UAAV 017 – 7 days Volcanoes, Bwindi and Queen Elizabeth

A 7 Day Gorillas and wildlife safari through Uganda and Rwanda. Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial, go for gorilla tracking in both Volcanoes National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and enjoy game viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park, a park known to host the highest bio-diversity ratings of any game park in the world.

Day 1: Arrive at Kigali International Airport
Day 2: Gorilla trekking
Day 3: Cross to the Ugandan side
Day 4: Gorilla trekking in Southern Bwindi
Day 5: En-route to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 6: Explore Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 7: Drive to Kampala

Day 1: Arrive at Kigali International Airport

Upon arrival in Kigali, you will have a short visit to the Genocide Memorial centre in Gisozi. This memorial stands on sacred ground where a quarter of a million people lie buried. Later, drive to Ruhengeri. This journey north goes through the beautiful terraced hill sides that characterize much of Rwanda¹s landscape, gradually climbing to the base of the awesome volcanoes, sometimes with as many as five peaks visible. The meal plan for this day is lunch and dinner at your preferred accommodation.

  • Luxury: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
  • Mid range: Davinci lodge/Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
  • Budget: Kinigi Guest House

Day 2: Gorilla trekking

This morning with an early breakfast, you will drive to Volcanoes National Pak headquarters where our trackers will be met and head up the slopes of the Virunga Volcanoes after a briefing from the park wardens. Visit one of the ten habituated groups assigned to you. Tracking the gorillas through the lush forested slopes of the Virungas is an absolutely exquisite experience. You need to have a good level of fitness for the gorilla trek. You can trek from 1-6 hours through dense forest vegetation, slippery slopes and changing weather. If you are lucky you can get to the gorillas, spend an hour with them, and be back at the base in time for a late lunch. Some gorilla families however are hard to pin down, and tracking can take a full day, especially when it is wet and muddy. After lunch, you may decide to visit the local communities neighbouring the park or relax at the lodge. The meal plan for this day is breakfast, lunch and dinner at your preffered accommodation.

  • Luxury: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
  • Mid range: Davinci lodge/Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
  • Budget: Kinigi Guest House

Day 3: Cross to the Ugandan side

After breakfast, drive to the Rwanda-Uganda border and be transferred to Lake Bunyonyi for a relaxation. The meal plan for this day is breakfast, lunch and dinner at your preffered accommodation.

  • Chameleon Hill lodge
  • Gorilla mist lodge

Day 4: Gorilla trekking in Southern Bwindi

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the gorilla tracking information office for a pre-gorilla tracking briefing by the park warden and rangers at 8am. After briefing, the rangers will then lead you into the forest to track these gentle giants (Mountain gorillas). The thrill of spending time observing the gorillas as they interact with each other is a pleasing and unforgettable one, you are allowed an hour witnessing the interaction of these close relatives of ours. You are advised to carry with you a packed lunch for, the time spent tracking the gorillas would not be known to you but varies from 3 to 8 hours. Time permitting; you may go for a late afternoon community walk to see the local people’s way of life and cultures. The meal plan for this day is breakfast, lunch and dinner at your preferred accommodation.

  • Chameleon Hill lodge
  • Gorilla mist lodge

Day 5: En-route to Queen Elizabeth National Park

After an early breakfast, drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park, a park known to boast the highest bio-diversity ratings of any game park in the worlds with habitats to include; lakes, forest, savannah grassland as well as wetlands. We shall go through the Ishasha sector famed for its tree climbing lions, and exercise our game searching and if we get lucky and spot these tree climbing lions, we proceed to the northern part of the park in time for dinner and an overnight stay. The meal plan for this day is breakfast, lunch and dinner at your preffered accommodation.

  • Mweya Safari Lodge
  • Mid range: Park view Lodge/Kasenyi safari lodge
  • Budget:  Enganzi Lodge

Day 6: Explore Queen Elizabeth National Park

After an early morning warm up tea or coffee, you will head for a game drive along Kasenyi tracks in search of animals like: lions, cape buffalos, elephants, warthogs, waterbucks, spotted hyenas, mangoose, kobs and, if you are lucky, the leopard is often spotted. Over 606 bird species have been recorded in this park and most notably along the Kazinga channel. Return for a full breakfast, relax and prepare for yet another exciting activity in the afternoon. After lunch, you will transfer to enjoy a unique two hours boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel. This launch cruise gives you a great opportunity for photography, animal and bird watching at close range. The meal plan for this day is breakfast, lunch and dinner at your preffered accommodation.

  • Mweya Safari Lodge
  • Mid range: Park view Lodge/Kasenyi safari lodge
  • Budget:  Enganzi Lodge

Day 7: Drive to Kampala

After your breakfast, you will drive to Kampala to end your safari.
END OF SAFARI