7 Days Uganda and Rwanda Safari

After breakfast, be set for your departure, and today, you will be spending about 6 hours to reach Kibale National Park. Lying in Kabarole, Kibale is home to 13 primate species, including a total of 1500 chimpanzees. Kibale is most popular for its unmatched chimpanzee tracking experiences, and it is what awaits you the following day.

Kibale is accessible along the Kampala-Mityana-Mubende-Fort Portal city route. At Fort Portal, you will make a stopover to enjoy lunch, and after, you will drive direct to the lodge in or adjacent to the Park.

Accommodation

• Budget: Chimpanzee Guesthouse/Isunga Lodge
• Midrange: Chimpanzee Guesthouse & Primate Lodge or Chimpundu
• Luxury: Ndali/Papaya Lake Lodge or Kyaninga Lodge

Meals –Lunch and Dinner

Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale will start early with registration, then followed by a briefing about rules and regulations. The Kibale National Park official will allocate ranger guides to accompany you on a chimpanzee trek. This is expected to start from Kanyanchu Visitor Center and the overall trek with chimpanzees takes 2-4 hours. The chimpanzee tracking session covers one hour of up close and personal interaction with Kibale chimpanzees.

Kibale holds a diversity of primates, birds, colorful butterflies, and floral species majority of which can be spotted. Once you have concluded the Kibale chimp trek, expect to return to the lodge to relax and also to enjoy a leisurely lunch. Later in the afternoon, you will be transferred to Queen Elizabeth National Park, driving through Kasese, and en route, you will have a photography moment at the Kikorongo Equator crossing.

Accommodation

• Budget: Bush Lodge tents/Simba Safari Lodge/Kazinga Channel Resort
• Midrange: Bush Lodge/Bulbul Lodge/Buffalo Safari Lodge
• Luxury: Katara Lodge/Mweya/Elephant Plains Lodge

Meals –Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner

Travel time: 2 to 3 hours

Set off from the safari lodges for a morning game drive, but first, register with the Uganda Wildlife Authority’s team. Proceed on the sunrise game drive through the Kasenyi Plains with a ranger guide and in a 4x4 vehicle. Spend about 2-3 hours in the savannas and along the Kasenyi Plains, you stand a chance to come across a range of Big game, antelopes, warthogs, birds, spotted hyenas, and many more.

Start returning to the lodge after the game drive. Wait for the afternoon session, where you will be transferred to the Kazinga channel departing point for a boat cruise. Meet the ranger guide to brief you and then board the boat. The Kazinga connects Lake Edward and George, and spending about 2-3 hours on a launch cruise allows you to enjoy sightings of hippos, water birds, and crocodiles.

Accommodation

• Budget: Bush Lodge tents/Simba Safari Lodge/Kazinga Channel Resort
• Midrange: Bush Lodge/Bulbul Lodge/Buffalo Safari Lodge
• Luxury: Katara Lodge/Mweya/Elephant Plains Lodge

Meals covered Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner

After a sumptuous breakfast, you will be picked up and today, expect to head to Volcanoes National Park. Expect to enjoy a short morning game drive along Ishasha with primarily goal of spotting the tree-climbing lions. Depart from Ishasha and as you drive, enjoy the beautiful sceneries of Uganda combined with the Rwandan views in the Northern Province once you cross the Katuna or Chanika border. At the border, you will meet the immigration officers to clear you quickly, and you will continue to Volcanoes National Park to check in the lodge.

Accommodation        

• Budget: Kinigi Guesthouse.
• Midrange: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel/Da Vinci Lodge
• Luxury: Virunga Lodge/Bisate/Kwitonda Lodge

Meals covered Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner

Leave the lodge for you to assemble at Kinigi to register and later, get briefed about gorilla trekking rules by the park official from Volcanoes National Park. Expect to visit one of your favorite gorilla families, and the trek will begin with the ranger guide leading you. An hour will be availed primarily to allow you to observe gorillas at a close range and taking pictures. Return from the Rwanda gorilla trek and relax till late afternoon, when you will depart for a cultural experience in the Iby’Iwacu Village.

Accommodation

• Budget: Kinigi Guesthouse.
• Midrange: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel/Da Vinci Lodge
• Luxury: Virunga Lodge/Bisate/Kwitonda Lodge

Meals covered Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner.

Transfer to Kinigi for you to be briefed about the golden monkey regulations. The ranger guide will be present to lead you on the search for golden monkeys. Trekking with golden monkeys takes a slightly shorter time, about 2-4 hours, inclusive of 1 hour for you to observe a troop of these stunning creatures. Get back to the safari lodge for relaxation, have lunch, and later, end the day with a Lake Kivu excursion. Lake Kivu includes a boat experience and chilling at the cool shores.

Accommodation

• Budget: Kivu Eco Resort
• Midrange: Kivu Paradise Resort

Luxury: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel

Leave Lake Kivu after breakfast and check out of the hotel. Upon arrival at Kigali, proceed with a short city tour, and the primary goal will be to explore the Kigali genocide memorial. After the city tour, a lunch break follows, and then drop off to the airport or remain at the hotel.

End of safari