The 9 Days Uganda and Rwanda Safari takes you to a combined classic safari tour package to both Uganda and Rwanda destinations. Uganda’s destinations to visit; Murchison Falls National Park, Kibale Forest National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Rwanda destination to visit; Nyungwe Forest National Park for a canopy walk and chimpanzee trekking safari. This trip starts in Uganda and ends in Rwanda.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park via Ziwa Rhino sanctuary.
Upon your arrival in Kampala /Entebbe, your guide will pick you up and transfer to Murchison Falls National park with en- route, you will visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary where you will go for a game walk with skilled ranger, offering you a unique opportunity to view the rhinos from a close distance.
Murchison Falls and Kidepo Valley National Parks once had both black and white rhinos; however, widespread poaching during the Idi Amin era resulted in the disappearance of these majestic animals from the wild. That was founded in 1998, Rhino Fund Uganda works to re-introduce black and white rhinos into Uganda and runs a breeding program.
Murchison Falls National Park is famously known as largest conservation area in Uganda, measuring an area of over 3,840 km². The park’s name derives from its famous waterfall: the mighty Murchison Falls, which are formed where the Victoria Nile powerfully forces its way through a narrow cleft before plunging 43meter down with a thunderous roar.
The mighty Nile River divides the park into its north and south sections. At the splendid
Murchison Falls the world longest river explodes violently through a narrow cleft in the Rift Valley escarpment to plunge into a frothing pool 43meter below.
As the river attracts large numbers of game, a boat safari up the Nile offers the perfect
opportunity to view and photograph the animals. Carefully watched by crocodiles, hundreds of hippos, buffaloes, water birds, apes and all the other thirsty wildlife that the Nile attracts; you go to the bottom of the Murchison Falls, which approaches you with a thunderous sound.
As soon as you enter the park, you will drive to the top of the falls and experience the thunderous roar with spectacular views. Later transfer to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Journey Time: 7 hours
Meal Plan: Full Board. Drinking water (other drinks not provide
Day 2: Morning game drive- Afternoon Boat Safari- Visit the top of the falls
After morning breakfast, you will depart for an early morning game drive across the rolling plains of Uganda’s largest National Park with over 3,893 square kilometers park is home to a range of animals, and you will have other chances of viewing some of the Park’s residents including lions, giraffes, hartebeest, buffalo, and elephants among many. For the birders amongst you, these areas support the secretary bird and the black chested snake eagle, to name a few. In the afternoon, go for a boat trip to the base of Murchison Falls where the Nile thunders through a small 7-meter gap plunging 43 meters into the Nile on the way to Lake Albert.
The banks of the Nile are densely populated with crocodiles, hippopotamus, and a range of other wildlife species that come to the river to drink.
After the boat safari you will hike to the top of the falls. From here you will have a great view
and amazing photo opportunities.
Meal Plan: Full Board. Drinking water (other drinks not provided)
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale National Park
Today you will start your journey to Kibale Forest National Park. The long drive is incredibly beautiful passing through tea plantations and the lush green countryside which characterizes so much of Uganda.
Kibale Forest National Park lies in west-central Uganda just east of the Rwenzori Mountains, near the town of Fort Portal. The 766 Km² Park predominantly covers evergreen rainforest and ranges between 1100 and 1600 meters in elevation. Kibale Forest is one of the last remaining expanses to contain both lowland and montane forests and forms a continuous forest with Queen Elizabeth National Park.
You will have packed lunch en- route. Arrive in the evening for overnight and dinner
Journey Time: 8 hours
Meal Plan: Full Board. Drinking water (other drinks not provided)
Day 4: Chimpanzee Trekking
Wake up early have breakfast and report to the park headquarters for briefing after which you head on the Chimpanzee trekking experience where you attend to the Chimpanzees as a care taker! You will enter the forest early and watch chimps leaving their overnight nests between 6:00 – 6:30am before feeding, copulating, hunting, breastfeeding, resting, patrolling and displaying till it is time to build new nests around 7pm. Drive back for dinner and overnight as above.
Meal Plan: Full Board. Drinking water (other drinks not provided)
Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Enjoy breakfast, and then continue your journey to Queen Elizabeth National park with a visit to the crater lakes and stalagmites site in Fort portal town. You will cross the equator again in Kasese.
Queen Elizabeth National park is Uganda’s second largest park, lied the base of the majestic Rwenzori Mountain range, adjacent to Lake Edward and Lake George. The park has game including Uganda kob, warthog and waterbuck. Lions are often viewed both in and at the entrance to the park. Be ready to see numbers of hippos and elephants, and keep your eyes on the search for a leopard lazing in the sunshine.
In the late afternoon you will relax at the lodge. You will stay in a comfort lodge, overlooking Lake George.
Journey Time: 3 ½
Meal Plan: Full Board. Drinking water (other drinks not provided)
Day 6: Game drive and Kazinga channel boat safari
On this day, you will wake up before sunrise coffee, tea and donuts well served in the lounge before we head out for a long game drive in time to see the first rays of light. You will search for all the wildlife in the park and are likely to come across Elephant, Buffalo, Lion, Waterbuck, Leopard, Uganda Kob, and many Warthogs.
A well-deserved lunch will be served back at the lodge in the late morning. In the afternoon you will take a boat safari along the Kazinga Channel which connects Lake George and Lake Edward.
You will encounter a lot of hippos (more than you can possibly imagine!), as well as a variety of other animals which come to the waterhole to drink or bathe. You will be able to see buffalo, crocodile, bathing elephant, and a range of beautiful birds. This will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of your tour.
After the boat-safari, you will transfer from Queen to your hotel in Bwindi for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Gorilla Trekking Bwindi
Today after early breakfast, you will be transferred to the park headquarters for briefing about
gorilla tracking. You will observe one of Bwindi’s endangered mountain gorillas. For most
people this is the main highlight of their tour in Uganda.
Bwindi Impenetrable national park boasts both mountain gorillas and chimpanzees endangered species The only rain forest in Africa that can make this worth. It also hosts five other species of primates over 113 species of mammals, over 200 species of butterflies and 360 species of birds. The mountain gorillas you track are fully habituated and can tolerate the presence of humans for a brief period of time daily.
The time taken to track the mountain gorillas can be as few as 2 hours to as many as 7 hours. Once the gorillas have been found, you will be allowed maximum of one hour with them.
Enjoy a face-to-face with a mountain gorilla which is a truly humbling and emotional experience. This is exciting and privileged opportunity to get up close and personal with Uganda’s very own ‘Gorillas in the Mist’.
Meal plan: Full Board. Drinking water (Other drinks not provided)
DAY 8: TRANSFER TO NYUNGWE NATIONAL PARK AND CANOPY
WALK
Have breakfast will be served early meet your driver guide for your transfer to Nyungwe forest which lies in southwards of Rwanda. Nyungwe forest National park watching a number of amazing attractions such as the rolling hills of Rwanda, the homesteads and others. You will have a stopover in Butare, where you will be able to visit the national museum of Rwanda, the king’s palace in Nyanza with lunch en- route. After lunch, head for the canopy walk in Nyungwe National Park which offers you exceptional views of the park as you walk along the suspended metallic trail in the trees. You will get to view variety of primates swinging within the branches like the chimpanzees, different monkey species, you will also watch numerous bird species and after the rewarding experience, head back to your lodge/ hotel. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 9: CHIMPANZEE TRACKING in Nyungwe Forest
Enjoy breakfast and go for briefing before accessing the forest, looking for the active and playful fellows in Nyungwe forest. The Chimpanzees are the easy to adventure, as they jump from one tree to another, chattering and laughing. Chimp tracking usually takes about 3 hours. You will then return to your accommodation for lunch. After lunch, you will participate in an optional tea estate safari which offers you the chance to watch how the tea is harvested and being processed.
Then after, transfer back to your hotel to spend the evening at leisure. The hike can take only 2 hours. Go meet up with your guide and drive back to Kigali.
Upon your arrival in Kigali City, you can choose to have your driver drop you off at your hotel in Kigali or at any advised place.
Tour Package Including:
Transport in a 4WD minivan with pop-up roof for excellent safari view
All fuel for the tour
Park entrance fees
Vehicle entrance fees
English speaking Ugandan driver/guide;
Accommodation as listed in the program;
All meals as per itinerary
Park-entrance fees according to the program;
All activities described in the itinerary;
Chimpanzee permits
Gorilla permits
Excluding:
International air fares and entry visa Uganda & Rwanda
A porter for during the gorilla tracking (someone who carries your daypack);
Personal (medical/travel) insurance;
Tips and gratuities to rangers, driver/guide, porter, hotel staff, etc;
All expenses of personal nature (e.g. drinks, laundry, optional activities, souvenirs etc.)
Important:
Gorilla tracking is dependent on the permits availability at the time of your booking. Gorilla
permits in all national parks are on a very high
