This fantastic 17-day tour of southern Uganda and Rwanda is ideal for the adventurous and avid hikers. You will see gorillas and chimpanzees in Uganda and Rwanda, hike through the Bwindi Jungle and the Nyungwe Forest, probably the most beautiful and original rain forests in East Africa, watch golden monkeys and elephants, lions & co. in the enchanting Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Day 1 | Entebbe
Your driver will be waiting for you when you arrive at Entebbe International Airport. After being greeted, you will be driven to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, you have the rest of the day at leisure.

Day 2 | Albertine Rift Valley and Fort Portal
After breakfast you leave Entebbe and drive west along Lake Albert and the Rift Valley. A scenic route with beautiful vantage points. You pass Hoima, capital of the Bunyoro Kingdom and continue past sugar cane fields, tea, coffee, cocoa and banana plantations with lunch on the way. In the evening you reach Fort Portal, the capital of the Tooro Kingdom at the foot of the Rwenzori Mountains, the highest mountain range in Africa.

Day 3 | Chimpanzee trekking – Bigodi swamps
In the morning after breakfast you start your hike in the Kibale National Park to experience the tropical rainforest, countless birds and above all the chimpanzees in their natural habitat. Kibale National Park covers 766 km2 of rainforest with the highest density of primates in the world. Other species you will see include white colobus, red-tailed and vervet monkeys and over 325 bird species. In the afternoon continue to Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary. This is where your guided tour through the village begins and whoever wants to, can taste the Ugandan cuisine. In Bigodi you will find rich bird life and forest primates.

Day 4 | Queen Elizabeth National Park
Today you drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. After lunch in the park, embark on an exciting boat safari on the Kazinga Channel, one of Uganda’s best-known wildlife areas. The high concentration of wildlife and birds offers incredible photo opportunities. Hippo, buffalo and elephant bathe, rest and drink side by side on the shore.

Day 5 | Queen Elizabeth National Park
Early in the morning, continue driving through the park and into the George Lake sector towards Kasenyi Village. Today you can spot lion, elephant, buffalo, spotted hyena, waterbuck and antelope. Maybe even the shy leopard. Enjoy the unique landscape and views of crater lakes and the Albertine Rift Valley. You will have your lunch at the lodge. In the afternoon, head to the Ishasha sector in search of the park’s legendary tree lions and other park residents. The Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to the greatest biodiversity of all Ugandan national parks.

Day 6 | Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
After breakfast proceed to the Buhoma side of Bwindi Forest. The Bwindi Impenetrable National Forest is home to over 400 mountain gorillas. This is more than half of the world’s total gorilla population. Upon arrival in Buhoma, visit the Batwa Pygmies tribe and learn a lot about the culture and way of life of these people. Please note that today the driving time may vary depending on the location of the gorilla tracking.

Day 7 | Gorilla tracking
Your track to the mountain gorillas starts in the morning. The ranger will explain all the details and in a group of 8 you will start your search for your assigned habituated gorilla family. Bwindi is home to more than 400 mountain gorillas, which is over half the total population in the world. The length of the hike depends on how fast you encounter the gorillas. Once you arrive at the gorilla family, you have one hour to observe and take photos. Have a packed lunch, water and rain jacket with you. If you wish, you can book a porter for your equipment. After the great impressions of the day, enjoy your dinner at the lodge.

Day 8 | Hike from Buhoma to Nkuringo
Today you hike in the Bwindi Forest from Buhoma to Nkuringo in the south. You are usually on the go all day, depending on the weather conditions, the nature of the trail and your personal fitness. You should definitely have a packed lunch, water, rain jacket and hiking stick with you.
There are two different hiking routes to choose from, which later combine to form one path. The two trails are called “The Ivy River” and the “Kashasha River” route. The latter route is the more direct route. To reach Buhoma, you have to walk 13 km through the rainforest. The Ivy River Route is ideal for hikers who have a support vehicle that will either pick them up or drop them off about 7km from Nkuringo. Since there is no road through Bwindi National Park between Buhoma and Nkuringo, all vehicles must take a bumpy 170 km detour. The journey time for this rather short route is between 6 and 8 hours.
The Kashasha River Trail begins at the Nkuringo Park Headquarters before descending a steep incline and continuing through common land until you finally reach a buffer zone to the park. As you continue, you come to a confluence of two watercourses. After another climb, this trail coincides with the alternative route, the Ivy River Track. The trek to the park headquarters is between 4 to 5 hours from Nkuringo to Buhoma and 6 to 7 hours in the opposite direction to Nkuringo. There are some steep climbs on this pawn that continue on the way to Nkuringo.
The alternative route also starts from the Park Office in Nkuringo. The first section of the trail is 7 km downhill with a view of the forest. From the Nkuringo Administrative Office to the Ivy River Trail, the hike takes 2.5 hours. The further way to Buhoma again 4 hours through the forest. The ascents and descents on this route are less steep and pass along some viewpoints. This route is also used by the local population who have to travel to and from Nkuringo. This hike offers numerous opportunities to observe the animals that live here. Among these are numerous species of monkeys, duikers, forest pigs and birds.

Day 9 | Bwindi – Rwanda
After breakfast you make your way to the Ugandan border. You will pass the pretty town of Kisoro. You will enter Rwanda via the south, arriving in Ruhengeri around noon. Lunch at your lodge at the foot of the Volcano National Park. In the afternoon, you can optionally attend a cultural dance performance by the Itore dancers at the foot of the mountains or take a hike to the beautiful twin lakes of Bulera and Ruhundo.

Day 10 | Volcanoes National Park – Golden Monkey Trekking
In the morning, embark on a walking safari to look for the Golden Monkeys of Volcano National Park. This half-day excursion offers unique photo opportunities and observations of the very rare primates. It is fun to watch the playful animals with the beautiful fur going about their daily activities. After the excursion, return to the lodge and enjoy a relaxing afternoon.

Day 11 | Mountain gorilla tracking
Today you start your second gorilla tracking and go into the forest with your ranger and the trackers. Once you reach the gorilla family, you have one hour to observe and take photos. Back at the lodge, reflect on what you have experienced and relax with your delicious dinner.

Day 12 | Lake Kivu
Today after breakfast you drive along Lake Kivu and enjoy the magnificent views of the Rwandan countryside and mountain slopes. In Kibuye, which you reach around noon, you can spend the rest of the day relaxing on the shores of Lake Kivu.

Day 13 | Relaxation at the lake
Today you can relax in the beautiful surroundings of the lake. As an exciting excursion, you can take a boat trip to Napoleon Island. There you can visit a bat cave. The excursion depends on the tides of the lake and how long you wish to stay on board. In the evening you are back at the lodge.

Day 14 | Lake Kivu and southern Rwanda
After breakfast, leave Kibuye for Cyangugu on the southern shore of Lake Kivu. This small town is the starting point for trips to the Nyungwe Forest National Park. After lunch, embark on the treetop walk accompanied by a ranger. This 50 meter high and 90 meter long path gives you interesting views and insights into life in the treetops. Various species of birds, primates, butterflies and the wide view over the Nyungwe Forest will amaze you. Depending on the road conditions, the journey time today can be up to 5 hours.

Day 15 | Trekking Nyungwe Forest National Park
After an early breakfast, they start trekking at 6 am to observe chimpanzees and other primates such as the Angolan Colobus. The park covers 970 square meters of green hills, the largest untouched rainforest in East Africa. Nyungwe is home to 13 species of primates, including chimpanzee, Rwenzori colobus, whiskered monkey, silver monkey, owl-faced monkey, red-tailed monkey, vervet monkey and Annubis baboon. Take water and breakfast with you as you won’t be back at the lodge until lunchtime.

Day 16 | Butare-Nyanza-Kigali
After breakfast drive to Kigali. You will have lunch in Butare, the second largest city in Rwanda, also the country’s cultural capital, as this is where the national museum and the university are located. The shops with typical Rwandan handicrafts, especially weaving and baskets, are very worthwhile. Also in Nyanza you have time to visit the historical collection in the ancient royal palace. Arrive in Kigali for dinner.

Day 17 | Depart Kigali
Depending on the departure time, you will be taken to the airport in Kigali today.