This 12 Days Explore Uganda and Rwanda safari includes Gorilla tracking in Bwindi-Mgahinga National park and Volcanoes national park in Rwanda. Other activities to be enjoyed will include; game drives, boat cruise, chimp tracking, golden monkey tracking among others as will be highlighted in the itinerary. You will visit at least 3 of the Uganda’s 10 national park including Kibale, Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi and also Volcanoes national park in Rwanda.
Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe
Upon arrive at Entebbe International Airport, our Company Representative will meet you for pick up and transfer to your hotel either in Entebbe or Kampala; Uganda’s capital city for overnight stay. Dinner and overnight at Protea Marriot Hotel (luxury), 2 Friends lodge (midrange) and Airport Guest House (budget)
Estimated distance:45 Minutes’ drive
Day 2: Transfer to Kibale National Park; the primate capital
After an early morning breakfast, meet our driver for transfer to Kibale National park with enroute lunch. On your way, you will view the beautiful tea plantations as you get nearer Fort portal town and the beautiful Rwenzori mountain ranges. Arrive late in the afternoon for check in and rest from the long journey. Dinner and overnight at Crater Safari Lodge (Luxury)/Primates Lodge Deluxe (Mid-range)/Chimpanzee Guest House (budget).
Estimated distance 4-5 hours
Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking at Kibale Forest National Park
After breakfast, get to Kanywanchu for briefing to prepare you for chimpanzee tracking starting at 7:45 AM. This is a half day activity lasting between 3 to 5 hours depending on the movement of the chimpanzees. On finding the primates, you will spend 1 hour with them while studying their behavior and taking pictures in close range. You will have an opportunity to see other primates including velvet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, baboons among others. After tracking, return to the lodge for lunch. Alternatively opt for full day chimpanzee habituation experience.
Later in the afternoon, you will go for a nature walk at Bigodi wetland a good place to sight different species birds. You can visit the women group as well for entertainment and crafts or you can go for crater walk and hike top of the world. Thereafter return to your hotel for Dinner and overnight
Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Queen Elizabeth National park known as a medley of wonders because of its rich habitat and wildlife. Check-in your hotel and have lunch. Thereafter, you can go for a game drive to the explosion craters or visit Katwe salt mining to have an experience of how salt is extracted locally. You can choose to visit the Kikorongo women entertainment group and visit their crafts shop as well.
Dinner and Overnight stay at Mweya Safari Lodge (luxury), Park view lodge (mid-range) and Simba safari camp (budget).
Estimated distance 2-3 hours
Day 5: Game drive and launch cruise in Queen Elizabeth national park
After early morning breakfast, meet your driver for transfer to Kasenyi the famous place for game drives and mating ground for antelopes. You will have a chance to view different wild animals including lions, buffaloes, elephants, different antelopes and many more nocturnal animals and predators from hunting. After game drive, return to your hotel to relax and have lunch. At 3:00pm, you will go for the famous launch cruise at Kazinga channel for 2 hours. While on the launch cruise, you will be able to see what you missed during your game drive. You have chance to see elephants and buffalos on the shores, crocodiles sun bathing and big schools of hippos. This is a good place to sight different bird species both original and migratory.
Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park/Game drive in Ishasha Sector
Have early morning breakfast and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park. On your way, you will go through Ishasha Sector in search for the tree climbing lions resting in fig trees. En route lunch in Kihihi town and thereafter, connect to your hotel in Bwindi for dinner and overnight stay. Mahogany Springs(luxury)/Havens Lodge (Mid-range)/Ruhondeza Lodge (Budget)
Estimated distance: 3-4 hours
Day 7: Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi
Have breakfast and proceed to UWA park offices for briefing about the dos and don’ts about Gorilla tracking. Remember to carry enough drinking water and lunch boxes and if need be, you will be advised to hire a porter to carry your back pack. This activity is approximated to last between 4 to 6 hours. However, the estimated time can be more or less depending on the movement of the gorilla family. Once you meet the gorillas, you will be allowed to spend only 1 hour with them observing and taking photos in close range. After an hour with the gorillas, your ranger guide will lead you back to the starting point and award you certificate of participation. Drive back to the lodge for hot lunch and relaxation. Optional community and nature walks in the evening.
Day 8: Transfer to Volcanoes national park
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Volcanoes national Park in Rwanda a journey that will take you over 8 hours. Reach in the evening and check in your hotel for Dinner and overnight stay at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge / The 5 Volcanoes Lodge (Luxury), Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge / Da Vinci Lodge (Mid-range) and The Garden Place Hotel (Budget).
Day 9: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
After your breakfast, connect at the park headquarters for briefing about the rules that guide gorilla tracking and expectations among others. The rules here do not differ from Bwindi but it will give you a different experience tracking in a different park and country as well. Clients more often want to get a comparison of tracking in different countries and this gives them last memories. Estimated time of tracking is between 3 to 6 hours. Since the activity is a bit tiresome though worth rewarding, evening will be at leisure. But you can as well choose to visit the Iby’iwachu cultural dance group late evening. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Day 10: Golden monkey tracking
After breakfast, you will assemble at the park headquarters for briefing about golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes National park. This activity is worth rewarding and you will be able to see these beautiful endangered primates in their natural habitat. You can only do this activity only in the Volcanoes national park in Rwanda or Mgahinga National park in Uganda. Return the lodge to refresh and the rest of the evening will be at leisure.
Day 11: Transfer to Lake Kivu
After breakfast, meet you driver for transfer to Lake Kivu. You will reach around midday, and check in your hotel for lunch. Thereafter, you will go for an evening boat ride on lake Kivu Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 12. Transfer to Kigali and Departure
After breakfast, meet your driver for transfer to Kigali international airport for departure.
End of Tour.
