Shared service with other clients and an English-speaking driver-guide.
Entebbe - Ziwa Rhino Reserve - Murchison Falls National Park - Albertine Rift Valley - Kibale National Park - Queen Elizabeth National Park - Ishasha - Lake Bunyonyi - Bwindi National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park - Mountain gorilla viewing - Volcanoes National Park - Golden monkey viewing - Lake Kivu - Nyungwe National Park - Cyangugu - Angolan colobus monkey viewing - Butare - Nyanza
This itinerary combining Uganda and Rwanda offers the opportunity to discover Uganda's Western Circuit of the Albertine Rift Valley, continuing into Rwanda to Volcanoes National Park, Lake Kivu, and Nyungwe Forest National Park. The program includes ecotourism activities such as trekking with chimpanzee watching in Kibale and Nyungwe, gorilla watching in Uganda, and hiking in Volcanoes National Park.
Alternative programs
Circuit details
-Scheduled flights.
-Arrival transfer in Entebbe.
-Transfer from Nyanza to Kigali airport.
-Transportation in a 4x4 Land Cruiser vehicle with an English-speaking driver-guide. Maximum 6 passengers per vehicle.
-12 nights' accommodation.
-Full board (excluding drinks) throughout the tour, except for the first night in Entebbe, which includes breakfast only.
-Entrance fees to the National Parks and excursions described in the itinerary.
-Gorilla viewing permit.
-Chimpanzee viewing permit in Kibale Forest National Park.
-Angolan colobus trekking in Nyungwe National Park.
-Trekking in Volcanoes National Park.
-Bottled water in the vehicle.
-Plus travel assistance insurance.
-Combined entry visas for Uganda and Rwanda (East African Visa).
-Tips and personal expenses.
-Drinks during lunch and dinner.
-Optional activities.
-Spanish-speaking guide (see supplement).
-Any other services not specified as included.
-Optional insurance.
Ground Services:
- Cancellations made between 61 – 32 days before the start of the trip are subject to a penalty of 30% of the total amount of the confirmed services.
- Cancellations made between 31 – 17 days before the start of the trip are subject to a penalty of 60% of the total amount of the confirmed services.
- Cancellations made between 16– 0 days before the start of the trip are subject to a penalty of 100% of the total amount of the confirmed services.
Flights:
Air reservations do not allow name changes and once the tickets have been issued, they are non-refundable.
-Guaranteed departures from 2 passengers.
-Hotels and camps do not guarantee room availability before 2:00 p.m. on the day of arrival.
-Room use is limited until 10:00 a.m. on the day of departure.
-Free time: During free time, clients do not have access to transportation or a local guide.
-Possible route changes: Our representative in Uganda and Rwanda has the full right to modify the program for the benefit of the client or due to force majeure without losing any of the scheduled visits.
-Possible changes in accommodations: If it is not possible to confirm the planned hotels or lodges for any of the departures, an alternative will be offered to the client within the same contracted category.
-Luggage: In case of loss of luggage by the airlines airlines, it will be the passenger's responsibility to manage the claim and call the company directly to process the delivery or compensation that may apply. Luxotour will not be responsible for any processing due to lost or broken luggage.
-People with reduced mobility: some places, accommodations and transportation are not adapted for wheelchairs, please check and notify before making the reservation. Any additional assistance costs required throughout the tour will be borne by the client.
-Special foods: Cases of food intolerances (allergies, celiac disease, vegetarian food, etc.) must be communicated before arrival in Uganda, although it is not possible to guarantee any type of special diet or menu.
-Consumer withdrawal: The tour is sold as a closed package, so there will be no refund or discount for services that customers decide not to enjoy or in which they cannot participate due to personal, medical, flight schedules or other events.
-Behavior during the trip: In the event that the attitude of a passenger jeopardizes the operation of the tour and / or causes inconvenience to the rest of the group, they will be forced to leave the tour without any type of discount or refund for the services they cannot enjoy.
-Credit card: for Generally, hotels require a credit card or cash deposit as a guarantee to provide telephone calls, extras in bars and restaurants, minibars, laundry services, room service charges, etc.
-Personal documentation and entry requirements for Uganda and Rwanda: It is the customer's responsibility to inform themselves of the current regulations regarding entry and exit to the country they are traveling to, as well as to carry the personal documents required by the authorities. Luxotour assumes no responsibility in this regard. Please note that visa, transit, entry, and vaccination regulations vary from country to country and may change at short notice and without prior notice.
This program does not have a discount for children.
Tracking mountain gorillas in Bwindi is one of the highlights of any trip to Africa. The euphoria that comes with seeing a mountain gorilla in the wild for the first time is hard to describe. They are enormous animals: up to three times larger than humans, their exaggerated size only increased by their lush fur. However, despite their fearsome appearance, gorillas are extraordinarily peaceful creatures, much less aggressive than monkeys or baboons. Despite this, it's important to remember that they are animals and that they react as such.
Even more impressive than the gorillas' size and demeanor is their curious attitude toward people, which is very different from that of any other wild animal. As cliché as it may seem, almost everyone who visits the gorillas experiences an almost mystical sense of recognition. Often, one of the gorillas will stop chewing bamboo to study its human visitor, its soft brown eyes staring at you as if searching for a connection, one of the most exciting life experiences you'll ever experience.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is home to half of the world's mountain gorilla population, with approximately 11 families habituated to human presence. Only 8 permits are issued per family each day, so it's important to book your trip well in advance, otherwise sightings are not possible.
The trekking begins at 8 a.m. Groups are limited to a maximum of 8 people. A park ranger will brief you on important aspects of the activity, including rules for behaving in their presence. We will have a strict time limit to stay with the gorillas once we have located them.
Each group is assigned a family of gorillas that are accustomed to human presence. The scouts have previously located the area where they are located, however, the walk time is unpredictable and can extend up to 6 or 7 hours.
Equipment: It is important to wear comfortable boots, a raincoat, and gardening gloves to remove nettles. The hotel provides a picnic and plenty of mineral water to consume during the walk.
Porters: In addition to the ranger and a group of park employees, we will be accompanied by porters who will carry our backpacks and walk alongside us to help us in the less accessible sections. Our contribution (15 USD) per person helps each of them and their families.
Day 1: CITY OF ORIGIN - ENTEBBE
Scheduled flight departure to Entebbe. Overnight on board.
Day 2: ENTEBBE
Arrive at Entebbe International Airport and transfer to your hotel. Remainder of the day at leisure. Overnight stay.
Note: Rooms will be available from 3:00 PM.
Day 3: ENTEBBE - ZIWA RESERVE - MURCHISON FALLS NP
After breakfast, depart by road northwest towards the Masindi Conservation Area and Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda's largest national park, offering a diverse mix of landscapes: acacia trees and savannas in the north and tropical forests in the south. We will stop at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a nature walk and learn about the breeding and care project for endangered white rhinos. Lunch at a local restaurant. Continue to the national park, stopping at the beautiful Murchison Falls to enjoy a view from the top of the falls. Arrive at the lodge and the rest of the afternoon is free. Dinner and overnight stay.
Note: Today's road journey is approximately 6 hours, covering a distance of approximately 350 km, part of it on a dirt road within the park.
What will you see today?
Day 4: MURCHISON FALLS NP
Early breakfast and departure for an early morning game drive to explore the savanna in the Nile Delta region on the north bank of Lake Albert. Among other animals, you may encounter elephants, lions, buffalo, giraffes, waterbuck, bushbuck, spotted hyenas, and, very rarely, leopards. You can relax on the return journey to the lodge. Lunch. In the afternoon, a boat game drive along the Nile River to the base of Murchison Falls. The concentration of wildlife on the banks of the Nile is astonishing, including hippos, crocodiles, and a variety of bird species such as African eagles, pelicans, kingfishers, Egyptian geese, and many more. Dinner and overnight stay.
What will you see today?
Day 5: MURCHISON FALLS NP - ALBERT RIFT VALLEY - FORT PORTAL
After breakfast, we depart southwest along Lake Albert and the Rift Valley, a route offering beautiful scenery. We will pass through Hoima, the capital city of the Kingdom of Bunyoro, and plantations of sugarcane, tea, bananas, coffee, and cocoa. Lunch en route. In Bugoma, we will organize a short nature walk to enjoy this beautiful area. In the evening, we will arrive at Fort Portal, the capital city of the Kingdom of Toro, in the shadow of the Rwenzori Mountains, the largest mountain range in Africa. Dinner and overnight stay.
Note:Today's transfer is approximately 7 or 8 hours to cover 350 km, on unpaved roads, and conditions are variable depending on rainfall.
What will you see today?
Day 6: FORT PORTAL - PN KIBALE - PN QUEEN ELIZABETH
Note: The chimpanzee trek can be done in the morning or afternoon, depending on permit availability.
What will you see today?
Day 7: QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK
What will you see today?
Day 8: QUEEN ELIZABETH NP - LAKE BUNYONYI
After breakfast, depart for an early morning game drive in the Ishasha area, famous for its tree-climbing lions. Enjoy an early lunch and then depart for southern Uganda, a region renowned for its breathtaking beauty and home to one of Africa's deepest lakes. With its numerous islands, Lake Bunyonyi offers the peace and tranquility of paradise. We will arrive at Lake Bunyonyi at sunset, after passing through Kabale. Dinner and overnight stay.
Note:Today's transfer may take up to 5 hours via a mountain road, depending on road conditions.
What will you see today?
Day 9: LAKE BUNYONYI - BWINDI NP - MGAHINGA NP
After breakfast, we will take a boat trip on Lake Bunyonyi, the deepest lake in the country, dotted with forested islands steeped in history and home to many birds that the guide will help you identify. Lunch. In the afternoon, we continue towards either Bwindi National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Dinner and overnight stay.
Note:Depending on the gorilla trekking permit, this can take place in either Mgahinga or Bwindi.
What will you see today?
Day 10: Bwindi National Park or Mgahinga National Park - Mountain Gorillas - Volcanoes National Park
What will you see today?
Day 11: Volcanoes National Park - Lake Kivu-Kibuye
After breakfast, we'll take a hike in Volcanoes National Park to see the golden monkeys, a primate species endemic to the area. Lunch will be followed by free time, during which we recommend visiting the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Ellen Campus, with its photographic collection that tells the story of gorilla conservation since Dian Fossey's time. Also located there is the Azizi Life Gorillas gift shop, which is not to be missed. In the village of Kinigi, there are also ecotourism programs where you can observe traditional Intore dances. We continue our journey towards Nyungwe National Park in southern Rwanda, along Lake Kivu. Dinner and overnight stay in the town of Kibuye at a lodge with a stunning view of Lake Kivu.
What will you see today?
Day 12: LAKE KIVU - CYANGUGU
After breakfast, we'll organize an activity on Lake Kivu: a boat trip to see Napoleon Island and other natural wonders of the area. After lunch at the hotel, we'll continue our journey to Cyangugu, located on the southern shore of Lake Kivu, near the entrance to Nyungwe Forest. Here, we'll participate in a "Tea Experience" in Rwanda through IVOMO, a social enterprise that aims to promote culture and community-based tourism, supporting local communities through responsible tourism in southwestern Rwanda. Activities include tea picking with farmers, traditional and modern tea making, and tastings at the Gisakura factory. Visit the tea museum and support local communities by purchasing souvenirs at the local products shop. Dinner and overnight stay.
What will you see today?
Day 13: CYANGUGU - NYUNGWE PN - CYANGUGU
Early breakfast and departure to be at the Nyungwe Forest entrance by 7:00 AM to begin the hike for sightings of the Angolan colobus monkey and other forest primates. Nyungwe National Park covers 970 square kilometers of verdant hills, the largest tropical forest in East Africa. It is home to 13 different primate species, including the Angolan colobus monkey, the red-tailed monkey, the velvet monkey, the crested owl monkey, and the silver monkey, and is also a habitat for chimpanzees. Return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, we will organize a canopy walk, a scenic hike across a suspension bridge over the forest. Dinner and overnight stay.
What will you see today?
Day 14: CYANGUGU - BUTARE - NYANZA - KIGALI
After breakfast, visit Butare, Rwanda's second-largest city and the country's cultural capital, home to the national university. Butare is home to the National Museum and a number of shops featuring local artisans, such as those specializing in basketry and wood inlay. We will stop to visit the Nyanza Royal Palace Museum, the former capital of the kingdom. Completely reconstructed for visitors, it features reproductions of original antique furniture belonging to Mwami, the King of Rwanda. Behind the museum are examples of the royal long-horned cattle, the Inyambo, descended from the king's own cattle. Lunch en route. Transfer to Kigali International Airport, arriving in the late afternoon.Note:Today's transfer may take up to 7 hours by road, covering a distance of 260 km. We recommend booking your departure flight from Kigali for late afternoon or evening.
Flight from Kigali airport to your hometown.
What will you see today?
Day 15: CITY OF ORIGIN
Arrival in the city of origin and end of the trip.