Thousand Hills of Uganda and Rwanda

Scheduled flight departure to Entebbe. Overnight on board.

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.

After breakfast, depart by road northwest via Masindi, heading for Murchison Falls National Park, the largest national park in Uganda, which offers a varied mix of landscapes, including acacia trees and savannahs in the north and tropical forests in the south. We will stop at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a nature walk and to learn about the breeding and care project for the endangered white rhinoceros. Lunch is served. We continue to the national park, stopping at the beautiful Murchison Falls for a view from the top of the falls. Arrive at the lodge and enjoy the remainder of the afternoon at leisure. Dinner and overnight stay.

Note: Today's drive is approximately 6 hours, covering a distance of approximately 350 km, part of which is on a dirt road within the park.

Early breakfast and departure for an early morning game drive to explore the savannah in the Nile Delta region on Lake Albert, North Bank. Other animals include elephants, lions, buffalo, giraffes, waterbuck, bushbuck, spotted hyenas, and, very rarely, leopards. Relax on the drive back to the lodge. Lunch is served. In the afternoon, take a boat safari on the River Nile to the base of Murchison Falls. The concentration of wildlife on the Nile River bank is striking, including hippos, crocodiles, and a variety of bird species, including African eagles, pelicans, kingfishers, Egyptian geese, and more. Dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast, we head southwest along Lake Albert and the Rift Valley, a road that offers beautiful scenery. We pass through Hoima, the capital city of the Bunyoro Kingdom, and sugarcane, tea, banana, coffee, and cocoa plantations. Lunch is served en route. In Bugoma, we organize a short nature walk to enjoy this beautiful area. In the evening, we arrive at Fort Portal, the capital city of the Toro Kingdom, in the shadow of the Rwenzori Mountains, the largest mountain range in Africa. Dinner and overnight stay.

Note: Today's transfer is approximately 7/8 hours, covering 350 km on a dirt road with variable conditions depending on the rainfall.

Early breakfast and departure in search of chimpanzees in the Kibale Forest. The activity begins very early (or in the afternoon, depending on park permits) with a briefing from the head ranger. Lunch is served at the lodge before visiting Bigodi, an ecotourism site where we can walk through the village, meet and learn about the inhabitants of the area surrounding the forest, and learn about their history, traditions, and customs. After the activity, if we have free time, each traveler can plant a tree in a reforestation area in Bigodi and participate in the KAFRED project. In the afternoon, transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Arrival at the lodge, dinner, and overnight stay.

Note:The chimpanzee trek can be done in the morning or afternoon, depending on permit availability.

Early in the morning, after breakfast, we will depart for a 4x4 game drive through the northern part of the national park, heading towards Lake George and the village of Kasenyi. We may see lions, elephants, buffalo, spotted hyenas, waterbucks, Uganda kobi, and perhaps the rarer leopard. Lunch is served. In the afternoon, we will embark on a boat safari from the Mweya Peninsula along the Kazinga Channel, one of Uganda's most popular wildlife and birdlife sites. We will also be able to see many hippos, buffalo, and elephants while drinking from the channel. After the game drive, we will transfer to the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Arrival at the lodge in the Ishasha area, dinner, and overnight stay.

After breakfast, depart for a morning game drive in the Ishasha area, famous for its tree-climbing lions. After visiting this area of the park, we head towards southern Uganda, an area renowned for its stunning beauty and home to one of the deepest lakes in Africa. With numerous islands in the lake and the chance to discover the indigenous Twa tribe on a boat trip, Lake Bunyonyi offers the peace and tranquility of a dreamer's heaven. Lunch is served en route. We will arrive at Lake Bunyonyi in the afternoon, after passing through the town of Kabale. Dinner and overnight stay.

Note: Today's transfer may take up to 5 hours, depending on road conditions.

After breakfast, we will take a small boat ride on Lake Bunyonyi, the deepest lake in the country, free of bilharzia, full of islands with many stories and birds that the guide will help you identify. Lunch. In the afternoon, we continue to the Virunga Conservation Area, between Kisoro and Rwanda, at the foot of the Muhabura volcano, where the Mgahinga gorilla park or the Bwindi impenetrable forest park is located. Dinner and overnight stay.

Note: Depending on the gorilla trekking permit, it can be done in Mgahinga or Bwindi.

After breakfast, we will begin the trek in search of one of the mountain gorilla families. The trek can be done in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable Park (depending on where we have received our permit). The excitement caused by the encounter with the gorillas is a fascinating and exciting feeling that will leave you with unforgettable memories. We will bring water and a picnic lunch. Good physical fitness is recommended. In the afternoon, after the trek, we continue towards Rwanda, crossing the Cyanika border. Arrival in Musanze, dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast, we organize a hike in Volcanoes National Park to see the golden monkeys, a primate species endemic to the area. Lunch and free time are recommended. We recommend visiting the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Ellen Campus, with its photography collection that tells the story of gorilla conservation since Dian Fossey's time. The center also houses 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 the trip 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.

After breakfast, we organize an activity on Lake Kivu, a boat trip across the lake to see Napoleon Island and other natural sites in the area. After lunch at the hotel, we will continue the journey to Cyangugu, located on the southern shore of Lake Kivu, near the entrance to Nyungwe Forest. We can arrange 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 southwest 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 product shop. Dinner and overnight stay.

Early breakfast and departure to be at the Nyungwe Forest entrance at 7:00 a.m. to begin the trek to spot the Angolan colobus monkey and other forest primates. Nyungwe National Park extends over 970 square kilometers of verdant hills, the largest tropical forest in East Africa. It is home to 13 different species of primates, including the Angolan colobus monkey, the red-tailed monkey, the velvet monkey, the owl-faced monkey, and the silvery monkey, and is also a habitat for chimpanzees. Return to the lodge for lunch. Free afternoon. In the evening, we organize a canopy walk, a panoramic ride on a suspension bridge over the forest. Dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast, visit Butare, Rwanda's second largest city and cultural capital, home to the national university. Butare is home to the National Museum and several shops selling characteristic small-scale artisanal products, such as basketry and wood inlay. We will stop to visit the Nyanza Royal Palace Museum, the former capital of the kingdom, which has been entirely rebuilt for visitors but reproduces original pieces of antique furniture belonging to Mwami, the King of Rwanda. Behind the museum are specimens of the royal long-horned cows, the Inyambo, descended from the king's cows. Lunch en route. Transfer to Kigali International Airport, arriving late in the 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 in the late afternoon or evening.

Flight from Kigali airport to your hometown.