19 days Uganda,Rwanda & Congo Adventure
This 19 days Uganda,Rwanda & Congo Adventure safari will give you a combination of wildlife and primates in all the 3 countries in East and Central Africa famous for their mountain gorilla trekking safaris. These are Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. On this safari, you will experience a triple gorilla trekking expedition where you will go mountain gorilla trekking in all the 3 countries that is; Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, each giving you a different though memorable and amazing experience. You will also encounter several wildlife both while on a game viewing adventure and a boat cruise such as lions, elephants, giraffes, hippos, and Nile crocodiles, among others in the different National Parks such as Kidepo Valley National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, and Queen Elizabeth National Park. You will also come across a variety of bird species in the Mabamba swamp such as Africa’s most sought-after bird, the shoebill stork.
Itinerary overview 19 days uganda, rwanda & Congo Adventure
- Day 1: Pick up and proceed for Entebbe city tour
- Day 2: Visit to the Mabamba Swamp
- Day 3: Transfer to Kitgum
- Day 4: Transfer to Kidepo
- Day 5: Game drive
- Day 6: Transfer to Murchison Falls
- Day 7: Game drive and Boat cruise
- Day 8: Transfer to Kibale
- Day 9: Chimpanzee trekking
- Day 10: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Day 11: Game drive
- Day 12: Transfer to Buhoma
- Day 13: Gorilla trekking
- Day 14: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
- Day 15: Transfer to Volcanoes
- Day 16: Gorilla trekking
- Day 17: Golden monkey and transfer to Bukavu
- Day 18: Transfer to Congo
- Day 19: Gorilla trekking
- Day 20: Transfer to Kigali
Day 1: Pick up and proceed to Entebbe City Tour
A professional designated English-speaking driver guide will pick you up from Entebbe International Airport, then you proceed for a city tour of Entebbe, enjoying the amazing features of this city. This city tour will include a visit to the famous Botanical Gardens, an eco-friendly forest known for its variety of tree species, and some primates such as the black and white colobus monkeys, the red-tailed monkeys, the velvet monkeys, and several insects which you will witness. This will be followed up with a visit to the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre where you will see several wildlife such as 4 of Africa’s BIG 5. While at the Uganda Wildlife Education Center, you will stop by the restaurant for lunch. In the evening, you will visit some of the beaches in Entebbe such as white sand beach, Coco Beach, and Lido Beach among others. Later on, you will check into your hotel where you will have dinner and a night’s rest.
Meal plan; Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Horizon Hotel
Day 2: Visit the Mabamba Swamp
In the morning after breakfast, the hotel will provide you with a packed lunch then your driver guide will pick you up from the hotel and take you to Mabamba Swamp where you will meet a local birding guide who will take you on a canoe ride on this swamp. During the ride, you will spot several shoebill stork in their natural habitat. You will also spot other bird species as well as wildlife such as the Siatunga antelope. Since you have an entire day in this place, you can also opt for a village tour of the area and interact with the local community before departing back to your hotel where you will stay the night.
Meal plan; Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 3: Transfer to Kitgum
After a nourishing breakfast, check out of the lodge and with your driver guide proceed on a drive to Kitgum through the various towns en route and interact with the friendly locals. You will have a lunch stopover in Masindi where you will enjoy a hot delicious lunch before continuing to Kitgum where you will spend the night before proceeding to Kidepo.
Meal plan; Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Cactus Hillside Hotel
Day 4: Transfer to Kidepo
Breakfast will be served very early in the morning after which you will check out of the hotel and proceed on your journey to Kidepo Valley National Park. Upon arrival, you will check into your rooms and then settle down for a tasty lunch. In the afternoon, you will go out for a nature walk in the Kidepo plains, and this will take you to the Morungole Mountains where you will come across the IK people and enjoy an interaction with this unique tribe as they go about their day-to-day activities. Returning to the lodge will be in the evening for dinner and overnight stay.
Meal plan; Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Apoka Safari Lodge
Day 5: Full-day game drive
Breakfast will be served before 6:00 am after which you will pick up a packed lunch then board your safari pop-up roof vehicle and proceed on a game-viewing adventure during which you will spot several wildlife such as savannah elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, lions, leopards, and many others. After a couple of hours of enjoying game viewing, you will have a picnic lunch stopover in the park where you will enjoy a delicious meal in the wilderness.
After lunch, you will continue on yet another game-viewing session and spot some more of the animals you had seen earlier or some different ones. Later in the evening, you will return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Meal plan; Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 6: Transfer to Murchison Falls
Arise to a tasty morning breakfast which you will follow with packing and checking out of the lodge. You will embark on a journey to Murchison Falls National Park via the Gulu-Kitgum road enjoying the beautiful vegetation and small villages en route. You will have a lunch stopover in Gulu before finally reaching Murchison Falls National Park. Upon arrival in Murchison Falls, you will proceed to your lodge where you will check in, settle down for dinner then retire for the night.
Meal plan; Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation; Paraa Safari Lodge
Day 7: Game drive and Boat cruise
Early morning the next day you will pick up a packed breakfast and proceed on a game-viewing adventure where you will drive through the different trails in the park for wildlife viewing. You will spot wildlife such as 4 out of 5 of Africa’s BIG 5 as well as other wildlife like zebras, giraffes and primates like baboons, and monkeys.
After the game drive, you will return to the lodge for lunch then in the afternoon enjoy a boat cruise to the bottom of the falls during which you will see more wildlife on the banks of the river drinking water as well as in the water such as crocodiles and hippos, a variety of bird species and the world’s strongest waterfall.
Once at the bottom of the falls, you will take a hike to the top of the falls as you enjoy the sight of the strongest waterfall in the world. When you reach the top, you will see the beautiful all year round rainbow that appears at the top of the falls. Your driver guide will then pick you up and you return to the lodge for an evening of relaxation as you await dinner after which you take your rest for the night.
Meal plan; Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 8: Transfer to Kibale
Breakfast will be served at 8:00 am then you will organize and check out of the lodge ready for the next journey. With a packed lunch from the lodge, you will start your journey to Kibale National Park enjoying the beautiful landscape en route. Once in Kibale, you will check into your accommodation, spend your afternoon relaxing and enjoying the lodge amenities. You can opt to take part in the Bigodi swamp walk during which you will spot numerous bird species.
Meal plan; Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation: Kibale Forest Lodge
Day 9: Chimpanzee trekking
Early morning at 6:00 am, breakfast will be served. After breakfast, your driver guide will pick you up and drop you off at the Kanyanchu Visitor’s Center where you will be briefed on the dos and don’ts of chimpanzee trekking and what you owe to expect during chimpanzee trekking. After the briefing, you will be grouped into groups of 8 and each group assigned a chimpanzee family to visit. In your group of 8, the ranger guide will lead you into the forest in search of chimpanzees. This will take you about 2-6 hours, and once you locate them, you will be allowed only 1 hour of observing them and taking photographs. Chimpanzees are traced using leftovers of fruits, leaves, and small insects as these show their recent location.
Lunch will be served at the lodge upon your return then you can enjoy the rest of the evening relaxing.
Meal plan; Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 10: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
In the morning, the lodge will provide you with a delicious breakfast after which you will check out and start your journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park. On your way to Queen Elizabeth National Park, you will have a stopover at Amabeere Ga Nyina Mwiru in Fort Portal where you will visit these caves that have a great cultural ideology behind them. You will also have a stopover for lunch before finally arriving in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Upon arrival, you will enjoy a short game drive to the Katwe salt mining area to see how salt mining in this region is carried out then continue to your lodge where you will enjoy an afternoon of relaxation. Dinner will be served later on then you can take an early rest in preparation for the early morning game drive the next day.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation: Bush lodge
Day 11: Game drive and boat cruise
Wake up to a delicious breakfast before 6:00 am such that by 6:00 am you are already in your safari vehicle heading to the Kasenyi plains for a game drive. The lodge will provide you with a packed lunch for this activity. During the game drive, you spot a variety of wildlife such as lions, antelopes, warthogs, and hyenas among others.
After the game drive, you will proceed to the Kazinga channel where you will enjoy a boat cruise during which you will spot other wildlife that come to the water banks to drink water as well as aquatic animals such as buffaloes and hippos. You will then transfer to the Ishasha sector where you will enjoy dinner and then spend the night.
Meal plan; Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation; Ishasha Pride Lodge
Day 12: Transfer to Buhoma
After enjoying a restful night, the lodge will provide you with breakfast then you will check out and proceed on a one-way game drive through the Ishasha sector viewing the numerous animals in this sector such as the tree-climbing lions, Elephants, Uganda Kob, and leopards among others.
After the game drive, you will continue out of Queen Elizabeth National Park to the Buhoma sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where you will check into your accommodation, have your dinner, and then take your night’s rest.
Meal plan; Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation; Buhoma lodge
Day 13: Gorilla trekking
Breakfast will be served early in the morning, then with a packed lunch your driver guide will pick you up and take you to the park headquarters in Buhoma where you will be briefed on the code of conduct and what to expect on a gorilla trekking expedition.
After the briefing, you will be grouped into groups of 8 individuals then with your ranger guide you will penetrate the jungle in search of the gorilla family assigned to you. This will take you about 2-8 hours and once you locate them, you will have 1 hour with them enjoying this once-in-a-lifetime magnificent sight and taking photographs then you will return to the starting point where you will be awarded a gorilla trekking certificate. The driver guide will then pick you up and you return to the lodge where you will enjoy an afternoon of relaxation.
Meal plan; Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 14: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
Breakfast will be provided at your lodge in the morning and then with a packed lunch you will embark on your journey to Lake Bunyonyi. Upon arrival in Lake Bunyonyi, you will enjoy an afternoon boat cruise which will take you to some of the historical islands like the Punishment Island, renowned as the most famous island on this lake. You will also visit the upside-down island. It is on this boat cruise that you will have your outdoor lunch while admiring the wonders of nature. After experiencing a beautiful sunset at the beach, you will return to your lodge where dinner will be served then you can take your rest for the night.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation: Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort
Day 15: Transfer to Volcanoes
In the morning after breakfast, you will check out the lodge and start your journey across the border through Kigali to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park in the Virunga Conservation Area, renowned for its amazing gorilla and golden monkey safaris. Once you arrive in Kinigi, you will check into your accommodation where you will enjoy an evening relaxing at the lodge as you await dinner then after you can take your rest for the day.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation; DaVinci lodge
Day 16: Gorilla trekking
A nourishing breakfast will be made available early in the morning, then you will pick up a packed lunch at the lodge and with your driver guide begin your journey to the park headquarters at 6:15 am. At the park headquarters you will be welcomed with a hot cup of locally made Rwandan coffee after which you will proceed for the briefing. After briefing you will be divided into groups of 8 individuals and each group assigned a particular gorilla family. After this, the driver guide will drop you off at the gorilla trekking starting point and it is at this point that you can hire a porter to assist with your luggage if you need one.
You will then penetrate the forest in search of your gorilla family, which will take you between 4-8 hours. Upon locating them, you will have 1 hour in their presence observing them and taking photographs after which you will return to the starting point where you will meet your driver guide and drive back to the lodge.
Later in the afternoon, you will dive into the local culture of the Rwandese people with a visit to the Gorilla Gurdian village also known as Ibyi’wacu where you will interact with local former gorilla poachers who are now known as the gorilla guardians. Return to the lodge will be in the evening for dinner and a night’s rest.
Meal plan; Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 17: Golden monkey and transfer to Bukavu
Breakfast will be served as early as it was the day before, then you will head out with your driver guide to the park headquarters where you will be briefed about what to expect and the code of conduct for Golden Monkey trekking. After the briefing, you head out in a group of 8 individuals with the ranger guide in search of the golden monkeys. As you hike to the forest, you will start spotting some of the golden monkeys in the nearby gardens feeding on potatoes of the local community. This hike will take between 2 to 4 hours and once you find the golden monkeys, you will be allowed to spend 1 hour observing them and taking photographs. After this, you will return to the lodge for lunch then after pack out of the lodge and embark on a journey to Bukavu. On arrival, you will check into your lodge, enjoy a delicious dinner then take your rest for the day.
Meal plan; Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation; The lodge Co-co
Day 18: Transfer to Congo
Arise early morning to a nourishing tasty breakfast, then clean up and prepare for your journey across the border to the Democratic Republic of Congo as you enjoy the beautiful scenery across the two countries of Rwanda and the Democratic republic of Congo. The lodge will provide you with a packed lunch for this drive. Upon your arrival in Virunga National Park, you will check into your accommodation then spend your evening of relaxing at the lodge. You will dine for dinner later in the evening before retiring to your rooms to take your rest for the day.
Meal plan; Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Mikeno lodge
Day 19: Gorilla trekking
After an early morning breakfast, the lodge will provide you with a packed lunch then your driver guide will pick you up and take you to the park headquarters where you will be briefed on the rules governing gorilla trekking. After the briefing, you will then join a group of 8 individuals which will be assigned a gorilla family to visit. In your group of 8, you will start your hike into the forest in search of the gorilla family assigned to you. This will take you between 2 to 7 hours and once you find them you will be allowed 1 hour of observing them and taking photographs. You will then return to the starting point where you will meet your driver guide then drive back to the lodge.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 20: Transfer to Kigali
In the morning, you will be served a delicious breakfast then with a packed lunch you will check out of the lodge and proceed on yet another scenic drive back to Kigali. In Kigali your driver guide will drop you off either at your hotel in Kigali or at Kigali International Airport where you will catch your flight back home.
Meal plan; Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Inclusions
- Ground transportation
- Lunch en route
- Gorilla permits
- Chimpanzee permits
- Accommodation
- Meals
- All activities
- Park Entrances
- Bottled water
Exclusions
- Tips
- Extra activities
- Donations
- Laundry
- Drinks
- Cigarettes
- International Flights and Visas
