Departing from Sydney/Melbourne to Kigali, Rwanda

Spanning several ridges and valleys, Kigali, with its lush hillsides, winding boulevards and bustling streets, is arguably one of the most attractive capital cities in Africa. Upon arrival in Kigali international airport, our guide welcomes and transfers you to hotel.

Hotel: Gorillas Golf Hotel or similar

After a breakfast, explore Kigali by visiting to key areas Genocide Memorial which is located in the northern Kisozi district. Kigali exists as a testament to the peace and order that has defined Rwanda’s trajectory, the brunt of the genocide in 1994. In the span of 100 days, estimated one million Tutsis and moderate Hutus were systematically butchered by Interahamwe and army. This memorial honours the estimated 250,000 people buried here in mass graves and tries to explain how it was that the world watched as the genocide unfolded. This is an intensely powerful and moving memorial for which you should dedicate at least half a day. You’ll find the section that remembers the children who fell victim to the killers’ machetes. Life-sized photos are accompanied by intimate details about their favorite toys, their last words and the manner in which they were killed. After you’ve absorbed the museum displays, take a rose to leave on one of the vast concrete slabs outside that cover the mass graves. Visit to the African craft centers and Kandt House National Museum which is dedicated to Dr. Richard Kandt a German doctor and explorer who embarked on an exploration of Rwanda in 1897, showcases many specimens and replica of the natural wonders of the country. Later, crossing the Cyanika border to Kisoro, Uganda.

ACCOM: Mutanda Lake Resort or similar

After an early breakfast, begin the excitement of getting ready for the exotic Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi impenetrable forest that is a true African jungle. It is so called because the dense undergrowth, vines and other vegetation makes it almost impenetrable. It is home to half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas (approx. 800 gorillas remain in the entire World). Upon arrival at the Bwindi Forest, briefing by ranger guide, enter the gorilla sanctuary for your adventure. The beauty of this rain forest is spectacular. The area offers dramatic steeply forested landscape and is incredibly dense, but criss-crossed by numerous animal trails allowing access to tourists. The time taken and the terrain vary with the movements of these great primates. The thrill of spending time observing these gentle, endangered giants is awesome, exciting experience to be long savoured. Many find it to be a rare and moving opportunity. You will have chance to spend precious time with this remarkably peaceful gorillas as they go about their daily life, feeding, playing, resting & raising their young. The trekking will take approximately 5 to 8 hours.

Hotel: Mutanda Lake Resort or similar

After breakfast, here we spend the day on the Batwa trail that runs across the Kisoro District contemplating on the life of the local Pygmy – Batwa culture. Batwa Trail is far from being a conventional nature walk; with the help of guides, you will see the forest as a larder, pharmacy, builder‘s yard, tool kit and above all, a home. The Pygmy- Batwa people are a traditionally hunter – gatherer group, who lived within the forests and survived on small mammals and plants. Batwa communities remain largely marginalized and are one of the poorest in Uganda. We will take the chance to visit Sunbeam Project. It opened its doors in 2010 to respond to the silent voices of children crying for a reassuring hand on their shoulders after they lost their parents mostly to illnesses, malaria or are vulnerable because of poverty .

Hotel: Mutanda Lake Resort or similar

After breakfast, Then, tour will proceed to Lake Bunyonyi which located 1962m above sea level and surrounded by steep sided heavily cultivated hills of Kabale, Lake Bunyonyi is a beautiful place with 29 islands dotting the centre of the lake and believed to be one of the deepest lake in Africa. The lake surface is a fresh 25 degrees celcius, bilharzia free and safe for swimming. The spectacular scenery makes the place ideal for relaxation and refreshing oneself.

ACCOM: Lake Bunyonyi Resort or similar

**Note: activities on days 4, 5, 6 may be rearranged due to gorilla licence restrictions or other local conditions

After breakfast, visit to Ishasha, southern segment of Queen Elizabeth national park which is famous for its tree climbing lions. Here, the Game Drive begins. Game drives are without doubt the highlight of any safari in Africa. It can last anywhere from a couple of hours to a full day’s excursion. Normally, when it’s hot in the day, lions tend to find shelter in large gnarled fig trees. We leave for the sector and search for these with a picnic lunch. During the game drive, there are tremendous wild animals such as kob, topi etc. Queen Elizabeth Park also widely recognized for having the largest concentration of hippos in the world, the park is also home to chimpanzees and a variety of antelope species.

Hotel: Jungle Lodge Ishasha or similar

In the morning, start the day with game drive all the way to Kazinga track. If we have time, we explore the mating ground of the Uganda Kob in the Kasenyi plains. We are likely to come across warthogs, elephants, and buffaloes. In the afternoon boat cruise on Kazinga channel. Kazinga Channel is a narrow neck of water body connecting lakes Edward and George; and is the most luxurious in the region; plying these waters with comfort, elegance and attentive service, affording superb wildlife viewing from your observation deck, is far much re-assuring! Relax as you take in the epic beauty of the river, where you’ll likely see hippos floating along the shallows and crocodiles lounging on muddy banks.

Hotel: Jungle Lodge Ishasha or similar

After the exhilarating experience in Queen Elizabeth National Park, we start our journey to Lake Mburo. It’s a combination of open water with an extensive marsh and wooded grassland comprising of flooded plains bordered with pockets of tropical lowland forests giving the park an oasis setting that greatly draws wildlife in big numbers. The wooded grassland section of the park is endowed with large herds of, Roschild’s Giraffe, buffalo as well as large numbers of antelopes like zebra, eland, impala, and many others. This is the park where we shall take a walk and graze with the wildlife. The entire Lake Mburo Park is a place of breathtaking and magical beauty; “a place where the vision of a deep red sunset silhouetting the thorny acacia scrub along the extensive marshy area, brings the perfect end to a safari”.

Hotel: Mburo Safari Lodge or similar

After breakfast, take a short game drive before depart for Entebbe with stopover at the Equator for photos session and souvenir shopping. Along the imaginary line of the equator, a magnetic needle has no dip and stabilizes in perfect horizontal position. In the late afternoon, arrive at the Entebbe Airport to depart homewards flight back to Australia.

Arrive in Australia.