Explore Uganda and Rwanda on An 18 Day Safari

The 18-day Uganda-Rwanda Safari will enable you to explore the beauty of Uganda and Rwanda in a single trip. Expect to encounter the Big 5: African lion, Elephant, Buffalo, and Leopard,  boat trips,  gorilla tracking,  primates trekking, Gorilla tracking in Uganda and Rwanda, bird watching, Mountain climbing, excellent photography, and so on. You will also have a city trip to Kigali (the capital of Rwanda) and Kampala (the capital of Uganda). The safari starts and ends at Entebbe Airport in Uganda.

Trip Summary

Day 1: Arrival in Uganda (Entebbe Airport)

Day 2: Kampala – Murchison Falls National Park

Day 3: Game Drive and Boat trip in Murchison Falls National Park

Day 4: Murchison Falls – Kibale Forest National Park

Day 5: Kibale Primate tracking and Bird watching

Day 6: Cultural Excursion in Pygmy Villages

Day 7: Toro Cultural Tour – Connect to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Day 8: Game Drive and Boat launch in Queen Elizabeth National park

Day 9: Queen Elizabeth – Ishasha sector – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Day 10: Gorilla Watching in Bwindi National Park

Day 11: Cross to Rwanda Volcanoes National Park

Day 12: 2nd gorilla trekking – Twin Lakes Tour

Day 13: Golden Monkey tracking – Gisozi Genocide Memorial Site in Kigali

Day 14: Transfer to Uganda (Lake Bunyonyi)

Day 15: Lake Bunyonyi Excursion – Boat Ride

Day 16: Lake Bunyonyi – Lake Mburo National Park

Day 17: Early Game Viewing Drive – Kampala

Day 18: Departure

DETAILED ITINERARY

  • Day 1: Arrival in Uganda (Entebbe Airport)
Upon arrival at Entebbe Airport, meet your driver-guide (our company representative) and transfer to your hotel in Kampala. Dinner and overnight stay at Serena Kampala Hotel/ Cassia Lodge/ Holiday Express Hotel / Kampala Forest Cottages for dinner and overnight.
  • Day 2: Kampala – Murchison Falls National Park
Have an early breakfast and depart for Murchison Falls National Park in northwestern Uganda. 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/ Murchison River Lodge / Red Chilli rest camp.
  • Day 3: Game Safari and Boat Trip in Murchison Falls National Park
After a morning cup of tea / coffee, embark on a game-safari drive in the park for great views of animals like elephants, giraffes, Leopard, buffalo, lions, Uganda kobs, Oribis and waterbucks. Return to the lodge for a full breakfast and relax as you wait for lunch. We shall later proceed on an afternoon launch cruise to the bottom of the falls. You will see a variety of crocodiles and hippos basking along the shores, many buffaloes and Elephants having a drink, plus birds on the riverbanks, such as 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
Have an early morning breakfast and connect to Kibale National Park while enjoying the scenic beauty of the Western arm of the rift valley and the Butiaba escarpments. Have lunch in Fort Portal town and reach Kibale Forest in the late afternoon. Check in at Ndali Lodge, Kyaninga Lodge, Chimp Nest Lodge, Kibale Forest Camp, or Primate Lodge, and relax in the evening as we wait for dinner and overnight.
  • Day 5: Kibale Primate tracking and Bird watching
Wake up early, have breakfast, and transfer to the Kanyanchu Information Centre for registration and a briefing on the dos and don’ts of chimpanzee trekking. Spend an hour in the company of chimpanzees, take pictures and embrace their human-like characters.  You may see other primates such as colobus monkeys, Mangabeys, baboons, Red-tailed monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, bushbabies, and many more. Return to the lodge for refreshments, and in the evening, go for a nature walk in Bigodi Sanctuary for plenty of birds, rare fauna and flora. Return to your previous Lodge.
  • Day 6: Cultural Excursion in Pygmy Villages
Today, we visit the pygmies in the villages 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. You will transfer back to Fort Portal for dinner and overnight at the Mountains of the Moon Hotel.
  • Day 7: Cultural Tour – Connect to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Have an early breakfast and take a short excursion to Karambi Royal tombs, where you will encounter many cultural groups, such as the Burungu community, rooted in Traditional Toro culture, which will entertain you with music, dancing, and storytelling. After lunch, transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, with clear views of the mighty Rwenzori Mountains (Mountains of the Moon), and game viewing en route. Dinner and overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge, Enganzi Lodge, Bush Lodge, Twin Lakes Lodge or Simba Safari Camp.
  • Day 8: Game Drive and Boat launch in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Have a morning cup of tea/coffee, then go for an early morning game drive along the Kasenyi track and Queens Mile in the park to see Lions, Elephants, cape buffalo, Warthogs, leopards, hyenas, mongooses, waterbucks, Uganda kob, 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 launch cruise offers an excellent platform for photography, bird watching and game viewing. Dinner and overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge, Enganzi Lodge, Bush Lodge, Twin Lakes Lodge or Engiri Game Lodge.
  • Day 9: Queen Elizabeth – Ishasha sector – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Today you wake up early, have breakfast, checkout and  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 up in the large forest trees, reach Bwindi Forest by late afternoon, dinner and overnight stay in Kitandara Camps, Mahogany Springs Lodge, Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge, Gorilla Mist Camp or Buhoma Bandas.
  • Day 10: Gorilla Watching in Bwindi National Park
After an early breakfast, we shall proceed to the park offices with a packed lunch for a briefing about the Dos and Don’ts while with gorillas. Tracking can take 2-9 hours, depending on their movements. You will stay with these Giant apes for 1 hour for observation and photography. If the evening is free, we can take a cultural walk to nearby Batwa communities. Return to your previous Lodge for dinner and overnight.
  • Day 11: Cross to Visit Rwanda – Volcanoes National Park
After breakfast, depart for Rwanda for another gorilla tracking excursion. Cross the Rwanda border and arrive at the Virunga Lodge, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Gorilla Nest resort, or Kinigi Guest House by late afternoon. Your guide will brief you on tomorrow’s activity as you wait for dinner and overnight.
  • Day 12: Second Gorilla trekking – Twin Lakes Tour
Wake up with a cup of coffee, get your packed lunch, and transfer to Kinigi Park Station for a briefing on gorilla tracking. At 8:00am, start off on a trek to meet the endangered mountain gorillas. Hiking time ranges from 30 minutes to a full day, depending on the gorillas’ location and their speed. You will spend an hour in the company of gorillas, learn about them and have fun. In the evening, if time allows, visit the twin lakes of Bulera and Buhondo for a great experience. Dinner and overnight at the Lodge
  • Day 13: Golden Monkey tracking – Gisozi Genocide Memorial Site in Kigali
After breakfast, you will proceed to Golden Monkey tracking and later, after lunch, connect to Kigali for a city tour with visits to the Gisozi genocide memorial museum, the cultural museum, curio markets, and the Kimironko fruit market, where you have a chance to meet local people and choose your fruit basket. Dinner and overnight stay in Hotel Gorillas / Kigali Serena Hotel.
  • Day 14: Transfer to Uganda (Lake Bunyonyi)
After breakfast,  leave Kigali and drive to Lake Bunyonyi in Uganda. Dinner and overnight at the camp or Bunyonyi Lake Resort or Bunyonyi Safari Resort.
  • Day 15: Lake Bunyonyi Excursion – Boat Ride
Wake up early, have a cup of coffee, enjoy the sunrise at the Lake and go for a nature walk to the neighbouring communities. Return to the lodge for refreshment and lunch. In the afternoon, join a boat cruise to explore the different islands that make up Lake Bunyonyi.  Dinner and overnight at the Camp or Arcadia Cottages.
  • Day 16: Lake Bunyonyi – Lake Mburo National Park
After breakfast, you will drive to Lake Mburo National Park and arrive by lunchtime. You will proceed on an afternoon boat safari on Mburo Lake, an excellent birding spot. Other animals include hippos and crocodiles. Dinner and overnight at Rwonyo Camps or Arcadia Cottages.
  • Day 17: Early Game Viewing Drive – Kampala
Wake up early for a cup of tea/coffee and embark on a morning game drive to catch up with early risers and predators returning to their hideouts. Return to the lodge for breakfast and thereafter drive to Kampala with game viewing en route, stopping at the Equator for photography, reaching Kampala in the evening. Dinner and overnight at Holiday Express or Kampala Forest Cottages.
  • Day 18: Departure
Depending on the flight schedule, you can take a city tour in Kampala- visit Kasubi Tombs, Bahai Temp, or Nakasero fruit market before connecting to Entebbe International Airport for your scheduled flight.
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 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

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