This 18 days East Africa Safari introduces you to premier travel destinations in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda. It comes with plenty of wildlife encounters including mountain gorilla trekking, big game & wildebeest migration experience, chimpanzee tracking, launch cruises plus cultural safaris. You will begin your long expedition in Uganda, home to over 1080 bird species and half of the world’s 1063 mountain gorillas. Below is the detailed 18 Days East Africa Safari itinerary.
Day 1: Arrival & hotel transfer from Entebbe Airport
Arrive at the Entebbe International Airport (EBB) of Uganda and meet our company representative for a short briefing. After, board your comfortable safari vehicle and you will be transferred to a pre-booked hotel property in Kampala.
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls –Rhino tracking (Nakasongola)
Enjoy a delicious cup of tea/coffee, after starting a journey to your first safari destination as per this remarkable 18-Day safari in East Africa. Today, you will be visiting Murchison Falls National Park which is the biggest Park in Uganda spanning 3840 sq. km and holding over 76 mammal species. Getting to this spectacular park involves driving for 6-7 hours along the Kampala-Gulu highway and includes a stopover visit to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to track rhinos.
After an interaction with rhinos, proceed for lunch in a hotel in Masindi and drive via Kichumbanyobo gate. You will also be visiting the top of the falls if time allows and proceed to a safari lodge for a relaxed evening, dinner, and a night stay.
Day 3: Game drive (Northern game tracks) & launch cruise (Victoria Nile River)
A game drive along the Northern game tracks of Murchison Falls begins early to allow you to catch up with early risers. Using a comfortable 4×4 tourist car with a pop-up roof, excellent wildlife views will be guaranteed including giraffes, leopards, lions, cape buffaloes, elephants, antelopes like waterbucks, oribis, bushbucks, hartebeests, Uganda kobs, and birds.
When you get back after a 2-3 hours game drive, lunch will be enjoyed at leisure, and an afternoon excursion –a boat cruise starts at around 2:00 pm. Set off point at Paraa Jetty and explore the Victoria Nile River to the bottom of Murchison Falls. Between the two points, a variety of aquatic life will be encountered including hippos, crocodiles, and water birds.
Day 4: A tour to see chimps in Kibale National Park
Start your road trip from Murchison Falls NP to Kibale after breakfast. This trip covers 2 cities- Hoima and Fort Portal with a chance to enjoy the remarkable views of the Rift Valley escarpments. A relaxed evening, dinner, and a night stay at the pre-booked accommodation inside or outside Kibale.
Day 5: Track chimpanzees & visit Bigodi Wetland for a nature walk
A delicious breakfast served in your early morning. After, you will be briefed at Kanyanchu Visitor Center about chimpanzee trekking rules. Kibale Forest National Park holds the largest chimpanzee populations that are part of 13 primate species that make it a complete primate capital of the world. Today, the visit will be done on already habituated chimp community starting from Kanyanchu taking you about 2-4 hours which includes one hour of a close encounter and taking photos.
Get back and have a leisurely lunch, followed by an afternoon nature walk in Bigodi Swamp. At Bigodi, more primates will be spotted plus birds like the Great blue turacos as well as other mammals, floral species and butterflies.
Day 6: Go to Queen Elizabeth National Park
At leisure, drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park while viewing the charming crater lakes, banana plantations and the Rwenzori Mountains on the background. Lunch will be enjoyed at the comfort of your pre-booked accommodation inside the park or outside.
Day 7: Full Day wildlife expedition
Start with a game drive along Kasenyi Plains for 2-3 hours and along this track, plenty of mammals will be spotted. These include elephants, Uganda Kobs, buffaloes, lions, leopards and birds. In the afternoon after having had lunch, continue to Kazinga channel for a launch cruise and this allows you to see aquatic species such as crocodiles, hippos and birds.
Day 8: Ishasha to watch tree climbing lions and drive to Bwindi
Have breakfast and connect to Ishasha –Queen Elizabeth National Park’s Southern sector. This region has its unique animal species including the tree climbing lions, topis and it is where shoebills can be spotted. A short game drive will be conducted here and you will proceed to Bwindi after a picnic lunch.
Day 9: Gorilla trekking (Bwindi)
Begin day trek to explore mountain gorillas at 8:00 am after briefing from the park official about gorilla trekking rules. From the park offices (Buhoma, Ruhija, Nkuringo & Rushaga), the trek takes between 2 and 6 hours. It includes one hour for you to closely watch mountain gorilla family and take pictures. Trek back to have a relaxed evening, lunch at the lodge. Later on, proceed for the evening cultural tour in the Batwa community.
Day 10: Volcanoes National Park tour (Rwanda)
Check out of accommodation in Bwindi and set off for Volcanoes N/P located in Ruhengeri. Drive via Cyanika or Katuna border and arrive early at the park for a relaxed evening, dinner and a night stay.
Day 11: 2nd Gorilla trek or track golden monkeys & Ibyi’wacu village tour
With a pack of bottled water and snacks set off for a briefing at Kinigi. At 8:00 am, start your trek through the jungles of Volcanoes NP to see mountain gorillas or golden monkeys. You will get back to your accommodation after one hour of a face-to-face encounter with primates. Next tour will be visiting Ibyi’wacu cultural village –get to know more about the unique traditions, cultures and practices of Rwandese accompanied by dances, and music performances.
Day 12: Trek to the Dian Fossey graveyard
A trek to graveyard of Dian Fossey starts early after briefing and expect to spend at least 2-4 hours. The Dian Fossey tomb site lies at Karisoke Research Center. The trek offers an insight into Dian’s conservation legacy. She was committed researcher, conservationist and played a part in saving the then critically endangered mountain gorillas. Descend back and have a leisurely lunch, then have a chance to visit the Twin Lakes (Lake Burera and Ruhondo).
Day 13: Kigali-Arusha (Tanzania)
Drive for 2-3 hours from Ruhengeri to Kigali airport. Alternatively, you may have a visit to Gisozi memorial center first. This is followed by lunch then connect to the airport. Fly from Kigali to Arusha in Tanzania for the next holiday.
Day 14: Arusha-Serengeti National Park (Northern tourism circuit Tanzania)
Enjoy a hefty breakfast and you will be picked up at the hotel in Arusha. Drive to Serengeti National Park in the Northern tourism circuit. Arrive early and as you connect to the lodge. Keep an eye on a variety of animals especially cheetahs, wildebeest, lions, elands, buffaloes, birds and others.
Day 15: Day-excursion in Serengeti National Park
Explore the vast savanna plains of Serengeti National Park and today, you will leave the lodge with packed lunch. The game drive through Serengeti allows you to watch a variety of mammal species and birds. This park has all the big 5 game. If your tour falls around July, August, September, there will be a chance to watch the wildebeest migration. You will enjoy a picnic lunch and later, drive back to your accommodation property for a leisurely dinner and a night stay.
Day 16: Wildlife trip to Masai Mara National Reserve (Kenya)
A hefty breakfast will be enjoyed early in the morning and after, meet your driver guide for pick up. Begin your road trip to the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya through Isebania border.
Day 17: Day wildlife excursion in Masai Mara
Like Serengeti, today’s game viewing expedition in the Masai Mara National Reserve takes a full day game drive. This includes viewing the big 5 game (leopards, lions, buffaloes, elephants, rhinos), cheetahs, zebras, giraffes and observing wildebeest migration.
Day 18: Depart for Nairobi
At leisure, enjoy your breakfast and later, check out of accommodation. Pick up by the driver guide. Drive to Nairobi for drop off at the hotel or airport for departure thus marking the end of 18 Days East Africa safari.
