Uganda – Rwanda Tour
Home »Day 1: Arrival in Uganda and transfer to your hotel
Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport you will be met by our safari guide who then will transfer you to your hotel of booking. He will brief you about the safari arrangements and then leaves you to rest and re-energize till the following day.
- Accommodation: Anderita Beach Hotel
Day 2: Drive to Murchison Falls National Park
After breakfast, we drive through the famous Luwero triangle. You visit and track White Rhinos at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.Stop in masindi for lunch and after continue to Murchison falls national park from here we will continue onto our accommodation place along the Nile River.
- Overnight and dinner at Paraa Safari Lodge/ Nile Safari Lodge (Luxury Lodge facility) or
- Fort Murchison (in rooms)/ Murchison River Lodge (mid-range moderate facility) or
- or Fort Murchison in tents/ Murchison River Lodge in tents / Red Chili (Budget facility)
- Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Game Drives, and Boat Trip in Murchison Falls National Park
After breakfast head to the delta in search for bird life and enjoy the game drive to look for lions, giraffes, herds of elephants, buffaloes and many more. we will then go for an afternoon boat cruise to the foot of Murchison falls. This boat trip along the Nile is often cited as being the highlight of a trip to Murchison since it allows you to get up –close and personal with the animals. Along this stretch of the river, there are reported to be around 4000 hippos in addition to some enormous Nile crocodiles. The bird life is stunning with brightly colored kingfishers and bee-eaters darting along the riverbank .if lucky, you may see the and prehistoric looking shoebill, which is a cross between the dodo and a dinosaur the boat takes you to the base of the falls which only adds to heir impressiveness. Finally you will be stopping at the top of the falls which is a fantastic sight .here the Nile, the longest river in the world ,is forced through a narrow gap in the rock (only 7 meters wide),before ferociously plunging down 43meters’
- Overnight and dinner at Paraa Safari Lodge/ Nile Safari Lodge (Luxury Lodge facility) or
- Fort Murchison (in rooms)/ Murchison River Lodge (mid-range moderate facility) or
- or Fort Murchison in tents/ Murchison River Lodge in tents / Red Chili (Budget facility)
- Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Drive To Kibale National Park
Leave Murchison fall national park via the Lake Albert escarpment, having a good view of the lakes. We’ll be making a stopover at Kolping Hotel in Hoima to hve our lunch, and after that drive across the River Nkusi. kyoga and flow through the Murchison falls continue to l. Albert and north to the Mediterranean sea.
- Overnight and dinner at;
- Luxury facility: Ndali Lodge/ Kyaninga Lodge/ Kibale Forest Lodge/ Primate Lodge
- Mid range: Kibale Forest Camp (in rooms)/ Mountains of the Moon Hotel
- Budget facility: Chimpanzee Forest Guest house/ Kibale Forest Camp in tents/ Rwenzori Travellers Hotel
- Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Chimpanzee Plus Others,
Assemble at kanyankye river camp at 0800hours to go for the most popular activity in this park which is chimpanzee tracking. Chimpanzees are thought to be the closest species to man, but they’re also among the most threatened primate species. Primates like L’hoest monkeys, black and white colobus, grey checked mangabey, red tailed monkey, bush babies along with bird like yellow spotted nicator, rumped tinker bird, little greenbelt green breasted pitta, black bee eater, the crowned eagle, and mammals like elephants can be spotted in the walking tour. The Kibale National Park averages about 3,300 feet in elevation and is an extension of the Central African great rain forest into the eastern part. The large communities of chimps, each comprising of 100 members, inhabit the park. Each community has a complicated structure. The big adult’s males dominate the group and defend the community territory against incursions by male outsiders; the females usually wander in small family grouped .chimps tend to forage in small parties or even as individuals. They usually travel on the ground but being primarily fruit eaters, they mostly feed in trees. They coalesce into large groups when they find an abundant source of food, such as fruiting fig tree. Typically, we locate the chimps by listening for their pant hooting calls, then hustle to the area from which they are calling, We get to observe them as they feed in fruiting trees, lounge, and socializing with each other or even, occasionally, hunt. In the afternoon we visit a nearby forest swamp that is excellent for viewing primates and other forest animals. The Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary is located in the eastern edge of Kibale Forest and is maintained by the local community. Expect to see bird species and animal species like the blue monkeys, baboons, mongoose, bushbucks, bush pigs, and antelopes.
- Luxury: Ndali lodge/Primate lodge/Kibale forest/Kyaninga lodge
- Moderate: Mountains of the moon/Kibale forest camp
- Budget: Rwenzori travelers/kibale forest camp/Chimpanzee forest guest house
- Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Queen Elizabeth National Park, Viewing Rwenzoris, Lots of Craters Lakes And Wild Animals,
Breakfast and then drive to queen Elizabeth . the game seen will depend on the season; the kasenyi plain are good for lion and the mweya peninsula for a variety of animals This morning, you’ll be shifted to the Queen Elizabeth National Park, and the drive time will be about 3 hours. Leaving Fort Portal town behind, you take a tour southwards and enter the Queen Elizabeth National Park in the afternoon. The 16,000-foot Rwenzori Mountain is nicknamed the “Mountains of the Moon”. This 767-square-mile conservation are is bordered on the on the north east by lake George and on the south west by lake Edward ; its western border adjoins the zaiere parc Du Virunga .you will expect to see teeming herds of impala-like Uganda kob ,You can see the plains teeming with herds of impala-resembling Uganda kob, topi, elephant, giant forest hog, cape buffalo, with pride of lions preying on them. Inside the park, there exist numerous soda lakes which fill the volcanic calderas and are home to the seasonal flamingos. In the afternoon, you’ll take a game drive to the northern section of the park and visit the Baboon Cliff which is renowned for its excellent scenery of “The Mountain of the Moon,” The Rwenzoris. Following the tour, as you drive back towards the lodge, you’ll pass through large expanses of savannah grasslands and plenty of wild game.
- Overnight and dinner at;
- Luxury facility: Mweya Safari Lodge/ Katara Lodge/ Jacana Lodge
- Mid range: Bush Lodge (in rooms)/ Simba Safari Camp in rooms/ Buffalo Safari Resort/ Enganzi Lodge/ Ihamba Safari Lodge
- Budget facility: Kazinga Channel View Lodge/ Simba Safari Camp in tents/ Bush Lodge in tents
- Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: Game Drive to See Lions Leopard, Elephants Buffallo Etc.
We’ll go for an early morning game drive in the northern section of the park following the Kasenyi track in search of game animals like lions, elephants, buffaloes etc. Owing to the vast population of Uganda Kobs, this is considered the best time to spot the big cats in action. We’ll have excellent chance to spot about every other animal from a close range. After the game drive, we’ll return to the lodge for breakfast and after few minutes head out for a lunch trip along the Kazinga Channel. This gives you the opportunity to view wild life up to close :hippo”s huff and channel are also home to an array of birds including pink backed pelicans, pied and malachite kingfishers, saddle stork and many others.
- Overnight and dinner at;
- Luxury facility: Mweya Safari Lodge/ Katara Lodge/ Jacana Lodge
- Mid range: Bush Lodge (in rooms)/ Simba Safari Camp in rooms/ Buffalo Safari Resort/ Enganzi Lodge/ Ihamba Safari Lodge
- Budget facility: Kazinga Channel View Lodge/ Simba Safari Camp in tents/ Bush Lodge in tents
- Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8: Tree Climbing Lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast we further south through stunning savannah grasslands as we head to the southern sector of the park –ishasha, a remote and beautiful extension of queen Elizabeth national park that is host to a large variety of wildlife. (This area in particular is fabulous for seeing the lions draped from trees which can be seen nowhere in Africa. You’ll have a better chance of spotting the large low limbed fig trees of Ishasha).
- Luxury facility: Mweya Safari Lodge/ Katara Lodge/ Jacana Lodge
- Mid range: Bush Lodge (in rooms)/ Simba Safari Camp in rooms/ Buffalo Safari Resort/ Enganzi Lodge/ Ihamba Safari Lodge
- Budget facility: Kazinga Channel View Lodge/ Simba Safari Camp in tents/ Bush Lodge in tents
- Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9: Transfer to Bwind Impenetrable National Park
After breakfast set off early with guides to track the gorillas. The thrill that comes with having an encounter with the gorillas will ease any pain associated with the strenuous trek. As the park is wet, you should bring in jungle boots and rain jackets. After you come across a gorilla family, spend some time in awe as they go about their daily activities. Each encounter with the gorilla family is unique and has its own reward, but you’ll be likely to get close views of adults feeding, grooming their young ones and sometimes resting in harmony as the youngsters delightfully play and swing from the vines.
The forest of Bwindi Impenetrable is a magnificent green swathe of rainforest which is dense and has survived the last ice age. It was recently inducted into the World Heritage Sites list and among the most biologically diverse territories on earth. It’s unique and precious – believed to number just 720. There’s also a substantial chimpanzee population and research shows that Bwindi is the only forest in Africa in which these two apes live together.
Time permitting, spend the afternoon on a community foot safari to explore the life style of the people living and surrounding the park. Return to camp exhilarated to relieve the encounter with friends over a drink.
- Gorilla Valley Lodge/ Travelers Rest Hotel Kisoro (lower budget)
- Moderate: Gorilla Safari Lodge/ Chameleon Hill Resort/ Mutanda Lake Resort
- Up-market: Volcanoes Mgahinga Lodge/ Rushaga Gorillas Safari Lodge
- Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10: Gorilla Trekking In Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (In Buhoma And Ruhija Sector)
Today enjoy gorilla tracking in Bwindi. After breakfast, proceed for the morning briefing before the highlighting of the trip. Gorilla trekking, which may last the entire day. We trek the gorillas through the rainforest and bamboo covered slopes, accompanied by a guide and trackers ,in search of a mountain gorilla family ,Walking in this environment can sometimes be tough and long with no guarantee of success. But once you spot the gorilla family and the male head of the group, the silverback, any discomfort will tangibly vanish. Most often, you’ll be sitting just 6 to 10 meters from the family and gaze into their big eyes as they continue on with their daily activity. But it is difficult to foresee how long the journey will take as tracking the gorillas is unpredictable. It’s difficult to foresee how many hours you will hike .the gorilla excursion can take from 2 up 8 hours. The walks are mostly along the steep and muddy conditions, sometimes accompanied by mid-day shower. Thus a good physique is recommended and patience is required. For the sake of conservation, maximum of one hour is allowed to stay with the gorillas. A ranger will brief you on the customs of behaviour when you’re with the gorilla family. Overnight at your lodge of booking.
- Gorilla Valley Lodge/ Travellers Rest Hotel Kisoro (lower budget)
- Moderate: Gorilla Safari Lodge/ Chameleon Hill Resort/ Mutanda Lake Resort
- Up-market: Volcanoes Mgahinga Lodge/ Rushaga Gorillas Safari Lodge
- Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11: Volcanoes National Park – Rwanda
After breakfast, drive to Rwanda as you enjoy the rolling hills for which Rwanda is well known to Ruhengere via Musanze arriving in Kinigi. You can either take a nature walk with a guide from the park, learning about the flora and fauna of the forest. Alternatively, you could go on a short trek to search for one of the troops of golden monkeys which inhabit the forest (this would need to be pre-booked, and is an additional cost).Or climb the Sisonke / Muhavura volcanoes, or, if you wish, you can visit the Iby’Iwachu Cultural Village, which will give you a fascinating insight into the traditions and history of Rwanda’s people., or walk to Lake Bulera.
- Accommodation options available (all on full board basis)
- Luxury level: Mountain Gorilla view Lodge
- Moderate: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge/ La Palme Hotel / Gorillas Volcanoes Hotel
- Low Budget: Muhabura Lodge / Kinigi guest house / Virunga Hotel Musanze
- Meals included today: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner sightseeing and relaxing around the hotel.
Day 12: Gorilla Trekking Parc Volcanoes
You can choose to go gorilla tracking in Parc National des Volcanoes (subject to permit availability at the time of booking). Through the light mountain forest slopes of the Virungas, tracking the elusive gorillas is indeed a magical experience. If you come across a gorilla family, take the time and spend an hour with them. Then you’ll be taken back to the base for lunch. Some gorilla families inhabited in here are however even more elusive and it can take the whole day to track them, especially in the wet and muddy conditions.
- Accommodation options available
- Luxury level: Mountain Gorilla view Lodge
- Moderate: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge/ La Palme Hotel / Gorillas Volcanoes Hotel
- Low Budget: Muhabura Lodge / Kinigi guest house / Virunga Hotel Musanze
- Meals included today: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner sightseeing and relaxing around the hotel.
Day 13: Transfer To Kigali Or To Entebbe Airport For Flight Out:
Depart from the park in the afternoon to Kigali. You have a Kigali city tour today and visit the Genocide Memorial Museum before you transfer to the airport for your onward international flight. As part of the city tour, you’ll visit the old town, Nyamirambo, the Muslim quarter, new handicraft village along with other shops, the Gisozi Genocide Memoial, and the Batwa pottery and dance center. It will take us about two hours to reach the memorial which is thought-provoking and moving. It will be interesting to anyone who has spent some time in the country and looking to explore further. Afterwards you will be dropped off at Kigali Airport for your flight back home.