14 Days Uganda & Rwanda Gorilla and Wildlife Safari

This 14 days Uganda and Rwanda wildlife safari will offer you some of the best Eco -tourism wildlife experiences in both countries. The two countries have remarkable primate experience i.e. gorilla trekking, chimpanzees trekking and golden monkey trekking. In addition you have an opportunity to explore the Savannah national parks of Uganda for the Big five namely, Rhinos (at Ziwa Rhino sanctuary), Elephants, Leopard, Buffalo and Lions. This safari will also give you great opportunities for sighting bird species, crocodiles, Hippos while on boat cruise on the Victoria Nile in Murchison falls national park and Kazinga channel in Queen Elizabeth national park.

Highlights

Rhino tracking in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Game drives
Boat safaris
Chimpanzee trekking
Gorilla trekking
Canopy Walk

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival for Uganda & Rwanda gorilla and wildlife safari

Today you will be picked by a Kagera safaris driver guide from Entebbe international airport and transferred to your hotel for overnight.

Drive time – 20 minutes
Hotel No.5 / Protea Hotel

Day 2: Transfer to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary – Rhino tracking

Ziwa Rhino sanctuary is located on the route to Murchison falls national park, making an appropriate stopover for one of the big five mammals. We leave early morning after breakfast, the plan is to arrive at Ziwa before the heat from the sun intensifies causing the Rhinos to take a nap in the shades of the trees. After a short briefing from the ranger guide on how to behave while in search of the Rhinos we start the trek into the bushes. In case the Rhinos are far from the briefing point, we shall drive part of the distance.

Drive time – 5 hours or Scheduled flight – 1 hour 10 minutes
B, L & D
Nile safari Lodge/ Paraa Safari Lodge

Day 3: Game drive and Boat Safari

Today awake with an expectation of an engaging day. After having an early breakfast, we leave for the northern banks of River Nile. The rooftops of the safari van will be open to provide great game viewing, we will look out for Hyenas, Lions, Leopards, Elephants, Jackson’s Hartebeests, Oribi, Kobs, giraffes, among others. This area is an expanse of Savannah grassland with scattered palms providing a great habitat for the animals.

After having lunch, we take a boat safari on the scenic Victoria Nile that brings you to view the falls from the bottom. The boat ride offers opportunities for watching game associated with water such as crocodiles, hippos and those that come for water like elephants, buffaloes plus plenty of birds species.

B, L & D
Nile safari Lodge/ Paraa Safari Lodge

Day 4: To Kibale national park – Uganda primate tours

After that experience in the Savannah plains of Murchison falls national park, we leave for Kibale national park known as the primate capital of the world because of its high concentration of primates and the ease to see them. This long journey takes you through beautiful views of the countryside and colorful local markets in some places. With a stopover for lunch, we arrive at the lodge in the evening ready for chimp trekking the next day.

Drive time – 5 hours
B, L & D
Kyaninga Lodge / Ndali Lodge / Primate Lodge

Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest national park

Have an early breakfast and drive straight to briefing point in the park at 7.00 am. The ranger guide will offer you a brief about the forest, what to expect while in the forest and the way to behave once in the forest. The chimps are generally moving all over the place which requires you to be fit and in position to keep following them as they search for food. The hike in the forest can take anything from a few minutes to about 4 hours depending on where they nested the previous night. Your ranger guide will lead the way as you hike through the forest.

You have chances of sighting other primates like red-tailed monkeys, black-and white Columbus monkeys, various bird species and mammals like Elephants, Buffaloes or wild pigs. Once you locate the chimps, you are allowed 1 hour in their presence and remember that flash photography is not allowed and so is eating or smoking in the presence of the chimps.

In the afternoon we visit Bigodi community. This village walk will take you to the swamp which is home to different bird species, primates and plants. You will also visit the home for coffee experience, banana beer brewing, basketry and listen to the tales of the medicine man.

B, L & D
Kyaninga Lodge / Ndali Lodge / Primate Lodge

Day 6: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park

After the great experience meeting the chimps who share 98.7% DNA with human beings, we travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park which is a 2 hours drive.

Drive time – 2 hours
B, L & D
Kymabura Gorge Lodge/ Mweya Safari Lodge / Katara Lodge

Day 7: Game drive and Boat Safari

After an early breakfast, we leave for a morning game drive in the kasenyi section of Queen Elizabeth national park. The uniqueness of Queen Elizabeth national park comes from the back drop of mount Rwenzori and a host of several habitats for wildlife. We shall go all out searching for Lions, leopard, and more easily the Warthogs, Buffaloes, Elephants and buffaloes etc.

In the afternoon, you will go to the Kazinga Channel which connects Lakes Edward and George for a boat safari. On this boat ride, look out for Crocodiles, Hippos, Elephants, and several bird species especially the elegant Pied and Malachite Kingfishers.

B, L & D
Kymabura Gorge Lodge/ Mweya Safari Lodge / Katara Lodge

Day 8: Transfer to Ishasha sector to search for tree climbing Lions

After this experience, we leave for Ishasha sector in the southern part of the Queen Elizabeth National park which is home to several families of lions that love to climb trees.

Drive time – 2 hours
B, L & D
Ishasha Wilderness Camp

Day 9: Game drive in Ishasha

Spend the day in the plains of the Ishasha sector searching for the tree climbing lions. Sometimes they are elusive but all is not lost, you will enjoy beautiful sundowner and lots of other mammals.

B, L & D
Ishasha Wilderness Camp

Day 10: Transfer to Rwanda

The next morning after breakfast we leave for Rwanda through Cyanika border and continue to Musanze/Kinigi – Rwanda arriving later that afternoon.

Enjoy the beautiful landscape of south western Uganda.

Drive time – 6 hours
B, L & D
Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge / Virunga Lodge

Day 11: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park

After an early breakfast you transfer to the park headquarters for briefing before your gorilla trek. Volcanoes National Park is a magnificent mountain range and home to the rare mountain gorillas. You should be at the park headquarters for briefing at 7.00 am to receive a briefing before your gorilla trek. Enjoy pure Rwandan coffee as you listen to the briefing with interludes of traditional dances.

After the briefing from the ranger guide you will be divided into different groups and you start your journey. The highlight of your trip will be spending an hour with the remarkably peaceful gorillas as they go about their daily life, feeding, playing, resting, and raising their young.

B, L & D
Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge / Virunga Lodge

Day 12: Golden Monkey trekking in Volcanoes national park

Today after breakfast, we transfer again to the briefing area but this time for golden monkey trekking. The procedure is more or less like the gorilla trekking with briefing from the ranger guides before splitting into different groups depending on how many people are present.

You will soon notice once you locate the golden monkeys that they are more active and this therefore requires you to be fit as you move to follow them. The experience will keep you on your toes as you watch them forage for food especially the bamboo shoots and occasionally uproot post harvest potatoes from the gardens of people living adjacent to the park.

Afternoon you will visit a cultural village or community walk interacting with the Rwandan people.

B, L & D
Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge / Virunga Lodge

Day 13: Transfer to Kigali

Today you will leave for a short Kigali City tour. Visit the Kigali genocide memorial, Kandt museum and shop for art and crafts. Depending on availability of time, you will visit the reconciliation village outside of Kigali city and hear the stories of genocide survivors as they live alongside the perpetrators.

Drive time – 2 hours 30 minutes
B, L & D
Kigali Serena