8 Days Uganda Rwanda Primates Safari
8 Days Uganda Rwanda Primates Safari is an exceptional safari that starts in Kampala and ends in Kigali. The safari will take you to the best primate destinations including Bwindi impenetrable national park is south western Uganda, Volcanoes national park and Nyungwe national park in Rwanda. During the 8 days Bwindi forest, Volcanoes and Nyungwe national park safari you will get an opportunity to engage in an adventurous gorilla trekking and chimpanzee trekking activities which give you an opportunity to spend time with the endangered mountain gorillas and chimpanzees in their natural habitat.
Highlights of the 8 days Bwindi forest, Volcanoes and Nyungwe national park safari
- Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
- Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
- Day 3: Transfer to Volcanoes national park
- Day 4: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park
- Day 5: Transfer to Lake Kivu for a boat cruise
- Day 6: Transfer to Nyungwe national park
- Day 7: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk
- Day 8: Departure to Kigali
Detailed itinerary
Day 1 of the 8 days Bwindi forest, Volcanoes and Nyungwe national park safari
Pick up and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park, depending on your arrival time at Entebbe international airport on day 1 of the 8 days Bwindi forest, Volcanoes and Nyungwe national park safari you will be welcomed by our representative who will brief you about the safari and then start the journey to Bwindi impenetrable national park which is located in south western Uganda. It’s a whole day journey and on the way you will have a stopover at the Equator in Kayabwe to buy craft souvenirs, take photos and then proceed with another stopover at Igongo cultural centre for lunch. After lunch you will proceed the journey passing via Ntugamo town, Kabale town with great views of Kigezi hills, terraced farmlands, local people among others. Upon arrival you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Gorilla trekking, after an early breakfast on day 2 of the 8 days Bwindi forest, Volcanoes and Nyungwe national park safari you will carry your lunch box and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking. After the briefing you will be allocated a gorilla family to trek which is done according to personal preferences, age and physical fitness because gorilla trekking in Bwindi forest national park is strenuous. You will also be allocated a park guide who is well conversant with trails in the jungle and then start trekking which takes about 30 minutes to 8 hours depending on where the mountain gorillas are located. During trekking you will have stunning views of different plant species, birds, other primates like l,hoest monkeys, vervet monkeys, chimpanzees among others. Once the mountain gorillas are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat where you will be able to watch them feeding, resting, breastfeeding, observe their behaviors, take pictures and record the moments. After the one hour encounter with the gentle giants, you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will be awarded a certificate for participating in gorilla trekking and after meet up with your driver guide to transfer back to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Transfer to Volcanoes national park in Rwanda
On day 3 of the 8 days Bwindi forest, Volcanoes and Nyungwe national park safari, you will have breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Volcanoes national park in Rwanda. The journey takes about 3 to 4 hours drive passing via Cyanika border in Kisoro or Katuna border in Kabale, on the way you will have great views of the rolling hills, traditional homesteads, local people, beautiful scenery among others. Upon arrival you will continue to check into the lodge for lunch and relaxations, after lunch you will go for an evening cultural tour where you will visit Ibyiwacu village and get an opportunity to interact with the local people, learn about their culture, tradition, lifestyle, visit their farmlands, homesteads, taste their local dishes, enjoy the traditional entertainment among others. After the cultural tour you will drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park
Gorilla trekking, after an early breakfast on day 4 of the 8 days Bwindi forest, Volcanoes and Nyungwe national park safari you will carry your lunch box and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a gorilla trekking briefing. After the briefing you will be grouped into 8 people, allocated a habituated gorilla family to trek depending on your physical fitness, age and also allocated a park guide who is well conversant with trails in the forest. Trekking of mountain gorillas in Volcanoes national park takes about 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on where the gorillas slept the previous night and during trekking you will be able to view other primates like vervet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, different bird species among others.
When the gorillas are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their environment which helps you to compare experiences with the mountain gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable national park. You will be able to observe their habits, behaviors, lifestyle, watch them feed, breastfeed, take pictures and record videos with a flash less camera. After the one hour interaction with the mountain gorillas you will trek back to the park headquarters where meet up with your driver guide and return to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Transfer to Lake Kivu
After breakfast on day 5 of the 8 days Bwindi forest, Volcanoes and Nyungwe national park safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Lake Kivu for relaxation, lunch and boat cruise. Lake Kivu lies within the Alberine rift and its one of the destinations where travelers can relax after a gorilla trekking experience. A visit to Lake Kivu will reward you with great views of the beautiful scenery, terraced hills, farmlands, sundowner, views of fishermen fishing and later have dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Transfer to Nyungwe national park
On day 6 of 8 days Bwindi forest, Volcanoes and Nyungwe national park safari, you will have breakfast, check out the lodge and drive to Nyungwe national park which is located in southwestern part of Rwanda. On the way you will have en-route lunch and great views of scenery, homesteads, local people among others. Upon arrival you will check into the lodge, relax, have dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk
Chimpanzee trekking, after an early breakfast on day 7 of the 8 days Bwindi forest, Volcanoes and Nyungwe national park safari your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules and regulations of chimpanzee trekking. After the briefing you will be allocated a chimpanzee family to trek and a park guide who will lead you in the forest, Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe national park takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours depending on where the chimpanzees are located because they like move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking you will have great views of birds, plants, other primates and once the chimpanzees are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat and during the one hour you will learn about their habits, behaviors, watch them play, hunt, fight, groom each other, feed, breastfeed, take great photos and record the moments to show people back home after the safari. After the face to face encounter with the chimpanzees you will trek back to the park headquarters, meet up with your driver guide and drive back to the lodge for lunch.
Canopy walk, after lunch you will go for an interesting canopy walk which is 60meters long above the forest. The canopy walk which takes about 2 hours starts at Uwinka visitor’s center goes through huge trees across the steep and deep valley filled with thick forest. During the canopy walk you will have aerial views of Nyungwe forest, Virunga volcanoes, different trees, views of bird species, butterflies, primates like blue monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys among others. After the canopy walk you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will meet up with your driver guide and drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Departure to Kigali
After a relaxed breakfast on day 8 of 8 days Bwindi forest, Volcanoes and Nyungwe national park safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kigali for a city tour. During the city tour you will visit the Genocide memorial center where you will learn about the 1994 brutal killing of the Hutus and Tutsi, visit craft centers and Kimironko market where you will interact with the local vendors in the market. After the city tour you will go for a buffet in one of the restaurants and later transfer to Kigali international airport for your departure flight or drop off at the hotel.
End of 8 days Bwindi forest, Volcanoes and Nyungwe national park safari
Tour includes
- Gorilla trekking permits
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Canopy walk
- Cultural tour
- Kigali city tour
- Boat cruise fee
- Services of an English speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Pick up and drop off
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled water
Tour excludes
- Air flight tickets
- Visas
- Optional activities not included on the itinerary
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, tips among others.
