11 Days Uganda Wildlife and Rwanda Primates Safari
11 Days Uganda Wildlife and Rwanda Primates Safari takes you through the wildlife safari national parks of Uganda that is Lake Mburo national park and Queen Elizabeth national park. Lake Mburo national park is the smallest savannah national park in Uganda where we find the different Antelope species such as the Impalas which can only be spotted in this park, Zebras, Buffaloes, Giraffes, to mention a few. Queen Elizabeth national park is the second largest national park in Uganda and it is home to the tree climbing lions in the Ishasha sector. Mgahinga national park is the second home of the mountain gorillas in Uganda besides Bwindi national park. Difference is that Mgahinga national park has both mountain gorillas and golden monkeys sharing territories with Rwanda and Congo.
Volcanoes national park and Nyungwe forest national park are Rwanda’s gorilla trekking and chimpanzee destinations respectively. Volcanoes national park is home for the endangered mountain gorillas and Golden monkeys; this park is located on Virunga Mountains shared with Uganda and Congo. Apart from gorilla trekking, Volcanoes national park is also a home to the endangered golden monkeys and other a few more primates and about 200 different bird species and a Mountain hiking destination. Also features, Nyungwe forest national park which is home to the endangered chimpanzees and 12 other species of primates. Trekking chimpanzees in Nyungwe forest is one of the most scenic experiences under the montane rainforest and walking on a canopy above the forest is an added beautiful experience.
Safari highlights of the 11 Days Uganda Wildlife and Rwanda Primates Safari
- Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe – Uganda
- Day 2: Transfer to Lake Mburo national park
- Day 3: Morning game drive and Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
- Day 4: Lion tracking/Game drive – Boat cruise
- Day 5: Transfer to Kisoro via Ishasha sector
- Day 6: Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park
- Day 7: Transfer to Volcanoes national park – Community tour
- Day 8: Golden Monkey trekking
- Day 9: Transfer to Nyungwe forest national park
- Day 10: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk
- Day 11: Return to Kigali
Detailed Safari Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe Airport and transfer to hotel
Upon arrival in Entebbe international airport, you will be meant by your safari guide and transferred to your booked hotel in Kampala city, the capital of Uganda. It’s about 45 minutes’ drive from the airport to Kampala. Depending on your time of arrival, you can opt to do a city tour or drive to your hotel to rest as you prepare for your 11 days safari. Dinner and overnight stay at
- Luxury option: Sheraton Hotel/Kampala Serena Hotel
- Mid-range option: Fairway Hotel
- Budget option: Forest Cottages
Day 2: Transfer to Lake Mburo national park – afternoon boat cruise
After breakfast, meet your safari guide and transfer to Lake Mburo national park. It is about 4-5 hours’ drive with en-route stop at the equator for the equator experiment. Proceed to the park arriving there at good time for lunch. After lunch, connect for an afternoon boat trip on Lake Mburo. Optional activities: horseback ride safaris, walking safari and nature walk. Accommodation and meals (Full board)
- Luxury option: Mihingo Lodge
- Mid-range option: Arcadia Cottages Lake Mburo
- Budget option – Eagles Nest Lodge
Day 3: Morning game drive and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Early morning after breakfast, head out for in search for the early risers on a good day you may spot the lions and the leopards are actually rarely seen and it will be by luck to find them. Do not forget to carry your camera in order to keep all your memories forever intact and also to ensure not to miss out a detail on your amazing game drive and find animals such as the Impalas, Zebras, Waterbucks, Oribi, buffaloes, Giraffes to mention a few.
Have your bags packed up and after the game drive, drive via Mbarara town for lunch before you proceed to Queen Elizabeth national park. It’s a 4-5 hours’ drive arriving at your booked lodge late afternoon. You may visit the crater lakes before you drive to your lodge. Dinner and overnight stay at
- Luxury option: Kyambura Gorge Lodge/Mweya Safari lodge
- Mid-range option: Parkview Safari Lodge
- Budget option: Pumba Safari Cottages
Day 4: Lion tracking/Morning game drive – Boat cruise
Wake up early, have your delicious breakfast, meet your guide, and drive to the Kasenyi area where you will hand over to the research team for a lion tracking experience. This experience is only carried out in Queen Elizabeth national park where you are guaranteed to view the lions. You will get an opportunity to come close to a pride of lions. You will also connect to a game drive for chances of finding some of the park’s habitats like the Buffaloes, elephants, waterbuck, Uganda Kob and other types of Antelopes.
Return for lunch at your lodge, before you return to the park for a boat cruise that will take you along the Kazinga channel. The lakes have the highest concentration of hippos and other animals drinking at the water’s edge, also good for bird watching. The cruise also offers a good platform for photography, bird watching, and games. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 5: Transfer to Kisoro via Ishasha sector
After breakfast, check-out of the lodge and embark on your journey to Kisoro via Ishasha sector for a chance to see the tree climbing lions. It’s a 6-7 hours’ drive with en-route stop for lunch. Upon arrival, connect to your booked lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay
- Luxury option: Gahinga Lodge/Lake Mutanda Safari lodge
- Mid-range option: Lake Mulehe Safari lodge
- Budget option: Muchu Lodge/Travelers’ Rest Hotel
Day 6: Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park
After breakfast, drive to Mgahinga national park. It’s a 35 minutes’ drive from Kisoro town to the park headquarters. With your trekking gears and packed lunch, meet with other trekkers for briefing about gorilla trekking. Head into the forest for trek, gorilla trekking takes 2 to 8 hours depending on the movement of the gorilla family being visited. These primates roam the park freely and there is no way of telling where they will be for a particular. On finding them, you will be allowed 1 hour to view and take photos of these gentle primates before you descend back to meet your driver/guide and transfer back to your lodge.
The time after trekking can be spent on a village/community Batwa tour or relaxing off at the lodge as you unwind with a glass of wine with the memories of your gorilla experience in Bwindi. Dinner and overnight booked lodge as above
Day 7: Transfer to Volcanoes national park – Community tour
After breakfast, check-out of the hotel and embark on your journey to transfer to Volcanoes national park. It’s a 4-5 hours’ drive crossing to Rwanda via Cyinaka border to Musanze where we find the home of the endangered mountain gorillas.
Arrive in Musanze at good time for lunch after checking-in your booked accommodation. Later afternoon, visit 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
- Luxury option: 5 Volcanoes Gorilla lodge/Virunga lodge
- Mid-range option: Le Bambou Gorilla lodge/Da Vinci Gorilla lodge
- Budget option: Hotel Muhabura/Kinigi Guesthouse
Day 8: Golden Monkey trekking
After early morning breakfast, drive back to the park headquarters for briefing about the endangered golden monkeys and be allocated a group. Connect to the tracking starting point and enter the forest to search for the rare golden monkey. This activity can take about 1-5 hours and is done at closer view of the other primates in the park like the red tailed monkeys, Vervet monkeys among other. After viewing the rare golden monkeys for an hour while taking pictures and studying their behaviours, return to the base and meet your drive back to the lodge. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 9: 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 with en-route lunch. Drive through the rolling hills and great views of Virunga Mountains. Upon arrival in Nyungwe 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 10: Chimpanzee trekking 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 the 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 11: Transfer back to Kigali
After breakfast, meet your guide and embark on your journey back to Kigali with en-route visit pass via Butare and visit the Rwanda national museum, have lunch then proceed to Kigali. Upon arrival in Kigali, you will be dropped off at a location you will advise or connect to Kigali airport for your onward flight back home.
End of the 11 Days Uganda Wildlife and Rwanda Primates Safari
