Countries: Rwanda – Uganda
Destinations; Kigali, Akagera National Park, Huye, Nyungwe National Park, Volcanoes National Park, Lake Bunyonyi, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Kibale National Park.
Itinerary at Glance
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali
Day 2: Transfer to Akagera National Park
Day 3: Hot Air balloon and game drives
Day 4: Full day game drive and return to Kigali
Day 5: Transfer to Huye visit Azizi life and Ethnographic
Day 6: Visit King Palace museum and Murambi memorial and transfer to Nyungwe
Day 7: Colobus monkey trek and canopy walk at Nyungwe
Day 8: Tea tour and transfer to Karongi for boat ride
Day 9: Transfer to Volcanoes with a coffee experience.
Day 10: Gorilla trek at Volcanoes National Park
Day 11: Golden monkey trek and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for leisure
Day 12: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park (Ishasha sector)
Day 13: Game drive and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park (Mweya sector)
Day 14: Game drive and boat Cruise at Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Day 15: Transfer to Kibale National Park.
Day 16: Chimpanzee habituation at Kibale National Park.
Day 17: Transfer back to Kigali and if time permits, Kigali city tour
Day 18: Kigali Airport transfer for departure
Trip Overview
The 18 Days Rwanda Uganda Primate and Wildlife Encounter Safaris will greatly immerse you to the jungles of both Uganda and Rwanda parks, primate parks and wildlife parks, with great opportunity to trek gorilla, Colobus and golden monkeys, spiced with game drives and boat cruise at Queen Elizabeth and Akagera National Park. This will be a lifetime safari to remember as you share the same environment with the primates and wildlife. You will be able to visit both countries known for their unique primates and their attractions in great depth while exploring some of the most famous and visited parks. The trip starts and ends in Kigali.
Trip Highlights
- Gorilla habituation experience in Uganda
- Golden monkey trekking experience in Rwanda
- Boat ride on Lake Kivu
- Canopy walk
- Colobus monkey trek
- Game drives
- Wildlife experience
- Hot Air balloon experience
- Boat cruise at Kazinga channel
- Chimpanzee habituation in Uganda
- Canoe ride experience on Lake Bunyonyi
- Kigali city tour
- Kigali genocide memorial visit
- Border crossing
Day 1: Welcome to Kigali – Rwanda!
Day Itinerary
Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will go through custom and immigration, clearance process and you will be met by our company representative who will warmly welcome you to the Land of a thousand hills that Rwanda is known for and later introduce you to your safari guide, before leading you, to your vehicle and your will be transferred to your booked hotel accommodation for dinner and overnight stay
Overnight stay at: Hotel des Milles Collines (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Dinner
Day 2: Transfer to Akagera National Park. Travel time +3 hours
Day Itinerary
Today, after your relaxed morning breakfast at your hotel by 8am, you will be picked by your safari guide, visit Kigali genocide memorial, and learn more about the peace keeping and leave for Akagera national park, the journey to Akagera national park takes about 2.3 hours depending on the stopovers along the way, with the beautiful unwinding landscape en route to the park, feel free to ask the guide for stopovers to capture some photos. On arrival at the park, we shall register at the park reception and later proceed to our accommodation with a short game drive and check in for lunch. After lunch, we headed for an afternoon game drive in the park, to search for the small and big ones in the park. Keep your eyes open on lookout for elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, topis, and much more. At 4:30 pm, we shall head for a scenic sunset boat trip on Lake Ihema with a great opportunity to spot Hippos and crocodiles in the water or by the shores and meet the buffaloes and elephants wallowing by the water banks. Later return to the lodge for dinner and evening stay.
Overnight stay at: Mantis Akagera Game Lodge (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 3: Hot air balloon safari and transfer for Game drive
Day Itinerary
After an early morning breakfast at 6:00 am and leave for an early morning game drive in Akagera national park to catch up with late hunters and early risers, driving towards the starting point for Hot air balloon safari in Akagera. You will reach early morning and watching the setting of the balloon, later jump in and head for a great balloon experience, rewarding you with great aerial view of the park, with great sighting, later return, enjoy your Champaign breakfast treat and drive off to the north, where you will undertake more game drives, searching for the big mammals like Elephants, Giraffes, Buffaloes, several Antelope species, and recently the re-introduced Lions and Rhinos. The park is a varied habitat for wildlife and a number of bird species with over 500 bird species in the park making it a birding paradise. You will react at Karenge, and at 5:30 pm, head for the night game drive experience, to sight the nocturnal wildlife, which last for roughly 2 hours.
We shall return in the late evening for dinner and overnight at the lodge
Overnight stay at: Karenge Bush Camp (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 4: Game drive and transfer back to Kigali
Day Itinerary
Have breakfast at the lodge, before heading for an additional full day game drive in the north of Kilala plains, and you will go with a picnic lunch. You will go deep and visit the north side of the park for a great wildlife sighting, before we drive back to Kigali, and be dropped off at your booked hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight stay at: Hotel des Mille Collines (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 5: Transfer to Huye. Travel time + 3 hrs
Day Itinerary
Wake up and have your breakfast, drive to Muhanga, and have a visit to Azizi life, learn more about their arts and cultural activities, like basket weaving, cooking and later have lunch and proceed to Huye, where you will have an overnight stay, after a visit to King Palace museum, to learn more about Rwanda kingship and leadership. Dinner and overnight at the hotel
Overnight stay at: Hotel Maison Sifa (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 6: Transfer to Nyungwe. Travel time + 3 hrs
Day Itinerary
Following your morning breakfast and checkout of the hotel and drive heading to the western province, on your way visit the Ethnographic Museum in Southern Province, this will give you a great history of traditional ways of living among Rwandans and their past way of leadership of Kingship with an en route lunch. You will proceed, with a visit to Murambi Genocide memorial, learn more about the school and church how were affected by the genocide incidence. Later proceed to Nyungwe National Park and spend the afternoon at your leisure.
Overnight stay at: Nyungwe Top View Lodge (mid – range).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & Dinner
Day 7: Colobus monkey trek and canopy walk in Nyungwe National Park
Day Itinerary
Begin your day with a warm delightful breakfast, drive to the park for briefing and later head for colobus monkey trekking in Nyungwe forest. After doing the colobus trek, head for lunch before heading for a canopy walk. This 70 meters suspended metallic bridge will give you a great overview of Nyungwe forest and on a lucky day spot one or two more primates in the forest as you take a walk on this bridge and later return in the afternoon for dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight stay at: Nyungwe Top View Lodge (mid – range).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & Dinner
Day 8: Transfer to Lake Kivu for boat trip
Day Itinerary
Have a delightful relaxed morning breakfast, drive to Gisakura for a tea experience to learn more about crop to cup tea experience and later transfer to Karongi at Lake Kivu at your booked lodge. Have lunch and later head for an afternoon sunset boat trip. You will have roughly 2 hours exploring the beauty of this wonderful lava lake and later return to your hotel for relaxation. Dinner will be served in time as you later catch up with the night at the hotel.
Overnight stay at: Cormoran Lodge (mid – range).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & Dinner
Day 9: Transfer to Musanze. Travel time + 4hrs
Day Itinerary
After a delightful breakfast in the morning, you will drive to Kinigi, with an en route visit to coffee plantation, and experience crop to cup coffee tour, and later you will proceed with your drive to Kinigi. Kinigi is a tourism area near Volcanoes National Park, where most of the lodges are located since there are no lodges inside of the park. You will spend the evening at Ellen DeGeneres Campus of Dian Fossey, learn more about her great work towards gorilla conservations. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Overnight stay at: Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge (midrange).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & Dinner
Day 10: Gorilla Trekking and Cultural visit at Volcanoes National Park
Day Itinerary
The long awaited day has come – let’s go and see the gorillas
Early morning cup of coffee, 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 a whole 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 food and mineral water, insect repellent, sunscreen and hut. The gorilla tracking experience takes half or whole day depending on the movements of these primates. After this gorilla tracking experience you will return to your lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, ready for a village foot safari, to explore the indigenous local life with a taste of the traditional performance at Iby Iwacu cultural center. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Overnight stay at: Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge (midrange).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & Dinner
Day 11: Golden monkey and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi. Travel time + 2 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 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.
Afterwards, we will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before driving to Lake Bunyonyi, and, head for a scenic boat ride, to explore this beautiful lake, known as a bird watching paradise, blessed with over 29 islands. The boat ride rewards you with a great view of the hills, covered with terrace gardens. You will later return and relax at leisure, watch the sunset, and later serve dinner before getting to bed.
Overnight stay at: Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 12: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP (Ishasha Sector): Travel time + 3 hrs
After your relaxed morning breakfast, you get your bags ready for a long drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Ishasha sector reach and be served lunch before you will head off, for an amazing game drive in search of the tree climbing lions, of which the Ishasha sector is well known for. A number of other wildlife such as hyena, topi, leopards, elephants, buffaloes can as well as be encountered during the game drive. On a lucky day, you will land on the tree climbing lions, lying and relaxing on the fig tree branches. You will end the game drive with a Sundowner experience, where you will have a lovely happy hours moment, overlook the sun kiss the ground. You will later return to your lodge, for dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight stay at: Enjojo Lodge (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 13: Game drive in Ishasha in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day Itinerary
You will wake up and find breakfast ready, before you meet your driver guide, who will be waiting for you, for another game drive in Ishasha, to try out your luck, with the tree climbing lions, as you increase your wildlife count. You will end the game drive with a wonderful bush breakfast. You will later return to drive off to Mweya sector which is roughly 2 hours’ drive away from Ishasha sector, within Queen Elizabeth National Park. If time permits, you will make a Crater Lake tour around the Kichwamba area, before you proceed to your booked lodge and catch up with lunch. After lunch, you may decide to relax at the lodge at leisure, or head for an added game drive in the Kasenyi area, keeping your eyes on the big and small ones.
Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Overnight stay at: Enganzi Safari Lodge (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 14: Game drive and boat cruise at Kazinga channel in Queen Elizabeth NP
Day Itinerary
Get closer to thrilling wildlife interactions and see creatures big and small on morning and afternoon game drives, with the boat cruise at Kazinga channel which gives you a great opportunity to sight the large Nile crocodiles and big number of hippos that you have never seen.
After having a very delightful breakfast at your lodge, it is time to catch up with another beautiful sunrise moment in Africa. You will jump onto your safari jeep and head off for a morning game drive in the park, in search of a number of wildlife in the Kasenyi area and later return for lunch, before heading for an afternoon boat cruise on the scenic Kazinga channel. The boat cruise along the Kazinga channel to view the water dwelling birds and wildlife 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 boat cruise, you will proceed for a short game drive as you find your way back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Overnight stay at: Enganzi Safari Lodge (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 15: Transfer to Kibale National Park. Travel time +3 hrs
Day Itinerary
Today, you may opt to have another added game drive or have a relaxed morning breakfast and drive off to Kibale National Park which is roughly a 3 hours’ drive with beautiful crater lakes and mountain Rwenzori ranges that can be observed along the way to the lodge. You will catch up with lunch at the lodge. Afternoon at your own leisure, as you relax by the pool side, overlooking the beautiful crater lake with a stunning view. Dinner and overnight at the lodge
Overnight stay at: Turaco Treetop Lodge (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 16: Chimpanzee Habituation at Kibale National Park
Day Itinerary
Have an early breakfast by 5:30 am, grab your picnic lunch boxes and drive to the park tourism headquarters’ at Kanyanchu visitor’s center, where you will meet the ranger guides and researchers, who will be joining you for the chimpanzee habituation experience exercise. You will later head to the forest, and on a lucky day, spot a number of other primates and bird species along the way. You have a full day with the chimpanzee, following them up as you know more about their behaviors and reactions towards human presence. You will enjoy an informative time under the company of the ranger guides and the researchers who are trying to habituate the chimpanzees. Later in the evening, you will return from the jungle and drive to your lodge, for refreshment, dinner and overnight stay
Overnight stay at: Turaco Treetop Lodge (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 17: Transfer to Kigali. Travel time +6 hrs
Day Itinerary
After your early morning relaxed buffer breakfast, you will checkout of the lodge, and transfer back to Kigali. You will have a wonderful drive with a beautiful view of the countryside. You will have a number of stops for stretching as you drive back. You will enjoy an en route lunch at one of the local restaurants along the way. Upon reaching Kigali, you will either head straight to your booked hotel, or opt for an added Kigali city tour to visit the local market and art galleries. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Overnight stay at: Hotel des Mille Collines (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 18: Departure.
Day Itinerary
Finally, our 18 days safari adventure comes to an end!
Have a relaxed breakfast, as today marks your last day in Rwanda, after having 18 days, exploring the beauty of Uganda and Rwanda. You will have a relaxing time at your hotel, later lunch will be served.
Depending on your flight time, your guide will pick you up at your hotel and later transfer to Kigali airport to catch up with your flight, back to your home country. End of service!
Meal Plan; Breakfast & lunch
This safari package includes.
- Transportation in a 4×4 safari vehicle with a pop up roof
- Accommodation and meals as per itinerary
- 1 Gorilla permits ($ 1500), per person
- 1 Golden Monkey permit, per person
- 1 Colobus Monkey permit, per person
- Boat ride on Lake Kivu
- Canopy walk
- Hot air balloon experience
- Boat cruise on Lake Ihema
- En-route lunches
- Tea tour experience
- Coffee tour experience
- Visit to Azizi life
- Museum visit
- Visit to Ellen DeGeneres campus
- Cultural experience
- Soft drinks during meals
- Game drives as mentioned
- Boat cruise at Kazinga channel
- Visit to the genocide memorial
- Park entrance fee
- Canoe ride on Lake Bunyonyi
- Services of English speaking driver/guide
- Bottles of mineral water during safari
- Lot of fun on African soil
- English speaking local guide
- Other activities mentioned in the itinerary
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.