This 16 Days Uganda Rwanda Primates safari takes through adventurous activities like chimpanzee tracking, gorilla trekking, Birding walk along the forest edges, chimpanzee feeding experiences, among others.
Day 1: Check with Immigration for Visa and all other necessary documents.
After your arrival in Kigali, you will check with Immigration for Visa and all other necessary documents to allow you enter Rwanda, please note for Rwanda Visa you will always get it on arrival at $30 per person for single entry Visa. Later you will look for someone with a placard having your name or Booking Agent on it transfer to the accommodation for overnight or resting.
Day 2: Proceed to Nyungwe Forest National park.
Morning breakfast, proceed to Nyungwe Forest National park. In the afternoon go for a canopy walk where you will have a clear view of the forest and it is possible to spot many bird species and few monkeys. For people with heights this will be an endless adventure and those without it will be a close to nature walk and life time rewarding experience. This is the third Canopy walk in the world and the only one in East Africa.
The starting point is Uwinka visitor’s information Centre and this activity requires advance booking or be ready to pay credit card if it has not been booked! Later overnight at your accommodation. Please Note! Depending on the weather this activity is subject to change the park Authorities for the safety of clients and then be res-scheduled to another possible time.
Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking day.
Chimpanzee tracking day! Today you will have a short night as you are advised to start your Journey between 4:00am and 5:00am depending on where you stayed (Kitabi or Gisakura). You will pick the ranger from the ranger post and go to Uwinka information center, there you will be assigned a community of Chimpanzees to track. Two places where fully habituated chimpanzees are found are: Nyungwe National park (Main) and the fragmented Cyamudongo forest which is also park of Nyungwe National park. Cyamudongo has the largest community of Chimpanzee but the park authority determines where tracking will take place.
All visitors are required to have some level of fitness as this will be a walk through un marked trails and sometimes walking fast is a requirement in order to catch up with these apes. Observing them eat, caring for babied, play and knowing their social life will be your days highlight! Later drive back to the information center and check in to your accommodation. For those who may not have had a chance to do Canopy walk today is also another opportunity to do it!
Day 4: Birding walk along the forest edges.
Today before cross border driving, open activities where you can pick from include: Birding walk along the forest edges, go for Imbaraga walk to the 4 water falls with great view points, Birding on the way, go for Irebero trail where a variety of birds and monkeys can be spotted, later in the afternoon drive to Bukavu border crossing point for checkup before entering Congo.
Here your guide will hand you over to another guide form Congo side as it is more convenient to use the Congo driver for easy communication, routing, comfort of guest and experience from these wonderful and friendly guys. Transfer to the hotel for overnight. For French speaking countries feel free to speak French as it is commonly used here. Note! For the Congo Visa you need to have it approved in advance and your agent will handle this during the process of gorilla permit reservation.
Day 5: Low land Gorilla tracking.
Low land Gorilla tracking (Grauer’s gorilla). Early morning breakfast, the drive will pick you from your hotel and drive for 30km before reaching the park headquarters because there are no improved and standard lodging facilities near the park. On arrival you will be briefed on the day’s activity, assigned a team of armed rangers for your safety while in the forest. Spend an hour with these giants and observe them eat, play you will see the distinction between them and the mountain Gorillas. Large body sizes, large hands and small sharp pointed heads. Later drive back to Bukavu town for acclimatization in the afternoon and overnight
Day 6: Checked in at the tourism office in Goma town.
Today you have breakfast at Leisure, at 11:00 you will be required to have checked in at the tourism office in Goma town, gather for briefing and present your entry permits for both Gorilla tracking and Nyiragongo hike (For those who are going to hike). You will be escorted to Kibumba tented Camp for overnight
Day 7: Meet the rangers who will be taking to you the Mountain Gorilla tracking experience.
After breakfast, move with your picnic lunch and meet the rangers who will be taking to you the Mountain Gorilla tracking experience. There is a level of fitness required and also Porters to support and carry your Cameras will be near- for hire. The terrain may change depending on the gorilla family you will visit and this keeps the total time spent today on hold and unpredictable until you come back. Afterwards drive or walk back to the lodge for overnight.
Day 8: Picked up a team of porters and guides.
Today gather at the Kibati Ranger post and you will be picked up a team of porters and guides, who will join you for this Hike, the arrival estimated time at the resting huts is about 5:00pm and you will prepare your overnight at the summit shelters. At night you will clearly observe the burning larva and bright frames coming from this still burning volcano it is a great time for taking photos.
Day 9: Descending back to the starting point where a vehicle will be waiting for you for pick up and transfer back to Goma town.
At 6:00am you will start descending back to the starting point where a vehicle will be waiting for you for pick up and transfer back to Goma town or to the Rwanda border. Where you will link up with the guide again. Proceed to Musanze for overnight and acclimatization after busy and tough days in the Congo.
Day 10: Gather at the park offices in Kinigi for briefing.
Early morning after your breakfast, gather at the park offices in Kinigi for briefing. A ranger will eb assigned to you and the hike starts from the park or depending on their feeding pattern you may be required to have a vehicle transfer till the hiking starting point.
The Golden monkeys are one of the old-world monkeys which live in groups called troops and they are a sub specie of the blue monkeys which are highly endangered and it is estimated to be about 20,000 remaining in the wild. Watching them play and swing in tree branches will be a reward for this walk, they have been habituated and so the level of shyness is low and they are free with photography.
Day 11: Gather at the park offices in Kinigi for briefing.
Early morning after your breakfast, gather at the park offices in Kinigi for briefing. A ranger will eb assigned to you and the hike starts from the park or depending on their feeding pattern you may be required to have a vehicle transfer till the hiking starting point.
The Golden monkeys are one of the old-world monkeys which live in groups called troops and they are a sub specie of the blue monkeys which are highly endangered and it is estimated to be about 20,000 remaining in the wild. Watching them play and swing in tree branches will be a reward for this walk, they have been habituated and so the level of shyness is low and they are free with photography. Later walk back to the hotel for check out and proceed to Bwindi national park.
Day 12: Mountain Gorilla tracking.
Mountain Gorilla tracking! You saw the low land gorillas in Congo, Mountain Gorillas in Congo and now it is time to have a final concept of what makes these gentle giants special! Wake up early morning with your packed lunch, drive or walk to the park offices for briefing and entertainment from a local tribe that live near the park and these are the first keepers of the gorillas. You will be told does and don’ts while in the park.
The walk ranges from medium to tough as the terrain is unpredictable like any other walk in a typical African jungle, the rangers will keep in contact with the advance team to keep track and good direction of the gorilla feeding pattern that day! After spending an hour with them walk back to the office for graduation and certificate awarding ceremony which will be headed the lead guide that day! Evening relaxation at the lodge as you cool down your adrenaline for the last tough days of primate Island tour and epic forest adventures! Fire place of massage waits you with a quenching drink!
Day 13: Drive to Kibale Forest National park.
Morning breakfast, drive to Kibale Forest National park. On our way we drive through breath-taking views of Kigezi hills (Switzerland of Africa) and local communities who have designed these hills terraces that stop the running rain water from sweeping off their crops. With stopovers on the way for stretching hot Lunch on Mbarara Uganda’s second largest city later proceed to Kibale Forest National park.
In the evening relax at the lodge and for those who are interested in doing a night forest walk, you need to notify your guide in advance so that he/she makes the necessary arrangements. Kibale Forest is a spectacular jungle, with 13 primate species! Including chimps, baboons, black and white colobus, red colobus, grey cheeked mangabey and L’Hoest monkey, bush babies and forest elephants which are rarely spotted
Day 14: Chimpanzee tracking
Chimpanzee tracking! Here there are two Sessions in which Chimpanzee tracking I done! Whether morning or afternoon, you will gather around the park offices for briefying. A ranger will be assigned to you and he will be your guide throughout the whole forest walk.
Whereas chimpanzees are close to gorillas their way of living is very different right from the number of members in a family or community. Chimpanzees live in a community which has small families from 2 individuals and in the community, there can be many males and with one community leader called president! Level of fitness is also required as it is a walk through a typical African thick forest. Later walk back to the office and later to your lodge.
Day 15: Transfer to Kampala for overnight.
Relaxed breakfast, later transfer to Kampala for overnight. Keep this day open as it should be a lazy day and the drive may be more than 5 hours on a paved road.
Day 16: Visit the Ngamba Island sanctuary.
To conclude your primate Island tour in style, visit the Ngamba Island sanctuary where the rescued chimpanzees are sheltered. This is an isolated island in the middle of Lake Victoria and transfer will be a speed boat which takes about 1.5 hours. Arriving on time of chimpanzee feeding, you will participate in this activity and with a guided walk around the sanctuary it will be a perfect trip conclusion and take a boat back to Entebbe for your Lunch and freshen up as you prepare for your outbound flight