Scheduled flight with your Airline from your home town via Istanbul to Kigali • Chez Lando in Kigali D

Early in the morning departure to the Imbaraga Trail (10 km, 6 hours). Led by a park ranger, the paved path runs steeply uphill in parts and along the watershed between the Congo Basin in the west and the tributaries of the Nile in the east. Four waterfalls line the path. With a bit of luck we will meet Angola monkey, full bearded monkey, diadem monkey, silver monkey, velvet monkey, anubis baboon and even wild chimpanzees. Bird lovers will also get their money's worth. Of 275 bird species, 26 are even endemic, such as Ruwenzori turaco, kivubush warbler and gray-cheeked hornbill. We will have our lunch as a picnic during the hike. In the afternoon return to the starting point and drive along Lake Kivu to Kibuyé. • Time: about 5 -6 hours. • Driving time: approx. 2.5 hours • Driving distance of: approx. 110 km • Rwiza Village in Kibuyé (B, L, D)

With a local wooden boat with benches, sun canopy and outboard motor, we reach Napoleon Island after about 30 minutes. A large bat colony populates the rocky flanks of our way to the summit (depending on the season) with a wonderful view over Lake Kivu and across to the Congo. We continue the trip by boat and reach the starting point of a small path that leads you through banana forests, pineapple and coffee plantations. At lunchtime we reach our hostel with a sandy beach right on Lake Kivu. We enjoy the free afternoon with a swim in the clear, bilharzia-free lake. • 250 m • 250 m • Time: about 2 -3 hours. • Driving time: approx. 1 hour • Driving distance of: approx. 15 km • Rushel Lodge in Kinunu / Lake Kivu (B, L, D)

In the morning we continue on the Congo-Nile Trail. The hiking trail, which was set up in 2009, leads in its full length 227 km through a wild network of lonely paths along the African fjord landscape on the shores of Lake Kivu. We meet local fishermen who keep perch, catfish and carp fish caught in their nets after their nightly excursion. 370 species of birds, including crowned crane, cormorant and kingfisher are at home here. At noon our wooden boat picks us up again and we reach Gisenyi, where we have lunch on the shore of Lake Kivu. On a good tar road we drive along the Virunga Mountains, a volcanic chain with a total of 8 peaks, lined up like a string of pearls. In the dry months of June to August, the highest of them, • 320 m • 320 m • Time: about 4 -5 hours. • Walking distance: approx. 5 km • Driving time: approx. 1.5 hours • Driving distance of: approx. 70 km • Hotel La Palme in Musanze (B, L, D)

Today you can choose from three exciting activities: Gorilla Tracking – $1,500 per person (+$50 transport, paid on site). This 4–6 hour rainforest trek requires good physical fitness and proper hiking gear. Once a gorilla family is found, you’ll spend an hour observing them (no flash photography). Golden Monkey Tracking – $95 per person (+$50 transport, paid on site). These endangered monkeys live in bamboo forests at 1,500m altitude. The trek is similar to gorilla tracking, usually in larger groups, and offers excellent photo opportunities. Bisoke Volcano Ascent – $75 per person (credit card only, +$60 transport per vehicle, paid on site). This challenging 6-hour hike to 3,700m offers stunning views, a crater lake, and possible wildlife sightings. Good fitness and surefootedness are essential. Not recommended during March–May or September–November due to rain. Those opting out can enjoy a relaxed morning. In the afternoon, we cross into Uganda, heading to Kisoro. Drive Time: ~1 hour Distance: ~35 km Overnight: Hotel Mucha, Kisoro (B, L, D)

Without an escort vehicle, only equipped with the backpack, we start today on a three-day hiking section in the southern Kigezi highlands. We pack our luggage in our rucksacks for the next 3 or a maximum of 4 days. If you want, you can hire porters for the hiking sections (at your own expense, approx. 15 or 20 USD per day and porter). We receive the main baggage again on day 11. After a short walk of 2 hours we drive in a local tree-trunk canoe without sun protection and without a backrest with space for 2 - 4 people over Lake Mutanda. We glide peacefully for two hours and enjoy the scenic mixture of lake and mountain to the full. On the north bank of the lake we put on our rucksacks and put on our hiking boots. We hike north on a gently and steadily rising panorama path. We reach Rubugiri, a lively Ugandan village that supplies the rural area with the blessings of civilization with small shops. In the late afternoon we continue 6 kilometers before we reach our lodge, which is located directly on the Bwindi Forest. • 875 m • 795 m • Time: about 6 -7 hours. • Rushaga Gorilla Camp in Rushaga (B, L, D)

Ridge hike between the pristine Bwindi primary forest and the agricultural land of the local farmers from Rushaga to Nkuringo. The path is quite adventurous and gets lost in parts because it is rarely used even by the locals. But our local guide is not only knowledgeable about the area; she also has a great deal of knowledge about her homeland. Arrive in the afternoon and, if time permits, visit the Batwa in Nkuringo (own expense). • 1230 m • 940 m • Walking time: approx. 6 hours • Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge in Nkuringo (B, L, D)

Face to face with the silverback - the highlight of the trip awaits us today. It is not like the day before on a wide hiking trail through open cultural landscape, but “cross-forest-Ein” - always following the ranger and his trail through the dense forest. After an hour of family reunion with the gorillas, it's back to our hostel. The fee for the gorilla permit is $700 per person. • Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge in Nkuringo (B, L, D)

Bwindi means darkness, impenetrable impenetrable. Not many people ever set foot in this area. And we soon find out that this jungle really deserves its name. Perhaps we meet a gorilla family purely by chance, because we are hiking through their home. Forest elephants, brush-eared pigs and small antelopes also live here. The unspoiled region is actually reserved for us, the hikers, because cars have to bypass this route widely. In the afternoon we reach the small town of Buhoma, at the northern exit of the Bwindi National Park. We meet the cars and drive about 2 hours until we have reached our accommodation at Queen Elizabeth National Park. • 740 m • 1430 m • Time: about 5 -6 hours. • Driving time: approx. 2 hours • Driving distance of: approx. 55 km • Enjojo Lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park (B, L, D)

We begin with an early morning game drive in the Ishasha Sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, heading to the Ishasha River where hippos rest after their night foraging. On the Southern Circuit, we search for the rare tree-climbing lions, often seen lounging in fig trees to escape the midday heat. After a rough 3-hour transfer (approx. 80 km), we enjoy an afternoon boat safari on the Kazinga Channel. This wildlife-rich waterway offers sightings of elephants, buffalo, hippos, crocodiles, waterbucks, warthogs, and diverse birdlife including ospreys and herons. Around 5 p.m., we head to our scenic lodge on the edge of the park for the night. • Driving time: approx. 5 hours • Driving distance of: approx. 90 km • Park View Safari Lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park (B, L, D)

Now is full day safari time! The large game reserve of Queen Elizabeth National Park includes rainforests, savannas, lakes, swamps and rivers. These offer ideal living conditions for Lions, hippos, buffalo, antelopes (Uganda Kobs), waterbuck and a multitude of colorful bird species (around 450). Lions aren't that numerous, but they can also be spotted. After lunch by afternoon we will visit Lake Katwe to join salt miners and learn about the mining process, and more about the communities around the area. Return back to our accommodation for an overnight. • Bush Lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park (B, L, D)

In the early hours of the morning, after a short cup of coffee, we leave Queen Elizabeth national park to Lake Mburo National Park for an afternoon game activities, our "Game Safari" in Lake Mburo National Park starts with our vehicle. Wildlife observations are particularly attractive for photographers.

In the morning we continue our journey across the equator to the northern hemisphere to Entebbe town and prepare to catch up with an evening or night flight. We have lunch early at the hotel so that we can relax a little before departure. At 02:00am transfer to the airport and return to your country home town with arrival in the early evening or any hour of the day. If you decide to have another night around Kampala/ Entebbe this is at a personal expense and you will be transferred to the airport the following day. • Time: about 1.5 -2 hours. • Driving time: approx. 5 hours • Driving distance of: approx. 220 km • Sunset Hotel Entebbe in Entebbe - Municipality (F, M, A)