8 Days Rwanda and Uganda Safari – Gorillas and Wildlife Safari: This Rwanda and Uganda combined safari offers visitors an opportunity to experience and interact with the precious mountain gorillas on two treks, one in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and another one in Uganda’s Bwindi Forest.
From an incredible encounter with mountain gorillas, you will head to Queen Elizabeth National Park – the most popular safari destination in Uganda for game viewing and boat cruise on Kazinga Channel and Kibale Forest National Park for chimpanzee trekking.
This safari starts in Kigali City of Rwanda with arrival at Kigali International Airport and ends in Uganda’s Entebbe with departure at Entebbe International Airport.
Highlights of the Safari
Day 1: arrival in Kigali, short City tour and transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes Forest
Day 3: Transfer to Bwindi Forest
Day 4: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Forest
Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park and afternoon game drive
Day 6: morning game drive, Kazinga Channel boat cruise and transfer to Kibale Forest
Day 7: Chimpanzee trekking
Day 8: Departure
Detailed itinerary of 8 Days Rwanda and Uganda Safari – Gorillas and Wildlife Safari
Day 1: arrival in Kigali, short City tour and transfer to Volcanoes National Park
On arrival at Kigali International Airport or after breakfast at your hotel, you will be met by our guide and go for a short Kigali City tour visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center and Kimironko Market. After lunch you will proceed to Volcanoes National Park with a drive through the magnificent rolling hills, arrive in the late afternoon, check in at your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Le bamboo Lodge – Midrange or Five Volcanoes – Luxury
Meal Plan: Lunch and dinner
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes Forest
Wake up early for breakfast and head to the park’s headquarters in Kinigi for briefing about gorilla trekking, be assigned a gorilla family to trek and be grouped into 8 people, head to the starting point and into the forests headed by an armed ranger in search for mountain gorillas. The trek takes approximately 2 to 6 hours depending on the movement of the gorilla family you are trekking and their feeding range.
When you locate the gorillas, you will be allowed to spend one hour in their presence taking pictures and observing their amazing behavior and take pictures. Later, you will trek back to the park’s headquarters where you will meet your guide and head back to your lodge where you will spend the rest of the day. Have dinner and stay overnight.
Accommodation: Le bamboo Lodge – Midrange or Five Volcanoes – Luxury
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Day 3: Transfer to Bwindi Forest
After a leisurely breakfast, you will head to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda with border crossing at Cyanika Border heading to Buhoma Sector, you will arrive in time for lunch after checking at your lodge. In the late afternoon, you will go for a visit to the Batwa People for a cultural experience. You will be entertained by their local dances and drama, demonstration of their high skilled hunting tactics, visit the medicine man among others. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Buhoma Haven Lodge – Midrange or Buhoma Lodge – Luxury
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Day 4: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Forest
Wake up early and head to the Buhoma’s park headquarters for briefing about the dos and don’ts while on gorilla trek, be grouped into 8 people and be assigned one of the habituated gorilla families to trek.
With armed rangers, you will head into the forests of Bwindi looking for mountain gorillas on a trek that takes about 2 to 6 hours or more. As you trek through the forests, you will see many other forest creatures including primates such as black and white colobus monkeys and colorful birds. Once you encounter the gorillas, you will be mind-blown by their huge fur covered bodies. You will be permitted to spend on hour in their presence taking pictures and interacting them.
Trek back to the park’s headquarters where you will meet your guide and head back to your lodge for an evening rest, have dinner and stay overnight.
Accommodation: Buhoma Haven Lodge – Midrange or Buhoma Lodge – Luxury
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park and afternoon game drive
Have breakfast, then embark on a journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park through the Ishasha Sector where you many be lucky and spot the tree climbing lions lounging on fig tree branches. With a short game drive, you will head to your lodge for check-in, have dinner and short rest. Then go for an afternoon game drive. Have dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Elephant Hab – Midrange or Elephant Plains – Luxury
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Day 6: morning game drive, Kazinga Channel boat cruise and transfer to Kibale Forest
Wake up early for a cup of coffee and head to the park for an early game drive on which you will have a chance to spot lions, leopards, hyenas, elephants and many other animals and also enjoy the beautiful sunrise. Return to the lodge for a full breakfast and short rest, then head to Kazinga Channel for a boat cruise, on this thrilling experience you will enjoy sights of large schools of hippos and Nile crocodiles in the waters of the channel and elephants, buffaloes among others along the banks of the channel drinking water.
Later, you will embark on a drive to Kibale Forest National Park – Africa’s Primate Capital. Arrive in the evening, check in at your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Chimpanzee Forest Lodge – Midrange or Chimpudu Safari Lodge – Luxury
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Day 7: Chimpanzee trekking
Wake up early for breakfast and head to the park’s headquarters for briefing about chimpanzee trekking, a senior ranger guide will take you through the rules and regulations to follow in the forests and how to behave while in the presence of the chimpanzees.
The trek through Kibale Forest takes about 2 to 6 hours depending on the movement of the chimpanzees, you will also spot other forest creatures such as olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys and many birds. Once you locate the chimpanzees, you will enjoy being in their presence, watch them play from one tree branch to another, take amazing pictures of them and watch them interact with each other.
Trek back to the park’s headquarters where you will meet your guide and head back to the lodge for lunch, in the afternoon you will go for a Bigodi Walk where you will encounter with the local community. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 8: Departure
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast, checkout of your lodge and embark on a journey to Kampala. Along the way you will have a stopover in Mbarara for lunch and at the Equator Crossing for pictures and a chance to stand in both Northern and Southern Hemisphere at one place. When you arrive in Kampala, you will be dropped off at the airport for your flight back home.
End of 8 Days Rwanda and Uganda Safari – Gorillas and Wildlife Safari
Includes & Excludes
Tour includes
Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking permits
All activities on itinerary & park entry fees
Accommodation and meals
Transport in Standard Safari vehicle
Professional Tour Guide
Package Excludes
International Flights
Items of Personal Nature
Tips and Gratuity