This day after your breakfast, you will head out to Kigali for a tour there. Kigali-Rwanda’s capital city is emerging as one of Africa’s must-visit city destinations with a thriving art scene. You will gain an insight into the local culture and lifestyle. Your guide will escort you on a tour of Kigali’s most interesting places, including the Women’s Art Center, Crafts markets, Genocide Memorial- a sobering place of remembrance. Relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at the lodge

Overnight at: Heaven Retreat or similar. Meal Plan: Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast.

This day after breakfast, your driver/guide will drive you through the pretty Rwandan countryside to Ruhengeri at the foothills of the Virungas in Volcanoes National Park (Parc National des Volcans). The drive typically takes about 2.5 hours and you then check-in to your lodge where you can enjoy your afternoon at leisure. Relax and rest up this evening ahead of tomorrow’s golden monkey trekking adventure. Later in the day, you will get to visit the Diane Fossey museum. Optional activities:

• Boat ride on the twin lakes (Burera and Ruhondo)

Overnight at: Davinci Gorilla Lodge or similar. Meal Plan: Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast.

This morning, you will have breakfast and then head to the forest for the golden monkey trekking experience. These are a local subspecies of the widespread skyes monkey, known as the “blue monkey”. Seeing these endangered, playful and inquisitive monkeys leap from bamboo branches or frolicking on the forest floor is an awesome experience. Time permitting, you will get to engage in optional activities which include:

• Meet the Gorilla doctors- guardians of the gorilla health.

• Visit the Ibyiwacu cultural village

• Biking or cycling experience.

Overnight at: Davinci Gorilla Lodge or similar. Meal Plan: Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast.

This day, you can have an optional hike to the Diane Fossey Grave then head to the Rwanda-Uganda border, clear customs then head to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for your overnight stay.

Overnight at: Dorotia’s Eco Lodge or similar. Meal Plan: Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast.

Today, you will head to the Park’s headquarters for a briefing about your gorilla trekking experience. With the help of expert trackers and guides you will hike to find a family of endangered mountain gorillas. The guides will use their knowledge of the gorillas’ habits and information from the previous day to locate each family’s whereabouts. The time taken to track the gorillas varies enormously, from half an hour to as much as 7 hours. Once the gorillas are located, your group will be allowed a maximum of one hour with them. A close encounter with these gentle giants is an amazing experience. Return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.

Overnight at: Dorotia’s Eco Lodge or similar. Meal Plan: Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast.

You will have breakfast then get to visit the Batwa (pygmies) villages. While here, you will get to learn of their ancient ways of living. These people are famously known as the “Keepers of the forest” once shared the forest with the mountain gorillas. Later, head to Lake Bunyonyi for overnight. Lake Bunyonyi (“Place of many little birds”) is the perfect place to stop for a break. The serene lake is rumored to be the deepest in Africa, reaching depths of 900 meters. The lake stretches around 25 km in length and 7 meters wide, with 29 islands scattered throughout. You will go for a canoe boat ride on the Lake. You will get to visit some of the different islands including one where pregnant girls/women were taken as an isolating place for having gotten pregnant before marriage. Return to the lodge, relax and get to enjoy the beautiful views that this lake has to offer.

Overnight at: Arcadia Lodge or similar. Meal Plan: Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast.

This day, after your breakfast, you will be transferred to Ishasha - the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park. This place is famed for its tree-climbing lions. Enjoy a game drive as you search for animals resident to this area of the Park.

Overnight at: Enjojo Lodge or similar. Meal Plan: Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast.

This morning, you will be transferred to the Northern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park, home to elephants, lions, hippos, buffalo and baboons. Enjoy a game drive in the park. Optional activity:

• Visit the Salt Lake and communities around

Overnight at: TwinLakes Safari Lodge or similar. Meal Plan: Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast.

You will have a morning game drive then later in the afternoon, take a boat trip on the Kazinga Channel, 32 kms long followed by a game drive. This water system has the highest concentration of hippos in the world and you will get quite close to them. See also crocodiles, buffalos and other game that drink from the channel, also marvel at the abundant birdlife that is supported here. Optional activity:

• Lion tracking experience

Overnight at: TwinLakes Safari Lodge or similar. Meal Plan: Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast.

After your breakfast at the Lodge, you will embark on a scenic drive to Kibale Forest Park, which is home to some 13 species of primates including the red colobus monkeys, chimpanzees and L'Hoest's monkeys as well as 70 mammal species. Optional activities:

• Cooking lessons

• Crater lakes hike

Overnight at: Chimpanzee Forest Lodge or similar. Meal Plan: Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast.

After breakfast at the lodge, you will go for Chimpanzee tracking along the network of forest trails. Seeing habituated chimps squabbling and swinging from the trees is an exhilarating experience. Later in the day, you will have the opportunity to visit Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, which is rich in bird species, vegetation, and wildlife. This is also a great opportunity to support local tourism initiatives which benefit social and economic development in the area. You will then go for a cultural village walk. Basing on your interests, you will visit a traditional healer who will share knowledge about local herbs, plants and medicines. You will also get a chance to visit local homes where you will be told interesting stories about birth, marriage, ceremonies, clans and their traditional life. Learn more about the history and challenges faced by this developing community of rural Uganda. Time permitting, you will have a chance to experience the Ugandan school system, visit a local church and Bigodi’s trading centre, a hub of rural life and activity.

Overnight at: Chimpanzee Forest Lodge or similar. Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

You will enjoy a lovely breakfast at the hotel. Thereafter, you'll embark on a transfer to the Murchison Falls National Park. The highlights of this park include the roaring rapids of the Murchison Falls, and the rolling plains of Uganda’s largest National Park where you will have the chance of viewing lions, leopards, giraffes, hartebeest, buffalo, and elephants. Then surely, the concentration of hippos and Nile crocodiles here will fascinate you.

Overnight at: Pakuba Safari Lodge or similar. Meal Plan: Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast.

You will have breakfast then depart for an early morning game drive across the rolling plains of the Park and be on the lookout for wildlife including lions, giraffes, elephants and if lucky—leopards among others. For any birder, there are quite several birds to sight too during the drive. You'll return to the accommodation for some rest time and lunch. After lunch, you will head out for the boat trip to the base of Murchison Falls where you will also be able to catch sight of more animals including hippos and crocodiles and several water birds.

Overnight at: Pakuba Safari Lodge or similar. Meal Plan: Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast.

You will have breakfast and then drive to the top of the falls to truly appreciate the beauty and magnificence of the Murchison Falls. You will then embark on a transfer to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a nature walk with rhinos. From the rhino tracking, you will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and then continue with the transfer to Jinja town for overnight. Overnight at: 2 Friends Hotel or similar. Meal Plan: Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast.

Day 16: White Water Rafting on the Nile and transfer to Kampala for overnight This day, you will have breakfast then head for the White Water Rafting experience on the Nile River. This activity takes you in the middle of the river Nile while passing through chaotic and turbulent rapids. The Nile rapids in Jinja are graded 4 and 5 and offer one of the best whitewater rafting experiences in Africa. Later, you will get to visit the source of the Nile. Optional activities:

• Bungee jumping

• Horse riding

• Quad biking

Relaxation, dinner and overnight at the lodge.

Overnight at: 2 Friends Hotel or similar. Meal Plan: Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast.

This day, you will have breakfast then head for the White Water Rafting experience on the Nile River. This activity takes you in the middle of the river Nile while passing through chaotic and turbulent rapids. The Nile rapids in Jinja are graded 4 and 5 and offer one of the best whitewater rafting experiences in Africa. Later, you will get to visit the source of the Nile. Optional activities:

• Bungee jumping

• Horse riding

• Quad biking

Relaxation, dinner and overnight at the lodge. Overnight at: 2 Friends Hotel or similar. Meal Plan: Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast.

After an early breakfast, your guide will pick you from your hotel and drive you around Kampala where you will tour the city and its religious attractions. These include:

• Namugongo Martyrs Shrine

• Namirembe Cathedral

• Uganda National Mosque

• Kabaka’s Palace

You will visit the art and crafts market in Kampala to buy souvenirs, and a fresh food market for local produce. Later you will have lunch at a local restaurant and enjoy Uganda’s local cuisine. In the evening, you will enjoy cultural dance performances at Ndere Centre.

Overnight at: Cassia Lodge or similar. Meal Plan: Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast.

This day, you will head out to the Mabamba Swamp, found on the northern shores of Lake Victoria. It is famed for the shoebill which is the most sought after bird by both the birding and non-birding tourists who are intrigued by its peculiar look and massive size. The wetland is also home to over 300 bird species. Later, you will head to the airport for your outbound flight.