16 Days Explore Uganda And Rwanda Wildlife Safari

• Rwanda
• Uganda

Summary: Gorilla trekking, Chimps trekking, Game-drive and Boat-cruise Accommodation level: Midrange Accommodation. National Parks included: Ziwa Rhino Camp, Murchison Falls National Park, hike to the top of River Nile Falls, Kibale National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park including River Kagera, Lake Kivu, Memorial Rwanda, Nyungwe forest and the volcanoes. 

DAY 1: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park

Arrive at Entebbe Airport in the morning at 8:00am, our guide will pick you up, go for refreshment at a nearby hotel or mall and drive to Murchison through Kampala capital city. Pass by Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for amazing Rhinos, have lunch and proceed to Murchison falls national park, have evening tea as you wait for dinner. Overnight at the Lodge (Full board).

DAY 2: Game drive and boat cruise Murchison falls

After breakfast at 8:00am, start your game drive with prospects to see giraffes, elephants, hartebeests, antelopes, lions, Uganda kobs and many others. Come back to the lodge for lunch, and then take a launch cruise along the Nile River, one of the interesting attractions of a visit to the park. Have a short trek at the Bottom of the thundering falls where you will view crocodiles, a variety of water birds like herons and Kingfishers, schools of hippos, elephants and buffaloes. Overnight Stay at the (Full board).

DAY 3: Transfer to Kibale National Park

Take your breakfast and drive into Kibale Forest National Park to hike. A guide will enlighten you on the primates you are to see as well as the forest plants and animals. This morning hike will expose your eyes to chimpanzees, phoestes, red-colobuses and red-tailed and grey cheeked Manga-beys. Return to the lodge for lunch and in the afternoon, visit Bigodi swamp, an astonishing place to watch rare and gorgeous flora and fauna. All day drive south via Hoima to Fort Portal through verdant countryside and past traditional homesteads and farms along Albertine Rift escarpments. Fort-Portal rests in the shadow of the fabled Mountains of the Moon. Overnight at the (Full board).

DAY 4: Chimps tracking Kibale National Park

Take your breakfast and drive into Kibale Forest National Park to hike. A guide will enlighten you on the primates you are to see as well as the forest plants and animals. This morning hike will expose your eyes to chimpanzees, phoestes, red-colobuses and red-tailed and grey cheeked Manga-beys. Return to the lodge for lunch and in the afternoon, visit Bigodi swamp, an astonishing place to watch rare and gorgeous flora and fauna. Dinner and overnight at Rwenzori View Guest House (Full board: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner).

DAY 5: Transfer to Bwindi National Forest

Start the day with Breakfast. Go for a game drive through Queen Elizabeth National Park where you will see tree climbing Lions on the Ishasha side of the park, Elephants, Leopards, Buffaloes, Hyenas and an assortment of antelope types on your way to Bwindi National Forest and lunch will be served on your way. Overnight: At the hotel (Full board).

DAY 6: Gorilla tracking day

Have breakfast and go for Gorilla tracking. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park inhabits almost half of the world’s 650 mountain gorillas. Start climbing early with a tracker even though seeing gorillas depends on their day’s movements. Gorillas are naturally reserved and non-violent animals. And it’s a memorable and thrilling moment to watch them and possibly photograph these mild giants at a close range. Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation. Overnight and dinner at the Lodge (Full board).

DAY 7: Transfer to Kigali Rwanda

After breakfast, you will start the journey to Kigali. It is about a 2 hour drive, on reaching Kigali you will visit the genocide memorial site and after have lunch and go for a city tour. Kigali is a beautiful city, with many hills and beautiful places to see.  Overnight at the Hotel

Day 8: Transfer to Akagera National Park

The beautiful Akagera National Park is in the eastern part of Rwanda and has been upgraded to a Big five status. It is home to big game and the only savanna park in the country.  Arrive in time for lunch and then check in at your lodge. After lunch, have a game drive to the southern circuit near Lake Ihema to see various animals like Zebras, elephants, crocs and Impalas, and others. You will later return to your lodge for dinner and the overnight at the Lodge

Day 9: Morning game drive and boat cruise on Lake Ihema

Early morning after breakfast, leave for a morning game drive, you will drive to the northern section of the park and get a chance to encounter the early risers returning from or they hunt.  While on the game drive, you see various animals such as bush bucks, lions, giraffes, antelopes plus zebras, among others. You will after return for lunch at the lodge and to rest.

After lunch enjoy a boat cruise on the beautiful lake Ihema, to see hippos, crocodiles plus various bird species in addition to other animals at a distance away. This will be a very relaxed experience to view wildlife. Later have dinner and overnight at your lodge at the Lodge

Day 10: Transfer to Nyungwe National park

After a heavy breakfast, drive to Nyungwe National Park. This journey is very interesting with several stopovers at Butare museum as well as Nyanza museum. In addition you will have an opportunity to take beautiful pictures and be informed about fascinating Rwanda culture. After lunch you will continue to the park where you will arrive in the late evening and check in at your lodge. Overnight at the Lodge

Day 11: Chimps tracking and evening forest walk

After an early breakfast continue to the park headquarters where you will be briefed about the chimpanzee tracking rules. You will be led by a ranger and guides into the forest for an encounter with these primates. This encounter is stunning as you move through the jungle, you’ll get an opportunity to see them personally going about their day to day activities; playing, feeding and as well as resting. You will be in position to take several photographs. At the end of the trek, you will head back for lunch at the lodge. After lunch you will go for the magnificent forest canopy walk, which is properly constructed to provide you a clearer view of the various primates, birds and waterfalls. It is a very memorable lifetime experience. Return for dinner and the overnight at the Lodge

Day 12: Transfer to Lake Kivu

After breakfast, the driver guide will transfer you to Lake Kivu. Lake Kivu is Rwanda’s largest lake and Part of Africa’s Great Rift Valley, Lake Kivu in the west of Rwanda is surrounded by magnificent mountains and has deep emerald green waters covering a surface area of 2,700 km2. You will drive through the dirty trail- The Congo Nile Trail alongside the lake. On arrival you will check in at your lodge, have lunch and relax. After lunch you will do a boat cruise on Lake Kivu and visit the different islands on the lake. After return to the lodge for a relaxed evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 13: Transfer to Volcanos National Park

After breakfast you shall drive northeast to the town of Musanze close to the Virunga Volcano range. Here you will visit the Rwanda’s Musanze caves which date back 65 million years and lay within the volcanic region where lava flow layers long ago created the Albertine Rift Valley. The caves offer easy hiking 2 kilometers in distance and have brilliant views of cascading lights from the surface, unique rock formations, and a colony of bats. You will have lunch and then continue you journey to Volcanoes national park. Overnight at the Hotel

Day 14: Gorilla tracking day

After an early breakfast proceed to the park headquarters for a briefing regarding gorilla trekking by the park rangers. You will hike through the forest looking for mountain gorillas. Some amount of physical fitness is needed during this activity since it involves a lot of climb hills. The experience is tedious but impressive when you finally face the mountain gorillas. You’ll see them in families as they go about their day-to-day routine activities; mothers caring for the young, playing as well as feeding. You are required to maintain a distance while you watch them, make sure to turn off the flash of your camera as you take pictures and also keep silent. Gorilla Trekking takes approximately two to eight hours. After the tracking, return to the lodge and relax. Overnight at the Hotel

Day 15: Diane Fossey Grave trial and cultural encounter

After an early breakfast, set out to the park headquarters for a briefing and get a guide that will lead you on the walk to the Diane Fossey grave. You will head to Karisoke Research Center, to visit the grave of Dian Fossey -an American primatologist who entirely devoted her life on safeguarding the lives of mountain gorillas and later laid to rest next to Digit, mountain gorillas she really loved. Return to Dine and slumber at your lodge of choice. After lunch visit the Iby’Iwachu Cultural Village which relies on tourism to support itself. Many of the locals are former poachers who now share their traditional rural culture and livelihoods and educate visitors. You will get to tour the village with a local, hear local songs, see different traditional dances, prepare food with a family, and visit a healer and the king’s palace. Overnight at the Hotel

Day 16: Transfer to Kigali and departure

Have early morning breakfast and you will be transferred by your driver/guide back to Kigali. After lunch your driver will transfer you in time to catch your flight back home.

End of Safari.