Our 13 Days Gorillas In Uganda – Wildlife in Masai Mara visits combines Uganda & Kenya with a Glimpse of Rwanda’s capital Kigali. 13 Days Gorillas In Uganda – Wildlife in Masai Mara
In Uganda, this tour visits Bwindi Forest for the memorable gorilla trekking experience, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park for the Golden Monkey tracking, and a cultural encounter with the Batwa Pygmies. 13 Days Gorillas In Uganda – Wildlife in Masai Mara
In Kenya, we visit Lake Nakuru and the famous Masai Mara Reserve – where the magic never stops. 13 Days Gorillas In Uganda – Wildlife in Masai Mara
13 Days Gorilla In Mgahinga & Wildlife in the Masai Mara
TOUR DETAILS:
Tour Starts: Entebbe.
Ends: Entebbe. (Speak to us about ending this tours in Kigali)
TOUR VISITS:
BRIEF ITINERARY:
- Day 01: Arrival into Kigali.
- Day 02: Transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
- Day 03: Mountain Gorilla trekking In Mgahinga.
- Day 04: Volcano climbing in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
- Day 05: Visit the Batwa Pygmies.
- Day 06: Golden monkey in Mgahinga, Transfer to Kigali.
- Day 07: Fly to Nairobi.
- Day 08: Visit the Giraffe centre & Elephant Orphanage.
- Day 09: Visit Lake Nakuru National Park.
- Day 10: Transfer to Masai Mara.
- Day 11: safari in the Masai Mara.
- Day 12: Hot Air Balloon over the Masai Mara.
- Day 13: Return to Nairobi, & fly back home – End of Safari.
13 Days Gorillas In Mgahinga & Wildlife Safari in the Masai Mara
Day 01: Arrival into Kigali
On arrival, you will be met at the airport by a representative of Realm Africa Safaris who will then transfer you to your hotel in Kigali. Depending on the time you arrive Kigali if time allows you might take on a short city tour of Kigali visiting the Gisozi Genocide Memorial.
Accommodation: Heaven Boutique Hotel – Kigali. | Meal Plan: Bed & Breakfast (B).
Day 02: Transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Breakfast; thereafter you will transfer from Kigali city to Mgahinga Gorilla Park via Cyanika Border post (Uganda & Rwanda Southwestern border post) – 142km / 3 – 4 hours drive from Kigali. arriving at your Lodge in time for lunch.
Drive time(s): 3 – 4 hours drive from Kigali (Includes border Crossing time).
Accommodation: Travellers Rest Hotel in Kisoro Town (Budget) | Lake Mutanda Resort (Midrange) | Mount Gahinga Lodge (Upmarket)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (BLD).
Day 03: Gorilla trekking In Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Breakfast; thereafter confirm that you have all the basics; a lunch box (to be provided by the Lodge), raincoat, good hiking boots, waterproof pants + long-sleeved shirt, a pair of strong garden gloves, repellent, a waterproof daypack to carry all your valuables.
Your guide will thereafter transfer you to the briefing point and also help you out through the registration process. After the briefing by a Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger, you will embark on your long-awaited Gorilla trekking experience. Return to the lodge and relax.
Accommodation: Travellers Rest Hotel in Kisoro Town (Budget) | Lake Mutanda Resort (Midrange) | Mount Gahinga Lodge (Upmarket).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (BLD).
Day 04: Volcano Climbing in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Breakfast at the lodge; with all your trekking gear – good sturdy shoes, raincoat at least two (02) litres of water, a packed lunch, a camera and all relevant photography accessories, your guide will transfer you to the start of your Volcano climbing experience.
Mgahinga Gorilla Park offers up to three (03) Volcano Climbing experiences. Today you can only climb one (01) of them;
Mount Muhabura (4,127 meters / 13,540 ft):
Mount Muhabura, also known as Mount Muhavura which means “the guide” because It can be seen from many parts of Uganda and Rwanda because of its slope. Muhabura is partly in the Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda and partly in the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda.
This cone-shaped Muhabura Volcano is the highest of the other two ( Gahinga – 3,474M ASL, and Sabinyo – 3,669m ASL) and Therefore accords those that climb to the very top the Best views of the Virunga Volcanoes, Lake George & Edward in Queen Elizabeth Park, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, and the Rwenzori Mountains.
Mount Gahinga (3,474 meters):
Mount Gahinga is the smallest of all the three (03) Volcanoes – Mgahinga Gorilla National Park derives its name from this mountain.
Gahinga means “a pile of stones” and you will find piles of stones in the gardens and farms below Mount Gahinga that the locals clear from their gardens put into piles at the edges of their gardens and are also being used as construction material in the area.
Climbing Mount Gahinga typically takes about six (06) hours – round trip. Meaning you can trek up and down the Volcano in just one (01) Day.
Mount Sabinyo 3,645 metres (11,959 ft):
Mount Sabinyo also called “Old Man’s Teeth” because its serrated summit resembles worn teeth in a gum line. Mount Sabinyo marks the intersection of the borders of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Rwanda, and Uganda. It also is within the adjoining national parks established by these countries: Virunga National Park in the DRC, the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda.
Trekking up Mount Sabinyo requires a good level of physical fitness, especial during ascent and descent of the stretch of ladders leading you to the border intersection point of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda – it is on Mount where you won’t need to lose border crossing time – you will be in all three countries at ago.
Day 05: Visit the Batwa pygmies.
Breakfast at the lodge; thereafter you will embark on yet another exciting experience with the marginalized Batwa community as they take you through the culture and daily way of life lived in the forest over 100,000 years ago as fruit gatherers and occasional hunters of small antelopes that roamed the forest. In 1991, the then forest was gazetted as a National Park and the Batwa were expelled from living in the Forest. This impacted on them in different ways – it’s these sort of stories and experience that make the Batwa trail one of the best Cultural encounters while visiting Mgahinga Gorilla Park. 13 Days Gorillas In Uganda – Wildlife in Masai Mara
The Batwa trail is a full day affair and we, therefore, recommend taking with you enough drinking water (at least two litres each, a packed lunch (can be prepared at your lodge), granola bars (for some added sugars just in case you need them), a raincoat, Good hiking boots/shoes and of course a camera for your photography needs.
Accommodation: Travellers Rest Hotel in Kisoro Town (Budget) | Lake Mutanda Resort (Midrange) | Mount Gahinga Lodge (Upmarket).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (BLD).
Day 06: Golden Monkey trekking, and transfer to Kigali.
Breakfast; thereafter with the right trekking shoes/boots, with long socks, 2 litres of water, a raincoat, a camera and of course a couple of well-charged batteries and extra memory chips for your photography needs, you will transfer to the Mgahinga park offices for pre-briefing on Golden Monkey trekking In Uganda. During the briefing, if keen, you will learn that Mgahinga gorilla Park boasts of having the highest number of Golden Monkeys in the Virunga mountains, and Mgahinga Gorilla Park is the only place in Uganda where one can trek Golden Monkeys. Golden Monkey trekking In Mgahinga Gorilla Park usually lasts 3 – 4 Hours – it is after this experience that you will then transfer back to your lodge for lunch and thereafter check out of the lodge and embark on your 3 hours drive back to Kigali for your International flight back home.
Accommodation: Heaven Boutique Hotel – Kigali. | Meal Plan: Bed & Breakfast (B).
Day 07: Fly into Nairobi
On arrival at Nairobi airport, you will be met and briefed about your safari before being transferred to your hotel in the Karen suburbs.
Overnight: Nairobi. | Accommodation: Karen Residence. Meals Included: Breakfast Only.
Day 08: Visit Giraffe Centre & Elephant Orphanage
Transfer from Nairobi – Elementaita. This morning we visit the Giraffe centre which offers the unique experience of hand-feeding these gentle giants at eye level from a raised platform while watching the warthogs below snuffle around looking for titbits. Then we travel on to the Daphne Sheldrick’s Centre and visit the many baby elephants that have been rescued from threatening situations in Kenya’s various national parks and even get a chance to see the calves being fed and playing with the staff.
Next stop is the Karen Blixen Museum. Located in an area which was once part of Karen Blixen’s vast coffee estate, the museum was Karen’s home from 1917 until 1931. The house and grounds were made famous by the film ‘Out of Africa ’and have been restored by the Danish community of Kenya. Visitors have a glimpse of typical colonial life in Kenya at the turn of the twentieth century. After lunch at the lovely Karen Blixen Coffee Gardens, we depart on the next part of our adventure that takes us from the hustle and bustle of Nairobi city to the small but beautiful soda ash lake located in the famous Great Rift Valley, named Lake Elementaita. Lake Elementaita is home to numerous flamingos and over 400 species of birds. We spend the night at a lovely eco-friendly lodge perched on a hillside overlooking the lake.
Overnight: Lake Elementaita | Accommodation: Sunbird Lodge. Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 09: Visit Lake Nakuru
The second great lake we visit on our tour is Lake Nakuru. 30 minutes’ drive from Elementaita, the lake is situated in the middle of the national park to which it gives its name. Teeming with wildlife the park has so much to offer. Sometimes, when the water levels are low, the entire lake is covered in flamingos, turning the whole area pink. Lions, buffalos, as well as many rhinos, call this corner of Kenya home and a game drive around the park is always rewarding. If we are lucky we may even spot a leopard relaxing in a tree beside the lake. After a game-packed day, we arrive back at Sunbird Lodge in time to enjoy the sunset over the lake, before sitting down for dinner and toasting to the day’s adventures.
Overnight: Lake Elementaita | Accommodation: Sunbird Lodge. Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 10: Transfer to Masai Mara
Transfer from Lake Elementaita – Masai Mara. Leaving the Great Rift Valley behind we drive to Kenya’s famous Masai Mara, the setting for the Great Migration and countless wildlife documentaries. The Masai Mara is the highlight of any safari. We arrive for lunch at our camp and spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing by the pool and waiting for the late afternoon when the temperature cools to head out on our first Mara game drive. Back at the camp, dinner is served and gives us the perfect opportunity to look back at our day and relive all those highlights.
Overnight: Masai Mara | Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 11: Safari in the Masai Mara
After breakfast this morning we drive across the plains in search of the Big Five and other plains game. The early mornings are one of the best times to view the animals as this is when they are their most active before the heat of the day sets in and after a mid-morning of relaxation and lunch, head out into the reserve for a chance to tick off some more animals on your “must-see” list. Keep your eyes peeled as you hunt for the last members on your list.
Overnight: Masai Mara | Accommodation: Mara Leisure Camp. Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 12: Hot Air Balloon Safari over the Mara plains ( Optional )
This morning, there is the opportunity to rise early and experience a game-viewing adventure from an entirely different perspective! A hot air balloon safari across the Masai Mara (at additional cost) which takes off in the crisp morning air, and lasts for approximately an hour, allows for a beautifully peaceful experience floating silently high above plains, forests and rivers. Upon landing a fully cooked champagne breakfast awaits. More game viewing opportunities arise later that morning en-route back to camp and in the afternoon. In addition to the abundance of spectacular game, there are also over 450 species of birds that have been identified in the Masai Mara Ecosystem.
Overnight: Masai Mara | Accommodation: Mara Leisure Camp. Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 13: Transfer back to Nairobi
This morning we enjoy our last sunrise in the Masai Mara with tea or coffee on the veranda. After a great final breakfast, we drive back to Nairobi stopping at the Great Rift Valley for one last photo opportunity before you’re dropped off at the airport. Onward international flights should depart no earlier than 6 pm or 5 pm for domestic flights.
Overnight: Not included in the tour – can be arranged at EXTRA cost | Meal Plan: Breakfast.
Accommodation Options: Budget, Midrange & Upmarket
Includes & Excludes as mentioned below:
What is included in this tour Price:
- 01 Gorilla Permit per person.
- 12 nights’ accommodation as per the itinerary.
- Golden monkey trekking.
- Batwa Experience.
- All meals as indicated in the itinerary.
- All ground transportation.
- An English speaking driver-guide.
- All fuel Costs for the tours as per the itinerary.
- Bottled mineral water in the car NOT at the lodges.
What is excluded in this tour price:
- Visa Fees.
- Any government imposed increments on park fees/taxes.
- Accommodation on the last day.
- International flights (from/to home).
- Tips (tipping guideline US$10 pp per day).
- Personal items (souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
STANDARD OFFER:
4X4 Safari Customized Toyota Super custom – Mini Van
Our standard mode of transportation is Road transport in of 4×4 Safari Customized Vans.
The Vans have an open roof that offers a 360° animal view allowing for photography while on safari and a seating capacity of upto 06 passengers (Maximum) each with the privilege of having a personal window seat.
UPGRADE:
4X4 Safari Customized Toyota Landcruiser – Superior off Road Driving.
For our upmarket clients that wish to enjoy Superior comfort of travelling in our state of art Toyota land cruiser, we can upgrade you at an Extra Cost.
All our land cruisers come fully air-conditioned and with a cool box fully packed with complimentary en route drinks and snacks. The trucks all have large windows and an open roof that offers a 360° animal view allowing for photography while on safari.
Consider adding some of the following suggestions to your 13 Days Gorillas in Uganda – Wildlife in Masai Mara.
