21 Day Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda & Burundi Gorillas & Wildebeest Trip
Overview
Enjoy the panoramic views of Mount Kilimanjaro at the same time as you’re watching wildlife on game drive in Amboseli NP, proceed to the renown Masai Mara home to variety of wildlife including The “ Big 5” (Lions, Leopards, elephants, Buffaloes & Rhinos), Wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, cheetah & numerous bird species. Cross the borders into Uganda/Rwanda for gorillas, Chimpanzees & Golden Monkey Trekking before moving on further to Burundi where you’ll enjoy the unique world famous drumming experience. On the course of the trip visit Lake Nakuru NP, Queen Elizabeth NP, Murchison Falls NP, Volcanoes NP,
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Lake Bunyonyi & Water Rafting at Jinja to feel the complete African experiences.
Included/Excluded
- Meals ( 20 Breakfasts, lunches & Dinners)
- Accommodation listed on the itinerary or similar
- Roundtrip Transfers in a standard 4X4 Safari Van
- Rhino trekking permit
- Park entrances fees
- White water rafting
- Game drives
- English speaking guide driver.
- 1X Gorilla Permit
- Gitega National
- Park entrances fees
- 1X Chimpanzee Trekking Permit
- Cultural experiences
- Game drives and boat trips
- Golden Monkey Trekking Permit
- Price excludes all other things of personal nature like the bar bills, visas, gratitudes, personal insurance, porter hire among others
Tour Plan
Day 1: Nairobi/Amboseli National Park
Our guide will pick you up from your Nairobi-based hotel at 7:00am or earlier for a short and easy drive to Amboseli National Park. You will arrive in time for lunch. After that, relax before the afternoon game drives starting at 3:00pm, where you will see herds of wildebeest and zebras, proud lions, skulking hyenas, a variety of antelopes, and some of Kenya's largest herds of elephants, all set against the startling backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro. Overnight at Nyati Safari Camp or similar
Day 2: Amboseli National Park
Today, we will spend a whole day in Amboseli National Park. For the absolute best views of Kilimanjaro, you must wake up for the sunrise. The early morning sun casts Kilimanjaro in a fantastic light, turning its snow pink and its mountainside a deep purple that has to be seen to be believed. It makes a remarkable setting for your breakfast. After breakfast, depart for the park and enjoy a full-day game drive exploring Amboseli National Park. Enjoy your packed lunch at the observation hill inside the park. Overnight at Nyati Safari Camp or similar
Day 3: Amboseli National Park/Masai Mara National Reserve
Following an early morning breakfast, our representative will pick you up from your hotel in Nairobi ready to hit the road and journey through the Great Rift Valley to the one of the most famous national parks in Africa and Kenya’s premier wildlife reserve.
Stretch those legs and take in your surroundings before heading on a late afternoon wildlife safari drive with excellent chances of seeing the “big five”. This natural environment coupled with the park’s varied wildlife provides a spectacular safari experience. Overnight at Sankale Camp or Similar
Day 4: Masai Mara National Reserve
Grab those cameras and jump in the safari vehicle with your driver/guide to spot wildlife in the Masai Mara National Reserve. Listen to your guide describe the African bush as you traverse one of the world’s top safari destinations. Masai Mara is known for its abundance of big cats and wildebeest. Overnight at Sankale Camp or Similar
Day 5: Masai Mara/Lake Nakuru National Park
Awake to the sounds of the bush as your alarm clock before jumping in your 4x4 safari vehicle. Today, we will be heading to Lake Nakuru, known for harbouring flocks of pink flamingos and a rich variety of bird species. Later, we will go on an afternoon wildlife game drive through the area. Overnight at Hillcourt Resort & Spa or similar
Day 6: Lake Nakuru National Park
Another day, another chance to see more wildlife and live your African safari dream. After an early morning breakfast head out for a safari drive around Lake Nakuru keeping your eyes wide open in search of buffalo, impala, and the elusive leopard. Overnight at Hillcourt Resort & Spa or similar
Day 7: Lake Nakuru, Kenya/Jinja, Uganda
It’s time to cross another country off of those travel lists as you cross the border from Kenya into Uganda. Drive along reminiscing on inside jokes and experiences from the trip heading to Jinja, Uganda. Also known as the capital of adventure. Overnight at 2 friends Hotel or Similar
Day 8: White Water Rafting, Jinja/Kampala
Following an early morning breakfast, join the rafting adventure team for the whole day rafting and this is to be followed with a transfer to Kampala. Overnight at Kolping Hotel Kampala or similar
Day 9: Kampala/Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary/Budongo Forest
Following a morning breakfast transfer to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and participate in the Rhino Tracking which will again be followed with a transfer to Budongo Forest for chimpanzee trekking. Overnight at Kabaraga Resort or similar
Day 10: Budongo Forest/Murchison Falls National Park
Following an early morning breakfast, transfer to Murchison Falls for the spectacular views from the top during the walk, this will again be followed by a transfer to paraa for boat trip upstream the river to the falls for another spectacular views from the boat. During the boat cruise you’ll have an opportunity to see elephants, antelopes, crocodiles and different bird species. Overnight at Gipir and Labong Safari Lodge or similar
Day 11: Murchison Falls NP/Queen Elizabeth National Park
An early morning breakfast will be followed with a game drive safari with an opportunity to look at elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, antelopes and with lots of bird species. This is to be followed with a transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP. Overnight at Twin Lakes Safari Lodge or similar
Day 12: Queen Elizabeth National Park
An early morning breakfast and then head out for a game drive which will be followed with a boat cruise safari and then followed with a transfer to Ishasha southern Sector. Overnight at Ishasha Pride Lodge or similar
Day 13: Queen Elizabeth National Park - Lake Bunyonyi
Today we shall have the farewell game drive with In ishasha sector that’s famous for tree climbing lions and to be followed with a transfer to Lake Bunyonyi. Overnight at Lake Bunyonyi Overland Camp or similar
Day 14: Lake Bunyonyi - Bwindi/Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
A leisurely morning breakfast and a boat trip to the famous island like punishment island & upside down island where your local guide will be telling stories about what transpired in African tradition society. This is to be followed with a transfer to Bwindi/Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Overnight at Travelers Rest Hotel or Similar
Day 15: Gorilla Trekking, Bwindi/Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
An early morning breakfast will be followed with a transfer to the ranger station ahead of gorilla Trekking experience. After registration and you’ve been a located a gorilla family and a lead guide, go through the trekking briefing and transfer by car to the trailhead for commencing the trekking. Once gorillas have been found, you’ll be allowed to stay with them for an hour and return to the car park to drive back to the Lodge. Overnight at Travelers Rest Hotel or similar
Day 16: Bwindi/Mgahinga Gorilla NP, Uganda - Volcanoes NP, Rwanda
Following a leisurely morning breakfast, visit the Batwa Community to learn about the Batwa/Pygmies Society and will be followed with coffee tour experience which will again be followed with a transfer to Volcanoes NP. Overnight at Garden Place Hotel & Coffee Shop or similar
Day 17: Volcanoes National Park/Kigali
An early morning breakfast will be followed with a transfer to Volcanoes National Park a head of Golden Monkey Trekking. Begin with registration and be allocated a ranger guide to lead you for the golden monkey trekking and after this experience get time to visit the Gorilla Museum at Ellen Degeneras Campus of the Dian Fossey. This will be followed with a transfer to Kigali and on arrival visit the Kigali genocide memorial. Overnight at StepTown hotel or similar.
Day 18: Rwanda/Tanzania/Burundi
Following an early morning breakfast, transfer to Gitega Burundi. The roadtrip will be taking us through Rwanda/tanzania border and then Tanzania/Burundi to proceed further to Gitega. Overnight at Tripotel Hotel Gitega or similar
Day 19: Gitega/Bujumbura
After breakfast, visit the drum sanctuary to learn about the Burundi tradition with their unique drumming, visit the national museum and then transfer to Bujumbura. Overnight at Club Du Lac Tanganyika Hotel or Similar
Day 20: Bujumbura/Rusizi National Park
Rusizi National Park’s wetlands forms an ideal habitat for hippos, water-adapted Sitatunga antelope, & a wide variety of birds. Taking a boat trip on the Rusizi River and Lake Tanganyika, there’s time to visit a nearby fishing village. Later, we explore a little-known and intriguing African capital. Learn about pre- and post-colonial history, and some of the challenges Burindi has faced. The city tour includes the outskirts of Bujumbura, and this will offer a glimpse of daily life. Visits include the Cathedral of Regina Mundi, and we pass the monument of the unknown soldier, the mausoleum of Prince Louis Rwagasore and Unity Monument, then ending with Musee Vivant. Overnight at Club du Lac Tanganyika or similar.
Day 21: Bujumbura/Departure
Depending on your outbound flight, after a leisurely breakfast transfer to the airport targeting for your outbound flight marking the end of the trip. End
Request Quote
Communication via WhatsApp to make arrangements went very smooth with Aron being quick and clear in his responses.
Aron drove us most of the time, but we also had a ride with driver Barnice. Every time they were in time, most of the times even early to make sure we could leave whenever we wanted. The service was more than just a private taxi service: Aron told us many interesting things about Uganda and let us taste some local food. That really made our trip more colourful and interesting.They know a lot of good places all over the country, like restaurants and accomodation. Although we organized our trip by ourselves, that was still an advantage. Above that, Aron uses his business in Uganda to help other Ugandans as well.
We would definitely recommend to travel with Safari 2 Gorilla Tours.
Jon Peters
USA
In my iniitial email to him I had explained that I'm Kenyan and would be travelling to Rwanda from Nairobi, Kenya. As an east African citizen I thought this information was useful in terms of national park fees and so on; little did I know that it would affect my whole Gorilla trek experience.
I'd settled the balance of my invoice in November 2019 and Aron emailed to confirm full payment. I never heard from Aron again except when I emailed him to find out the arrangements for when I arrived in Rwanda. At the time I didn't think much of it as I'd read so many glowing reviews of Aron and his tour company; his attentive nature, professionalism and general good nature. A fortnight or so before my arrival I'd still not heard from him so I emailed to find out the itinerary for when I arrived in Rwanda - nothing. Just a curt response confirming that he had the number for my hotel and presumably (Aron did not confirm) that he would call me at my hotel to arrange a time to pick me up from my hotel.
I arrived at the hotel, following a 10 hour flight from London on Friday, 24 January to find there was no message was left by Aron advising when I'd be picked up the following day. On Saturday, 25 January at about 9 am the receptionist knocked on my door to inform me that a driver had arrived to pick me up and drive me to Uganda. As I'd not had any advance information of this arrangement I was not ready; i hadn't showered or eaten breakfast. And so we did not set off until gone 10 am. This was the first poor service i'd received.
I'd paid for a 3-day Gorilla trek etc which included on the first day a visit to the Rwanda Genocide memorial. When the driver set off we'd been driving and passed a sign to the memorial site, after almost an hour I asked if we were still going to the memoial site, and only then did the driver inform me that due to the late departure he had decided to postpone the visit to the memorial until the return leg of my three day trip. The second poor service i'd received.
Bwindi national park is in Uganda and so I was driven through Rwanda to Uganda via a land border, an eight hour journey that ordinarily shouldn't have taken that long. The third poor service.
During the drive Aron maintained constant communication with the driver - whose name escapes me - and not once did he ask the driver to pass the phone to me so that he could speak to me. By that I mean even welcoming me, asking me how my trip was, finding out if there was anything I needed, any issues or problems with the trip I'd paid for. The fourth poor service I received
When we arrived at Rushaga camp each visitor at dinner was assigned a table with the name of their guide on it; stupidly I immediately thought Ohhh so Aron had sent a driver to pick me up from Rwanda and that now I was going to meet him! How wrong i was. When i sat down expecting to meet Aron who should turn up? but the driver! Cheekily I asked if he was Aron and offended he curtly replied no!. When i asked what happend to Aron he informed me that Aron had been in constant communication throughout the day! When I asked why Aron hadn't even said hello or welcomed me he just said that Aron was on another tour. At that moment I realised what was happening and why. In Aron's eyes I was a black African tourist that yes, had paid for the same service and support that my white counterparts had received but due to his low perception of me and fellow black Africans I did not warrant the same service, attention, or even respect. I did not speak to the driver again for the rest of the evening. I was surrounded by fellow travellers that were accompanied by guides who made them feel welcome, valued and respected; they sat together sharing stories from their travels whilst I and the driver sat silently. Even as I tried to get the driver to understand how insulted and disrespected I felt he just didn't get it. A part of me feels if i was white he wouldn't have found it so hard understanding how poorly I'd been treated. But as a black African what reason did I have to complain? The fifth poor service I'd received
On the second day i was due to visit Mgahinga national park almost a two hour drive away. As debrief started at 8 am we arranged to leave Rushaga Gorilla camp by 6 am; arranging to meet for breakfast at 05:30 am. 06:00 am the driver was nowhere to be found. Finally at 06:30 he appears in the dinning room feigning an alarm malfunction. I had to demand an apology from him. The sixth poor service i'd received.
We arrived at the national park at 08:25. I was the only black tourist and when I asked the guide to summarise the debrief he audibly commented that as I'd arrived late he'd not be able to repeat it for me. Cynically I felt that If I was white he'd problably have ignored the fact that the driver had got me to the debrief late and still gone through the key points. The seventh poor sevice I'd received.
I could go on and on but I won't. I think you get the gist. I never once spoke to Aron, met him or communicated with him during my time in Rwanda and Uganda. I left Rwanda on Tuesday, 28 January 2020 and have delayed posting this review until now to see whether or not I'd hear from Aron. I haven't and I know I never will.
I would never recommend this company to anyone regardless of who you are. I pity and despise racists and would never support a business that openly discriminates against black Africans.
Would absolutely recommend Safari 2 Gorilla Tours! Thanks Aaron and Martin for an unforgetable trip!
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