Day 1: Pick your Hired Car in Kigali
In Rwanda you can explore Kigali National Genocide Museum, windows’ quilt selling/sewing cooperative/project, art galleries, the market, handicraft shops, including Kaplaki, the Women to Women Coop, Cards from Africa. Travel to Ruhengeri and Parc National des Volcans.
Day 2- 4: Gorillas & Golden Monkey Tracking in Volcanoes National Park
After an early breakfast, you will drive to park headquarters with a packed lunch and water and have a briefing about the ‘Dos’ and ‘Don’ts’ while with gorillas. Gorilla trekking through steep and slippery Virunga jungle grounds can be very strenuous but is at times very easy, overall taking anywhere from 2-8 hours depending on gorillas’ movements. We will have one hour with these gentle giants, later descending to your lodge for a rest and time allowing we explore the Ruhengeri area for more craft markets.
Little is known about the mannerisms of the Golden Monkeys except for the fact that they lives in social groups, usually of approximately 30 individuals. It is an exceptional experience seeing them feed on fruits, leaves and insects.
Day 5: Transfer to Uganda via Cyanika Border
The breathtaking drive to Bwindi, sometimes referred to as the Switzerland of Africa, is along winding mountain roads and through thick forests. The long journey through the rapidly changing landscape takes us to Bwindi Bohoma where half of the world’s gorillas live. Depending on when we arrive, there may be time to visit the local villages and orphanage.
Day 6: Gorilla Tracking
After enjoying an early breakfast, you set off gorilla tracking. Trekking through the steep, densely forested hills and then finally coming across the gorillas camouflaged in the vegetation is an inspiring and privileged moment. Tracking in the Bwindi forest requires stamina and can often take most of the day. Alternatively there are other activities and excursions on offer in and around the national park: depending on the time we get back from the gorillas and as prefered a walk through the local village, and learning about community projects, such as the Amagara project that assists local farmers and their communities, and Bwindi Community Hospital which started as a health clinic under a tree and now provides vital medical and educational services to over 50,000 people might be rewarding.
Day 7: Drive to Queen Elizabeth National park
We drive to the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park called Ishasha, this is an area very popular for the tree climbing lions, today we shall put our focus on this. We checkin at Ishasha Wilderness Camp and embark on an evening game safari, Leopards, Hyeanas and lions are always luckly seen we always encounter a variety of savanna birds and a number of raptors, many chances of the Broad Tailed and African Moustached Warbler, White Headed Barbet, African Oriole, Grassland, Long Billed and Plain Backed Pippit, Ovambo Sparrow and African Cuckoo Hawk, Bateleur, Leivellant’s Cuckoo, Senegal Plover, African Quil Finch and many more overnight at Ishasha Wilderness Camp.
DAY 8: GAME DRIVE AND BOAT SAFARI IN QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK
After breakfast a morning game and more chances of finding the tree climbing lions, we have lots of game and bird which include among others the hippos, crocs, African Elephant, Cape Buffalo, Uganda Kob, Waterbuck, Bushbuck, Giant Forest hog, predators among others may include the Lion, Leopard, Hyeana and the birding today will produce the Gulls and Terns, African Open Billed, Yellow-billed and Saddle-billed Stork, Malachite and Grey Headed Kingfisher, African Spoonbill, Grey, kitilitziz’s and African Wattled Plovers, White-browed and Brown Backed Scrub Robin, Rufous napped, Flappet and Red Caped Lark, Red-chested, Copper, Scarlet chested and Marico Sunbird, Lesser Masked, Hollub’s Golden, Golden Backed, Slender Billed and Black Backed Weaver.
Day 9: Chimpanzee Tracking in the Kyambura Gorge Queen Elizabeth Uganda
The Kyambura Gorge is an extraordinary natural environment and forms a stark contrast to the surrounding grasslands. Here you can track one of our closest relatives, the chimpanzee. The chimp population is quite mobile and viewing can be unpredictable but the walk itself is enchanting. In the afternoon take a walk through the Immaramagambo forest and later to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 10. Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
Depending on the lack with had on game drives the previous days, today we might start with a morning game safari then transfer to Kibale forest
Day 11: Chimp Tracking and afternoon hiking Safari
We shall head to the chimp forest and start tracking the excited chimp families in kibale. Tracking chimpanzees in their natural habitat, as they swing from the branches in the canopy high above the forest floor, is a thrilling experience. Though they can be difficult to spot, you will be in no doubt of their presence as the forest is alive with their noisy calls. In the afternoon, explore the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary. The reserve is abundant with butterflies, plants, animals and, in particular, birds. Spectacular birds like Great Blue Turaco and rare Papyrus Gonolek will be of great interest to birders this is another good place to site the White Collard Oliveback and Ross’s Turaco. The swamp is also home to more elusive primates such as Red Colobus monkeys and Sitatunga antelope.
Day 12: Drive to Kampala