10 Days Rwanda Uganda Safari
10 Days Rwanda Uganda Safari takes you to Akagera national park, Nyungwe national park, and Volcanoes national park. You will visit Rwanda’s primate and wildlife viewing destinations respective. Volcanoes national park is Rwanda’s home ofr the endangered mountain gorillas. However, you will visit Diana Fossey hike. Akagera national park is located in the eastern part of Rwanda in the savannah areas good for wildlife experience especially to see the big five game. Enjoy remarkable game drives for animals such as Buffaloes, Antelopes, Elephants, Giraffes, Leopards, Hyenas, lions, rhinos to mention a few. Other excursions in Rwanda include visiting Community tour, Kigali city.
Cross to Uganda for Bwindi forest gorilla trekking, Bwindi Impenetrable national park is one of Uganda’s oldest national park with diverse rainforest of over 25,000 years ago and contains about 400 plant species. Bwindi Impenetrable national park inhabits half of the remaining endangered mountain gorillas in the world and it is divided into 4 sectors including; Buhoma sector which is the oldest trekking sector, Rushaga sector which has the largest number of gorilla families, Ruhija sector, and finally Nkuringo sector. Bwindi forest also shelters some species of mammals including the forest elephants and the different species of antelopes. The park is also rich with different bird species including Albertine Rift endemics. End your safari with a visit to Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation.
Highlights of the 10 Days Rwanda Uganda Safari
- Day 1: Arrival in Kigali and transfer to Akagera national park
- Day 2: Morning game drive and boat cruise
- Day 3: Transfer to Nyungwe forest national park
- Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and Canopy walk
- Day 5: Transfer to Volcanoes national park
- Day 6: Hike Dian Fossy Camp/Graveyard
- Day 7: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park
- Day 8: Gorilla trekking experience
- Day 9: Explore Lake Bunyonyi
- Day 10: Transfer back to Kigali.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali and transfer to Akagera national park
Upon arrival at Kigali international airport with your morning confirmed booked flight or Depending on your location in Kigali, you will be met by your safari driver who will be your guide throughout the trip, meet and greet, pack your luggage in the safari vehicle and Volcanoes national park. It’s a 2-3 hours’ drive from Kigali to Akagera national park.
Arrive at the park and depending on time of departure from Kigali, you will check-in your lodge, have lunch and enjoy an evening game drive. Before nightfall, return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay
- Luxury option: Ruzizi tented camp
- Mid-range option: Akagera game lodge
- Budget option: Dereva hotel
Day 2: Game drive and Lake Ihema boat cruise.
After a morning breakfast, you will embark on your morning game drive around the park for a rewarding wildlife views. Expect to encounter the Big five including the Lions, elephants, buffaloes, leopards, cape buffaloes and the recently introduced Rhinos along with other animals including; giraffes, warthogs, waterbucks, zebras, hyenas and different antelope species. Expect to also see over 500 species of birds. The game drive may last for about 3-4 hours. Return to lodge for lunch and relax as you wait for the next activity.
In the afternoon, the driver will pick up for a boat cruise on Lake Ihema-the second largest lake in Rwanda after Lake Kivu. The boat trip exposes you to plenty of wildlife on the lake shores which come to cool off and drink water including hippos, buffaloes, huge crocodiles and birds such as malachite kingfisher and fish eagle. After the amazing boat trip, return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay
Day 3: Transfer to Nyungwe forest national park
After enjoying your delicious breakfast, embark on your journey to Nyungwe forest national park which is a 6-7 hours’ drive from Akagera national park via Kigali city, visit the Kigali museum before you proceed to Nyungwe forest. Upon arrival in Nyumgwe forest, connect to your booked lodge for dinner and overnight stay at your booked lodge
- Luxury option: One and Only Nyungwe House
- Mid-range option: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel
- Budget option: Gisakura Visitors Centre
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk
Enjoy breakfast and go for 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 while taking pictures and videos before you drive back to your lodge for lunch.
Connect for a canopy walk. You will go on 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 below you. Dinner and overnight stay at provided lodge as above
Day 5: Transfer to Volcanoes national park
After breakfast, meet your guide and embark on your journey to Volcanoes national park. It’s a 7-8 hours’ drive with en-route and stops for sightseeing in Kibuye given the beauty of the rolling hills of Rwanda. Upon arrival, precede to check-n your booked lodge for dinner and overnight stay
- Luxury option: 5 Volcanoes Gorilla lodge/ Bisate Lodge
- Mid-range option: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
- Budget option: Hotel Muhabura
Day 6: Dian Fossey memorial hike
After breakfast, drive to the park head offices where you will meet the park officials for a briefing about the hike to Dian Fossey. Dian Fossey hike takes you to visit the tomb of Diana Fossey and her house; she dedicated all her time researching about the primates. It’s a 4-5 hours hike. Return from the hike and return to your lodge for lunch.
Later afternoon, visit the Iby’wacu Cultural Village-a Non-Profit umbrella organization that aims at improving the lives of reformed poachers and communities around Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park through provision of conservation incentives, supporting community enterprise development and livelihood based projects. It’s a rewarding place where you will be guided around the place as you enjoy the Kinyarwanda traditions including the Intore dance, traditional ceremonies and a guided community walk. Connect to your booked accommodation for dinner and overnight stay at
Day 7: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park
After breakfast, embark on your journey to Bwindi Impenetrable national park crossing via Cyanika border close to Kisoro town in Uganda. It’s a 5-6 hours’ drive with en-route lunch then proceed to your booked accommodation Ruhija sector of Bwindi forest. Upon arrival at the lodge, check-in for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay
- Luxury option: Ruhija Gorilla lodge
- Mid-range option: Trekkers Traven lodge
- Budget option: Bakiga lodge
Day 8: Gorilla trekking experience
After an early morning breakfast, drive to the park headquarters at 7 :00 am for briefing about the park and its habitants and also you will be advised on your expectations during trekking and be allocated a gorilla family to trek. Bwindi impenetrable national park has the world’s largest population of the mountain gorillas with four different sectors with each having more than three gorilla families. After briefing, drive to the starting point of the trek and enter the forest with your provided armed range guides to search for the mountain gorillas. Gorilla trekking may take about 2- 8 hours depending on the movement of the gorilla up and down the hilly jungle, and on meeting them, stay with the gorillas for a maximum of one hour, before you descend back to the starting point where your driver will be waiting for you to return and relax at the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 9: Explore Lake Bunyonyi
After having breakfast, connect to explore the lake on a boat trip and visit some of the interesting islands. Bunyonyi comprises of 29 islands especially the punishment island and the lake is the best place of relaxation. Later afternoon, explore the zip-lining experience at Lake Bunyonyi. Relax at the lake shore with great views of the hills. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 10: Transfer to Kigali – Departure
After breakfast, you embark on your journey back to Kigali. It’s a 4-5 hours’ drive via Katuna border. Upon arrival in Kigali, have lunch and proceed to Kigali airport for your onward flight back home.
End of the 10 Days Rwanda Uganda Safari
