16 Days Best of Uganda and Rwanda Gorilla Trek, Culture & Wildlife Safari
The 16-day Uganda and Rwanda Safari is a perfect package that meets, satisfies, and exceeds your travel expectations. This Safari will take you to unspoiled corners of Uganda and Rwanda to spot some of the Big 5: African lion, Elephant, Buffalo, and Leopard. Take Boat trips to explore more of the prolific birdlife and wildlife; chimps and gorilla tracking in Uganda and Rwanda; cultural walks; forest walks; excellent birdwatching; mountain hikes; and photography, among others. You will also have city tours in Kigali (Rwanda) and Kampala (Uganda). This tour starts and ends at Entebbe Airport in Uganda.
Day 1: Arrival in Kampala
Upon arrival at Entebbe Airport, your Tour Guide / our company representative will be waiting for you. He will transfer you to Boma Hotel in Entebbe, Protea Hotel Kampala Skyz or Kampala Forest Cottages for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Kampala – Murchison Falls National Park
Have an early breakfast, then depart for Murchison Falls National Park. We shall take a short excursion to the top of the falls before you check in at the lodge. Dinner and overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge / Fort Murchison Lodge, Pakuba Safari Lodge, or Luxurious Nile Safari Lodge.
Day 3: Game Drive and Boat Trip in Murchison Falls National Park
Boat Cruiser to the Base of Murchison Falls
This is the day to explore the best of Murchison Falls Park. After a cup of tea/coffee in the morning, we shall embark on a game safari in the park that will reward you with animals like elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, lions, Uganda kobs, Oribis, and waterbucks, among others. Return to the lodge for a full breakfast as we wait for lunch. We shall later proceed on an afternoon launch cruise to the base of the falls. You will see a variety of crocodiles and hippos basking along the shores, many buffaloes and Elephants quenching their thirst, plus birds on the riverbanks like Kingfishers, cormorants, bee-eaters, and the rare shoebill stork. Return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 4: Murchison Falls – Kibale Forest National Park (5-7Hrs)
Have an early breakfast and drive to Kibale National Park, enjoying the scenic beauty of the Western arm of the rift valley and the Butiaba escarpments. Have lunch en route, dinner, and overnight at Kyaninga Lodge, Chimpundu Lodge, Isunga Lodge, or Little Monkey Camp.
Day 5: Chimpanzee Tracking, Biriding and Nature walk
Birding – Kibale Forest National Park
Wake up early in the morning and go search for chimpanzees in the Kibale forest. This will enable you to see other primates, including colobus monkeys, Mangabeys, baboons, Red-tailed monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, Bush Babies, and many more. You will move with a guide to make your walk informative, productive, and interesting. The Guide will provide information on both flora and fauna. Then return for lunch and in the afternoon, go for a nature walk through Bigodi swamps for plenty of birds, rare fauna and flora. There is also a night forest walk in Kibale National Park to get a glimpse of the night dwellers.
Day 6: Cultural Excursion to Pygmy Villages
This will be the day to visit the pygmy villages located near the Ituri Rainforest. We shall start our drive early with a packed lunch, which will take us 2-4 hours. The visit to the villages has proven to be an appealing cultural experience. You take a tour to the Hot Springs, from where you will visit the Pygmies. Return to Fort Portal for an overnight stay at Kyaninga Lodge, Isunga Lodge, or the Mountains of the Moon Hotel.
Day 7: Toro Cultural Tour, Travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Have an early breakfast and take a short excursion to Karambi Royal tombs, including many cultural groups such as the Burungu community, rooted in Traditional Toro culture, which will entertain you with music, dancing, and storytelling. Later in the afternoon, you will transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park with a game safari en route. For Dinner and overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge, Enganzi Lodge, Kyambura Gorge Lodge, Bush Lodge or Engiri Game Lodge.
Day 8: Game Drive and Boat trip in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Boat Cruise on Kazinga Channel
After a cup of tea/coffee, you will go for an early morning game safari along Kasenyi track and Queen’s mile in the park and expect to see Lions, Elephants, cape buffalo, Warthogs, leopard, hyena, mongoose, waterbucks, Uganda kobs, topi, and many small animals and birds. Return to the lodge for a late breakfast, then relax as we wait for lunch, after which we shall enjoy a unique 2-hour afternoon boat trip on the Kazinga Channel.
This trip passes through possibly the highest concentration of Hippos in Africa, Nile crocodiles, and many animals are observed quenching their thirst on the shores. This launch cruise offers an excellent platform for photography, bird watching, and game viewing. The prolific birdlife is colourful and stupendous, with well over 610 resident species.
Day 9: Queen Elizabeth – Ishasha sector – Bwindi Gorilla Park
Early morning, after breakfast, depart for Bwindi through the Ishasha sector in the southern part of the park; here, expect to see the famous tree-climbing lions as they rest in the large forest trees. Reach Bwindi Forest by late afternoon; dinner and overnight stay at Mahogany Springs Lodge, Trackers Safari Lodge, Chameleon Hill Lodge, and Kiho Gorilla Safari Lodge.
Day 10: Gorilla Trekking Adventure
Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi National Park
After an early breakfast, we shall proceed to the park headquarters for a briefing on the Dos and Don’ts while with gorillas, with a packed lunch. A gorilla trekking experience can take 2-7 hours, depending on the gorillas’ movements in the jungle. You will stay with these Giants for up to 1 hour to take pictures and videos (without a flashlight). If the evening is free, we can take a cultural walk to nearby Batwa communities, all meals and overnight as on day 9.
Day 11: Cross to Rwanda (Volcanoes National Park)
After breakfast, depart for Rwanda for another gorilla tracking excursion in Volcanoes Gorilla Park, arrive at the Bisate Lodge, Singita Kwitonda Lodge, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, or La Bambou Lodge by late afternoon. Your guide will brief you on the gorilla trek for tomorrow as you wait for dinner and overnight.
Day 12: Golden Monkeys or Gorilla Tracking in Rwanda
An early breakfast, after which you proceed to the park station for a 30-minute briefing about gorilla tracking, then continue for the trek with a packed lunch and water. If time allows, you take an excursion to Dian Fossey’s grave. Return for dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Day 13: Historical / Cultural Excursion
Take breakfast and start our hike to the famous Dian Fossey research centre and graveyard, where she spent close to 20 years habituating, studying, and conserving the endangered mountain Gorillas. The trek to the site is quite spectacular, passing through bamboo forests and afro-montane habitats, and crisscrossing trails with tracks of forest buffaloes and elephants. You may see all sorts of wildlife as you make your way up and down to Karisoke, nestled between the volcanic peaks of Karismbi and Visoke. Overnight as on DAY 12.
Day 14: Transfer to Nyungwe National Park
Have breakfast, then transfer to Nyungwe Forest; lunch en route. Nyungwe forest encompasses a variety of habitats, including montane forests, bamboo, grasslands, and swamps. This is home to 13 primate species, including Chimpanzees, endangered Golden monkeys, Blue Monkeys, colobus, red-tailed monkeys, and grey-checked mangabeys. There are also about 300 bird species. Relax in the evening as we wait for dinner and overnight at One & Only Nyungwe House, Nyungwe Forest Lodge, and Nyungwe Eco-Village.
Day 15: Chimpanzee rekking in Rwanda
Have an early breakfast and enter Nyungwe Forest for chimpanzee trekking. Along the trek, you will encounter other species of habituated golden monkeys, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, blue monkey, L’hoest’s monkey, Angolan colobus monkey, Owl-faced colobus monkey, and over 300 bird species. Relax after lunch as you wait for dinner, then overnight as on day 14.
Day 16: Nyungwe – Butare – Kigali – Departure
This is your last day on the Rwanda tour! Depart for Kigali after breakfast, stop in Butare to visit the Murambi Genocide memorial site and the Rwanda National Museum in Huye, then proceed to Kigali, and, if time allows, go for a city tour before connecting to the airport for your scheduled flight. You may visit the Gisozi genocide memorial centre, local art and craft shops, and local fruit markets, where you can interact with local people.
End of the Tour
The tour quotation includes:
– Gorilla and Chimpanzee tracking permits
– Ground transport in a comfortable 4WD safari van equipped for game viewing, photography, and touring
– Full board accommodation
– All park entrance fees to include government taxes
– Full-time English-speaking professional driver/guide
– All tour activities as detailed in the itinerary
– Bottled water while on the safari
– Airport transfers
– Ground transport in a comfortable 4WD safari van equipped for game viewing, photography, and touring
– Full board accommodation
– All park entrance fees to include government taxes
– Full-time English-speaking professional driver/guide
– All tour activities as detailed in the itinerary
– Bottled water while on the safari
– Airport transfers
The tour quotation excludes:
– Tips
– Laundry services
– Beverages/Drinks
– International flights
– Visas
– Items of a personal nature
-Optional activities and any other extras not detailed in the above itinerary
– Tips
– Laundry services
– Beverages/Drinks
– International flights
– Visas
– Items of a personal nature
-Optional activities and any other extras not detailed in the above itinerary
