Countries: Uganda and Uganda
Destinations: Entebbe, Kampala, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Murchison Falls National Park, Kibale National Park, Bigodi wetland, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Lake Bunyonyi, Volcanoes National Park, Lake Kivu and Kigali
Itinerary at Glance
Day 1: Arrive in Entebbe
Day 2: Shoebill bird watching at Mabamba and behind the scene experience at UWEC
Day 3: Kampala city tour
Day 4: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park with an en route Rhino trekking
Day 5: Game drives and boat cruise at Murchison Falls National Park
Day 6: Transfer to Kibale National Park
Day 7: Chimpanzee Trekking at Kibale National Park and Bigodi Wetland Walk
Day 8: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 9: Game drive and boat cruise at Kazinga channel at Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 10: Game drive in Ishasha in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 11: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 12: Gorilla Trekking at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 13: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park via Lake Bunyonyi
Day 14: Gorilla trekking at Volcanoes National Park
Day 15: Golden monkey trekking and transfer to Lake Kivu
Day 16: Coffee tour and boat ride on Lake Kivu
Day 17: Transfer to Kigali, for city tour and departure (Evening flight)
Trip Overview.
The 17 days Uganda Rwanda primates and wildlife adventure safari rewards you with great primate and wildlife experience through famous Uganda and Rwanda national parks, where you will as well as enjoy Kampala and Kigali city tour, which are the major capital cities for both countries. You will start by a visit to Mabamba swamp bay for shoebill stork bird watching, later head to Kampala for a city tour and cultural performance, before finding your way to Murchison Falls National Park, for a wildlife safari, with an en route visit to Ziwa Rhino sanctuary for Rhino watching. You will progress with the safari to Kibale National Park and Bigodi swamp walk for the primate watching, and after cross to Queen Elizabeth National Park for the wildlife experience and scenic boat ride at the famous Kazinga channel, as well as search for the tree climbing lions, when luck falls at Ishasha. Gorilla trekking at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, marks the highlight of the Ugandan side safari experience, with a scenic boat ride on Lake Bunyonyi as you navigate your way to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, for trekking the gorillas and golden monkeys, before, you transfer to Lake Kivu, for leisure retreat, combining it with a coffee tour and boat ride on Lake Kivu. You will conclude this tour, with a Kigali city tour experience, with a visit to Kigali genocide memorial, before you fly out.
The safari, stands you a great opportunity to sport the BIG 5, with as double gorilla trekking experience.
The safari starts with arrival in Entebbe and with departure in Kigali!
Trip Highlights
- Gorilla Trekking Experience in Uganda
- Gorilla Trekking Experience in Rwanda
- Chimpanzee Trekking Experience in Uganda
- Golden Monkey Trekking Experience in Rwanda
- Kampala city tour
- Adere cultural performance
- Kigali city tour
- Shoebill watching at Mabamba
- Behind the scene experience at UWEC
- Countryside drive experience
- Wildlife safari experience
- Game drives in Murchison Falls National Park
- Boat cruise in Murchison Falls National Park
- Game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Boat cruise at Kazinga channel
- Community experience
- Rhino trekking at Ziwa Rhino sanctuary
- Bigodi wetland walk
- Boat ride on Lake Kivu
- Road drive experience
- Primate sighting experience
- Nature walk
- Coffee tour experience
- Bird watching experience
Day 1: Welcome to Uganda!
Day Itinerary
Upon landing at Entebbe International Airport, you will go through the immigration protocol and on getting done, as you exit the tunnel, your driver/guide, will warmly welcome you to Uganda, and he will pick you up from Entebbe airport and transfers you to your booked accommodation for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay. You will have the opportunity to rest and prepare for your safari adventure the following day. Our driver will ensure that you are comfortable and ready for an exciting and unforgettable experience exploring the beautiful landscapes and wildlife of Uganda.
Overnight stay at: Protea Hotel by Marriott (Luxury) or Papyrus Guest House (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Dinner
Day 2: Shoebill stork bird watching at Mabamba Swamp Bay and visit to Entebbe Zoo
Day Itinerary
Your guide will pick you up from your hotel early in the morning after breakfast, at your hotel in Kampala/ Entebbe at 6:00 am and be transferred to Mabamba Swamp for shoebill stork bird watching. You will drive to Entebbe at Kasenyi landing site, where you will board a motorized boat that will transfer you to Mabamba swamp, catching up with the sunrise experience over Lake Victoria. Transfer takes roughly 20 – 30 minutes, rewarding you with a great opportunity to catch up with the sunrise experience. This is the best place to spot the rare shoebill. You will head for a half day, private boat excursion, with picnic lunch; the wetlands are home to a variety of different bird species. A canoe ride through papyrus swamp will take you at the best spot of spotting the Shoebill bird among other rare Africa birds like the Malachite Kingfisher, Swamp Flycatchers, African Purple Swamphen, African Water Rail, Common Moorhen, Lesser Jacana, African Jacana, African Pygmy Goose, White faced whistling duck, Squacco heron, Blue breasted Bee eater, African Jacana, and Saddle – billed Stork, among others. You will spend the day bird watching and searching for the shoebills, on a lucky day, you will finally land on them, watch them as they hunt, for food. After watching the shoebills, you will get back to your motorized boat and transfer back to Entebbe, meet your guide, and head for hot lunch.
After lunch, you will visit Entebbe UWEC Zoo, for a behind the scene wildlife experience at the UWEC, which rewards you with an educational wildlife experience that you will encounter during your Uganda safari. Later, head to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight stay at: Protea Hotel by Marriott (Luxury) or Papyrus Guest House (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 3: Kampala City Tour
Day Itinerary
Have a relaxed breakfast at your hotel, have a drive through Kampala and visit Kabaka Royal Palace at Lubiri, learn more about the Buganda Kingdom and culture, before heading to Visit Ghadafi mosque, later visit Baha’i Temple, the only Buddha Temple in Africa, after you will visit Namugongo shrine, to know more about missionaries and their influence on the Buganda kingdom. You will wind your Kampala city tour, with afternoon dinner at Ndere cultural center, with a great electrical Uganda cultural performance, to wrap up your day. Later, you will drive to your hotel overnight.
Overnight stay at: Latitude 0 (Luxury) or Cassia Lodge (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 4: To Murchison Falls National Park. Journey Time +5 hours.
Day Itinerary
Today, wake up and have an early morning breakfast, meet your guide, who will shortly take you through a short briefing about your trip, and later you continue your journey to Murchison Falls National Park, one of the oldest conservation areas in Uganda. This is a long but rewarding journey through various landscapes of Northern Uganda, as you explore the beautiful countryside setting, with a flat topography, as we drive past the rural area, enjoying the homestead settings.
Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s best-known and biggest nature reserve. With the impressive and powerful Murchison waterfall and its remarkable animal populations, this is a must visit in the Pearl of Africa. There are superb activities on offer such as a boat safari or Delta safari on the Nile. The river divides the park between a Northern and Southern section as it makes its way through multiple rapids and waterfalls to Lake Albert. Unfortunately, during the war years poachers and troops wiped out the majority of wildlife. Except for the park’s rhino population, fortunately all other wildlife has recovered fast since. A game drive in the park allows you to be eye-to-eye with the African animal kingdom and you will be amazed by the amount of elephants. Also giraffes, lions, antelope, waterbucks, buffaloes, hippos and crocodiles can all be spotted. Game drives take place on the tracks in the northern section which you reach by taking a ferry across the river. This park guarantees adventure!
You will pass by Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, for on foot Rhino tracking, this takes roughly 3 hour’s.
Later, have lunch and proceed with the drive to the park, reach and approach the park with a slow en route game drive, and spend the afternoon at leisure swimming or dining.
Overnight stay at: Para Safari Lodge (luxury) or Pakuba Safari Lodge (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 5: Game drive and boat cruise at Murchison Falls National Park
Day Itinerary
After an early breakfast, it is time to explore the park. On your game drives you of course need a fair share of luck and very good eyes to try and spot as many animals as possible. While driving through the park you can come eye-to-eye with the African animal kingdom. Hopefully you see them all; elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, lions, leopards, different species of antelope and many tropical birds. They are all there! Lost in nature, stretching your neck, to spot the best out of the drive. The park is especially known for its massive elephant population, huge array of bird species and big herds of buffalo. You will discover some of the park’s ecosystems and different scenery with dense woodland, extensive savannahs and rolling grasslands. As this is a private game drive you can ask your guide to tailor your trip towards specific birdlife and/or wildlife if you like. You will later have your picnic lunch served, take some relaxation, as you have a break.
The afternoon boat safari towards the Murchison Falls is a very special activity, it takes approximately 3 hours and goes along the Victoria Nile to the base of the fall. You can imagine; this boat safari will show you breathtaking scenery. Cold drinks are for sale on board for when you get thirsty for a local beer or a soda. Carefully watched by crocodiles, hundreds of hippos, buffaloes, water birds, monkeys and all the other (also thirsty) wildlife that the Nile attracts you go to the bottom of the powerful Murchison Falls. If you like hiking, the boat can drop you near the waterfalls and you can hike up to the top (this takes around 1 or 1, 3 hours). The views are amazing! You will later return back to your lodge, with a slow en route game drive, and spend the afternoon at leisure swimming or dinning.
Overnight stay at: Para Safari Lodge (luxury) or Pakuba Safari Lodge (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 6: Transfer to Kibale National Park. Travel time +5 hours
Day Itinerary
Today after your early morning breakfast, have an en route game drive and you head to visit the Top of the falls, the Nile most powerful fall, with thunder sound as the water oases out of the narrow gorge. You will hike to the bottom of the falls, later return and drive off heading to Kibale Forest National Park; you will drive through a scenic lush green countryside. On arrival at Kibale forest; you will enter a completely different world… some serious monkey business. The forest is home to at least 12 Primate Species including: The Red-Tailed Monkey, Olive Baboon, Black and White Colobus plus Blue Monkeys. The bird life in the forest is also prolific and includes the beautiful Great Blue Turaco. If you are very lucky, you may even catch a glimpse of the meandering herd of Forest Elephants.
In the late afternoon, transfer to your accommodation for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Overnight stay at: Kyaninga Lodge (luxury) or Turaco Treetop Lodge (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Chimpanzee Trekking Experience at Kibale National Park and Bigodi Nature Walk
Day Itinerary
In the morning, you will set off to the park headquarters for briefing before going for Chimpanzee tracking, where you may encounter other primates like Vervet Monkeys, Blue Hoest Monkeys, Black and white colobus Monkeys among others. The park is known as home of primates with 13 primate’s species including the famous chimpanzees. The trek takes roughly 2 – 4 hours, depending on the chimpanzee movement. One hour will be allocated to you, to have a wonderful interaction with the chimpanzees, as you take pictures and short videos, as your local guide explains to you all the biological background of the chimpanzee as you interact. You will later return from trek and head for lunch.
In the afternoon; go for a Bigodi nature walk at Bigodi wetland sanctuary for primate and bird viewing, the walk can take roughly 2 hours, to explore the hidden treasure of this swamp, with a great chance to see a number of bird species and monkeys. Later drive to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight stay at: Kyaninga Lodge (luxury) or Turaco Treetop Lodge (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Travel time +2 hours
Day Itinerary
Have early morning breakfast, and drive to Queen Elizabeth with the beautiful view of the crater lakes, you will do a brief crater lakes tour around and later drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park, with a stopover at Equator for photography.
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Queen Elizabeth National Park is a wildlife reserve located in Uganda. It spans over 1,978 square km and is home to a diverse range of wildlife including elephants, lions, leopards, buffalos, and over 600 bird species. The park offers various activities for visitors including game drives, boat rides, nature walks, and chimpanzee trekking. Its stunning scenery and diverse wildlife make it a popular tourist destination for those seeking an immersive wildlife experience
You will catch up with lunch at your lodge, and later head for a brief evening game drive in the Kensenyi side of the park. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Overnight stay at: Mweya Safari Lodge (luxury) or Bush Lodge (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 9: Game drive and boat cruise at Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day Itinerary
After an early morning breakfast at 6:00 am, you will head for a morning game drive in search for the morning hunters and grazers such as the buffalos, elephants, waterbucks, bushbucks, Uganda kobs, lions and variety of bird species that you will encounter on your game ride and later head for lunch.
After lunch you will proceed for a boat cruise along the Kazinga channel to view the water dwelling birds and animals such as the pied kingfisher, African fish eagle, herons, darters to mention but a few and see animals such as buffalos, crocodiles, monitor lizards, elephants wallowing at the mad and much more. After a boat cruise, you will proceed for a short game drive as you find your way back to the lodge for dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Overnight stay at: Mweya Safari Lodge (luxury) or Bush Lodge (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 10: Game drive in Ishasha sector in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day Itinerary
After having a relaxed breakfast at your lodge, you will checkout and drive to Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is well known for encountering the rare tree climbing lions. This is the best spot in the world where you can encounter the tree climbing lions on the fig tree, as well as in Lake Manyara in Tanzania. On a lucky day, you will land on them, resting aimlessly on the fig tree branches. You will continue trying your luck with both morning and afternoon game drives. Other wildlife that can be spotted includes, hyenas, Topi, elephants, buffaloes, bushbucks, and much more including the leopards. Lunch, dinner and overnight shall be served at your booked lodge.
Overnight stay at: Ishasha Wilderness Camp (luxury) or Enjojo Lodge (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
NB: In case you wish to enjoy Bush breakfast at 50$ per person
Day 11: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Travel time +5hrs
Day Itinerary
Following having breakfast at your lodge, we shall proceed to Ishasha sector, for another game drive in this beautiful sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, with a short game drive and later drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park through the magnificent route to your booked accommodation with an en route lunch and later reach at your lodge, spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing and preparing for the next day’s Gorilla trekking exercise.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site located in Uganda. It’s known for its diverse flora and fauna, with over 350 bird species and over 400 gorillas. Bwindi offers a unique birding experience for bird enthusiasts, as well as gorilla trekking for wildlife enthusiasts. The park’s thick forest makes for an exciting and immersive adventure, attracting tourists from all over the world. It’s best to visit during the dry season for optimal bird watching and gorilla trekking experiences.
Overnight stay at: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge (luxury) or Ihamba Residence (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 12: Gorilla Trekking Experience at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day Itinerary
Early morning cup of coffee by 0630hrs, then prepare for the gorilla trekking briefing from the park headquarters and thereafter, you will enter the jungle with your packed lunch to search for the shy mountain gorillas and enjoy their lifestyle in their real home. After meeting the gorillas, you can sit around these great apes for an hour watching their social life as you take pictures. On a gorilla safari, a reasonable degree of fitness is required as well as walking shoes, packed snacks and mineral water, insect repellent, sunscreen and hut. The gorilla trekking experience takes almost 2 – 6 depending on the movements of these primates and pace of your trekking group. After this gorilla tracking experience you will return to your lodge for hot lunch. You will spend the evening relaxing and going through your great shots during your trekking as you wait for overnight stay at the lodge or you may opt for batwa cultural experience, to kill your evening stay.
Overnight stay at: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge (luxury) or Ihamba Residence (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 13: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park via Lake Bunyonyi.
Day Itinerary
Today, you will have a relaxed breakfast at the lodge, and drive to Lake Bunyonyi, where you will have a wonderful time at leisure with a beautiful scenic boat ride, to explore the 29 islands, that this beautiful lake is known of and being the second deepest lake in Africa, patched with a number of bird species. You will later return, have lunch before you drive to Rwanda, through Cyanika border, and proceed to your lodge, check in and relax, or opt to, visit Iby Iwacu cultural center, get to learn more about the Rwanda cultural insight. Later return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight stay at: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (luxury) or Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 14: Gorilla Trekking Experience at Volcanoes National Park
Day Itinerary
After an early morning breakfast, you will be transferred to the park headquarters. You will meet with your ranger who will brief you about the code of conduct while with the gorillas. You will then enter the forest in search of the gorillas. The gorilla trekking may take 2 – 6 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas in the jungle and your group speed as well. Meet and stay with the gorillas for a maximum of one hour. After a great experience you will walk back to the starting point, meet your guide waiting for you and be transferred to your lodge for lunch, and after lunch, you can decide to relax at your lodge at your leisure or opt to head for a Ellen DeGeneres Campus of Dian Fossey, learn more about her great work towards gorilla conservation. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Overnight stay at: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (luxury) or Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 15: Golden Monkey trekking and transfer to Lake Kivu. Travel time + 1.3 hrs
Day Itinerary
Today after your warm early morning breakfast, you will be picked by our safari driver guide who will transfer you to the park headquarters for a golden monkey trekking briefing and start off your day golden monkey trekking. Just like the gorilla trekking experience, the same applies to golden monkey trekking though not so hectic like gorilla trekking. You will later return to the lodge for lunch. After lunch, you will transfer to Gisenyi, where you will spend the evening at leisure. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Overnight stay at: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel (luxury) or Paradise Kivu (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 16: Coffee tour and boat ride on Lake Kivu
Day Itinerary
Following a relaxed breakfast at the lodge, you will board your boat at the lake shore, and transfer to Kimbili, for a coffee tour, where you will experience a crop to cup coffee experience, learn more about coffee growing, later embark on your boat and return back with an en route boat tour on Lake Kivu, to your hotel, and catch up with hot lunch. Spend the afternoon at leisure by the beach. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Overnight stay at: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel (luxury) or Paradise Kivu (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 17: Kigali city tour and departure.
Day Itinerary
Have an early morning breakfast, meet your guide and jump into your safari jeep, find your way to Kigali, for a Kigali city tour where you will catch up with lunch, before visiting Kigali genocide memorial, learn more about the incidence and how it has contributed to the peace keeping. Time permitting, you will visit the Kimironko local market and art gallery, before transfer to Kigali airport to catchup with your evening flight back home. End of service!
Meal Plan: Breakfast and lunch!
The safari package includes.
- Transportation on a 4 x 4 safari vehicle with pop up roof for game view
- Accommodation and meals as listed on the itinerary
- Service of an English speaking driver guide
- 1 Chimpanzee permit per person.
- 2 Gorilla ($ 2,200) permit per person
- Rhino trekking at Ziwa Rhino sanctuary
- Visit to the top of falls
- Kampala city tour
- Kigali city tour
- Visit to Kigali genocide memorial
- Boat trip on Lake Bunyonyi
- Shoebill bird watching at Mabamba
- Boat trip on Lake Kivu
- Coffee tour experience
- Adere cultural performance
- En route lunches
- Boat cruises as mentioned in the itinerary
- Park entrance fees
- Bigodi swamp walk
- Unlimited bottles of mineral water
- Game drives as mentioned in the itinerary
- And other day excursions as described in the itinerary
- Lot of fun on African soil
The package excludes expenses of personal nature like:
- Visa Fees & flights
- Optional activities
- Tips for guides
- Laundry
- Alcoholic drinks
- International vaccinations & tests
- Health test requirements
- Personal travel Insurance
- Personal shopping bills
- Phone call bills
- Extras while at the hotel
- Items of personal nature
Please contact us for a free detailed quote on the option of your choice. We can tailor a request that suits your interests, and budget, as well as we can change or upgrade the lodge options. Write to us with more details about your safari.