10 Days Uganda and Rwanda Safari “wildlife and gorillas”

This 10 days Uganda and Rwanda safari is an extensive safari offering an extremely adventurous safari taking you on a visit to the best safari destinations in Uganda and Rwanda.

In Uganda, this safari package takes you on a tour to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Murchison Falls National park, Kibale Forest national park and Queen Elizabeth national park where you will encounter various animals including all the big Five “rhinos, elephants, leopards, lions and buffaloes” and others.

In Rwanda, this safari package takes you to Volcanoes national park – the most famous national park and safari destination in Rwanda known for Mountain gorillas which are regarded as endangered.

This 10 days Uganda and Rwanda starts from Entebbe “Entebbe international airport” and ends in Kigali city “Kigali international airport”.

Highlights of 10 Days Uganda and Rwanda safari “wildlife and gorillas”

• Day 1: arrival at Entebbe Airport
• Day 2: Murchison Falls National Park
• Day 3: Murchison Falls National Park
• Day 4: Fort Portal
• Day 5: Kibale Forest national Park
• Day 6: Kibale – Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Day 7: Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Day 8: Queen Elizabeth National Park – Ishasha sector
• Day 8: Volcanoes national park
• Day 9: Volcanoes national park – Gorilla Trekking
• Day 10: Departure

Detailed itinerary of 10 Days Uganda and Rwanda safari “wildlife and gorillas”

Day 1 – Arrival at Entebbe Airport

On arrival at Entebbe International airport, you will be warmly welcomed by our representative (your driver guide) and transfer to the hotel in Kampala for dinner and overnight stay.

If time permits, you will have a short city tour

Accommodation options

Luxury – Serena Hotel – Kampala

Midrange – Fair way Hotel

Budget – Forest Cottages

Meal plan: dinner

Day 2 – Murchison Falls National Park

Have early breakfast and depart for Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary situated approximately 170 kilometers north of Kampala and is half way to Murchison Falls national park. At the sanctuary you will have a walk to track the white rhinos in their natural habitat, then depart for Masindi where you will have lunch then proceed to Murchison Falls national park with a drive in a beautiful landscape.

On arriving in the park, you will head to the top of the falls where you will see River Nile squeezing through the rocks forming Murchison Falls. Head to your lodge for check-in, have dinner and stay overnight.

 Accommodation options

Luxury – Paraa Safari Lodge

Midrange – Pakuba Safari Lodge

Budget – Mama Washindi Lodge

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 3 – Murchison Falls National Park  

Enjoy early morning breakfast and head to the northern bank of River Nile for a morning game drive, as you drive look out for the elephant, lion, cape buffalo, Rothschild giraffe, hartebeests, Oribi, bushbucks, Bohor reedbuck, spotted hyenas among others. Return to your lodge for lunch and in the afternoon go for a boat cruise upstream to the “bottom of the falls”. As you sail on the calm Nile, you will have a stop a few meters from the “Devil’s Cauldron” where you watch the falls in its majestic glory, you will also see elephants and a lot of bird species such as Goliath heron, pelican bee-eater, kingfisher, hornbill, cormorant, the rare shoebill stork among others. At this point, if you are still energetic, you will get off of the boat and hike to the top of the falls to get a close view of the beauty that forms the thunderous Murchison Falls, this pleasant walk take is approximately 1 hour, your driver will pick you from the top of the falls.  Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 4 – Fort Portal

Drive to Fort Portal via Hoima, along the drive you will enjoy views of the breathtaking the landscape that forms the Albertine Western Rift Valley. The drive is quite long, however you will have several stopovers to relax and sightseeing as you pass the vibrant countryside, traditional homesteads and farms. You will have lunch along the way, arrive in the evening, check into your hotel for dinner and overnight stay at Mountains of the Moon Hotel or Rwenzori View Guest House.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 5 – Kibale Forest

Transfer to Kibale Forest national park a primate capital and a home to the largest population of chimpanzees in Africa and 12 other primate species. Have early breakfast and head to the park’s headquarters for briefing about chimpanzee trekking experience, head into the forests of Kibale looking for chimpanzees. Additionally you will spot other primates such as L’hoestes, red colobus monkeys, red blues, red tailed and grey – cheeked mangabeys and many birds.

When you locate the chimpanzees, you will spend one hour of being in their presence while watching them prey on tree branches and taking care of their young ones and picking up fruits which they fed in.  You will then head back to the headquarters where you will meet your guide and head back to your lodge for lunch, in the evening you will head to Bigodi swamp for a nature walk giving you a chance to view other primates including monkeys, baboons and lots of birds. You will also be able to visit the surrounding communities.

There is an option chimpanzee Habituation Experience

Meal plan: Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 6 – Kibale Forest- Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, you will transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park, along the way you will have lunch in Fort Portal and proceed to Queen Elizabeth national park – Peninsula sector. With en-route game drive you will head to your lodge for check –in and dinner.

Accommodation options

• Luxury – Mweya Safari Lodge
• Midrange – Elephant Hub
• Budget – Puba Safari Cottages

Day 7 – Queen Elizabeth National Park  

Enjoy breakfast and head to the Kasenyi Area for a game drive, this area is known for hosting large number of animals and during the game drive, look out for lions, buffaloes, elephants and large numbers of Uganda Kobs and antelopes.

After lunch at the lodge, you will go for a boat cruise on Kazinga channel, lookout for hippos, great herds of buffaloes and lots of water birds such as herons, crested cranes among others. Head back to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 8 – Queen Elizabeth National Park – Ishasha  

After breakfast, you will head to the Ishasha sector for a morning game drive, the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth national park is famously known for the tree climbing lions which are rare species and they are easily seen lounging on tree branches. On the game drive, lookout for more wildlife such as elephants, buffaloes and antelopes among others.

After the game drive, you will depart for Volcanoes national park in Rwanda – a home to the endangered mountain gorilla. On the drive you will cross Kabale and Kisoro where you will have lunch at Traveller’s Rest “where Dian Fossey used to stay, resting from the years she spent while observing the mountain gorillas in the Virunga Volcanoes”.  Proceed to Cyanika’s border post and after clearing with the authorities you will continue to Ruhengeri and Kinigi and at the base of Mount Sabinyo – one of the Virunga Volcanoes. On arrival, you will check into your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation options

Luxury – One & Only

Midrange – Le Mbambou Lodge

Budget – Hotel Muhabura

 Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 9 – Volcanoes National Park -gorilla tracking/ Kigali

Have an early breakfast and be transferred to the park’s headquarters in Kiningi for briefing about mountain gorilla trekking, then depart into the forests in search for mountain gorillas.

The trek takes approximately 4-8 hours depending on the gorilla family you are trekking and after locating the gorillas, you will spend one hour in their presence will observing and enjoying their nature and characteristics.

You will then head back to the park’s headquarters where you will collect your certificates and return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 10 – Kigali

Enjoy breakfast, checkout of your lodge and drive back to Kigali, depending on your flight you will visit The Kigali Genocide Memorial and the Crafts Village then be dropped off at the airport for your flight back home or next destination.

Please note the safari cost include:

• Meals and accommodation as indicated in the itinerary
• Full time safari driver/guides,
• Park entry fees, all game drives, boat/ launch trips, forest guiding walks, all activities while on safari and all the applicable Government Taxes
• 4×4 wheel drive vehicle with gas
• Airport transfers.
• Visa Fees into Rwanda
• Gorilla and chimp permit per person
• Meals

Exclusions

Drinks, your bar bills, phone calls, personal insurance and any other services of a personal nature like souvenirs tips and laundry etc.