Uganda and Rwanda Thousand Hills Safari

Day 1: Kampala

On your arrival at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda our representative will welcome you and transfer for overnight.

Accommodation at Cassia Lodge or Villa Kololo (comfort) or The Emin Pasha Hotel (deluxe)
Bed and Breakfast

Day 2: Murchison Falls National Park

After breakfast your adventure in Uganda begins by driving northwest towards Masindi and Murchison Falls conservation area, the largest conservation area in Uganda, which offers beautiful sceneries of grassland acacia savannah in the north and tropical forests in the south.
You will stop over for a nature walk at Ziwa Rhino sanctuary, the breeding project which saw the rebirth of the endangered white rhinos in Uganda. You can see them closely while walking freely in the reserve which is their natural habitat. Lunch at the restaurant. Proceed to the national park; check in to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
The Park includes Murchison Falls National Park, Bugungu Wildlife Reserve, Karuma Wildlife Reserve and Budongo Forest. The park is bisected by the Victoria Nile which plunges 45 metres over the remnant rift valley wall, creating the dramatic Murchison Falls, the centrepiece of the park and the final event of the 80 km stretch of rapids that course though the territory. The mighty cascade drains the last of the river’s energy, transforming it into a broad, placid river that flows quietly across the rift valley floor into Lake Albert. The park hosts 76 species of mammals including giraffe, elephant, buffalo, leopard, lion, spotted hyena, waterbuck and bushbuck. The list of the bird species includes over 450 species. Migratory birds are present from November to April and it is one of the best places in Africa to find the shoebill stork.

Pakuba Lodge or Bwana Tembo Lodge (comfort), Murchison River Lodge or Paraa Safari Lodge (deluxe)
Full Board

Day 3: Murchison Falls National Park

After breakfast you will embark on an early morning game drive, explore the savannah in the delta of the Nile on Lake Albert, Northern bank. As you view and take memorable photographs of a stunning wildlife, you might find elephants, lions, buffalos, giraffes, waterbucks, bushbucks, spotted hyenas and, very rarely, the leopards. Drive back to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, you take the boat excursion along the river Nile to the base of the magnificent Murchison Falls. It is amazing the concentration of wildlife in the bank of the river Nile, including hippos, crocodiles, and a variety of bird’s species, like African eagles, pelicans, kingfisher, Egyptian geese and much more. You proceed from the excursion with the walk to the “top of the falls, where the river Nile creates a narrow canyon of thunderous water as it lowers down the Albertine Rift Valley. You will have a view from the top of the falls. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.Pakuba Lodge or

Bwana Tembo Lodge (comfort), Murchison River Lodge or Paraa Safari Lodge (deluxe)
Full Board

Day 4: Albertine Rift Valley and Fort Portal

After breakfast you leave the National Park proceeding southwest along the Lake Albert and Rift Valley escarpment, which offer a lot of sceneries and view points. You pass via Hoima the capital town of Bunyoro kingdom and through sugarcane, tea, banana, coffee and cocoa plantations. Lunch en route. By evening you reach Fort Portal, the capital town of Tooro kingdom on the shadow of Rwenzori Mountains, the biggest mountain range in Africa. Dinner and overnight

Primate Lodge (comfort) or Papaya Lake Lodge (deluxe)
Full Board

Day 5: Chimpanzee Trekking – Bigodi – Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, today you go for a nature walk in the Kibale Forest National Park which contains one of the most beautiful and the most varying tracts of tropical forest in the whole of Uganda. You will admire the tropical forest, and luckily meet the chimpanzees in their natural environment. Other primates you might see include black and white colobus, red tailed monkey and velvet monkey. After lunch, visit the eco-tourist site of Bigodi for a village walk (you also have the opportunity to taste the Ugandan cuisine). In the evening, transfer to Queen Elizabeth National park and check into your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Ihamba Safari Lodge or Enganzi Lodge (comfort), Kyambura Game Lodge, Mweya Safari Lodge or Katara Lodge (deluxe)
Full Board

Day 6: Queen Elizabeth National Park

After a cup of coffee, at 6.30 am go for a game drive along the tracks of the national park, in the northern side towards Lake George and Kasenyi village. You might see lions, elephants, buffaloes, spotted hyenas, waterbucks, Ugandan kobs, perhaps the leopard though it is shy and rare to be seen. Reach up to the Baboon cliffs and the splendid crater lakes region. Have lunch and in the afternoon take the most exciting safari by boat from Mweya peninsula along the Kazinga channel, one of the most popular sites in Uganda for its concentration of wildlife, bird’s life and opportunities for good photographs. Moreover, you will see plenty of hippos, buffaloes and elephants while drinking from the channel. In the evening you leave the Northern sector of Queen Elizabeth and proceed to the South. Dinner and overnight.

Accommodation at Ishasha Jungle lodge or Savannah Resort
Full Board

Day 7: Ishasha – Lake Bunyonyi

After breakfast, game drive in the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth, the Southern region of the park. You will have a game drive searching for the so called “tree climbing lions”. During the hot hours of the day, they enjoy some rest lying on top of Figs trees and it is exciting to see this spectacular spot. Lunch at the lodge. You reach by evening the Lake Bunyonyi after Kabale town.

Accommodation at Bird Nest Resort or Arcadia Cottages
Full Board

Day 8: Lake Bunyonyi – Volcanoes National Park

After breakfast, you will enjoy one of the most extraordinary wildlife and birding experience by boat crossing the Lake Bunyonyi. With its forested and green islands, the lake is home to species of endemic birds and the guide will help you to spot many of them. Lunch. Your journey proceeds to Rwanda through the border after Kisoro, at the footsteps of Muhavura volcano and you arrive at Volcanoes National Park from Ruhengeri town. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.

Accommodation at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge or Gorilla Nest Lodge (comfort) or Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge or Virunga Lodge (luxury)
Full Board

Day 9: Mountain Gorillas tracking

Today after an early breakfast you take the activity of the mountain gorilla trekking into the rain tropical forest of Volcanoes National Park. After the briefing from the rangers of the RDB (the Rwanda Park Authority), you reach the starting point of your trekking, according to the gorilla’s family you have been appointed to. You carry with your packed lunch and light rain jacket. In the afternoon you can choose among optional activities such as the community walk at Iby’iwacu cultural dancer. Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Lake Kivu area.

Accommodation at Kivu Serena Hotel or Malahide Hotel
Full Board

Day 10: Lake Kivu – Kigali

This morning after breakfast, transfer to Kigali city and we organize a Kigali city tour. Transfer to Kigali airport for your international flight back home or for your next destination.

Suggestions and extensions

2 nights at Akagera National Park

EXTENTION to Nyungwe Forest National Park

Day 10: On the shores of Lake Kivu and Southern Rwanda

After breakfast, you leave Gisenyi heading to South Western Rwanda along the road on the shores of Lake Kivu. The stop over for lunch will be in Kibuye, a pretty town on the lake where you will enjoy stunning sceneries. Proceed in the afternoon to Cyangugu, on the Southern cost of the lake. The small town is the gateway to Nyungwe Forest National Park. You will have dinner and overnight at you lodge

Accommodation at Gisakura Guest House (comfort) or Nyungwe Forest Lodge (deluxe)
Full Board

Day 11: Trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park

After an early breakfast, at 6 am you enter Nyungwe forest for the trekking to see the chimpanzees and other primates like the beautiful Angolan colobus. The park is spread over 970 sq km of green hills; Nyungwe hosts 13 species of primates, including the chimpanzee, the Rwenzori colobus, the Hoest Monkey, the silver monkey, owl faced monkey, red tailed monkey, velvet monkey and olive baboon. You will have dinner and overnight at your hotel.

Accommodation at Gisakura Guest House (comfort) or Nyungwe Forest Lodge (deluxe)
Full Board

Day 12: Nyungwe – Butare – Nyanza – Kigali

After breakfast you will drive to Kigali. Lunch in Butare, the second town in Rwanda, considered the cultural capital, hosting the university and the National Museum. Very rewarding are the handicraft shops where are sold typical products made by Rwandan artisans, especially in the weaving and baskets. As you proceed, a stop over is made in Nyanza, that in the past was the political capital and it hosts the antique Royal palace, entirely renovated for the visitors, displaying original items and pieces of history of the Mwami, the king. Arrive in Kigali for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation at Flame Tree Village Hotel (comfort) or Golf Hills Hotel or Hotel des Milles Collines (deluxe).
Full Board

Day 13: Kigali

After breakfast transfer to Kigali International Airport for your international flight back home.

EXTENTION to Akagera National Park

Day 10: Kigali – Akagera National Park

After breakfast, depart eastwards to Akagera National Park. With 1085 square km of protected area, the park is named after the river Akagera which marks the border between Rwanda and Tanzania. This is a vast savannah, also characterised by the presence of important lakes, like Lake Ihema the biggest, Lake Hago and Kivumba. The rolling hills of Acacia and Brachystegia Woodland coupled with scattered grassland and swamp-fringed lakes along the meandering Akagera watercourse combine to create a park of breathtaking scenic beauty. Since 2010 many development took place in the park, including the fencing of some areas and the reintroduction of lions.
After lunch at the lodge, we arrange a boat trip on the Lake Ihema, a very rewarding experience to see animals like large number of hippos and the huge Nile crocodile and many water birds.

Accommodation at Akagera Game Lodge or Ruzizi Tented Lodge with view on the Lake Ihema.
Full Board

Day 11: Akagera National Park – Kigali

Early morning departure for a game drive along the trails of Akagera National Park. You can meet Burchell’s Zebras, elephants, topi, giraffes, impalas, buffaloes. Lunch and in the afternoon drive back to Kigali. Dinner and overnight.

Accommodation at Flame Tree Village Hotel (comfort) or Golf Hills Hotel or Hotel des Milles Collines (deluxe).
Full Board

Day 12: Kigali

After breakfast transfer to Kigali International Airport for your international flight back home.