On this 12 day Safari you will visit Volcanoes National Park for Mountain Gorillas and Golden monkeys in Rwanda, and then cross to Uganda visiting its major parks like Queen Elizabeth, Kibale Forest and Murchison Fall National Park for different exciting activities.
Day 1: Arrival at Kigali airport.
On arrival at Kigali Airport, you will be welcomed by our guide, interact and after transfer you to Kigali for dinner and overnight stay. Depending on arrival time, you may do a city tour in Kigali city visiting Gisozi genocide sites, local markets, Kings’ palace and more. Dinner and overnight stay at Garr hotel/ Kigali Serena hotel / or Flame Tree Village.
Day 2: Transfer to Volcanoes– Visit the Twin lakes of Burera & Ruhondo
In the morning after your delicious breakfast, you will be picked from the hotel by our guide/driver, for a city tour in Kigali in case it’s not yet covered granting opportunities of visiting genocide memorial museum, first house, national museum and more.
Have lunch in Kigali and after, you will drive straight to Volcanoes national park in Musanze district. Check in at the lodge.
Day 3: Gorilla trekking & Iby’wacu Cultural Experience.
In the morning, after breakfast transfer to the park offices or starting point by 8:30am with packed lunch for briefing about Gorilla trekking rules conducted by Park officials before you start the journey in a group to the forest in search of these apes.
After locating their presence you are allowed to be in their presence for only one hour while seeing them playing, laughing, feeding plus taking photos and videos of them. After the trekking return to the lodge for relaxation as you prepare for the Iby’wacu cultural village visit, get drawn into the authentic Kinyarwanda cultural practices and performances.
Day 4: Golden Monkey Tracking / Dian Fossey Hike – then Transfer to Lake Kivu.
In the morning after breakfast, transfer to the park offices by 8:30am with packed lunch for briefing about Golden monkey tracking rules before you start the journey into the forest. Golden monkeys are mostly found in bamboo forested areas.
If not Golden monkey tracking you can opt to hike to the Dian Fossey grave yard. After return to your lodge for lunch as you get prepared for Lake Kivu where you will relax along the lake shores.
Dinner and overnight at Paradise Malahinde (Budget), Lake Kivu Serena hotel (Luxury)/ or Palm gardens resort (Deluxe).
Day 5: Boat Ride on Lake Kivu & Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
In the morning after breakfast, you will do a boat ride along Lake Kivu exploring its small island on the lake. This is the largest fresh water lake in Rwanda.
After have an early lunch and set off for Lake Bunyonyi in Uganda, crossing via Chanika boarder. Check in at the lodge, Dinner and overnight at Bunyonyi Resort or Bird nest.
Day 6: Transfer from Lake Bunyonyi to Queen Elizabeth
Early in the morning have your breakfast and check out for the drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Drive via Ruhija reaching Ishasha sector including en route game drives where you may be lucky to sight the tree climbing lions resting up in fig trees.
Continue further to Queen Elizabeth National Park reaching early enough for lunch at Mweya safari Lodge, after lunch, you will be in for a boat cruise at 4pm along Kazinga channel exposing you to lots of bird species, crocodiles, hippos, buffalos, and elephants and more.
After return to the lodge for refreshment, dinner and overnight stay at Kingfisher lodge (Budget), Kyambura game lodge (Luxury)/ or Ihamba Lodge (Deluxe).
Day 7: Game drive – Transfer to Kibale Forest
In the morning after your breakfast be in for game drives, where you will see different Wildlife species like bush bucks, lions, antelopes, elephants, water hogs and more.
After return to the lodge for a late breakfast, and relax at the pool side as you wait for your lunch. After lunch, check out for transfer to Kibale Forest National Park which is popularly known for chimpanzees.
Dinner and night stay at Chimps nest lodge (Budget), Ndali Lodge (Luxury) or Mountains of the moon hotel (Deluxe).
Day 8: Chimpanzee tracking and afternoon Bigodi walk.
After breakfast in the morning you will transfer to Park offices or starting point for briefing about chimpanzee tracking rules in Kibale forest National Park. Time taken for the tracking depends on the location of these primates in the Jungle.
Have lunch at Chimps nest lodge as you get prepared for a nature walk in Bigodi wetland sanctuary, where you will encounter a variety of bird species and other animals.
After the walk in Bigodi drive back to Fort Portal, and if time is still on your side, you may visit the “Amabeere ganyina Mwiru” and the king’s palace.
Day 9: Transfer from Fort to Murchison Falls
Have early morning breakfast at hotel and pick up by our tour guide for transfer via road to Masindi where Murchison Falls National Park is situated, en-route visit to Zziwa Rhino sanctuary is included and lunch in Masindi town. Dinner and overnight at Murchison River lodge, Red chilli rest Camp or Paraa Safari Lodge.
Day 10: Game drive and boat cruise
Have breakfast early in the morning and set off for a morning game drive in search for early raisers as well as predators returning to their habitats. During this game drive, expect of sighting different Wild animals like the African lions, Leopards, Elephants, Buffaloes, Antelopes and Giraffes and more. After return to the lodge for relaxation as you wait for lunch
After lunch, gather for a fantastic launch trip cruise to the bottom of Murchison falls. This exposes you to over 450 species, huge crocodiles, Hippos and Elephants basking on the shores. Dinner and overnight at Paraa Lodge /Murchison Lodge or Red chilli camp.
Day 11: Chimpanzee tracking – Kampala
After breakfast go for Chimpanzee tracking. Sounds of the chimpanzees carry through the forest, so approaching and watching these creatures in their natural habitat is a fantastic wildlife viewing experience to tell.
After chimpanzee tracking, you will drive back to Kampala reaching in the evening for dinner and overnight at Serena Hotel (Luxury), Cassia Lodge (mid-range) or Landmark view Hotel (Budget).
Day 12: Kampala City Tour – Departure.
Have breakfast in the morning and have a morning city tour around Kampala visiting different sites like the National museum, Bahai temple, Namugongo Shrines, Gadafhi Mosque, local markets, Kasubi tombs and more. In the afternoon, transfer to Entebbe international airport for your return flight back home.
The package includes:
- Airport Pick & Drop off
- Mineral water
- Ground transport
- Game drive & boat cruise
- Accommodation & meals
- Gorilla trekking
- Chimpanzee tracking
- Golden monkey tracking
- Rhino tracking
- English speaking guide
It excludes:
- Expensive drinks
- Tipping fees
- Laundry
- Flight tickets
- Activities not mentioned above.