This 13 Days Uganda-Rwanda Safari will take you to two of the East African countries and with this safari, you get to purchase an East African Tourist Visa. This safari will take you through the beautiful country with chances of seeing the endangered primates (Chimpanzees and Mountain gorillas) in Kibale national park and Volcanoes national park and Bwindi forest national park. Expect to also meet the big 5 animals (Lions, Leopards, Buffaloes, Rhinos and Elephants) in the savannah parks of Queen Elizabeth national park and Murchison falls national park. This safari will be blended with cultural tours visiting the Batwa people in Uganda and Banyarwanda of Rwanda with a visit of the Lowland Eastern gorillas in Uganda. Visit Rwanda-Uganda and Rwanda for only 13 Days have a lifetime memorable experience
Safari highlights
Day 1: Arrival Entebbe – Transfer to Ziwa Rhino sanctuary
Day 2: Transfer to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary – Kibale forest national park
Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Kibale national park
Day 4: Lion tracking/game drive – boat cruise in Kazinga channel
Day 5: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable national park (5-6 hours)
Day 6: Gorilla trekking experience and Batwa community tour
Day 7: Transfer to cross to Rwanda – Volcanoes national park
Day 8: Golden Monkey tracking and Cultural tour
Day 9: Transfer to Nyungwe forest national park
Day 10: Canopy walk experience – transfer to Bukavu – Congo
Day 11: Lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Beiga national park
Day 12: Transfer to Kigali City
Day 13: Fly to back (Own booked flight) – Departure
Detailed Safari
Day 1: Arrival Entebbe – Transfer to Ziwa Rhino sanctuary
Upon arrival at Entebbe airport, you will meet our company representative/driver guide, have briefing, connect for lunch and then proceed to connect to Ziwa rhino sanctuary in the Nakasongola district. It’s about 3-4 hours’ drive from Kampala. On arrival at the sanctuary, check-in, refresh and spend your evening relaxing and rest, have dinner and overnight stay at Ziwa Guesthouse for budget/Amuka Safari Lodge for mid-range
Day 2: Transfer to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary – Kibale forest national park
After breakfast, meet your driver/guide and connect for rhino tracking experience. Meet with your rangers for a briefing about the rhinos then connect for trekking with your trekking gears. Rhinos are easy to track on foot. On finding them, view them for about an hour’s experience.
After tracking, embark on a 6-7 hours’ drive to Kibale forest national park with en-route lunch break in Hoima. Proceed to Kibale national park. Upon arrival, check-in at your booked accommodation for relaxation, dinner, and overnight stay at Chimpanzee Forest Lodge for mid-range/Isunga Lodge for budget
Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Kibale national park
After breakfast, drive to the park headquarters for briefing about the endangered chimpanzees and later enter the forest with the guidance of a park ranger along with your tracking gears, packed water, and snacks. This tracking takes about 2-5 hours in search of the chimpanzees. On finding the primates, you will spend 1 hour viewing them while studying their behaviour and taking pictures. After tracking, drive to your lodge for lunch.
Later afternoon, transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park to reduce your distance for the next day transfer. It’s a 3 hours’ drive from Kibale national park to Queen Elizabeth national park. Dinner and overnight at Elephant Hub Lodge for mid-range/Pumba Safari Cottages for budget/Elephant Plains Safari Lodge for luxury
Day 4: Lion tracking/game drive – boat cruise in Kazinga channel
On the 4th day of your 13 Days Uganda-Rwanda Safari, After your breakfast, you will set off to an early lion tracking experience where you are guaranteed to encounter lions before a game drive. You will also encounter other animals like buffaloes, elephants, waterbuck, Uganda Kob, and other types of antelopes. Then go back for lunch.
Afternoon, go for a 3 hours launch cruise along the Kazinga Channel into Lake Edward, this cruise will let you pass through a place of the highest concentration of hippos and you may also see many animals drinking at the water’s edge. The cruise also offers a good platform for photography, bird watching, and games. Dinner and overnight stay at as above
Day 5: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable national park (5-6 hours)
After breakfast, meet your driver to depart for Bwindi. Drive via the Ishasha sector for changes in seeing the tree-climbing lions. Proceed to Bwindi with en-route lunch. Connect to your lodge in the Buhoma or Ruhija sector of the Bwindi forest. Dinner, and spend a night at Buhoma Community Rest Camp for budget option/Buhoma Haven Lodge for mid-range
Day 6: Gorilla trekking experience and Batwa community tour
On the 9th day of your 13 Days Uganda-Rwanda Safari, Have breakfast and transfer you to park offices for briefing about Mountain Gorilla trekking by a local guide. The time taken is usually between 2-8 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas. Meeting the gorillas unexpectedly is one of the most captivating lifetime experiences. You will have a chance to observe and take pictures at very close range. You will observe adults feeding and groaning among themselves. After an hour with the long-awaited gorillas, your guide and rangers will lead you back to the starting point where your driver will readily be waiting to transfer you back to the lodge.
Later afternoon, depending on the time you return from the trek, connect for a Batwa community tour experience before you return to the lodge to relax. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 7: Transfer to cross to Rwanda – Volcanoes national park
After breakfast, meet with your guide to embark on your journey to cross to Rwanda via Kisoro for en-route lunch. Proceed to cross via Cyanika border to connect to Volcanoes national park. Upon arrival, check-in for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at Hotel Muhabura for budget/Tilorenza Lodge for mid-range
Day 8: Golden Monkey tracking and Cultural tour
After breakfast, connect to the park headquarters for your golden monkey tracking experience. You will meet with the park officials who will brief you about the experience and allocate in groups. Thereafter enter the forest to start your trekking experience of the golden monkeys. It takes about 5-6 hours in search of the creatures and on finding them; you will be allocated 1 hour to be in their presence while taking pictures and videos. Return to the starting point where your guide will be waiting to drive you back to the lodge. After lunch, go for a cultural tour to Ibya wacu cultural village to have an experience of Banyarwanda culture and tradition. Return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 9: Transfer to Nyungwe forest national park
On the 9th day of your 13 Days Uganda-Rwanda Safari, After breakfast, meet your safari driver and proceed on your safari to Nyungwe forest national park. It’s a 6-7 hours’ drive through the rolling hills of Rwanda and great views of Lake Kivu with an optional boat experience on lake Kivu in Kibuye if you wish to. Have en-route lunch and proceed to Nyungwe forest. Upon arrival late afternoon, proceed to check-in at your booked lodge for dinner and overnight stay at Nyungwe Top Hill View Lodge for mid-range/Gisakura Visitors Centre for budget
Day 10: Canopy walk experience – transfer to Bukavu – Congo
After breakfast, check-out of the lodge, connect for the canopy walk experience. You will go on a walking trail that will take you to the Canopy Walk-a swing bridge 50 meters in length that is suspended from large trees; you will be able to see the amazing rainforest with a bird’s eye view, spotting wildlife moving below you. Thereafter, connect to cross to Bukavu which is about 2-3 hours’ drive. Cross through Cyangugu border after finalising with the immigration process and proceed to Bukavu town, which is the nearest town to Kahuzi Biega national park in Democratic Republic of Congo. Upon arrival at Bukavu town, connect to your accommodation for lunch, dinner and overnight stay at Panaroma Hotel for mid-range/Hotel Elizabeth for budget
Day 11: Lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Beiga national park
On the 11th day of your 13 Days Uganda-Rwanda Safari, Enjoy your breakfast at your hotel before transfer to the park headquarters for briefing about the Eastern lowland gorillas. Thereafter embark on your fascinating trekking experience of the Eastern lowland gorillas in the valleys of Kahuzi as you encounter different mammals, birds and primates. The search usually takes about 1-6 hours’ trekking in the jungle depending on the movements of the lowland gorillas and on finding them, you will be allowed to spend 1 hour in their presence as you watch them interact/play with each other while you take photos and videos of the experience. After your encounter with the Eastern lowland gorillas, you will descend, meet your driver and return to your hotel for relaxation, dinner and overnight at accommodation as above
Day 12: Transfer to Kigali City
Wake up early, enjoy your breakfast and embark on your journey back to Kigali City of Rwanda. It’s a 7-8 hours’ drive still driving through Nyungwe national park with en-route visit to the King’s palace in Nyanza, Butare national museum and lunch break. Upon arrival in Kigali late afternoon, visiting the Kigali genocide memorial site, and Kimoronko market before you drive to your booked for check-in, dinner and overnight, stay at Step Town Motel for budget/Des Mille Collins Hotel for mid-range
Day 13: Fly to back home (Own booked flight) – Departure
After breakfast, check-out, your driver will drop you off at Kigali airport for your return flight back home.
End of Safari.
