Scheduled flight with your Airline from your home town to Kigali city, check in at the hotel booked and depending on the arrival time, you might have a town walk with your guide. Return back to the hotel for dinner and enjoy your overnight.

We land in Kigali at night, we are picked up at the airport and drive to our hotel to rest. Our first briefing with our tour guide takes place at breakfast. Afterwards we start our short tour through Kigali in the morning and visit the genocide memorial. Around noon we start our journey towards Guitarama and after a short stop in a cozy café we drive to the small town of Huyé. The serpentine tar road leads us to the "land of a thousand hills" or to the "Switzerland of Africa", as Rwanda is also called. Black and white patterned dairy cows stand on lush green meadows and the famous aluminum milk cans from the Alpine republic are transported on bicycles.

   Driving time: approx. 3.5 hours

   Driving distance of: approx. 140 km

   Hotel Mater Boni Consilii in Butare (B, L, D)

After a three-hour drive and a short walk through a tea plantation, in the afternoon we reach the Uwinka Visitor Center, the starting point for the famous treetop hike in the Nyungwe Forest. At a height of 60 meters we enjoy the view of the “green fur” of the Nyungwe Forest - provided that you are free from vertigo. With good binoculars, we can watch at eye level how chimpanzees and colobus monkeys swing through the forest canopy. We spend the night in tents on a covered wooden platform in the middle of the rainforest under simple conditions. It is advisable to bring a headlamp with you on the way back from dinner to camp, as the path is not lit and is often slippery.

2  20 m

    Walking time: approx. 2 hours

    Travel time: approx. 3 hours

    Driving distance of: approx. 110 km

    Uwinka Campsite in Nyungwe National Park (B, L, 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

   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

          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)

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

          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 we have the following options:

1) Gorilla tracking at a price of $1,500.00 per person (plus USD 50.00 transport costs per person must be paid on site): Hiking shoes, sufficient drinking water, a packed lunch, long pants and a long-sleeved top. The hike through the rainforest can take about 4-6 hours, the terrain is steep and slippery. Good physical condition is essential! When we have reached the gorilla family, we are allowed to spend an hour with them and take photos without flash, and then we start our way back.
2) Golden monkey tracking at a price of $ 95.00 per person (plus USD 50.00 transport costs per person must be paid on site): They are endemic in the triangle Uganda, Rwanda and Congo and belong to the endangered species. Bamboo forests at an altitude of 1,500 m are their habitat. The golden-yellow fur and the blue face make the Golden Monkeys a popular photo motif. The requirements for golden monkey tracking are identical to those for gorilla tracking. The golden monkeys are usually tracked in relatively large, international groups.
Since the locations of the gorillas and golden monkeys are constantly changing, we cannot provide any more precise information about the distances and route descriptions.
3) Climbing the Bisoke volcano at a price of USD 75.00 per person (payment only possible with credit card on site). Additionally, there are USD 60.00 transport costs per vehicle, which are also to be paid on site: Hike to a "sleeping" Virunga Volcano on the border between Rwanda, Congo and Uganda, starts early in the morning in the rainforest zone of the Volcanoe National Park. Quite by chance - even without a permit - mountain gorillas and golden monkeys can be encountered in this section. From 2500m the path leads through bamboo forests and ends in the treeless zone at 3700 meters above sea level with lobelia and rays along the way. The summit is characterized by the typical conical, pointed conical shape of a stratovolcano; a deep crater lake fills the chimney. The ascent does not require any technical experience, but very good physical condition and surefootedness in partly slippery terrain. The hike takes about 6 hours, +/- 945 m altitude. Please note that the Bisoke ascent is not recommended in the months from March to May and from September to November due to the higher amounts of precipitation.

Those who do not want to participate in any activity can enjoy a free morning. In the afternoon we drive over the border to Kisoro in Uganda.

   Driving time: approx. 1 hour

   Driving distance of: approx. 35 km

   Hotel Mucha in 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.

    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).

   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

   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)

Early morning games drive in the Ishasha Sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Our driver immediately heads for the banks of the Ishasha River, where hundreds of hippos rest from their nocturnal excursions into the grass savannah. On the “Southern Circuit” we go in search of the famous tree-climbing lions. This behavior, which is rather unusual for lions, is explained by the heat of the day, which the lions want to escape on spreading fig tree branches several meters above the ground. After a transfer ride on a bad road to the Queen Elizabeth National Park (approx. 3 hours, 80 km) we experience the African fauna in the afternoon as part of a river safari on the Kazinga Canal. Hippopotamus, elephant, buffalo, waterbuck, wild boar, hyena, Crocodile and last but not least the bird life with ospreys and herons present themselves to us along the river. Around 5 p.m. we drive to our beautiful accommodation on the edge of the national park.

   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)