Countries: Rwanda – Uganda
Destinations: Kigali, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kibale National Park, Mabamba Swamp and Ngamba Island Sanctuary
Itinerary at Glance
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali
Day 2: Kigali city tour & transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 3: Gorilla Trek at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 4: Batwa Trail Experience and transfer to Ishasha – Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 5: Game drive in Ishasha and Transfer to Mweya for after boat ride at Kazinga Channel
Day 6: Game drive and Transfer to Kibale National Park
Day 7: Chimpanzee Trekking and Swamp walk at Kibale National Park
Day 8: Transfer to Entebbe
Day 9: Shoebill Bird Watching at Mabamba Swamp and Entebbe tour
Day 10: Visit to Ngamba Chimp Sanctuary and departure (Evening flight)
Trip Overview.
This 10 days Epic Rwanda Uganda combined adventure safari, takes you through Rwanda and Uganda, with arrival through Kigali airport and departure at Entebbe. You will enjoy a wonderful primate, wildlife and bird life experience, as well as both Kigali and Entebbe tour. You will explore both countries’ attractions, and be able to trek mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home to the half of the world’s remaining mount gorillas and chimpanzees in Kibale National Park, the primate capital. You will do a wildlife game safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park, with a wonderful boat ride on Kazinga channel, having the world’s concentration population of hippos and large Nile crocodiles. You will wind up the tour in Entebbe, with a day excursion to Mabamba swamp wetland, best spot to spot the rare shoebills, as well as a day trip to Ngamba Island chimpanzee sanctuary. This is one of its kind, with a massive adventure, starting in Kigali – Rwanda and ending in Entebbe – Uganda.
Trip Highlights
- Gorilla trekking in Uganda
- Chimpanzee trekking at Kibale National Park
- Game drives
- Boat cruise at Kazinga Channel
- Shoebill bird watching at Mabamba bay
- Batwa Cultural tour
- Kigali city tour
- Visit to Kigali genocide memorial
- Bigodi swamp walk
- Visit to Ngama Island chimpanzee sanctuary
- Entebbe tour
Day 1: Arrive in Kigali.
Day Itinerary
Welcome to Rwanda! Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport (KGL), you will be met by our company representative, who will greet and transfer to your hotel for refreshment, pre-safari briefing, dinner and overnight.
You will be invited to a special welcome dinner at the hotel where you will have a chance to get to know each other better as you enjoy your first night in Africa.
After dinner, your butler will then show you to your rooms where you will spend the night.
Overnight stay at: The Retreat (Luxury) or Hotel des Mille Collines (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Dinner
Day 2: Kigali City Tour and Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day Itinerary
After breakfast, you get to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial which is the final resting place for more than 250,000 victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Learn about Rwanda’s history from pre-colonial times to the 1994 genocide as well as other genocides in the world. A visit to the Rwanda Art Museum also known as the former presidential palace gives you an insight of the life of the then president of Rwanda, whose plane when shot down in 1994, sparked off the Rwanda Genocide. Tour more and see the new developments in Rwanda; the recovery has been incredible, a testament to humankind’s resilience.
Later Rwanda departed on a scenic drive through thousands of hills, coffee, tea and banana plantations to the border post foothills of the Virunga massive and into the beautiful Pearl of Africa – Uganda. You will see a great country-side of bamboo forest and have great views of the landscape.
In the late afternoon, check into your lodge for relaxation and prepare for your big day the next day.
Overnight stay at: Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp (luxury) or Buhoma Haven Lodge (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Gorilla Trekking Experience at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day Itinerary
Today is the big day… Prepare yourself for an encounter with one of Bwindi’s gentle giants: the rare Mountain Gorilla. For most people this is the absolute highlight of their tour in Uganda. You will be required to wake up early in the morning then be led to the visitor’s reception center for a briefing about the park. You are allocated guides before heading into the forest in search of Mountain Gorillas.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest boasts of both Mountain Gorillas and Chimpanzees – the only forest in Africa which can make this claim. It also hosts five other species of primate, 113 species of mammals, over 200 butterflies and 360 birds.
The Gorillas you will track belong to one of nine habituated family groups who can tolerate the presence of humans for a brief period every day. Your trek will be an exciting journey along forested slopes, entwined vines, bushes and bamboo before you eventually reach the Gorillas’ habitat. En-route, your guide will point out signs of previous Gorilla activity, including dung, nests and chewed bamboo shoots. The time taken to track the Gorillas can take as little as 4 hours or more.
Once the Gorillas have been located, your group will be allowed a maximum of one hour with them. Coming face-to-face with a Mountain Gorilla is a truly humbling and emotional experience. This is a fantastic and privileged opportunity to get up close and personal with Uganda’s very own ‘Gorillas in the Mist’. You will enjoy an informative moment, with the ranger guide, who will share with you more information about the gorilla conservation and the entire park. Later return back to your lodge for hot lunch, retire in the afternoon at leisure at the lodge.
Overnight stay at: Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp (luxury) or Buhoma Haven Lodge (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Batwa Pygmies and Transfer to Ishasha – Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day Itinerary
After breakfast, you will get to do the ‘Batwa’ (pygmies) Cultural Trail. Doing this trail will enable you to interact and learn about the interesting lifestyle of Uganda’s unique pygmies. The Batwa pygmies were originally the traditional inhabitants of Bwindi forest that’s currently occupied by the National park. The trail exposes you to the in depth hidden history of the Batwa pygmies before the year 1990 when they evacuated the forest area that had become protected and conserved as a National park.
The Batwa Trail is unique in a way that it show-cases authentic culture of the original inhabitants of Bwindi forest who’s lives mainly depended on the natural habitat. While exploring the trail, you experience the naturally endowed forest through a rare view point of the local people. The experience comes along with different unique demonstrations on how the pygmies used to extract local herbs that were used for healing different diseases, traditional ways of fetching water using locally made bamboo mugs and construction of grass huts.
After your cultural adventure with the pygmies, you transfer to the beautiful Ishasha plains which are part of Queen Elizabeth National Park – the oldest & second largest National Park in Uganda, located at the base of the massive Rwenzori Mountains, adjacent to lakes Edward& George. The park is covered by Savannah plains that provide an abundance of Game viewing like; Elephants that trumpet when you get too close, lazy Leopards laying in the sun, abundant Gazelle and buck, Lions, Buffaloes, Hippos and others.
In the late afternoon, transfer to your accommodation for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Overnight stay at: Ishasha Wilderness Camp (luxury) or Enjojo Lodge (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Tree Climbing and transfer to Queen for Kazinga Channel
Day Itinerary
After breakfast, you’ll indulge in a morning and evening game drive in time to see the sun rise and see the sun set over the horizon respectively.
If you’re lucky, a game drive through the open savannah of Acacia on the edge of the Albertine Rift valley will enable you to view ‘Tree climbing Lions’ and other wild animals. You will search for all the wildlife in the park including; Elephant, Buffalo, Lion, Uganda Kob, Warthog, etc. After head for a transfer to Queen Elisabeth NP for Kazinga Channel for a boat cruise 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: Kyambura Gorge Lodge (luxury) or Mweya Safari Lodge (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 6: GAME DRIVE AND TRANSFER TO KIBALE NATIONAL PARK.
Day Itinerary
After early morning breakfast, you will head off for a game drive in search of the early raisers where you have a great chance to spot more wildlife before you depart Queen Elizabeth N.P 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 and Bigodi Swamp Walk at Kibale National Park
Day Itinerary
This morning at 08:00am, your Chimpanzee tracking excursion will commence. Kibale Forest boasts of the highest number of primate species in the world, including our delightful cousins- the Chimpanzees. At this moment, in Uganda, there are approximately 4,950 Chimps left in the wild, which makes this forest a perfect and best place to spot chimpanzees in Africa! During the excursion, your ranger will point out the other species living in the forest, including birds, flora and fauna.
In the afternoon you embark on a nature excursion. Your swamp walk (1- 2 hours) will take you through grassland and some beautiful scenery. It is usual to spot 3 or 4 different primate species during this walk. The highlight is catching a glimpse of the Great Blue Turaco bird!
In the late afternoon, return 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 8: Transfer to Entebbe
This morning at have a relaxed breakfast, before you jump into your jeeps to find your way to Entebbe via Kampala, for an en route lunch. You will spend the afternoon at leisure. Dinner and overnight at your lodge in Entebbe as you relive your safari highlights
Overnight stay at: Entebbe Forest Lodge (luxury) or Karibu Guest House (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 9: Shoebill Watching at Mabamba and tour Entebbe
Day Itinerary
Your guide will pick you up from your hotel early in the morning after breakfast, and transfer to Mabamba Swamp for bird watching. 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. Later return to your hotel for late lunch. After lunch, you will explore Entebbe Zoo, and as well time permitting, visit the local market.
Overnight stay at: Entebbe Forest Lodge (luxury) or Karibu Guest House (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 10: Visit Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Departure.
Our wonderful 10 days Rwanda Uganda combined tour comes to an end, with a great day at Ngamba, with the chimpanzee!
Enjoy an early morning breakfast, meet your guide and transfer to Lake Victoria shores, to catch up with your boat transfer to Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, an Island that has become a home to chimpanzees. The sanctuary is dedicated to the care of orphaned eastern chimpanzees that have been rescued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Many of the chimpanzees were rescued from poachers and are unlikely to survive reintroduction to the wild. You will enjoy an education tour, as you watch the chimpanzee being fed. You will later return to Entebbe, and have lunch.
Depending on the time of your departure flight, you can simply relax or explore the town of Entebbe before departing to the airport from where you’ll catch your departure flight home. Upon arrival at the airport, gather your luggage and proceed to your departure lounge to board your flight for your journey onward.
Thank you for choosing One More Adventure Safaris for your Rwanda and Uganda Trekking Experience. It is always sad to say goodbye, but we know that you will have made some great new friends and some very special memories in this beautiful region of East Africa. We hope to see you back again someday! End of Safari.
Meal Plan: Breakfast & lunch.
This 10 days safari package includes.
- Transportation in a 4 x 4 safari vehicle with Pop up roof
- Accommodation and meals as per itinerary
- 1 Gorilla permits ($ 700), per person
- 1 Chimpanzee permit, per person
- En-route lunches
- Batwa trail experience
- Game drives as mentioned
- Kigali city tour
- Bigodi swamp walk
- Boat cruise on Kazinga channel
- Art Museum visits
- Visit to the genocide memorial
- Park entrance fee
- Services of English speaking driver/guide
- Bottle of mineral water
- Much fun on African soil
- Shoebill bird watching at Mabamba swamp
- Visit to Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary
- Activities as mentioned
- Office support services
The 10 days package excludes expenses of personal nature like:
- Visa Fees & flights
- Optional activities
- Photography equipment
- Tips for guides
- Laundry
- Alcoholic drinks
- International vaccinations
- 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. Inquire with us with more details about your safari and we curate it together.