12 Days Congo, Uganda and Rwanda Safari
This 12 days Congo, Uganda and Rwanda safari is all you need to embark on to enjoy a number of different wildlife species in their natural habitat. Participate in gorilla trekking in Kahuzi biega National Park and get to watch the eastern lowland gorillas in Africa, for your gorilla trekking experience in Congo, you can also participate in double gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park and while embarking on your Uganda safari, you can participate in chimpanzee trekking in Uganda, gorilla trekking in Uganda when you visit Bwindi impenetrable national park and also get to participate in the Rwanda safari where you will visit Akagera national park to watch the big five animals in Rwanda while you participate in the game drives in Akagera national park, you will participate in the boat cruise on Lake Ihema which will make the safari experience quite memorable.
Highlights of the 12 Days Congo, Uganda And Rwanda Safari
Day 1: Pick-up and cross to Bukavu
Day 2: Lowland gorilla trekking Kahuzi Biega National Park
Day 3: Boat transfer to Goma and Transfer to Mikeno Lodge
Day 4: First Gorilla Trek in Virunga National Park
Day 5: Second Gorilla Trek in Virunga National Park
Day 6: Transfer back to Kigali
Day 7: Transfer to Akagera National Park and Ihema Boat Cruise.
Day 8: full-day game drive and transfer to Kigali.
Day 9: Early morning game drive and transfer to Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 10: Chimpanzee tracking in Kalinzu & Transfer to Bwindi
Day 11: Gorilla trekking Uganda – Bwindi
Day 12: Fly to Entebbe airport
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Pick-up and cross to Bukavu
On day 1 of the 12 Days Congo, Uganda and Rwanda Safari, depending on your location in Kigali city, our company representative-guide/driver will pick you up and drive for about 7 hours through Nyungwe National Park having a stop over for lunch and refreshing. Crossing through Cyangugu border to Bukavu town in the Democratic Republic of Congo just near Kahuzi Biega National Park. Check into your hotel for dinner and overnight stay at Hotel Panorama
Day 2: Lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega National Park
On the 2nd day of the 12 Days Congo, Uganda and Rwanda Safari, after enjoying your breakfast at the lodge, your driver will pick you up and transfer you to the park headquarters, participate in the briefing sessions on the rules and regulations for gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega National Park to ensure you have a safe gorilla trekking experience in Congo. After, set off to your fascinating experience of the lowland gorillas in the valleys of Kahuzi as you encounter different mammals, birds, and primates. When you get to the species you will spend an hour with them understanding their behavior in the wild, after descending back and meeting up with your driver back to your hotel for Dinner and overnight at Hotel Panorama as the night before.
Day 3: Boat transfer to Goma and Transfer to Mikeno Lodge
On the 3rd day of the 12 Days Congo, Uganda and Rwanda Safari, after an early morning breakfast at your hotel, catch an early morning speed boat from Bukavu to Goma. This will take about 3 hours, arrive at Grande Barriere’s border crossing by 11:00 am and ensure check-in with the Virunga tourism office. After check-in for the passports and the gorilla permits, you will be transported to Mikeno Lodge at the Park headquarters in Rumangabo. On arrival at Mikeno Lodge, you will have lunch participate in the nature walk and later transfer to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4: First Gorilla Trek
On the 4th day of the 12 Days Congo, Uganda and Rwanda Safari, after an early breakfast at Mikeno Lodge, guests will set off for the gorilla trek at Bukima Ranger Post. On arrival to Bukima, trekkers will meet their Ranger guides and receive a briefing before starting the gorilla trek it is quite different from gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega National Park, for gorilla trekking in Virunga, you will have access to the endangered mountain gorillas that can be seen in high elevations therefore get ready to hike mount Mikeno. Treks usually require 1-2.5 hours of hiking each way, depending on the location of the group being trekked and the difficulty of the terrain, spend an hour with them and after the experience, you will return to your hotel for relaxation and later in the afternoon explore Bukima by visiting the Park’s bamboo project.
Day 5: Second Gorilla Trek
After breakfast at your hotel, head to the meeting point for your second gorilla trek. Upon return from the trek, a quick lunch will be served at Bukima camp head back to your camp for relaxation or visit the gorilla orphans at the Senkwekwe Center.
Day 6: Transfer back to Kigali
After breakfast, guests will be transported back to the Goma with drop-off at the Grande Barriere border post. You will connect to Kigali for your drop-off. Dinner and overnight stay at Hotel Des Mille Collines.
Day 7: Transfer to Akagera National Park and Ihema Boat Cruise.
You will be met by your driver guide at your agreed location in Kigali to transfer to Akagera National Park where you will arrive in time to participate in the afternoon boat cruise on Lake Ihema where you will see game hippopotamuses, Crocodiles and many bird species like the endangered shoe bill stork, African Kingfishers catching their prey from the Lake that live around the lake and the surrounding swamps. Transfer to your pack for dinner and overnight stay at Karenge bush camp(budget) Akagera game lodge (mid-range)
Day 8: Full-day game drive and transfer to Kigali.
Rise up early and go for a game drive with great anticipation of seeing the different animals like the herbivores, the big five animals in Rwanda which rise early to graze and predators looking for their early morning kill. After the game drive, return to connect with your driver guide to embark on your transfer back to Kigali. If you didn’t have a city tour on the first day, you may have it on this day before you are dropped off in Kigali or at the airport as you may advise.
Day 9: Early morning game drive and transfer to Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Rise up early and go for a game drive with great anticipation of seeing the different animals that rise early to graze and predators looking for their early morning kill. After the game drive, return to the lodge to freshen up and embark on your journey to transfer and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park with lunch en route and arriving at the park late afternoon and enjoy an evening game drive. Dinner and overnight stay at Park View Lodge (mid-range), and Mweya Safari Lodge(luxury).
Day 10: Chimpanzee tracking in Kalinzu & Transfer to Bwindi
Have an early morning breakfast and go for Chimpanzee tracking in Kalinzu forest on the Queen Elizabeth Park boundary. The activity lasts 3 to 4 hours and later transfers to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park with lunch en-route in Ntungamo or Kabale town. Proceed to Bwindi impenetrable national park through the Ishasha sector arriving in the evening. Dinner and overnight stay at Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge (mid-range), and Silverback Gorilla Lodge( luxury).
Day 11: Gorilla trekking Uganda – Bwindi
You will enjoy an early morning breakfast and transfer to the park headquarters with your packed lunch and bottled drinking water for a briefing by the park ranger guides at 7:00 am. After the briefing, you will start your gorilla trekking journey accompanied by the ranger guides in search of the mountain gorillas; this takes 2 to 8 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas.
After your gorilla safari in Uganda, you will enjoy your lunch packs and transfer to your hotel and later time after trekking can be spent on a village tour or lazing off at the hotel as you savor the memories of your gorilla trek in Bwindi and prepare for the next day. Dinner and overnight at Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge (mid-range), and Silverback Gorilla Lodge ( luxury).
Day 12: Fly to Entebbe airport
Have breakfast and depart to Kihihi airstrip for your afternoon scheduled flight to Entebbe and the end of your Uganda safari
Quotation Includes:
1 . Pick up and drop off
2. Domestic flight fees
3. 2 Gorilla Permits
4. Par entrance fees and boat trip fees
5. 4X4 Safari vehicle and fuel
6. Full-time English-speaking Guide/Driver.
7. All accommodations as indicated in the itinerary
8. All meals indicated in the itinerary
Quotation Includes;
- Great Ape activities
- Gorilla habituation in Kahuzi Biega
- Visas for Congo
- Pick up and drop off
- Park fees
- Accommodation as per itinerary
- Meals with Virunga
- Group transport in Virunga
- Full-time English/ French speaking driver/ guide
Excludes;
- Tips
- Rwanda visa fees
- Air tickets
- All items of a personal nature like laundry, porterage, phone calls, beer, e.t.c
- Anything else not included in the itinerary
