Taste the adventure across Rwanda and Uganda in these well balanced 16 days of safari. From Africa’s oldest natural rainforest in Nyungwe to the Virunga ranges in Volcanoes national park to Bwindi and the savannah parks of Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls. Enjoy activities on the Great River Nile as you end your tour.
Arrival at Kigali International Airport (Google Map)
Departure from Entebbe International Airport (Google Map)
On arrival to Kigali, you will meet our tour representative who will thereafter transfer you to a hotel for an overnight stay on Bed and Breakfast. Depending on your arrival time, we may have a city tour of Kigali where we may visit the genocide memorial centre at Gisozi as well as the local craft markets. Accommodation will be at Lemigo Hotel Kigali with breakfast inclusive.
Accommodation: Lemigo Hotel
Meal plan: Breakfast
After breakfast, head to Nyungwe National Park, en-route to visit Nyanza palace. Nyungwe forest is located in the southern corner of Rwanda and has got a vast virgin tropical rain forest with a high, dense canopy that harbours about 310 different bird species, hundreds of butterflies and orchids, and over 75 different species of mammals – including 13 primates (about a quarter of all Africa’s primates) as the chimpanzees. Dinner and overnight at Nyungwe Top view lodge (FB).
Accommodation:Top view Hill Hotel
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Chimpanzees in the Nyungwe forest live in extended communities and move around every day, foraging for food or occasionally hunting smaller mammals. Chimpanzee tracking can last for between an hour to three depending on the location of the chimpanzees. You will spend a maximum of one hour interacting, photographing and observing the animals.
After lunch, you will undertake a thrilling canopy walk in the Nyungwe forest.
Accommodation: Top view Hill Hotel
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, you shall begin your journey to Volcanoes national park. Enjoy the spectacular views of hills and misty valleys on your way. Situated in the far northwest of Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park protects the steep slopes of this magnificent mountain range – home of the endangered mountain gorilla. You will check into your accommodation, have dinner and relax in preparation for activities of the next day.
Accommodation: Mt. Gorilla Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Golden monkeys in Rwanda live in the bamboo vegetation towards the base of the volcanoes. Habituation has helped them to overcome their initial shyness to accept their daily visits by researchers and tourists. Trekking golden monkeys and gorillas is a similar experience – in a small group of no more than eight people, and you can spend one hour with the monkeys once you find them. The endangered species are very active creatures, and jump from tree to tree which is interesting and a little difficult to photograph!
Accommodation: Mt. Gorilla Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
In the morning after breakfast, you will be transferred to Bwindi impenetrable national park across the border into Uganda. Enjoy numerous photography stops along the way. At Bwindi, you shall check in for dinner and overnight at your lodge to prepare for the next day’s activities.
Accommodation: Haven Buhoma Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, you will set off to the park headquarters with your packed lunch. You will meet rangers who will separate you into different groups based on the Gorilla family you have been allocated to track; you will then follow the Gorilla trails with your ranger and start the Gorilla tracking activity. During the Gorilla tracking experience, you may also encounter other different primate species. Once the Gorillas have been tracked, you will be given an hour with the Gorillas taking pictures and videos. Dinner and overnight stay will be at Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge in Bwindi.
Accommodation: Haven Buhoma Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
You will start this day by driving to the Ishasha sector where you will have a game drive searching for the tree-climbing lions. The game drive provides an opportunity to look out for more inhabitants of the park. Afterwards, you will proceed with your journey to the northern sector of Queen Elizabeth national park. Check-in for dinner and overnight at your accommodation.
Accommodation: Marafiki Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
You will start this day with an early morning game drive in the park, looking for different animal and bird species. This park hosts a variety of wildlife that includes buffaloes, kobs, and elephants, Waterbucks, as well as different bird species. Later in the afternoon, you will go for a boat cruise after your lunch. The boat cruise at the Kazinga channel takes you through possibly the highest concentration of hippos, crocodile and different bird species. You will also see many elephants and buffaloes drinking at the water’s edges. You will return to the lodge afterwards.
Accommodation: Marafiki Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
You will set off for Kibale forest national park in the morning. This park also boasts the highest concentration of primates than any other park in the world. You will pass through a beautiful crater lakes’ region where you will take leisurely walks and photography.
Accommodation: Kibale Forest camp
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Kanyanchu tourist centre for briefing before proceeding with chimpanzee tracking. Aside from the Chimpanzees, the incredibly diverse forest is home to over 13 species of primates including the rare L’Hoest, red Colobus monkey, blue monkey, black-faced vervet monkeys, grey mangabey, pottos, baboons and also bush babies. Kibale forest has a network of shady flora trails that provide much to delight botanists and butterfly lovers, while birders are in for a treat with about 335 species recorded including the endemic Prirogrine’s ground thrush.
In the afternoon, you will be transferred to Bigodi wetlands for the swamp walk and birding experience. You may encounter different bird species including the rare papyrus Gonolek that may be spotted. Dinner and overnight stay will be at Kibale Forest Camp (FB).
Accommodation: Kibale Forest camp
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, you will head to Murchison falls. The park offers a lot of activities which include a launch trip the delta boat cruise which allows you to view the magnificent waterfalls. Along the way, you will see numerous tea plantations and you may stop at any for photography.
Accommodation: Murchison River Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, you will head to the park for the game drive. You will have an opportunity of viewing different animals which include elephants, warthogs, zebras, hypos to mention but a few. After lunch, you will proceed for the boat cruise to the bottom of the falls with chances of meeting many animal species along the banks of the Nile River. You will thereafter proceed for the top of the falls hike to the point where the Nile River explodes violently forming a very powerful waterfall. Dinner and overnight stay will be at Murchison River Lodge (FB).
Accommodation: Murchison River Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After your morning breakfast, you will meet your safari guide and start a drive to Jinja. Along the way, you will pass via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a Rhino tracking experience. After the experience, you will proceed to Jinja. Upon arrival, you will check in to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay (Full board basis).
Accommodation: Papyrus Guest House
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Early in the morning you will proceed to the rafting point and start the thrilling activity. After lunch, you will check out of the lodge and head to Jinja town for a city tour which shall end with a boat ride to the source of the Nile. Afterwards, you will drive to Entebbe.
Accommodation: Papyrus Guest House
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Depending on your scheduled departure flight, you shall be transferred to the airport to catch your flight to the next destination. In case you have late flights, you may partake of optional activities around Entebbe which include; a visit to the botanical gardens, a visit to the Mabamba swamp and Ngamba islands.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch
