Pure, wild, earthly, heavenly, and pristine: a motorcycle trip through Uganda and Rwanda is not much less than a revelation. It lets you experience all that the African continent has to offer, in a condensed form. Exciting experiences are the program.
Pricing
| per rider in shared twin/double room incl. rental motorcycle Kibo 250 ccm (Only available for a booking of two persons. Single travelers need to choose the single room surcharge.) | €3,450.00 $3,768.80 ? |
| per pillion passenger in shared twin/double room (pillion passengers can only book along with an accompanying rider) | €2,890.00 $3,157.06 ? |
| per person single room (surcharge, only available with additional selection of the basic price "per rider in double room") | €525.00 $573.51 ? |
| per person Gorilla-tracking | €900.00 $983.17 ? |
Included
| Transfers Airport Entebbe - Hotel Kampala and back |
| All hotel accommodation mostly with breakfast |
| Rental motorcycle Kibo 250 cc (specially designed for use in Africa.) |
| Motorcycle liability insurance |
| Multilingual travel companion on the motorcycle |
| Escort vehicle and luggage transport |
| Mechanic |
| Travel security note |
| Travel guide |
| Everything that is not specified under Benefits |
| Visa Uganda, Rwanda & Burundi |
| Petrol |
| Gorilla tracking - optional |
| Chimpanzee tracking |
| Optional excursions |
| Food and drink |
| Foreign health and accident insurance incl. return transport |
| Travel cancellation insurance |
| Scheduled flight - Entebbe and back |
| Entrance fees |
More details
| Motorcycles: During this trip, we ride Kibo 250 cc motorcycles. |
| Gorilla Tracking: The highlight of the trip is a visit to the mountain gorillas in the green volcanic highlands of Rwanda: here the encounter with the imposing mountain gorillas is so close and simply great. Led by experienced gamekeepers, we move quietly through the dense mountain rainforest until suddenly a gorilla family appears in the thicket just a few meters away! We can stay with this family for an hour. The duration of the hike depends on the location of the gorillas in the rainforest. Due to the high costs, we offer this excursion optionally. The price for this excursion is adjusted annually by the Wildlife Authority. The current price is 900 USD per person. During the gorilla tracking, we visit a gorilla family in a small group of up to 12 people. If you want to participate in this excursion we need to know in advance. A decision on the spot is not possible. |
| Tour character: During this trip through Uganda and Rwanda we don't ride to any heights worth mentioning. The very bad roads in the mountains around Ruhengeri can make the journey considerably more difficult. In this area, however, we will only stay for two days. |
| Off-Road: There are only a few paved roads leading from Kampala in all directions. Almost all other roads are not asphalted. Due to the poor infrastructure, we do not have a large choice of roads. That's why we take turns following the asphalted main roads and narrow unpaved side roads. |
| Overnight stays: With a few exceptions, we stay in comfortable hotels or lodges during this trip. In Nyagatare we will stay in a simple hotel and in Ngozi we will stay in a monastery. |
| Climate: Uganda has two rainy seasons: In spring, from March to May, and autumn, from October to November. As Uganda lies exactly on the equator, the average temperature throughout the year is almost 30 degrees. The average altitude of the country is 1000 meters. This fact reduces the heat in many places. Especially in the evening, it can cool down a lot. In Rwanda there are four seasons, the great dry season is from June to September. |
| Clothing: A helmet, motorcycle protective clothing, good gloves and boots or other sturdy, high footwear are mandatory. Sunglasses are also useful. A helmet with visor or good glasses that protect against dust on dirt roads can also be useful. |
| Visa / Travel documents: Your passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry. For German citizens there is a visa requirement for Uganda and Rwanda. Visas should be applied for in advance. Proof of a yellow fever vaccination must be submitted with the visa application for Uganda. Cost visa Uganda (about US$50) https://visas.immigration.go.ug/, Rwanda (about US$50) https://irembo.gov.rw/home/citizen/all_services. You will need an international driver's license. |
| Maximum number of participants 10 |
| Maximum number of passengers 2 |
| Camping: One night in camp. The tent is a permanent tent. |
| Language: This offer is usually suitable for English and/or German speaking participants. Please enquire for language options. |
| Mobility: The offer is not suitable for people with reduced mobility. Please contact us for more information. |
Description
In Uganda and Rwanda, tourism development is still in its infancy, so it's just the right time to embark on an adventurous motorcycle trip through these magnificent countries. The highlight of the trip, apart from the challenges on the roads, is of course our visit to the mountain gorillas in the border area of Rwanda. This is a fantastic experience that you will remember for a long time.
DAY 1: Arrival Entebbe - Kampala
Entebbe and Kampala together form the so-called "twin cities". The airport is in the first town we reach and we spend the night in Kampala. The time difference is mostly only one hour.
DAY 2: Kampala - Lake Mburo (236 km)
We leave the lively city of Kampala. The ride out of Kampala will be an experience you will not soon forget. After 80 kilometers we pass the equator. Here we can test on which side of the earth the water turns to the left or the right. We continue to the south. Lake Mburo is a small national park surrounding the lake of the same name. We will see small groups of zebras, buffalos, and giraffes. There are also many species of birds and hippos and we will probably hear lions roaring tonight. Optionally, it is possible to join a night safari with a professional ranger to spot animals that are not or hardly active during the day, such as bushbabies, hyenas, and leopards.
DAY 3: Lake Mburo - Lake Bunyonyo (222 km)
We start the day with a nice off-road ride towards Mbarara, then we take the highway towards Kabale and another short off-road ride to the parking lot where we park the bikes overnight. We get into a hollowed tree trunk as a canoe and take a ride to our accommodation, simple safari tents on an idyllic island in the crater lake Bunyonyi, which means "place of the small birds". Here we enjoy the natural beauty and the spectacular view of the volcanoes.
DAY 4: Lake Bunyonyo - Nyagatere (120 km)
In the morning we will head back to the mainland by canoe and get back on our motorcycle. From Mbarara we will take a southern unpaved road along the border with Tanzania, this will lead us to the trilateral Corner and the rarely used and almost always open border with Rwanda, Kakitumba. In Rwanda, the road leads us along the National Park Akagera. Nyagatare is the capital of the province. The accommodation is quite simple.
DAY 5: Nyagatere - Kigali (155 km)
We ride via dirt roads and climb slowly from the plains up into the hills. From Nyagatare, the road widens but is still unpaved. If we still have time we can ride on the main road on the border with Gasabo, but otherwise, the way leads us further on unpaved roads to reach Kigali. In the afternoon, you can visit the Genocide Museum and the Hotel Milles Collines (from the movie of the same name, Hotel Rwanda).
DAY 6: Kigali - Nyungwe Forest (200 km)
We continue south via beautiful dirt roads and then turn west. On a dirt road, we enter the large and relatively unknown Nyungwa Forest, home to 13 species of monkeys, including chimpanzees, golden meerkats, rand monkeys, and baboons. This park is one of the largest virgin forests in Central Africa. The vast, immense forest has many species of flora and fauna. It is a paradise for birdwatchers.
DAY 7: Nyungwe Forest - Safari
We stay the whole day in the national park. In the morning we join a walking safari. The walks start amidst bright green tea plantations. We pass picturesque villages, vast hills, and dense forests full of primates and special birds. Later in the day, we will take the adventurous canopy walk across a dangling bridge between the treetops at a height of no less than 50 meters. If there is still time, we can take an afternoon excursion of the surroundings.
DAY 8: Nyungwe Forest - Gitesi (180 km)
We ride towards the big Kivu Lake. Here we follow a beautiful route along the coast which winds over large mountain ridges and offers a beautiful view over the lake. We spend the night in the village of Gitesi. From here you can explore the freshwater lake with its fishing boats, relax on the beach or take a boat and kayak tour to discover the islands.
DAY 9: Gitesi - Ruhangeri (150 km)
The whole day we follow the shore of Lake Kivu again, this is a mountainous area and therefore you will often have beautiful scenery. In Ruhengeri, the road can get very bad from time to time. At the highest point of the lake, we turn off and ride along the Volcanoes National Park and often get a chance for spectacular views.
DAY 10: Ruhangeri - Lake Mutanda (115 km)
On the winding road between two lakes, we arrive at the border of Uganda. In Uganda, we will ride to Kisoro and along the lava rock path into the mountains, and finally reach the wonderfully situated resort at Lake Mutanda.
DAY 11: Lake Mutanda - Gorilla tracking
We will spend the whole day visiting the gorillas (optional). The necessary "permits" have already been organized by us before the trip. Only eight people per day are allowed to visit each of the three gorilla families. We are only allowed to stay with a family for a maximum of one hour. A gorilla family sleeps in a different place every night. Early in the morning, so-called "trackers" are sent out to locate the family. A group of eight visitors led by a guide and some rangers is then guided by GPS coordinates through the dense jungle to the gorillas. How long we have to walk to get to the gorillas depends on where the gorillas are. However, a fascinating hour spent with the gorillas is certainly worth a long walk.
DAY 12: Lake Mutanda - Ishasha (170 km)
Today we take a ride into the high mountains of Uganda, which includes very bad roads. Therefore, prepare yourself for a very beautiful but, still, exhausting day. Wonderful mountain ranges shrouded in the mist will be visible and alternated with tea plantations. Groups of women carrying loads on their heads and wearing colorful clothes walk through the fields. It is a beautiful part of Uganda. Ruhija is a small village where the Bwindi Research Center is located. Here we have a lunch break. The unpaved roads lead us over the mountain ranges to the hills along Lake Edward, where the Queen Elisabeth National Park begins. Across the park, there is a long dirt road. We will ride on this road and see many wild animals on the way. Uganda is the only country in Africa where motorcycles are still allowed in the national parks. In the southern part of the park, also called Ishasa Park, we will spend the night in a safari camp on the bank of a river. There are often elephants and hippos running along and through the river.
DAY 13: Ishasha - Kibale forest (190 km)
Ishasha Park is also known for its tree-climbing lions. With the escort vehicle and an optional locally hired safari jeep we will take a ride further into the park in search of these lions. After this safari, we will head further north where we will pass the equator again. On the west side of the road lies the Rwenzori Mountains with Mount Baker of 4843 meters high. On the east side is Kibale Forest National Park where we will spend the night in a jungle lodge.
DAY 14: Kibale forest - Kampala (295 km)
Early in the morning, we will follow the ranger into the dense jungle. This part of the forest is inhabited by chimpanzees. You will be able to hear them from far away. They eat in large groups, high in the trees. When we approach them they will first show that they are the rulers of the forest. They will run close to us with noise and shouting, approaching us from all sides. When it is clear that they are the "bosses", they will leave us alone and we will be able to observe them from a much closer distance. We are allowed to stay close to the chimpanzees for a maximum of one hour. After this impressive walk, we will get back on our motorcycles and ride the long way back to Kampala.
DAY 15: Kampala/Entebbe - Departure
- Changes to the route can be adapted to the current local conditions -.