Day 1: Arrival at Kigali International Airport, Covid Test and relax in the hotel as you wait for the covid results. Meals at the Five to Five Hotel.

Day 2: Kigali –Akagera National Park.

This Morning, you will have breakfast at your hotel of residence and then transfer to Akagera National Park in the East of Rwanda. This park is located near the Rwandan border with Tanzania. Akagera is known for its famous AKagera River which flows along its eastern boundary pouring into several lakes with the largest being Lake Ihema. The complex system of lakes and linking papyrus swamps makes up over 1/3 of the park and is the largest protected wetland in central Africa. In 2010, The Akagera Management Company was formed as the joint management body to manage Akagera national park. As you enter, take a game drive and look out for some big five and other animal species like the Lions, Elephants, Buffaloes, Giraffe, warthogs, waterbucks, bushbucks, oribi, hear beets among others respectively. Relax. Overnight at Akagera Game Lodge /  Ruzizi Tented Camp.

Day 3: Game drive and boat.

A morning game drive in Akagera national park in search of some of the big five and other wild animals and birds like lions, elephants, buffalos, giraffes, hyenas, waterbucks, bushbucks, oribi, warthogs, hartebeest, and different bird species. Return to the lodge for refreshment, breakfast and later lunch. In the afternoon prepare for a canoe ride on Lake Ihema and here you will spot aquatic wildlife like hippos, crocodiles and much more birds and animals along the shores of the lake. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight as above.

Day 4: Akagera – Nyungwe National Park.

You will transfer to Nyungwe National park. Dinner and overnight Nyungwe Hilltop View Lodge

Day 5: Canopy and continue to Bukavu (Kahuzi Biega National Park). After breakfast, you will check out of the lodge and head for the forest that offers a variety of wildlife species such as L’Hoest’s monkey and the grey-cheeked mangabeys. The birds are spectacular, though as in most tropical forests, you’ll have to look hard for them. Giant hornbills, great blue turacos and red-breasted sparrow hawks are amongst the specials, of which 24 are endemic to this section of the Rift Valley. You will then continue to cross to Congo via Ruzizi one border. Dinner and Overnight at Kahuzi Biega Safari Lodge

Day 6: Gorilla Trekking

Lowland Gorilla Trekking at Kahuzi Biega National Park. After morning breakfast, you will jump into the safari jeep and take one hour drive to the park headquarter for a briefing about the lowland gorilla trekking rules & regulations. Understand that Lowland gorillas in Kahuzi Beige National Park are much bigger in size with vast family groups as compared to the endangered species of Mountain Gorillas. After the trek, you can opt to the chimpanzee orphanage centre near the park, Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight as above.

Day 7: Transfer to Virunga National Park by Speed boat. This morning, you will transfer from Bukavu to Goma using a speed boat that goes via Lake Kivu. The journey may take more than three hours depending on the waves on the lake and the general Climatic condition. Dinner and overnight stay Bukima tented camp / Kibumba camp

Day 8: Mountain Gorilla Trekking Day. Wake up very early in the morning before 6 am and have breakfast and then drive to Bukima park station in Virunga National park for assembly to be briefed about the whole exercise, allocation of gorilla groups and also meet the guides. Then from here embark on the rigorous exercise of tracking down these primates starting from where they were the previous day till when you will come across them. You will find them doing their daily chores of feeding their young ones, climbing trees and others just relaxing. Take your best
photographs having switched off your flash. This whole tracking exercise will take you one full hour that you will never forget for the rest of your life. Then from here drive back to the hotel in Goma for dinner and overnight. Meals are on an F/B basis.

Day 9: Nyiragongo Hike
Rise up very early in the morning and have your breakfast and with packed lunch, drive to Nyiragongo volcano trail in Virunga national park. The climb up this volcanic hill takes around five hours which is coupled with burning some calories, watching some rare bird species, some
small mammals and the view at the top is very stunning. The night will be spent in tents on the rim of the giant crater, high above the active lava lake.

Day 10: Descend the Nyiragongo volcano, transfer to Tchegera Island for Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 11: Tchegera Island to Uganda via Bunagana Border.

This Island is situated off the northern shore of Lake Kivu. It offers very uniquely views of Lake Kivu and the four Volcanic Mountains. It’s also an ideal place for relaxing after climbing the Nyiragongo Volcano and on clear nights, Mount. Nyamulagira and Mount Nyiragongo turn the night sky red with their glowing lava.  During the day, one may choose to relax by the beach or simply go sea kayaking or even use the paddleboard. There’s also a variety of birdlife to watch while one is Tchegera Island. You will later transfer to Uganda via Bunagana Border. Dinner and overnight stay will be at Ikoro Lodge in Kisoro.

Day 12: Golden Monkey trekking and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi. After breakfast at the Lodge, you will go for Golden Monkey trekking in Mgahinga National Park. These Golden Monkeys are the most endangered primates within the forest. This activity will not take long like as it is when tracking the Gorillas. You will spend also less time with these primates. Return to the lodge for a hot lunch and proceed to Lake Bunyonyi. Overnight at Bunyonyi Overland Resort.

 

Day 13:  A day at Lake Bunyonyi, transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. You will do activities like boat cruise around the islands and nature walk in the forest. Lunch will be at the lodge and then proceed to Bwindi National Park. Dinner and overnight stay at Gorilla Mist Lodge.

Day 14: Gorilla Trekking. An early morning breakfast, go for a briefing at the park headquarters, in accompaniment of guides and rangers, you enter the forest to begin the Gorilla tracking activity which takes 2-10 hours depending on the movements of these gorillas.  Other animals and birds might be spotted too and these include the l’Hoest’s monkey, African elephant, birds like the African green broadbill, Grauer’s rush warbler, Chaplin’s flycatcher, African giant swallowtail among others. After tracking, return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay as above.

Day 15: Ishasha game drive and Boat Cruise on Kazinga channel. You will have breakfast at leisure and catch up with the tree-climbing lions of the Ishasha sector in Queen Elizabeth National Park. You might spot other animals like elephants, Buffaloes, Impalas, Uganda Kobs and lions. Various birds can be spotted too and they include the African skimmer, Chapin’s flycatcher, Pink-backed pelicans, Papyrus canary, Shoebill stork, martial eagle. Later return to the lodge for lunch. After lunch, you will go for a launch cruise where you will spot Hippos, Crocodiles, various water birds. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 16: Transfer to Kibale National Park-Chimpanzee trekking.  On this day, you will drive to Kibale forest national park headquarters after breakfast at the lodge where you will be briefed about chimpanzee trekking and the park in general. Most tourists visit the park to trek chimpanzees. Apart from the chimps, the forest is home to other primates like monkeys, mangabey, baboons, wild pigs, various fish species among others. Chimpanzee trekking can be done in the morning; which starts at 8 am, mid-morning; starts at 11 am and in the afternoon; starts at 2 pm. You will then start the trek through the forest to look for the chimps. Unlike gorillas, chimpanzees keep moving around the forest and jump from one tree to another as they go about their daily life. So do not expect to find them in one place. As you trek the chimps, you will expect to see other primates that live in the forest as well as various bird species like the great blue turaco. You will then return to the lodge to refresh and have lunch. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

Day 17: Bigodi Walk and visit the tea plantations.

 

Day 18: Transfer from Kibale forest national park – Murchison falls National Park.

Have breakfast, and later drive to Murchison Falls National Park. Murchison Falls National Park is located in Masindi district in northwestern Uganda. You will arrive in time for lunch en route, Dinner and overnight stay at the Murchison River Lodge

 

Day 19: Game drive and a Launch cruise

Breakfast, go for a game drive, and return for

 

lunch. In the afternoon get on a boat to the bottom of the falls. You might also spot crocodiles, Hippos, elephants and many others. You can hike to the top of the falls. Various birds might be spotted too, like the hornbills, bee-eaters, kingfishers and storks, Egyptian plover, Chestnut-crowned sparrow weaver, Rock pranticole, Red-winged grey warbler, Pulvus illadopsis among others. Dinner and overnight at the lodge above.

Day 20: Visit the Delta and later go for an evening game drive. Dinner and overnight as above.

Day 21: On this day, You will visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary as you continue to Entebbe.

Upon arrival at Entebbe, you will take a COVID Test and if time permits, you may do a short city tour. Dinner and overnight stay at Karibu Guest House.