Entebbe

Welcome to Uganda! Transfer from Entebbe airport to Kampala. Let's have a rest at a nice lodge on the shore of Victoria Lake right after arrival. Otherwise we can plan the rest of the day up to your choice.

Fort Portal

Early in the morning we take off to Fort Portal, Uganda's greenest city cituated at the northern foothills of Rwenzori Mountains, also known for being vibrant and welcoming gateway to Uganda's adventures.

After lunch we will test the bikes with a 25 to 50 k. ride through the landscape south of Fort Portal dotted with picturesque crater lakes, some of which are more than 400 meters deep. These lakes are stunningly beautiful and are one of the best places to visit in the region. Our bikes will cycle us through several of these crater lakes, villages, tea plantations and waterfalls. End the day with a sundowner at one of the most beautiful lakes.

A 35 or 62 k. trip along Uganda's central location of crater lakes. These magnificent sceneries will steal your heart today, if didn't yesterday. We'll have a picnic lunch at one of the lakes and if it's a hot day we can go for a swim. After lunch we'll continue our way until we reach the main road. Meanwhile we will experience a typical Ugandan bar and have some end-of-the-day drinks, the bikes will be loaded on the van.

Kikorongo

A 2-hour car transfer will bring us to the border of Queen Elizabeth National Park. On the way we will cross the equator in Kikorongo where we will stop for a photo and water amusement based on Coriolis effect when water going down a plughole spin in one direction in the Northern hemisphere and in the other direction in the Southern. We'll overnight in a safari-style, sleeping in tents, with animals roaming in and out of the camp and the sounds of hippos and hyenas accompanying our star-lit dinner.

A perfect location for a rest day in an amazing environment full of magnificent wildlife. Enjoy one of the optional activities to explore wildlife in and around the park. A game drive in the morning will give you a good chance of viewing elephants, buffalo, antelopes, track down a pride of lions, or maybe even the odd leopard.

Kazinga Channel

Or go on a boat safari on Kazinga Channel, which attracts a varied range of animals and birds, with one of the world's largest concentration of hippos and numerous Nile crocodiles. Also know that Kyambura Gorge where Chimpanzees and other monkeys can be seen, is just around the corner.

An exciting day as we cycle directly through the heart of Queen Elizabeth National Park, home to 95 mammal species and over 500 bird species. We ride on a flat, wide gravel road through the savanna and have the chance to see wild animals such as buffaloes, elephants, several types of bocks.

Our destination for today are the miracles of Ishasha, nearby Congo's border. It's an idyllic retreat for people who truly enjoy the wild, best known for its population of tree climbing lions that can sometimes be spotted resting in the branches of the large fig trees. Our lodge tonight is on the Ntungwe River.

Virunga National Park - Mount Nyiragongo & Mountain Gorilla Treks

After crossing Uganda/Congo border we keep on cycling through Congo's rural countryside approaching southern sector of Virunga National park — the most volcanic active area in the world. We stay overnight at Kibumba camp right between two huge vulcanos, Mikeno and legendary Nyiragongo. Depending on volcano's current behavior we'll be having a choice what to explore on coming days: the Nyiragongo's caldera with lava lake or rainforest of Mikeno's slopes with most extraordinary and affordable in Africa mountain gorilla's trek, which population here is one of the largest. Or we can even try to explore both.

1. The Nyiragongo volcano trek is divided into five sections, with a 15-minute break at each stop. We'll commence the ascent at the 1.870 m. and reach the summit at 3.470 m. Once at the top we'll see the world's largest lava lake churning away in a mosaic of molten red fire. And, yes, we'll spend overnight on the summit of Nyiragongo. The view of the lava lake at night is like nothing on earth! When we get tired we'll retreat to wooden cabins ready give as a shelter.

2. Mountain Gorilla treks are led by Virunga Rangers and local pisteurs who are responsible for the daily monitoring of Virunga's ten habituated gorilla groups. Treks usually require 1-2.5 hours of hiking each way, depending on location of the group being trekked and the difficulty of the terrain. To stand in silence observing and respecting these most gorgeous and peaceful animals is incredible. Before sunset we're expected to get back to Kibumba camp.

It's worth spending another day on Nyiragongo or trekking around, exploring geology of flanking volcanos, such as active Nyamulagira (Africa's most active) and dormant Shaheru or Baruta. They also have significantly shaped the national park's diverse habitats and wildlife with more than 300 endemic species to the Albertine Rift including eastern gorilla and golden monkey. During the whole journey we'll be guided, supported and guarded by a park's ranger and a cook. By night time we're about to reach Kibumba camp and stay overnight there.

Lake Kivu

Let's back to cycling. After early breakfast, quick refueling and shopping in Goma we'll drive to Kisungwe, a start point of a challenge for coming days. We'll cycle along both Congo's and Rwanda's shores of Lake Kivu which is Africa's eighth largest lake. The fact that lake's surface sits at 1.460 m. above sea level will noticeably boost your aerobic endurance. This day we'll cycle the road following the coastline of Kivu Lake though green tea fields and coffee plantations, watching daily Congolese life. We'll stay overnight at nice lodge in Katana.

North Kivu Province

In the morning, if we like to, we can pay a visit to the nearest Chimpanzee sanctuary or botanique garden in Lwiro. After that or right after breakfast we ride for a couple of hours up and downhills towards Bukavu town where we cross Congo/Rwandan border and ride another couple of dozens of miles untill we reach Kumbya peninsula, where we stay overnight in at ecolodge.

Kumbya is known to be a rest house and retreat centre in the early 1940's of missionary doctors working at nearby hospital. These were exciting but exhausting times for these pioneer missionaries, often living in very primitive conditions and under immense pressure. Now-a-days this's a perfect retreat for bird watching, swimming, sleeping and enjoying the stunning views in a peaceful quiet.

Congo Nile Trail

We're on a way of the best cycling route in a region, so called "Congo Nile Trail" with its scenic stitchwork of dirt roads, famous rolling hills, countless islets in sparking waters of Kivu Lake, surrounded with friendly and hospitable people with sincere curiousity about us.

Kibuye

The distance for this day are hilly 65 k. Before dinner we'll arrive to Kibuye whoch's known as a beach resort and a home to a genocide memorial marking the massacre of 90% of the town's Tutsi population in the Rwandan Civil War. The Ndaba Falls lie near the city. Here we can hang on a private beach or take boats to one of the deserted islands and even stay there for camping overnight.

Congo Nile Trail

It's going to be a tough day with cycling a distance of another 65 k., but remember that we always can escape in the bus following behind us. Arriving to Kinunu and descending to the sandy beach of Lake Kivu for a swim and rest. We have a plenty of accomodation options for coming night since this green area is popularly known to be the base camp for the Congo Nile Trail. Taking in account a fatigue after recent days we may need a certain level of comfort.

Kinunu community is a producer a great coffee. In the heart of a coffee plantation Kinunu guest house offers fascinating views of Lake Kivu as well as astonishing ecotourism experience to visitors. Activities offered at Kinunu include live experience on how coffee is grown and catered for until it reaches the cup. This is a unique ecotourism attraction with a big involvement of the local community.

Congo Nile Trail

This is probably one of the most scenic days of the trip. Let's follow terracotta dirt roads along the shores of Lake Kivu, through fishing villages and Gishwati-Mukura National Park and Biosphere Reserve.

Nyamyumba Hot Springs

Why don't we refresh our exhausted muscles in healing waters of hot spring at Nyamyumba, nearby Gisenyi? We're also invited to take a classical or leg massage which starts with burying your muscles in the hot, moist sand to be thoroughly warmed. Tonight we'll relax properly in a guesthouse. For a dinner served on the shore we can order a huge fried tylapia with vegetables, wine or whatever you like.

Kigali

This morning we say goodbye to Lake Kiyu and transfer for approximately five hours to Rwanda's capital of Kigali. After lunch we'll have all the time to do a tour in this extraordinary city. And meet up again for a farewell dinner to celebrate every mile we cycled! On next day the bus transfers to Uganda. Everybody can join us, if the flight takes off from Entebbe airport or about to start yet another adventure.