Description
African coffee safari, Uganda Rwanda gorilla safari
Day one: Arrival into Entebbe and begin your African coffee safari of Uganda and Rwanda. Your safari guide will pick up on arrival and transfer to the Kampala Serena for overnight. Hotel is on a bed and breakfast basis.
Day two: Early morning breakfast and begin the easy drive through Eastern Uganda and have a visit to the source of the Nile. Head to Mbale arriving in time for lunch and later, proceed to the Sipi falls region to meet the local farmers in their farms. The ripening berries of coffee are handpicked by the women and placed in straw baskets. The Arabica coffee produce is then forwarded to the processing factory. In the evening, proceed to your overnight accommodations for dinner and overnight at the Mbale Protea Hotel. Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day three: Gamutindo coffee Mbale
Morning breakfast and transfer to the Gamutindo coffee processing factory. See how the freshly brought in berries are washed. The picking of the coffee berries are handpicked and brought in to wash off excess sugar content. Berries are then sorted according to quality and the deep red ones which usually sink to the bottom. They are sorted for export while the other grades are left for the domestic market. The berries are sent for skinning through a huller and then a fermentation process takes place before being sun dried and packed. The later part of the day will be spent visiting the Sipi falls before heading back to your hotel. Meals and overnight at the Mbale Protea Hotel. Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner.
Day four: Morning breakfast and transfer to Kampala arriving in the early afternoon for lunch. Have the evening on the tour of Kampala, sights which includes different cafes and a private coffee exporter Kyagalanyi coffee. Meals and overnight at the Kampala Serena Hotel. Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner.
Day Five: Masaka coffee farming
Breakfast in the morning then proceed to the central region of Uganda for another species of coffee growing. Alongside the mixed farms of Yams, sweet potatoes, bananas and cassava, see the Ugandan Robusta coffee growing. You will stop by the Uganda Equator for a locally brewed cup before heading to a roadside coffee farm to talk to the local farmers. Later, proceed to Masaka and visit one of the cooperatives to see the coffee processing. Have lunch and in the evening, proceed to your overnight accommodation at Hotel Brovad for dinner.
Day Six: Mbarara, Bushenyi coffee farms and Queen Elizabeth National park
Morning transfer through Mbarara then proceed along the Ishasha Bushenyi road to the coffee farms of bushenyi. The coffee plantations in these areas are adapted to the lowlands of less volcanic acidity. You will have the entire afternoon visiting the cooperatives and interacting with the out growers in the area. In the evening, you will transfer to the edge of the Queen Elizabeth National park to relax by the swimming pool. Dinner and overnight at the beautiful Katara Lodge.
Day seven: Morning breakfast then start a game viewing safari in a custom built safari land cruiser with a pop up top. Drive along the Kasese road amid sections of the Acacia trees and the savannah looking out for Cape buffalo, Elephant and Uganda Kob. Game viewing would continue at dawn into the craters and Kasenyi track. The lions concentration features along the Kob mating grounds near Lake Katwe, including some cubs. Later, return for lunch at the lodge and transfer to the Kazinga channel near Mweya. The afternoon trip journeys through sections of the river with Hippo, crocodile, drinking elephants, monitor lizards, birds and a fishing village. After the cruise, return to the landing strip and return to your accommodations following a detour through the Leopard loop. Dinner and overnight at Katara Lodge.
Day Eight: Ishasha tree climbing lions enroute to Bwindi
Breakfast at leisure then leave through the Ishasha plains with brief stops to see vervet monkeys, baboon, elephant and the l’hoest monkeys by the roadside. You may also spot the tree climbing lions as well as Topi on the drive to the famous gorilla forest of Bwindi. Arrive in the evening for dinner and overnight at the Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp.
Day Nine: Breakfast at the camp then begin the day’s gorilla trekking experience to find a group of Mountain gorillas. Track the Over 50% of the World’s population of gorillas reside here at Bwindi Impenetrable forest on foot. The guides get you to a feeding area for an hour of gorilla viewing allocated to the activity. Later, return to your accommodations to freshen up and have a village walk before dinner and overnight at Sanctuary Gorilla forest camp.
Day Ten: Breakfast early, then proceed into Rwanda through the Impenetrable forest and the lovely views of the Volcanoes. Have a picnic lunch and cross the border into Musanze before proceeding to the base of the Virunga Mountains of Rwanda. Meals and overnight at the Virunga Lodge.
Day Eleven: Gorilla trekking in Rwanda
Breakfast in the morning and drive to the park offices for another hike to the gorillas in Rwanda’s PNV national park. Dian Fossey the great conservationist of the famous ‘’gorillas in the mist’’ fame worked with these gorilla families. After viewing the gorillas and receiving your gorilla trek certificate, return to your overnight safari accommodations at the Virunga Lodge.
Day Twelve: Morning breakfast thereafter, transfer to the Butare area to see the local coffee farmers in the early afternoon. The African coffee safari leads to Butare in Southern Rwanda where local women groups in the Butare area do the picking. See the Citrus flavored Arabica coffee berries handpicked for quality reasons. Rwanda coffee grows at altitudes of between 1700 to over 2000 metres above sea level on volcanic soils. Later, proceed to the Hotel Ibis/Four steps for dinner and overnight.
Day Thirteen: Maraba coffee cooperative Rwanda
Morning breakfast then transfer to the Maraba coffee cooperative, one of the most successful coffee growers and exporters in Rwanda. You will visit the milling and wash stations where the local women groups bring their harvests from the fields. Also visit the local factory where the processing and quality controls feature on the African coffee safari. Your guide takes you through the local amenities, realized from the increased coffee earnings. Visit local hospitals, schools, as well as farm animals if possible. Later, drive to Nyungwe National park for overnight at the Nyungwe Forest Lodge.
Day Fourteen: Morning breakfast at the lodge then have a morning primate walk to see the Black and white colubus. Others in the forest include the chimpanzees and other monkeys. You may also take a canopy walk over the treetops to see the other wildlife in this zone. Meals and overnight at Nyungwe forest Lodge or transfer to Kigali this day to stay at the Kigali Serena.
Day Fifteen: Morning breakfast and transfer to the airport for the evening return flight out of Africa.
Price per person for the African coffee safari
Price per person sharing subject to season,
Uganda gorillas permit USD 600
Rwanda gorillas permit USD 1500
Safari price includes:
Airport transfers
Accommodation in Tented camps/Safari Lodges
Meals on tour as indicated
Coffee farm visits as applicable
Coffee factory visits
Guided wildlife safaris in Uganda and Rwanda
English speaking guide
Private safari vehicle on tour
Cruise on the Kazinga channel
Gorilla trekking permits as listed.
Chimpanzee/primate trek in Rwanda
