The 12 Days Kenya Uganda and Rwanda Safari is a Primates, wildlife and Big Five Combo, designed to allow you to experience the Primate Safari – Golden monkey tracking, Chimpanzee tracking and mountain gorilla trekking, a wildlife viewing in the best national park, and cultural experience of the most famous cultures in East Africa. This 12 Days Kenya Uganda and Rwanda starts in Kenya – Masai mara national reserve in Kenya which borders Serengeti national park in Tanzania. There you will experience the wildebeest migration the Big 5 game, the wild cats such as the cheetah, leopards and lions. Masai Mara is best visited in June, July and August for the wildebeest migration, however, other animals like the big 5 are available throughout the year. Finally, end your safari with visiting Lake Nakuru national park – home to the flamingo birds and black and white rhinos.
Thereafter, you will drive to cross the Uganda – Kenya border through the immigration to enter Uganda. It’s in Uganda you will enjoy the Primates tours visiting the Chimpanzees in Kibale forest national park and Mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable national park.
Finally, cross to Rwanda – also known as a country of a thousand hills where you will experience and learn more about the genocide that caused a lot of damage to Rwanda as a country, visit the Volcanoes national park which is a home of the mountain gorillas and Golden monkeys in Rwanda.
Safari Highlight
Day 1: Transfer to Masai Mara – evening game drive
Day 2: Full day game drive – Masai Mara plains
Day 3: Masai Community tour – Transfer to Nakuru national park – afternoon/evening Game drive
Day 4: Full day Nakuru national park
Day 5: Transfer to Kampala (Uganda) via Busiya Border
Day 6: Transfer to Kibale National Park – Bigodi swamp
Day 7: Chimpanzee trekking
Day 8: Transfer to Bwindi forest national park via Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 9: Gorilla trekking experience and Batwa community tour
Day 10: Transfer to Volcanoes national park – Rwanda
Day 11: Golden monkey tracking and cultural Rwanda tour
Day 12: Transfer to Kigali – Departure
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Transfer to Masai Mara – evening game drive
Depending on your location in Nairobi, or upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta international airport, you will be met by your safari guide to embark on your drive to Masai Mara National Game Reserve. It’s about 6-7 hours’ drive with en-route and drive through Narok area where you visit the Masai market. Proceed to enter your park to check-in at your lodge. Dinner and overnight at Zebra Plains Lodge for mid-range/Mara Sentrim Lodge for Budget/Neptune Mara Rianta Luxury Lodge for luxury
Day 2: Full day game drive – Masai Mara plains
Wake up early in the morning, have breakfast and grab your packed lunch and meet your safari driver to head to the plains of Maasai Mara for a full day adventure in this stunning savanna vegetation of Masai Mara as you watch many animals in large numbers such as lions, elephants, cheetahs, leopards, wildebeests, zebras and many more. You will enjoy your picnic lunch and proceed for a game drive until the sun goes down. In the evening you will head back to your lodge, have dinner and stay overnight at lodge as above
Optional activity; Hot air balloon – Wake early and be picked up by the air balloon team for your hot air balloon safari which starts in the early morning, just in time for sunrise. For about one hour you will be floating peacefully above the ground, with a bird’s eye view of the African bush below. The capacity for this activity is limited making this a very special and exclusive experience. Breakfast will be provided and thereafter connect back to the lodge.
Day 3: Masai Community tour – Transfer to Nakuru national park – afternoon/evening Game drive
After breakfast, check-out of the lodge to visit the a Maasai village/Masai Loita Hills for a cultural experience. On this experience, you will enjoy getting a deeper insight into the Maasai culture by interacting with the local Maasai people, be entertained by local dancers, drama and Maasai warriors; buy local Maasai items such as local Maasai Shukas, beautifully made accessories such as necklaces and earrings and taste local cuisines.
Thereafter, transfer to Lake Nakuru national park. It’s about 4-5 hours’ drive with en-route lunch. Proceed to enter the park in the afternoon game drive. Lake Nakuru national park is known for its large numbers of flamingo birds. In addition, home to the famous black and white rhinos. On a lucky afternoon/evening, you will also enjoy views of animals like the lions, leopards, hyenas and different antelope species. Later evening, drive to your lodge for check-in, dinner and overnight stay at Punda Milia Tented camp for budget/Lake Nakuru Safari Lodge for mid-range/Sarova Lion Hill Lodge for luxury
Day 4: Full day Nakuru national park
Wake up early, enjoy breakfast and connect for an early morning game drive to explore more of the park’s beauty. During the game drive spot animals like the lions, leopards, hyenas and different antelope species. Later afternoon drive to lake Nakuru and enjoy the views of huge numbers of flamingo birds on the lake shores and other bird species. In addition to the bird life of the park, explore the park’s wildlife spotting animals like the black and white rhinos, buffaloes, giraffes, impalas and zebras. Before night fall return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 5: Transfer to Kampala (Uganda) via Busiya Border
Early morning breakfast at your camp, check out of the lodge and park and drive to cross over to Uganda via Busiya border. Upon arrival at the border, clear with immigration to cross to Uganda, where you will meet your Uganda guide. Haven en-route lunch before you embark on your 5-6 hours’ drive to Kampala city. Upon arrival Kampala, late afternoon, connect to your booked hotel for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at Forest Cottages for budget/Fairway Hotel for mid-range/Skys Naguru Hotel for luxury
Day 6: Transfer to Kibale National Park – Bigodi swamp
After breakfast, you will meet your safari driver who will drive to Kibale national park – the best safari destinations in Africa for chimpanzee tracking. Arrive early afternoon for lunch in Fort portal town, visit the crater lakes and go for a 2-3 hours nature walk in Bigodi swamp and experience the different birds and primates. Thereafter, drive to check-in your lodge. Dinner and overnight stay at Kibale Forest Lodge for budget/Chimpanzee Forest Lodge for mid-range/Primates Lodge for luxury
Day 7: Chimpanzee trekking
After breakfast, you will go for chimpanzee trekking with your tracking gears. Meet your guide at the head office then enter the rainforest to start searching for the chimpanzee, this will take 2-5 hours to find the chimpanzees. On seeing them, you will spend 1 hour with the chimpanzees while taking pictures. After tracking, return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 8: Transfer to Bwindi forest national park via Queen Elizabeth national park
After breakfast, transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park via Queen Elizabeth national park with a stop at the Uganda Equator and en-route game drive in Ishasha sector for chances of spotting the tree climbing lions and other animals. Have en-route lunch and proceed on your journey to Bwindi impenetrable national park. Upon arrival, proceed to your booked lodge for check-in, relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at Buhoma Community Rest Camp for budget/Buhoma Haven Lodge for mid-range/Mahogany Springs Lodge for luxury
Day 9: Gorilla trekking experience and Batwa community tour
Have breakfast and transfer you to park offices for briefing about Mountain Gorilla trekking by a local guide. The time taken is usually between 2-8 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas. Meeting the gorillas unexpectedly is one of the most captivating lifetime experiences. You will have a chance to observe and take pictures at very close range. You will observe adults feeding and groaning among themselves. After an hour with the long-awaited gorillas, your guide and rangers will lead you back to the starting point where your driver will readily be waiting for you to return to the lodge. Visit the Batwa community for a cultural experience. Dinner and overnight at lodge as above
Day 10: Transfer to Volcanoes national park – Rwanda
After breakfast, check-out to embark on your transfer to Rwanda. Its’ about 4-5 hours’ drive to cross to Rwanda via Cyanika border with en-route lunch. Upon arrival in Musanze, visit the Dian Fossey Museum before you proceed to your booked lodge for check-in, dinner and overnight stay at Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge for mid-range/Virunga Inn Gorilla Resort for luxury /Amikus Hotel for budget
Day 11: Golden monkey tracking and cultural Rwanda tour
After early morning breakfast, drive back to the park headquarters for briefing about the endangered golden monkeys and be allocated a group. Connect to the tracking starting point and enter the forest to search for the rare golden monkey. This activity can take about 1-5 hours and is done at closer view of the other primates in the park like the red tailed monkeys, Vervet monkeys among other. After viewing the rare golden monkeys for an hour while taking pictures and studying their behaviours, return to the base and meet your drive back to the lodge. Later afternoon, visit the Dian Fossey Museum and Ibywacu cultural village tour. Return to your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 12: Transfer to Kigali – Departure
Wake up early, have breakfast and embark on your journey to Kigali. It’s about 3-4 hours’ drive and upon arrival, visit the Kigali genocide memorial and Kimoronko market before you are dropped at your own booked accommodation or at the airport for your onward flight back home.
End of 12 Days Kenya Uganda and Rwanda Safari.
