Gatatu Safaris Company is excited to bring you an exciting seven day, authentic Ugandan Safari Experience! Highlights of the trip include; lion tracking, observing elephants and crocodile by boat with an expert birder on hand, hippos on Kazinga Channel, a lake-village culture walk with a local guide; and many, many more exciting experiences to be had!

Day 1 January : Welcome to Rwanda & Transfer to Lake bunyonyi through Katuna Boarder

Welcome to Rwanda-Uganda: Today, our dedicated guide will meet you in Kigali, at the ultra-modern Kigali-Kanombe international airport in Rwanda, and he will drive you through the Rwandan countryside to the town of Kabale in Uganda, crossing the Rwanda/Uganda border at Katuna. This journey takes approximately 3 hours.

Our destination, Lake Bunyonyi, lies only a few kilometers out of Kabale; it is a very beautiful freshwater lake dotted with 22 small islands. Quite breathtaking – you will quickly unpack your tripods to take some stunning shots! Winston Churchill dubbed Uganda “the Pearl of Africa” for a reason!

In the evening we will go for a photo walk and enjoy dinner together at the beginning of our adventure.

Main destination:

• Lake bunyonyi

Accommodation:

• Lake bunyonyi Eco Resort

Meals & drinks:

• Meals included Drinking water.

Day 2 : Travel to Queen Elizabeth National park

On this day, we travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park which is situated in this south western corner of Uganda; we shall have our first game drive in the afternoon after lunch when we shall expect to see a variety of animals, especially elephants.

Wildlife in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Elephant and buffalo are very common, and lion are surprisingly easy to spot. Hyena can occasionally be spotted! There are many interesting antelope species such as Uganda kob, topi and bushbuck.

Following each day of Safari I will be offering a photo review session, so we can discuss what we are doing well and what we need to work on ready for the next day!

Main destination:

• Queen Elizabeth National Park

Accommodation:

• Irungu safari forest Lodge.

Meals & drinks:

• Meals included Drinking water.

Day 3 : Game drives & Boat cruise on the Kazinga channel

On this day, we will enjoy breakfast and travel the short distance into the park for a morning game drive where we will spot hippos (where there is one of the world’s largest concentrations), elephants, Nile crocodiles and different bird species including kingfishers and eagles.

The boat cruise provides a wonderful opportunity for close-up photography of wildlife along the shore of this natural channel which links Lake Edward and Lake George. Robert, the boat guide, is an expert birder, so expect to be enthralled!

Main destination:

• Queen Elizabeth National Park

Accommodation:

• Irungu safari forest Lodge.

Meals & drinks:

• Meals included Drinking water.

Day 4 : Chimpanzee Tracking & Lake Bunyonyi

On this day, we wake up early in the morning and travel to Kalinzu forest for chimpanzee tracking, After Chimpanzee tracking, we shall proceed to lake bunyonyi through Ntungamo.

Kabale is a bustling, vibrant urban environment where small children walk to school in their pristine uniforms as boda-bodas (motorbike taxis) weave in and out of the traffic on the main thoroughfare between the capital Kampala and Kisoro, a town on the border with the DRC.

Main destination:

• Lake bunyonyi

Accommodation:

• Lake bunyonyi Eco Resort

Meals & drinks:

• Meals included Drinking water.

Day 5 : Photography & Canoe trekking

We shall wake up looking out over the misty lake with great memories of our exciting safari. After a good breakfast, we shall travel by boat to visit some of the islands within Lake Bunyonyi.

Then we will take a walk in the hills to meet local people and learn how they live. Key Gatatu staff members themselves originate from Lake Bunyonyi so have excellent contacts and local knowledge. There will be more outstanding photo opportunities.

Main destination:

• Lake bunyonyi

Accommodation:

• Lake bunyonyi Eco Resort

Meals & drinks:

• Meals included Drinking water.

Day 6 : Gorilla tracking & Local experiences option-visit to Kabale/ school visit (Mwendo)

Gorilla tracking: the experience of a lifetime! Not an opportunity to be missed. We will wake up early, enjoy a delicious breakfast, and get a packed lunch. Leaving at 5:30am, we will drive to the Bwindi forest in Uganda where half of the world’s remaining mountain gorilla populations live. The journey to Bwindi impenetrable National Park will take two hours. To undertake a gorilla trek you need to be fit and in good health. Tip: hire a porter if you’d like some support.

Richard, the Director of Gatatu, has founded a community school called Mwendo where you are invited to spend the day as a volunteer.

Main destination:

• Bwindi Impenetrable National park

Accommodation:

• Lake bunyonyi Eco Resort

Meals & drinks:

• Meals included Drinking water.

Day 7 : Travel back to Kigali for next Destination

Travel back to Kigali: This is will be the last day of the tour when we wake and enjoy breakfast together before travelling to the border at Katuna and on to the airport at Kigali in Rwanda. You will fly back home with precious memories and some amazing photographs. Remember that the currency in Rwanda is different, but if you don’t want to buy francs to spend the airport, credit cards are welcome.

Main Destination:

• Kigali (Rwanda)

Accommodation:

• No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Non-alcoholic drinks