This 13 Days Uganda & Rwanda Safari tour will take you 2 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. Expect to also meet the big 5 animals (Lions, Leopards, Buffaloes, Rhinos and Elephants) in the savannah parks of Queen Elizabeth national park and Lake Mburo national park. This safari will be blended with cultural tours visiting the Batwa people in Uganda and Banyarwanda of Rwanda. Visit Uganda and Rwanda for only 13 Days have a lifetime memorable experience
Safari Highlights
Day 1: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park game drive and boat trip
Day 2: Morning game drive and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park (4-5 hours’ drive)
Day 3: Lion tracking/morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise on Kazinga channel
Day 4: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park via Ishasha
Day 5: Gorilla trekking experience and community tour
Day 6: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi – Canoe ride
Day 7: Transfer to Musanze – Volcanoes national park – Rwanda
Day 8: Golden monkey tracking – Ibya’cuwa community your
Day 9: Transfer to Gisenyi – boat trip
Day 10: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest national park
Day 11: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk experience
Day 12: Transfer to Kigali city (7-8 hours’ drive)
Day 13: Kigali city tour – Departure
Safari details
Day 1: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park game drive and boat trip
Depending on your location in Kampala/Entebbe, you will be picked up by our company representative/guide who will then transfer to Lake Mburo national park. It’s a 4 hours’ drive with en-route stop at the Uganda Equator if you wish to. Upon arrival in Lake Mburo national park, connect to check in to the lodge and enjoy lunch.
After lunch, connect for a relaxing boat cruise on Lake Mburo, you will sight some birds and animals like the crocodiles, hippos and some other land animals that come to drink from the lake. Drive back to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at Leopard Rest Camp staying in Luxury tents for budget/Mpogo Lodge for mid-range/Mihingo Lodge for luxury option
Day 2: Morning game drive and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park (4-5 hours’ drive)
Early morning after breakfast, head out for in the search for the early risers on a good day you may spot the lions and the leopards if lucky. Other animals to find include; Giraffes, Zebras, Impalas, buffaloes. After the game drive, transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park. The park is located in the western part of the country, it’s a 6 to 7 hours’ drive with en-routes via Masaka road, and you will have a stopover at the Equator where you will be able to take photographs and visit the craft shop, proceed with lunch en-route. On arrival to the park, visit the crater lakes then to your lodge for relaxation. Dinner and overnight stay at Pumba Safari Cottages for budget/Elephant Hub lodge for mid-range/Elephant Plains lodge for luxury
Day 3: Lion tracking/morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise on Kazinga channel
You will wake up early, have breakfast and head out for a lion tracking experience after which en-route game drive to catch up with the early risers. Explore the Kasenyi sector where you will spot a lot of wildlife including African elephants, Lions, buffalos, antelopes, impala, among others and a lot of birds and a good day the leopards. Return to the lodge to relax a bit and enjoy your lunch.
Later afternoon, drive to the starting point for the boat cruise along Kazinga channel. While on the boat cruise, you will get an opportunity to see a number of bird species, elephants and buffaloes, hippos and crocodiles. The Kazinga channel is known to have the highest concentration of hippos. Retreat from the boat trip in the evening and check in your lodge for relaxation. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 4: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park via Ishasha
On the 4th day of your 13 Days Uganda & Rwanda Safari tour, After breakfast, check-out of the lodge and embark on your journey to Bwindi Impenetrable national park which is about 5-7 hours’ drive depending on your gorilla trekking sector. En-route game drive in Ishasha sector will offer you an opportunity to spot the tree climbing lions which are seem lying on tree branches. Proceed to the Buhoma sector and connect to your lodge for check-in. Dinner and overnight stay at Buhoma Haven lodge for mid-range/Buhoma Community Rest Camp for budget/Mahogany Springs lodge for luxury
Day 5: Gorilla trekking experience and 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 to return to your lodge.
Later afternoon, connect to the Batwa community tour for a cultural experience of the Batwa people who are the ingenious people of Uganda who lived in the Bwindi forest before it was gazetted as a national park, you will learn a lot about their life style and also be entertained with either cultural songs and dances. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 6: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi – Canoe ride
On the 6th day of your 13 Days Uganda & Rwanda Safari tour, After having breakfast early morning, transfer to Lake Bunyonyi which is about 2-3 hours’ drive. Upon arrival with great views of the rolling hills, first check-in at your lodge then later explore Lake Bunyonyi on a boat ride/ canoe paddle on some of the 29 islands found on the lake. Optional activities you can do while at Lake Bunyonyi include; highrope challenge. Zip-lining across the lake, nature walk, just to mention a few. Dinner and overnight stay at Bunyonyi Eco-Resort for budget/Bunyonyi BirdNest lodge for mid-range/Arcadia Cottages for mid-luxury
Day 7: Transfer to Musanze – Volcanoes national park – Rwanda
After breakfast, meet your safari guide and embark on your drive to Volcanoes national park crossing via the Cyanika border. Upon arrival in Musanze, have en-route lunch then connect to explore the twin lake of Burere and Ruhondo, and the Dian Fossey Museum before you check-in your booked lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge for mid-range/Hotel Muhabura for budget/5 Volcanoes Gorilla lodge for luxury
Day 8: Golden monkey tracking – Ibya’cuwa community your
On the 8th day of your 13 Days Uganda & Rwanda Safari tour, After breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters for briefing about the golden monkeys. Volcanoes national park is also a home to the fascinating Golden monkeys, the park shares boarders with Virunga national park in Congo; it also has the most scenic as it stands at 3 volcanoes of Muhavura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo. After briefing, enter the park to start the search of the golden monkeys, this takes about 2-5 hours depending on the location of the monkeys in the volcanic terrains in search of the monkeys in the bamboo forest. After an hour with the golden MoNkeys, return to the starting point where you will meet your safari driver, return for lunch at the lodge. Later afternoon, drive to Ibya’ cuwa cultural village to have an experience of Banyarwanda culture and tradition, relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 9: Transfer to Gisenyi – boat trip
On the 9th day of your 13 Days Uganda & Rwanda Safari tour, After breakfast, meet your safari driver and connect to the Gisenyi with great views of DR.Congo and the Virunga mountains where you will enjoy a boat trip to some of the most interesting islands on the lake. Enjoy the shores of the lake, visiting the local fishing villages and islands depending on your interest. Spend your afternoon relaxing at the lodge or beach side. Dinner and overnight stay at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel for luxury/Kivu Gorilla Lodge for mid-range/Palm Garden Hotel for budget
Day 10: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest national park
After breakfast, you will set off to Nyungwe forest located in the south western part of Rwanda. The park is best known for its habitant of primates species like the chimpanzees and plus owl-faced and colobus monkeys and canopy walk. Have lunch and connect to your hotel to rest or do an optional activity of you interest as you will be advised by your guide. Dinner and overnight stay at Gisakura Visitor centre for budget/Nyungwe Top View hotel for mid-range/Nyungwe One and Only Hotel for luxury
Day 11: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk experience
Enjoy breakfast and go for 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. Return for lunch at the lodge.
Later afternoon, connect for the 2 pm canopy walk experience. You will go on a walking trail that will take you to the Canopy Walk-a swing bridge 50 meters in length 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. Proceed to check-in your booked lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight at lodge as above
Day 12: Transfer to Kigali city (7-8 hours’ drive)
After breakfast, checkout of the lodge and embark on your journey to Kigali city with en-route stop in Butare to visit Nyazi King’s palace, Rwanda national museum, and the Butare genocide memories and museum. Have en-route lunch and proceed to Kigali. Connect to check-in at your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at Step Town Motel for budget/Des Milles Collins Hotel for mid-range/Kigali Marriot Hotel for luxury
Day 13: Kigali city tour – Departure
After breakfast, meet your safari driver and go for a Kigali city tour where you will visit some of the memorable places for Rwanda including the Kigali genocide memorial, Art Gallery, Kandt House Museum and also the Kimoronko market with lunch en-route. Depending on your flight details, the driver will drop you off Kigali airport for your onward flight back home. End of Safari
