Uganda: White Water Rafting - Gorillas Tour

Package Overview

This adventurous holiday ticks two great 'bucket list' boxes - white water rafting down grade 5 rapids at the source of the thundering River Nile & tracking endangered Silverback gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda. Stand on the equator and enjoy the wildlife of Lake Mburo. Ideal for a truly memorable adventure holiday or honeymoon. All transfers & gorilla permits included.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Entebbe • Jinja • River Nile • White Water Rafting
• Equator • Lake Mburo • Bwindi Impenetrable Forest • Gorilla Trekking
• Village Walk • Kampala

Day wise Itinerary

• Day 1 : Arrival

  You will be met at Entebbe Airport and transferred to your hotel.
  
  Check into your airport hotel and enjoy the warm blue African skies.
• Day 2 : Jinja

  This morning we depart from Entebbe and travel 3.5-hours east to Jinja - the second largest city in Uganda, situated at the source of the River Nile.
  
  Along the way you can ask your driver to make a short stop at Mabira Forest, one of the largest tropical forests in Uganda, where you can see a variety of primates, birds and colourful butterflies.
  
  We check into our lodge in Jinja, where the River Nile flows out of Lake Victoria and begins its epic 4,150 miles (6,700 km) journey to Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea.
• Day 3 : White Water Rafting

  Enjoy a day of adrenalin as you experience thrilling White Water Rafting down the River Nile.
  
  After receiving safety instructions, put on your lifejacket and helmet and start paddling, as you tackle eight widely spaced thundering rapids - ranging from grade 5 to grade 3. As there are no submerged rocks, hippos or crocodiles in the river, these rapids are regarded as the safest for white water rafting in the whole of Africa. A safety boat will accompany you down the river, taking an easier route, as well as a rescue kayak. Between rapids, enjoy drifting down the river and enjoying the beautiful scenery. A simple picnic lunch on the river is included.
  
  Note: Wear only a costume, T-shirt and gym leggings (to protect your shoulders & legs from a full day in the strong sun). You cannot take shoes, glasses, jewellery, camera, phone, money or anything loose onto the boat so leave these in a small bag with your driver, together with dry clothes for afterwards.
  
  If you would like to experience 'softer' rafting, you can transfer into the safety boat at any stage. You can also do the whole trip in the safety boat. You will pay the same price, but will not need to paddle and you are unlikely to fall out the boat.
• Day 4 : Lake Mburo National Park

  Today we travel 5-hours to Lake Mburo National Park.
  
  This national park offers excellent plains game viewing and is the best place in the country to see eland, zebra, topi and impala. You should also have excellent sightings of giraffe, bushbuck, warthog, vervet and red-tailed monkeys, olive baboon, pigmy mongoose, white tailed mongoose and buffalo. If you are very fortunate you may even see leopard. Please note there are no lions or elephants in this national park.
  
  On arrival enjoy an afternoon game drive and distant views of the lake.
• Day 5 : Impenetrable Forest National Park

  Today we travel 5-hours from Lake Mburo to your lodge situated near the entrance to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park - home to over 50% of the world's population of critically endangered mountain gorillas, and also a sanctuary for colobus monkeys and chimpanzees.
  
  This dense equatorial jungle is accessible only on foot and features one of the richest ecosystems in Africa, including 120 species of mammals, 350 bird species including hornbills and turacos, 220 butterfly species, 27 frog species as well as chameleons, geckos and many other endangered species. It also boasts over 1,000 different flowering plants, ferns & trees.
  
  Check into your lodge and enjoy the beautiful scenery of your remote forest surroundings.
• Day 6 : Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

  This morning we enter Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park - home to half the world's population of critically endangered mountain gorillas, and also a sanctuary for colobus monkeys and chimpanzees.
  
  This dense equatorial rainforest is accessible only on foot and features one of the richest ecosystems in Africa, including 120 species of mammals, 350 bird species including hornbills and turacos, 220 butterfly species, 27 frog species as well as chameleons, geckos and many other endangered species. It also boasts over 1,000 different floral species.
  
  After walking (or driving up to 1.5-hours) to your specified gate, rangers will allocate you to a small group of up to 8 people - with each gorilla family graded as a short, medium or long hike, based on their location the previous day. We recommend you ask your guide to request the appropriate category for you, although this cannot be guaranteed as the gorillas may have moved significantly overnight.
  
  After a briefing, you will then track a family of endangered Mountain Gorillas, accompanied by two rangers - one at the front and one at the back. The group will walk at the speed of the slowest member, so it is important to proceed at your own pace and enjoy the experience. We strongly recommend hiring a local porter at a cost of around $15 per person, as not only is this an important source of local employment, but they will carry your backpacks and give you a hand up (or a push) where necessary. Expect to walk 1 to 4-hours each way in steep, sometimes muddy and dense tropical jungle conditions to view a family of these enormous primates and observe their behavior up close - a rare privilege indeed.
  
  You must take a copy of your passport with you today, as this will be required to trek. You must be over the age of 15 years to track gorillas and be sufficiently fit to walk for the period indicated. Ensure you arrange a packed lunch with your lodge and carry sufficient water in your backpack (at least 2 litres). You should wear long trousers, long sleeved top, long socks (tucked into your trousers to keep out biting ants), proper walking boots and gardening gloves to protect your hands from nettles and undergrowth. Start off wearing a light fleece, as it is cold in the forest in the morning and pack proper rain gear, including a rain jacket and waterproof trousers, as it can rain at any time. A walking stick to help with the steep ascents will be provided if you don’t have your own.
  
  You cannot be sick or have any infectious disease and no eating or drinking is permitted in the vicinity of the gorillas. Only one hour is allowed with the gorillas and you have to keep a distance of at least 7 metres. No flash photography is allowed and no touching the gorillas (although they may decide to touch you)!
• Day 7 : Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

  At leisure to relax and enjoy the natural beauty of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
  
  It is possible to participate in another optional gorilla trek today, but this must be booked in advance as gorilla permits are strictly limited.
  
  Other optional activities include a Community Village Walk where you can learn more about the local inhabitants, as well as meet the forest-dwelling Batwa Pygmies. You can also enjoy a guided walk to a waterfall in the rainforest, where you can see endemic birds, butterflies and plants.
• Day 8 : Departure

  Transfer 5-hours across the border into Rwanda and on to Kigali Airport for your flight home.

Inclusions

• Hotel
• Sightseeing

Price & Rates

Package Start From

• Kampala, Uganda, Africa

Terms & Conditions

This Tour is Offered by

• Ancient Olympia Ilias, 270 65, OlympiaGreece
• XXXXXX9527 View Contact
• XXXXXXXXXX@gmail.com View Mail ID

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