16 Days Rwanda and Uganda safari

This safari takes you to Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda for a city tour. Continue to Isumo waterfalls for a hike . You will then transfer to Nyungwe National park for a canopy walk. Continue to Volcanoes National Park for a nature walk and birding. You will then visit Iby’Iwacu cultural village in Musanze before proceeding to Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation. You will transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via Ishasha for tree climbing lions. While there, you will go for gorilla trekking and then transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park via Ishasha for the tree climbing lions. In Queen Elizabeth, you will go for chimpanzee trekking in Kalinzu forest, game drive and boat cruise. You will then proceed to Fort Portal to visit Amabere caves and the crater lakes. Continue to the Semliki Hot springs and then transfer to Murchison Falls National park for a game drive and boat cruise. You will then transfer to Kampala via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and enjoy a city tour before proceeding to the Entebbe International airport for your flight.

Day 1: Airport pickup, Kigali history at Kigali Genocide memorial and city tour

On this day, one of our professional tour guides will pick you up from the Kigali International airport and brief you about your safari highlights. Then, you will be taken for a city tour in Kigali where you will visit various tourist attractions such as the Kigali Genocide Memorial (where you will learn more about the history of Rwanda), Kimironko Market, the Inema Arts Centre and several others. You will have a stopover for lunch during your tour.

Lastly, you will be transferred to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation: Eagle View Lodge

Meal plan: all meals and drinking water

Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe National park and Isumo waterfalls hike

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Nyungwe National Park for a hike to the tropical Isumo waterfalls. This hike will enable you to explore the park’s unique tourist features including waterfalls and orchids in the high altitude swamps. After the hiking experience, you will return to the lodge for lunch.

Thereafter, you will return to your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation: Gisakura Guest House

Meal plan: all meals and drinking water

Day 3: Canopy walk in Nyungwe National park

After a delicious breakfast, you will go 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, you will have lunch and relaxation at your lodge.

You will then transfer to Volcanoes National park where you will check into your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation:  Kinigi Guest House

Meal plan: all meals and drinking water

Day 4: Golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park

On this day, you will wake up early, have breakfast and go for a briefing session before embarking on your golden monkey trekking session.

The Golden monkey is endemic to the high altitude forests of the Volcanoes National Park area. The monkeys are playful and inquisitive and often spend their time leaping from bamboo branches or frolicking on the forest floor.

After the trekking adventure, you will have your packed lunch and return to your lodge.

Lastly, you will have relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation: Kinigi Guest House

Meal plan: all meals and drinking water

Day 5: Visit to Iby’Iwacu Cultural village and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi via Cyanika border

On this day, you have an early breakfast and check-out of your lodge. Thereafter, you will transfer to Musanze and visit the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village. This is a Non-Profit umbrella organization that aims at improving the lives of reformed poachers and communities around Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park through provision of conservation incentives, supporting community enterprise development and livelihood based projects. It’s quite an exciting place where you will be guided around the place as you enjoy the Kinyarwanda traditions including the Intore dance, traditional ceremonies and a guided community walk.

Lastly, you will be transferred to your lodge at Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation: Bunyonyi View Resort

Meal plan: all meals and drinking water

Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Batwa Trail

After an early breakfast, you will be transferred to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park which is famous for the endangered mountain gorillas. This park has eight habituated groups that visitors are permitted to visit and another for scientists plus researchers.

On arrival, you will check into your lodge, have lunch and head out for the Batwa trail experience.You will get an opportunity to explore the culture and way of life of the local people (the Batwa).

Check out the curio shops, the children’s school among others. If you are a nature lover, you can try the other option being Muyanja river trail, where you can check out an array of bird life and butterflies.

Accommodation: Broadbill Forest Camp

Meal plan: all meals and drinking water

Day 7: Gorilla trekking experience

On this day, you will have an early breakfast and head to the park office headquarters with packed lunch for a vital briefing prior to the trekking of the gorillas in the thick impenetrable forest. You will get to spend an hour with the gorillas after having trekked for about 2-8 hours.

Afterwards, you will have your packed lunch and return to your lodge.

Lastly, you will have dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation: Broadbill Forest Camp

Meal plan: all meals and drinking water

Day 8: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park via Ishasha sector for tree climbing lions.

After an early breakfast, you will be transferred to Queen Elizabeth National park which is legendary for its tree climbing lions in the Ishasha sector.

On arrival, you will check into your lodge and have lunch. Later, you will head out for an evening game drive for wildlife viewing.

Lastly, you will have dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation: Simba Safari Camp

Meal plan: all meals and drinking water

Day 9: Morning game and afternoon boat cruise

On this day, you will have an early breakfast and then head out for an early morning game drive.

During your game drive in the plains of Kasenyi, you will see various savannah wildlife that may include herds of buffaloes, antelopes, elephants and if you are lucky, some wild cats such as lions and leopards.

In the afternoon, you will have lunch and then you will head out for a boat cruise where you will see hippos, elephants, buffaloes and Nile crocodiles.

Dinner and overnight: Simba Safari Lodge

Meal plan: all meals and drinking water

Day 10: Chimpanzee trekking in Kalinzu forest and visit to Katwe salt lake

This day will be an adventurous one, as you will be able to see humans’ closest cousins; the chimpanzees in Kalinzu forest. You will have a delicious breakfast and head out for a briefing session from our professional tour guides. You will then proceed to the forest for chimpanzee trekking. The forest is a habitat to over 300 chimpanzees and around 70 chimpanzee communities have been habituated for tourism purposes.

Chimpanzee trekking in Kalinzu forest takes 3 to 4 hours before you meet the chimpanzee community depending on the trail that you take. This is also because chimpanzees keep moving from one place to another in search for food.

After the exciting chimpanzee trekking experience, you will return to your lodge for lunch and relaxation.

In the afternoon, you will visit the Katwe salt lakes.

Lastly, you will have dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation: Simba Safari Lodge

Meal plan: all meals and drinking water

Day 11: Transfer to Fort Portal, visit to Amabere caves and the crater lakes hike

On this day, you will have an early breakfast and then embark on your journey to Fort Portal, the tourism city of Uganda. On your way, you will have a stop-over at Amabere caves (Amabere Ga Nyina Mwiru). These caves are a unique tourist attraction that are made of stalactites and stalagmites.

The name Amabere Ga Nyinamwiru is translated as the breasts of Nyina Mwiru and the caves are said to be a site that is full of historical stories which are highly valued by the locals.

You will also go for a crater lakes hike (to the nearby crater lakes), after lunch, before proceeding to your lodge.

Lastly, you will have dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation: Kalitusi Backpackers Hostel and Camp site

Meal plan: all meals and drinking water

Day 12: Visit to Semliki hot springs

Day 13: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park and top of the falls

On this day, you will wake up early in the morning to start your safari. You will take breakfast and set off for Murchison Falls National Park with a stop over for lunch. When you reach your lodge, you will check in and head out for the top of the falls experience.

Dinner and overnight stay: Red Chilli Rest Camp

Meal plan: all meals and drinking water

Day 14: Game drive and boat cruise

After taking a hot cup of tea / coffee, you will leave for an early morning game drive in search of the early morning risers. You will look for buffaloes, oribi, elephants, hyenas, Rothschild giraffes, lions, Kobs and waterbucks as well as birds. Head back and rest at the lodge until lunch time. In the afternoon, you will go for a Boat ride along the Victoria Nile to the base of the falls. This Boat ride on River Nile goes for 3 hours and you will be able to see Nile crocodiles, numerous hippos, buffaloes, elephants as well as various bird species. Return for dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.

Accommodation: Red Chilli Rest Camp

Meal plan: all meals and drinking water

Day 15: Transfer to Kampala via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

On this day, you will wake up early in the morning to start your safari. You will take breakfast and set off for Murchison Falls National Park. You will stop just before reaching Murchison falls to visit the Ziwa Rhino sanctuary.

White Rhinos became extinct in Uganda’s national parks in 1980. The few that had remained where transferred to the sanctuary for better protection. There are about 18 rhinos in the sanctuary at the moment and there is a plan to reintroduce them in Uganda’s game parks in the future.Lunch will be at the sanctuary before proceeding

Day 16: City tour and transfer to Entebbe International Airport

Depending on your flight schedule/arrival time, you may first proceed to Kampala where you will engage in a city tour to experience the beauty of the city and its culture.

You will visit different places around Kampala such as: Gadhafi Mosque, Rubaga Cathedral, and the Kings Palace. You will also get a taste of Ugandan cuisines at a Restaurant in the city in the company of your guide. Later you will be driven to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

INCLUDES

• Park fees (For non-residents)
• All permits (chimpanzee, gorilla permits)
• All activities (Unless labelled as optional)
• All accommodation (Unless listed as upgrade)
• A professional driver/guide
• All transportation (Unless labelled as optional)
• All Taxes/VAT
• Round-trip airport transfer
• Meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)
• Drinking water (On all days)

EXCLUDES

• International flights (From/to home)
• Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
• Tips (Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp. per day)
• Personal items (Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
• Extra drinks like wines
• Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees