10 days Adventurous Uganda & Rwanda Gorilla Trek

Destinations visited:Uganda; Bwindi National Park, Rwanda; Kigali& Volcanoes National Park.

A 10-day exploration of all Rwanda & Uganda’s magnificent highlights awaits you including 2gorilla treks & golden monkey trekking, and exciting guided forest trails.

Day to Day Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival Uganda.

Day 2 – 4: Bwindi National Park.

Day 5 – 6: Meet the Batwa

Day 7 – 8: Rwanda Volcanoes

Day 9: Kigali

Day 10: Departure

Day 1: Welcome to Uganda

After touching down at Entebbe International Airport, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your accommodation for the evening.

Use the night to tuck into a delicious dinner and shake off the jet-lag in preparation for your journey into Bwindi Impenetrable National Park tomorrow.

Days 2 – 4: Nights in Bwindi

It is back to Entebbe International Airport for your domestic flight to the Kiroso Airstrip. It is always exciting to land in new territory and your arrival here is no different. From the airstrip you will be accompanied for one of the most enthralling parts of your vacation: a 3-hour canoe trip to the northern shore of Lake Mutanda – look out for the crested cranes, black-headed herons and hadeha ibises that nest here. You will enjoy lunch at Mutanda Lake Resort before making your way via 4×4 to Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, which will be your welcome abode for the next three nights.

Your third day is the one you have been waiting for: today you make the acquaintance of rare mountain gorillas, one of the most memorable wildlife encounters in the world. Led by experienced trackers who are intimately familiar with each individual gorilla and who understand their overnight movements, you will hike through the forest until you find these gentle creatures. For mutual safety, you will have to observe them from a distance and no children under 15 are allowed on a trek. It can be tough going in the rain and mud but it is worth the effort to look into their emotional brown eyes.

Once you are back at Clouds, surrender yourself to the therapist’s healing hands for a post-trek full-body massage that will ensure you do not awaken stiff and sore the following day. On Day Four, members of the Nkuringo Community Development Foundation will accompany you on a half-day walk that will include Nkuringo Hill (from which you have a 360-degree view of Bwindi forest, the Virunga Mountains and the Democratic Republic of Congo). You will be offered a taste of village life that includes local foods, seeing the blacksmith at work, visiting the primary schoolchildren and perhaps learning some new dance steps from the Youth Group!

Days 5 – 6: Meet the Batwa

You bid farewell to the friendly staff at Clouds and set off, with walking guide, on a hike to Buhoma. There are two routes that can be followed: one takes about five hours and is known as the Ivy River trail and the other takes in the Kashasha River and can take up to seven hours. Once you reach Buhoma, having enjoyed a day of being out in the open in a lush wilderness, you will be driven to the north of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to check into Gorilla Forest Camp.

After a refreshing night’s sleep, you once again lace up your hiking boots and set out to meet members of the Twa tribe, who are thought to be the longest-standing inhabitants of the Great Lakes region. Their history can be traced back at least 4 000 years and they are renowned as dancers and storytellers. You will learn more about the Batwa’s hunting and gathering techniques, their goddess and their musical performances.

After two days of hiking, you will no doubt enjoy relaxing after dinner, sharing stories as the moon rises over Bwindi.

Days 7 – 8: The land of ancient volcanoes

With the staff of Gorilla Forest Camp wishing you well, you are collected for your trip to Virunga Volcanoes Lodge in Volcanoes National Park. The journey wends its way through beautiful rolling hills and terraces fields, as well as the bamboo and montane forest of Echuya Forest Reserve. After crossing the border into Rwanda, you will pull up the lodge and look out over Lakes Ruhondo and Burera as well as the Virunga Volcanoes. It is an exciting first look at your home for the next two nights.

As the sun rises on Day Eight, so will your anticipation for another day of gorilla trekking. Once again, you will be captivated when you find these endangered primates and heartened by knowing that much of their survival depends on eco-tourism conservation efforts.

Day 9: Unwind in Kigali

Having enjoyed breakfast at Virunga Volcanoes Lodge, your guide takes you into the park in search of another of Africa’s intriguing primates; this time, rare golden monkeys. With their blue faces and bronze coats, they are among the continent’s prettiest animals and live in troops of up to 30 energetic individuals. Finding them is not always easy but well worth the effort!

After a morning in Volcanoes National Park, you depart for the thriving city of Kigali, where you check into the Serena Hotel. Your final dinner is hosted at the Milles Collines Hotel, which played a central role in the Rwandan genocide of the early 1990s and is steeped in history. It is both humbling and inspiring to consider how far the country has progressed after such devastation.

Day 10: Winging your way home

After a comfortable night at the Kigali Serena Hotel, savor a leisurely breakfast before taking an illuminating tour of the Rwandan Genocide Memorial and Museum, a deeply moving experience.

This combined with the miraculous memories you have of seeing gorillas in the wild, meeting Batwa people and catching sight on playful golden monkeys, will be part of your memories forever as you take off from Kigali International Airport for your flight home.

This marks the end of what we hope will be an adventurous trip- Thank you very much!!

Luggage

PLEASE be reminded that the luggage allowance on our inbound schedule flights is strictly 15KGS PER PERSON and that SOFT BAGS are highly recommended, if not essential. In light aircraft the baggage area and weight allowance is limited. Hard Samsonite type suitcases do not fit into the cargo compartment easily, if at all. Due to limited space available for storage in safari vehicles, we strongly recommend use soft duffle bags rather than hard suitcases.

Your contract

A binding contract will come into existence once Sun Africa Expeditions and yourself agree on the itinerary and quote provided for the same. The booking will then be considered confirmed when an invoice is issued. Your contract for the services chosen will be direct with the relevant supplier(s). Your supplier contact will be governed by the laws of the country in which the supplier is located and will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of that country.

Reservations, Payment and Deposits

When Sun Africa Expeditions has accepted your booking, the date of the confirmation invoice activates the terms and conditions of the contract. Confirmation of services is subject to payment of a non-refundable deposit of 15% of the total invoiced amount. The balance is to be paid not later than 30 days prior to commencement of the services. When bookings are made within 30 days prior to the departure date, full payment is required immediately on written confirmation.

All bookings are subject to availability at the time of booking and cannot be guaranteed except for scheduled departures.

Prices

Prices are quoted in US dollars. All prices are subject to change without prior notice. Should prices or costs from suppliers increase due to inflation, currency depreciation and fuel surcharges, then Sun Africa Expeditions will not have any other option than to pass on the same to you. All suppliers reserve the right to increase prices at any time of the year when costs increase outside the control of the supplier. Please note that when the clients’ itinerary overlaps two seasons, the price will be prorated over the two seasons.

Rates include but are not limited to the following services specified in the itinerary. Accommodation with meals, tours, transport, driver/guide, park entrance fees, hotel taxes and service charges.

Rates exclude (Unless otherwise specified), Medical Air Rescue services, Porter-age, domestic Air Charters, Visa fees, beverages, laundry, telephone calls, scheduled flights, gratuities and all expenses of personal nature.

NB: Flying doctor services are Optional at USD 25 per pax (Subject to change and vendor terms & conditions).

Child rate: – is only applicable to one or two children under 12 years sharing a room with 2 adults. In the case of 02 children sharing a room with parents, the two children will share a bed, as most hotels/lodges cannot accommodate a fourth bed. 01 child sharing a room with 01 adult will be charged full adult rate.

Single Room Policy

Single rooms are available at supplementary cost but the suppliers do not guarantee singles. Single rooms are scarce and cannot be guaranteed even if paid for at twin sole use rate. Where this occurs an appropriate refund will be made by the supplier to the client. Suppliers will only allow a maximum of 3 single rooms per group at a single room rate except for high end luxury camps where single rooms are limited to only 02 singles.

Cancellation Policy

Should you wish to cancel your confirmed booking, you must advise the company in writing.

Reservations that are cancelled, reduced in length of stay or reduced in numbers (hereinafter collectively called a CANCELLATION) are subject to Cancellation and No Show fees if cancelled within 30 days of the arrival date:

55 days to 41 days prior to arrival: 25%
40 days to 22 days prior to arrival: 35%
21 days to 15 days prior to arrival: 50%
14 days to 07 days prior to arrival: 65%
06 days to 03 days prior to arrival: 80%

Within 48 hours and after commencement of holiday: 100%. Once the holiday has commenced no refund will be made. The figures expressed are percentage of the total tour price.

Cancellation: Although it rarely happens, and Sun Africa Expeditions will do their utmost to avoid doing so. Sun Africa Expeditions must reserve the right to cancel tours and other arrangements. Where your holiday is cancelled (other than due to your default in payment) due to unavoidable circumstances beyond our control e.g. Natural disaster or over booking, Sun Africa Expeditions will offer you the choice of purchasing an alternative holiday.

Force Majeure

The expression “force majeure” means any event which the supplier(s) in question could not have foreseen or avoided even with all due care. Such events may include war or threat of war, riots, civil strife, industrial dispute, terrorist activity, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, adverse weather conditions, government action and all similar circumstances outside the suppliers’ control. In these circumstances the suppliers shall not be liable to pay any compensation or otherwise be responsible for any expenses or losses you incur where supplier is forced as a result to cancel, delay, curtail or change your holiday arrangements in any way or where the performance or prompt performance of the supplier’s contractual obligations is prevented or affected. Complaints

In the unlikely event that a tour member has a dispute whilst on safari this must immediately be brought to the attention (and put on record) of the local representative, Hotel, Lodge or Camp management. It is likely that the tour member’s complaint will be satisfactorily resolved there and then. If, however, this is not the case and the tour member wishes to pursue the matter on their return from safari, it is essential the complaint be communicated in writing to Sun Africa Expeditions within 21 days of the end of tour quoting tour reference, destination and departure date.

Responsibility of Sun Africa Expeditions

Sun Africa Expeditions acts only as the Agent for the suppliers and shall not in any event be liable for any negligence, breach of contract or acts of omission on the part of suppliers, their employees or any other Agent, it shall be the responsibility of all customers including (without limitations) Tour members, Tour Operators and Travel Agents, to read and familiarize themselves with the terms and conditions of suppliers. Sun Africa Expeditions liability for its own negligence or breach of contract shall be limited to the Tour price.

Transportation

Safari Minibuses, Cars, Land Cruisers and coaches will be provided according to the route and number of participants. Sun Africa Expeditions reserves the right to employ services of sub-contractors. Multi-lingual driver guides are provided on request. For flying packages, clients will share vehicles with other guests booked at the hotel. For exclusive use, please check with Sun Africa Expeditions for supplements, which will be subject to availability.

Insurance

The hazards of travelling in Africa may inevitably rise to some risks and dangers. It is therefore a condition of booking that all tour members must have sufficient and appropriate travel insurance for the duration of their tour. Such insurance (which is not supplied by Sun Africa Expeditions) should fully cover all personal requirements including death, personal injury, medical expenses, and repatriation in the event of accident or illness, cancellation or curtailment of the tour members’ personal property.

Special Requests

Any special requests (e.g. for single rooms or particular diet) must be notified in writing when the booking is made. Whilst the supplier will endeavour to meet such requests they cannot be guaranteed and any failure to comply will not be a breach of contract.

Sun Africa Expeditions services include flight re-confirmation and airport assistance within Africa if clients are provided all services by Sun Africa Expeditions. In cases whereby Sun Africa Expeditions is providing part of the services and the clients have other arrangements of their own, then Sun Africa Expeditions will only reconfirm where forwarding address or contacts are provided.

Itineraries

Demand for safaris can be high and may lead to shortage of lodge/hotel accommodation. All bookings will be confirmed, but no occasions changes may be necessary. Hotels/Lodges/camps, here specifically named are given as an indication of the category and rooms may be reserved at similar lodges/ hotels/camps. We undertake to advise you of any changes known to us prior to departure, but the possibility of change without notice, must be acceptable when booking. Where ever possible we book rooms with private baths showers throughout on the basis of two persons sharing a double room. Single rooms are available at supplementary cost but neither single rooms nor rooms with private bath/shower can be guaranteed.

Safari minibuses cars, four wheel drive vehicles or coaches will be provided according to the route and number of participants. The right is reserved to employ the services of subcontractors. Multi-lingual chauffer/guides are provided. Occasional mechanical problems, changes of lodge or adverse road conditions may in turn lead to a change of routing or game viewing without prior notice being given. We reserve the right to offer substitutes of equal value or to cancel the operation of any tour. In practice, very few itineraries are affected but a little flexibility on your part will ensure the tour is unique and rewarding.

Website and Brochure Description

Descriptions of accommodation facilities and services in our brochures are shown in good faith, it is however possible that certain facilities or services may be unavailable or limited due to maintenance , adverse weather, local conditions, seasonal restrictions etc.

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this website/e-brochure at the time of printing, regrettably errors do occasionally occur. You must therefore check all details of your holiday booking with your travel agent or supplier at the time of presentation.

The company cannot therefore accept responsibility for any information not contained in this brochure, being confirmed verbally by its staff or representatives unless subsequently reconfirmed in writing by the company.