10 Days Uganda and Rwanda Gorilla and Wildlife
Over view
Day 1: Pickup from the airport in Kigali – Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park Uganda
Adventure in the wild safari guide will pick you up early in the morning from your hotel or the airport in Kigali, Rwanda. They will provide a briefing about the tour before we begin the long drive to Uganda. The journey takes approximately six hours, so it’s important to set off early to ensure we arrive in time to rest before the chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest the following day. Although the drive is long, it is filled with beautiful countryside views and landscapes of both Uganda and Rwanda. You will have your lunch en route and continue with the drive to Uganda arriving in the afternoon where you drive straight and check in to the lodge and rest from the long drive or beautiful scenery at the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.
Accommodation options: Kyaninga Lodge, Primates Lodge (Luxury), or Chimpanzee Guest House (Mid-range and budget).
Meal plan: Lunch and Dinner
Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale forest and afternoon transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Wake up early and take a quick cup of coffee before heading to the Kibale Forest National Park headquarters for briefing. The park Rangers and Guides will let you know about the history of the park, and animals and what to expect from your chimpanzee tracking adventure. Chimpanzee trekking usually takes 3-5 hours after which you will return to your lodge for lunch, refreshment, and relaxation. Our guide will then transfer you to Queen Elizabeth National Park in the evening. The journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park takes 2 hours. Overnight and dinner will be at the lodge.
Accommodation options: Mweya Safari Lodge (luxury), Enganzi game lodge/ park view safari lodge (Mid-range),Simba Safari Camp (Budget),
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 3: Morning game drive and afternoon Boat ride at the Kazinga Channel
You will set off early with a packed breakfast from your hotel for an early morning game drive to spot the early risers and the nocturnal mammals going back to their dens. By 10 Days Rwanda and Uganda wildlife safari early risers, we mean birds. Predators like hyenas, leopards, and to some extent, lions tend to be less active during the day. The best time to see them is very early in the morning when the sun is not yet very hot. You will spot buffaloes, hippos, leopards, and lions as well as resident and migratory birds. Once you are done with the game drive, you will head back to the hotel for lunch and rest. After the rest, our guide will transfer you to the Kazinga Channel for a boat cruise. The Channel is a collection point for most of the park animals and is one of the best spots to see wildlife in Africa. It is also one of the best places to go for birding in Uganda.
Accommodation options: Mweya Safari Lodge (luxury), Simba Safari Camp (Budget),
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 4: Second game drive at the Ishasha sector and transfer to Bwindi via the Isha Sha sector
After yesterday’s wildlife viewing experiences, you will go on another final game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park. This time you will go to the Ishasha wildlife sector which is famous for tree-climbing lions. While looking out for the lions, expect to spot many other creatures – including those you might have missed out on during the first game drive. After the game drive, you will exit the park and continue Bwindi’s impenetrable forest. Lunch will be taken along the way. Expect to arrive in Bwindi’s impenetrable forest late in the evening in time for an early rest for gorilla trekking the next day. On arrival, you will check in to the lodge where you will have dinner and also evening rest.
Accommodation options: Chameleon Hill Lodge (luxury), Bakiga Lodge / Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge (Mid-range), Rushaga Gorilla Camp(Budget)
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 5: Gorilla tracking and afternoon Batwa community tour
Wake up very early and have breakfast. After breakfast, head to the park for a briefing on gorilla tracking. The briefing takes place at 7:00 am and is conducted by the head park guide or chief Ranger. It is compulsory to attend the briefing because it helps you prepare well and have all the relevant information you need during your time with the gorillas. It is also during the briefing that you will get the opportunity to hire a porter and be assigned a gorilla group. There are about 14 habituated gorilla groups in Bwindi’s impenetrable forest. After the briefing, you will go into the forest to track the primates.
The difficult task of gorilla trekking entails going far into the jungle, across muddy terrain, hills, valleys, and dense bushy vegetation. The last perk is spending an hour in the woods observing the gorillas. One of the greatest wildlife experiences is spending ten days in the wild with a family of mountain gorillas in Rwanda and Uganda. When interacting with the gorillas, pay attention to the guides’ directions. You should return to the starting place to meet our guide after spending an hour watching the gorillas. For lunch and relaxation, the guide will return you to the hotel. Make plans to visit the Batwa Pygmy village in the evening. Originally residing in the thick forest of Bwindi, the Batwa were forced out of the park to make room for the protection of mountain gorillas. You discover how hard it is for them to adjust to a new environment when you are with them. You will enjoy storytelling, dancing, and music from the Batwa.
Accommodation options: Chameleon Hill Lodge (luxury), Bakiga Lodge / Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge (Mid-range), Rushaga Gorilla Camp (Budget)
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 6: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi- Explore Lake Bunyonyi
You will wake up early to a beautiful breakfast and be ready for a transfer to Lake Bunyonyi in Uganda. Lake Bunyonyi is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Uganda10 Days Rwanda and Uganda tours. The 29 islands in the lake are amazing as are the birds and surrounding scenery. Once you arrive, you will check in and go for a boat ride along the lake. Other activities in the lake include swimming, nature walks, cultural visits, and simple relaxation. Lake Bunyonyi is free of bilharzia and crocodiles but is one of the deepest lakes in Africa. Exercise caution if you don’t know how to swim.
Accommodation options: Bunyonyi Overland Resort (Budget), Bunyonyi Rock Resort(mid-range), Bird Nest Safari Lodge/Acardia Cottages Bunyonyi (Luxury)
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 7: Activities in Lake Bunyonyi and Transfer to the Volcanoes National Park
You will wake up and take a walk around the beautiful lake before having breakfast. The driver will take you to complete activities in Lake Bunyonyi before you hit the road 10 days Rwanda Uganda safari to Rwanda. The journey to Rwanda takes about 4 hours and lunch will be taken along the way. Enjoy the amazing countryside and landscape of the two countries during your journey. You will notice that the local people live a modest life but are always happy. Don’t forget to take photos with the locals along the way and remember to request short stops if something catches your attention. You should reach the lodge early enough so that you rest early in preparation for gorilla trekking the next day. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.
Accommodation options: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Luxury), Da Vinci Lodge (Mid-range), and La Palme Hotel (Budget).
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 8: Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda – Iby’iwacu Cultural Village tour
Briefing for gorilla trekking at the Volcanoes National Park takes place at 7:00 am and is led by park Guides. After the briefing, the gorilla groups will be allocated depending on the overall age and fitness of participants. Porters are available for hire for 10-day tours in Uganda and Rwanda should you need one. Once you are done with the briefing, the Guides and Rangers will lead you to the forest to track the gorillas. Gorilla trekking in Rwanda can be challenging given the mountainous terrain but the experience of observing a family of mountain gorillas should be enough to motivate everyone. Once you find the group, stay calm and do not make sudden movements. Once have taken photos and utilized the one hour allocated, the Rangers will take you back to the starting point for the certificate of completion. The Guide will drive you back to the lodge for lunch and a rest.
Later in the evening, prepare to be taken for a visit to the Iby’iwacu cultural village near the Volcanoes National Park. Also known as the Gorilla Guardians Village, the center is the best place to experience the culture of the people of Rwanda. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.
Accommodation options: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Luxury), Da Vinci Lodge (Mid-range), and The Garden Place Hotel (Budget).
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 9: Golden Monkey Tracking and afternoon visit Lake Burera and Ruhondo
After early morning breakfast, you will set off to the Volcanoes National Park offices for another briefing about golden monkey tracking in Rwanda. Hire a porter if you wish for 10 10-day safari in Uganda and Rwanda and go out in search of the cute golden monkeys. You will eventually spot them on tree tops and branches with some coming down to feed on the ground. Golden monkeys are subspecies of blue monkeys and are highly endangered. They can also be tracked in Uganda but it takes only 4 hours to complete the activity in Rwanda. Once done tracking the golden monkeys, you should go back to the lodge for lunch and rest. Later in the evening, our guide will take you to visit the twin Lakes Ruhondo, and Burera.
Accommodation options: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Luxury), Da Vinci Lodge (Mid-range), and The Garden Place Hotel (Budget).
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 10: Transfer back to Kigali, do a City Tour, and Departure
This is a day of relaxation depending on your departure flight or if you will be spending the night in Kigali. Wake up at your own time, have breakfast, and check out of the 10 Days Uganda Rwanda safari adventure hotel as you wait for the Guide to start the 3-hour journey to Kigali. In case you didn’t tour the city of Kigali on Day 1 due to a late arrival or other time constraints, this is the day to do so. On reaching Kigali, the company Driver will take you to tour the city, the King’s palace, the genocide memorial site, artisan shops, and the central market. The Kigali city tour will offer you opportunities to buy some souvenirs from the local art and crafts shops. Once done with the tour, the driver will take you for lunch and then to the airport for departure or to your hotel.
End of Tour