7 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari
Our 7 days Uganda Rwanda safari will take you to Kibale National Park, which is also known as the primate capital, harboring abundant primate species like the chimpanzees, monkeys, and baboons, among others; Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is the second largest national park in Uganda, harboring various wildlife species like the elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, warthogs, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, bushbucks, and bird species, among others.
You will also visit Bwindi impenetrable national park in southwestern Uganda and have a breathtaking experience as you interact with the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. From Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you will connect to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, where you will engage in golden monkey trekking and also visit Ibyiwacu Cultural Village as you end your safari.
Highlights
Day 1: Transfer to Kibale National Park
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 3: Game drive and boat cruise
Day 4: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 5: Gorilla trekking and transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Day 6: Golden monkey trekking and cultural tour
Day 7: Kigali city tour and departure
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Transfer to Kibale National Park,
You will be welcomed by our driver guide at Entebbe airport, who will give you a short briefing about your safari and then start the journey to Kibale National Park. The journey takes about 6 to 7 hours’ drive with a stopover at the Equator for photos. From the Equator you will continue the journey with an en-route lunch at the Igongo Cultural Centre. After lunch you will proceed with the journey via the Fort portal and then to the park. Upon arrival you will check into the lodge and have dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Chimpanzee trekking: Enjoy breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kanyachu Visitors Centre for a briefing about the rules, regulations and expectations of chimpanzee trekking. After the briefing you will be grouped into 6 people, allocated a chimpanzee group to trek and a park guide who is well conversant with the trails in the forest.
Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park starts at around 8:00am and takes 30 minutes to 4 hours depending on the location of the chimpanzees because they like to move from one place to another in search of food.
During chimpanzee trekking you will be able to spot other primates like the black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, and various bird species and once the chimpanzees are found, you will spend one hour with them in their natural habitat learning about their habits, lifestyles, and behaviors, taking photos and recording the moments to show people back home.
After the one-hour encounter with the chimpanzees, you will trek back to the park headquarters, where you will meet your driver guide and start your journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, On your way you will have en-route lunch in Fort Portal and then continue to Queen Elizabeth National Park, which takes about 3 hours’ drive and upon arrival you will have great views of some animals as you head to your lodge. Upon arrival at the lodge, you will check in and have dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Game drive/lion tracking and boat cruise
Game drive/lion tracking,
After an early breakfast, meet up with your driver guide and go for a morning game drive/lion tracking experience in the Kasenyi plains. During the game drive you will be able to view various animal species such as the leopards, lions, elephants, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, buffaloes, bushbucks, warthogs, hyenas, bush pigs, and various bird species such as the papyrus gibbon, white-backed night heron, yellow-throated cuckoo, red-chested sunbird, and white-winged warbler, among others. After the game drive you will drive back to the lodge for lunch.
Boat cruise,
After lunch, you will go for an afternoon boat cruise at the Kazinga channel, which joins Lake George and Lake Edward. The boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel is an exciting activity that starts at around 2:00pm at a landing site near the luxury lodge Mweya Safari Lodge and takes about 2 hours.
During the boat cruise you will have spectacular views of animal species like hippos and Nile crocodiles in water, elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, warthogs, among others, along the water banks drinking water and various water birds such as martial eagles, papyrus gouldes, pelicans, African skimmers, cormorants, African spoonbills, fish eagles, and kingfishers, among others.
After the boat cruise you will drive, meet up with your driver guide, and go for an evening game drive in the park. After the game drive you will drive to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
After an early breakfast, meet up with your driver guide and start the journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which takes about 4 hours. On your way to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you will pass via the Ishasha sector in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park for a game drive where you will be able to view the tree-climbing lions.
The Ishasha sector is famously known for the tree-climbing lions, which will be viewed lying up in acacia and fig tree branches. After the game drive you will have lunch and then proceed with the journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Upon arrival in the Buhoma sector, you will check into the lodge and have dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Have an early breakfast, carry a packed lunch and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for the gorilla trekking briefing, which will be about the rules, regulations and expectations.
After the briefing you will be grouped into 8 people and allocated a gorilla family to trek. The grouping of individuals is done according to age, physical fitness and personal preferences; therefore, in case you are not physically fit, you are advised to communicate with your driver guide so that they allocate you a gorilla family that is easy to trek.
Gorilla trekking in the park starts at around 8:00am and takes 30 minutes to 7 hours with a park guide who is well conversant with the gorilla families and trails in the jungle. During trekking you will pass through the thick forest where you will be able to view primates like the L’hoest monkeys, baboons, bird species, and plant species, among others.
Once the mountain gorillas are found, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat, which gives you an opportunity to learn more about their lifestyle, habits, and behaviors; take photos; and also record videos. After the one-hour encounter with the gorillas, you will trek back to the park headquarters, where you will be awarded a certificate for participating in gorilla trekking, meet up with your driver guide and transfer back to the lodge for late lunch.
Transfer to Volcanoes National Park; after lunch you will check out of the lodge and start the journey to Volcanoes National Park, passing via the Cyanika border. On your way you will have great views of the rolling hills in Rwanda, landscapes, farmlands, and homesteads, among others. The journey takes a 3- to 4-hour drive, and upon arrival you will continue to the lodge, check in, and have dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Golden monkey trekking and cultural tour
After an early breakfast, meet up with your driver guide and transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the expectations, rules and regulations to follow during Golden Monkey trekking. After the briefing you will enter into the jungle with a park guide and start trekking, which takes 30 minutes to 5 hours depending on the location of the golden monkeys and once they are found, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat, learning about their behaviors, habits, and lifestyle, and watching them play up in the trees as you take plenty of photos and record videos. After the golden monkey trekking, you will trek back to the park headquarters, meet up with your driver guide, and drive back to the lodge for lunch.
For a cultural tour, after lunch you will go for a cultural tour in the neighboring community, where you will visit the Ibyi’wacu culture village. During the cultural tour you will get an opportunity to taste Kinyarwanda local food, drink locally brewed beer, and participate in their traditional performances, for example Kinyarwanda dance, and be entertained through music and storytelling, among others. After the cultural tour you will transfer back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Kigali city tour and departure
Have a relaxed breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide for the city tour in Kigali. During the city tour you will visit the Kigali genocide memorial site, where you will learn more about the bloodshed of the 1994 Rwanda genocide; visit the art and craft markets, where they make paintings and sculptures; and visit the Kimironko local market, where you will see local people selling different items such as souvenirs and market vendors selling fruits, vegetables, and handmade crafts like mats and baskets, among others.
After the city tour you will go for a buffet in one of the hotels in Kigali and after starting the journey to Kigali International Airport, your driver guide will drop you off for your next flight.
End of 7 days Uganda Rwanda safari
Includes
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Golden monkey trekking permit
- Park entrance fees
- Boat cruise fees
- Ibyi’wacu cultural tour
- Kigali city tour
- An English-speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Pick up and drop off
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled water
Excludes
- Air flight tickets
- Visas
- Optional activities not included on the itinerary
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.
