Great Apes Expedition

Itinerary

Explore the great Apes of Africa ( Uganda & Rwanda ) on Primate Expedition to see the Mountain Gorillas, Feed the chimpanzees of Ngamba Island, Golden Monkey and hike rwenzori mountains on once a life time experience with Rwenzori Expeditions. T14 Days Uganda Rwanda Apes Safari can be Group or Private adventure tailored based on travelers interests with flexible Starting Date and end dates in Kigali Rwanda. if your interested in gorilla trekking, see the best places to see gorillas in Africa with destination Primate experts in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo for once a life time experience. Learn about the best Places to see the apes in Africa that include Kibale Forest national Park , Bwindi Impenetrable National Park , Volcanoes , Kalinzu, Budongo, Mgahinga National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park with the knowledgeable Safari guide from primate Safari Experiences.

Day 1 : Arrival at Entebbe International Airport

Upon Arrival at Entebbe international Airport , you will be welcomed by the Safari guide of Rwenzori Expeditions - transfer to entebbe hotel for relaxation awaiting the next day adventure into the islands of Lake Victoria for Chimpanzee Feeding experience.

Dinner and overnight K hotel / Entebbe Palm Hotel / Best Western Hotel

Meals on B/B

Day 2: Visit to Ngamba Island for chimpanzee Tracking

You will have morning breakfast and transfer to the Pier where you will be transferred in 20 hours speed boat to connect to Ngamba Island where you will participate in the chimpanzee feeding activities . Chimpanzees are also part of the apes that you will see on this 14 Days Great Apes expedition and once done , you will go for lunch and afternoon take a boat back to entebbe town .

Ngamba Island is one of the islands within Lake Victoria and it has been protecting the Chimpanzees as it was set up in 1998 to house the 52 Orphaned chimpanzees covering 95 Acres of Land.

Note : If time allows you will go for city tour of Entebbe or Nature walk around the birding spots in Entebbe  with your Safari guide.

Dinner and overnight at K hotel / Entebbe Palm Hotel / Best Western Hotel

Days 3: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park

After Morning breakfast at your hotel in Entebbe , you will set off for kibale forest National Park that is known as the capital of Primates. The Journey takes you through forportal city which is also known as the tourism city in Uganda where you will stop for lunch before proceeding to the forest national Park where you will arrive in the afternoon.

Check in at the hotel and later proceed to go for the nature walk in Bigodi community where you may decided to go for the cultural experience or Night Walk depending on your selection at the time of booking

Dinner and overnight at Chimpundu Lodge / Chimpanzee Forest Lodge /Primate Lodge

Day 4: Chimpanzee Habituation Expedition Experience

You will be walking up earlier than the previous night and head to the park headquarters for briefing about the chimpanzee Habituation experiences in the wilderness of Kibale Forest National Park . Chimpanzee Habituation experiences grants you the chance to see the chimps on half day adventure unlike 1 hour chimpanzee trekking experiences.  After briefing you will walk to the destinations where these chimpanzees spent their night and they will wake up and start their day with you as you watch them feed, play and breastfeed their young ones for the true primate Expedition experiences of coming face to face with the chimpanzees for the second time .

Start time is expected to be 5:00am in the morning so that you can find the chimps in their Nests to the time they begin to make new nest for the following overnight after we shall drive back to be looking at the habituation experience than in normal, chimpanzee tracking And once they are living they evening, they begin to make the branches.

Note: Chimpanzees prepare the nest for the following night in the morning. They don’t spoil the nest unlike the mountain gorillas , chimpanzees keep their nests since they are aware that they will reuse them again .

After Chimpanzee habituation experience you will return to the lodge and enjoy lunch and later proceed to Rwenzori Mountains National Park to have the great feel of the Mountains of the Moon as you will be spending your overnight at Snow heights lodge which is located at 1200mabove the sea level . Expect cold weather .

Dinner and overnight at Snow Heights Lodge

Days 5: Nyakalengija 1560m – Omukakiza Camp 2500m

You will enjoy breakfast at the lodge and get briefing about the Rwenzori Mountains , History of the park , Vegetation covers , Climate and the people around . On this briefing you will be informed of the rules and regulations during the hike in Rwenzoris with our experienced Mountaineering rangers at Snow heights lodge and start on the trek hotel to the park headquarters for registration and be officially let into the park for the great 3 Days Rwenzori trek with 2 nights.

Later on begin your trek from the park gate at 1700m, for a measurable distance of 6.5km to Omukakiza camp, in 4-5 hours gaining an elevation of 1000 meter elevation. You will walk through the montane forest zones which is best known for birding and three-horned chameleon, Primates like black and white colobus monkeys.

Dinner and overnight at Omakakiza Camp in your own Tents.

Day 6: Omukakiza camp 2500m – Lake Mahoma Camp 3000m

After morning breakfast that will be prepared by the Rwenzori Mountaineer Chief,  descend steeply for a couple of hours from Omukakiza, traversing through the bamboo forest, before becoming easier, related to the flat region in the elephant zone.

You may see the Portal peaks from Omukakiza and proceed to lake Mahoma . This Mahoma Lake at 12 feet deep-the deepest in the Rwenzori Mountains National Park and its among the dream of many adventurers that wish to have step in the Mountains of the Moon on less complicated Rwenzori Trekking. You will pin the tents at Lake Mahoma Camp to feel the cold waters of the lake with your resourceful Rwenzori guide.

Dinner and overnight at Lake Mahoma Tents.

Day 7: Descend to the base and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

After early morning breakfast, your will start to descend down back to the base where you will find the experienced Safari guide ready to proceed you to Queen Elizabeth National Park .

The descend from Mahoma Camp  to Nyakalengija covers a distance of 8km in 3hours. You will have lunch at Snow heights lodge , refresh before proceeding to transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park the best destination for the big five watching and boat cruise in Uganda.

Dinner and overnight at Kasenyi Safari Camp / Mweya Safari lodge /Tembo Safari Camp

Day 8: Game drive in Queen Elizabeth and Boat cruise on Kazinga Channel

You will head to the park for game drive from 6:00am to search for the big five animals like the lions , elephants and others during this game drive where you will visit the Salt lake too and return to the lodge for breakfast and relax awaiting for lunch in the afternoon so that you can see animals during the exclusive boat cruise on Kazinga Channel to see interesting creatures, like, lions. Hippos.

Dinner and overnight at Kasenyi Safari Camp / Mweya Safari lodge /Tembo Safari Camp

Day 9:Transfer to Kalinzu for chimpanzee Tracking and Proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After Morning breakfast , you will drive to Kalinzu forest which is not part of Queen Elizabeth but its known to be a home for the chimpanzees , you will be at the headquarters at 8:00am for briefing about the chimpanzee tracking rules and regulations while in the jungle , later enter into the forest to search for the primates in their natural habitats and later head back to the headquarter where you will find your safari guide and start on the drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park which is the best destination for gorilla trekking and ranked as the best place to see gorillas in Africa .  You will arrive at your accommodation and be checked in by your Safari guide for dinner and overnight.

Dinner and overnight Four gorillas Lodge / Buhoma Haven Lodge / Gorilla Mist Camp.

Day 10: Gorilla Trekking and transfer to Volcanoes National Park

You will enjoy breakfast at your lodge at 6:30 am and head to the park headquarter for gorilla trekking briefing about the rules and regulation, grouping of the gorilla trekkers is also done on that day and after you will drive to the starting point of the gorilla trek and head into the impenetrable forest to search for the Gorillas in the wild with experienced UWA rangers and porters that have spend years in leading groups for gorilla trekking. Once you come face to face with the mountain Gorillas , you will be given one hour of viewing the Primates as you see them play , feed and  move around in the jungle.

Later you will return to the lodge for lunch and proceed to Volcanoes national park the only home for the mountain Gorillas in Rwanda. Volcanoes National Park is located in the virunga Massif sharing the borders with Virunga national Park Congo, Mgahinga National Park Uganda which are all habitats for Mountain Gorillas.

Dinner and overnight : One and Only Lodge / Five Volcanoes Lodge

Day11: Second Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park

Following your untimely breakfast, you are to proceed to the Park Headquarters for a briefing regarding gorilla trekking by the park rangers. You will hike through the verdant jungle looking for mountain gorillas. The Gorilla trekking experience is tedious but impressive when you finally face these Mountain Gorillas in the wild of Volcanoes National Park.

You’ll see them in families as they go about their day-to-day routine activities; mothers caring for the young, juveniles playing as well as feeding. You are required to maintain a good distance while you watch them, make sure to turn off the flash of your camera as you capture images.  After return to the lodge for relaxation - feel the worthy of the property on your own.

Dinner and overnight : One and Only Lodge / Five Volcanoes Lodge

Day 12: Golden Monkey Tracking and Visit to the Twin lakes

After an early breakfast, you  will head to the park headquarter again for golden monkey tracking briefing about the rules and regulations which are almost similar to the Gorilla trekking rules. Before meeting these primates, you’ll see some other monkeys, wildlife and plants. Eventually you will come face to face with the golden monkeys. You’ll observe them play and hop from one branch to the other; it is such an amazing memorable encounter!

Return to the lodge for relaxation as you opt visit to the twin lakes which has to be on request to the guide ( Optional Safari Activity).

Dinner and overnight : One and Only Lodge / Five Volcanoes Lodge

Day 13: Visit to the Gorilla Guardian Village and Dian Fossey Center

You will wake up at leisure and head to the Ellen de generous camp for primate learning and later in the afternoon go for the cultural experience in the local areas close to Volcanoes National Park

Dinner and overnight : One and Only Lodge / Five Volcanoes Lodge

Day 14: Transfer to Kigali for Flight back home.

You will wake up at your own leisure , enjoy breakfast and start to drive back to Kigali and in case time allows you will have Kigali city tour before dropping you off at Kigali International Airport for your international Flight back home .

End of the 14 Days Great Apes Expedition in Uganda & Rwanda with Rwenzori Expeditions.