7 Days Gorillas, Chimps & Wildlife
Tour Package Itinerary
Overview
This 7-day safari will take you from the forested slopes of the Virunga Volcanoes through the vast savannah plains of the Western Rift Valley to the shores of Lake Victoria. Your journey starts in the lush forests of the Virunga Volcanoes, which were immortalised in the classic film Gorillas in the Mist. Tracking mountain gorillas in this landscape is a unique and awe-inspiring experience. You will then cross the border into Uganda to Queen Elizabeth National Park, where you will have the opportunity to trek Chimpanzees in The Kyambura Gorge, before ending in Entebbe.
07 Days Itinerary
Arriving in Kigali you will be welcomed by your expert guide who will provide knowledge and assistance throughout your safari. Your journey takes you through the beautiful terraced hills that characterise much of Rwanda’s landscape. Climbing gradually to the base of the spectacular volcanoes of the Virunga range, the five nearest peaks rising high above the verdant countryside, you arrive at the magnificent Volcanoes Virunga Lodge.
Meals included: Lunch, Dinner
Gorilla tracking in Parc National des Volcans, through the light mountain forest on the slopes of the Virunga range, is a magical experience. Once you reach the gorillas, you can spend an hour with them and be back at base in time for a late lunch! Some gorilla families can be more elusive, and tracking can take a full day, especially if it is wet and muddy.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Either go gorilla tracking again (additional permit required, subject to availability), or choose from one of many options. There is much to explore here.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This morning you will leave the lodge at 6:00am and cross the border into Uganda. Transfer to the airstrip in Kisoro for the 9:10am flight to Kasese, arriving at 10:00am. Once there, you will be met by the next guide who will transfer you to Kyambura Gorge Lodge. Depending on when you arrive, there maybe time before dinner to explore the lodge grounds with its clear mountain stream or visit the local village or to go for a nature walk.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Either take an early morning or evening game drive for the best opportunity to see game. What you see depends on the season, but the Kasenyi plains are excellent for sighting lion and large herds of Uganda kob. The Mweya peninsula is one of the best places to look for leopard, which live in the dense, scrubby thickets. You can also visit various community projects from the Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust (VSPT) including: Women’s Coffee Cooperative Tour, Reclaimed Wetland Tour, Bee-Keeping Fence Visit, Omumushaka Dance Group Performance, Empundu Playground Visit and much more.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
The Kyambura Gorge is an extraordinary natural environment and forms a stark contrast to the surrounding grasslands. Here you can track one of our closest animal relatives, the chimpanzee. The chimp population is quite mobile and viewing can be unpredictable but the walk itself is enchanting. In the afternoon take a cruise on the Kazinga Channel, which flows between Lakes Edward and George. Kazinga is home to one of the greatest concentration of hippo in Africa and herds of elephant, buffalo and other animals come to drink at the waters edge. The channel is a magnet for waterbirds, with great flocks of pelicans and others birds on the shore, and a great spot to see African fish eagle.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Transfer from Kyambura Gorge Lodge to the Kasese airstrip. Leave with the 10:20am (arrive at 11:25am) or 14:55pm (arrive at 15:55pm) return flight to Entebbe and connect in time for your return flight.
Meals included: Breakfast
Tour inclusions / Exclusions
All-Inclusive highlights
- Pick Up and Drop Off Arrangements
- Accommodation as per itinerary
- All Meals as indicated in the itinerary
- All Road / Air Transfers as indicated in Itinerary
- All game activities as indicated in itinerary
- Park Entry fees to National parks and reserves
All-Exclusive highlights
- International Flights
- Travel Insurance
- Optional Activities
- Visas
- Vaccinations
- Gratuities
- Any Sudden Increases in park fees, government taxes and levies and fuel surcharges