Overview
Have a great and memorable time while taking part in this 17 Days East Africa Gorilla Trekking and Wildlife Safari which only takes in Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya of all east African countries.
This tour is a highlight of double gorilla trekking, wildlife viewing including the African big five, witnessing wildebeest migration and also encountering some of the unique African cultures like the Batwa pygmies in Bwindi national park, Rwandan culture in Volcanoes national park and the Masai people in Kenya.
This tour is filled with great memories covered with scenic view great experiences like game drives, boat cruises, primate trekking, city tours and many more others. The safari will begin from Kigali Rwanda through Uganda and it will end in Nairobi Kenya.
Detailed itinerary.
Day 1: Kigali Airport and City tour
The driver guide will pick you from Kigali international Airport on your arrival and this be the beginning of your 17 Days East Africa Gorilla Trekking and Wildlife Safari. Depending on the arrival time, take part in a city tour where Rwanda genocide memorial Centre, Kimironko market, Nyamata church and more city-based attractions will be visited. Head to the hotel booked for your accommodations.
Day 2: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park and visit Ibyiwachu cultural village
Have a 3 hours’ drive to Volcanoes national park for the first adventure on your Safari. Enjoy the country side that is covered with different hills, green vegetation of the tea plantation and forest.
Arrive and head to the to check in the lodge for lunch which will be followed by cultural experience through visiting Ibyiwachu cultural village. Know about conservation efforts, enjoy traditional music and dances, storytelling and more. Head back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 3: Gorilla trekking and transfer to Lake Kivu
This day will be of great memory as you expect to meet the human close relatives-mountain gorillas. The day begins with breakfast which will be followed by a short drive to the park offices for briefing exercise. During this time, receive guidelines to follow such as don’t feed wild animals, always keep a distance from wild animals, don’t use flash light camera and many more others.
Begin the search with a help of the park ranger guides and Porters in a group of not more than 8 trekkers. While on this trail, expect to see vervet monkeys, colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys and more of the birdlife but keep focused on spotting the gorilla family.
Meeting a gorilla family rewards you with great adventure where you are granted an hour in the presence of the gorilla family trekked learning about their fault life and behaviors whole capturing photos. Return to the lodge for lunch followed by a transfer to Lake Kivu. Where you spend a night at one of the resorts.
Day 4: Lake Kivu – full day
Explore Lake Kivu on this day by taking part in different experiences like boat cruise, swimming, fishing and more. The night will be spent on camp fire to share memories through story telling.
Day 5: Travel to Kigali and cross Bwindi National Park (cross to Uganda)
On this day, have breakfast at the shores of Lake Kivu and then transfer back to Kigali as you cross the Katuna border finding a way to Bwindi national park in Uganda.
The safari driver guide will help you to pass through the immigration offices smoothly.
Proceed after border crossing to Bwindi national park a home to almost half of the remaining endangered mountain gorillas.
Apart from the gorillas, the park is a home to elephants, chimpanzees, buffalos, duikers, different birds and more. Arrive and head to the lodge booked.
Day 6: Gorilla trekking to Bwindi and optional Batwa community tour
Like in Volcanoes national park, head to the park office for briefing where you expect to receive briefing about this amazing adventure.
This experience last for about 8 hours including an hour in the presence of gorilla family learning about their behaviors. After the experience, head back. To the lodge followed by an optional activity – Batwa community tour at the edge of the forest.
Day 7: Bwindi to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park via Ishasha sector after your breakfast. This journey rewards you with a chance of tracking the rare tree climbing lions in this sector of Queen Elizabeth national park.
Meet them gazing over the prey or resting after hunting.
Proceed to the lodge while enjoying animals like elephants, warthogs, buffalos, lions and many more.
Day 8: Queen Elizabeth National Park – game drive and boat cruise
Spend a whole day in this park where you take part in the morning game drive to have a chance to spot animals like elephants, water bucks, Uganda Kobs, lions, leopards and many more others. The game drive will last for about 3 hours while enjoying the endless scenery of the savannah grasslands.
Afternoon, take a boat cruise on Kazinga channel where you will have a chance to explore hippos, crocodiles, isolated buffalos, elephants and more of the birds like the fish eagles, hamerkops, pelicans, ducks, kingfishers and more. This experience can last for 2 hours exploring the hidden gem on this water body. Head back to the lodge for leisure dinner.
Day 9: Transfer to Kibale National Park and Isunga community walk
Transfer to Kibale National Park a journey that can last for 3 hours’ drive passing through the twin lakes of Kasenda and these are Lake Kifuruka and Lake Nyinambuga. Head to the lodge for lunch which will be followed by a community walk in Isunga village.
This village is amazing since there is a lot to learn ranging from the lifestyle of the locals to the crater lakes in this village. Return to the lodge and this will create everlasting memories.
Day 10: Chimpanzee trekking and optional activity
Head to Kanyanchu visitors center for briefing about this morning chimpanzee tracking experience.
This briefing cover different aspects such as rules and regulations, assignment of the park ranger guide, hiring Porters in case you have extra luggage, cross checking permits, knowing the requirements needed on trekking and chimpanzee behaviors and more.
Begin the search in Kibale forest where you have a chance to meet colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, baboons and more of the birds like the great blue Turacos, hornbills and more. Spend an hour in the presence of chimpanzee community tracked learning about their daily way of life.
In the afternoon, have optional activities like Bigodi swamp walk, Isunga homemade coffee experience or tea plantations tour. Head back to the lodge for your dinner.
Day 11: Drive to Kampala for a flight to Nairobi Kenya
Have a long drive that takes about 6 to 7 hours to reach Kampala or Entebbe with enroute lunch at one of the local restaurants. In the evening, you’ll board a flight to Nairobi Kenya where you will meet another driver guide to take you to the hotel booked after being briefed on these remaining days.
Day 12: Nairobi to Masai Mara NR
Head to Masai Mara national reserve a protected area known for hosting the annual wildebeest migration together with zebras.
The journey is amazing as you enjoy a view of the rift valleys and the surrounding Masai homesteads with their cattle since they are pastoralists.
Arrive and begin with a game drive where you encounter different animals like bat-eared fox, black-backed jackal and spotted hyena, lion, elephant, leopard, rhino, buffalo and more. Head to the lodge for relaxation and meals.
Day 13-14: Masai Mara safari
These two days will be spent exploring different corners of Masai Mara national reserve where you have high chances of spotting lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, jackals, warthogs, zebras, hippos, Thompson’s gazelle, baboons and many more others.
Great memories of witnessing wildebeest migration, enjoying picnic lunch, bush breakfast won’t be missed on these days.
Day 15: Masai Mara to Lake Nakuru
Leave mara and head to Lake Nakuru national park for another adventure. Enjoy a scenic view of Mt Longmont,
Lake Naivasha and Lake Elementaita. Arrive and head to the lodge for lunch followed by a game drive where you enjoy animals like cape buffaloes, olive baboons, impalas, waterbucks, hippos, colobus monkeys and many more others. Head back to the lodge for dinner.
Day 16: Lake Nakuru to Lake Naivasha
Enjoy a morning game drive where you encounter more wild animals like rhinos, hyenas, zebras, gazelles, leopards, lions, pythons and more.
Then proceed to Lake Naivasha national park where you get a chance to take a boat cruise to enjoy hippos, fish eagles, kingfishers and more wildlife. Head to the lodge for dinner and Nights stay.
Day 17: Transfer from Lake Naivasha to Nairobi
Head back to Nairobi on this last day after a short game drive to spot more of the wildlife in this park. On arrival at the airport, be dropped and bide firewall to the team which will mark the end of the safari.
