7 days Lake Mburo, Bwindi and Volcanoes

This trip starts in Uganda and ends in Rwanda. You will visit Lake Mburo National Park the best place to
see zebras, impalas, elands, topis, buffalos, and other wildlife, visit the endangered mountain gorillas in
both Bwindi Forest National Park (Uganda) and Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda).

Day 1: Arrival in Uganda
Pick up from your hotel and leave Kampala for Lake Mburo National Park. You will have a stop at the
Equator where you will perform a simple experiment to experience a tropical balance, have a look at the
traditional drums and crafts being made, and thereafter proceed to Lake Mburo National Park, an
extension of the Tanzanian plains with big herds of zebra, eland, impala and other ungulates. Bird
viewing opportunities are excellent – for birders, this is one of the best places to find African fin foot,
papyrus bush shrike. The meal plan for this day is lunch and dinner at your hotel.
Luxury: Mihingo Lodge/Mantana Tented Camp
Mid-range: Rwakobo Rock Lodge/Mburo Safari Lodge
Budget: Mpogo lodge/Eagles nest lodge

Day 2: Explore Lake Mburo National Park
After breakfast, explore the park with a game drive in search of animals like and including:  zebras,
impalas, topis, buffalos, elands. Bird watching opportunities are excellent here, with about 313 bird
species recorded here including the rare shoebill stork, White-winged Warbler, Crested Francolin among
others. After exploring the park in a car, return to the lodge for lunch before heading out for a boat ride
after lunch that gives you the chance to view water animals like; Crocodiles, Hippopotamus and water
birds including; Fish Eagles, Pelicans, Black crake, Heron, Cormorant, and the rare shoebill stork. The
meal plan for this day is breakfast, lunch and dinner at your preffered accommodation.

Luxury: Mihingo Lodge/Mantana Tented Camp
Mid-range: Rwakobo Rock Lodge/Mburo Safari Lodge
Budget: Mpogo lodge/Eagles nest lodge

Day 3: Drive to Bwindi National Park
After breakfast, choose between having a guided nature walk in the park or game drive as you prepare
to head south west to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest famously known for the rare Mountain Gorillas. Bird
life and primate life in this forest is quite superb, and there is an incredible variety of flora. Bwindi is the
Bird watchers haven! It holds 348 species of birds and supports 24 of 26 Albertine Rift Endemics that
occur in Uganda, of which you might have a chance to encounter some as well as other primate species.
The meal plan for this day is breakfast, lunch and dinner at your preferred accommodation.
Chameleon Hill lodge
Gorilla mist lodge

Day 4: Gorilla trekking in Southern Bwindi
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the gorilla tracking information office for a pre-gorilla tracking
briefing by the park warden and rangers at 8am. After briefing, the rangers will then lead you into the
forest to track these gentle giants (Mountain gorillas). The thrill of spending time observing the gorillas
as they interact with each other is a pleasing and unforgettable one, you are allowed an hour witnessing
the interaction of these close relatives of ours. You are advised to carry with you a packed lunch for, the
time spent tracking the gorillas would not be known to you but varies from 3 to 8 hours. Time
permitting; you may go for a late afternoon community walk to see the local people’s way of life and
cultures. The meal plan for this day is breakfast, lunch and dinner at your preffered accommodation.
Chameleon Hill lodge
Gorilla mist lodge

Day 5: Cross to the Rwandan side
After breakfast, drive to the Uganda-Rwanda border and be transferred to Ruhengeri for a relaxation.
The meal plan for this day is breakfast, lunch and dinner at your preffered accommodation.
Luxury: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
Mid-range: Davinci lodge/ Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
Budget: Kinigi Guest House

Day 6: Gorilla trekking

After an early breakfast, you will drive to Volcanoes National Pak headquarters where our trackers will
be met and head up the slopes of the Virunga Volcanoes after a briefing from the park wardens. Visit
one of the ten (10) habituated groups assigned to you. Tracking the gorillas through the lush forested
slopes of the Virungas is an absolutely exquisite experience. You need to have a good level of fitness for
the gorilla trek. You can trek from 1-6 hours through dense forest vegetation, slippery slopes and
changing weather. If you are lucky you can get to the gorillas, spend an hour with them, and be back at
the base in time for a late lunch. Some gorilla families however are hard to pin down, and tracking can
take a full day, especially when it is wet and muddy. After lunch, you may decide to visit the local
communities neighboring the park or relax at the lodge. The meal plan for this day is breakfast, lunch
and dinner at your hotel
Luxury: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
Mid-range: Davinci lodge/ Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
Budget: Kinigi Guest House

Day 7: Drive to Kigali
After breakfast, drive to Kigali. You may decide to visit the local markets and art craft shops within the
Kigali city center. Your tour will end in Kigali airport.