Explore the landscapes and wildlife of the Albertine Rift, deep in the heart of Africa, on this iconic great ape safari.
Launched in 2024 to celebrate the opening of Kibale Lodge, this 10-day safari will take you to see chimpanzees at Kibale, the Lost Chimps of Kyambura Gorge and the wildlife and birds of Queen Elizabeth, ending with a trek to see the enchanting Nyakagezi gorilla family in Gahinga.
You will combine treks to see the endangered mountain gorillas and chimpanzees, with walking safaris in the savannah and Kyambura Gorge, a magical sunken rainforest home to a small, isolated group of chimpanzees. Join in with unique community and conservation activities around the lodges, run by Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust.
Spend three nights each at Kibale, Kyambura Gorge and Mount Gahinga as you journey through the changing landscapes of the Great Western Rift Valley, known as the Albertine Rift, and stay at some of the most exceptional great ape locations in Africa.
Rates from $12,970 per person for this all-inclusive 10-day safari. As a special introductory offer, book before 31 December 2024 and receive a complimentary night at Kibale Lodge worth up to $2,000.
Spend the morning trekking the exuberant chimp families in Kibale forest, the Primate Capital of the World. Seeing the chimpanzees in their natural habitat, as they swing from the branches in the canopy high above is a thrilling experience. The forest quickly becomes alive with their noisy calls.
Trekking chimpanzees in their natural habitat, as they swing from the branches in the canopy high above the forest floor is nothing short of exhilarating. The chimps effortlessly cross and scamper through the trees above the gorge, and visitors on the other hand must cross the river using natural bridges in order to keep up with the chimps. So although the walk usually lasts only 2–3 hours, descending the steep gorge and crossing the log bridges over the river requires some agility and fitness.
Chimpanzee trekking is also available in nearby Kalinzu, a forest reserve 30 minutes drive from Kyambura Gorge Lodge where there is a community of about 40 habituated chimpanzees.
Trekking mountain gorillas through the dense African forests is a magical experience. Only eight visitors are allowed per gorilla group each day, and to minimize possible transmission of human diseases, visitors are asked to maintain a distance of 10m from the gorillas. Typically, tracking can take from 3 to 8 hours and requires some agility and fitness; however, all fitness levels can be accommodated and no one should feel deterred from missing this once in a lifetime experience.
With only a small number remaining in the world, the Golden Monkey can be found in the foothills of the volcanic mountains of Mgahinga National Park in Uganda and in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Characterized by its bright golden body, cheeks and tail, with contrasting black limbs, crown and tail end, these playful primates are a pleasure to watch. Whether you choose to do this on the Rwandan or Ugandan side, the walk will take you from the bamboo stands and forested gorge on the lower levels of the volcanoes, to the elevated heath and moorland higher up.
This activity provides a unique opportunity to take part in the lion monitoring project. You can collect survey data while on game drives in the Queen Elizabeth National Park and then submit it to the Kyambura Lion Monitoring Team. During the activity, you will record the GPS of the safari car and take specific identification photos of the lions you spot on your game drive. The data collected will support the protection of Uganda's carnivore populations and will be used to build on the research and previous surveys conducted by the lion monitoring team. Learn more here
The VSPT has worked on purchasing the 3km long buffer along the northern part of the Gorge since 2009. With the purchase completed at the end of 2018 and following the Kyambura Eco-Tourism Project launch event in February 2019, a 3-hour guided walk has been developed and is offered to guests to showcase the buffer created by the project, the scenic views over the Gorge, the Park and Kyambura reserve, and the chance to experience the local homesteads.
With the help of the community and of Volcanoes guests, approximately 3000 indigenous trees have been planted in the Kyambura Buffer area.
A guided 3 hour walk through the buffer area is available to lodge guests.
The Rwenzori Sculpture Foundation comprises of an award-winning Sculpture Gallery and Bronze Foundry in the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains and between Kibale and Kyambura Gorge Lodge. The world-class sculptures are based on the traditional clan totems of Uganda.
As part of the opening of Kibale Lodge in 2024, Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust proudly announced a cultural partnership with the Foundation to support local contemporary artists in their incredible work.
See the bronze sculptures on display in the rooms at Kibale Lodge and visit the Foundation as part of your safari. Read more here.
Sadhguru School, near Kibale Lodge, brings a world class international education to children in rural Uganda. The school focuses on arts and cultural education, nurturing children to become changemakers, dedicated to improving communities and the environment.
Volcanoes Safaris is supporting Sadhguru School by building a new vocational centre at the school in 2024. Guests staying at Kibale Lodge can visit Sadhguru School and learn about their unique philosophy.
To support Sadhguru School:
A donation of $2500 will cover school fees for a student for one year
A donation of $5000 will contribute towards the building of the new vocational centre, due to open later in 2024.
Please click on the link below to donate.
The Batwa are thought to be one of the oldest surviving indigenous people in the Central African Region. Known for their unique culture in the forests, the Batwa of the Virunga Mountains survived by hunting small game, gathering plants and fruits, living in caves and constructing huts of leaves and branches.
With international attention on conservation of the endangered mountain gorillas, the Mgahinga part of the Virunga volcanoes in Uganda was turned into a national park in 1991 to provide protection to the wildlife from poaching and habitat encroachment. The creation of the park required the Batwa to be removed from their homes in the mountains and be displaced in a modern world unfamiliar to them. The Batwa ended up squatting in nearby farm land. They earned a living through occasional labor or begging. With limited education, adapting to the modern world has been a difficult journey. They do not have resources or land and suffer from acute poverty, malnutrition and poor health.
A group of about 18 Batwa families from those displaced live in makeshift shelters on a tiny rocky site at Musasa, about 4km from the entrance of Mgahinga National park and Volcanoes Mount Gahinga Lodge, surviving as best as they can.
Volcanoes Safaris has now built a permanent village for the Batwa community and their families. About 10 acres of land has been purchased to allow them to build homes, a community centre and have land for agricultural and recreational use. The homes were completed in early 2018 and the official launch of the village took place at the end of May 2018.
The Gahinga Batwa community is comprised of over 147 adults and children. They have had no permanent home since they left Mgahinga National Park over 25 years ago.
Praveen Moman, Founder of Volcanoes Safaris and Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust says of the project, “As a leading luxury lodge company offering unique safari and cultural experiences to our guests, we are also very proud of our company ethos to support communities around our lodges. Uganda is one of Africa’s most beautiful and diverse countries and we want to help preserve its rich culture. We are excited to see this project come to fruition after many years of working with the Batwa and understanding their culture and desperate needs”.
The Batwa Solar Power Project aims to provide access to electricity to the Batwa community near Mount Gahinga Lodge. The Batwa were displaced from the Mgahinga area in 1991 to create a national park for the gorillas. Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust built a permanent village for the Batwa community and their families.
Electricity is the first step to improving the welfare of these households, it is essential for a family to progress, to allow school-going children to read in the evening and for families to access information.
Guests are invited to donate a solar panel to a family. A donation of $200 covers the cost of purchase, transportation and installation. Our target is to provide 20 Batwa homes in the village with solar panels by the end of 2022. Please help us achieve this goal.
The Batwa Solar Power Project aims to provide access to electricity to the Batwa community near Mount Gahinga Lodge. The Batwa were displaced from the Mgahinga area in 1991 to create a national park for the gorillas. Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust built a permanent village for the Batwa community and their families.
Electricity is the first step to improving the welfare of these households, it is essential for a family to progress, to allow school-going children to read in the evening and for families to access information.
Please support this project with a donation of $200 which covers the cost of purchase, transportation and installation. Our target is to provide 25 Batwa homes in the village with solar panels by the end of 2024. Please help us achieve this goal.
Click on the ‘donate’ button below to contribute $200 for one solar panel to a family in the village.
Donate $2000 and support 10 families.
The Kyambura Women’s Coffee Cooperative is a community-based initiative designed to provide vocational training to women and an alternative and sustainable source of income. Twenty local women and their families are actively involved in the cooperative, many of whom are HIV positive and widowed. They tend to over 2,500 Arabica and Robusta coffee plants in 100 acres of rejuvenated land, and process the coffee by hand at a communal processing plant. Members of the cooperative commit to growing the coffee organically, without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers.
The coffee is sold to Volcanoes Safaris and served in all of our luxury lodges. The coffee demonstrations are popular with lodge guests who can see how African coffees are harvested and processed before sampling the ‘best cup of coffee in Uganda’.
The coffee plantation also acts as a wildlife buffer zone between the protected area of the gorge and local farmlands, helping to reduce human/wildlife conflict.
The Kyambura Women’s Coffee Cooperative is a community-based initiative designed to provide vocational training to women and an alternative and sustainable source of income. Twenty local women and their families are actively involved in the cooperative, many of whom are HIV positive and widowed. They tend to over 2,500 Arabica and Robusta coffee plants in 100 acres of rejuvenated land, and process the coffee by hand at a communal processing plant. Members of the cooperative commit to growing the coffee organically, without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers.
The coffee is sold to Volcanoes Safaris and served in all of our luxury lodges. The coffee demonstrations are popular with lodge guests who can see how African coffees are harvested and processed before sampling the ‘best cup of coffee in Uganda’.
The coffee plantation also acts as a wildlife buffer zone between the protected area of the gorge and local farmlands, helping to reduce human/wildlife conflict.
To support this project please click on the ‘donate’ button below.
$500 will provide 500 additional coffee seedlings to help grow the project.
$1,000 will provide materials and financial support to the ladies group for three months.
The VSPT has worked on purchasing the 3km long buffer along the northern part of the Gorge since 2009. With the purchase completed at the end of 2018 and following the Kyambura Eco-Tourism Project launch event in February 2019, a 3-hour guided walk has been developed and is offered to guests to showcase the buffer created by the project, the scenic views over the Gorge, the Park and Kyambura reserve, and the chance to experience the local homesteads.
The VSPT has worked on purchasing the 3km long buffer along the northern part of the Gorge since 2009. With the purchase completed at the end of 2018 and following the Kyambura Eco-Tourism Project launch event in February 2019, a 3-hour guided walk has been developed and is offered to guests to showcase the buffer created by the project, the scenic views over the Gorge, the Park and Kyambura reserve, and the chance to experience the local homesteads.
In 2024 we are aiming to increase the size of the buffer zone by twenty acres with an estimated cost of $160,000.
A contribution of $10,000 will purchase additional land for the Kyambura Buffer zone, contributing to the protection of wildlife and the communities in this area.
To make a larger contribution to this project please email Esme Stewart, VSPT Project Supervisor at [email protected]
Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust is pleased to announce the launch of the Kyambura Lion Monitoring Project. Starting in July 2023 the Kyambura wildlife monitoring team, led by Dr Alexander Braczkowski, will collect data for African lion, leopard and spotted hyena over a 3 month period in Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area using a network of vehicles, and remote camera traps. This new project aims to establish a science-based conservation program which supports the protection of Uganda’s carnivore populations and improves the livelihoods of local people living in and around the wildlife parks.
The launch of this project follows the 2023-2033 Uganda Wildlife Authority Strategic Action Plan workshop, held in Kampala in May 2023, where a number of key organisations and individuals engaged in carnivore conservation were brought together to develop a new long term management and conservation strategy.
Guests at Kyambura Gorge Lodge can participate in this project during their stay at the lodge by collecting survey data during game drives in the Queen Elizabeth National Park and then submitting this to the lodge wildlife team. Data is collected by recording GPS of the safari car, taking specific identification photos of lions spotted during the drive, and checking and retrieving photos from camera traps.
This project builds on the research and previous surveys conducted by Dr Alex and his team in Uganda since 2018. Read more here to find out about the science which underpins these surveys and be sure to watch the Disney Plus television show "Tree Climbing Lions" which shows the lion counting methods in action.
You can donate to the Kyambura Lion Monitoring Project via PayPal or for tax-deductible donations from US residents via Empowers Africa.
Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust launched the Kyambura Lion Monitoring Project in August 2023. The Kyambura wildlife monitoring team, led by Dr Alexander Braczkowski, will collect data for African lions, leopards and spotted hyenas in Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area using a network of vehicles, and remote camera traps. This project aims to establish a science-based conservation program which supports the protection of Uganda’s carnivore populations and improves the livelihoods of local people living in and around the wildlife parks.
The launch of this project follows the 2023-2033 Uganda Wildlife Authority Strategic Action Plan workshop, held in Kampala in May 2023, where a number of key organisations and individuals engaged in carnivore conservation were brought together to develop a new long term management and conservation strategy.
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| High Season Safari Rates 2024 | Per Person Sharing | Single Traveler Supplement |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Day Primates of the Great Rift Valley Safari | $ 17610 | $ 4650 |
High season rates are applicable on bookings from 1st June to 30th September and 15th December to 28th February. Rates are based on a minimum of 2 people.
| Low Season Safari Rates 2024 | Per Person Sharing | Single Traveler Supplement |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Day Primates of the Great Rift Valley Safari | $ 12970 | $ 2270 |
Low season rates are applicable from 1st October to 14th December and 1st March to 31st May. Rates are based on a minimum of 2 people.
| High Season Safari Rates 2025 | Per Person Sharing | Single Occupancy |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Day Primates of the Great Rift Valley Safari | $ 18330 | $ 4765 |
High season rates are applicable on bookings from 1st June to 30th September and 15th December to 28th February. Rates are based on a minimum of 2 people.
| Low Season Safari Rates 2025 | Per Person Sharing | Single Occupancy |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Day Primates of the Great Rift Valley Safari | $ 13450 | $ 2270 |
Low season rates are applicable from 1st October to 14th December and 1st March to 31st May. Rates are based on a minimum of 2 people.
Tracking chimpanzees in their natural habitat, as they swing from the branches in the canopy high above the forest floor is nothing short of exhilarating. The chimps effortlessly cross and scamper through the trees above the gorge, and visitors on the other hand must cross the river using natural bridges in order to keep up with the chimps. So although the walk usually lasts only 2–3 hours, descending the steep gorge and crossing the log bridges over the river requires some agility and fitness.
Chimpanzee tracking is also available in nearby Kalinzu, a forest reserve 30 minutes drive from Kyambura Gorge Lodge where there is a community of about 40 habituated chimpanzees.
