This 18 Days Uganda Rwanda safari safari highlights most the activities in Uganda and Rwanda. Some of the highlights are Wildlife viewing, Cultural walks, Gorilla Trekking, Chimpanzee viewing and more.
Day 1: Arrival & Hotel Transfer
Following your arrival, our company representative together with the guide will welcome you at Kigali International Airport and transfer you to your hotel in Kigali. Depending on your time of arrival, you will go for a city tour visiting the genocide memorial site and Kimironko market. Dinner and overnight at Hotel des Mille Colline.
Day 2: Transfer to Lake Kivu / Gisenyi
Have breakfast and depart Kigali to Gisenyi arriving Lake Kivu in time for lunch. Have lunch and later embark on a rewarding boat cruise on Lake Kivu with lots of birds and beautiful beaches. Relax at the beach; Lake Kivu is known to have some of the best inland beaches in Africa! Or go for a walk to the Congo Boarder. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Paradise Malahide.
Day 3: Transfer to Musanze / Ruhengeri
Enjoy breakfast at leisure and later transfer to Musanze – formerly known as Ruhengeri and the base for Gorilla trekking. Have lunch and spend the evening at leisure of on a village walk visiting local families around Volcanoes national park. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Muhabura.
Day 4: Gorilla Trekking & Iby’Iwachu Cultural Village
Enjoy early morning breakfast and drive to the park headquarters where you will be allocated a gorilla group to visit and receive briefing from your ranger guide for the day. The park ranger will then go ahead of you and you follow him into the forest in search of the gentle giants.
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda can last between 2 to 6 hours depending on the movement of the Gorillas but usually; some ranger guides will go into the forest early and track them down ahead of you and communicated with the group leaders to ease the trek.
On reaching them, you will be allowed up to a maximum of 1 hour to view and take photos of the gorillas. You will return to the starting point to receive your gorilla trekking certificate and your guide will transfer you back to the hotel.
Refresh and later go for Iby’iwachu cultural village tour where you will learn virtually everything about traditional Rwanda; you will play king / Queen and take turns in using a bow and arrow. Visit a traditional herbalist and witness local beer brewing.
Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight as above.
Day 5: Dian Fossey Trek & Transfer to Kisoro – Uganda
You will enjoy breakfast and go to the park headquarters to start your hike to the late Dian Fossey’s grave in Karisoke. This is a 3 to 4 hours trek but sometimes demanding but enjoyable with stunning views. After the trek, refresh at the hotel and transfer to Kisoro in Uganda, crossing via Cyanika boarder with lunch en-route. Dinner and overnight at Travelers Rest Hotel.
Day 6: Golden Monkey and Gorge Walk.
Wake up to a hot cup of coffee in a usually misty town, carry your lunch pack and transfer to Ntebeko – the headquarters of Mgahinga national park for golden monkey trekking. Golden monkeys are rare species of monkeys in Africa and only found in the Virunga mountains region. The trek lasts 3 to 4 hours and later embark on a 2 hours George walk which will expose you to remarkable views including sights of the Congo boarder, Lake Mutanda and Bunagana town. Return to the lodge late afternoon and spend the evening at leisure or visit Lake Mutanda. Dinner and overnight as above.
Day 7: Visit Batwa in Buhoma
Have breakfast and depart Kisoro to Buhoma in Bwindi for the Batwa experience. You will visit the Batwa pygmies and learn from a real “mutwa” guide who will take you through the day to day life and experiences of the Batwa people and you will get the chance to participate in the various activities including mock hunting and meal preparation among others. Transfer to the lodge for dinner and overnight at Gorilla friends Resort in Ruhija.
Day 8: Gorilla trekking Bwindi – Ruhija
Breakfast will be served early and depart the lodge with your lunch pack for gorilla group allocation and briefing by the ranger guides prior to gorilla trekking. You will then head into the forest in search of the mountain gorillas.
Gorilla trekking in Uganda lasts between 2 to 8 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas as they freely roam the park. After the trek, return to the assembly point for your gorilla trekking certificate and back to the lodge. Dinner and overnight at the lodge as above.
Day 9: Lake Bunyonyi Tour
Have breakfast in the misty jungles of Bwindi and embark on a short drive to Lake Bunyonyi where you will embark on a motorized canoe for a tour of the various Islands each with its story and meet the locals. Have lunch at Bunyonyi Overland Resort and spend the evening at leisure admiring the verdant lake or go for a guided village tour. Dinner and overnight at Bunyonyi Overland Resort.
Day 10: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Enjoy early morning breakfast and depart Bunyonyi to Queen Elizabeth national park entering through the Ishasha sector and embark on a game drive. The Ishasha sector is less explored and presents herds of game including buffaloes and elephants. It is also famous for its tree climbing lions although you require some luck to see them. Dinner and overnight at Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge.
Day 11: Game drive and Launch Cruise
Have breakfast and go for a game drive where you will encounter lots of wildlife including elephants, lions, and buffaloes among others. You will also visit the Katwe salt pans where you will find locals engaged in salt mining – an experience for the kids!
Have lunch at Mweya and in the afternoon, go for a launch cruise on the Kazinga channel famed for its highest concentration of hippos in Africa. You will also get to observe more game here, birds of different species and crocodiles. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay as above
Day 12: Transfer to Kibale National Park
Have breakfast and transfer to Kibale with a visit to Amabere Ganyinamwiru stalagmites site and the crater lakes. Have lunch en-route in the beautiful Fort portal town and proceed to Kibale arriving in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight at Chimpanzee forest guest house.
Day 13: Chimpanzee trekking- Kibale forest
Enjoy early morning breakfast and go for briefing and start chimpanzee trekking. Kibale Forest National Park is one of the best safari destinations in Africa for chimpanzee tracking.
Kibale’s 795km2 National Park contains one of the most beautiful and with the most varying tracts of tropical forest in the whole of Uganda. This is home to a number of forest wildlife, most especially 13 species of primate coupled with chimpanzees.
Return to for lunch and in the afternoon, go for an exciting guided nature walk in Bigodi wetland area with a great number of birds and beautiful butterflies. Dinner and overnight as above.
Day 14: Transfer to Jinja
Following breakfast, you will depart Kibale forest and transfer to Jinja with lunch en-route in Kampala and brief stopovers in Mabira forest and Lugazi to admire the tea and sugar plantations. Proceed to Jinja arriving late afternoon. Visit the souce of the Nile River and in the evening; embark on a sunset boat cruise on the mighty River Nile. Dinner and overnight at Nile Porch.
Day1 5: Full Day Rafting & Transfer to Kampala
Enjoy heavy breakfast as you prepare for the demands of the day’s rafting adventure! You will go for full day white water rafting on the might River Nile going through the rapids – a real adrenaline moment! Lunch will also provide and cold beers as you get out of the water. Transfer back to Kampala arriving late evening. Dinner and overnight at Forest Cottages.
Day 16: Transfer to Sesse Island
Enjoy early morning breakfast and brief tour of Kampala city visiting Baha’i temple, Gadhafi mosque and the crafts village. Later transfer to Entebbe or Bukakata for a ferry through Lake Victoria to Ssese Island. Dinner and overnight stay at Brovad Sands Lodge.
Day 17: Nature Walk and Sunset Cruise
Enjoy breakfast at leisure and go for a guided nature walk on the beautiful Ssese Island where you will encounter lots of birds and enjoy the tranquil nature. Return to the lodge to relax and have lunch. In the afternoon / evening, you will go for a sunset boat cruise coupled with cold drinks for a real great time! Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight as above.
Day 18: Ferry Crossing & Entebbe Tour
Enjoy breakfast and depart Ssese early for a ferry to Nakiwogo in Entebbe and embark on a tour of Entebbe town including the local markets and Entebbe Botanical Gardens where they will enjoy walking through with a guide explaining all of the nature and lots of monkeys, spiders, lizards, trees, flowers, herbs and there are bars next to the Lake Victoria where one can get drinks and sit on a sun lounger overlooking Lake Victoria taking in the fresh breezes which is lovely and relaxing. One can even take a dip in the fresh waters of Lake Victoria if they wish. Have lunch at Botanical gardens and transfer to the airport for your onward flight.
Featured Package: 3 Days Rwanda gorillas
