10 Days Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya Safari
This 10 Days Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya Safari will take you to 3 of the East African countries and with this safari, you get to purchase an East African Tourist Visa.
This safari will take you through the beautiful country with chances of seeing the endangered primates (chimpanzees and mountain gorillas) in Nyungwe Forest National Park, Volcanoes National Park, and Bwindi Forest National Park; other primates include golden monkeys in Mgahinga National Park.
Expect to also meet the big 5 animals (lions, leopards, buffaloes, rhinos, and elephants) in the savannah parks of Masai Mara national reserve. This safari will be blended with cultural tours visiting the Batwa people in Uganda and the Banyarwanda of Rwanda. Visit Uganda and Rwanda for only 10 days and have a lifetime memorable experience.
Safari highlights
Day 1: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park (6-7 hours’ drive)
Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking and canopy walkway
Day 3: Transfer to Lake Kivu – boat trip
Day 4: Visit the Ibyacuwa village—transfer to Kisoro, Uganda
Day 5: Gorilla trekking experience
Day 6: Golden Monkey tracking and Batwa community tour
Day 7: Fly to Masai Mara National Park
Day 8: Full-day game drive in Masai Mara
Day 9: Another day—Full day in Masai Mara—community tour
Day 10: Transfer back to Nairobi (4-5 hours’ drive) – Departures
Detailed safari itinerary
Day 1: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park (6-7 hours’ drive)
Depending on your location in Kigali, you will be met by our safari guide and embark on your journey to Nyungwe Forest National Park, which is a 6-7 hour drive from Kigali with an en-route stop in Butare is a visit to the Nyanza Kings Palace, the Rwanda National Museum, and the Genocide. Have lunch, then proceed to check in your booked lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at the Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel for the mid-range option, and the Gisakura Visitors’ Centre for the budget option.
Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking and canopy walkway
Enjoy breakfast and go for a briefing about the endangered chimpanzees before entering the forest in search of the active and playful fellows in Nyungwe Forest with your backpack.
The chimpanzees are much easier to spot as they jump from one tree to another, chattering and laughing. Chimpanzee tracking usually takes about 3-5 hours depending on their location. On finding them, spend an hour while taking pictures and videos.
After lunch, connect for the 2 pm canopy walk experience. You will go on a walking trail that will take you to the Canopy Walk—a 50-meter-long swing bridge that is suspended from large trees; you will be able to see the amazing rainforest with a bird’s-eye view, spotting wildlife moving below you. Return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at the lodge as above
Day 3: Transfer to Lake Kivu – boat trip
After breakfast, check out of the lodge and transfer to Lake Kivu in Gisenyi, which is about a 4-5 hour drive through the rolling hills of Rwanda with stops for sightseeing. Upon arrival, check in at the lodge for lunch and later in the afternoon, explore Lake Kivu for a boat trip on the lake that borders Rwanda and Congo visiting the islands and activities that take place on the lake. Later afternoon/evening, drive back to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at Kivu Gorilla Hotel for mid-range/Palm Garden Hotel for budget.
Day 4: Visit the Ibyacuwa village—transfer to Kisoro, Uganda
After breakfast, check out and transfer to Musanze, which is about a 2-hour drive from Gisenyi. Upon arrival, connect to visit Iby’wacu Cultural Village—a nonprofit umbrella organization that aims at improving the lives of reformed poachers and communities around Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park through the provision of conservation incentives, supporting community enterprise development and livelihood-based projects.
It’s a rewarding place where you will be guided around the place as you enjoy the Kinyarwanda traditions, including the Intore dance, traditional ceremonies and a guided community walk.
After en route lunch, proceed on your trip to cross to Uganda via the Cyanika border to connect to Kisoro and check in at your booked lodge close to your gorilla trekking sector for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at Rushaga Haven Lodge for budget/Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge for mid-range.
Day 5: Gorilla trekking experience
Enjoy an early morning breakfast and transfer to the park headquarters with your packed lunch for a briefing by the ranger guides and later head into the forest for your trek. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi takes 2 to 8 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas. These primates roam the park freely and there is no way of telling where they will be for a particular day.
On finding them, you will be allowed 1 hour to view and take photos of these gentle primates, enjoy your lunch packs and meet your driver/guide and transfer back to your lodge. Spend your evening lazing off at the lodge as you savour the memories of your gorilla trek in Bwindi and prepare for the next day. Dinner and overnight at the lodge as above
Day 6: Golden Monkey tracking and Batwa community tour
After early morning breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing from the park warden about the endangered golden monkeys. After connecting to the tracking starting point and entering the forest to search for the rare golden monkey. This activity can take about 1-5 hours and is done at a closer view of the other primates in the park, like the red-tailed monkeys and vervet monkeys, among others. After viewing the rare golden monkeys for an hour while taking pictures and studying their behaviors.
After your lunch, spend your afternoon with the Batwa people, who are the indigenous people of Uganda who lived in the gorilla parks before they were gazetted as national parks. You will learn their way of life and also be entertained in dance and songs. Drive to your booked lodge around Kisoro, dinner and overnight stay at Travellers’ Rest Hotel for budget/Lake Mulehe Safari lodge for mid-range.
Day 7: Fly to Masai Mara National Park
Have breakfast, and drive back to the Kisoro airstrip for your 8:25 am flight to Entebbe airport, arriving at 11:25 am. Thereafter, connect for your flight to Masai Mara National Reserve. Aero-link Uganda operates daily flights from Entebbe to Masai Mara. The flight to Masai Mara departs Entebbe airport at 12:15 and arrives in Masai Mara at 14:30. Upon arrival at one of the allocated airstrips in Masai Mara, you will be met by your Kenya safari guide to transfer to your reserved lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at Zebra Plains Lodge for the mid-range/Mitimingi Eco-camp for the budget option.
Day 8: Full-day game drive in Masai Mara
Wake up early in the morning, have breakfast and grab your packed lunch and meet your safari driver to head to the plains of Masai 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 till the sun goes down. In the evening you will head back to your lodge, have dinner and stay overnight at the lodge as above.
Day 9: Another day—Full day in Masai Mara—community tour
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.
After breakfast, you will head to the plains of the reserve for the final morning game drive sighting more animals. After the game drive, you will head back to your lodge for lunch and in the afternoon, you will head to the 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, being entertained by local dancers, drama and Maasai warriors; buy local Maasai items such as local Maasai shukas and beautifully made accessories such as necklaces and earrings, and tasting local cuisines. After the experience, you will head back to your lodge, have dinner and stay overnight at the lodge as above.
Day 10: Transfer back to Nairobi (4-5 hours’ drive) – Departures
After morning breakfast at your lodge, you will check out of your lodge and embark on a journey back to Nairobi via Narok village, a renowned Masai area. Visit the Masia market and if interested in buying souvenirs, have an en-route lunch. Proceed where you will be dropped off at a location you advise or be dropped off at the airport for your onward flight back home.
End of 10 Days Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya Safari
