Book this 15 days Uganda Rwanda safari, combining gorilla trekking with, chimpanzees and golden monkey tour, giving exclusive African safari memories in your life time. This takes you through Uganda and Rwanda’s greatest attractions. So, don’t miss a visit to Murchison Falls National Park for rhino trekking tour at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, chimpanzee safari tour in Kibale in Uganda and in Nyungwe Forest Park in Rwanda.
Enjoy wildlife safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park, before being taken down to Bwindi forest for an amazing gorilla trekking tour. Slope down to Rwanda’s Parc Volcanoes for a second gorilla trekking tour and golden monkey trekking, and then a canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest. Don’t miss a visit to Lake Kivu and a Kigali city tour in Rwanda.
This 15 days Uganda Rwanda safari is highly recommended for visitors seeking for a total adventure in Uganda & Rwanda, while staying at high-end and premium lodge facilities.
15 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari Itinerary:-
Day 1: Kampala – Murchison Falls National Park
Begin the panoramic drive north-west through the famous Luwero Triangle and then Masindi town before reaching Murchison Falls via Masindi. You may first branch off for a visit to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a guided rhino trekking tour and picnic lunch. Continue to the spectacularly Murchison Falls National Park while enjoying the sunset as you return to the lodge.
Dinner and overnight stay at Paraa Safari Lodge (high-end facility). Meal plan: lunch and dinner.
Day 2: Murchison Falls National Park
After your cup of coffee, you will cross the Nile to the northern side of Murchison Falls National Park. Along the way, your guide will help you spot giant African elephants, lions, Cape buffaloes, Rothschild’s giraffes, hartebeests, waterbucks, oribi, bushbucks, Bohor reedbuck, hyenas and if you are lucky, the leopard too. Return to the lodge for breakfast and lunch.
After lunch, you will get on an afternoon boat safari upstream the calm Victoria Nile. This shall take you to the base of the falls stopping just tens of meters from the “Devil’s Cauldron”. En-route, marvel at the toothsome hippos, crocodiles, and elephants, waterbucks and Uganda Kob along this 17 km stretch.
This is also a zone of many bird species, including the goliath heron, Egyptian goose, pelican bee-eaters, kingfisher, hornbill, cormorants and the rare shoebill stork.
There you leave the boat and start your – quite heavy – hike to the top of the Murchison Falls, in approximately 1 hour. You will see where the world’s longest river explodes violently through a narrow cleft in the Rift Valley escarpment, to plunge into a frothing pool 43m below. Your driver or guide will be waiting for you to bring you back to the lodge.
Dinner and overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge (high end Lodge) Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 3: Murchison Falls – Kibale
After breakfast, you will take a full day drive south, from Murchison Falls via Hoima to Fort Portal, through the verdant countryside. You will pass by traditional homesteads and farms along Albertine Rift escarpments. Fort-Portal rests in the shadow of the fabled ‘Mountains of the Moon‘.
Meals and overnight stay at Kyaninga Lodge (high-end facility). Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 4: Kibale Chimpanzee Trekking & Bigodi Walk Kibale.
After early breakfast, report at Kanyanchu Tourist Centre where tourist activities begin and set out to track chimpanzee in the forest. Kibale National Park is one of the beautiful and stunning forests in the Uganda. It is one of the major homes to our closest living relatives the endangered chimpanzees, so chances of viewing the chimps are over 90%.
The forest is also home to the threatened Red colobus monkey and the rare L’Hoest’s monkey. It also boasts of having one of the highest diversity and density of primates in Africa, totaling up to 13 species. These include the black and white colobus, blue, and red-tailed monkeys; grey-cheeked mangabeys, Bush babies and Pottos, among others.
After lunch visit Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary from where you will take on a guided walk around the swamp. Here, you get a rare opportunity to see a wide range of flora and fauna, view a variety of butterflies, bird species and other insects.
Get a tour of the Ndali crater lakes region, where you may also make a stop over at any of tea plantations along the road if you wish. Have an evening tour of the crater region, and a visit to the ‘top of the world’, the natural bridge. On a clear day you will be able to have a view of the snow cap on the Rwenzori.
Dinner and overnight stay at Kyaninga Lodge (high-end facility). Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 5: Kibale – Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast, you will drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park viewing the mystical Rwenzori mountain ranges for much of the journey. Check in at your accommodation facility as you wait for your lunch.
After your lunch, you will take on an afternoon launch cruise along Kazinga channel – one that joins Lakes Edward and George. This boat cruise is a wonderful way to see hippos, buffaloes, kobs, the occasional Nile crocodiles, and spectacular bird watching on the water bank. Many who have experienced this launch cruise consider it as the highlight of their entire African safari.
Dinner and overnight stay at Mweya Safari Lodge (high-end facility). Meal plan breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 6: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Begin your day with a cup of coffee, and an early morning game drive along Kasenyi and Queen’s Mile. Here, visitors encounter giant African elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, warthogs, lions, Uganda Kobs, and a variety of bird species. You will then return to the lodge for breakfast and lunch.
After lunch, you will drive through the southern Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. This takes you through a unique western rift valley escarpment, for yet another evening game drive in search of tree-climbing lions.
Overnight stay and meals at Ishasha Wilderness Camp (high-end facility). Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 7: Ishasha – Bwindi
Get on an early morning guided bush walk for a closer interaction with nature. The mid-morning will be spent on a game drive in search for the tree-climbing lions, still in the Ishash sector. You will thereafter head to Bwindi, through a journey that takes about 2 hours but driving through interesting features.
Arrive at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the home of the rare mountain gorillas. Apart from gorillas, there is a wide variety of primates to see, including the blue and red-tailed monkeys. The forest itself is lush and green with streams running through it.
Dinner and overnight stay at Buhoma Lodge (high-end facility). Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 8 : Bwindi Gorilla Trekking
Begin the day with breakfast as you get ready for your 3 days gorilla habituation experience, which begins at 8:00 am with a briefing from the staff of Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). Ensure that you carry along with you a rain jacket, drinking water, snacks, and jungle boots among others.
The guides will lead you inside the jungle to see the shy primates for a group you have been booked for.
Do not forget to take your lunch boxes and all the necessary gear to track the rare mountain gorilla, perhaps one of the most exciting wildlife experiences on earth. The tracking may take between 2 and 6 hours but it’s well worth the effort.
Time permitting, you will spend the afternoon on a Batwa village visit. The Buhoma Village Walk gives you a great opportunity to see how the people surrounding Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. It also is a great way to support the local community in a direct way.
The walk begins after a briefing from your guide at your lodge and is most informative, rewarding to the every visitor. It will amaze you how resourceful the local people are as you see and learn their ways of life.
Dinner and overnight stay at Buhoma Lodge (high-end facility). Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 9: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest – Parc Volcanoes, Rwanda
After breakfast, the following day, you will drive to Rwanda, via Ruhengere and Musanze, as you enjoy the rolling hills for which Rwanda is well known as ‘the land of a thousand hills’. Drive by the lakes (Ruhondo and Mutera) before arriving at Volcanoes National Park, in the afternoon.
The evening is spent on sightseeing and relaxation around at your lodge.
Dinner and overnight stay at Virunga Lodge (high-end facility). Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 10: Rwanda Gorilla Trekking
After a briefing from your guide set off to track the gorillas. Spend an hour in awe watching the Gorillas go about their activities. You are likely to enjoy close views of adults feeding, grooming and resting as youngsters frolic and swing from vines in a delightfully playful display.
Dinner and overnight stay at Virunga Lodge (high-end facility). Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 11: Rwanda Golden Monkey Trek – Lake Kivu
Golden monkeys trekking takes place in Volcanoes National Park and it starts at the same time, just like gorilla trekking. That is, 7:00 am in the morning. The exercise starts with a short briefing from the park rangers at the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) office. Thereafter, you will proceed for golden monkey tracking through the rainforest on the volcanoes. After trekking you will head to Lake Kivu to enjoy the sand beach, while relaxing.
Overnight stay and dinner at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel (high-end). Meal plan: full board.
Day 12: Lake Kivu – Nyungwe Forest National park
Have a morning breakfast and then go for boat ride en-route on Lake Kivu before proceeding to Nyungwe National Park. Thereafter, you will embark on the journey to Nyungwe.
You will enjoy a scenic drive to Nyungwe National Park, arriving in time for lunch. The afternoon is dedicated for relaxation and enjoying the lodge’s amenities and an evening tea ceremony.
Nyungwe National Park lies in southwestern Rwanda, partly abutting the Burundi border. It’s a vast area of mountain rainforest, home to many species of chimpanzees, owl-faced and colobus monkeys.
The canopy walkway is one of the highlights in this park. A high suspension bridge with views over the valley and surrounding forests, is such an amazing experience.
Day 13: Chimpanzee Trekking in Nyungwe
Enjoy your breakfast and thereafter depart to Cyamudongo, where your chimpanzee trekking safari in Rwanda will begin. You will return to your accommodation after the chimp trekking experience for lunch awaiting another possible canopy walk experience.
After your lunch and a brief repose at the accommodation, head out to undertake the canopy walk. This is the most incredible adventures you don’t want to miss. You will have the opportunity to see the monkeys move around in the tree tops. Don’t miss the birds flying above and below you and a beautiful view of the huge Nyungwe forest. It’s also an amazing sight.
Dinner and overnight stay at Nyungwe House (high-end facility). Meal plan: full board.
Day 14: Nyungwe Forests – Kigali
Have an early morning breakfast and then checkout to proceed to Butare, where you will visit the ethnographic museum and loyal palace museum. After the ethnographic museum, you will also visit the King’s Palace Museum in Rukari, based in Nyanza. That is 88 km south of Kigali City.
This was the residence of King Mutara III Rudahigwa and the royal palace that was traditionally built. This palace offers a detailed look into Rwanda’s traditional seat of their monarchy. It is an impressive museum, which has been restored to its 19th century state and made entirely with traditional materials.
Overnight stay and meals at Kigali Radison Blue Marriott Hotel (high-end). Meal plan: full board.
Day 15: Kigali City Tour – Departure
After the morning breakfast, you will have a Kigali city tour for a full day, including a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre. You will also get a souvenir shopping opportunity prior to your departure flight at Kigali International Airport. Meal plan: breakfast & lunch.
15 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari Includes:-
- 2 Gorilla Permits 1 in Uganda and 1 in Rwanda.
- All Meals and accommodation as per the itinerary.
- All ground transportation in a comfortable 4×4 Land Cruiser
- 1 litre bottled mineral water per person per day whilst on safari
- Park entrance fees.
- Services of a full time English speaking driver/guide.
- Water, coffee or Tea while on safari.
- All boat trips.
- Batwa experience
- All game drives.
- All activities at stipulated in the itinerary.
- Chimpanzee trekking Kibale and Nyungwe Forest Rwanda
- All government taxes/levies.
- Community walk Bwindi
- Hike to the top of the falls
- Ferry crossing fees
- Crater walk
- Enroute Lunches
- Bush walk Ishasha
- Bigodi walk
- Border Crossing fees
- Kigali City Tour
- Canopy Walk Nyungwe Forests
- Airport drop Kigali
- Government taxes
- AMREF Emergency Medical Insurance
Excludes:-
- Expenses of personal nature like: visa to Uganda and Rwanda, drinks, laundry, tips to local guides, telephone, porter fee while trekking, personal insurance, tobacco and any other program not mentioned herein the safari program