Best of Uganda and Rwanda

Fly overnight from the UK to Kigali.

Arrive in Rwanda's capital where you’ll be welcomed by your guide. Your journey begins as you travel 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 rise high above the verdant countryside as you arrive at the Volcanoes Virunga Lodge.

Stay: Virunga Lodge (Superior)

Lunch & dinner included

Spend two memorable days gorilla tracking in Parc National des Volcans. In the company of your guide you’ll trek through the light mountain forest on the slopes of the Virunga range until you reach the gorillas’ home. Spend an hour in their company before returning to the lodge for a late lunch. Some gorilla families can be more elusive, and tracking can take a full day, especially if the conditions are wet and muddy.

Stay: Virunga Lodge (Superior)

Breakfast, lunch & dinner included

After breakfast and a relaxing morning at the lodge, depart for neighbouring Uganda and the Mgahinga Gorillas National Park. The road winds through bamboo forests giving spectacular views of the Virunga Volcanoes. Arrive at Mount Gahinga Lodge situated near the entrance to the park, 2300m above sea level. If you arrive early you'll have the chance to watch a Batwa tribal performance in the lodge grounds or visit the vocational centre which teaches local villagers new skills. Enjoy some pre-dinner drinks on the terrace with its stunning views of the volcanoes, or cosy down by a roaring log fire.

Stay: Mount Gahinga Lodge (Superior)

Breakfast, lunch & dinner included

Today you'll have a choice of activities. A Batwa Heritage experience offers the chance to learn more about one of Africa's oldest tribes, gain an insight into their traditional way of life and even try your hand at hunting and gathering medicinal plants found in the surrounding forest. Alternatively, if you're feeling energetic, join a guided hike to the Muhavura Sabinyo or Gahinga volcanoes. The latter is a gentler walk through the bamboo forests on the lower slopes before ascending to the marshy craters nearer the peak. Later you'll watch a performance by a local Batwa dance group put on in association with the Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust. 

Stay: Mount Gahinga Lodge (Superior)

Breakfast, lunch & dinner included

Depart Gahinga Lodge at around 7:00am and transfer to the airstrip in Kisoro for the short flight to Kasese. Once there, you'll be transferred to Kyambura Gorge Lodge overlooking the Queen Elizabeth National Park. Depending when you arrive, there may be time to explore the lodge grounds, visit a local village or go for a guided nature walk before dinner.

Stay: Kyambura Gorge Lodge (Superior)

Breakfast, lunch & dinner included

Today's game drive gives you your first glimpse of the region's abundant wildlife. What you'll see depends on the season, but the Kasenyi plains are excellent for sighting lion and large herds of Uganda kob. The Mweya peninsula is also one of the best places to look for leopard, which make their home in the dense thickets. You can also explore various community projects from the Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust (VSPT) including the Women’s Coffee Cooperative and the Omumushaka Dance Group among others.

Stay: Kyambura Gorge Lodge (Superior)

Breakfast, lunch & dinner included

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. 

Stay: Kyambura Gorge Lodge (Superior)

Breakfast, lunch & dinner included

Your safari continues as you head to the primeval Bwindi forest. Travelling via Ishasha – subject to road conditions – you can observe the unusual behaviour exhibited by the region's tree-climbing lions. The long journey through a rapidly changing landscape takes you to Bwindi Lodge, which looks across to the towering forest.

Stay: Bwindi Lodge (Superior)

Breakfast, lunch & dinner included

After an early breakfast, you'll set off in search of gorillas. Tracking in the Bwindi forest often takes a full day. It's hard but rewarding work as you make your way through the forest, constantly keep an eye out for gorilla families hidden in the dense foliage.

Stay: Bwindi Lodge (Superior)

Breakfast, lunch & dinner included

Spend today exploring the region's Batwa culture as you take a walk through the local village to learn about community life and visit the Bwindi Community Hospital, which started as a health clinic under a tree and now provides vital medical and educational services to over 60,000 people. You'll also spend time at the lodge's very own tea processing plant where you can see the various different methods for tea growing and try some of the local varieties. This afternoon, discover the traditions of the Batwa Pygmies, the native tribal inhabitants of the forest. These indigenous people, though no longer resident in the forest itself, still practice many of their traditional hunter-gatherer skills.

Stay: Bwindi Lodge (Superior)

Breakfast, lunch & dinner included

Transfer to Kihihi airstrip and board a flight to Entebbe. On arrival you'll board a connecting flight to the UK, arriving home the following morning.

Breakfast included