21 DAYS Gorillas,Chimpanzees and Wildlife Safari

Depart Entebbe/Kampala city after a delicious cup of tea/coffee, driving via the Gulu highway to Murchison Falls National Park in Northwestern Uganda. With professional driver, you will take about 6 hours but en route there will be a chance to visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.

It is only at Ziwa where rhinos can be trekked while in Uganda and combined with a trip to Murchison Falls Park, you will have a complete big 5 game experience. From Ziwa, go to Masindi town for lunch and connect to Kichumbanyobo gate leading you to Murchison Falls N/Park and before you check in at the lodge, first pay a visit to the top of the falls.

Accommodation

• Budget: Red Chili Camp
• Midrange: Heritage Lodge/Murchison River Lodge
• Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge or Bakers Lodge

Early in the morning, set off in a 4WD vehicle and explore abundant wildlife in Murchison Falls National Park. Get your camera ready for action as you capture remarkable photos of the Rothschild giraffes, buffaloes, elephants, leopards, lions, hyenas, Uganda Kobs, oribis, hartebeest, warthogs and many bird species. End the 2-3 hours with lots of memories, and get back for lunch at the lodge.

In the afternoon, go for the boat cruise to add on the list of memorable experiences on Murchison Falls safari. The Boat cruise excursion starts from the Paraa Jetty running along the Victoria Nile for 2-3 hours with an experienced guide. Your sightings for day will include hippos, crocodiles and water birds.

Accommodation

• Budget: Red Chili Camp
• Midrange: Heritage Lodge/Murchison River Lodge
• Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge or Bakers Lodge

Depart Murchison Falls NP and continue to Kibale National Park (KNP), enjoy the breathtaking landscape in the countryside. You will be provided lunch en route on arrival at Fort Portal city.

Accommodation

• Budget: Isunga Lodge/Camping
• Midrange: Primate Lodge or Turaco Treetop
• Luxury: Kyaninga Lodge/Ndali/Papaya Lake Lodge

Briefing about chimpanzee tracking guidelines will be carried out in the morning at Kanyanchu tourist centre. With the lead of an experienced guide, begin trekking through Kibale Forest National Park in search for chimpanzees. Once you have located chimpanzee community, you will enjoy one hour observing their behaviors, watch them feed, play and groom each other.

You will get back to your lodge for lunch and in the afternoon, set off for Bigodi for swamp/nature walk. Explore more primates combined by community experience where you will learn basket weaving, visit the cultural doctor, and get entertained by locals.

Accommodation

• Budget: Red Chili Camp
• Midrange: Heritage Lodge/Murchison River Lodge
• Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge or Bakers Lodge

Wake up early for breakfast and check out of the lodge, then drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. It will be a scenic drive characterized by breathtaking views of craters like Kasenda, Nyinambuga and also the Rwenzori Mountains at the background. Be at the lodge early to enjoy lunch and proceed with an afternoon boat/launch cruise through the 42km long Kazinga channel that links Lake Edward and Lake George. At a slow speed, keep an eye on hippos, crocodile, water birds and other mammals.

After breakfast, you will be heading to Kasenyi Plains for a memorable game drive and expect to encounter lots of cats and other animals. The expected sightings this morning will include cape buffaloes, bushbucks, Uganda kobs, elephants, Defassa waterbucks, bird species, and more. Retreat from Kasenyi game drive, check out and proceed to Ishasha for a short game drive mainly to look for the tree climbing lions. You will proceed to Bwindi National Park after the picnic meal.

Accommodation

• Budget: Buhoma community rest camp
• Midrange: Engagi Lodge
• Luxury: Buhoma Lodge

It is time to meet your dream apes and your day begins with breakfast, followed by briefing about gorilla trekking guidelines. The park guide will be available to take you on this adventure, expecting to go for 2-6 hours inclusive of one hour of watching them play, feed, groom and take photos. Get back to the lodge for relaxation, and if time permits and depending on your energy level, you may continue with Batwa community visit.

Accommodation

• Budget: Buhoma community rest camp
• Midrange: Engagi Lodge
• Luxury: Buhoma Lodge

You will be transferred to Volcanoes National Park Rwanda after breakfast. This involves crossing via Katuna/Chanika border and arrive early to check in at your lodge.

Accommodation

• Budget: Kinigi Guesthouse
• Midrange: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel/Da Vinci Lodge
• Luxury: Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge/Bisate Lodge

Enjoy early breakfast and you will gather at Kinigi for briefing on gorilla trekking guidelines. At 8:00am, be led by an armed park ranger guide and expect to take 2-6 hours in the lush forest looking for mountain gorillas. An hour will be dedicated for your close encounter with the great apes, observing their daily behaviors and taking pictures. Walk back to the lodge to chill, and visit Iby’Iwacu village to interact with locals, learn about their lifestyles, traditions and enjoy cultural dances.

Accommodation

• Budget: Kinigi Guesthouse
• Midrange: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel/Da Vinci Lodge
• Luxury: Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge/Bisate Lodge

Pick up from your lodges and head to Nyungwe Forest National Park located in the southern province of Rwanda. The 970sq.km park shelters 13 species of primates: 500 chimpanzees, l’hoest monkeys, golden monkeys, baboons, colobus monkeys and others.

Accommodation

• Budget: Gisakura Guesthouse
• Midrange: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel
• Luxury: One & Only Nyungwe House

Assemble at Nyungwe park offices for briefing about chimpanzee tracking guidelines and at 8:00 am, you will begin your trek to see chimpanzees. The chimp trek lasts for 2-4 hours including one hour of a close encounter, observing how chimps behave and photography. Get back to the lodge for lunch and relaxation till afternoon when you will be led on a canopy walk, a suspended walk way 60m from the ground.

Accommodation

• Budget: Gisakura Guesthouse
• Midrange: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel
• Luxury: One & Only Nyungwe House

After breakfast, drive to Kigali airport where you will be transferred to Arusha in Tanzania. You will check in at Four Points by Sheraton in Arusha/Fun Retreat Resort.

Set off to Arusha National Park, 1-2 hours’ drive and you will have a long day game drive. Embark on a game viewing with a pack of lunch and today’s sightings include giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, spotted hyenas and birds.

Accommodation

• Hatari Lodge
• African View Lodge
• Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge

Start the day with a cup of tea/coffee and you will be picked up and transferred to Lake Manyara National Park. You will enjoy packed lunch and proceed to the park to check in at your lodge.

Accommodation

• Budget: Fig Tree Lodge & Camp
• Midrange: Kirurumu Tented Camp/Lake Manyara Tortilis Camp
• Luxury: AndBeyond Lake Manyara Tree Lodge/Escarpment Luxury Lodge

Set off for a long day game viewing experience with an experienced park guide. You will be spotting animals such as tree climbing lions, impalas, giraffes, hippos, elephants, bushbucks, and plenty of flamingos.

Accommodation

• Budget: Fig Tree Lodge & Camp
• Midrange: Kirurumu Tented Camp/Lake Manyara Tortilis Camp
• Luxury: AndBeyond Lake Manyara Tree Lodge/Escarpment Luxury Lodge

Leave Manyara National Park for Serengeti National Park to enjoy exhilarating wildebeest migration and big five encounter. This park is situated in the Northern circuit of Tanzania and spans up to 14763sq.km.

Accommodation

• Budget: Africa Safari Maasai Boma/Nyitika Lodge
• Midrange: Mawe Tented Camp/Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge/Lobo Wildlife Lodge
• Luxury: 4 Seasons Safari Lodge/Singita Sasakwa Lodge/Bushtops Luxury Tented Camp

With lunch packed for you, set off for a full day game drive through Serengeti plains and today, your focus will be viewing the big five game, and watching wildebeest migration. The wildebeest migration occurs from June to September and you won’t see wildebeest alone, but also several other animals: zebras, Thomson’s gazelles, elands, etc.

Accommodation

• Budget: Africa Safari Maasai Boma/Nyitika Lodge
• Midrange: Mawe Tented Camp/Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge/Lobo Wildlife Lodge
• Luxury: 4 Seasons Safari Lodge/Singita Sasakwa Lodge/Bushtops Luxury Tented Camp

After breakfast, begin your trip to Maasai Mara Reserve Kenya. You will be crossing the borders and welcomed by Kenya guide for transfer to the lodge.

Accommodation

• Budget: Mara Duma Bush Camp/Talek Bush Camp
• Midrange: Richard’s River Camp/Elephant Pepper Camp/Serena Safari Lodge
• Luxury: Saruni Mara/AndBeyond Bateleur Camp/Agama Mara

Enjoy breakfast and set off for a full day game drive with some packed lunch. Today’s animal sightings include wildebeests, elephants, cheetahs, lions, leopards, zebras, and birds. You will return to the lodge after a memorable game drive through Maasai Mara Reserve.

Accommodation

• Budget: Mara Duma Bush Camp/Talek Bush Camp
• Midrange: Richard’s River Camp/Elephant Pepper Camp/Serena Safari Lodge
• Luxury: Saruni Mara/AndBeyond Bateleur Camp/Agama Mara

After breakfast, you will return to the Maasai Mara plains in different style and today, you will enjoy a hot air balloon in the morning. Capture the best aerial views of wildlife and breathtaking landscape. After, you may continue with game drive and later in the afternoon, visit the Maasai people for a cultural experience.

Accommodation

• Budget: Mara Duma Bush Camp/Talek Bush Camp
• Midrange: Richard’s River Camp/Elephant Pepper Camp/Serena Safari Lodge
• Luxury: Saruni Mara/AndBeyond Bateleur Camp/Agama Mara

Pick up by your driver and transfer to Nairobi city. Drop off to the airport/hotel and today marks the end of the 3-week grand tour in East Africa.

End of tour