9 Days Uganda-Rwanda Safari

Overview

This 9 days Uganda-Rwanda safari will take you to the Kibale national park the primate capital of the world where you will be able to look at several primates including the chimpanzees, you can visit the Isunga cultural tour for any of the activities listed below, queen Elizabeth national park for a game drive in savanna grasslands where you will look at elephants, hippos and you will also look at the rare tree-climbing lions at Ishasha sector.

Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park, boat cruise at lake Kivu is the best for relaxing your minds after a long trek for mountain gorillas and golden monkeys in volcanoes national park.

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Uganda at Entebbe international airport

You will arrive at Entebbe international airport in Uganda whereby you will be welcomed by our driver guide who is going to drive you to the booked hotel in Kampala where you will spend your first night. Have an option of night walk where you will have an experience of night clubbing, casinos, massage and many more others.

Day 2: Depart to Kibale national park and Isunga community tour

Be served a delicious breakfast in the morning at your hotel and immediately your driver-guide will pick you up and drive you to Kibale national park the primate capital of the world, using the Kampala-Mityana-Kyegegwa-Fort portal highway. It will take you 5 hours’ drive to reach the agreed lodge where you will have your lunch. Have different stopovers like one in Mubende town for refreshments, another one in the forest like Kibale for primate watching on the way and another one in Fort portal town for lunch and tea plantation viewing.

In the evening after relaxation and lunch, you will visit Isunga community where you can opt to do various activities like hiking to top of the world, tea and coffee experience, cultural encounter of the Bakiga and Batooro among others and then go back to the lodge.

Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking and depart to Queen Elizabeth national park

Chimpanzee trekking will start with breakfast early in the morning and then you will move to the park headquarters for the permits which are like cards that allows you to go for the experience thereafter you will meet the park ranger guide who will take you through a short briefing about the dos and don’ts while in the forest. You will head to the tropical rainforests of Kibale national park to trek for the chimpanzees and then when found, you will be allowed to spend one hour in their presence as you will be watching them play, feed, and groom each other among other behaviors of chimpanzees. You will not only see chimpanzees but also other primates like red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys and many others. After the experience, you will go back to the lodge for lunch and then transfer to Uganda’s most popular and diverse national park which is Queen Elizabeth.

Day 4: Morning game drive in savanna plains and boat cruise on Kazinga channel

Be served with a heavy breakfast and then go for a morning game drive in the savannah grasslands of Queen Elizabeth through the Kasenyi plains which will offer you a greater view of wild animals like leopards, hyaenas, elephants, a lot of birds over 600 species among other attractions. After a game drive, transfer to the lodge for lunch as you warn up for an evening boat cruise at the Kazinga channel. The game drive will last for 2 to 3 hours but very rewarding since you will be able to enjoy the sunrise moments. The evening boat cruise at Kazinga channel which connects lake Edward and George is the best way of viewing the hippos at the river banks, elephants, crocodiles, antelopes and several others. Not only the wild animals but also water birds that migrate to the Kazinga channel during the breeding season. These two activities offer you a good photographic view of the whole game, Retreat to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 5: Drive to Bwindi national park with the game drive in Ishasha sector

Wake up early in the morning have your breakfast and your driver-guide will pick you up and drive you to the Ishasha sector which is famously known for homing the rare tree- climbing lions and you have high chances of looking at these loins resting in the tree branches. Also expect to see hippos, buffaloes and a variety, game drive will end but memories will remain forever. go to the lodge for lunch and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park.

Day 6: Gorilla trekking and transfer to Volcanoes National Park

Have your breakfast at the lodge and then transfer to the park headquarters where you will meet the ranger guide who will brief you and then immediately set off for the experience which will take you some hours looking for a gorilla family and if found you will be allowed to stay in their presence for one hour as learn their lifestyle and taking photos as well. The age allowed to trek these mountain gorillas is 15 years and above. You will not only look at these apes but also the park has 200 tree species, 310 species of butterflies,357 bird species, and 120 mammal species available for you. After a long trek, you will go for lunch at the lodge and then transfer to volcanoes national park in Rwanda crossing through Cyanika border.

Day 7: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park

Wake up in the morning, have your breakfast and head to the park headquarters where the mountain gorilla trekking experience starts with a briefing from the park ranger guide who will then lead you to the forest for the experience which normally takes several hours looking for them as they tend to move high in the mountain but when found, you will be guaranteed one hour with them or in their presence while watching over their  behaviors.

There is a lot to explore in the jungle such as the vegetation cover giving a great scenery, small primates such as colobus monkeys, and varvet monkeys, and if you are lucky enough, meet the rare golden monkeys.

Day 8: Golden monkey trekking and head to Lake Kivu for boat cruise 

The golden monkey trekking experience is also another amazing experience you should not miss while in volcanoes national park because these rare primates can only be found in here or Mgahinga national park in Uganda. You will also spend one hour following these primates, watching them jump from one tree to another, grooming themselves and feeding as well. Then you will retreat to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, go for an evening boat cruise at lake Kivu and enjoy seeing the locals fishing, look at different flora and fauna from both Rwanda and Congo and birds among others. go to the lodge for dinner and trans night stay

Day 9: Kigali for a city tour and departure

This will mark the end of your 9 days Uganda-Rwanda safari where you will wake up in the morning, have breakfast and then go for a city tour around the capital city of Rwanda - Kigali.

Have a look at some remains of victims of genocide, you can also opt to go for the cultural encounter of the Rwandese not forgetting to visit a nearby craft for souvenirs. You can have your lunch in this city before proceeding to the airport to fly back to your home country.