered golden monkeys. The way to the primates also leads along exciting highland vegetation, but is not as steep as in Bwindi impenetrable forest national. Depending on your fitness and sightings, this hike takes between 6 and 8 hours. Thereby you will move between 2000 and 2500 meters of altitude. About 500 meters of altitude have to be climbed. You should already be fit. If you don’t feel up to it, please talk to us, and we will create an alternative program.
Driving time approx. 45 minutes (14km)
Your program today includes:
* Qualified, English speaking tour guide
* Hike to the golden monkeys
* Breakfast, lunch and dinner
* Overnight
Day 16: Kigali airport
This program is valid only if you have booked the trip without extension have.
Today you will leave the mountains and drive to Kigali. There you will make a city tour and visit – if there is enough time – the genocide memorial, which is the terrible events of the genocide between Hutu and Tutsi. Afterwards we will take you to the airport for the flight back home. Saying goodbye to the tour guide will certainly be not easy – but every journey comes to an end. Unless it is extended.
Travel time approx. 3 hours (approx. 90 km)
Your program today includes:
* Qualified, English speaking tour guide
* City tour and entrance to Genocide Memorial
* Breakfast, lunch
End of the Tour
