These 18 Days of Uganda Rwanda Safari will expose you to primates like the rare mountain gorillas, chimpanzees and wildlife in game parks.
Day 1: Arrive at Entebbe Airport, transfer to Kampala
Immediately upon your arrival, our guide will welcome you at Entebbe International Airport and transfer you Kampala for your accommodation. Just in case you arrive in Kampala in time, you may have a Kampala City tour with the help of our guide. you will visit places like the Uganda Museum, where Uganda’s ultural and historical heritage are displayed in form of ethnological and historical exhibitions, The Bahai Temple which is known as MashriquI-Adhkar, the Persian translation meaning the drawning place of the praise of God, it is a holy centre for the Bahai faith in Uganda. It is also a mother temple of Africa. The Kasubi Tombs, the burial place for the Buganda Kings. Overnight and dinner in Kampala hotels/lodge as per booking.
Day 2: Depart to Murchison Falls National Park
Have breakfast in the morning and start your Uganda Safari Tour by going to Murchison Falls National Park, one of the biggest parks in Uganda and common with game viewing safaris. You will arrive in the afternoon; the drive takes approximately 5-6 hours and gives you a good insight on the Ugandan way of life. From Kampala, you through Wakiso, Luwero, Nakasongola up to Masindi. You will make a stopover at Masindi for lunch then continue to the park. Overnight at a Luxurious Paraa Safari Lodge / Budget Red Chili Camp.
Day 3: Game drive in the morning and Boat Cruise in the evening
You will wake up early morning to go for a game drive across the vast park. You will most likely spot buffaloes, lions, elephants, giraffes and many more. Return to the lodge for a heavy breakfast, take some rest. In the afternoon after lunch, go for a boat cruise on the Bottom of the Falls, during which you will see several birds and animals plus a wonderful water breeze. Overnight at a Luxurious Paraa Safari Lodge / Budget Red Chili Camp.
Day 4: Depart for Kibale National Park
Eat your breakfast and depart for Kibale National Park with your packed lunch as the drive last for about nine hours and you will pass close to Lake Albert. On a clear day, the view on the top of the Albert rift is spectacular. You will arrive in Fort portal town in the late afternoon. Overnight at a luxurious Ndali Lodge, Rwenzori View Guest House, Kanyankyu Ecological site.
Day 5: Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale Forest
After your early morning breakfast, report to the ranger station at 08.00am to track the happy apes, which are more closely related to humans than any other living creature and are a must watch as they squabble and play the trees. This diverse forest is a home to over 13 species of primates including red Colobus monkey, the rare L’hoest, blue monkey, grey mangabey, pottos, black faced vervet monkeys, baboons and also bush babies. A network of shady forest trails provides much to delight botanists and butterfly lovers, while birders are to enjoy watching a variety of birds part of the 335 species recorded including the endemic Prirogrine’s ground thrush. The indescribable forest elephant, smaller and hairier that its savannah counterpart, moves seasonally into the developed part of the park, while other terrestrial mammals include buffalo, gigantic forest hog and a half dozen antelope species. Overnight at a luxurious Ndali Lodge, Rwenzori View Guest House / Budget Kanyankyu Ecological site.
Day 6: Depart to Semliki Wildlife Reserve
Wake up early morning and depart by road to Semliki Wildlife Reserve; this scenic drive will take you down the eastern side of Lake Albert. Semliki reserve is situated in the basin of the Western Rift Valley. It is one of the most diverse habitats in Africa with wonderful examples of Riparian forest, gallery rain forest, borassus palm forest and short and high grass savannas. Chimps exist next to elephant, lion and buffalo as well as the usual western Uganda species. After dinner you will go on a night drive. This is the only place in Uganda where you can do a spot lit night drive. Often the big cats are sighted as well as the diminutive genet and several cats. Unusual night-time dwellers also show themselves, such as the white tailed mongoose and slim mongoose, standard and pennant winged nightjars depending on the time of year. There are always surprises on the night drives. Overnight at Semliki Safari Lodge (FB)
Day 7: Chimpanzee Tracking at Semliki National Park
Wake up early morning and have breakfast in your tent, and then go down into the beautiful gallery rainforest to track wild chimpanzees. Chimps are usually tracked by researchers in Semliki at dawn and dusk, because they tend to disappear in the middle of the day. There are also a number of bird species which are found in this forest. You will return to the lodge for lunch and relax by the pool and enjoy the harmony of the Lodge. In the late afternoon you will go for a game drive, stopping along the way to watch the African sun dip below the horizon. Overnight at Semliki Safari Lodge
Day 8: Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Following breakfast, you will be off to Queen Elizabeth National Park getting there via the Northern crater Area. With fine-looking lakes and rich grasslands which are set deep in the crater valley, this is truly the most astounding viewpoint in the park. The park hosts a large variety of wildlife and boasts one of the highest biodiversity ratings of any game park in the world, ranging from the open Savannah to Rain forest, thick swamps and gorgeous crater lakes to the vastness of Lake Edward. The park has over 606 species of birds like the buttonquail, martial eagle, black-rumped Verreauxâs, eagle owl and African skimmer to mention. The park’s primates comprise of Chimps, Black and white Colobus Monkeys, Blue, Black Faced Red Colobus, and Red Tailed monkeys and Olive Baboons. After checking in and relaxing briefly, you will go for an afternoon game drive where you will spot Elephants, waterbucks, warthogs, hippos and many more. Overnight and dinner at Mweya Safari Lodge, Institute of Ecology (FB)
Day 9: Tracking Chimpanzee
After breakfast and a cup of tea, you start chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge where you will spot various primates mainly the Chimpanzee of various species, Black and white Colobus monkeys and animals like antelopes, hyenas, Lion and many more in the savanna grassland. This narrow valley is home of very many bird species. Lunch at Jacana Lodge situated in Maramagambo forest on a good-looking crater lake. Nature walk in Maramagambo Forest follows lunch and here expect to see primates and visit the bat cave and the blue lake. Overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge and Institute of Ecology (FB)
Day 10: Game Drive
After breakfast, you will start an early morning game drive in the park which will award you with an superb chance to see Cape Buffaloes, Elephants, Lions, Leopards, Giant Forest Hogs, Defassa Waterbucks, Uganda Kobs, Topi and Bush bucks and many others. After having lunch, you will have a 2-hour boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel and into Lake Edward. This voyage passes through the highest concentration of Hippos and many animals seen drinking at the water shores. This launch cruise is an excellent opportunity for seeing bird and animals. The inexhaustible bird life is colourful and fantastic with well over 550 inhabitant species. Over night at Mweya Safari Lodge, Budget Institute of ecology. (BLD)
Day 11: Move to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
you depart for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in the morning going via Ishasha, the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth. Lunch will taken along Ishasha River and try to find the famed Ishasha tree-climbing lions before heading to Bwindi, home to the few surviving mountain gorillas. Birds and primates in Bwindi is quite fabulous, and there is an unbelievable variety of birds. Bwindi is the Bird watchers retreat as it holds 348 species of birds and supports 24 of 26 Albertine Rift Endemics that occur in Uganda; and seven red data book species. Bwindi is now an ecological island, surrounded by cultivation on the rich volcanic soils. Overnight at Buhoma Community Bandas, Gorilla Resort, (Full Board)
Day 12: Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi Forest
You will wake up pretty early for a weighty breakfast to get enough energy for gorilla tracking. Head to the ranger station at 08.00am where the guides will take you through the forest, slashing at the undergrowth, parting thick creepers, to track gorillas. This walk takes from half an hour to five hours. Therefore a reasonable degree of fitness is required as well as a well-built pair of walking shoes. You will sit in the forest among the gorillas, listen to them moan at each other and have an awesome sight at the sheer size of the dominant male, the silverback. It is astounding to know that there are only 650 or so of these creatures left in the world! If there is time in the afternoon, you will have guided village walks and see how the Ugandans live. Overnight at Gorilla Resort / Buhoma Community Bandas (Full Board)
Day 13: Drive to Rwanda
Following breakfast, you will leave for Rwanda. When you get there and time allows, you will go for a a Kigali city tour including a visit to the market, a pottery project, handicraft shops, the Franco-Rwandan cultural centre and the genocide memorial. Overnight at Gorilla Nest Lodge / Kinigi Guest house (FB)
Day 14: Gorilla tracking in Parc National des Volcans
In the morning after breakfast and go to the gorilla sanctuary of Parc National des Volcans, the rain tropical forest covering the hills surrounding Virunga Volcanoes. The trekking is challenging but rewarding too. Ensure to carry with you enough drinking water and the packed lunch. Your duration in the forest depends on the movements of the primates in their natural environment. After the activity you return at free time for dinner and overnight at Gorilla Nest Lodge, Kinigi Guest house (FB)
Day 15: Lake Bunyonyi
Get breakfast and drive to Lake Bunyonyi which lies at an altitude of approximately 2000m, and it follows the contours of the hilly terrain that separates the towns of Kabale and Kisoro. It is a very beautiful spot, dotted with small islands and ringed by steeped terraced hills. Bunyonyi locally means a place of little birds and it is particularly good for water birds. Overnight at Lake Bunyonyi Overland Camp in Self Contained Cottages Overlooking the Lake (FB)
Day 16: Head to Lake Mburo National Park
Following a morning breakfast, you will depart for Lake Mburo National Park. Drive through some of Uganda’s finest scenery. The Park is an extension of the Tanzanian plains with big herds of zebra, impala, eland and other ungulates (cloved hoofed animals). For birding, it is one of the best places to find African fin foot and papyrus bush shrike. You will check in at the camp and relax for a little while before going in a bunker canoe on the lake. Overnight at Mantana Tented Camp or UWA Bandas at Rwonyo (FB)
Day 17: Drive to Kampala then Jinja – White Water Rafting
After having your breakfast, you will depart for and then move straight to Jinja heading east passing Tea and Sugar plantations and the colourful roadside fruit/vegetable markets. The first stop is the Mabira Forest; here you will be able to see the primates, birds and butterflies. You will continue to the source of the Nile, a spot where John Speke first discovered the source of the Nile River. You will continue to Jinja Nile Resort / Sunset hotel where you will be staying. In the early evening, you will rest by the side of the swimming pool. Go to Bujagali Falls where different cultural activities take place like Acrobatic, Dances, and waterfalls. Overnight at Jinja Nile Resort or Sunset Hotel (FB)
Day 18: Return to Kampala
After breakfast, you will return to Kampala and be driven straight to Entebbe International Airport for your flight back home.
