Volcanoes do not just offer safaris, but aim to create a unique great ape experience for clients visiting Uganda and Rwanda.
With an unrivalled, visionary approach to great ape ecotourism we hope to give clients a special insight into the complex gorilla-human world. Over the past decade, no other company has invested so heavily in the areas around the gorilla parks of Uganda & Rwanda.
We have three eco-lodges near the gorilla parks in Uganda and Rwanda, and are currently building Kyambura Gorge Lodge in Uganda, next to a threatened community of chimpanzees. All our lodges respect the fragility of the surrounding area and the culture of local communities.
Our HQ in Kampala, supported by our offices in Kigali, London and Atlanta - and of course our outstanding guides - create magical safaris to this mesmerizing area of Africa.
We look forward to creating a distinctive and memorable holiday for you!
A 12 day safari which starts in Entebbe and finishes in Kigali. This safari can also be done on a private basis. [The Bwindi gorilla permit is included in the cost but the other gorilla trackings require a supplement to be paid at time of booking.]
A safari that traces the western Rift Valley in the heart of Africa, starting with game viewing on the savannah plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park - elephant, lion, buffalo, hippo, and leopard. Track the fast moving and elusive chimpanzees in Kyambura Gorge. In Ishasha go on the hunt for the tree-climbing lions lounging on old fig trees. See the rich wildlife and array of birds on the Kazinga Channel. Seeing some of the last remaining 700 mountain gorillas in the world is a fantastic experience and this safari takes you to three gorilla parks - Bwindi and Mgahinga in Uganda and PNV in Rwanda. It offers an opportunity to track gorillas five times, twice in Bwindi, once in Mgahinga/Nkuringo, and twice in PNV.more »
A 10 day safari which starts and finishes in Kampala. This safari can also be done on a private basis.
The Rwenzoris, or the Mountains of the Moon, so named by the Hellenic astronomer Ptolemy, have a legendary beauty. They were explored and mapped out by Henry Morton Stanley, Emin Pasha and Prince Luigi Amedeo di Savoia. At the centre of the range are six peaks capped with ice and snow and three glaciers. The mountains - about 120 km long - were forced up during the creation of the Great Rift Valley. The highest peak of Mount Stanley is Margherita, which rises to 5,109m, the third highest in Africa after Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya.
The heavy rain makes the mountain flora luxuriant, growing to absurd proportions, with giant lobelia and groundsel shooting up to 10 metres. The wild flowers and birds are enchanting. A hike through the lower reaches of the central Rwenzori needs about six days; ascent of the peaks is a technical climb and takes a further two days and requires climbers to be physically fit and equipped with ropes, crampons and appropriate mountaineering equipment (see Travel Notes for details). The best time to climb the mountain is from June through to August and from December to February. Climbing is organised by Rwenzori Mountaineering Services and includes 1 guide and 2 porters per person, meals, accommodation and entrance fees. A minimum number of 4 climbers on the peaks is advised - 2 climbers and 2 guides. For solo climbers a second guide should be taken for which a supplement has to be paid. Maximum recommended group number on Volcanoes climbs is 8.
Clients stay 1 night at Margherita Hotel or Volcanoes Kyambura Gorge Lodge on the way to the mountain, where they sleep in the basic mountain huts or in tents. On return they sleep 1 night at Mweya/Jacana.more »
A 7 day safari which starts and finishes in Kampala. (The Bwindi gorilla tracking permit is included in the cost). This safari can also be done on a private basis.
This safari starts with Kibale Forest with its thirteen species of primate including the chimpanzee. Tracking the noisy chimpanzee families racing through this verdant forest is a thrilling experience. Together with Bigodi Wetland nearby, many forest and swamp birds can be seen. On the savannah plains below the Rwenzoris, see the great game of Africa in the magnificent Queen Elizabeth National Park - elephant, lion, buffalo, hippo and leopard. Track the fast moving and elusive chimpanzees in the Kyambura Gorge nearby. Around Ishasha go on the hunt for the tree-climbing lions lounging on old fig trees. Then continue to track gorillas in the primeval forest of Bwindi. Bwindi has four habituated families and the gorillas there live in thicker tropical forest and tracking is more challenging as the hillsides are steeper. You can also go for nature walks to see birds, monkeys and orchids.more »
A 4 day safari which starts and finishes in Kampala. This safari can also be done on a private basis. [One gorilla permit is included in the cost.]
Seeing some of the last remaining 700 mountain gorillas in the world is a fantastic experience. This safari takes you tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Bwindi has four habituated families and the gorillas there live in thicker tropical forest and tracking is more challenging as the hillsides are steeper. You can also go for nature walks to see birds, monkeys and orchids.
On safari clients stay 1 night at Mihingo Lodge and 2 nights at Volcanoes Bwindi Lodge.
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A 4 day safari which starts and finishes in Kampala. This safari can also be done on a private basis. It can also be done as an extension to Classic Rwanda and Uganda.
Murchison Falls National Park with the meandering Victoria Nile and the dramatic Murchison Falls is Uganda's largest protected area, providing a stunning semi arid habitat for a variety of wildlife including elephant, buffalo, giraffe and lion. The launch trip to the bottom of the Falls is unforgettable, both to experience this mighty river and to see the crocodiles, hippos and birds that bask on its banks. In the nearby Budongo Forest track chimpanzees and go bird watching.
On safari clients stay 3 nights at Nile Safari Lodge or Paraa Lodge.
This safari can also be done as an extension to Classic Rwanda and Uganda.more »