The 16 days budget safari in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Congo and Uganda offers the best wildlife viewing in Masai mara, seeing mountain gorillas in Bwindi, virunga and volcanoes national park and mount Nyiragongo hiking. The 16 days best of Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Congo safari adventure allows you to explore the hidden treasures of East Africa in the wild visiting the most treasured places of Africa.
The major highlights of this trip include the great annual Migration of the large herds of wildebeests, zebras and other antelopes in Masai Mara and Ngorongoro in Tanzania. The Nyiragongo Hike is also another special activity to look out for as you watch the fire flames of the most active volcanoes in the world. You will crown this trip with a primate encounter in Bwindi and Kibale national Parks in Uganda.
Summary of the Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Arusha / Kilimanjaro – Pickup – Transfer to Lake Manyara
Day 2: Lake Manyara – Serengeti Plains
Day 3: Full Day Serengeti
Day 4: Serengeti Plains – Ngorongoro crater
Day 5: Ngorongoro crater – cross into Kenya – Drive to Masai Mara
Day 6: Full day game drive
Day 7: Game drive in Masai Mara – Transfer to Nairobi – Flight to Kigali Rwanda
Day 8: Pickup from Hotel – visit Kigali genocide site – Transfer to Lake Kivu
Day 9: Cross into Congo – start mount Nyiragongo hiking
Day 10: Descend the Volcano – Cross back to Rwanda – Drive to Volcanoes national park
Day 11: Golden Monkey Tracking – Transfer to Bwindi National park
Day 12: Mountain gorilla trekking – Visit Batwa Pygmies
Day 13: Transfer to Ishasha sector Queen Elizabeth National park to view tree climbing lions
Day 14: Morning game drive – Afternoon Launch cruise
Day 15: Morning Game drive – Transfer to Kibale for chimpanzee tracking in the afternoon
Day 16: Departure drive to Entebbe to catch departure flight
End of Tour
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Arusha / Kilimanjaro – Pickup – Transfer to Lake Manyara
You will be picked up from your hotel Early in the morning and start your drive to Lake Manyara National Park. This park stretches along way via the high rift valley escarpments occupied by the alkaline lake. Water birds normally gather around the lake and they are over 400 bird species found in this small park. Its vegetation is habitant to so many animals like the monkeys, antelopes, giraffes, grassland elephants living around the acacia trees. You will also have chance to view the Manyara lions around the trees. Leave Lake Manyara and later on and head to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and night stay at Lake Manyara tree hotel or Kirurumu tented lodge or Olmasera tented camp
Day 2: Lake Manyara – Serengeti Plains
Have a delicious breakfast and start your transfer towards Serengeti National Park, via the high lying farmland of Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Karatu. We shall then slope into the far distance and head to the central area of the park called the Seronera Area, which is one of the richest wildlife place in the park. We shall arrive in lunch hours and enjoy an afternoon game drive with in the park. Dinner and night stay later at Four Seasons Safari Lodge or AsiliaDunia Camp or Usanja Camp.
Day 3: Full Day Serengeti
Wake up so earlyand soar in a hot air balloon above the Serengeti plains, you will be able to float silently above the bushes, while spotting the different wildlife as you enjoy the scenery of the best African wild, local villages and rivers.
You will return for breakfast, enjoy game viewing along the popular Sogore River circuit which enters into the plains ofseronera River, and it’s a nice spot to view the lions, Topis, Thomson Gazelle, ostrich and the cheetah. Later, in the afternoon, we shall follow the Kopjes Circuit that goes anti-clockwise around the Masai Kopjes, this usually attracts many lions and large cobras. This makes the kopjes good for spotting wildlife species including the lions, which are seen sitting near the waters waiting for animals coming to drink. Dinner and overnight at Four or Seasons Safari Lodge or Asilia Dunia Camp or Usanja Camp.
Day 4: Serengeti Plains – Ngorongoro crater
Have breakfast early morning and after start your transfer to Ngorongoro Conservation Area with a stopover at the Olduvai Gorge, which boasts in great history dating back to the dawn of time. We shall arrive at the park later in time for lunch and after descend over 600m into the crater to view wildlife for a half day. Ngorongoro crater harbors lots of animals including; zebras, buffaloes, eland, warthog, African elephants and of course large herds of wildebeest. A dense population of predators including lions, leopards, hyenas, jackals are also seen in this reserve. We shall proceed to Lake Magadi which is a large but shallow alkaline lake in the southwestern corner. This shallow lake also harbors masses of birds, flamingos as well as hippos.Dinner and night stay at Neptune Ngorongoro Lodge or Ngorongoro Wildlife lodge or Plantation Lodge
Day 5: Ngorongoro crater – cross into Kenya – Masai Mara
Have breakfast and after start your transfer from Ngorongoro to Kenya proceeding to Masai Mara game reserve. Masai Mara is popular for its extraordinary populations of elephants, lions, cheetahs, leopards, and the annual migration of wildebeests, zebras, Thomson’s gazelles and other antelopes. Retire at the lodge for dinner and night stay at Mara Sopa Lodge, Mara Serena Safari Lodge, Ashnil Mara Tented Camp or Mara Sarova Game Camp.
Day 6: Full day game drive
Spend the whole day in Masai Mara, Kenya’s famous game reserve where you will have the best opportunity of watching the Big Five including lions, leopards, buffalos, rhinos and elephants. Game drives are very flexible with the option of going out with picnic lunch boxes to spend whole day exploring the park, or you can choose to have early morning and late afternoon game drives. You can also opt to visit a local Masai village (at a cost of US$20 per person). Meals and night stay at either Mara Sopa Lodge, Mara Serena Safari Lodge, Ashnil Mara Tented Camp or Mara Sarova Game Camp.
Day 7: Game drive in Masai Mara – Transfer to Nairobi – Flight to Kigali Rwanda
Early Morning breakfast at your camp check out, have a morning game drive in the park and drive to Nairobi arriving in time for lunch. Have lunch in Nairobi and proceed to the airport to cross to Kigali Rwanda. Dinner and night stay at Kigali Serena Hotel.
Day 8: Pickup from Hotel – visit Kigali genocide site – Transfer to Lake Kivu
After your morning breakfast, start the day with Kigali City Tour driving around “Africa’s Cleanest City”. Visit the city center and some art galleries to shop for some souvenirs, before heading for lunch at a local restaurant arranged for you. You will also visit the Kigali genocide memorial site where over 2500 bodies of the victims of the genocide incident of 1994 were given a decent burial in a mass grave. The experience here is so emotional as it will give you the whole picture of this tragedy and its impact to the community. You will later transfer to Lake Kivu in the North West of Rwanda to spend the evening at the shores as you enjoy the breeze. Dinner and overnight at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel or Palm gardens resort or Paradise Malahide.
Day 9: Cross into Congo – start mount Nyiragongo hiking
You guide will meet you at your Hotel very early in the morning and transfer you to Congo proceeding to Kibati Village where the Climb starts at 10.00 Am. Start climbing and arrive at the top late in the evening at around 04 or 05.00 pm. You will admire the lava lake all the evening as you watch the mighty fire flames of this volcanic mountain.Overnight in tents on the edge of the giant crater high above the fiercely active lava lake.
Day 10: Descend the Volcano – Cross back to Rwanda – Drive to Volcanoes National Park
After breakfast at 7.00am, you will descend to the bottom of the mountain to meet your guide waiting to transfer you back to Rwanda. You will proceed to the Volcanoes national park for another special highlight of your trip with the most endangered primates in the Virunga Mountains.
Day 11: Golden Monkey Tracking – Transfer to Bwindi National park
Today after your breakfast at the lodge, you will head to the briefing for golden monkey trekking. Golden monkeys are interesting primates that reside in the Virunga regions of Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo. The golden monkey is generally more active than the gorillas making it a more active activity to track them. Sometimes they are seen getting into the surrounding gardens for potatoes. These monkeys have been habituated and can therefore be visited without altering their behavior.
The trek lasts a few hours and you are able to return to the lodge for lunch. After lunch the driver guide will transfer you to bwindi national park in Uganda for Gorilla Tracking. You will cross through Gatuna border via Kabale town and arrive at Bwindi in the evening hours. Bakiga Lodge, Gorilla safari lodge/Gorilla resort/Gorilla Mist Camp.
Day 12: Mountain gorilla trekking – Visit Batwa Pygmies
Wake up early for an early breakfast and head out for briefing for Gorilla tracking and set off for this amazing activity tracking the forest giants in the impenetrable forest.Guests are led into the forest with a team of park rangers to help track the habituated mountain gorillas. This activity takes 2-8 hours depending on the location of these apes. Once a gorilla family is found, you will be allowed to spend a full hour with them as you learn about them and taking memorable pics. If time allows, you will take an afternoon community walk before retiring for dinner at your lodge at Bakiga Lodge/ Gorilla safari lodge/Gorilla resort/Gorilla Mist Camp.
Day 13: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Get up early in the morning to enjoy your breakfast and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park through Ishasha sector of this park for the tree climbing lions. You will arrive in lunch hours and have your lunch before heading out for the evening game drive to watch the tree climbing lions. You will continue to Queen Elizabeth National Park while enjoying the stunning landscape of this area and check in at your lodge for dinner and night stay.Mweya Safari Lodge/Katara Lodge or Kasenyi Safari Camp/Ihamba Safari Lodge or Simba Safari Camp.
Day 14: Morning game drive – Afternoon Launch cruise
Start your day with a tasty breakfast at your lodge and after meet your driver/guide to kick off with a morning game drive via Kasenyi track. You will be accompanied by park ranger guide and along the Kasenyi sector, enjoy amazing sights at variety of savanna dwellers including; Uganda Kobs, water bucks, lions, elephants, buffaloes, warthogs and variety of bird species. Your game viewing experience may last you 2-3 hours after which you will drive back to the lodge to have rest and lunch.
In the afternoon, you will take part in launching a boat cruise at Kazinga Channel which links Lake Edward and Lake George. This will amaze you with great sights at hippos, basking crocodiles, and water birds including fish eagles, kingfishers, pelicans and many other wildlife species. After this boat cruise, get back to the lodge to relax, dine and spend a night at Mweya Safari Lodge/Katara Lodge or Kasenyi Safari Camp/Ihamba Safari Lodge or Simba Safari Camp.
Day 15: Transfer to Kibale for chimpanzee tracking in the afternoon
After a morning breakfast, you will drive to Kibale National Park for Chimpanzee tracking in the afternoon. You will have your lunch in the park and have head out for briefing on chimp tracking guidelines and hit the forest for this amazing experience. You will be allowed to spend one full hour with habituated Chimps taking pictures and learning about them. Return to the lodge later. Dinner overnight at Crater Safari Lodge,Primates lodge, Chimpanzee Forest Camp.
Day 16: Departure drive to Entebbe to catch departure flight
Have your breakfast at the lodge and drive to Kampala proceeding to the airport for your flight.
END OF SAFARI
Tour inclusions
- Professional Guide
- 4×4 safari vehicle
- Full Board Accommodation
- All activities detailed in the safari
- Park entrance fees
- Drinking water on the safari
- Airport transfer
- Gorilla and Chimp tracking permits
Tour Exclusions
- Tips,
- Laundry services,
- Beverages/ drinks,
- international flights
- Visas
- optional activities
