12 DAYS UGANDA CLASSIC WILDLIFE SAFARI
Chimpanzee Tracking | Game drive | Batwa trail Golden monkey
This safari is for one who loves to hike and see the endangered Golden monkey up close. This adventurous safari begins in Butare, Rwanda- a six hours drive. The safari can be tailor made for budget, mid-range and luxury travelers. When you stay near Mgahinga Gorilla Park, there are no drive-times besides from Lodge to Park and the park has no crowds.
PACKAGE INCLUDES
- Transport in a 4WD safari van
• All fuel for the tour;
• English speaking driver/guide;
• Accommodation as per programme;
• Meals according to the programme;
• Park entrance fees according to the programme;
• All activities described in the itinerary;
• 1 chimpanzee permit per person;
• 1 Golden monkey permit per person.
PACKAGE EXCLUDES
• International air fares;
• Entry visa Rwanda All drinks;
• Meals that are not part of your accommodation;
• All activities that are not mentioned in the program or activities that are mentioned in the program as optional activity;
• A porter for during the gorilla tracking (someone who carries your daypack);
• Personal (medical/travel) insurance;
• Tips and gratuities to rangers, driver/guide, porter, hotel staff, etc;
• All expenses of a personal nature (e.g. drinks, laundry, souvenirs etc.)
ITINERARY
Day 1: Pick up from Kigali International Airport.
Today after breakfast, you will cross the border and transferred to Kisoro town nearMgahinga Gorilla Park.
This is a tiny little park in the far southern regions of Uganda, south of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. It is a mere 33 sq km (13 sq mile) in size and lies 14km (8 miles) from the town of Kisoro. It is also located on the northern slopes of the three northernmost extinct Virunga Volcanoes: Mt. Muhavura, Mt. Gahinga and Mt. Sabinyo. Mgahinga shares its borders with Rwanda and DRC Congo both of which protect their own piece of the Virunga Volcanoes, in the Parc National des Volcans and Parc National des Virunga respectively. Collectively this creates the 434 sq km (167 sq mile) Virunga Conservation Area.
The size of the Park is very deceptive because it is packed with adventure attractions. It is famous for gorilla tracking, golden monkey tracking and Batwa trail
Journey Time: 3 hours
Accommodation: TravelersLodge
Meal plan: meals as planed
Day 2: Golden monkey trekking in the morning and Home of Kigezi Museum tour afternoon.
After early breakfast, you will drive to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park which is the extension of the magnificent Virunga Mountains in Uganda. You will meet the park guides for briefing and set off to track down the beautiful golden monkeys. The golden monkeys’ main habitat is the bamboo forests near the base of the mountains.
The hike is relatively easy however the monkeys are active and are constantly moving through the bamboo as they love to fee on bamboo shoot. You will spend one with them and return and transfer back to the starting point for de-briefing and exit.
Have lunch from Kisoro town and begin a cultural experience at the lively Home of Kigezi Museum. This is a community-run museum of living culture and natural history of the Banyakigezi people of South Western Uganda.
Blooming with herbs and indigenous trees, life is evident in every corner, contrasting magnificently with the abundant natural materials – volcanic rocks, reeds, fibers, timber and half decayed tree stumps. For visitors, the wealth of diversity in such a small space allows time to explore and really observe the intricate details.
Journey Time: 45 minutes
Accommodation: Travelers Lodge
Meal plan: All meals
Day 3: Transfer to Lake Mutanda; Sunset Boat cruise, community visit and scenic viewing.Have breakfast in time after check out of your lodge and begin a drive to Lake Mutanda. Check in at your lodge, Lake Mutanda resort, one of the most scenic and beautiful lodges on this lake. Offering some of the best views in Uganda, Lake Mutanda Resort is perched on a peninsula overlooking a series of small islands scattered across the water and the volcanoes from the Virunga Range rising out of the mist in the distance.
Relax on the resort, have lunch and do some swimming since this lake is safe and free from Bilharzia. Later in the evening, go for a sunset boat cruise to visit over 20 islands that make up this lava-dammed lake.
A boat cruise on Lake Mutanda is one of the most adventurous activities that will take you to visit fascinating islands with a local guide. After boat cruise on Lake Mutanda, proceed to the Kaboko river channel at the north banks of the lake for behind-the-scenes excursion of meeting the clawless otters and conclude your tour with a visit to Gihuranda village one of the neighboring communities to Lake Mutanda to see the amazing fresh water springs from the underground. Then return to your lodge to have dinner and overnight stay.
Journey Time: 1 hour.
Accommodation: Mutanda Lake Resort
Meal plan: All meals
Mutanda Lake Resort
Mutanda Lake Resort offers most likely the best view in Uganda! Perched on a peninsula in Lake Mutanda (see photo), in the shadow of the Virunga Mountain Range, Mutanda Lake Resort offers comfortable accommodation combined with the most beautiful views on planet earth. Situated between Kisoro town, Mgahinga and Bwindi National Parks the Resort makes a perfect base for gorilla trackers, volcano hikers, bird lovers as well as those looking for a secluded place in nature. The cuisine is among the best in Uganda.
Activities on the lake are organized by the lodge and the lake is safe to swim as it’s Bilharzia free.
Day 4: Nature walk in Bwindi impenetrable forest and Batwa cultural tour in the evening.Have breakfast at 7:00am for a warm cup of coffee, prepare for your long-awaited walk to Rushaga waterfalls. At 7:30am, drive to the visitors’ briefing area, which is a few minutes’ drive from your place of accommodation. Meet with the head ranger and other visitors for a general briefing on the dos and don’ts while conducting this memorable trek. It is during this briefing that you’ll be told all the dos and don’ts about this forest.
Plse Don’t for get your packed lunches and enough water for drinking.
The nature trek starts at 8.30am with simple forest hikes through designated trails and will last for about 2-4 hours. This is a 2km trail along an abandoned trail leading to the beautiful area of forest and a 33m high waterfall on the Munyanga River. The walk gives a chance to encounter real forest life, approximately 350 bird species with 14 not recorded anywhere else in Uganda; great sightings for monkeys like L’hoests, vervet and red-tailed monkeys together with the general scenic beauty of the park.
Later, return to the starting point with fellow trekkers, meet your guide or have a quick picnic lunch and transfer to the lodge immediately. Later in the evening, you may proceed for the Batwa community tour.Batwa Trail: During this moving tour, the Batwa demonstrate hunting techniques; gather honey; point out medicinal plants and demonstrate how to make bamboo cups. Guests are then invited to the sacred Ngarama Cave, once home to the Batwa King to be entertained by traditional music and dance.
Journey Time: 1 hour each way
Accommodation: Mutanda Lake Resort
Meal plan: All meals
Day 5: Transfer to Ishasha sector, southern sector of Queen Elizabeth NP.After breakfast you will proceed to the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park, the famous Ishashaarea, Have lunch and go for a game drive searching for the tree climbing lionsIshasha is home to the famous tree-climbing lions. While lion cubs around the world frequently climb trees for fun, adults rarely do. The (adult) lions in Ishasha are an exception to this. It is thought that they sit in the branches to get away from the tsetse flies and to enjoy a cool breeze. If you are lucky you might spot a few during your game drive.You will overnight at Enjojo Lodge, which is surrounded with acacia forest, lush vegetation with palm trees and scattered grasslands. Find birds, monkeys, and other wildlife around your cottage.
Journey Time: 3 to 4 hours
Accommodation: Enjojo Lodge
Meal plan: All meals
Enjojo lodge is bordering the Ishasha sector of Queen Elisabeth NP. The lodge is situated on 40 hectares amidst acacia forest, lust vegetation with palm trees and scattered grass line. There is a lot of birdlife around and herds of elephants, buffaloes and antelopes, but also vervet monkeys and the black and white Colobus monkey are regularly spotted around the lodge.
The thatched cottages at Enjojo Lodge have an en-suite bathroom and an outdoor shower. On the wide verandas you can relax and overlook the surrounding bush and savanna, it is the perfect place for a quiet and intimate retreat. The cottages are interlinked with an elevated wooden walkway.
Day 6: Game drive in Ishasha sector and boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park.After a delicious breakfast, leave the lodge for another game drive in Ishasha sector before sunrise. This sector will reward you again with amazing wildlife encounters during the 2-3 hours’ game drive.
The expected animal sightings on this sunrise game drive will range from large herds of elephants, buffaloes, leopards (on a lucky day), birds with 620 bird species all living here; warthogs, variety of antelopes and the sought-after climbing lions.
In the background, don’t miss the breathtaking views of sprawling savannah landscapes. After this game drive, you will immediately drive to the central queen Elizabeth national park for lunch and afternoon boat cruise.
At around 2:00pm, you will be at Kazinga Channel to begin your leisurely boat cruise. This is one of exciting and rewarding recreational activities that takes 2 hours. On a boat cruise on Kazinga channel, expect to see hippos, crocodiles, aquatic birds, plus plenty of other wildlife at the river banks/shores including elephants, buffaloes.
Journey Time: 2 hours
Accommodation: Elephant hub Lodge
Meal plan: All meals
Day 7: Game drive & chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura gorge.Today you wake up early. A little before sunrise coffee, tea and donuts will be served in the lounge before we head out for a long game drive in time to see the first rays of light. You will search for all the wildlife in the park and are likely to come across Elephant, Buffalo, Lion, Waterbuck, Leopard, Uganda Kob, and many Warthogs.
After this safari experience, drive to Kyambura gorge briefing Centre. Here you are told the dos and don’ts of chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge, and also given a ranger guide who will help you to locate the chimps.
Kyambura Gorge
A hike through the gorge gives you the opportunity to see habituated chimpanzees and other types of primates including red-tailed monkey, black-and-white colobus, baboons and velvet monkeys. Although the chance of spotting chimpanzees is only 50%, the landscape is among the most impressive in Uganda and is absolutely worth it!
Journey Time: 40 minutes
Accommodation: Elephant hub Lodge
Meal plan: All meals
Day 8: Transfer to Fort portal. Hike to the AmabereGanyinamwiruCaves.
Check out in the morning and begin your transfer to Fort Portal City. This drive takes 2-3 hours and passes through the scenic landscapes and the verdant countryside farm lands and homesteads which you will stop by to take pictures and stretch.
You will arrive in Fort portal city for lunch and refresh. Continue to AmabereG’anyinamwiru caves and waterfalls, and hike the Mweganywa hills to see all the 3 crater lakes in this area. Drive back to your lodge later in the evening for dinner and night stay.Journey Time: 40 minutes
Accommodation:Chimpanzee Forest Lodge.
Meal plan: All meals
Day 9:Visit Bigodi Community Tour and Kabarole crater lakes in after noon.
Have breakfast you will go for the guided Bigodi swamp walk. The walk (2-3 hours) will take you through grassland, small communities and some beautiful scenery, where the locals are likely to greet you with enthusiastic waves. It is usual to spot three to four different primate species during this walk, though the highlight is catching a glimpse of the great blue turaco.
Get back in time for lunch then after go and visit beautiful crater lakes nestled at an impressive altitude of 1608 meters above sea level. This is “Top of the World”. While here, you will perfectly capture the breathtaking panoramas that await you. With unrivaled views of three mesmerizing crater lakes – Nyamirirma, Nyinabulitwa, and Lake Nyabikere.
Day 10: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park
After breakfast, you will travel to Lake Mburo National Park, one of Uganda’s smallest parks, but certainly not to be underestimated. It is the only Ugandan national park (besides to Kidepo Valley N.P.) which is home to zebras, elands and impalas, as well as to an abundance of other wildlife – not to mention the lake itself, which has lots of hippos and crocodiles. Last but not least: The Uganda Wildlife Authority recently brought 15 giraffes from Murchison falls to lake Mburo (1st July 2015)!
You will stay just outside the park boundaries, but it will feel like being in the middle of the park. From your veranda and restaurant, you have a great view over the park and its wildlife.
Journey time: 4 to5 hours
Accommodation: Rwakobo Rock
Meal plan: All meals
Rwakobo Rock
Set on a massive granite outcrop, just outside Lake Mburo National Park, the accommodation at Rwakobo Rock offers thatched chalets blending into the natural landscape.
The rooms are dotted around the hill taking advantage of rocky ledges and private corners. The chalets celebrate the natural lines of the surrounding wilderness. They also provide guests with real comfort and luxury that doesn’t cost the earth. From the spacey restaurant you have great views over the national park.
Good value for money.
Day 11: Guided bush walk and
Today after breakfast, you will go for a guided bush walk. Lake Mburo N.P is one of two parks in Uganda where bush walks with an experienced ranger are permitted. This opportunity should not be missed. From footprints and animal droppings the ranger will be able to tell you which animal has left it and how long ago. It is exciting to approach wildlife at such close range.
Note: Instead of going for the bush walk, you can go on a horseback riding safari in the park (US $60 p.p. extra for 2 hours).
Come back for lunch and in the after noon go for the evening game drive or Boat ride
Day 12: Transfer to Kampala or Entebbe
fter, you will drive back to Kampala or Entebbe (Airport) stopping at the equator for the requisite snapshot and a bit of souvenir shopping.As you come closer to the city, the roadside is filled with traders and tens of small markets. You will enjoy a final local cuisine lunch at the equator. By evening, you will have arrived at your hotel in Entebbe for check in and later go on a walk to Entebbe Botanical gardens for nature walks, bird watching, if time allows if not connect direct to your flight back home..
Journey Time: 5 hours to Kampala, 6 hours to Entebbe
Accommodation: 2 friends Beach hotel
Meal plan: All meals