Spend 19 Days in Uganda and Rwanda with this 19 days Uganda Rwanda expedition safari. Explore the best of Rwanda and Uganda safari destinations and activities including gorilla trekking, chimpanzees, wildlife, nature / forest walk, excursions as well as community visits. This is a perfect safari package for a honeymoon in case you are planning for one.
Day 1, Arrival
On your arrival, our tour representative/guide will pick you up from the airport and transfer you to your Hotel in Entebbe/Kampala for dinner and overnight stay at Holiday Express Hotel/Entebbe Central Inn for Budget or Windsor Lake Victoria Hotel/ Imperial Botanical Beach hotel/Kampala Serena Hotel/Sheraton Hotel for Luxury or The Boma Guest house/ Imperial royale/Grand Imperial for Mid range.
Day 2, Day visit to Ngamba Island
After breakfast at your Hotel, you will be transferred to the pier at Entebbe for a boat ride to Ngamba Island for a half day excursion to see the orphaned Chimpanzees. You will have a 30 minutes briefing from the CSWCT offices in Entebbe. The boat takes about 45 minutes across to Ngamba Island Chimp Sanctuary. The sanctuary is a home to 39 orphaned chimps and on arrival you will be given a brief introduction on the sanctuary after which you will go watch the chimpanzees as they feed from the Visitors platform.
After return to the pier with a boat and be transferred to your Hotel in Entebbe or Kampala for dinner and overnight stay at Holiday Express Hotel/Entebbe Central Inn for Budget or Windsor Lake Victoria Hotel/ Imperial Botanical Beach hotel/Kampala Serena Hotel/Sheraton Hotel for Luxury or The Boma Guest house/ Imperial royale/Grand Imperial for Mid range.
Day 3, Transfer to Murchison falls National Park
After a heavy breakfast at your Hotel in Kampala/Entebbe, the guide will then come and pick you up and transfer you to Murchison Falls National Park which is Uganda’s largest park. The park is a habitat for animals like elephants, buffaloes, giraffe sand a variety of antelopes. En route, you will visit the famous Luweero triangle and also stop over for lunch in Masindi Town.
Proceed and reach the famous which was named after the magnificent Murchison falls. Upon arrival, Visit the Top of the falls where water thunders through different rapids from a 7-metre gap to fall over 40 meters Gorge below. Dinner and overnight stay at Paraa safari Lodge/ Nile Safari Camp for Luxury or Sambiya River Lodge for Mid range or Red Chill’s camp for Budget
Day 4, Game drive and launch cruise along the Albert Nile
After an early breakfast, you will go for a game drive on the Northern Bank of River Nile. The activity takes about 3-5 hours and Wildlife in the Park includes elephants, Rothschild giraffes, buffaloes, lions, Hartebeest, Uganda kobs, oribis and waterbucks. After the drive you will return to the lodge for lunch and in the afternoon go for a launch cruise on the Albert Nile which will give you an exciting panoramic view at the bottom of the mighty Murchison falls.
Along the cruise, you will encounter crocodiles, hippos, and birds on the river banks like kingfisher, cormorants, bee-eater and the rare shoebill stork. Dinner and overnight at Paraa safari Lodge/ Nile Safari Camp for Luxury or Sambiya River Lodge for Mid range or Red Chill’s camp for Budget
Day 5, Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
Early morning after breakfast, you will set out for your long journey to Kibale Forest National Park. This Park is a home to the almost 13 primate species. These include red colobus and L’Hoest’s monkey and many more. You will have lunch in Kagadi. Proceed with the journey to Kibale forest. Dinner and overnight stay at Primates Lodge or Ndali Lodge for Luxury/ Kibale forest Lodge for Mid range/ chimpanzee guest house for Budget.
Day 6, Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi Swamp Walk
After breakfast, you will set out for chimp tracking with in the Kibale Forest. During your search, expect to see a lot of primate species like chimpanzees, monkeys and other animals like the forest elephants, buffaloes, leopards, bush pig and duiker, lions, warthogs, reptiles and amphibians as well as a colorful variety of butterflies. Return to the Lodge for lunch. After lunch go for a nature walk in the Bigodi swamp area and look out for most of the water loving bird species. The forest /Park has almost 335 species of birds and there fore a good place for birders. Return to the Lodge for dinner and overnight stay as above.
Day 7, Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Early in the morning after breakfast transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park reaching the park Headquarters at Mweya. Prepare and go for a game drive in the Northern crater area where there is a lot of dark holes called the black craters with no water. You may be able to see a lot of animal species such as the Elephants, lions, buffaloes, Leopards, monkeys such as the black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, patus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys and the blue monkeys.
Other animals that can be seen are the bush pigs and the warthogs, antelopes such as the topi, water and the bush bucks. Return late in the evening for dinner and overnight stay at Mweya safari lodge/ Jacana safari Lodge for Luxury or Hippo Hill camp for midrange or Simba safari camp/Mweya Hostels for budget
Day 8, Game drive and Launch cruise
Early in the morning go for a morning game drive in the Kasenyi area which is well known as the Kob mating grounds and there fore in this place one is able to see a lot of kobs and other antelopes like the situnga, and the hyenas. Other animals can also be spotted such as the Elephants, lions, and many more. This takes 2-3 hour. Return to the camp for lunch and in the afternoon go for a Launch cruise on the Kazinga channel.
You may be able to see a lot of crocodiles along the channels bank sides, a lot of the hippopotamus since in Africa this place is regarded as the highest concentration of the hippos, elephants taking water and a lot of bird species at the pelican point. Return for dinner and over night stay late in the evening at Mweya safari lodge/ Jacana safari Lodge for Luxury or Hippo Hill camp for midrange or Simba safari camp/Mweya Hostels for budget
Day 9, Chimpanzee tracking and forest walk
Breakfast will be your first meal today, after set out for Chimpanzee tracking in the Kyambura gorge. This gorge gives great opportunities to tourists to view the chimpanzees, L’Hoest’s, red colobus, black and white colobus and many more. Return to the lodge for lunch and after go for the evening nature/forest walk. Dinner and overnight stay at your lodge
Day 10, Game drive and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park
This morning you will set out for the game drive in Ishasha area and expect to see the rare tree climbing lions. The lions can be seen up on the fig trees. However it’s not a guarantee that the lions will be seen. Some times it depends on the luck and time of reaching the area.
You will have lunch in the Ishasha sector and after you will proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park in preparation for your next day Gorilla trek. Dinner and overnight stay at Buhoma Homestead /Gorilla Resort camp/ Gorilla Forest Camp for Luxury or Lake Kitandara Luxury tented camp/Mantana Engangi Bwindi Lodge for mid range or Buhoma community Bandas/Bwindi View for budget
Day 11, Gorilla trek in Bwindi forest Park
Early in the morning after breakfast and a briefing from the UWA officials, set off for the gorilla tracking. This is a once life time experience and unforgettable adventure. The ranger guides will lead you into the thick forest and start your search for the endangered Mountain Gorillas. You will move up and down the rugged terrain until you finally meet these harmonious creatures that will entertain you with performances for about1hour.
The activity can take 6-7 hours since the gorillas move up and down. This is an awe some and exciting moment. Enroute there are a lot of chimpanzees and other types of the primates such as the monkeys, birds and so more. Return for dinner and over night stay at Buhoma Homestead /Gorilla Resort camp/ Gorilla Forest Camp for Luxury or Lake Kitandara Luxury tented camp/Mantana Engangi Bwindi Lodge for mid range or Buhoma community Bandas/Bwindi View for budget
Day 12, Transfer to Rwanda
After breakfast, you will drive to Kisoro to across the Uganda –Rwanda- Cyanika Border. Have lunch en route and arrive at your lodge in the afternoon. You should be aware of the time difference between these two neighboring countries (Rwanda is one hour behind of Uganda). Upon arrival you will go for Ruhengeri city tour, after, transfer to your place of accommodation for dinner and overnight at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge for Luxury/Gorilla nest lodge or Virunga Lodge for Mid range/Kinigi Guest house or Muhabura lodge for Budget
Day 13, Golden Monkey tracking and transfer to Gisenyi town
After breakfast, you will go for golden monkey tracking. This activity also takes like 2-3 hours in the Virunga forest. Later return back to your lodge for early lunch and transfer to Gisenyi town. The town offers beautiful and excellent views of Lake Kivu and it’s a great place to relax while feeling its waterfront and sandy beaches.
Upon arrival, you will have and then spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing or visit the host springs which will help you learn more about the formation of the Virunga Volcanic Mountains. Alternatively you can also visit the local projects in the area and interact with project members or visit the local artisans and a local women’s weaving association. Overnight in Gisenyi town
Day 14, Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
After a morning breakfast, you will transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park. En route visit the new Visitor’s Interpretive Centre to give you more information about the park such as number of primate species found in the park, types of bird species and other tourist activities carried out with in the Park. Proceed and check into your Hotel for Lunch.
In the afternoon, you will go for Colobus Monkey trekking. To be able to do the activity, you will have to hiking through lush forests, endless, green tea fields while taking the stunning views of the surroundings. Dinner and overnight at Gisakura guest House for Budget/Peace Guest House
Day 15, Chimpanzee trekking
After breakfast, report to the park headquarters in Nyungwe forest for briefing before going for chimpanzee tracking. However, it is advisable to organize packed lunch and plenty of water prior to this expedition since it can sometimes last over 6 hours. In the forest, you will not only see chimpanzees to but also variety of animals and birds like the Rwenzori Turacco, black and white casqued horn bill, colobus monkeys – sometimes as many as 400 in a group.
You will have lunch with in the Park and later embark on the forest Nature walk with in the park which will enable you to explore the Park’s unique tourist features including waterfalls and orchids in the high altitude swamps. Return for dinner and Overnight at Gisakura guest House for Budget/Peace Guest House for Mid range
Day 16, Transfer to Kigali
After breakfast, you will transfer to Kigali. Enroute visit the Butare town for lunch and short tour to the Rwanda National Museum and the King’s palace at Nyanza. Reach Kigali in the late evening. Dinner and overnight at Hotel des Mille Collines.
Day 17, Transfer to Akagera National Park
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Akagera National Park. En route you will pass through the country’s phenomenal landscape which will give you views of the country’s beauty and also the life style of its people. Upon arrival in the park, you will go for a short southern Lake Ihema game drive. Look out for animals such as elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, hippos, crocodiles and many more like Antelopes. Dinner and overnight at Akagera Game Lodge
Day 18, Morning game drive and Boat ride on Lake Ihema
Early in the morning after breakfast, you will go for a Northern circuit game drive to search for animals that you may have missed out in the previous game drive. It was not a guarantee that all the animals can be seen in the evening game drive.
There are some that are early risers and can only be seen in the morning. Return back to the lodge for a small relation as you wait for lunch. After lunch, you will go for a boat ride on Lake Ihema which will offer you with views of the surrounding areas, hills and swamps. Expect to see Hippos, crocodiles and more bird species. Return back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay
Day 19, transfer back to Kigali city and departure
Early morning after breakfast, you will transfer back to Kigali for a short city tour to the visit the Murambi and Gisozi genocide memorial sites. Drop off will be at the Airport for your flight back home.
