16 Days Rwanda Uganda Gorilla Safari

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Kigali and transfer to Volcanoes national park

On the first day, you will be welcomed by your safari guide in Kigali who will brief you about the trip and later proceed to Volcanoes national park or city tour depending on your arrival time. During the drive, enjoy the roadside views like plantations, hills, valleys and others. Arrive to the park and check in at the lodge of your booking for refreshments, dinner and overnight.

Overnight at Five Volcanoes lodge

Day 2: Hike mount Bisoke

Have your breakfast at the lodge and head to Kinigi park offices for briefing and hiking registration at 7:00 AM. The Mount Bisoke hiking starting point is located away from the briefing point and requires driving on rocky and muddy terrain. On reaching the starting point, you will then proceed to hike the mountain along with the mountain guides and porters. The hike takes between 3 to 5 hours.

After reaching the peak, check out the beautiful views and take as many photos as possible. You will come back to the start point where you will meet our guide and drive back to the lodge for lunch and relaxation.

Day 3: Cultural experience and cross to Bwindi Impenetrable national park

In the morning after breakfast, you will meet your guide/driver for your transfer to Gorilla Guardian village for cultural experience in Rwanda. The village provides amazing cultural encounters including dances, songs, poems and others. Also, you are allowed to sit on the village crown as a king or queen for some good time. After, drive back to the lodge for lunch, refreshment and then meet your guide for your transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park of Uganda. Check in at the lodge of your booking for dinner and overnight.

Overnight at Gorilla mist lodge

Day 4: Gorilla trekking experience and drive to Rwenzori mountains national park

Wake up for your early tasty breakfast, after which your driver guide will take you to the headquarters in the park by 8 am for briefing about the dos and don’ts during gorilla trekking experience. After, you will embark on the amazing adventure which is gorilla tracking which involves hiking through the park rainforests in search of the endangered mountain gorillas. The experience takes about 30 to 6 hours depending on the location of the assigned gorilla group.

You will be able to enjoy the apes’ lifestyles like playing, breastfeeding and others. Also, during the experience, trekking hikers will be in line to also see other animals like the golden monkeys, elephants, buffaloes as well as birds.

After gorilla trekking, you will be driven back to the lodge for lunch and refreshments and later drive to Rwenzori mountains national park for an overnight.

Overnight at Snow Height lodge

Day 5: Nyakalengija (1615m) – Nyabitaba Camp (2651m)

Start your morning with a short drive from Nyakalengijja to Rwenzori mountaineering Services head Office, for briefing as well as allowance of enough time for renting equipment and allocation of porter and guides. After here, trek begins by passing through the Bakonjo farmlands to the park boundary at the main gate, beyond which it follows a thick forest along the Mubuku River, crossing its Mahoma River tributary before starting a long, a steep hike up onto a massive ridge to reach Nyabitaba hut. Chances are high that you may hear chimpanzees and see black and white colobus, blue monkeys and the brilliantly coloured Rwenzori turaco. This hike takes approximately 5-7 hours depending on the hikers’ physical strength.

Day 6: Nyabitaba camp to John Matte Camp (3505m.)

After Breakfast, descend through the forest to the Kurt Shafer Bridge, just below the confluence of the Mubuku and Bujuku rivers. Traversing through the bamboo forest, pass through a long and exhausting stretch of slippery moss-covered rock to Nyamileju rock shelter, where clear views of Mount Stanley and Mount Speke can be seen before passing into the zone of the giant heather, lobelia and groundsel. Finally reach John Matte Hut after passing through the tiring bog, for dinner and overnight. The hike takes an about of 6- 8 hours.

Day 7: John Matte to Bujuku Camp (3962m.)

Have an early morning breakfast and trek downwards to cross the Bujuku River and enter the Lower Bigo Bog also known as the home of giant lobelias. Jump from tussock to tussock, as you finally cross over the lower bogy region. The upper Bigo bog gives way to Bujuku Lake, with views of Mt Baker to the South and Mt Stanley to the West. Arrive at Bujuku Hut, which is suitably located in the shadow of Mount Baker and Mount Speke, in a narrow valley below Stuhlmann Pass. This camp is good for acclimatization for clients climbing to the summits of Mount Stanley and Mount Speke. Dinner and overnight at Bujuku hut. This day’s hike is quite short that it may take approximately 4 – 5 hours.

Day 8: Bujuku Camp to Mount Speke & Back to Bujuku Camp

After Breakfast, embark on an early morning hike through the stullmans pass (4192ml.) and enjoy the splendid views of Virunga National park of DR Congo to Victoria Emanuele peak. The ascent takes about 4-5 hours, after which you descend back to Bujuku camp from Victoria Emanuele which offers views of Bujuku valley and Bujuku lake, Margherita and Albert peaks on Mount Stanley, and Mount Baker. Arrive at Bujuku Camp for dinner and an overnight. The descent to Bujuku hut, lusts for 3-4 hours.

Day 9: Bujuku Camp to Elena Camp (4541m.)

From Elena hut, trek through more bog, as you climb the steep slopes west of the lake and through the magical forest of Groundsel Gully. After which, you will trek towards your right up to Elena Hut and Mount Stanley on a steep trail over large boulders. You will have dinner and an overnight at Elena hut. The trail on your left takes you to Scott-Elliot Pass and down to Kitandara Lakes then to Kitandara Hut.

The hike takes about 5 – 6 hours.

Day 10: Elena Hut to Margherita Peak (5109m) – to Kitandara Camp (4430m)

On this day you will wake up as early as 2:00am, have your early morning breakfast, and embark on your hike to the top of Margherita peak, which starts at 3:00am. You will hike through the Stanley plateau to the top of Mount Stanley. Using ropes, you will hike through the steep rocky regions, while the crampons as well as the ice axe will be used on the glacial axe- as directed by the guide. This will take a couple of hours, after which you will arrive at the bottom of margherita glacier-the most challenging part of the 7 days Rwenzori central circuit trekking experience. You will then proceed to the top of the peak of Mount Stanley (Margherita Peak-at 5107m).

At the peak, you will enjoy the impressive views of Lake Ireen, Mount Speke and the surrounding, after then descend Elena hut for lunch.

Acclimatize to fog, altitude sickness and cool weather, and scramble up to the summit of Margherita the highest peak of the Rwenzori. The descent from Margherita peak back to Elena Hut will take you about 2 – 3hours.

After your lunch at Elena hut, descend to the Scott-Elliot pass (4372m.), where there are spectacular views of Bujuku Lake and Mount Speke. After, the trail passes you through an alpine zone of sparse vegetation and rough boulders, descend past the Kitandara Lakes for dinner and overnight at the Kitandara hut. The descent takes an average of 3 – 4 hours.

Day 11: Kitandara Camp to Mount Baker (4843M) – Back to Kitandara

After breakfast, start with an early morning trek from Kitandara hut through the Fresh Field pass (4215m) and enjoy the impressive views of DR Congo up to Edward peak. (ascent may take about5 – 6 hours).

From Edward peak descend back to Fresh Field pass and then back Kitandara camp for an Overnight (descent takes about 3 – 4 hours).

Day 12: Kitandara Camp to Guy Yeoman (3261m)

Have an early breakfast, and embark on you 9 days trekking and hiking expeditions to Rwenzori mountains along the trail that ascends steeply up the headwall, spreading out from the base of Mount Baker and continuing along the southern side of the mountain to Fresh field Pass (4282m.) At this point you can view Congo to the west and Mount Stanley to the north. After then, take on the long high alpine mossy trek. Thereafter start the descent through steep rocky trails and the rock shelter at Bujongolo, the base camp for the historic expedition by the Duke of Abruzzi in 1906 and then an overnight at Guy yeoman camp. The hike takes about 6 – 7 hours.

Day 13: Guy Yeoman to Nyabitaba & Proceed to Nyakalengija (1615m.)

Below Guy Yeoman, the route descends the cliffs of Kichuchu. Beyond Kichuchu the muddy path crosses the Mubuku River twice through a bamboo forest before climbing downwards to Nyabitaba to complete the circuit. Descend further to Nyabitaba hut and later continue with your trek to Nyakalengijja, the base camp, which marks the end of the 9 days trekking and hiking expedition to the Rwenzori Mountains. The descent takes about 7 – 8 hours.

Overnight at Snow Height lodge

Day 14: Drive to Queen Elizabeth national park

Have your breakfast at the lodge and meet your guide for your transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park. The park is known for hosting numerous wildlife species including lions, elephants, leopards and others. Arrive at the lodge in the afternoon hours, check in at the lodge of your booking for refreshment, dinner and relaxation.

Overnight at Queen Elizabeth safari lodge

Day 15: Game drive and boat cruise

Wake up for an early morning breakfast at the lodge and set off for the morning game drive to catch the early risers and predators returning to their hideouts. You will also spot several grazing animals like the hippos, elephants, water bucks, bush bucks, and others. After, return to the lodge for lunch and later go for an afternoon boat cruise along Kazinga channel which joins Lake Edward and George. While on the cruise, you will see several animals like hippos, buffalos, kob, and occasional Nile crocodiles and a number of birds on the water banks. Later return at the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 16: Drive to Entebbe for your departure flight

Have your breakfast at the lodge and meet your guide for the transfer back to Entebbe international airport.