18 Days Uganda and Rwanda Safari
This 18 days Uganda and Rwanda safari will give you the ultimate safari experience, enjoy the top destinations in Uganda and Rwanda. For your Rwanda safari, you will participate in Akagera national park, where you will participate in the game drive in Uganda, where you will enjoy tracking the big five animals. In Uganda, in Nyungwe National Park, you will enjoy participating in Chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda and the canopy walk in Rwanda. You will also visit Lake Kivu, the largest freshwater lake in Rwanda, where you will enjoy the boat cruise, and in Volcanoes National Park, enjoy the endangered golden monkey troops as you participate in golden monkey trekking in Rwanda. For your Uganda safari, you will participate in gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Participate in the game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park safari, which will give you access to four of the big five animals in Uganda. Continue with the detailed itinerary for a rewarding safari experience.
Highlights of your safari
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali city tour
Day 2: Transfer to Akagera National Park and Lake Ihema Boat Cruise
Day 3: Full day game drive and night drive
Day 4: Walk the line tour and Transfer Back to Kigali.
Day 5: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Day 6: Chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk.
Day 7: Isumo waterfalls hike and transfer to Lake Kivu
Day 8: Lake Kivu adventure
Day 9: Boat cruise and Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Day 10: Golden Monkey trekking
Day 11: Ibyi’wacu community village tour – Cross to Uganda via Cyanika border
Day 12: Gorilla trekking experience
Day 13: Batwa trail experience and leisure
Day 14: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national national park via Ishasha sector
Day 15: Full day game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 16: Optional Lion tracking and transfer to Kibale National Park
Day 17: Chimpanzee trekking experience and Bigodi swamp walk
Day 18: Transfer back to Entebbe
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali city tour
Upon arrival at Kigali airport or, depending on your location in Kigali, meet your safari driver to explore Kigali city. Visit the Kigali genocide memorial site, Kandt museum with en-route lunch and drive around Kigali city, visit the Kigali hill and the Kimironko market. Return to the lodge for dinner and relaxation at Des Mille Collins Hotel for mid-range
Day 2: Transfer to Akagera National Park and Lake Ihema Boat Cruise
You will be met by your driver guide at your agreed location in Kigali to transfer to Akagera national park, where you will arrive in time to embark on the late afternoon boat cruise on Lake Ihema, where you will see game like hippopotamuses, Crocodiles and many bird species that live around the lake and the surrounding swamps. Dinner and overnight at Akagera Game lodge (Midrange)/ Karenge Bush Camp (Budget)
Day 3: Full day game drive and night drive
Rise up early and go for a game drive with great anticipation of seeing the different animals which rise early to graze and predators looking for their early morning kill. After the game drive, return to connect with your driver guide and drive back to your lodge for lunch. After lunch, you spend the rest of your afternoon relaxing at your lodge, and later in the evening, you will meet up with your guide and embark on an evening game drive in the park. Get to watch the wildlife animals as they return to their dens for the night. Later in the evening, participate in the night game drive, which will give you the chance to watch how the park comes to life when the sun sets. You will watch the carnivores hunting and many other rewarding attractions.
Day 4: Walk the line tour and Transfer Back to Kigali.
After your early morning breakfast at your hotel, your guide will pick you and transfer you to the park to participate in the walk the line tour with will give you the most rewarding safari experience led by the park guide who will take you on a walk at the top of the hill which will give you fascinating views of the park from all directions as you observe the different attractions in the park like the herbivores, carnivores and many other attractions. After your experience, your driver/guide will drive back to Kigali. If you didn’t have a city tour on the first day, you may have it on this day before you are dropped off at your hotel. Dinner and overnight stay at Step Town Motel, Kigali, for budget/Des Mille Collins Hotel for mid-range
Day 5: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Upon your arrival, you will be picked up by the driver from your hotel in Kigali and driven southwards to Nyungwe Forest National Park. You will have a stopover in Butare, where you will visit the national museum of Rwanda, the king’s palace in Nyanza, with lunch en route. Before you make your way to the Park, you will have a stopover at the Huye women’s coffee Cooperative, which will take you on a 2-hour safari at the coffee plantation, understanding more about the coffee-making process from harvesting, sorting, cleaning, until it is processed. You will also get to watch how coffee has improved the livelihoods of the neighboring communities through women’s empowerment for an amazing safari experience. After the safari experience, make your way to the park and check into your hotel. Dinner and overnight at Dinner and overnight at Gisakura visitor center
Day 6: Chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk.
Enjoy breakfast and go for a briefing about the endangered chimpanzees before entering the forest in search of the active and playful fellows in Nyungwe forest. The Chimpanzees are much easier to spot as they jump from one tree to another, chattering and laughing. Chimpanzee tracking usually takes about 3 hours. On finding them, spend an hour taking pictures and videos. You will then return to your hotel to freshen up, have lunch, and check out, and later in the afternoon, you will participate in a walking trail that will take you to the Canopy Walk, a swing bridge 50 meters in length that is suspended from large trees. You will be able to see the amazing rainforest with a bird’s eye view, spotting wildlife moving about below you, and then connect to your accommodation to spend the evening at leisure.
Day 7: Isumo waterfalls hike and transfer to Lake Kivu
After having breakfast, connect to enter the forest on a forest walk to the waterfalls, where you will encounter different birds and other primates. Reaching the waterfalls is relaxing and refreshing, with great views of the forested mountain. Return from the hike and transfer to Lake Kivu with wonderful views of the hills in Rwanda, it’s a 4 hours’ drive given the nature of the road. Upon arrival, connect to check in, relax, chill, and have dinner at Gorilla Lake Kivu Hotel for mid-range/Paradise Malahide for budget
Day 8: Lake Kivu adventure
After an early morning breakfast at your hotel, make your way to Nyamirundi Island on the lake, where you will visit ‘Ingoboka’ a coffee plantation which you will get to watch how the coffee is grown, you will also get the chance to watch how the coffee is processed from it being harvest, dried and then processed into some of the best coffee in the world. Interesting about your coffee tour, you will also get to have a cup of coffee. Later on, you will connect with your guide to participate in the boat cruise, which will offer exceptional views of the different bird species, the marine life, and many other attractions. After the safari experience, you will transfer to your hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 9: Boat cruise and Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Wake up early in the morning, have an amazing breakfast at your lodge, and later transfer to participate in the boat cruise on Lake Kivu. Exploring the lake will give you a breathtaking experience as you observe the neighboring hills, diverse bird species, and a number of rewarding attractions. This 1-hour safari experience will give you the utmost experience as you enjoy the boat ride along the lake, enjoying the cool breeze for a memorable safari experience. After the safari experience, you will make your way to Volcanoes National Park. Upon arrival in Musanze, visit the Dian Fossey museum and the Ellen DeGeneres campus. Check in at your lodge for relaxation, dinner, and overnight stay at Tiloreza Volcanoes Eco lodge for mid-range option/Amikus hotel budget
Day 10: Golden Monkey trekking
Either go for Golden monkey trekking – After an early morning breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing, and later enter the forest and hike while in search of the golden monkeys. Tracking the golden monkeys rewards views of other primates such as the black and white Colobus monkeys, Olive baboons, among others. After the experience, head back to your hotel for dinner and an overnight stay, as the night before.
Day 11: Ibyi’wacu community village tour – Cross to Uganda via Cyanika border
After breakfast, connect to visit Iby’wacu Cultural Village that focuses on improving the lives of reformed poachers and communities around Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. You will enjoy cultural tours in the village that will lead you to a number of festivities like the cultural dances, traditional ceremonies, and all that focus on the improvement of the livelihoods of the people through cultural exchange. After the tour, transfer to the Cyanika border to cross to Uganda. Have en route in Kisoro, then connect to your booked lodge in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Dinner and overnight stay at Buhoma Haven Lodge for mid-range/Buhoma Community Rest Camp for budget
Day 12: Gorilla trekking experience
Enjoy an early morning breakfast and transfer to the park headquarters with your packed lunch for a briefing by the ranger guides, and later head into the forest for your trek. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi takes 2 to 8 hours, depending on the movement of the gorillas. These primates roam the park freely, and there is no way of telling where they will be for a particular day. On finding them, you will be allowed 1 hour to view and take photos of these gentle primates, enjoy your lunch packs, meet your driver/guide, and transfer back to your lodge. The time after trekking can be spent on a village tour or lazing off at the lodge as you share the memories of your gorilla trek in Bwindi and prepare for the next day. Dinner and overnight at Lodge as above
Day 13: Batwa trail experience and leisure
After an early morning breakfast, make your way to participate in the Batwa trail experience. The Batwa guides who will lead you to the community that you will get to observe. The activity starts with a spiritual prayer, which is done on both knees on the ground to ensure that travellers have a safe safari experience while heading to the community. After the prayer, you will then make your way to the community. At the communities, you will be entertained by their different cultural dances, and you will get to see how they used different herbs to cure several diseases like upset stomach, barrenness, fever, and so on. Dinner and overnight stay as the night before
Day 14: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national national park via Ishasha sector
After breakfast, transfer to Kibale National Park. It’s a 5-7 hour drive with an en-route game drive in Ishasha sector for chances of seeing the tree-climbing lions and en-route lunch. Proceed to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Upon arrival, check in for relaxation, later participate in the boat cruise along the Kazinga channel, where you will watch several attractions, including a head back to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay. Elephant Gab Lodge (mid-range), Pumba safari lodge (budget)
Day 15: Full day game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park
After an early morning breakfast at your hotel, your guide for the safari will pick you up and transfer you to the park’s game drive trails to embark on your full-day game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park. You will watch several mammal species like; Common Duiker, Defassa Waterbuck, Oribi reedbucks, Impalas, Buffalos, Bush pigs, Giraffes, Eland, and Zebras, Uganda kobs up-close After the first half of your drive, you will have lunch and later in the afternoon, you will participate in the second half of your drive to watch several animals that you might have missed out on while on your morning drive. After the experience, head back to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay at Elephant Gab Lodge (mid-range), Pumba Safari Lodge (budget)
Day 16: Optional Lion tracking and transfer to Kibale National Park
After an Early morning breakfast at your hotel, you will then transfer to the park to participate in Lion tracking in Uganda which will give you access to a given lion pride which will give you the chance to understand the behavior of the species in the wild with lion tracking in the wild, you will have the chance to get an up close look at the species in their given lion pride. You will have the opportunity to watch the males as they protect the lion pride, and you will also get to watch the females as they catch their prey in the wild. You will get to see how the lions get to establish their territories by urinating along their territory. With this, other lions from different prides will not cross over to another lion’s pride. After the experience, you will then make your way to transfer back to Kibale National Park, where you will have dinner and an overnight stay at Chimpanzee Forest Lodge (budget), Turaco Tree Top (mid-range)
Day 17: Chimpanzee trekking experience and Bigodi swamp walk
Have breakfast very early and later transfer to the park head office for a briefing about the endangered chimpanzees, and later enter the forest with the guidance of a park ranger, along with your tracking gear, packed water, and snacks. This tracking takes about 2-5 hours in search of the chimpanzees. On finding the primates, you will spend 1 hour viewing them while studying their behaviour and taking pictures. After tracking, return to the lodge for lunch and a refresh. Later afternoon, visit Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary. The reserve is abundant with butterflies, plants, animals, and, in particular, birds. Spectacular birds like the Great Blue Turaco and the rare Papyrus Gonolek will be of great interest to birders. The swamp is also home to more elusive animals such as Red Colobus monkeys and Sitatunga antelope. There is also the opportunity to visit local community projects that have been financed by tourism. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge as above
Day 18: Transfer back to Entebbe
After breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet with the guide/driver and transfer to Entebbe. This journey takes 6-7 hours with an en-route lunch. Arrive in Entebbe, you will either be dropped off at your hotel for dinner and overnight stay at Papyrus Guesthouse for budget/Best Western Garden hotel for mid-range, or Entebbe international airport for your next flight back home.
Safari inclusions;
- Gorilla trekking permit
- All activities as per the itinerary
- Park entrance fees
- Boat cruise fees
- Knowledgeable speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Ground transfers
- Fuel
- Bottled drinking water
Safari Exclusions
- International Air flight tickets
- Visas
- Optional activities not included in the itinerary
- Life insurance
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, hiring a porter, tips, laundry service, and many more.
