The 12 Days Rwanda Uganda and Kenya Safari is a Primates, wildlife and Big Five Combo, designed to allow you to experience the Primate Safari – Golden monkey tracking, Chimpanzee tracking and mountain gorilla trekking, a wildlife viewing in the best national park, and cultural experience of the most famous cultures in East Africa. This 12 Days Rwanda Uganda and Kenya starts in Rwanda – also known as a country of a thousand hills where you will experience and learn more about the genocide that caused a lot of damage to Rwanda as a country, visit the Volcanoes national park which is a home of the mountain gorillas and Golden monkeys in Rwanda. Then to Uganda, which is very close to the borders, while in Uganda, meet the most interesting apes – the Mountain gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable national park and Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest national park.
Thereafter, you will connect to Africa’s best – Masai mara national reserve in Kenya which borders Serengeti national park in Tanzania. There you will experience the wildebeest migration the Big 5 game, the wild cats such as the cheetah, leopards and lions. Masai Mara is best visited in June, July and August for the wildebeest migration, however, other animals like the big 5 are available throughout the year. Finally, end your safari with visiting Lake Nakuru national park – home to the flamingo birds and black and white rhinos.
Safari Highlights
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali – Optional city tour
Day 2: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park – Ibya’cuwa community village tour
Day 3: Golden Monkey tracking – transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 4: Gorilla trekking experience and Batwa community tour
Day 5: Transfer to Kibale national park via Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 6: Chimpanzee Trekking – Optional Bigodi swamp walk
Day 7: Fly to Entebbe – Fly to Nairobi – Kenya (Own booked flight)
Day 8: Transfer to Masai Mara national park
Day 9: Full day game drive – Masai Mara plains
Day 10: Another day – Full day in Masai Mara – community tour
Day 11: Transfer to Nakuru national park – afternoon/evening Game drive
Day 12: Transfer back to Nairobi (4-5 hours’ drive) – Departure
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali – Optional city tour
Upon arrival at Kigali international airport, meet your safari driver and transfer to your booked hotel in Kigali city. Depending on your time of arrival, visit some of the interesting places in Kigali including the genocide memorial site, Kandt museum and Kimoronko market. Connect to your booked lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at Step Town Motel for budget/Onomo Hotel for mid-range/Kigali Marriot Hotel for luxury
Day 2: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park – Ibya’cuwa community village tour
After breakfast, meet your safari driver, if you missed the city tour, do it before you transfer to Volcanoes national park in Musanze. It’s about 3 hours’ drive arriving afternoon. Have en-route lunch then drive to Ibyacuwa village for a community tour visiting Iby’ cuwa cultural village for a Rwanda cultural experience. Check-in your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at Da Vinci Gorilla lodge for mid-range/Hotel Amikus for budget option/Virunga Inn Resort for luxury
Day 3: Golden Monkey tracking – transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
After early morning breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters for briefing from the park warden about the endangered golden monkeys. After connect to the tracking starting point and enter the forest to search for the rare golden monkey. This activity can take about 1-5 hours and done at closer view of the other primates in the park like the red-tailed monkeys, Vervet monkeys among other. After viewing the rare golden monkeys for an hour while taking pictures and studying their behaviors.
After trekking and your lunch, drive to cross to Uganda – Bwindi impenetrable national park. It’s about 3-4 hours’ drive arriving late afternoon. Check-in at your booked lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at Ruhija Gorilla Guesthouse for budget/Bakiga Lodge for midrange/Kiho Gorilla Safari Lodge for luxury
Day 4: Gorilla trekking experience and Batwa community tour
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 for you to return to the lodge. Visit the Batwa community for a cultural experience. Dinner and overnight at lodge as above
Day 5: Transfer to Kibale national park via Queen Elizabeth national park
After breakfast, check-out of the lodge and transfer to Kibale National Park via Queen Elizabeth national park for an en-route game drive in Ishasha sector for chances of spotting the tree climbing lions and any other available animals, with en-route lunch, proceed to Kibale national park in Fort portal. Connect to your lodge with en-route crater lakes visits. Check-in for dinner and overnight stay at Kibale forest Lodge for budget/Chimpanzee Forest Lodge for Mid-range/ Chimpundu Lodge for luxury
Day 6: Chimpanzee Trekking – Optional Bigodi swamp walk
Wake up early and drive to Kibale Forest to the briefing point before you head in the forest in search of the exuberant chimpanzee groups in the Kibale forest. Tracking chimpanzees in their natural habitat as they swing from the branches in the canopy high above the forest floor, is a thrilling experience. Though they can be difficult to spot, you will be in no doubt of their presence as the forest is alive with their noisy calls. Spend an hour in their presence. After trekking, you can opt to do a Bigodi swamp walk or return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above.
Day 7: Fly to Entebbe – Fly to Nairobi – Kenya (Own booked flight)
After breakfast, check-out of the lodge and drive to Kasese airstrip to check-in for your flight to Entebbe. It’s a 2 hours’ drive from Kibale national park to Kasese airstrip, check-in for flight departing at either 8:35 am or 12:05 pm depending on the outbound flight schedule for Kenya.
Upon arrival at Entebbe airport at either 11:25 am or 14:25 Hours, wait at Entebbe airport for your onward booked flight to Kenya. Upon arrival at Jomo Kneyatta airport, meet your driver and connect to booked hotel in Nairobi. Dinner and ovenright stay at Best Western Plus Hotel for budget/Tamarind Hotel for mid-range/Nairobi Serena Hotel for luxury
Day 8: Transfer to Masai Mara national park
After breakfast, check-out and set off for Masai mara national reserve, the unspoiled Savannah. It’s about 5-6 hours’ drive with en-route lunch, Masai Mara is actually the northern portion of the Great Plains ecosystem in neighbouring Tanzania bordering Serengeti national park. Upon arrival, check-in at your booked lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at Zebra Plains Lodge for mid-range/Mara Sentrim Lodge for Budget/Neptune Mara Rianta Luxury Lodge for luxury
Day 9: Full day game drive – Masai Mara plains
Wake up early in the morning, have breakfast and grab your packed lunch and meet your safari driver to head to the plains of Maasai Mara for a full day adventure in this stunning savanna vegetation of Masai Mara as you watch many animals in large numbers such as lions, elephants, cheetahs, leopards, wildebeests, zebras and many more. You will enjoy your picnic lunch and proceed for a game drive until the sun goes down. In the evening you will head back to your lodge, have dinner and stay overnight at lodge as above
Day 10: Another day – Full day in Masai Mara – community tour
Optional activity; Hot air balloon – Wake early and be picked up by the air balloon team for your hot air balloon safari which starts in the early morning, just in time for sunrise. For about one hour you will be floating peacefully above the ground, with a bird’s eye view of the African bush below. The capacity for this activity is limited making this a very special and exclusive experience. Breakfast will be provided and thereafter connect back to the lodge.
After breakfast, you will head to the plains of the reserve for the final morning game drive sighting more animals, after the game drive you will head back to your lodge for lunch and in the afternoon, you will head to the Maasai village/Masai Loita Hills for a cultural experience. On this experience, you will enjoy getting a deeper insight into the Maasai culture by interacting with the local Maasai people, be entertained by local dancers, drama and Maasai warriors; buy local Maasai items such as local Maasai Shukas, beautifully made accessories such as necklaces and earrings and taste local cuisines. After the experience, you will head back to your lodge, have dinner and stay overnight at lodge as above
Day 11: Transfer to Nakuru national park – afternoon/evening Game drive
After breakfast, transfer to Lake Nakuru national park. It’s about 4-5 hours’ drive with en-route lunch. Proceed to enter the park in the afternoon game drive. Lake Nakuru national park is known for its large numbers of flamingo birds. In addition, home to the famous black and white rhinos. On a lucky afternoon/evening, you will also enjoy views of animals like the lions, leopards, hyenas and different antelope species. Later evening, drive to your lodge for check-in, dinner and overnight stay at Punda Milia Tented camp for budget/Lake Nakuru Safari Lodge for mid-range/Sarova Lion Hill Lodge for luxury
Day 12: Transfer back to Nairobi (4-5 hours’ drive) – Departure
After morning breakfast at your lodge, you will checkout of your lodge and embark on a journey back to Nairobi where you will be dropped off at a location you advise or be dropped off at the airport for your onward flight back home.
End of 12 Days Rwanda Uganda and Kenya Safari
