PRIMATE WATCH SAFARIS

Venture into East Africa on a 13-day safari adventure across Uganda and Rwanda’s diverse landscapes. Explore Murchison Falls National Park renowned for its raging waters plunging through a narrow gorge, forcing the mighty Nile into submission. Witness giraffe and buffalo across open savannahs and track chimpanzees deep in the lush Kibale Forest canopy. In Queen Elizabeth National Park floats await to reveal hippos congregating by the hundreds along the Kazinga Channel while predators prowl the shores seeking their next meal.

Cross into the emerald hills of Rwanda and ascend to Volcanoes National Park, home to the mountain gorillas. Hike through mist-shrouded forests to encounter these gentle giants in their home. Take in stunning panoramas over a thousand verdant hills stretching to the horizon from your lodge as the sun sinks low.

Whether marveling at nature’s immense power at Murchison Falls, coming face to face with our closest living relatives, or relaxing in luxurious camps, this two-week safari delivers adventures to last a lifetime along with friendly guides and comfortable stays.

Day 1: Arrival Entebbe

Arrive in Entebbe, and transfer to your accommodation to rest and freshen up. If time permits visit the famous Entebbe Botanical Gardens or the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre.

Accommodation: 2 Friends Beach Hotel / Papyrus Guest House

Day 2: Entebbe – Murchison Falls National Park

You will check out and drive to Murchison Falls National Park via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for Rhino Tracking. After the tracking, you will embark on your journey to Masindi for lunch after which you will proceed to the top of the falls to see how the Nile is forced through a narrow gorge falling 43 meters high. This scenery is said to be the largest natural force of water in the world creating what appears to be a boiling caldron of water. From the top of the falls, you will drive to your accommodation.

Dinner and overnight: Sambiya River Lodge / Paraa Safari Lodge / Nile Safari Lodge / Red Chilli Camp.

Included: Rhino tracking, Visit top of the falls

Day 3: Murchison Falls National Park

After breakfast, drive to the northern sector of the park for game drives. Most of the game is found in the area north of Victoria Nile and East of the Albert Nile and Lake Albert (where the movie “The African Queen” was filmed). The likely game to be encountered during our drive are Elephants, Buffalos, Rothschild giraffe, Oribi, waterbuck, hartebeest, bushbuck, leopard, lion, bush pigs, mongoose, warthog, jackal, genet, hyenas, bat-eared fox, sitatunga and Uganda Kob. In the afternoon, take a launch boat to the base of the falls viewing game and birds en route. We enjoy the 3-hour ride past several hippo schools and Nile crocodiles plus aquatic birds.

Dinner and overnight: Sambiya River Lodge / Paraa Safari Lodge / Nile Safari Lodge / Red Chilli Camp.

Included: Game drive, Boat trip

Day 4: Murchison Falls National Park – Kibale National Park

After breakfast, drive to the Kibale Forest area via Biso, Hoima, and Kyenjojo to Fort Portal with a lunch stopover en route. The journey will take approximately 8 hours along the western arm of The Great African Rift Valley passing through beautiful agricultural countryside, tropical rain forests, and tea plantations. Check-in your accommodation for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Ndali Lodge / Primate Lodge / Turaco Treetops

Day 5: Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park

After breakfast, proceed for Chimpanzee tracking. The exciting activity begins in the morning and may take a whole day or a few hours. Briefing is done by the UWA park rangers at the park headquarters. Besides being human’s close cousins, the chimpanzees, Kibale National Park hosts other primates such as red colobus, L’hoest, black-and-white colobus, red-tailed monkeys, and grey-cheeked mangabey among others. The swamp walk at Bigodi wetland is an optional activity in the afternoon.

Accommodation: Ndali Lodge / Primate Lodge / Turaco Treetops

Included: Chimpanzee tracking

Optional: Bigodi Swamp Walk

Day 6: Kibale National Park – Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, check out and drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The drive passes through Fort Portal southwards along the Eastern length of the Rwenzori Mountains. On a clear day, you may see the glaciated peaks as you gently descend into the Great Rift Valley to the park. The Rwenzori Peaks provide a magnificent backdrop to antelope-filled plains. Queen Elizabeth National Park covers about 2,000 square kilometres and spreads along the eastern shores of the Rift Valley’s Lake Edward.

Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge / Buffalo Safari Lodge / Irungu Forest Lodge

Included:  Evening game drive

Day 7: Queen Elizabeth National Park

Today you go for an early morning game drive with the hope of seeing lions and other predators as they hunt for their prey. In the afternoon, you take a launch/boat cruise of about two hours on the Kazinga channel for bird viewing (Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the best birding parks in Africa with “560” + recorded bird species and 296 bird species seen in 24 hours). You may also watch wildlife including the hippopotamus and elephants, among others. The Channel is believed to have the largest concentration of hippopotamus in the world.

Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge / Buffalo Safari Lodge / Irungu Forest Lodge

Included: Game drive, Boat trip at the Kazinga Channel

Day 8: Full-day Game Drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Spend this day exploring Queen Elizabeth National Park at your own pace. Visit several crater lakes, search for wildlife, and visit the communities in and around the park. Visit the Ishasha Sector to search for the tree-climbing lions.

Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge / Buffalo Safari Lodge / Irungu Forest Lodge

Included: Game drive, Community visit

Day 9: Drive from Queen Elizabeth National Park to Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

This day after breakfast, embark on the drive to the Land of a Thousand Hills, Rwanda. This journey takes you through the terraced gentle and steep rolling hills of Kigezi which is referred to as the “Switzerland of Africa”. A beautiful scenery to see.

Lunch en route; proceed to the border crossing region of either Katuna or Ruhengeri into Rwanda.

Accommodation: Overnight Gorilla Nest Lodge / Da Vinci Lodge

Day 10: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park

Gorilla tracking!!! Early morning departure with your ranger to search for one of the mountain gorillas, the world’s most interesting and endangered animals. You will spend one hour with one of our closest relatives in the wild. An experience you will never forget.

Accommodation: Gorilla Nest Lodge / Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge

Included: Gorilla tracking

Day 11: Sightseeing & Golden Monkey Tracking

In the morning, we set off to track the golden monkeys, and later visit Dian Fossey’s Graveyard.

Accommodation: Gorilla Nest Lodge / Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge

Included: Golden Monkey tracking, Nature walk

Day 12: Drive to Kigali – City Tour

Have breakfast and drive to Kigali for a City Tour. Visit some of the genocide memorials, markets, and communities.

Accommodation: Hotel des Mille Collines / The Heaven Boutique

Included: City Tour

Day 13: Departure

Morning at leisure. In the afternoon, transfer to the airport for your outbound flight.