Day 1

Kigali, Rwanda 

Arrive in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, check in at the Kigali Serena Hotel, a relaxed yet elegant five-star hotel that is ideally located one of Kigali’s most charming avenues. It is built around a polished granite atrium that showcases the very best of Rwanda’s cultural art.

You will receive a full briefing of your safari from our guide. After this brief starter, you will be left alone to relax in your room.

Day 2

Kigali City Tour and Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

Have a relaxed breakfast, check out of the hotel and go for a city tour where you will visit the Kigali Genocide memorial museum, one of the museums that were established to commemorate the victims of the 1994 Rwanda genocide. This is the final resting place for more than 250,000 victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi tribe in Rwanda. It honors the memory of the more than one million Rwandans killed in 1994. This dark tour will make you appreciate how this relatively small country has quickly recovered from its painful history. This recovery has been facilitated by education and peace-building. Visit the King’s palace that showcases Rwanda’s culture and history.

After the city tour, go for lunch at Hotel Des Mille Collines, that was featured in the Hollywood movie ’Hotel Rwanda’ in 2004. You will relax here until you are transferred to Volcanoes National Park through the rolling hills. Brace yourself for spectacular scenery of the country side to Kinigi Town, gateway to the Virunga Mountains.

On arrival, you will be checked in at the most luxurious Bisate Lodge. It is located in the natural amphitheatre of an eroded volcanic cone. The area has dramatic views of the peaks of the volcanoes Bisoke, Karisimbi and Mikeno all of which have thriving Afro-alpine forests of the nearby Volcanoes National Park. Each of the six en-suite rooms here maximize comfort, warmth and views while retaining environmental principles and reflecting the culture of surrounding rural Rwanda.

Day 3

First Mountain Gorilla Trekking

The Parc National des Volcans is the heart that pumps life into Rwanda’s ecosystem. It is part of the Virunga region which is shared between Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is the only habitat to the world’s surviving mountain gorillas (just over 1,000). Make a short drive to park headquarters this morning where you’ll meet your gorilla trekking guides. Ranger guides to be exact. They will give you a brief talk on the procedures and etiquette of gorilla tracking before you set off to the dense rain forest. In an effort to give you an 80% probability of seeing these majestic primates, a team of trackers will be in the forest ahead of your departure. Their task is identifying where the gorillas were seen the night before and pursuing them to a point/climax—where you will be able to connect. Although the hike can be physically demanding, the beauty of the forest and surrounding scenery makes the effort worthwhile in addition to the ultimate reward of getting a close-up with the gorillas; a profoundly moving wildlife encounter. Return to the lodge and relax as you watch the sun burry itself over the horizons; Virunga volcanoes.

Day 4

Second Mountain Gorilla Trekking

 Experience has shown that you can visit the same gorilla group twice on different days and get completely different experiences. Individual Mountain gorillas behave differently and same mountain gorilla can behalf differently on different days depending on moods. Some individuals are more active than others, some juveniles are more playful.

On the second day, after briefing, you will be led into the forest to track a different gorilla and you will agree with us that it is a different experience! Return to the lodge for a relaxed evening.

Day 5

Golden Monkey Trekking, Transfer to Kigali Depart

Have an early breakfast and return to the park headquarters where you will meet the park guide ahead of a guided trek to the forest—to observe rare golden monkeys. These old world monkeys are active throughout the day and mostly live in the bamboo zone of this mountainous park, not so far from its foot. A golden monkey trek operates similarly to the early morning gorilla treks. Groups are limited to eight travelers, and once you meet up with the golden monkeys, you will have one hour to spend with them and return to the lodge for lunch. Refresh and get transferred to Kigali where you will arrive on time for your departing flight.

Day 1

Kigali, Rwanda 

Arrive in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, check in at the Kigali Serena Hotel, a relaxed yet elegant five-star hotel that is ideally located in one of Kigali’s most charming avenues. It is built around a polished granite atrium that showcases the very best of Rwanda’s cultural art. You will receive a full briefing of your safari from our guide. After this brief starter, you will be left alone to relax in your room. You are free to enjoy the hotel’s inviting amenities, most of which are free of crowds; the swimming pool, health club and coffee experience.

Day 2

Kigali City Tour and transfer to Kinigi Town

After breakfast, visit the Kigali Genocide memorial museum, one of the museums that were established to commemorate the victims of the 1994 Rwanda genocide. This is the final resting place for more than 250,000 victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi tribe in Rwanda. It honors the memory of the more than one million Rwandans killed in 1994. This dark tour will make you appreciate how this relatively small country has quickly recovered from its painful history.

 After this sobering moment, go for lunch at Hotel Des Mille Collines, that was featured in the Hollywood movie ’Hotel Rwanda’ in 2004. After lunch, drive on a smooth road that meanders through the rolling hills to Kinigi Town, gateway to the Virunga Mountains. You will be checked in at the most luxurious camp- Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge. It is set in serene gardens, with stunning views of the Virungas, a collection of active and dormant volcanoes. This cozy lodge is built out of stone and tile build, and consists of a main cottage and 8 sleeping rooms. The main lodge, with mustard colored walls, large Mediterranean style tiling and beautiful windows. Fixed to the walls, looking out over the slopes, are giant sized masks, which add a real sense of mystery to the experience. Inside, and characterized by beautifully maintained wooden floors, white walls, low slatted ceilings, a mix of slumber seating, open log fires and African prints, the shared areas include a bar, library, games room, verandah, dining room and seating areas.

Days 3

Mountain Gorilla Trekking

The Parc National des Volcans is part of the Virungas which are shared between Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo; the only habitat to just over 1000 surviving mountain gorillas. Make a short drive to park headquarters this morning where you will meet your gorilla trekking guides. Ranger guides to be exact. They will give you a brief talk on the procedures and etiquette of gorilla tracking before you set off to the dense rain forest. In an effort to give you an 80% probability of seeing these majestic primates, a team of trackers will be in the forest ahead of your departure. Their task is identifying where the gorillas were seen the night before and pursuing them to a point/climax—where you will be able to connect. Although the hike can be physically demanding, the beauty of the forest and surrounding scenery makes the effort worthwhile in addition to the ultimate reward of getting a close-up with the gorillas; a profoundly moving wildlife encounter. Return to the lodge and relax as you watch the sun burry itself over the horizons; Virunga volcanoes.

Day 4

Golden Monkey Trekking, Transfer to Kigali and Depart

Have an early breakfast and return to the park headquarters where you will meet the park guide ahead of a guided trek to the forest—to observe rare golden monkeys. These old world monkeys are active throughout the day and mostly live in the bamboo zone of this mountainous park, not so far from its foot. A golden monkey trek operates similarly to the early morning gorilla treks. Groups are limited to eight travelers, and once you meet up with the golden monkeys, you will have one hour to spend with them and return to the lodge for lunch, refresh and transfer to the airport for departing flight.

Day 1

Arrive in Uganda through Entebbe International Airport

Arrival in Uganda through Entebbe International Airport, you will be welcomed by our drive guide who will transfer you to Kampala for an overnight at the magnificent Kampala Serena Hotel. It is an oasis of cool and green, within a peaceful neighborhood that hosts some of Uganda’s hallmark structures-like the Parliament. This five-star hotel boasts of 17 acres of beautifully manicured gardens and a sensational pond—that overlooks its Olympic size swimming pool. This and the other luxurious amenities of the hotel will reward you with the utmost comfort.  

Day 2

Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park.

After breakfast, drive to Kibale Forest National Park through Uganda’s western lush highlands decorated with tea, coffee and banana plantations. You will have unobstructed views of Mountains of the Moon, Rwenzori (Uganda’s highest Mountain-5,109meters A.S.L). You will be checked in at Primate Lodge, a splendid forest home located in the heart of Kibale rainforest National Park. It is a few minutes’ walk from the visitor information center where the forest activities begin from.  From the comfort of your Luxury Cottage, you can unwind and listen to the chattering of the red-tailed monkeys in the dense branches.

Day 3

Chimpanzee Trekking

Take an early breakfast and be transferred to the nearby briefing area where you will be welcomed by the park ranger guide. He will happily give you a detailed brief on dos and don’ts of chimpanzee tracking before leading you into the forest for a National Geographic moment with the 13 species of primates to whom the park is home: These include a mix of both old world and new world monkeys like baboons, Black-and-white Colobus Monkey, chimpanzees, Blue Monkey, Red-tailed Monkey, Grey-cheeked Mangabey and Bushbaby. The dense forest hosts a population of more than 1,000 wild chimpanzees. Your guide will draw your attention to an evocative pant-hoot call that marks your proximity to the delightful apes.  Spend a full hour watching them feed, socialize and rest before trekking back to your lodge for a hot lunch.

 Later in the afternoon, drive to the nearby Bigodi Community for a signature swamp walk that has been featured on international media as the best community conservation model. The local guide will take you through a wetland sanctuary with more than 100 species of birds and primates including the red colobus, black-and-white colobus and other monkeys. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.  

Day 4

Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park through the crater lakes and banana plantations. Along the way, you will see traditional architectural designs of huts and local markets. Proceed along the western Rift Valley that leads to Mweya Safari Lodge. This lavish colonial styled lodge hovers on a peninsula protruding into the Kazinga Channel. At night, interesting guests including hippos and warthogs are usually seen grazing by your windows.

After lunch, you will be transferred to the nearby docking area for boat cruise on Kazinga channel for great wildlife views including elephants, crocodiles, hippos, buffalos and hundreds of birds.

Day 5

Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

 Take a relaxed breakfast, checkout of your room and embark on the last game drive for the last chance with the lions, exit Ishasha and drive to Bwindi through the village of Kigezi. The scenery gradually changes from open savanna to rolling mountain ranges covered in dense green rain forest. You will be checked in at Mahogany Springs, a luxury small lodge facing the dense Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, the home to half the world’s endangered mountain gorillas.

Day 6

First Mountain Gorilla Tracking Experience

This is a big day; you will have a rare encounter with gentle giant mountain gorilla. This is no doubt the absolute highlight of a tour to Africa for most visitors. It is a humbling experience to stand meters from the gentle giants as they eat rest, play and bond with their young ones. After a briefing by park authorities, you will embark on a forest trek lasting from one-five hours, depending on the location of the gorillas in the thick forest. There are 10 habituated gorilla families in the park. You will be blessed to encounter and spend time with one of the families that can be visited by a group of eight people per day! It comprises of members of different age brackets from newly born babies to Silverbacks that are over 20 years old. You will enjoy an exciting journey along forested slopes, bushes and bamboo before you ultimately reach the gorilla family. Coming face-to-face with a mountain gorilla is a truly awesome and emotional experience. You will return to the lodge where we will offer you a complementary body massage. Overnight at Mahogany Safari Lodge

Day 7

Second Day Mountain Gorilla Tracking Experience

For two days, you will have a rare encounter with gentle giant mountain gorilla. This is no doubt the absolute highlight of a wildlife safari to Africa. Experience has shown that you can visit the same gorilla group twice on different days and get completely different experiences. Individual Mountain gorillas behave differently and same mountain gorilla can behalf differently on different days depending on moods. Some individuals are more active than others, some juveniles are more playful.

On the second day, after briefing, you will be led into the forest to track a different gorilla and you will agree with us that it is a different experience!

In the evening, we will take you on an optional community experience to visit some nearby homesteads. Some of these live with former forest people (pygmies) who were evicted from the forest to pave way for gorilla conservation. They will demonstrate to you how they used to hunt for survival. The experience is crowned with enthusiastic cultural dances. Overnight at Mahogany Safari Lodge.

Day 8

Transfer to Entebbe and Fly to Kenya

Have an early breakfast, you will checkout at take a 4-hour drive to Entebbe International Airport in time for the departing flight to Nairobi.

Upon arrival and after entry visa clearance, you will be welcomed by our experience driver guide who will transfer you to the lush, green Nairobi suburb of Karen. You will check you in at the iconic Giraffe Manor, an exclusive boutique hotel, set in 12 acres of private land within 140 acres of indigenous forest in the Langata suburb of Nairobi. Giraffe Manor has extraordinary appeal, that harks back to the 1930s when European visitors first flocked to East Africa to enjoy safaris. With its stately façade, elegant interior, verdant green gardens, sunny terraces and delightful courtyards, guests often remark that it’s like walking into the film Out of Africa: indeed, one of its twelve rooms is named after the author Karen Blixen. The most fascinating thing about Giraffe Manor is its herd of resident Rothschild’s giraffe who may visit morning and evening, sometimes poking their long necks into the windows in the hope of a treat, before retreating to their forest sanctuary.

Day 9

Breakfast with the Giraffe and Visit to the Elephant Orphanage and Fly to Masai Mara Game Reserve

This morning, you’ll enjoy breakfast alongside the Rothschild giraffe who are the signature visitors of this rustic Manor. After breakfast, take a walk through the well-manicured grounds of the hotel to the Giraffe Center where you can continue learning about Giraffe and the conservation efforts underway in Africa to protect these beautiful creatures. Visit the nearby Kazuri beads factory and see how the former less-advantaged women are making world-class beads that have found their way to international market including USA. Later, proceed to David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and experience how rescued orphaned elephants are rehabilitated and cared for before they are reintroduced into the wild.

 You will have lunch at Karen Blixen Coffee Garden Hotel for lunch and transfer to Wilson airport early on time chartered flight to Masai Mara Game Reserve. Here, you will be warmly welcomed by warm staff of Sala’s Camp that will check you in your private tent with wonderful views of the Savannah. Sala’s Camp is a tented camp that combines tradition with comfort and intimate luxury. It is situated in the southern wing of the park, a wilder corner of Kenya’s mighty Masai Mara game reserve—close to the confluence of the Sand and Keekorok Rivers. This idyllic geographical feature attracts teeming wildlife. Sala’s Camp location is a big draw, close to Tanzania with wonderful views of the Serengeti National Park, it is one of the first camps in the Mara to witness the legendary annual migration of wildebeest, which thunders by from June to September each year. After checking in your room, return for guest area for lunch and relax before an evening game drive.

Days 10 & 11

Game Drives in Masai Mara Game Reserve

Spend morning and evening on game drives exploring this vast savanna, woodlands and tree-fringed rivers of the Masai Mara. From the elusive leopards retrieving kills from acacia branches, to elephants protecting their young from opportunistic lions, hunting cheetahs and rich bird-list, you will be blown off your throne by Masai Mara.  If you plan your trip between June to September, you will be treated to the famous great migration.

Day 12

Fly from Masai Mara to Nairobi

Breakfast and check out. Depart from Maasai Mara back to Nairobi, Kenya’s wonderful capital city. You can take time shopping before being taken to the airport for your departing flight

Day 1

Arrive in Uganda through Entebbe International Airport

Arrival in Uganda through Entebbe International Airport, you will be welcomed by our drive guide who will transfer you to Kampala for an overnight at the magnificent Kampala Serena Hotel. It is an oasis of cool and green, within a peaceful neighborhood that hosts some of Uganda’s hallmark structures-like the Parliament. This five-star hotel boasts of 17 acres of beautifully manicured gardens and a sensational pond—that overlooks its Olympic size swimming pool. This and the other luxurious amenities of the hotel will reward you with the utmost comfort.  

Day 2

Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park.

After breakfast, drive to Kibale Forest National Park through Uganda’s western lush highlands decorated with tea, coffee and banana plantations. You will have unobstructed views of Mountains of the Moon, Rwenzori (Uganda’s highest Mountain-5,109meters A.S.L). You will be checked in at Primate Lodge, a splendid forest home located in the heart of Kibale rainforest National Park. It is a few minutes’ walk from the visitor information center where the forest activities begin from.  From the comfort of your Luxury Cottage, you can unwind and listen to the chattering of the red-tailed monkeys in the dense branches.

Day 3

Chimpanzee Trekking

Take an early breakfast and be transferred to the nearby briefing area where you will be welcomed by the park ranger guide. He will happily give you a detailed brief on dos and don’ts of chimpanzee tracking before leading you into the forest for a National Geographic moment with the 13 species of primates to whom the park is home: These include a mix of both old world and new world monkeys like baboons, Black-and-white Colobus Monkey, chimpanzees, Blue Monkey, Red-tailed Monkey, Grey-cheeked Mangabey and Bushbaby. The dense forest hosts a population of more than 1,000 wild chimpanzees. Your guide will draw your attention to an evocative pant-hoot call that marks your proximity to the delightful apes.  Spend a full hour watching them feed, socialize and rest before trekking back to your lodge for a hot lunch.

 Later in the afternoon, drive to the nearby Bigodi Community for a signature swamp walk that has been featured on international media as the best community conservation model. The local guide will take you through a wetland sanctuary with more than 100 species of birds and primates including the red colobus, black-and-white colobus and other monkeys. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.  

Day 4

Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park through en route banana plantations, crater lakes with fascinating shapes and rolling hills. Proceed along the western Rift Valley that leads to Mweya Safari Lodge. This five star resort hovers on a peninsula protruding into the Kazinga Channel. At night, interesting guests including hippos and warthogs are usually seen grazing by your windows.

After lunch, you will be transferred to the nearby docking area for a relaxing boat cruise on Kazinga channel for great wildlife views including elephants, crocodiles, hippos, buffalos and hundreds of birds.

Day 5

Lion Monitoring Tracking and Game Drives

After breakfast, join the lion monitoring research team and drive to the park for an experiential tracking of lions, an experience that permits you to go off road (what the other cars are not allowed to do) to find the lions (and the other animals) and get very close to them. The Uganda Carnivore Project does research on Lions and other predators in Queen Elizabeth and this safari gives you an opportunity to join researchers on one of their outings. Part of the proceedings are used by Uganda Carnivore Project to educate the surrounding communities how to live in harmony and yet in close proximity to Lions and Leopards.

 Return to the lodge and relax, have lunch and later in the afternoon, take another game drive and crown the day with a sundowner.

Day 6

Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Take a relaxed breakfast, checkout of your room and embark on the last game drive for the last chance with the lions, exit Ishasha and drive to Bwindi through the village of Kigezi. The scenery gradually changes from open savanna to rolling mountain ranges covered in dense green rain forest. You will be checked in at Mahogany Springs, a luxury small lodge facing the dense Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, the home to half the world’s endangered mountain gorillas.

Day 7

First Mountain Gorilla Tracking Experience

This is a big day; you will have a rare encounter with gentle giant mountain gorilla. This is no doubt the absolute highlight of a tour to Africa for most visitors. It is a humbling experience to stand meters from the gentle giants as they eat rest, play and bond with their young ones. After a briefing by park authorities, you will embark on a forest trek lasting from one-five hours, depending on the location of the gorillas in the thick forest. There are 10 habituated gorilla families in the park. You will be blessed to encounter and spend time with one of the families that can be visited by a group of eight people per day! It comprises of members of different age brackets from newly born babies to Silverbacks that are over 20 years old. You will enjoy an exciting journey along forested slopes, bushes and bamboo before you ultimately reach the gorilla family. Coming face-to-face with a mountain gorilla is a truly awesome and emotional experience. You will return to the lodge where we will offer you a complementary body massage. Overnight at Mahogany Safari Lodge

Day 8

Second Day Mountain Gorilla Tracking Experience

For two days, you will have a rare encounter with gentle giant mountain gorilla. This is no doubt the absolute highlight of a wildlife safari to Africa. Experience has shown that you can visit the same gorilla group twice on different days and get completely different experiences. Individual Mountain gorillas behave differently and same mountain gorilla can behalf differently on different days depending on moods. Some individuals are more active than others, some juveniles are more playful.

On the second day, after briefing, you will be led into the forest to track a different gorilla and you will agree with us that it is a different experience!

In the evening, we will take you on an optional community experience to visit some nearby homesteads. Some of these live with former forest people (pygmies) who were evicted from the forest to pave way for gorilla conservation. They will demonstrate to you how they used to hunt for survival. The experience is crowned with enthusiastic cultural dances. Overnight at Mahogany Safari Lodge.

Day 9

Fly to Entebbe and Depart

Today marks the end of your safari. After breakfast, your guide will transfer you to Kihihi airstrip that is 1.5hours away from Bwindi for a pre-arranged charter flight to Entebbe. You will be transferred to Boma Hotel for a day room to relax and refresh as you wait for your departing flight. Have a farewell meal complementary meal with our director before transferring to the airport.

Day 1

Arrive in Uganda through Entebbe International Airport

Arrive in Entebbe and transfer to Lake Victoria Serana Hotel. Styled to replicate a pastel-shaded Italian hillside village, Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort & Spa stands out among five star hotels in Uganda. It is situated amid terraced rose gardens above its own boating marina as sculpted from the sparkling waters of Lake Victoria, Africa’s biggest freshwater lake. You will have uninterrupted time to relax before a group dinner later in the evening where you will have a full orientation to this tour.  Meals and Overnight at Lake Victoria Serena Hotel

Day 2

Fly to the Kidepo National Park

You will be transferred to Entebbe for a chartered flight Kidepo where you will be received by our driver guide who will transfer you to Apoka Lodge. It is a luxury camp punched on rocky kopje with endless views of the Kidepo’s remote savannahs. You will be checked in your spacious room with private veranda, the best place in Africa to relax and breathe in nature!

Days 3

Endless Game Drives in Kidepo National Park

Kidepo no doubt has the most spectacular landscapes in Uganda with jagged hills, golden grasslands and plains dotted with some of the largest wildlife populations. Morning and evening game drives give you wonderful sightings of lions, giraffes, zebras, leopards, breeding herd of elephants, largest herds of buffalo in Africa, elands, oribis, odd jackal, Jackson’s hartebeest, and reedbucks. Kidepo is the only place in Uganda where you can find cheetah and ostrich. In the evening return to the park with for the last game drive that will be crowned with a sundowner in the arms of a massive fig tree.

Days 4

Fly to Murchison Falls National Park

After breakfast, you will transfer to the nearby airstrip for a chartered flight into Murchison Falls National Park. You will land at Pakuba airstrip where you will be transferred to Paraa Safari Lodge, a magical colonial styled lodge where Queen Elizabeth II stayed during her visit to Uganda in 1954. The colourful lodge offers sweeping panoramic views of the Nile River. You will be checked in your room with private balcony overlooking the Nile. Have lunch and relax before taking an evening game drive.

Day 5

Game Drives and Boat Cruise

Murchison Falls National Park is bisected by the Victoria Nile as it flows up north to Egypt. In the heart of the Park, the river forces itself through two surviving volcanic rocks and forms the world’s powerful waterfall, Murchison falls. The calm stretch of river below to the delta offers permanent water supply for game making it a superb wildlife viewing spot for elephant, giraffe, buffalo, hippo and Nile crocodile. Rewarding morning and evening games will be supplement with bush breakfasts as you watch glorious sun pour life into this massive park. You will take a launch trip to the base of the falls and sight enormous Nile Crocodiles as they sunbath on the shores of the river while their river-mates, the hippos bask in the calm waters.

Day 6

Fly to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After a relaxed breakfast, transfer to the airstrip and fly to Kisoro airstrip where our guide will usher you to Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge. This fancy lodge is set on a forested ridge near the entrance to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, with spectacular views of dormant Virunga volcanoes. Each of the 8 cottage features a bedroom, ensuite bathroom with walk-in shower and separate lounge. Comfortable chairs on the outdoor verandas provide the perfect vantage point to admire the unforgettable panoramas of the forest below.

Day 7

First Mountain Gorilla Tracking Experience

This is a big day; you will have a rare encounter with gentle giant mountain gorilla. This is no doubt the absolute highlight of a tour to Africa for most visitors. It is a humbling experience to stand meters from the gentle giants as they eat rest, play and bond with their young ones. After a briefing by park authorities, you will embark on a forest trek lasting from one-five hours, depending on the location of the gorillas in the thick forest. There are 10 habituated gorilla families and you will be privileged to encounter and spend time with one of the families. You will enjoy an exciting journey along forested slopes, bushes and bamboo before you ultimately reach the gorilla family. Coming face-to-face with a mountain gorilla is a truly awesome and emotional experience. You will return to the lodge where we will offer you a complementary body massage.

Day 8

Fly to Entebbe and Depart

Today marks the end of your safari. After breakfast, your guide will transfer you to Kisoro airstrip for a pre-arranged chartered flight to Entebbe. You will be transferred to Boma Hotel for a day room to relax and refresh as you wait for your departing flight. Have a farewell meal complementary meal with our director before transferring to the airport.

Day 1:

Arrive in Uganda

Arrive through Entebbe International Airport where after entry visa clearance you will be welcomed by our experienced driver guide who will transfer you to Kampala Serena Hotel, a five-star oasis of cool and green, within a peaceful neighborhood that hosts some of Uganda’s hallmark structures-like the Parliament. This five-star hotel boasts of 17 acres of beautifully manicured gardens and a sensational pond—that overlooks its Olympic size swimming pool. This and the other luxurious amenities of the hotel will reward you with the utmost comfort.

Day 2:

Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park.

After breakfast, drive to Kibale Forest National Park through Uganda’s western lush highlands decorated with tea, coffee and banana plantations. Your jaws will drop in awe as you marvel at breathtaking landscapes that sit in the shadows of Rwenzori, Africa’s third highest Mountain. You will be checked in at Ndali Lodge that sits on a beautiful crater lake rim and is 45 away from in Kibale Forest National park, famous home of the largest concentration of chimpanzees in Africa, as well as a bewildering variety of other primates, birds and butterflies. The Lodge is part of the 1000-acre farm with a Vanilla processing plant; while here, you can take a walk around, past alcohol brewing in oil drums, through banana plantations, vanilla plantations, coffee terraces, plots of cassava, groundnuts, sorghum and millet. Below the lodge, on the lake itself, is a sturdy jetty, set in the most tranquil and secluded spot and frequented by 5 different species of Kingfisher.

Day 3:

Chimpanzee Trekking

Take an early breakfast and be transferred to the nearby briefing area where you will be welcomed by the park ranger guide. He will give you a detailed brief on dos and don’ts of chimp tracking before leading you into the forest for a lively adventure. Kibale Forest National Park harbors the greatest variety and concentration of primates found anywhere in East Africa. It has over 13 different species including the Black-and-white Colobus Monkey, Blue Monkey, Red-tailed Monkey, Grey-cheeked Mangabey and Bushbaby. The dense forest hosts a population of more than 1,000 wild chimpanzees. Your guide will draw your attention to an evocative pant-hoot call that marks your proximity to the delightful apes.  Spend a full hour watching them feed, socialize and rest before trekking back to your lodge for a hot lunch—made of fresh organic foods.  Return to the lodge for a relaxed evening and sundowner.

Day 4:

Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park through en route banana plantations, crater lakes with fascinating shapes and rolling hills. Proceed along the western Rift Valley that leads to Mweya Safari Lodge. This five-star resort hovers on a peninsula protruding into the Kazinga Channel. At night, interesting guests including hippos and warthogs are usually seen grazing by your windows.

After lunch, you will be transferred to the nearby docking area for a relaxing boat cruise on Kazinga channel for great wildlife views including elephants, crocodiles, hippos, buffalos and hundreds of birds.

Day 5:

Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

 Take a relaxed breakfast, checkout of your room and drive to Ishasha sector, home to the famous tree-climbing lions. This is the second known population that climb trees as part of their day-to-day behavior (the other is found in Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania). Several theories have been advanced for this behavior of lions including a speculation that these lions climb trees to protect themselves against the biting tsetse flies. Others claim that they seek shelter in the tree branches from the heat.

 After an experience with Lions, go to the nearby Ishasha Wilderness Camp for lunch and later exit Ishasha to Bwindi through the green villages of Kigezi, the scenery gradually changes from open savanna to mountain slopes covered in dense rain forest. You will be checked in at Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, a contemporary-yet-classic lodge that blends in sensitively with the dramatic African mountain landscape and, situated uniquely inside the national park,  only minutes away from the start of your gorilla trekking adventure.

Days 6:

Mountain Gorilla Tracking Experience

A day in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park offers you a rare encounter with wild mountain gorillas. This is no doubt the absolute highlight of a tour to Africa for most visitors. It is a humbling experience to stand meters from the gentle giants as they eat, rest, play and bond with their young ones. After a briefing by park authorities, you will embark on a forest trek lasting from one-five hours, depending on the location of the gorillas as they range spontaneously in the thick forest. There are 10 habituated gorilla families and you will be privileged to encounter and spend time with one of the families that have both young and old members! You will enjoy an exciting journey along forested slopes, bushes and bamboo before you eventually reach the gorilla family. Coming face-to-face with a mountain gorilla is a truly awesome and emotional experience. You will return to the lodge to relax and in the evening go for a short community visit to interact with the Batwa, the Pygmies who were evicted from the forest to pave way for gorilla conservation. They will demonstrate how they used to live in the forest. Get back to the hotel for dinner.

Day 7:

Fly to Entebbe and Depart

Today marks the end of your safari. After breakfast, your guide will transfer you to Kihihi airstrip that is 1.5hours away from Bwindi for a pre-arranged chartered flight to Entebbe. You will be transferred to Boma Hotel for a day room to relax and refresh as you wait for your departing flight. Have a farewell complementary meal with our director before your transfer to the airport.

Day 1:

Arrive in Uganda through Entebbe International Airport

Arrive in Entebbe and transfer to Lake Victoria Serana Hotel. Styled to replicate a pastel-shaded Italian hillside village, Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort & Spa stands out among five star hotels in Uganda. It is situated amid terraced rose gardens above its own boating marina which has been sculpted from the sparkling waters of Lake Victoria, the largest tropical-freshwater lake in the world. You will have uninterrupted time to relax before a group dinner later in the evening where you will have a full orientation to this tour.  Meals and Overnight at Lake Victoria Serena Hotel

Day 2:

Fly to Murchison Falls National Park

You will be transferred to Entebbe for a chartered flight into Murchison Falls National Park and land at Pakuba airstrip. From here, you will be transferred to Paraa Safari Lodge, a lavish colonial style lodge where Queen Elizabeth II stayed during her first visit to Uganda in 1954. The balconies of its fully fledged rooms have sweeping panoramic views of the Nile River. Have lunch and relax before taking an evening game drive.

Day 3:

Game Drives in Murchison Falls National Park

Murchison Falls National Park is bisected by the Victoria Nile as it flows up north to Egypt. In the heart of the Park, the river forces itself through a seven meter wide cleft before plummeting of a 140 feet high valley. This powerful burst produces the world’s powerful waterfall. The calm stretch of river below to the delta offers permanent water supply for game, making it a superb wildlife viewing spot for elephants, giraffes, buffalos, hippos and Nile crocodiles. Rewarding morning and evening game drives will be supplemented with bush breakfast as you watch glorious sun pour life into this massive picturesque park. It’s endowed with both open Savannahs and a dense tropical forest. You will take a launch trip to the base of the falls and sight enormous Nile Crocodiles as they sunbathe on the shores of the river while their river-mates, the hippos bask in the calm waters.

Day 4:

Fly to Kibale Forest National Park.

After breakfast, fly to Kasese Airstrip as found in the shadows of Mountain Rwenzori, Uganda’s highest snowcapped Mountain situated along the Equator. At Kasese Airstrip, you will be picked by our guide who will drive you to Kibale Forest National Park. It is Africa’s primate capital as it has 13 species of both old world and new world monkeys. On arrival, you will be checked in at Primate Lodge, a sensational forest home located at the heart of Kibale rainforest National Park. It is just above the visitor information center—the starting point for bird watching and chimp tracking.  From the comfort of your Luxury Cottage, you can unwind and listen to the chattering of the red-tailed monkeys in the dense branches.

Day 5:

Chimpanzee Habituation Experience

Take an early breakfast and be transferred to the nearby briefing area where you will be welcomed by the park ranger guide. He will give you a detailed brief on dos and don’ts before leading you into the forest for a long day on Chimpanzee Habitation Experience. In a small group of people, you will join a team of trackers, researchers and spend time with chimpanzees in their natural setting. The habituation process that takes more than two years for Chimpanzees to get used to humans before they are group is open for regular tourism. Kibale Forest National Park harbours the greatest variety and concentration of primates found anywhere in East Africa with over 13 different species including the Black-and-white Colobus Monkey, Blue Monkey, Red-tailed Monkey, Grey-cheeked Mangabey and Bushbaby. The dense forest hosts a population of more than 1,000 wild chimpanzees. Your guide will draw your attention to an evocative pant-hoot call that marks your proximity to the delightful apes.  Spend up to 6 hours watching them feed, socialize and building nests in the branches. After this, you will trek back to your lodge for a dinner and camp fire (optional).

Day 6:

Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park through en route banana plantations, crater lakes with fascinating shapes and rolling hills. Proceed along the western Rift Valley that leads to Mweya Safari Lodge. This five star resort hovers on a peninsula protruding into the Kazinga Channel. At night, interesting guests including hippos and warthogs are usually seen grazing by your windows.

After lunch, you will be transferred to the nearby docking area for a relaxing boat cruise on Kazinga channel for great wildlife views including elephants, crocodiles, hippos, buffalos and hundreds of birds.

Day 7:

Lion Monitoring Tracking and Game Drives

After breakfast, join the lion monitoring research team and drive to the park for an experiential tracking of lions, an experience that permits you to go off road (what the other cars are not allowed to do) to find the lions (and the other animals) and get very close to them. The Uganda Carnivore Project does research on Lions and other predators in Queen Elizabeth and this safari gives you an opportunity to join researchers on one of their outings. Part of the proceedings are used by Uganda Carnivore Project to educate the surrounding communities how to live in harmony and yet in close proximity to Lions and Leopards.

Return to the lodge and relax, have lunch and later in the afternoon, take another game drive and crown the day with a sundowner.

Day 8:

Ishasha Tree Climbing Lions and Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

After breakfast, checkout and drive to Ishasha sector, home to the famous tree-climbing lions. This is the second known population that climbs trees as part of their day-to-day behavior (the other is found in Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania). They mostly do this to get clear views of prey roaming in the Savannah and take shelter from the scorching sun.

 After the experience, drive to Bwindi where you will be checked in at Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge with 12 individually hand-crafted cottages, each offering the tranquility of the rainforest.

Day 9:

Gorilla Habituation Experience

Wake up early this morning, have breakfast and drive to the park’s briefing area where you will meet the park rangers. They will joyfully give you all guidelines before leading you into the dense forest to search for gorillas. Mountain Gorilla habituation is done in Rushaga sector, southern part Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. In a small group of 4 visitors, take this golden opportunity to spend 4 hours with the gorillas as they go about their daily life of feeding, playing, grooming and bonding.

Day 11:

Fly to Entebbe and Depart

Today marks the end of your safari. After breakfast, your guide will transfer you to Kisoro airstrip for a pre-arranged chartered flight to Entebbe. You will be transferred to Boma Hotel for a day room to relax and refresh as you wait for your departing flight. Have a farewell meal complementary meal with our director before transferring to the airport.

Day 1:

Arrive in Uganda through Entebbe International Airport

Arrive in Entebbe and transfer to Lake Victoria Serena Hotel. Styled to replicate a pastel-shaded Italian hillside village, The Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort & Spa stands out among hotels in Uganda. It is situated amid terraced rose gardens above its own boating marina—as sculpted from the sparkling waters of Lake Victoria. You will have uninterrupted time to relax before a group dinner later in the evening—where you will have a full orientation to this tour.  Meals and Overnight at Lake Victoria Serena Hotel

Days 2&3:

Fly to Murchison Falls National Park

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the nearby airstrip for a chartered flight into Murchison Falls National Park and land at Pakuba airstrip. From here, you will be transferred to Paraa Safari Lodge, an affluent hotel with panoramic views of the Nile River. You will be checked in your room. It boasts of private balcony overlooking the Nile. Have lunch and relax before taking an evening game drive.

The park is bisected by River Nile as it flows up north to Egypt and eventually Mediterranean ocean. In the heart of the Park, the river forces itself through a seven meter wide cleft and plummets over a 140 feet long valley. This generates to the world’s most powerful waterfall. The calm stretch of river below to the delta offers permanent water supply for game making it a superb wildlife viewing spot for elephants, giraffes, buffalos, hippos and Nile crocodiles. Rewarding morning and evening game drives will be supplemented with bush breakfast as you watch glorious sun pour life into this massive park. You will take a launch trip to the base of the falls and sight enormous Nile Crocodiles as they sunbathe on the shores of the river while their river-mates, the hippos bask in the calm waters.

Day 4:

Fly to Kibale Forest National Park.

After breakfast, fly to Kasese Airstrip where you will be picked by our guide who will drive you to Kibale Forest National Park that sits in the shadow of Rwenzori Mountains. You will be checked into Primate Lodge, a beautiful forest home located in the heart of Kibale rainforest National Park. It is within five minutes’ walk from the visitor information center—where the forest activities begin from.  From the comfort of your Luxury Cottage, you can unwind and listen to the chattering of the red-tailed monkeys in the dense canopy.

Day 5:

Chimpanzee Trekking

Take an early breakfast and be transferred to the nearby briefing area where you will be welcomed by the park ranger guide. He will give you a detailed brief on dos and don’ts of chimp tracking before leading you into the forest for a lively adventure. Kibale Forest National Park harbors the greatest variety and concentration of primates found anywhere in East Africa. It has over 13 different species including the Black-and-white Colobus Monkey, Blue Monkey, Red-tailed Monkey, Grey-cheeked Mangabey and Bushbaby. The dense forest hosts a population of more than 1,000 wild chimpanzees. Your guide will draw your attention to an evocative pant-hoot call that marks your proximity to the delightful apes.  Spend a full hour watching them feed, socialize and rest before trekking back to your lodge for a hot lunch—made of fresh organic foods.

Later in the afternoon, drive to the nearby Bigodi Community for a signature nature walk in the swamp. This two hours experience is so revitalizing and has been repeatedly featured on international media as the best community conservation model. This includes BBC travel. The local guide will take you through a wetland sanctuary with more than 100 species of birds and primates including the red colobus, black-and-white colobus and other monkeys. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 6:

Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park that sits in the western Rift Valley. You will drive along the foothills of Rwenzori Mountains and be welcomed by the Equator Line that separates the park from the neighboring community. Views of numerous crater lakes and depressions are a manifestation of the volcanic activities that shaped the rift valley.  You will be checked into your room at the stunning Mweya Safari Lodge that hovers on a peninsula protruding into the Kazinga Channel. At night, interesting guests including hippos and warthogs are usually seen grazing by your windows.

After lunch, you will be transferred to the nearby docking area for boat cruise on Kazinga channel for great wildlife views including elephants, crocodiles, hippos, buffalos and hundreds of birds. Overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner).

Day 7:

Transfer to Ishasha for tree-climbing Lions

After breakfast, checkout and drive to Kasenyi for a game drive to chance with hunting lions and elusive leopard that hang around the mating grounds of Uganda kobs. Proceed to Ishasha sector, home to the famous tree-climbing lions. This is the second known population that climb trees as part of their day-to-day behavior (the other is found in Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania). Several theories have been advanced for this behavior of lions including a speculation that these lions climb trees to protect themselves against the biting tsetse flies. Others claim that they seek shelter in the tree branches from the heat.

After the experience, proceed to the nearby Ishasha wilderness lodge, check in your room and have a hot lunch. In the evening, take another game drive or relax at your lodge.

Day 8:

Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

 Take a relaxed breakfast, checkout of your room and embark on the last game drive for the last chance with the kings of the jungle. Exit Ishasha and drive to Bwindi through the village of Kigezi. The scenery gradually changes from open savanna to mountain slopes covered in dense green rain forest. You will be checked in at Mahogany Springs, a luxury small lodge facing the dense Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, the home to half the world’s endangered mountain gorillas.

Day 9:

Mountain Gorilla Tracking Experience

This is a big day; you will have a rare encounter with gentle giant mountain gorilla. This is no doubt the absolute highlight of a tour to Africa for most visitors. It is a humbling experience to stand meters from the gentle giants as they eat rest, play and bond with their young ones. After a briefing by park authorities, you will embark on a forest trek lasting between one-five hours, depending on the location of the gorillas—as they range spontaneously in the thick forest. There are 10 habituated gorilla families and you will be privileged to encounter. You will spend time with one of the families that can be visited by a group of eight people per day! You will enjoy an exciting journey along forested slopes, bushes and bamboo before you ultimately reach the gorilla family. Coming face-to-face with a mountain gorilla is a truly awesome and emotional experience. You will return to the lodge relax and in the evening go for a short community visit to interact with the Batwa. It is a Pygmy tribe that was evicted from the forest to pave way for gorilla conservation. They will demonstrate how they used to live in the forest prior to their eviction. How they used to hunt, thatch their huts, harvest wild fruits and groove to traditional forest festivals. Get back to the hotel for dinner. Overnight at Mahogany Safari Lodge (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Day 10:

Fly to Entebbe and Depart

Today marks the end of your safari. After breakfast, your guide will transfer you to Kihihi airstrip that is 1.5hours away from Bwindi for a pre-arranged chartered flight to Entebbe. You will be transferred to Boma Hotel for a day room to relax and refresh as you wait for your departing flight. Have a farewell complementary meal with our director before your transfer to the airport.

Day 1:

Arrive in Uganda

Arrive through Entebbe International Airport where after visa clearance you will be welcomed by our experienced driver guide who will transfer you to Kampala Serena Hotel. It is an oasis of cool and green, within a peaceful neighborhood that hosts some of Uganda’s hallmark structures-like the Parliament. This five star hotel boasts of 17 acres of beautifully manicured gardens and a sensational pond—that overlooks its Olympic size swimming pool. This and the other luxurious amenities of the hotel will reward you with the utmost comfort.

Day 2:

Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park.

After breakfast, drive to Kibale Forest National Park through Uganda’s western lush highlands decorated with tea, coffee and banana plantations and enjoy breathtaking landscapes in the shadows of Rwenzori Mountains. You will be checked in at Primate Lodge as located in the heart of Kibale rainforest National Park. It is within five minutes’ walk from the visitor information center where the forest activities begin from.  From the comfort of your Luxury Cottage, you can unwind and listen to the chattering of the red-tailed monkeys in the dense branches.

Day 3:

Chimpanzee Trekking

Take an early breakfast and be transferred to the nearby briefing area where you will be welcomed by the park ranger guide. He will give you a detailed brief on dos and don’ts before leading you into the forest to look out for man’s closest relatives, chimpanzees. Kibale Forest National Park harbours the greatest variety and concentration of primates found in East Africa with over 13 different species. These include the Black-and-white Colobus Monkey, Blue Monkey, Red-tailed Monkey, Grey-cheeked Mangabey and Bushbaby. The dense forest hosts a population of more than 1,000 wild chimpanzees. Your guide will draw your attention to an evocative pant-hoot call that marks your proximity to the delightful apes.  Spend a full hour watching them feed, socialize and rest before trekking back to your lodge for a hot lunch that tickles the taste buds.

 Later in the afternoon, drive to the nearby Bigodi Community for a signature swamp walk that has been featured on international media as the best community conservation model. The local guide will take you through a wetland sanctuary with more than 100 species of birds and primates including the red colobus, black-and-white colobus and other monkeys. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 4:

Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park via the crater lakes and banana plantations where you will not miss the locals pushing huge bunches of banana on bicycles to the nearby markets. Proceed along the western Rift Valley that leads you to Mweya Safari Lodge, your home for the night. This luxurious lodge hovers on a peninsula protruding into the Kazinga Channel. At night, you will hear and see hippos and warthogs grazing around your room.

After lunch, you will be transferred to the nearby docking area for a boat cruise on Kazinga channel for great wildlife views including elephants, crocodiles, hippos, buffalos and hundreds of birds

Day 5:

Transfer to Ishasha for tree-climbing Lions

After breakfast, checkout and head to Kasenyi for a game drive to chance with hunting lions and elusive leopard that hang around the mating grounds of Uganda kobs. Proceed to Ishasha sector, home to the famous tree-climbing lions. This is the second known population that climb trees as part of their day-to-day behavior (the other is found in Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania). Several theories have been advanced for this behavior of lions including a speculation that these lions climb trees to protect themselves against the biting tsetse flies. Others claim that they seek shelter in the tree branches from the heat.

After the experience, proceed to the nearby Ishasha wilderness lodge, check in your room and have a hot lunch. In the evening, take another game drive or relax at your lodge.

Day 6:

Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

 Take a relaxed breakfast, checkout of your room and embark on the last game drive for the last chance with the lions. Thereafter, exit Ishasha and drive to Bwindi through the village of Kigezi, the scenery gradually changes from open savanna to mountain slopes covered in dense green rain forest. You will be checked in at Mahogany Springs, a small luxury lodge facing the dense Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, the home to half the world’s endangered mountain gorillas.

Day 7:

Mountain Gorilla Tracking Experience

This is a big day; you will have a rare encounter with the hairy gentle giants of Africa; mountain gorillas. This is no doubt the absolute highlight of a tour to Africa for most visitors. It is a humbling experience to stand meters from the gentle giants as they eat rest, play and bond with their young ones. After a briefing by park authorities, you will embark on a forest trek lasting from one-five hours, depending on the location of the gorillas in the thick forest. There are 10 habituated gorilla families and you will be privileged to encounter. You will spend time with one of the families. A maximum of eight tourists are allowed to visit a gorilla family. You will enjoy an exciting journey along forested slopes, bushes and bamboo before you ultimately reach the gorilla family. Coming face-to-face with a mountain gorilla is a truly awesome and emotional experience. You will return to the lodge relax and in the evening go for a short community visit to interact with the Batwa. They are a tribe of pygmies that was evicted from the park to pave way for conservation. They will demonstrate how they used to live in the forest. Get back to the hotel for dinner.

Day 8:

Fly to Entebbe and Depart

Today marks the end of your safari. After breakfast, your guide will transfer you to Kihihi airstrip that is 1.5hours away from Bwindi for a pre-arranged charter flight to Entebbe. You will be transferred to Boma Hotel for a day room to relax and refresh as you wait for your departing flight. Have a farewell meal complementary meal with our director before transferring to the airport.

Day 1:

Kigali, Rwanda 

Arrive in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, check in at the Kigali Serena Hotel, a relaxed yet elegant hotel that is ideally located in one of Kigali’s most charming avenues. It is built around a polished granite atrium that showcases the very best of Rwanda’s cultural art. You will receive a full briefing ahead of your safari from our guide. After this you will be left alone to relax and enjoy this splendid five star hotel, you enjoy their swimming pool, health club or relax in your room.

Day 2:

Kigali City Tour and Transfer to Kinigi Town

After breakfast, visit the Kigali Genocide memorial museum, one of the museums that were established to commemorate the victims of the 1994 Rwanda genocide. This is the final resting place for more than 250,000 victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi tribe in Rwanda. It honors the memory of the more than one million Rwandans killed in 1994. This dark tour will make you appreciate how this relatively small country has quickly recovered from its painful history.

After this sobering moment, go for lunch at Hotel Des Mille Collines, that was featured in the Hollywood movie ’Hotel Rwanda’ in 2004. After lunch, drive on a smooth road that meanders through the rolling hills to Kinigi Town, gateway to the Virunga Mountains. You will be checked in at the most luxurious camp- Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge. It is set in serene gardens, with stunning views of the Virungas, a collection of active and dormant volcanoes. This cozy lodge is built out of stone and tile and consists of a main cottage and 8 sleeping rooms. The main lodge, with mustard colored walls, large Mediterranean style tiling and beautiful windows. Fixed to the walls, looking out over the slopes, are giant sized masks, which add a real sense of mystery to the experience. Inside, and characterized by beautifully maintained wooden floors, white walls, low slatted ceilings, a mix of slumber seating, open log fires and African prints, the shared areas include a bar, library, games room, verandah, dining room and seating areas.

Days 3:

Mountain Gorilla Trekking

The Parc National des Volcans is the Rwandan ecosystem that is part of the Virungas which are shared between Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo; the only habitat to less than 1000 surviving mountain gorillas. Make a short drive to park headquarters this morning where you’ll meet your gorilla trekking guides. Ranger guides to be exact. They will give you a brief talk on the procedures and etiquette of gorilla tracking before you set off to the dense rain forest. In an effort to give you an 80% probability of seeing these majestic primates, a team of trackers will be in the forest ahead of your departure. Their task is identifying where the gorillas were seen the night before and pursuing them to a point/climax—where you will be able to connect. Although the hike can be physically demanding, the beauty of the forest and surrounding scenery makes the effort worthwhile in addition to the ultimate reward of getting a close-up with the gorillas; a profoundly moving wildlife encounter. Return to the lodge and relax as you watch the sun burry itself over the horizons; Virunga volcanoes.

Day 4:

Golden Monkey Trekking, Transfer to Kigali and Depart

Have an early breakfast and return to the park headquarters where you will meet the park guide ahead of a guided trek to the forest—to observe rare golden monkeys. These old world monkeys are active throughout the day and mostly live in the bamboo zone of this mountainous park, not so far from its foot. A golden monkey trek operates similarly to the early morning gorilla treks. Groups are limited to eight travelers, and once you meet up with the golden monkeys, you will have one hour to spend with them and return to the lodge for lunch, refresh and transfer to the airport for departing flight.

Day 1:

Arrive in Uganda

Arrive through Entebbe International Airport where after entry visa clearance you will be welcomed by our experienced driver guide. He will transfer you to Kampala Serena Hotel. It is an oasis of cool and green, within a peaceful neighborhood that hosts some of Uganda’s hallmark structures-like the Parliament. This five-star hotel boasts of 17 acres of beautifully manicured gardens and a sensational pond—that overlooks its Olympic size swimming pool. This and the other luxurious amenities of the hotel will reward you with the utmost comfort.

Day 2:

Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park.

After breakfast, drive to Kibale Forest National Park through Uganda’s western lush highlands decorated with tea, coffee and banana plantations. Your jaws will drop in awe as you marvel at breathtaking landscapes that sit in the shadows of Rwenzori, Africa’s third highest Mountain. You will be checked in at Primate Lodge, a beautiful forest home located in the heart of Kibale rainforest National Park. It is within five minutes’ walk from the visitor information center—where the forest activities begin from.  From the comfort of your Luxury Cottage, you can unwind and listen to the chattering of the red-tailed monkeys in the dense canopy.

Day 3:

Chimpanzee Trekking

Take an early breakfast and be transferred to the nearby briefing area where you will be welcomed by the park ranger guide. He will give you a detailed brief on dos and don’ts of chimp tracking before leading you into the forest for a lively adventure. Kibale Forest National Park harbours the greatest variety and concentration of primates found anywhere in East Africa. It has over 13 different species including the Black-and-white Colobus Monkey, Blue Monkey, Red-tailed Monkey, Grey-cheeked Mangabey and Bushbaby. The dense forest hosts a population of more than 1,000 wild chimpanzees. Your guide will draw your attention to an evocative pant-hoot call that marks your proximity to the delightful apes.  Spend a full hour watching them feed, socialize and rest before trekking back to your lodge for a hot lunch—made of fresh organic foods.

Later in the afternoon, drive to the nearby Bigodi Community for a signature nature walk in the swamp. This two hours experience is so revitalizing and has been repeatedly featured on international media as the best community conservation model. This includes BBC travel. The local guide will take you through a wetland sanctuary with more than 100 species of birds and primates including the red colobus, black-and-white colobus and other monkeys. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 4:

Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

 After an early breakfast, drive to Bwindi through Queen Elizabeth National Park. You will travel en-route scenic crater lakes and through banana plantations. You will drive past cheerful locals pushing huge bunches of banana on bicycles to the nearby markets. Proceed along the western Rift Valley where Queen Elizabeth National Park sits, stop at the Equator for a photo opportunity and proceed to Ishasha sector, home to the famous tree-climbing lions. This is the second known population that climbs trees as part of their day-to-day behavior (the other is found in Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania). Several theories have been advanced for this behavior of lions including a speculation that these lions climb trees to protect themselves against the biting tsetse flies. Others claim that they seek shelter in the tree branches from the heat.  Proceed to Ishasha river at the hippo pool where you will delight in your packed lunch as you watch the hippos. Next, you will exit Ishasha and drive to Bwindi through the village of Kigezi; the scenery gradually changes from open savanna to mountain slopes covered in dense green rain forest. You will be checked in at Mahogany Springs, a luxury small lodge facing the dense Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home to half the world’s endangered mountain gorillas.

Day 5:

Mountain Gorilla Tracking Experience

This is a big day; you will have a rare encounter with gentle giant mountain gorilla. This is no doubt the absolute highlight of a tour to Africa for most visitors. It is a humbling experience to stand meters from the gentle giants as they eat rest, play and bond with their young ones. After a briefing by park authorities, you will embark on a forest trek lasting between one-five hours, depending on the location of the gorillas—as they range spontaneously in the thick forest. There are 10 habituated gorilla families and you will be privileged to encounter. You will spend time with one of the families that can be visited by a group of eight people per day! You will enjoy an exciting journey along forested slopes, bushes and bamboo before you ultimately reach the gorilla family. Coming face-to-face with a mountain gorilla is a truly awesome and emotional experience. You will return to the lodge relax and in the evening go for a short community visit to interact with the Batwa. It is a Pygmy tribe that was evicted from the forest to pave way for gorilla conservation. They will demonstrate how they used to live in the forest prior to their eviction. How they used to hunt, thatch their huts, harvest wild fruits and groove to traditional forest festivals. Get back to the hotel for dinner.

Day 6:

Fly to Entebbe and Depart

Today marks the end of your safari. After breakfast, your guide will transfer you to Kihihi airstrip for a pre-arranged charter flight to Entebbe Airport. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to Boma Hotel for a day room to relax and refresh as you wait for your departing flight. Have a farewell meal complementary meal with our director before transferring to the airport.