8 days Uganda Rwanda and Congo safari is an adventurous safari that starts from Rwanda and ends in Kampala Uganda. While on a safari, you will explore a number of national parks such as volcanoes national park where you will encounter with the mountain gorillas, virunga national park where you will hike mount Nyiragongo, queen Elizabeth national park for an interesting boat cruise and game drive as well as lake mburo national park which is a home to wildlife species such as waterbucks, elands, giraffes, buffalos among others.
HIGHLIGHTS
Day 1; Transfer to volcanoes national park
Day 2; Gorilla trekking and transfer to Lake Kivu
Day 3; Ascend Nyiragongo volcano
Day 4; Descend Nyiragongo volcano and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
Day 5; Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 6; Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 7; Transfer to Lake Mburo national park and afternoon boat cruise
Day 8; Morning game drive and transfer to Kampala
DETAILED ITINERARY
DAY 1; TRANSFER TO VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK
On arrival at Kigali international airport, the safari guide will pick you and brief you about the safari. After the briefing, you will embark on the journey to the volcanoes national park. You will have a city tour where you will visit the kimironko market, genocide memorial grounds, craft shops and museums among others. After the city tour, you will have lunch and proceed to the volcanoes. On arrival, you will check into your lodge for a relaxation and prepare for the next day activities.
DAY 2; GORILLA TREKKING IN VOLCANOES AND TRANSFER TO LAKE KIVU
Early in the morning after breakfast, you will be transferred to the parks headquarters for a briefing. After the briefing, you will head into the park with the help of the guides in search of the habituated mountain gorillas. The trekking takes 30 minutes to 6 hours depending on the location of the gorillas. Once the gorillas are located, you will spend an hour with the mountain gorillas as you watch them play, feed, breastfeed and hunt as you take photos and record memories. After the trekking, you will return to the lodge for late lunch.
After late lunch, you will check out of the lodge and embark on the journey to Lake Kivu in gisenyi. On arrival you will have a boat ride where you will view bird species such as majestic crowned cranes and malachite kingfishers, steep terraced hills, landscapes and amazing scenery among others. After the boat cruise you will transfer to the lodge for dinner and a night stay.
DAY 3; ASCEND NYIRAGONGO VOLCANO
Early in the morning after having breakfast, you will cross to Congo via Goma Grande Barrier border. On arrival you will connect to the trail head at kibat patrol post for a briefing. After the briefing, you will start the hike which takes 4 to 6 hours to reach the summit. While on the hike you will pass through the high altitude areas, slippery stones, lava rocks, have stopovers as you enjoy the beautiful scenery, bird species, mammals and plant species among others. On reaching at the top, you will enjoy the views of the boiling lava lake and the cooks who will help to prepare hot coffee, dinner and spend a night at the summit.
DAY 4; DESCEND FROM NYIRAGONGO VOLCANO AND TRANSFER TO LAKE BUNYONYI
After morning breakfast, you will start to descend the volcano which takes 3 hours until you reach the starting point at kibat patrol post. On arrival you will embark on the journey to Lake Bunyonyi which is the deepest lake in Uganda. While on the way you will have en-route lunch as you enjoy the kigezi hills, beautiful land scapes, local people and terraced land scape among others. You will pass via the cyanika border in kisoro district and on arrival you will check into your lodge for a relaxation, dinner and a night stay.
DAY 5; TRANSFER TO QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK
In the morning after breakfast, you will check out of the lodge and embark on the journey to Queen Elizabeth national park. You will have a stopover at the ishasha sector where you will spot the tree climbing lions. These can be seen lying on the acacia tree branches while on the game drive. After the game drive, you will have lunch and continue to the park headquarters. On arrival you will check into the lodge for dinner and a night stay.
DAY 6; MORNING GAME DRIVE AND AFTERNOON BOAT CRUISE
Early in the morning after having breakfast, you will drive to the park for the morning game drive in kasenyi plains. While on the game drive, you will spot animals such as buffalos, warthogs, elephants, waterbucks, Uganda kob while grazing in the savannah plains, predators such as hyenas, leopards and lions and bird species such as Senegal plover, long crested eagle, pin tailed whydah, hooded vulture, black bellied bustard and white tailed lark among others.
After lunch, you will go for an amazing boat cruise on the kazinga channel that connects with Lake George and Lake Edward. The boat cruise takes 2 hours and you will spot animals such as buffaloes, elephants, warthogs, waterbucks as they are drinking water on the shores, hippos and crocodiles in water, aquatic birds such as African mourning dove, little bee-eaters, hornbills, fish eagles, grey headed kingfisher and malachite kingfisher among others. After the boat ride you will return to the lodge for dinner and a night stay.
DAY 7; TRANSFER TO LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK AND AFTERNOON BOAT CRUISE
In the morning after having breakfast, you will check out of the lodge and embark on the journey to Lake Mburo national park. On arrival, you will check in your lodge for lunch.
After lunch, you will go for an amazing boat cruise on Lake Mburo where you will spot animals such as waterbucks, warthogs on the water banks, crocodiles and hippos in water and water birds such as hornbills, kingfishers, cormorants and the rare shoebill among others. After the boat cruise, you will return to the lodge for dinner and a night stay.
DAY 8; MORNING GAME DRIVE AND TRANSFER TO KAMPALA
After having breakfast, you will check out of the lodge and go for a morning game drive where you will spot animals in their active state. You will spot animals such as zebras, warthogs, elands, oribi, giraffes and waterbucks, bird species and many more. After the game drive, you will embark on the journey to Kampala with enroute lunch. You will have a stopover at the equator in kayabwe where you will take photos and proceed with the journey to Kampala. On arrival, you will be dropped off at the Entebbe international airport for your flight back home or any place of your choice.
8 days Uganda Rwanda and Congo safari Includes
Park entrance fees
Gorilla trekking permits
An English speaking guide
Boat cruise fees
Hiking permit
All activities on the itinerary
Accommodation and meals
Transportation in a 4*4 safari vehicle
Bottled drinking water
8 days Uganda Rwanda and Congo safari Excludes
Optional activities
Life insurance
Personal expenses
Tips