13Days-Explore Uganda & Rwanda

After breakfast, you will explore Kampala city on boda boda with professional boda boda riders. You will visit different historical, religious and cultural site in Kampala likeBahai Temple, King’s Lake (Kabaka’s Lake), King’s palace, Uganda Museum, Gadhaffi Mosque, Namugongo Shrine, Namirembe Cathdral, Owino Market, Kasubi Tombs,  And you will also have chance to taste our tasty local dishes including the rolex which has become popular.Overnight at Holiday Inn. BB

The Bahai Temple is among the seven temple around the world and the Bahai Temple is the mother Temple of the Bahai faith in Africa. The temple has a unique architectural master piece which was designed by Charles Mason Remey in January 1958 is sitting on 52 acres of land.

The King’s Lake (Kabaka’s Lake) built/dug in 1886 by King Mwanga II is the largest man-made lake in Uganda. He wanted to easy transport by creating a channel which was to take him to his palace here in Lubiri and the other in Munyonyo. Local people were mobilised by one of the kings men to dig the lake to the depth and width and it took them 11 month.

King’s palace, the King of Buganda Kingdom is the largest tribe in Uganda has different palaces around Kampala city but Libiri palace will be the one to be visited. During this visit you will have chance to visit the former dictator Idi Amin’s underground prisons and torcher chambers.

Uganda Museum was founded in 1908 in Kampala it displays and exhibits natural-historical, traditional life collections of Uganda's cultural heritage and ethnological.

Gadhaffi Mosque, the mosque was completed in 2006 and was given to Uganda as a gift from the Late president of Libya Gadhafi. The Mosque is located on Old Kampala hill.

Namugongo Shrine which is 16 Km North east of Kampala we as the place where young men were burned to death because of religion on 3 June 1886 under the orders of King Mwanga II of Buganda.

Namirembe Cathdral which was the built Protestant church built by the missionaries.

At 8.00am, you will drive northwest to Murchison Falls National Park the largest National park in Uganda which is well known for its magical Murchison Falls. After 2 hours drive, you will have a stopover at Ziwa Sanctuary in Nakasongola the home of the only wild Rhinos for rhino tracking. After a briefing, you will track in search for the Rhinos on foot and when you get to the Rhinos for will have an hour with them, then proceed for lunch at Amuka Safari Lodge before heading out to Murchison Falls National Park passing though Masindi town.

Murchison Falls National Park can be accessible through three different gates depending on where you are coming from and where they will spend the night. From Masindi town you will drive to Kichumbanyabo gate the southern gate of the park which will take approximately 50 minutes to the gate. When you enter the park you will pass through Budongo Forest a semi-deciduous tropical rain forest with patches of Savanna and woodland to your lodge. Dinner and overnight at Heritage Safari Lodge for Budget accommodation. (BD)

At 6.15am you will have quick breakfast at the lodge, then proceed to the park for the morning game drive. Its better to have the game drive in the morning hours because its when the animals are active, the temperatures are cool and the sun isnt yet out. 6.30am will be the best time to start the morning game drive on the northern bank of the Nile where most of the wildlife is concentrated. While on the game drive you through different tracks which are Victoria track, Queens track, Pakuba Track and Albert track in search of the game. Because of different types of vegetation ranging from Savannah woodland, Savannah grassland and  Forest  that cover Murchison Falls National Park act habitats for over 76 mammal species and about 450 bird species, you will have chance to spot different wildlife like Rothschild’s giraffe, Lions elephants, cape buffalos, waterbucks, hartebeests, bushbucks, if you are lucky the leopard. The game drive in the park will take between 4 to 5 hours before heading back to the Lodge for lunch.

After a tasty lunch at 2.00pm, you will go for a boat cruise on the Nile taking you to the base of the falls stopping just tens of meters from the ‘Devil’s Cauldron’. The boat ride will take 3 hours it start at 2.30pm and end at 5.30 pm. There are three boats (7 seater which can be hired privately and at anytime, 14 seater and 40 seater) on the Nile, you will use a boat depending on the number of people available for the cruise.  While on the boat cruise, you will spot the hippos, crocodiles and over the 17km stretch you may see waterbuck, elephant and Uganda Kob. You will also have an opportunity to view many bird species like the rare shoebill stork, goliath heron, Egyptian goose, pelican bee-eater, kingfisher, hornbill, cormorant and many more. At 5.30pm, you will drive back to your lodge. Dinner and overnight at Heritage Safari Lodge for Budget accommodation. (BLD)

Heritage Safari Lodge – www.heritagesafarilodge.comThe Lodge is comprised of cottages which are self contained and built in the traditional acholi way, standard cottages that aren’t self contained and tents. Camping site is also possible with self-sufficient or budget guests.

Please note: Clients can also have a special scheduled Nile delta boat ride with ‘breakfast on board’ to the Delta where the river joins Lake Albert. It will be a 20km journey downstream to the delta the boat ride which will take from 4 to 5 hours starting from 7.00am to 12noon you will have chance to animals like hippos, Crocodiles, wetland birds like the rare shoebill stork and papyrus endemic species. The rates are from USD55 per adult which is subject to minimum numbers on board.

This can be an add on, on the day that clients are leaving for Hoima especially if they request for another cruise but the boat cruise in the afternoon on day 4 is enough.

After breakfast, you will have an enroute game drive in the park as you continue to the top of the Falls where you can see the Nile’s beauty perfected! Marvel at the Nile, compressing from up to one km squeezed through a 7-metre canyon dropping 150 metres with a thunderous roar, creating a beautiful rainbow. Depending on the lodge where you spent a night, its approximately one to two hours drive to the Falls.You will then hike on the trail viewing the falls while listening to the roar, taste the splashing of water on your face, take pictures and feel the rock shake beneath your feet. This activity will take 30 minutes.

Then drive out of Murchison Falls National Park passing through Bugungu gate pass by Lake Albert which is the seventh largest lake and one of the African Great Lakes in Africa to Butiaba fishing village. Butiaba Fishing Village was once a port to Congo but because of insecurity in Congo, it was changed to a fishing village and its one of the largest on the shore of Lake Albert. Clients will have a village walk through the local community of the fishing village giving them chance to see different activities done by the local people. On the clear day you can also view the blue mountains in Congo. You will then proceed to the lodge for dinner at overnight at Dinner and overnight at Kontiki Hotel for budget accommodation.(BLD)

Kontiki Hotel - www.hoimakontikihotel.com Its one of the old lodges in Hoima  comprising  of self contained cottages with also space for camping.

At 8.00am, before heading to Fortportal or Kibale Forest National Parkthe home of the chimpanzees, you will a 30 minutes drive on a tarmac road to view the rift valley escarpment in Buseluka. Then you will have a 4 hours drive on murram road which is under construction into a tarmac road. You will reach at the Lodge in time for lunch after the guide will brief you on the activities that will take place on the following day program. Dinner and overnight at Kibale Forest Camp for medum accommodation.

Kibale Forest Camp - www.naturelodges.biz/kibale-forest-camp the lodge borders the Magombe swamp and is located in a patch of evergreen forest outside the southern part of the National Park. It consists of 10 African safari style tents and lazy camping on the campsite

Today the forest opens its doors for a sensational chimp tracking which start from Kanyanchu River Camp at 8.00am. Kibale Forest is reputable of having the greatest variety and highest concentration of primates in East Africa.

Chimpanzee tracking can either be done in the morning starting at 8.00am or in the afternoon at 2pm per day. Each section takes 18 people but they are grouped 6 people per group with each group having a guide.  With the ranger guides, you will enjoy a guided nature walk in the tropical rainforest in search of the wild habituated chimpanzees. This unforgettable tracking experience usually takes between 2 to 3 hours and when you get to the Chimpanzees you will take 1 hour with them. For Chimpanzee tracking, you are supposed to wear trousers, carry the rain gears since its in the forest the weather can change anytime, pair of binoculars, camera and hiking shoes. Besides spotting the Chimpanzees, you will also spot the grey-cheeked mangabey, red-tailed monkey and different bird species. After tracking the Chimpanzees, you will have lunch at the lodge then proceed to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

You will have a 3 hours drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park, you will stopover at the equator to take pictures then incase it doesn’t rain on the day, you will also drivethrough some of the volcanic crater lakes which were formed 10,000 years ago then continue to Queen Elizabeth National Park which is an open savanna park and the second largest national park in Uganda following the mystical Rwenzori Mountain Range. As you are driving to the Lodge, you will have an enroute game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park then in the evening retire to the lodge for dinner and overnight at either Buffalo Safari Lodge or Pumba Safari Lodge for budget accommodation. (BLD)

Pumba Safari Lodge - www.pumbasafaricottages.n.nua small basic cosy lodge with the view facing the park with self contained cottages.

Buffalo Safari Camp - www.buffalosafaricamps.com

You will start your morning game drive at 6.30amwhich isthe best time for the game drive since its cool and its when the animals are coming out of their nests. While game viewing you will go through different tracks like Janet track, Kaguta Track though Kasenyi to the North Kazinga Plainswhere you have an excellent opportunity to see lion, leopard, giant forest hog, cape buffalo, elephant, defassa waterbuck, Uganda Kob, topi, bushbuck and different bird species with the help of the guide.  This excellent game viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park will take between 3 to 4 hours drive. You will then proceed for lunch in Mweya restaurant.

At 2pm, you will go an afternoonunique 2-hour boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel into Lake Edward which will start from the penicular to Lake Edward and offers excellent platform for photography, bird watching and game viewing. There are three boats (7 seater which can be hired privately and at anytime, 14 seater and 40 seater) occupancy depends on the number of people available for the activity. The excellent boat cruise will end at 4pm then you will proceed to the Lodge for dinner and overnight at either Buffalo Safari Lodge or Pumba Safari Lodge for budget accommodation. (BLD)

Start the journey at 8am, before you drive to southern side of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, you will stopover at Kitagata hot springs, the hot springs that are believed to be a natural hospital for the local people. The locals believe that when you sit and shower in this warm water you can completely heal of any disease. Some of them carry the water to their homes for bathing, you can also join the locals and take a hot spring bath.

Then you will continue with the exciting journey which will take you to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park which is one of the most biologically diverse forests in Africa. Getting to this home of the Mountain Gorillas you pass through the Kigezi highlands, known as the "Switzerland of Africa", with terraced farming and mountain scenery at its best.

When clients reach the lodge they will check in then will go for a motor boat ride on Lake Mutanda which is nestled in the foothills of the Virunga Mountain Range. Lake Mutanda is surrounded by several islands including the punishment Island which you will visit. The Island is and was an isolated place where girls who got pregnant before marriage were abandoned with no food at all and they ended up starving to death. Actually todate there is proof of human bodies. If time allows, you will also ride to another Island for a village walk into the local community. You will then ride back to your lodge for dinner and Overnight at either Bwindi Jungle Lodge or Gorilla Valley Lodge for medium accommodation. (BLD)

Bwindi Jungle Lodge – www.ugandajunglelodges.com/bwindi

Gorilla Valley Lodge –www.naturelodges.biz/gorilla-valley-lodge

This morning you will have to wake up very early to get ready for Gorilla tracking one of the most exciting wildlife experiences on earth. You will drive to the reception for registration at 7.30am, then briefly will follow at 8am and the Gorilla tracking will start at 8.30am. There are now only 650 left in the world! Expect to adventurously track through the Impenetrable Forest before you encounter any gorillas which is definitely worthwhile as you observe them closely while they eat, play with the young ones, rest and act like Humans. A unique and inspiring experience which one can’t miss! The Gorilla is a shy and peaceful animal and it is an unforgettable experience to watch and photograph them as they interact. There are always Park Guides with who you interpret the flora and fauna and the lifestyle of the Gorillas. Tracking the gorillas will last for a few hours to a whole day depending on how far the gorilla group you are tracking is. When you get to the Gorilla Family, you will take 1 hour with them which is a very memorable experience. Dinner and Overnight at either Bwindi Jungle Lodge or Gorilla Valley Lodge for medium accommodation. (BLD)

Volcanoes National Park is a home of the Mountain Gorillas and also a home to five of eight volcanoes of Virunga Mountains which include: Muhabura, Karisimbi, Sabyinyo, Bisoke, and Gahinga that are covered by the rainforest and bamboo. Also Volcanoes National Park was the base for Dian Fosseythe zoologist.

Before proceed to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, at 8am you willtake on the Batwa Cultural Trail in Mgahinga Gorilla Park in Uganda. This cultural experience will help you explore the interesting and existing lifestyle of Uganda’s unique Batwa local people the traditional inhabitants who occupy the forest by the park. The Batwa people(pygmies)mainly depended on the forest to for a living through extracting resources from the forest.

The experience comes along with different unique demonstrations on how the Batwa used to extract local herbs that were used for healing different diseases ,the batwa traditional ways of fetching water using a locally bamboo made “mugs” and also demonstrations on how the batwa used to construct huts out of grass.

The highly rewarding cultural tour ends with staged, authentic cultural performance organized by the Batwa community at the gate of the Garama cave which was highly regarded as ceremonial place for the cultural leaders of the Batwa community.

Batwa Trail will  end between 2 – 4 pm, then you will drive to Cyanika border for 30 – 50 minutes clearance then proceed to Rwanda through the beautiful terraced hillsides to the base of the awesome volcanoes. Dinner andOvernight at Mt. Gorilla View Lodgefor medium accommodation. (BLD)

Mt. Gorilla View Lodge – www.3bhotels.com/mountain-gorilla-view-lodge

EITHER HIKE BISOKE VOLCANOES

Mt. Bisoke is 3700m high with a typical conic shape of a volcano and in its crater lies a deep crater lake. Incase you didn’t carry your hiking gear; you will hire them from the park headquarters.

OR TREK TO DIAN FOSSEY’S GRAVE

At 7.00am you will have a briefing at the Kinigi park headquarters, where you will drive for 30 minutes to the starting point of the hike. With the help of the porters who will be hired from the park headquarters, you will trek to the Karisoke research camp site which was established by Dian Fossey. The Camp site is between Mt Visoke and Mt Karisimbi at an altitude of around 3000m. For the hiking, it will take you between 3 to 4 hours and you will pass through some of the most beautiful stretches of Hagenia – Hypericum forest in the Volcanoes National Park.

You will also see the house where Dian Fossey was mysteriously murdered in 1985 and her graveyard where she was buried which is next to Digit her favorite gorilla friend and other mountain gorillas’ graveyards. Hiking the Dian Fossey grave is a tribute to her great work of protecting the Volcanoes mountain gorillas which today are still existing and your able to come see them. Dinner andOvernight at Mt. Gorilla View Lodgefor medium accommodation. (BLD)

At about 7.00am you will attend the briefing at the park headquarters at Kinigi, after the briefing you will drive to the starting point of Mt. Bisoke for the trek. While hiking of Mt. Bisoke, the volcano does not really demand a very tough climb especially for the experienced hikers but it is nevertheless still a hike. You will have porters with you throughout the hiking trip and it will begin at 8.00am. While hiking you will pass through different vegetation habitats like the bamboo forests, Hagenia – Hypericum forest and then Senecio – Lobelia bush near the summit.

This will take about 6 hours to the top where you get to the spectacular crater lake. For the experienced hikers, they can get to the top of this mountain in 3 hours or even less and return to the base in about an hour.

You will have a 2 hours drive to Kigali Genocide memorial museum centre in Gisozi which is the resting place for over 250,000 victims of the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda.  Visiting the Genocide museum, you will have an opportunity to understand all about the genocide, the events which led up to the events of 1994 and the history of genocide in Rwanda. Then transfer to a hotel for refreshing before driving to the airport to catch your flight back home.