10 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari

The main activities are:

1. Visiting Ziwa Rhino sanctuary and game drives at Murchison Falls National Park
2. Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale forest national park
3. Visiting the Bigodi swamp
4. Game Drives at Murchison Falls national park and Queen Elizabeth
5. Launch cruise along the Kazinga channel
6. Visiting Lake Bunyonyi
7. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable forest park
8. Gorilla Trekking in the Volcanoes National Park
9. Golden monkey tracking in Rwanda’s Volcanoes national park
10. Tour of Kigali and visit to one of the genocide war memorial centers

Day 1: Airport Pickup on arrival – transfer to your hotel in Entebbe or Kampala

Our guide will be waiting to receive you at the airport in Entebbe with your name on a card. Depending on your arrival time, you will be transferred to a hotel in Entebbe or Kampala. If time permits or if you arrive early in the day, you could have a tour of Entebbe or Kampala.

Dinner and overnight at Kampala Serena hotel (luxury), 2 Friends Beach Hotel (budget), Malakai Eco Lodge (Budget) or hotel Triangle (budget)

Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park – track Rhinos at the Ziwa sanctuary
You will set off early after breakfast for Murchison Falls national park. Along the way, you will stop at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary just before the Murchison Falls National Park. The sanctuary was established to save Uganda’s last Rhinos. Rhinos do not roam freely in Uganda’s parks due to prolonged and uncontrolled poaching. Once their numbers increase, there is a plan to reintroduce them to Uganda’s major national parks.  Rhino tracking is the main activity but you can also go on a boat ride or spot crocodiles, birds and small primates.  After touring the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, you will have lunch at Amuka lodge before proceeding to Murchison falls national park. Once you reach the park, you will drive to the top of the falls and experience the amazing sights and sounds of the roaring river Nile.

Dinner and Overnight will be at Paraa Safari Lodge (luxury), Pakuba Lodge (mid-range) and Red Chili Rest Camp (budget).

Day 3: Early morning Game drive and a boat cruise

You will wake up early to take your breakfast and be driven to the southern banks of the river Nile. This morning drive will provide you with opportunities to spot four of the big five – Lions, buffaloes, Leopards and Elephants. You will also see Hyena, Bushbucks, Jackals, the Uganda Kob and the Hartebeest among many other great creatures. You will head back to the lodge for lunch, rest and then go for the launch cruise at the bottom of the falls. As you pass by the river banks, look out for one of the world’s largest concentration of hippos and crocodiles. Bird watching is a great activity here with some rare species like the Saddle-billed Stork, African Skimmer, shoebill stork, Grey-crowned Crane, Goliath Heron, Black-headed Gonolek and the Fish Eagle and Long-toed Plover among many others.

Overnight will be at Paraa Safari Lodge (luxury), Pakuba Lodge (mid-range) and Red Chili Rest Camp (budget).

Day 4: Transfer to Kibale National Park – Visit the Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary

You should rise up early to take your breakfast as you wait to start the long journey to Kibale National Park. Our guide/driver will start the journey from Murchison Falls national park to Kibale National park using a different route. Use this time to admire Uganda’s beautiful countryside, changing landscape, small towns, lakes, rivers, forest and the local people working in their gardens. You will stop along the way for lunch and reach Kibale forest in the afternoon. After checking in to your hotel, you will head out to visit the Bigodi Wetlands sanctuary for a chance to see primates, birds and visit the local community.

Dinner and overnight at Kyaninga Lodge (luxury), Primates lodge luxury tents (luxury), Primates Lodge Deluxe (Mid-range) or Chimpanzee Guest House (budget).

Day 5: Chimpanzee tracking at Kibale  and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
You will wake up to take a quick cup of coffee, then head for the Kibale national park headquarters for briefing. The briefing is basically about what you should expect during your chimpanzee tracking adventure, what to bring with you and how to behave once you spot the chimpanzee. chimp trekking usually takes between  3 to 5 hours. It is a different experience from gorilla trekking because the chimps spend more time on top of all trees. Chimpanzee tracking is also more demanding physically. Whereas it is easy to find them, you need to move faster to keep up with them. After spending an hour with the chimps, you will head back to your lodge for lunch and rest before embarking on a 2 hours’ drive to Queen Elizabeth national park.

Overnight stay at Mweya Safari Lodge (luxury), Ihamba Lodge / Park view lodge (mid-range) and Simba safari camp (budget).

Day 6: Game drive and boat cruise at the Kazinga Channel

After resting early yesterday, you should wake looking forward to today’s interesting activities. Our diver will pick you up after breakfast for an early morning game drive. The game is done very early in the morning to allow you see some of the nocturnal animals going back to their dens after a night of hunting. Expect to see the big cats and birds waking up from their sleep. As the day proceeds, you should see hippos, buffaloes, lions, hartebeests and a great collection of birds. Afterwards return for lunch and rest at the lodge. At 2.00pm, you will go for the boat cruise at the Kazinga channel. The channel connects Lake George to Lake Edward and attracts most of the park animals especially during the dry season. Watch as predators and prey come for a drink or marvel the amazing bird collection.

Dinner and overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge (luxury), Ihamba Lodge / Park view lodge (mid-range) or Simba safari camp (budget).

Day 7: Visit to Lake Bunyonyi  – Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Park
After the previous day’s activities, it’s time to spend the whole day relaxing and exploring one of Africa’s most naturally beautiful places – Lake Bunyonyi. The lake has about 29 islands allowing visitors tour some of them. Nature has blessed the area with a beautiful green environment and romantic beaches which you can explore using a boat. If you love birds, you will be amazed by the sheer abundance of different species. If birding is not your thing, you can just spend time lazing around the beach as you watch the local people row their boats or catch fish. Lake Bunyonyi is an excellent place for relaxation after or in the middle of a long safari in Uganda. After spending time at the lake, the driver will transfer you to Bwindi impenetrable forest park to prepare for gorilla trekking.

Dinner and overnight at Chameleon Hill Lodge (luxury), Bakiga Lodge (Mid-range) and Tarvan Trekkers Bwindi (Budget).

Day 8: Mountain gorilla trekking at Bwindi – Transfer to Volcanoes National Park Rwanda

You will wake up very early, take breakfast and be taken to the park offices for registration and briefing. The briefing covers information about the park, what to expect and the gorilla groups in Bwindi. Gorilla groups are allocated based on level of fitness, preference and age. One done with the briefing, you will be offered a hiking stick and led into the forest to locate the primates. Gorilla tracking is an interesting and adventurous activity. It takes you through dense forest, shrub, muddy areas before suddenly finding the gorilla group. Take as many photos as you can as you will only be with the family for one hour. You will then be offered a certificate of participation before being driven back to the lodge for lunch and rest. After resting and checking out, you should prepare late afternoon journey to the Volcanoes National park in Rwanda.

You will sleep and have Dinner at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Luxury), Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (Mid-range) and Garden Place Hotel (Budget).

Day 9: Second Gorilla Trekking at the Volcanoes national park –  Visit the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village

Briefing for gorilla trekking at the Volcanoes national park starts at around 7:00am. We encourage you to wake up very early and take breakfast as you wait to be picked up by the Guide. There are about 10 gorilla families in Rwanda. The allocation of gorilla groups is based on overall fitness of participants.  While in the forest tracking mountain gorillas, always listen and follow instructions given by your guides. Do not make sudden movements and only take photos when you are cleared to do so. After gorilla tracking in Rwanda, you will head back to the starting point where you will find our Guide waiting to take you back to the lodge for lunch and rest. Later in the afternoon, the Guide will take you to visit the Gorilla Guardians Village. This center showcases the cultural heritage of the Banyarwanda. It’s a well-organized center and tourists do not just sit and watch. They are invited to participate in the presentations and are allowed to dress in the local costumes to take photos.

Dinner at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Luxury), Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (Mid-range) and Garden Place Hotel (Budget).

Day 10: Golden monkey tracking – Kigali City tour –  Departure

Wake up early and take breakfast before going for another briefing for golden monkey tracking. Golden monkeys are very cute primates but endangered. They are very playful and move in large troops. Their gold coats make them very distinct from all other primates in the park. As you track them, expect to spot the other primates along the trails. Afterwards, our guide will take you back to the hotel for checkout before starting the journey to Kigali. The journey will take 3 hours but you will be amazed by the beautiful rolling hills, green scenery and tea plantations in Rwanda – Rwanda is indeed a land of a thousand hills. Lunch will be along the way. Once you reach Kigali, you will be taken for a tour of the neat and organized Kigali city. This visit involves visiting the genocide war memorial centers. Afterwards, you will be dropped off at the airport or a hotel in Kigali.

End of Tour

The safari quote will include:-

1. A Full-Time English speaking Guide/Driver and an official vehicle
2. Fuel for your safari
3. Gorilla Permits
4. Chimpanzee Permits
5. Golden Monkey Permits
6. Lunches
7. Park entrance fees
8. Ziwa Rhino fees
9. Bottled drinking water
10. Pickup from Entebbe and drop-off in Kigali
11. Kigali city Tour

The safari will exclude air tickets, visas, personal expenses and insurance.

You will need suitable hiking shoes, cotton gloves and a raincoat. Come with enough drinking water and light snack from your lodge. Do not forget to hire the servers of porters to help you with any extra luggage. By hiring their services, you help them take care of their families. Some are students looking for school fees.

Gorilla trekking can be made more enjoyable if you: –

1. Are physically fit
2. Have good footwear to help you navigate through difficult terrain.
3. Plan for the possibility of heavy rain
4. Bring along drinking water and light snack
5. Tip the guides, wardens and porters to encourage them. $15 is the recommended tip but you can convert it into the local currency.

You should also take note that: –

1. The itinerary includes accommodation and dinner on arrival
2. The minimum age for gorilla trekking and chimpanzee tacking is 15 years
3. Clients should ensure that they have checked the visa and inoculation requirements
4. Ensure that you check for information about visas in all transit points
5. You are required to have a yellow fever immunization card to enter Uganda and Rwanda
6. Online Visa Application is necessary before travel.

Malakai Eco Lodge: This budget lodge is located along the Entebbe to Kampala road. From the airport, it takes about 20 minutes to reach the quiet and pristine surroundings of the lodge.  The rooms are built in form of stone huts and all face the beautiful garden. Meals are served from an open air restaurant positioned in the middle of beautiful gardens with colorful floors and trees.  Other amenities include a swimming pool, a gym, fish ponds, herbal/willingness clinic, water fountains and, 24-hour security and reading platforms.

Primate Lodge Kibale: Primate lodge is one of the best luxury lodges in Kibale National Park. The lodge is tucked in a dense forest close to the point where chimpanzee tracking starts. 9 spacious and self-contained cottages offering great privacy are available for guests. Each cottage has a large bed, sitting room, a reading table, comfortable chairs and a balcony with great views of the forest. The lodge also has special cottages for honeymooners and families. Other amenities include, a lounge area with a library, laundry services, room service, free Wi-Fi, campfire, a bar and restaurant. If you are looking for a lodge with high quality services, furniture and that also offers that jungle feeling, then Primate Lodge is the place to be. They also have great food.

The Garden Palace: The garden palace is a budget hotel located in Ruhengeri/Musanze. The hotel has 28 rooms. 17 are double rooms, 9 are standard rooms and 2 are for VIPS. All rooms are self-contained. The double and standard rooms each have modern bathrooms, hot showers, a telephone, a television screen, hair dryers and a verandah with beautiful views. The VIP rooms are a different thing all together. Each VIP rooms has its own kitchen, microwave, refrigerator, sink and coffee pot. Wi-Fi is available and free for all guests. Companies planning to organize workshops can expect a modern PA system, conference rooms, quality furniture and a business center. The chefs are very experienced and well trained as are the waiters. Other amenities include a bar, restaurant, free parking space, an onsite shop, a Children’s playground, housekeeping, a beautiful garden, swimming pool, beauty shop, shuttle services, a tennis court, bicycle rentals and airport transfers.