KENYA, UGANDA & RWANDA WILDLIFE PRIME ADVENTURE
2024
Embark on an exciting 22-day safari in Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya! This safari combines wildlife encounters with cultural immersion. Track chimpanzees in the Kibale Forest, double trek to see majestic gorillas in Bwindi and Volcanoes National Parks, and witness the awe-inspiring Great Migration in the Masai Mara. Explore Rwanda's poignant history at the Kigali Genocide Memorial and immerse yourself in local life at the Gorilla Guardian Village. This unforgettable journey offers a unique blend of wildlife encounters, breathtaking scenery and cultural experiences.
Highlights of the trip
During your stay you can enjoy the following highlights: Off the beaten track, Honeymooners, Luxury Travel, LGBTQ+, Great classics.
Best months to go
The best time(s) to go is/are : Janvier, Février, Juin, Juillet, Août, Septembre, Décembre.
How to get there?
You can get there by Plane, Boat, Car.
PAMOJA SAFARIS
From 8981€ à 45391€ / person
Travel suitable for :
Detail of the stay : KENYA, UGANDA & RWANDA WILDLIFE PRIME ADVENTURE - 22 days
Arrival - Nairobi Airport, Kenya
Steps: Nairobi
Our safari begins in Nairobi, with a transfer from the airport to our boutique hotel in the quiet residential suburb of Karen, on the outskirts of the city. This neighborhood, located at the foot of the Ngong Hills, owes its name to Danish writer Karen Blixen, also known by her pen name Isak Dinesen, who wrote the famous memoir Out of Africa, chronicling her life on a Kenyan coffee plantation in the early 20th century. This evening, welcome dinner with our guide and preview of our upcoming safari adventures.
Overnight accommodation: Karen Blixen Coffee Garden & Cottages
Meal plan: Dinner
Transfer - Masai Mara National Reserve
Steps: Maasai Mara National Reserve
Our guide/driver will pick you up from your hotel and drive you through the Great Rift Valley to the Masai Mara National Reserve. You'll stop at the Rift Valley lookout point to take photos of the historic escarpment. The Masai Mara is part of the vast Serengeti plains, famous for their spectacular wildebeest migration, and home to the Big Five: lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo and rhino. On this day, you'll enjoy an introductory safari. This will prepare you for the full-day excursion the following day. Later, you'll return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Governors' Camp is a tented camp with all the comforts of a luxury hotel. Some of the 25 tents are riverside, nestled in the forest and enjoying uninterrupted views of the Mara River, others overlook the vast plains of the Masai Mara, surrounded by all the natural wonders of the Masai Mara ecosystem, without the crowds. The conservation model has been a boon to the region's legendary wildlife, creating buffer zones and protecting migration corridors, while bringing economic benefits to local landowners through responsible safari tourism.
Overnight stay: Governors' Camp or Mara Sopa Lodge
Meals : Full board
Full day safari - Masai Mara National Reserve
Steps: Maasai Mara National Reserve
After breakfast, you're off for a full day's safari. The incredible wildlife experience continues. On the plains, large herds of herbivores graze, cheetahs and leopards hide. The Masai Mara is the heart of Kenyan tourism, with numerous species of mammals, amphibians, reptiles and over 400 species of birds recorded in the reserve. Nowhere in Africa is wildlife so abundant, which is why visitors are bound to see the Big Five (buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion and rhino). Your picnic lunch will take place at the Mara River migration point. After your picnic lunch, you'll rest before embarking on your late afternoon safari until late evening. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Overnight stay: Governors' Camp or Mara Sopa Lodge
Meals : Full board
Optional hot-air balloon safaris and Masai cultural village - Masai Mara National Reserve
Steps: Maasai Mara National Reserve
For a particularly memorable and unforgettable experience, enjoy a surreal hot-air balloon ride over the plains of the Masai Mara.
This adventure begins just before dawn; departure from the camp at 5.15 a.m. for the take-off site, located just behind Little Governors' Camp. The fabulous sunrise flight takes around an hour, depending on weather conditions. On landing, enjoy a delicious bush breakfast, freshly prepared on balloon burners in the middle of the Mara plains. Toast your return to Mother Earth with your pilot over a glass of sparkling wine. Enjoy a game drive on the way back to camp for a hot lunch. After lunch, you'll visit the Masai village, where you'll meet and interact with the local Masai population. You'll witness breathtaking Masai dances and plays, and much more. Later, return to camp for dinner and overnight.
Overnight: Governors Camp or Mara Sopa Lodge
Meals : Full board
Another adventure - Maasai Mara National Reserve
Steps: Maasai Mara National Reserve
Enjoy another full day exploring the endless plains of the Masai Mara. The Masai Mara National Reserve is a 1510 km² wildlife area that forms a small extension of the Serengeti National Park.
The Masai Mara is world-renowned for the abundance of its wildlife, estimated at over 3 million individuals, and for the highest concentration of large predators, including lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, jackals and serval cats. This is one of the main reasons why the 4-day safari is justified. You'll wake up for an early morning safari.
Lunch will be taken at the Mara River migration point. Later, you'll return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Overnight : Governors' Camp or Mara Sopa Lodge
Meal plan: Full board
Departure from Masai Mara for Nairobi
Steps: Nairobi
You'll go on a morning game drive in search of animals killing and eating. Later, you'll return to the lodge for breakfast, then leave the camp. You'll head for Nairobi with a picnic lunch en route. In Nairobi, you'll check into the hotel you've booked to relax, dine and spend the night.
Overnight stay: Hilton Gardens Inn Nairobi
Meal plan: Full board
Air transfer to Uganda
Steps: Entebbe
Depending on your flight time, you will have breakfast at your leisure before transferring to the airport for your flight to Uganda. On arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will meet our representative who will transfer you to your reserved hotel. Weather permitting, you can visit the famous Entebbe Botanical Gardens nearby. Established in 1902, the gardens contain a varied collection of plants from tropical, subtropical and temperate zones. They are also home to a wide variety of birds and provide an excellent introduction to Uganda's avian species. Vervet monkeys and black and white colobus monkeys are also often seen here. This evening, you'll meet your guide for a welcome dinner, during which you'll get a full overview of our safari.
Overnight accommodation: Entebbe Forest Lodge or Karibu Guesthouse
Meals : Full board
Rhino translocation and monitoring - Murchison Falls National Park
Steps: Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
This morning we drive to Murchison Falls National Park, stopping en route at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to observe this endangered species. Ziwa is the only place in Uganda where we have the opportunity to see endangered rhinos, giving us the chance to see all the Big Five on our trip! Six southern white rhinos were introduced to Ziwa in 2006, and since then 26 births have brought the total to 32.
We continue on to Murchison Falls National Park, which covers almost 1,500 square kilometers of wild and varied terrain at the northern end of the Albertine Rift Valley. The diverse habitats include savannah, acacia forest, Borassus palm forest, riparian forests and papyrus swamps, which are home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. The park is traversed by the Victoria Nile, a turbulent stretch of white water that passes through a narrow ditch to plunge 140 feet over a sheer wall, creating a thunderous roar.
We spend the next three nights at this peaceful lodge, which enjoys an exceptional location within Murchison Falls National Park, in a prime game-viewing area with spectacular views. You'll often be surprised by a hippo, elephant, antelope or sometimes a leopard on your doorstep. It doesn't get any better than this!
Overnight accommodation: Anyadwe House or Pakuba Safari Lodge
Meals : Full board
Delta cruise and safari - Murchison Falls National Park
Steps: Murchison Falls National Park
Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda's richest wildlife enclave, with 144 mammal species, including chimpanzees and Rothschild's giraffe, the largest population of Nile crocodiles among its 51 reptile species, and 550 bird species, including shoebill, dwarf kingfisher, Goliath's heron, blue turaco and winged grey warbler. Today we're off in search of a wide variety of animals, first on a private cruise to the Lake Albert delta, where the Victoria Nile enters this marshy wetland as a lazy stream, threading its way between the small islands of a series of tributaries. The alluvial swamp is an important bird conservation area and one of the best birdwatching sites in Africa, particularly for waterfowl. Keep an eye out for African fish eagles among the 75 species of water birds found here. In the distance, the Congo mountain ranges rise into rolling forest ridges on the horizon. After our cruise, we return to our safari vehicles for an afternoon safari. We look for a plethora of animals including buffalo, elephant, giraffe, Uganda kob, Jackson's hartebeest, oribi, lion, leopard and side-striped jackal.
Overnight accommodation: Anyadwe House or Pakuba Safari Lodge
Meals : Full board
Sunrise safari and private cruise on the Nile - Murchison Falls National Park
Steps: Murchison Falls National Park
Today, after an early breakfast, you'll set off on a safari along the north bank of the Nile in your open-top vehicle, giving you an excellent opportunity to observe and photograph the diverse wildlife. Expect to see elephants, lions, Cape buffalo, Rothschild's giraffe, hartebeest, waterbuck, oribi, bushbuck, Ugandan kob, hyena, monkey, etc., and if you're lucky, leopard. Back to the lodge for lunch.
This afternoon we take another private boat cruise in search of wildlife along the river channels. As well as the excitement of seeing dozens of hippos and crocodiles, we also have a good chance of spotting elephants, giraffes, baboons, warthogs and, of course, countless magnificent birds. We drive to the foot of the Murchison Falls, where we have a view of the Devil's Cauldron, the foaming chaos created by the turbulent waters of the Nile as they tumble down the cliff. We also pass the spot where Hemingway's plane crashed during his visit to Uganda in 1954.
Overnight accommodation: Anyadwe House or Pakuba Safari Lodge
Meals : Full board
Visit to the Mubaku community and transfer to Kibale National Park
Steps: Kibale Forest National Park
On this day, we'll take a short tour of the community, then embark for Kibale National Park. This is apparently the only long but interesting drive we'll make on this trip. We'll cross the Lake Albert escarpment, discover rural Uganda, lush vegetation and tea plantations. We should be able to arrive around 3-4 hours depending on our driving and the nature of the terrain. Journey time 6-7 hours through typical rural areas. We'll also take a picnic break along the way.
Overnight stay: Primates Lodge or Turaco Treetops
Meals : Full board
Chimpanzee trekking and walk in the community of Bigodi - Kibale Forest National Park
Steps: Kibale Forest National Park
This rainforest reserve is home to one of the world's largest populations of primates, including 1,300 chimpanzees. We go in search of them on a hike with local trackers who help us spot chimpanzees and monkeys, and have plenty of time to watch their amusing antics. We can also observe up to a hundred different bird species on a walk through a wetland sanctuary. You'll have the opportunity to visit a marsh teeming with butterflies, plants, animals and spectacular birds such as the great blue turaco, of great interest to birdwatchers. After this experience, you'll take a stroll through the village that will lead you to the coffee experience, banana bear making, wooden object making and a visit to a traditional healer.
Overnight stay: Primates Lodge or Turaco Treetops
Meals : Full board
Transfer and authentic local experience - Queen Elizabeth National Park
Steps: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Today morning we travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park, a highly diverse national park and Uganda's most visited game reserve. On this day, we'll take a traditional tour of an African home and share a typical Ugandan meal prepared by a typical African woman in typical African surroundings. The meal is called Luwombo and the guides will accompany you into this African life and setting as part of our authentic local experiences. Later, we'll head to your reserved lodge to relax while preparing for the evening safari and the scenic sites inside and outside the park.
Overnight accommodation: Elephant Plains Lodge or Kikorongo Safari Lodge
Meals : Full board
Morning safari and boat cruise - Queen Elizabeth National Park
Steps: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Enjoy an early morning safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park, home to over 100 mammal species, including lions, hippos, buffalo, leopards, elephants and giant forest hogs. The primate population is equally impressive, with chimpanzees, colobus monkeys, blue monkeys and baboons. In the afternoon, boat safari on the Kazinga Canal.
Overnight: Elephant Plains Lodge or Kikorongo Safari Lodge
Meals : Full board
Transfer and sunset safari - Ishaasha area
Steps: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Today, after a relaxed breakfast, we leave your lodge and drive to Ishasha, the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park. We'll take a game drive en route to the Ishasha area. On arrival at your booked lodge, you'll check in and set off on a journey through the park in search of tree-climbing lions and other wildlife. Hyenas, hippos, buffaloes, elephants, topis, lions, leopards and many more animals to see. Enjoy an excellent sundowner and watch the sun set in golden light.
Ishaasha Wilderness Camp is located in the Ishaasha South sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, on the Ntungwe River, an idyllic retreat for those who truly love nature. This exclusive camp combines the magic of a wilderness tented camp with exceptional service in this remote, unspoilt area of the national park. The Ishaasha savannahs are famous for their population of tree-climbing lions, which can sometimes be seen resting in the branches of tall fig trees.
Overnight stay: Ishaasha Wilderness Camp or Enjojo Lodge
Meals : Full board
Transfer - Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Steps: Forêt Impénétrable De Bwindi
In the morning, departure for mountain gorilla country, with the chance to spot tree-climbing lions on another safari in the Ishaasha area. After lunch, continue to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park,
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is our base for gorilla trekking in the rainforest. The park, whose name refers to the dense, tangled forests it encompasses, is home to around half of the world's remaining mountain gorillas. Although best known for its exceptional gorilla viewing, it is also home to chimpanzees, monkeys, elephants and various small antelopes. Bwindi is also a prime birdwatching destination in Uganda, with 23 of the 24 species endemic to the Albertine Rift, including endangered species such as the African green-billed and Shelley's crimson-winged.
Overnight stay: Buhoma Lodge or Gorilla Leisure Lodge
Meals: Full board
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Steps: Forêt Impénétrable De Bwindi
In the impenetrable Bwindi forest, a World Heritage Site, discover one of the most beautiful experiences in nature travel: a visit with wild gorillas in their natural habitat. There are just over a thousand mountain gorillas left in the world, and Bwindi is home to around 460 of them, a population that is growing but remains threatened by increasing human population and habitat loss in the surrounding region. Early in the morning, we head into the dense rainforest in search of one of the regular family groups. Our local guides are expert trackers, detecting signs of the gorillas' recent presence in the undergrowth. We can't predict how long it will take us to locate them, but eventually, we hear and see a family of gorillas, watching them with fascination, sitting among the trees, chewing leaves, babies clinging to their mother's back, youngsters swinging from branches, and a large silver-backed male watching it all. It's hard to say who's more intrigued by each other, the gorillas or us! Later, return to your lodge for a well-earned hot lunch and spend the rest of the day relaxing at the lodge or opt for the Batwa cultural tour.
Overnight stay: Buhoma Lodge or Gorilla Leisure Lodge
Meals : Full board
Transfer and exploration of Lake Mutanda - Lake Mutanda
Steps: Kisoro
On this day, the day after the Ultimate Gorilla Trekking, we'll head to Lake Mutanda, where you'll have lunch before setting off for photography time. You'll spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the lake's islands, where you'll get the best shots of the landscape, the local people and the great Virunga Mountains.
Overnight stay: Chahafi Resort or Gahiza Island Retreat
Meals : Full board
Transfer - Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
Steps: Parc National Des Volcans
Leaving Lake Mutanda, we descend to the bottom of the Rift Valley, observing scenes of local life along the way, passing villages and coffee plantations. Entering Rwanda, we continue on to Volcanoes National Park, named for the jungle-wrapped chain of volcanoes that lies within its borders. The park is a rich mosaic of mountain ecosystems, with thick forests and steep-sided mountains rising to almost 15,000 feet above sea level. Within the Virunga chain
The park is one of three areas where mountain gorillas live. Our destination, Five Volcanoes, is a luxury lodge that provides an ideal gorilla trekking base for the next three nights. Set in lush surroundings and offering panoramic mountain views, the lodge is only a short drive from the national park headquarters, from where all gorilla trekking expeditions depart.
Overnight stay: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel or Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
Meals: Full board
Optional gorilla trek - Volcanoes National Park
Steps: Parc National Des Volcans
After breakfast, we head to park headquarters for a briefing from our guides. This is the area where Dian Fossey carried out her groundbreaking studies on mountain gorillas before she was killed in 1985, and her grave is nearby. Several habituated gorilla families live in the park, and we learn the importance of our ecotourism presence to their survival before setting off in search of them. We set off early each morning along trails through the forest, eventually leaving tracks behind as our trackers follow signs that lead them to the gorillas' current location. The altitude is over 8,200 feet, and although our pace is leisurely, the hike is strenuous, lasting from 30 minutes to several hours. But what a reward: our goal is to have the chance to sit with a specific gorilla family that has become accustomed to visitors and is nonchalant about human contact, and we enjoy a full hour in their presence.
Overnight stay: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel or Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
Meal plan: Full board
Ellen DeGeneres and the Ibyi'wacu cultural village - Volcanoes National Park
Steps: Parc National Des Volcans
Today, broaden your knowledge of gorilla conservation efforts by visiting the Ellen DeGeneres campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. This renowned organization is dedicated to the protection and preservation of gorillas and their habitats. Discover its groundbreaking research and conservation projects and witness first-hand the incredible work being done to save these great apes. You'll meet passionate curators and researchers and gain a better understanding of the challenges and successes of gorilla conservation.
Return for lunch and, in the evening, visit the gorilla keepers' village, also known as the Ibyiwacu cultural center, to learn more about traditional Rwandan culture. The village is run by former poachers who welcome visitors and show them local hunting techniques, traditional dances and other aspects of Rwandan life. This evening, you'll return to the lodge for dinner and a well-deserved rest.
Overnight stay: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel or Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
Meals : Full board
Golden monkey hike and transfer - Kigali International Airport
Steps: Kigali
Although the gorillas are the highlight, even without them, Volcanoes National Park would be fascinating. Its varied ecosystems are home to elephants, buffalo, giant forest pigs, bush pigs, bushpigs, duikers and spotted hyenas, as well as a regular group of endemic and highly endangered golden monkeys, on which we focus today. We spend the morning in search of these agile animals, who swing through the forest canopy and delight us with their antics. Our surroundings are also home to 178 species of birds, including at least 29 endemic species found only in the Rwenzori and Virunga mountains. This afternoon, departure for Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial, a deeply moving tribute to the more than 800,000 people killed in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. After a farewell lunch, our safari ends and we head to the airport for departure flights.
Day room: Heavens Boutique Hotel
Meals: Half-board
