International Arrivals

Welcome to Ethiopia! Arrive at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, where you will be met by a driver and transferred to your hotel.

For those who arrive early in the morning, we can arrange sightseeing upon request. This sightseeing can include a visit to the National Museum of Addis Ababa, which houses the world famous Lucy fossils (the earliest discovered human ancestor) and other collections. If you are partaking in a sightseeing tour, lunch will be included today. After the tour, enjoy a free afternoon to rest before tonight’s group dinner.

In the evening, convene as a group for a welcome dinner at the hotel to kick off the journey ahead.

Overnight: Hyatt Regency Hotel

Cultural Sightseeing

This morning, enjoy breakfast at your hotel before setting off for a day of sightseeing.

Today is a full day of sightseeing to ground you in the Ethiopian context! Start the day by visiting the St. George’s Cathedral, an Ethiopian Orthodox church noted for its unique octagonal shape. Then, visit the Ethnographic Museum, located in the former palace of Emperor Haile Sallies and current Addis Ababa University, which houses 13,000 anthropological, musicological, and cultural objects.

After exploring Emperor Haile Sellase’s burial ground and former palace, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before an afternoon of adventures!

In the afternoon, visit the Entoco Viewpoint for breathtaking views over the city before discovering the Menelik Palace — the former seat of power for Ethiopia’s emperors and the present-day offices and residence of the prime minister.

Later, visit a private home, and learn how to make injera — a sour, fermented flatbread made mostly of teff. (Teff is a grain grown in Ethiopia and a staple in Ethiopian cuisine.)

On the way back to the hotel, stop at Shiro Meda — an open-air market selling handwoven textiles and traditional Ethiopian clothing.

Make your way back to the hotel to rest before dinner.

Overnight: Hyatt Regency Hotel

Splash Programs

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before convening for a morning meeting with the Splash team to learn about clean water solutions for kindergarten and primary schools. Afterward, you will depart from the hotel with the Splash team to visit a Splash Partner School. Not only will you experience firsthand the impact of Splash’s work, but you will also spend time with the students, maybe even joining for a soccer match!

After your visit, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, tour a school without Splash intervention to see what a local school looks like without access to clean water.

Return to your hotel in the late afternoon to have time to rest before tonight’s group dinner.

Overnight: Hyatt Regency Hotel

HOPE Enterprises

Start the day with breakfast at your hotel, then transfer to HOPE Enterprises — another Splash partner — for a site visit. Learn how the organization helps people in underserved communities gain access to their most basic needs. Learn how HOPE provides clean water to their two largest sites in Ethiopia — a food center for street children that serves 200,000 meals a year and a school for marginalized children.

After this morning’s visit, transfer to Dashen for an authentic Ethiopian lunch.

In the afternoon, visit Muya Textile Center to witness artisans craft handwoven cotton textiles and pottery. Muya is known for its production of high quality textiles and was the first Ethiopian company to obtain International Fair Trade Association membership. On the way back to your hotel, drive through Merkato — the largest open-air market in Africa.

In the evening, enjoy a farewell reception and dinner with the Splash team to say your goodbyes before traveling to Uganda tomorrow.

Overnight: Hyatt Regency Hotel

Travel to Uganda

This morning, check out of the hotel before collecting a boxed breakfast and coffee to go. Transfer to the airport for your flight to Entebbe, Uganda. Please note that this flight is not included in the trip cost, and travelers must purchase their ticket independently. The flight details are listed below and in the Pre-Departure tab.

Flight Number: Ethiopian Air ET 332 (ADD to EBB)
Departure Time: 8:50 AM

Upon your arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be met by a representative who will help you to clear immigration, collect your luggage, and connect with your driver for transfer to your hotel in Kampala.

Over the next few days in Uganda, you have a unique opportunity to experience Opportunity International’s work firsthand by meeting with their team and program participants. Their work in Uganda is focused on three main initiatives:

1. Creating opportunities for farmers to improve their yields and their incomes.
2. Ensuring that children can go to – and stay in – school.
3. Connecting rural families to financial services through mobile technology.

After checking in and having lunch at the hotel, depart for an afternoon visit with the Opportunity International team at their office in Kampala. From there, travel to a youth technical and vocational education center called MoTIV. Following your visit, attend a coffee class to taste Ugandan coffee.

At the end of the day, enjoy dinner with Opportunity International staff before you return to the hotel.

Overnight: Protea Hotel by Marriott Kampala Sky

Opportunity International Site Visits

Enjoy an early breakfast at the hotel before departing for Mityana Town, which is just west of Kampala. Start your day by visiting a Youth Enterprise Challenge group. The organization’s focus is helping local people to train, start their own businesses, and get loans.

Boxed lunches will be organized for you to have along the way to your afternoon site visit.

In the afternoon, attend a farmer group and client meeting and a farmer support agent (FSA) training at a nearby coffee farm.

You will leave Mityana and return to the hotel to enjoy some rest before tonight’s group dinner in Kampala.

Overnight: Protea Hotel by Marriott Kampala Sky

Opportunity International Site Visits

Set off for Mityana after breakfast. Meet with program participants to discuss their perspectives on the impact of Opportunity International’s work. First, visit Madame Rose, who owns a coffee farm. Attend a meeting with women she mentors, and take a tour of her processing plant. Afterwards visit another participant, Amina Kobusingye — an input dealer with a local bank.

Enjoy lunch along the way to your next site, and visit at a local school in Mityana.

In the afternoon, transfer back to Kampala to rest at the hotel before dinner.

Overnight: Protea Hotel by Marriott Kampala Sky

Depart for Bwindi Impenetrable National Forest

Early this morning, you will check out of the hotel and collect a boxed breakfast and coffee to go. Depart for the Entebbe International Airport for your flight to Kisoro Airstrip to travel to Biwindi National Park (flight details below).

Please note that this flight is not included in your trip costs. Individual travelers must purchase this flight independently.

Flight number: Aerolink Uganda #111
Departure time: 7:00 AM
Arrival time: 8:35 AM
Luggage restrictions: 15 kg (33 lbs)

When you arrive, a driver will meet your group and transfer you to Sheba’s Camp on the shore of Lake Mutanda. At the lake, set out for a beautiful boat cruise (weather dependent). The cruise ends at Rwajenge Landing near Chameleon Hill Lodge. Enjoy lunch at the lodge or as a picnic on the boat.

After lunch, continue to Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge in Biwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Once you check in, you will have the afternoon to settle in before dinner and will have an early night to get a good night’s rest before tomorrow’s gorilla trek.

This rainforest is said to be 25,000 years old, making it one of Africa’s most biodiverse habitats. The altitude of this mountain park ranges from 1200 – 2600 meters. Five rivers and a high annual rainfall make the climate rather humid. Besides its mayor attraction, the mountain gorillas, the Bwindi National Park is also home to an amazing 120 mammal species, 350 species of birds, 202 species of butterflies and over 200 species of trees.

Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge is small and remote, situated high atop a ridge, with sweeping views overlooking the Virunga Volcanoes in the distance. Each of the private cottages are constructed from volcanic stone and decorated with locally-sourced artwork.

Overnight: Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge

Gorilla Trekking

Prepare for an exciting day over breakfast at the lodge before transferring to Rushagafor a full day of gorilla trekking. It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience to visit Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and see mountain gorillas in their natural environment, the tropical rainforest!

Early in the morning, you’ll report to the ranger station for registration and a talk by one of the rangers. The guides will then take you through the bush pushing your way through the undergrowth, parting thick creepers, to track the gorillas. The trek can take from half an hour to 7 hours. A reasonable degree of fitness is required as well as a sturdy pair of walking shoes.

Once you are close to the group the guides will ask you to leave behind your bags as no food items should be carried close to the gorillas. Just take your cameras with you. Here you’ll have the opportunity to sit in the forest amongst the gorillas, listening to them grumble to each other and marvel at the sheer size of the dominant male: the silverback. It is an extraordinary feeling sitting in the dense rainforest, knowing you are with a few of the last remaining mountain gorillas in the world. Sadly, there are only about 650 of these beautiful creatures left. You are allowed exactly one hour with the gorillas before returning to the base station.

After a day in the wild, return to the lodge for a relaxing dinner.

Overnight: Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge

Activities at Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at the lodge this morning.

Today is at your leisure, or you may participate in activities offered through the lodge. The lodge staff will provide more details about the activities and schedules when you arrive.

• Birding: Early morning or early evening bird walking tours. Novice and avid bird watchers will get a wonderful lesson from passionate and knowledgeable guides. (3 hours)
• Buniga Forest Walk and Batwa Community Visit: Explore the southwestern side of Biwindi Forest, and meet Central Africa’s most ancient ethnic group, the Batwa community. Learn about their in-depth knowledge of nature and their hunter-gather lifestyle. (4-5 hours)
• Community Tour: Guided by a community member, glimpse the lifestyle and culture of the Baking people in remote Uganda. The tour includes meeting local brewers and tasting local moonshine; visiting a traditional homestead; interacting with a healer/herbalist; observing a blacksmith mold tools out of metal; visiting two local schools; viewing the Western Rift Valley, Lake Albert, and the Virunga mountain range; listening to stories of the community elders; and seeing traditional basket weaving.
  Additional Gorilla Trek: If you are interested in doing another full day of gorilla trekking, please let us know as soon as possible. Please note that this is an additional cost and we will need to secure your permit quickly.

Overnight: Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge

Departure from Uganda

Early this morning, have breakfast and check out from your the lodge to transfer to the Kisoro Airstrip for your flight to Entebbe International Airport. (Flight details below.)

Flight number: Aerolink Uganda #112
Departure time: 8:45 AM
Arrival time: 11:25 AM
Luggage restriction: 15 kg (33 lbs)

When you arrive to the airport, proceed directly to the International Departure Terminal to check in for your international flight or for your continued travels. Please visit the Extend Your Travels tab for more information on planning a customized journey after the main Milliman trip.