10 DAYS UGANDA AND RWANDA

Tripscapers Africa > Tours > Chimpanzee Safaris > 10 DAYS UGANDA AND RWANDA

This safari takes you through the best primate and wildlife destinations. This trip includes thrilling experiences like gorilla trekking in the jungles of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, golden monkey tracking in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, Chimpanzee tracking & canopy walk in Nyungwe, game viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park and city tour in Kigali. 

Detailed Itinerary 

Day 1: Pick up, drive by car to Queen Elizabeth National Park via Mbarara 

Embark on a scenic drive from the vibrant Kampala capitalvia Masaka-Mbarara route to Queen Elizabeth NP, Uganda’s 2nd biggest park and most popular destination with huge herds of elephants. Located in Kasese, Western Uganda, Queen Elizabeth N/Park will be your target destination for big game viewing experience as per this itinerary. 

Driving via the Mbarara route allows you to take a break at the Uganda Equator crossing for photography and relaxation. After, you continue to Igongo cultural center for tasty cultural/traditional dishes and finally, head off to your lodge at Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Accommodation 

• Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge 
• Midrange: Enganzi Game Lodge/Elephant Plains
• Budget: Simba Camp/Kazinga Channel Resort

Day 2: A full day in Queen Elizabeth NP exploring wildlife in the savanna plains 

A delicious breakfast early morning and after, exit your lodge as early as 6:00am for a game drive. Starting your day with a morning game drive allows you to catch up with early risers along Kasenyi plains of Queen Elizabeth Park. Expected sightings for the day through Kasenyi game track include spotted hyenas, lions, bush elephants, cape buffaloes, warthogs, bushbucks, waterbucks, leopards, and many birds including bustards. 

From the Kasenyi plain game drive, return for a leisurely lunch and later, go experience the best of Kazinga channel launch cruise. This 2-hour recreational experience comes with mesmerizing encounters of aquatic life like hippos, crocodiles and water birds. 

Accommodation 

• Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge 
• Midrange: Enganzi Game Lodge/Elephant Plains
• Budget: Simba Camp/Kazinga Channel Resort

Day 3: From Queen Elizabeth Park to Bwindi via Ishasha 

At leisure, enjoy a hefty breakfast and after, begin your journey to Bwindi National Park, a premier gorilla park located in Southwestern Uganda. A short game drive break will be held at Ishasha sector, a renowned area for spotting the tree climbing lions and several topis at Queen Elizabeth NP. You will also have the best of a bush lunch and later, continue to Bwindi.

Accommodation 

• Luxury: Buhoma Lodge
• Midrange: Engagi Lodge
• Budget: Buhoma Community Rest Camp

Day 4: Gorilla trekking with a guide from Bwindi NP, Batwa cultural experience in the afternoon

Have a cup of tea/coffee and after, exit your comfortable lodge for a briefing to be conducted at the park offices by park officials. The morning briefing provides insight into safety guidelines for gorilla trekking and officials use this period to allocate guests to gorilla families/groups and park guides. By 8:00am, your actual search for mountain gorillas begins with the lead of an experienced Bwindi National Park guide. 

This thrilling adventure may last you between 2 and 6 hours inclusive of an hour of up close and personal with a family of endangered mountain gorillas. Take pictures of the massive silverback and its family members then begin returning to the lodge for relaxation. 

Later in the evening/afternoon, you will have a good time at Batwa community. This is where you will find the Batwa pygmies, the first people to live in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for several years and mainly lived there as hunters and gatherers. 

Accommodation 

• Luxury: Buhoma Lodge
• Midrange: Engagi Lodge
• Budget: Buhoma Community Rest Camp

Day 5: Depart Bwindi for Volcanoes National Park in Ruhengeri Rwanda 

Following a hefty breakfast, you will set off from your gorilla lodge in Bwindi to Volcanoes NP located in the Ruhengeri area of Rwanda. Access to Rwanda will be via Katuna or Chanika border, then you proceed to the park to check in at your respective pre-booked lodges. 

Accommodation 

• Luxury: One&Only Gorilla Nest/Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge
• Midrange: Five Volcanoes Hotel/Da Vinci/Le Bambou 
• Budget: Kinigi Guesthouse 

Day 6: Go visit Rwanda golden monkeys & Iby’Iwacu cultural village tour 

Join the rest of the visitors for a briefing at Kinigi offices to have insight into safety measures for golden monkey tracking. The park guide will accompany you on actual search for golden monkeys beginning at 8:00am and the entire trek runs for 2-5 hours inclusive of an hour of up close and personal with a troop of these rare primates in the wild. 

After spending a good time exploring the different behaviors of golden monkeys, get back to the lodge for a leisurely lunch. In the afternoon, you will be leaving the lodge once again and this time round, you will be taking part in a thrilling cultural experience at Iby’Iwacu cultural village.

Accommodation 

• Luxury: One&Only Gorilla Nest/Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge
• Midrange: Five Volcanoes Hotel/Da Vinci/Le Bambou 
• Budget: Kinigi Guesthouse 

Day 7: Volcanoes NP-Nyungwe N/Park for chimpanzee encounters

After breakfast, you will be picked up by a driver guide ready for your road trip to Nyungwe Forest NP. Nyungwe is one of Rwanda’s leading primate destinations, home to red-tailed monkeys, chimpanzees, owl-faced monkeys, Rwenzori colobus monkeys, Dent’s Mona monkeys, silver monkeys, olive baboons and l’hoest monkeys, etc. Settle for a leisurely lunch and after, proceed with an afternoon canopy walk through a suspended canopy walkway set 60m from the forest floor.

Accommodation 

• Luxury: One&Only Nyungwe House
• Midrange: Nyungwe Hill Top View Hotel
• Budget: Gisakura Guesthouse 

Day 8: Chimpanzee trek Nyungwe & depart for Kigali

Report to Uwinka reception very early for a briefing about chimpanzee trekking guidelines and for the official at the park to assign you the park guide. You will have a deep understanding of how chimpanzees behave and the opportunity to take pictures. As you trek through the rainforest of Nyungwe NP, do not forget to keep eyes on other primates and birds. 

On returning from Nyungwe Forest, you will be offered lunch and later check out of the lodge. Drive to Kigali about 6-7 hours and you will be dropped off at the hotel for relaxation.

Accommodation 

• The Retreat/Five-to-Five Volcanoes Hotel

Day 9: Kigali city excursion –tour genocide sites within Kigali & other historical centres

After a leisurely breakfast, set off for a full day city tour in Kigali Rwanda. This includes visiting iconic sites within the city center, especially Kigali memorial center, Kimironko local market and different craft centers for you to purchase some of the finest craft items, etc. The long-day Kigali excursion includes lunch break and you proceed with an afternoon session.

Accommodation 

• The Retreat/Five-to-Five Volcanoes Hotel

Day 10: Departure 

Leave your hotel in Kigali for your flight at Kigali International Airport; about 13 km drive from the heart of Kigali city. This brings to an end the 10-day Uganda-Rwanda vacation.

End of safari 

Inclusions 

• Gorilla/chimp permits
• Accommodation and meals
• Game drives
• Launch cruise
• Cultural experiences
• Park entry fees
• Guide/driver services 
• Bottled water 

Exclusions 

• Tips
• Visas
• Passports 
• Insurance 
• Telephone bills