13DAY UGANDA ADVENTURE SAFARI
January 7, 2025
10 DAYS HONEYMOONSAFARI
January 9, 2025
Rwanda and Uganda make up a very fascinating travel destination. Rwanda is known as the “Land of a Thousand Hills” because of its breathtakingly beautiful hilly landscapes and abundant biodiversity.
The most popular primates’ sites in Rwanda are Nyungwe National Park and Volcanoes National Park, where visitors can unwind a little while there. Along with two other parks in Uganda and one in Congo, Volcanoes National Park is the most well-liked park specifically for gorilla trekking. There are perhaps ten habituated gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park for tourists. In addition to gorilla trekking, Volcanoes National Park is home to a few forest creatures, including the endangered golden monkey.
On the other side, twelve different kinds of primates, including the endangered chimpanzee, can be found in Nyungwe Forest National Park. Walking on a canopy above the forest is an additional lovely experience, and trekking chimpanzees in Nyungwe forest is one of the most picturesque adventures beneath the montane rainforest.
Uganda, on the other hand, is referred to be the “Pearl of Africa.” It is a fortunate nation that welcomes over a million tourists annually, mostly for wildlife safaris, adventure, hiking, and primates. Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, and Lake Mburo National Park are all included in this trip to Uganda. Game drives, boat cruises, community/cultural interactions, hiking, nature walks, birdwatching, chimpanzee tracking, gorilla trekking, canoeing in Lake Bunyonyi, golden monkey tracking, and other excursions of your choosing are just a few of the exciting and exhausting activities that will be part of this trip through the various national parks.
Highlights of the 12- day Primates, Wildlife, and Culture Safari in Uganda
Day 1: Pick up from hotel in Kigali
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park -Canopy walk
Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking and Isumo trail
Day 4: Colobus Monkeys – Transfer to Lake Kivu
Day 5: Transfer to Parc National Des Volcans -Community tour
Day 6: Golden Monkey tracking -Cross to Uganda -Kisoro
Day 7: Batwa Community trial
Day 8: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 9: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 10: Lion tracking/Game drive and boat cruise
Day 11: Transfer to Lake Mburo national park -Horseback riding safari/Night game drive
Day 12: Transfer to Kampala -Departure
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up from hotel in Kigali
When you arrive at Kigali International Airport with your confirmed flight for the morning or Your safari driver will pick you up at your accommodation in Kigali, depending on where you are in the city. Dinner and the night at Kigali Serena Hotel is a luxury option; Des Mille Collins Hotel is a mid-range alternative; and Step Town Motel is a low-cost option.
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park – Canopy walk
After an early breakfast, travel the six to seven hours from Kigali to Nyungwe Forest National Park, stopping for an early lunch along the way. Head to the park and join the canopy walk experience at 2:00 pm. A strolling trail will lead you to the Canopy Walk, a 50-meter swing bridge strung from massive trees that offers a bird’s-eye perspective of the breathtaking rainforest and the opportunity to witness wildlife moving below. Go ahead and check into your reserved lodging for rest, dinner, and the night at either the luxury Nyungwe One and Only Hotel, the mid-range Nyungwe Top Hill Hotel, or the budget alternative. The Visitors Center in Gisakura
Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking and Isumo trail
Before you head into the bush with your backpack to look for the energetic and playful chimpanzees in Nyungwe forest, have breakfast and attend a briefing about the endangered species. With their chattering and laughing as they leap from tree to tree, the chimpanzees are considerably simpler to find. Tracking chimpanzees often takes three to five hours, depending on where they are. After locating them, spend an hour filming and photographing them. Join the Isumo Trail to see the largest waterfalls in Nyungwe. Seeing various birds and some primates is one of the most rejuvenating experiences. The walk up and down the Nyungwe forest takes about four hours. After that, head back to your hotel to unwind and make wonderful memories. Dinner and lodging at the lodge as mentioned above
Day 4: Colobus Monkeys – Transfer to Lake Kivu (Estimated distance: 3-4 hours)
After breakfast, have a briefing, then go into the forest to look for the colobus monkey, following the same steps as for chimpanzee tracking. The park rangers will try their best to give you the best view of the primates, but they are very difficult to locate because they are constantly hopping from tree to tree. After two to five hours of searching, you will be permitted to spend an hour with them. After lunch, continue on to Kibuye, which offers breathtaking views of Lake Kivu and the Virunga Mountains. For dinner and overnight accommodations, check into the Cormoran Lodge/Inn on the Lake/Delta Resort Hotel, which is close to the lakeshores and has fantastic views.
Day 5: Transfer to Parc National Des Volcans – Community tour
Meet your guide after breakfast to make the travel to Lake Kivu for a two-hour or so boat excursion adventure in Gisenyi. After eating lunch, set out on your two-hour drive to Musanze. Once in Rwanda, visit Iby’wacu Cultural Village, a non-profit umbrella organization that supports livelihood-based projects, community enterprise development, and conservation incentives to improve the lives of reformed poachers and the communities surrounding Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. Enjoy Kinyarwanda customs including the Intore dance, traditional ceremonies, and a guided community stroll while being shown about this delightful location.
Connect to your reservation for supper and overnight stay at 5 Volcanoes Gorilla Lodge, Virunga Lodge, or Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge, depending on your preference: 5 Volcanoes Gorilla Lodge is the luxury option, Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge is the mid-range option, or Hotel Muhabura/Kinigi Guesthouse is the cheap option.
Day 6: Golden Monkey tracking – Cross to Uganda -Kisoro
Transfer to the park headquarters after breakfast so the park warden can tell you on the endangered golden monkeys. To find the rare golden monkey, connect to the tracking starting point and then venture into the jungle. This excursion, which can take one to five hours, allows you to get up close and personal with the park’s other primates, including the Vervet and Red-Tailed monkeys. After spending an hour observing the endangered golden monkeys, photographing them, and researching their habits.
After tracking, meet your guide to cross the Cyanika border into Uganda. Connecting to the border town of Kisoro, Uganda, takes roughly three hours. Continue to the Kisoro lodge you have reserved for dinner and your overnight stay at Budget option. Travelers’ Rest Hotel is a low-cost alternative; Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge is a mid-range option; and Lake Mutanda Safari Resort is a luxury option.
Day 7: Batwa Community trial
Following breakfast, you will go to the Batwa community route in Mgahinga National Park. Before the forest was designated as a national park, the Batwa were the original inhabitants. The Batwa guide will welcome you and give you an overview of the Batwa people’s history and your trip. Along the trip, you will discover more about the Batwa people, their culture, food, and survival skills, such as hunting and beekeeping. You will also have the opportunity to explore the sacred Ngarama Caves, where the Batwa king once resided. After the trial, head back to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, stopping for lunch along the way. It takes roughly three hours to drive to the Buhoma area of the Bwindi forest.
When you get there, check into your lodge for dinner and the night. Buhoma Lodge is a luxury option; Buhoma Haven Lodge is a mid-range alternative; and Buhoma Community Rest Camp is a budget option.
Day 8: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Get up early, eat breakfast, and meet your guide at the park headquarters. There, you will receive a briefing from park officials regarding gorilla trekking. At approximately 7:00 am, you will be divided into groups and begin your gorilla trekking journey with the assistance of ranger trackers who monitor the gorillas’ movements. Depending on their activity, the search duration for these apes can vary from two to eight hours. This is a strenuous but thrilling exercise that requires you to climb up and down steep boulders. But after spending an hour with these modest gigantic monkeys, head back to the starting area to pick up your Gorilla trekking certificate and then head back to your lodge to unwind. Dinner and overnight stay as above.
Day 9: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park (Estimated distance: 4-5hours)
Meet your driver guide to make the transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park following breakfast. Go through the Ishasha gate to enter Queen Elizabeth National Park. To increase your chances of sighting the tree-climbing lions, drive through the Ishasha region. The driver will try his best, but there is no assurance that you will spot the lions perched on tree branches. While on your game drive, stop at Ishasha for lunch. After lunch, head to your lodge for dinner and a night’s stay at either the luxury Mweya Safari Lodge, the mid-range Parkview Safari Lodge, or the less expensive Pumba Safari Cottages.
Day 10: Lion tracking/Game drive and boat cruise
Following an early breakfast, meet your driver for the journey to the Kasenyi region, which is well-known for game drives and antelope breeding grounds. You will have the opportunity to see a variety of wild species, such as lions, buffaloes, elephants, various antelopes, and several more nocturnal creatures and hunting predators. Return to your accommodation to unwind and eat lunch after the game drive.
You will spend two hours on the renowned launch cruise in Kazinga Channel later in the afternoon. You will be able to see what you missed during your game drive while on the launch cruise. On the shoreline, you can observe buffalos and elephants, crocodiles lounging, and hippos in schools. This is an excellent location to see a variety of migratory and native bird species. As before, head back to your lodge for dinner and spend the night there.
Day 11: Transfer to Lake Mburo national park -Horseback riding safari/Night game drive
Drive to Lake Mburo National Park after breakfast. When you get to Mbarara town, stop by the Igongo Cultural Center for lunch. There, you can explore the museum and discover more about the history and culture of the Ankole Kingdom. After that, proceed to Lake Mburo National Park, check into your lodge, and then take a two-hour horseback ride before returning by car. After dinner, join a ranger for a nighttime game drive in the park to find the nocturnes, and if you’re lucky, you might see the lions and leopards hunting or feeding. After roughly two hours, you’ll drive back to the lodge to rest. Stay overnight at Eagles, a mid-range alternative; Rwakobo Lodge; or Mihingo Lodge, a luxury option.
Day 12: Entebbe and departure (Estimated distance; 4-5 hours’ drive)
Check out of the lodge after breakfast in the morning, go to Entebbe, take a morning wildlife drive, stop at the Uganda Equator for some photos and souvenirs, then have lunch in Masaka town. Head to Entebbe International Airport in preparation for your planned return flight.
Final Day of the 12-Day Primate, Wildlife, and Cultural Safari in Uganda and Rwanda
