Rare encounters with Africa’s endangered primates—an MTS experience of a lifetime!

The touching humanity of Rwanda’s mountain gorillas is a powerful thing to witness. No wonder many MTS guests claim this journey is one of their most moving experiences ever Your trip is optimized to include two unforgettable days of encounters with the gorillas, which are highly endangered and cannot live in captivity—and our permits are guaranteed, even during peak season! Discover the thrill of tracking these magnificent primates through their varied habitat, and observing them in their natural behaviors. Listen to the hooting cacophony of chimpanzees as you walk through the misty rainforests of Kibale, and gaze at rare tree-climbing lions in Ishasha. Journey overland through the arresting beauty of Uganda: deep green jungles, volcanoes, wetlands, crater lakes, and open savannahs. See leopards, elephants, lions, and vast herds of hippos on game drives through the fertile landscapes of Queen Elizabeth National Park. It’s a classic African safari combined with the incomparable excitement of viewing great apes in the wild—truly one of the most memorable adventures you’ll find anywhere.

Activities

5 days moderate to strenuous hiking

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

• Track mountain gorillas over moderate terrain in Rwanda's Parc des Volcans—one of nature’s most powerful experiences—against the stunning background of the neighboring volcanoes!
• Visit both Rwanda and Uganda, including the Ishasha region, home to remarkable, tree-climbing lions (experiences you won’t get with most other operators)
• Gaze up at fig tree forests filled with dozens of highly social chimpanzees
• Spend an extra day observing lions, leopards, elephants, hippos and other classic big game in Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Enjoy the benefits of MTS’ expert planning—permits are guaranteed for our departure dates, even in peak season

Duration: 11 days Start Location: Entebbe, Uganda End Location: Kigali, Rwanda

BRIEF Itinerary

• Day 1 : Arrive in Entebbe, Uganda.

  Arrive in Entebbe, Uganda.

• Day 2 : Entebbe to Kibale Forest National Park

  Drive to Kibale National Forest, home to more than 500 chimpanzees and twelve other primate species. Evening walk in search of nocturnal primates, including pottos and bushbabies.

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  Day 3 : Kibale Forest National Park

  Track Kibale's chimps—an exciting opportunity to encounter our closest primate relatives in the wild. Birdwatchers will also find themselves in paradise on the afternoon swamp walk.

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  Days 4 - 5 : Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park

  Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park: 2,000 square miles of deep, verdant forest, volcanoes, and crater lakes, and famous for the world's largest concentration of hippos.

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  Days 6 - 7 : Maramagambo Forest – Ishasha

  Explore the remote southern Ishasha region of Queen Elizabeth National Park, known for herds of elephant, buffalo, many species of antelope, and its tree-climbing lions!

• Day 8 : Kisoro – Kinigi

  Drive through "the Switzerland of East Africa," so-called for its awe-inspiring mountains, including the Impenetrable Forest and the famous Kanaba Gap. Cross into Rwanda to Kinigi.

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  Day 9 : Parc National des Volcans

  Local trackers lead us through misty jungle in the Parc National des Volcans for our first adrenaline-filled encounter with the mountain gorillas.

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  Day 10 : Virunga Volcanoes – Kigali

  Trek once more up the forested slopes of the Virunga Volcanoes to find these gentle creatures. Transfer to Kigali, Rwanda's capital city.

• Day 11 : Kigali

  Tour bustling Kigali (including an optional tour of the moving genocide museum), then depart, or continue on one of our extensions in East Africa.

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  Lake Victoria Hotel

  Entebbe Uganda

  Spacious and elegant, this lovely hotel nestles in well-manicured, palm-studded Step over the threshold of Lake Victoria Hotel into an Oasis of tranquility in classic colonial style.

  Tropical gardens with verandahs and terraces overlooking the calm beauty of Lake Victoria Hotel.

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  Kigali Serena

  Kigali

  Ideally located on one of Kigali's most charming boulevards, the five-star Kigali Serena Hotel is built around a polished granite atrium, which showcases the very best of Rwandese cultural art.

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  Ishasha Wilderness Camp

  Ishasha Wilderness Camp is situated inside the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park on the Ntungwe river, and is an idyllic retreat for people who truly enjoy the wilderness. Being the only upmarket accommodation in the area, this exclusive tented camp offers quality accommodation and services in this unspoilt remote southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park famous for its tree climbing lions that can sometimes be spotted resting in the branches of the large fig trees in the area.

• Gorilla Mountain View Lodge

  Parc des Volcans, Rwanda

  This new hotel in the Volcanoes National Park offers 30 individual cottages located on the lower slopes of the Virunga Mountains. Just 15 minutes from park headquarters, it is perfect for gorilla trekking!

• Primate Lodge

  Kibale Forest National Park, Uganda

  Luxury tents, private cottages, and a tree house are situated in the forest, each with their own veranda, spacious bedroom, and en-suite bathroom (except the tree house), just a short walk from the main lodge and chimpanzee tracking.

Properties shown are representative of the accommodations we use on this trip, may not be inclusive of all accommodations we use, and are subject to change.

Expert leadership is the key to an exciting, unforgettable experience. Our trips feature gifted leaders for whom leading trips is a true vocation. Besides showing you wonders you’d never find on your own, they make sure everything runs smoothly and safely without a hitch. They are knowledgeable about all aspects of your trip, and take great pleasure in sharing their insights with you. More than just guides, they positively elevate your experience by being teachers, companions, and the best of friends. You’ll be in good hands with them every step of the way.

• Denis Erabu

  Born in Eastern Uganda, Denis is of the Kumam Tribe and grew up in a rural village, where his father is a local chief. After completing secondary school, Denis moved to Kampala where he obtained his license and became an escort driver for an NGO delivering relief supplies to Southern Sudan. After 4 years, he decided to go for a career change and entered the tourism industry, pursuing a childhood interest in wildlife. Through a combination of on-the-job and formal training courses with the Queen Elizabeth Bird Observatory and Bird Life International, Denis has gained extensive knowledge as a general interest Tour Guide specializing in birding. He has worked as a driver/guide for the past 12 years and is a member of the Uganda Driver/Guide Association and the Uganda Birdwatching Society

photo credits: ©MTS Photo File