20 Days Gorilla Trekking, East African tour to Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania for Gorilla trekking, game viewing and birding in the most remarkable East African Safari Parks.
Day 1: arrival at Kigali airport;
On arrival to Kigali airport you will be picked by our driver/ guide, who will transfer you to Parc Nationale De Volcanoes. You will stay at Mountain Gorilla Nest or Kinigi guest house. Where you will be picked the next morning for Gorilla Tracking.
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking;
Early morning after breakfast, you will begin your Rwanda Gorilla trek in the light mountain forest on the slopes of Virunga. After briefing by ranger guides at 7:30am and at 8:30am with packed lunch, you will start the trek to hunt for the Gorillas and after finding them you will spend a maximum of 1 hour. This walk can take 4-5 hours depending on where you will meet the gorillas. The park is steep, it’s a real hiking and being physically fit is recommended. After tracking return to the hotel/lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Nyungwe Forest;
Early after breakfast you leave the guest house with your packed lunch to Nyungwe forest, one of Rwanda’s largest forests. The forest is known for having primates with 13 monkey species, including chimpanzees. You will make a walk through the forest in search of monkeys and birds, view the waterfalls and track the chimpanzees. Late in the evening you will return to the guest house for your dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Departure to Bunyonyi.
Early morning after breakfast, you will be picked from the guest house with your packed lunch by our drive/ guide. You will start your journey via Katuna boarder to Kabale town. After reaching the town centre following the main road to Kisoro, then take a turn left at the Y junction 0,5 km outside the town (towards Kisoro). At the junction, there is a yellow sign “BUNYONYI RESORT”. Some 4 kilometres later, at the top of the hill, you will see a stunning view of Lake Bunyonyi. Continue down towards the lake, on the lakes shores, Bunyonyi Overland Resort is offering you a base to explore lake, or a wonderful stop-over on your way to track gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable forest National Park in Western Uganda.
Our guides work directly with local guides they will escort you to the community for a village walks where you will learn more about the life skills of the local population, farming activities and how community tourism is benefitting villagers directly. For people who like to walk, the last 14 km is a stunning beautiful walk along the lakeshore and above on the hills. Lake Bunyonyi is famous for birds, otters and delicious crayfish. We will stay the rest of the day here, it is possible to swim and try a canoe however you are advised to take it on your own risk because a good number of people have lost their lives while taking this activity, this Lake is well known to be the second deepest lake in Africa, possibly your advised to use swimming gears. Seated on the veranda more then 300 birds species can be seen (bring your binoculars). Enjoy the great meals and snacks from their menu by trying the local crayfish direct from the lake.
Day 5: Journey to Bwindi National Park.
Early morning after breakfast, with your packed lunch you start the journey to Bwindi impenetrable forest National Park via kabale- kisoro branch off to Ruhija community and proceed to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park to Buhoma community, to the lodge of your choice for dinner and overnight.
Budget Accommodation: – Buhoma community bandas/ Bwindi View bandas.
Luxury Accommodation: – Gorilla forest camp/ Gorilla safari lodge.
Day 6: Gorilla Tracking Bwindi.
Early morning after breakfast the day is for tracking Gorillas. You will be able to track the Mubare, Habinyanja, Rushegura, Bitukura or Nshongi Gorilla Family; it will depend on your choice. Then briefing by ranger guides at 7:30am and at 8:30am with packed lunch, you will start the trek to hunt for the Gorillas and after finding the finding you will spend a maximum of 1 hour. This walk can take 3-4 hours depending on which group you are tracking and where you will meet the gorillas. It’s a real hiking and being physically fit is recommended. After tracking return to the hotel/lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Budget Accommodation: – Buhoma community bandas/ Bwindi View bandas.
Luxury Accommodation: – Gorilla forest camp/ Gorilla safari lodge
Day 7: To Queen Elizabeth National Park Via Ishasha Sector.
Early morning after breakfast, depart for Ishasha game reserve via kanungu district to view lions and Uganda kobs. The remote Ishasha Sector is famed for its tree-climbing lions and large population of Uganda kobs. And after proceed to Queen Elizabeth national park. Reach mweya Safari Lodge late in the evening for dinner and overnight.
Budget Accommodation: – Queen Elizabeth Bush Camp with Eco system self-contained Tents
Luxury Accommodation: – Mweya Safari Lodge or Jacana Safari Lodge.
Day 8: In Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Early morning after breakfast, is the day for a game drive in thatch for the almost 100 mammal species and remarkable 606 bird species that make this superb safari territory, with elephants, a profusion of hippos, the elusive giant forest hog and handsome of Uganda kobs all regularly sighted around the tourist village on the Mweya peninsula. After lunch proceed to kyambura Gorge harbours habituated chimps, the maramagambo forest a home to an alluring selection of forest monkeys and birds and flocks of flamingo resident on the crater lakes besides Jacana Lodge. Return to the hotel late in the evening for dinner and overnight.
Budget Accommodation: – Queen Elizabeth Bush Camp with Eco system self-contained Tents
Luxury Accommodation: – Mweya Safari Lodge or Jacana Safari Lodge.
Day 9: The Journey to Kampala.
Early in the morning after breakfast, you will start the journey back to Kampala. Make a Stopover at the equator in Masaka for your souvenir shopping, photo shooting and possibly for tea/ coffee break or lunch. If departing in the evening we will take you to the Entebbe international airport for check in but if departing in the morning then we will take you to the hotel of your choice where you wish to stay for overnight and pick you next morning to the Airport for check in.
Day 10: Departure to Tanzania.
Early morning after breakfast, you will leave the hotel with packed lunch for your flight from Entebbe International Airport to Arusha. You will be picked and transferred to Arusha National park the closest national park to Arusha town – northern Tanzania’s safari capital – Arusha National Park is a multi-faceted jewel. Our guide will take you to Hatari Lodge Africa owned by Hatari lodge Africa Game Tracks Ltd for you dinner and overnight.
Day 11: Game Drive in Arusha National Park.
Early morning after breakfast, you will leave the lodge with packed lunch for the game drive. The entrance gate leads you into shadowy montane forest inhabited by inquisitive blue monkeys and colorful turacos and trogons – the only place on the northern safari circuit where the acrobatic black-and-white colobus monkey is easily seen. Passing first through wooded savannah you will encounter a number of buffalos and giraffes, Zebras. Although elephants are uncommon in this Park, and lions absent altogether, you will be able to spot leopards and spotted hyenas and these are usually spotted in the morning and afternoon. Late in the evening you will return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 12: Departure to Lake Manyara National Park.
Early morning after breakfast, you will leave the lodge with your packed lunch by road, charter or scheduled flight from Arusha, Ngorongoro Crater to Lake Manyara National park, a scenic gem, with a setting extolled by Ernest Hemingway as “the loveliest ever seen in Africa” located in northern Tanzania. The entrance gate lies 1.5 hours (126km/80 miles) west of Arusha along a newly surfaced road, close to the ethnically diverse market town of Mto wa Mbu. You will reach at Manyara Tree Lodge owned by Conservation Corporation Africa for your dinner and overnight.
Day 13: Game Drive in Lake Manyara National Park.
Early morning after breakfast, you will leave the lodge with packed lunch for the game drive. Game-viewing circuit through Manyara will offer you a virtual microcosm of the Tanzanian safari experience, through an expanse of lush jungle-like groundwater forest you will meet hundred-strong baboon troop’s lounge nonchalantly along the roadside, blue monkeys. You will see Large buffalo, wildebeest and zebra herds congregate on these grassy plains, giraffes – some so dark in coloration that will appear to be black from a distance. You will also be able to view Manyara’s legendary tree-climbing lions and impressively tusked elephants. Late in the afternoon you will return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day14: Departure to Serengeti National Park.
Early morning after breakfast, you will leave the lodge with packed lunch for the Journey to Serengeti National Park, Tanzania’s oldest and most popular national park, also a world heritage site and recently proclaimed a 7th world wide wonder, Drive from Lake Manyara through Tarangire or Ngorongoro Crater. You will reach Seronera Wildlife lodge owned by TAHI ltd, you will relax, and dinner and overnight.
Day 15: Game Drive in Serengeti National Park.
Early morning after breakfast, you will leave the lodge with packed lunch for the game drive. You see a million wildebeest as they fulfill their instinctive role in the inescapable cycle of life, more than 200,000 zebra and 300,000 Thomson’s gazelle as they join the wildebeest’s trek for fresh grazing, spectacle of predator versus prey that dominates park, Golden-maned lion, Solitary leopards lining the Seronera River, a high density of cheetahs in the southeastern plains, alongside the spotted hyena and the beautiful serval cat. You will return to the lodge late in the evening for dinner and overnight.
Day 16: Julius Nyerere International Airport to Nairobi Airport.
Early morning after breakfast, you will leave the lodge with packed lunch to Dar es Salaam- Julius Nyerere international airport for your flight Nairobi-Kenya. On arrival to Nairobi airport you will be picked by our Safari Representative/ driver, he will take you for the Nairobi city tour. In Kenya all roads will lead you to Nairobi “Enkare Nyirobi,” the Masai name for the area which translates as “the place of cool waters” (indeed, many rivers crisscross the city), This isn’t surprising because the city is the economic and political capital of Kenya and also hosts the largest of the Kenya airports. Nairobi is East Africa’s largest and busiest metropolis and historically the British colonialists settled for the name “Nairobi.” Nairobi city is a mere stone’s throw from Nairobi National park, no where else in the world can you witness countless wild animals in their natural habitat just a stone’s throw from the city. In fact, after a 15-minute drive, you have the priceless opportunity to behold the park’s giraffes, African lions, lepards, rhinos, cheetahs, buffaloes, zebras and aardvarks against the backdrop of the city’s skyscrapers. Retire late in the evening to the hotel of your choice.
Budget Accommodation – Panafric hotel/ Jacaranda/ Nairobi safari Club.
Luxury Accommodation – Ngong house/ Giraffe Manor/ House of Waine.
Day 17: To Masai Mara National Reserve.
Early morning after breakfast, begin the Journey to Masai Mara National Reserve Kenya’s finest wildlife reserve and one of the best plains’ game reserve, where you will encounter a live Discovery Channel, a haven for viewing a congregation of all sorts of animals in a five-mile radius. The rest of the day at David Livingstone Safari Resort/ Mara Serena lodge, dinner and overnight.
Day 18/19 Game Drive in Masai Mara.
Early morning after breakfast you go for the game drive. You will spot a pride of lions some ready to make runs for a prey, the cheetahs and their cubs, pair of ostriches walking in the open stretches of the savannah, gazelle, herds of shuffling elephants browsing among the rich tree-studded grasslands, you will also be able to make occasional sight of a solitary or an ill-tempered rhino and the migratory wildebeest and zebras that fill the Masai Mara plains. Late in the afternoon you will retire for your lunch, evening relaxation at the lodge then dinner and overnight.
Day 20: Departure to Nairobi Airport.
Early morning after breakfast, you will leave the Hotel with packed lunch. Our representative/ driver will transfer you to Nairobi international airport for your flight back home. End of 20 Days East African Safari Tour!
