18 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari and Holiday
18 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari , On this 18 days Uganda Rwanda safari expedition you will have a clear explore of both countries. With incredible sights to many interesting things. On a safari to Uganda, you come face to face to the few remaining endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. An encounter with a silverback gorilla face to face is regarded as a moment to remember. Watch them as they play in fruitful trees, you trek the gorillas both in Uganda (bwindi impenetrable national park) and in Rwanda (volcanoes national park).
The tour will also give you a chance to trek the chimpanzees in Kibale forest national park. Game viewing will also be superb on this 15 days Uganda Rwanda tour in Queen Elizabeth national park and Murchison falls. The tour will begin at Entebbe in Uganda and end at Kigali in Rwanda. Other safari activities to enjoy on this tour. Include a visit to the orphaned chimps at Ngamba Island on Lake Victoria.
You will also take a boat cruise in Murchison falls and Queen Elizabeth national park. And also a boat ride on Lake Bunyonyi. The canopy walk in Nyungwe forest national park will also be a memorable one. Don’t forget a visit to the source of the Nile. Where you will have a chance to do bungee jumping and white water rafting as well as visits to monument sites that are a reminder of both the colorful and dreadful past of Rwanda.
Detailed Safari Itinerary 18 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari
Day 1: Arrive at Entebbe international airport-Uganda
Upon your arrival at Entebbe international airport, you will be met by our company representative. Who will brief you about the safari. Later he will transfer you to your pre-booked accommodation either in Kampala or Entebbe. For your dinner and an overnight stay to rest and recover from the jet lag.
Location:Entebbe/ Kampala
Accommodation Option:
Budget: Gately Inn Entebbe/ Via Via Lodge
Midrange: Papyrus Guesthouse Entebbe/cassia lodge Kampala
Luxury: Anderita Beach Hotel
Meals Plan: Meal plan: half board
Drinking Water throughout
Day 2: Visit Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary
On the first day of the tour, after breakfast, our guide will drive you to the starting point on the shores of Lake Victoria. Get a boat and drive to island to visit the chimpanzee sanctuary. Your guide will brief you about the activity chimpanzee habituation. Which is regarded as one of the interesting safari activity in this Uganda Rwanda tour.
Chimps on the island live in a semi natural habitat so you will watch them feed and display their acrobatic antics. You will watch them as they gather fruits, open gates to access food and freely play with the humans who look after them. You will as well participate in the feeding process of the chimps it’s so memorable. In the afternoon, you can do some canoe paddling or participate in beach soccer. Before taking your boat ride back to the main land in Entebbe. Dinner and an overnight at
Location:Entebbe/
Accommodation Option:
Budget: Gately Inn Entebbe/ Via Via Lodge
Midrange: Papyrus Guesthouse Entebbe/cassia lodge Kampala
Luxury: Anderita Beach Hote
Meals Plan: Full board (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Drinking Water throughout
Day 3: Transfer to the Source of the Nile – Jinja
On this day after an early breakfast, you will make a transfer to Jinja up to the source of the Nile River. The drive will take about 2 hour’s drive from the capital city Kampala. With stopovers en-route at tourist attraction locations such as the Mabira forest as well as the tea and sugarcane plantations. At the source of the Nile, you will have a chance to do a boat ride along the Nile River for a chance to see various species of birds. Later after retire back to the source for lunch break. In the afternoon after getting energy, you may partake in wild water rafting, bungee jumping. After retire and embark on the transfer back to Kampala. For dinner and an overnight stay at;
Location:Jinja
Accommodation Option:
Budget: Gately Inn Entebbe/ Via Via Lodge
Midrange: Papyrus Guesthouse Entebbe/cassia lodge Kampala
Luxury: Anderita Beach Hote
Meals Plan: Full board (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Drinking Water throughout
Day 4: Drive to Murchison Falls National Park via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
On this day of 18 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari, You will be picked up by your guide from the airport /Hotel in the morning after breakfast. And transfer to Murchison falls passing through the Luwero triangle with sight to different home steads along the way. Before reaching the park, you will branch to and visit Ziwa rhino sanctuary. Where you will track the black and white rhinos and after have lunch at the restaurant or in Masindi. From here we will proceed to the park. Visit the falls at the top where you will see the magnificent falls. Passing through the 7 m gap with rocks and form the Victoria Nile. From here we will head to the lodge for relaxation and, super and an overnight
Location: Murchison Falls National Park
Meal plan: Half board
Accommodation options:
Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge | Chobe Safari Lodge
Mid-range: Pakuba Safari Lodge | Murchison River Lodge
Budget: Heritage Safari Lodge | Hornbill Safari Lodge
Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Drinking Water and Fruits throughout
Day 5: Murchison Falls National Park – Game drives & Boat cruises
After an early breakfast at the lodge, set out for a 2 hours game drive in the park Murchison falls Uganda’s largest park. Owning a wide variety of wildlife. Such as leopards, hippos, lions, warthogs, buffaloes, elephants, antelopes, giraffes, waterbucks plus different species of bird just to mention but a few
After this two hours fantastic experience, drive back to the lodge for relaxation and lunch. Then after have a 3 hours boat cruise on the Nile. Where you will see a number of animals along the banks such as elephants, hippos, crocodile, antelopes. You will also have a chance to see monkeys and birds if lucky will see the rare shoebills along the shores. Sail to the bottom of the falls where you will hike for about 1hour and 30 minutes. After which you will return to your lodge for supper and Overnight stay.
Location: Murchison Falls National Park
Meal plan: Half board
Accommodation options:
Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge | Chobe Safari Lodge
Mid-range: Pakuba Safari Lodge | Murchison River Lodge
Budget: Heritage Safari Lodge | Hornbill Safari Lodge
Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Drinking Water and Fruits throughout
Day 6: Visit to the top of the falls and transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
After your breakfast at the lodge, take a visit to the “top of the roaring Murchison falls”, where you will observe the Nile River squeezing itself in a 7 meter gorge before tumbling 40 meters down in a thunderous explosion and then flows down into a very peaceful river whose water banks are swarmed with a profusion of water and land animals as well as birds. you drive to Kibale Forest national park via Fortportal.
While driving to this park you will have a great scenic views along the way. Kibale Forest national park is one of Africa’s beautiful rain forests hosting over 13 primate species most commonly known in the park is our closest relative the Chimpanzees, others primate species in the park include the colobus money, red-trailed monkey, black and white Colobus monkey, baboons just to mention but a few. The park is also a great place for birders since it harbors over 325 bird species. In the evening, you will have an evening walk in the park, dinner and an overnight at your booked accommodation.
Location: Kibale Forest National Park
Accommodation Option:
Budget: Lake Nkuruba Camp Site | Kibale Forest Camp|Rweteera Safari Park
Midrange: Chimpanzee Guest House | Kibale Forest Camp| Mountains of the moon
Luxury: Kyaninga Safari Lodge | Ndali Lodge|Papaya Lake Lodge
Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drinking Water throughout
Day 7: Chimpanzee tracking kibale forest -Uganda safari
Early Breakfast at the lodge, after your guide will take you to the park head offices for briefing about the dos and don’ts while with chimps and after set out for Chimpanzee tracking through the forest. During the trek, you stand a big chance to spot more species of primates that live in the forest plus various species of birds.
Once the chimps are met, you are only allowed 1 hour with the chimpanzees, you may find them doing their daily activities like feeding, breast feeding, making nest for the following night, playing etc. On seeing chimpanzees, other primates can be spotted such as the Red Tailed Monkeys, LHoest’s Monkeys, Blue Monkeys, Black & White colobus Monkeys among others and also elephants, antelopes, buffaloes can be spotted in the forest. After this breathtaking experience, you will follow the guide back to the lodge for lunch.
In the evening of this 18 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari , go for a nature walk through the Bigodi wetland where you will see different species of birds, primate species like the baboons, bush babies among other wildlife species. Go back to the lodge for dinner and an Overnight stay at the lodge.
Location: Kibale Forest National Park
Accommodation Option:
Budget: Lake Nkuruba Camp Site | Kibale Forest Camp|Rweteera Safari Park
Midrange: Chimpanzee Guest House | Kibale Forest Camp| Mountains of the moon
Luxury: Kyaninga Safari Lodge | Ndali Lodge|Papaya Lake Lodge
Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drinking Water throughout
Day 8: Transfer Queen Elizabeth National Park
Immediately after an early breakfast at the lodge, set off to Queen Elizabeth national park taking a proximately 4 hours to the park. Queen Elizabeth is regarded as one of Uganda’s outstanding wildlife National parks with abundant wildlife species. The park hosts over 600 bird species, mammals like elephants, buffaloes among others.
On your drive to the park, you will enjoy great views including the Rwenzori ranges and may other scenic views. Relax at your booked accommodation and lunch, then in the evening, go for a game drive where you will see a number of animals inhabited in this park. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Destination: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Meal plan: half board
Accommodation Option:
Budget: Pumba Safari Cottages | Bush Lodge
Mid-Range: Irungu Forest Safari Lodge | Elephant Hub Lodge
Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge| katara Lodge
Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Drinking Water and Fruits throughout
Day 9: Game drive & Boat cruise – Queen Elizabeth Park
After breakfast at the lodge go for an early morning game drive through the park for an opportunity to see the early risen species such as the hyenas, wildebeest and many other different wildlife species like waterbucks, lions, elephants, , giraffes, antelopes, buffaloes, leopards, warthogs, plus a variety of bird species. You will also view different crater lakes in the park.
After this 3 hours game drive, head back to the lodge for lunch and relaxation as you prepare for an afternoon 2 hour boat cruise along the Kazinga channel. The kazinga channel connects two lakes George and Edward and it’s a beautiful place to see more species of wildlife along the shores, it’s a home to over 560 hippos; also birds and other animals like crocodiles, elephants, antelopes among others will be seen. Return to the lodge and have dinner and overnight.
Destination: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Meal plan: half board
Accommodation Option:
Budget: Pumba Safari Cottages | Bush Lodge
Mid-Range: Irungu Forest Safari Lodge | Elephant Hub Lodge
Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge| katara Lodge
Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Drinking Water and Fruits throughout
Day 10: Game drive in the Ishasha sector of QEP and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
On this day after a hearty breakfast we drive to the Ishasha sector an extension of Queen Elizabeth National Park. For another thrilling game drive. Ishasha Sector is well-known for its tree climbing lions and they are very interesting to watch when sited on fig trees or tree branches. As they scan for kobs in the neighboring mating grounds. Not only tree climbing lions, but you as well see many other species of animals as well as birds. Later take a Best of Uganda Rwanda Safari road drive to bwindi impenetrable national park a home to the endangered mountain gorillas.
Location: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Accommodation option:
Luxury: Buhoma Lodge | Gorilla Safari Lodge,
Midrange: Silverback Lodge | Gorilla Mist Camp
Budget: Bakiga Lodge | Buhoma community Bandas
Meal Plan: Breakfast and lunch as well as dinner.
Drinking Water throughout
Day 11: Mountain Gorilla trekking safari
On this day after a cup of tea or coffee, the guide will take you to the park headquarters for a short briefing about the dos and don’ts while with the gorillas and also gets you allocated to the gorilla group to trek. Bwindi national park host the highest number of these gentle giants in the world almost a half of the remaining mountain gorillas live in this park. Not only gorillas but also the park is a home to other species like butterflies, plants, primates, mammals, butterflies, frogs, among others.
Gorilla trekking experience last between 1-8 hours since meeting them depends on where they spent their last night from and once they are met you are strictly allowed only one hour with the gorillas. Just in case some of you are not interested in tracking gorillas, you can go for a short guided forest walk or Village walk to the Batwa community. Retire at the lodge.
Location: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Accommodation option:
Luxury: Buhoma Lodge | Gorilla Safari Lodge,
Midrange: Silverback Lodge | Gorilla Mist Camp
Budget: Bakiga Lodge | Buhoma community Bandas
Meal Plan: Breakfast and lunch as well as dinner.
Drinking Water throughout
Day 12: Drive to Lake Bunyonyi & do boat cruise
Wake up leisurely for a hearty breakfast while still in the mood of reminiscing about the previous day’s gorilla experiences. After you will be driven to Lake Bunyonyi, the second deepest lake and a birders spot in Africa. During your transfer to Bunyonyi, you will be Enjoying the eye-catching landscapes such as the locally terraced interlocking hills where most locals carryout their farming, you will also enjoy the terraced hills which named by the British grate diplomat Churchill as the Switzerland of Africa.
Upon arrival you could go for canoeing on the lake and have lunch. After lunch take a community walk where you will enjoy traditional dances from the Bakiga people, also buy yourself handicrafts from there. The evening will be reserved for relaxation. Dinner and an overnight at;
Location: Lake Bunyonyi
Accommodation option:
Luxury: Birdnest @ Bunyonyi Resort, bird Nest,
Midrange: Bunyonyi Overland Camp
Budget: Crater Bay cottages
Meal Plan: Breakfast and lunch as well as dinner.
Drinking Water throughout
Day 13: Cross to Volcanoes National Park – Rwanda
On this day after breakfast, you will embark on the transfer from bwindi to Rwanda with a scenic drive through a beautiful part of the country often referred to as ‘the Switzerland of Africa’ because of its unique Mediterranean weather despite its location near the Equator. Arrive at the Uganda- Rwanda boarder (Gatuna), after finalizing with the border crossing requirements continue to Rwanda which is sometimes referred to as a land of a thousand hills to volcanoes national park arrive and check in at the lodge of your booking.
Location: Volcanoes national park
Accommodation Option:
Luxury: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel/Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
Mid range: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge/La Palme Hotel
Budget:Garden Palace Hotel/Kinigi Guest House
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner
Drinking Water and Fruits throughout
Day 14: Gorilla trekking and Batwa in Volcanoes National Park
Early morning breakfast and then after report to the park headquarters to receive short briefings about gorilla trekking and also gets you allocated to the gorilla family. At 8:00am you will start to hike into lead by the ranger guide hike deep into the forest to have a chance to meet the endangered gorillas in their natural habitat.
Gorilla trekking is unpredictable as meeting them depends on where they last spent their night from. After reaching the gorillas, u will spend an hour with and then descend back to the lodge for lunch. You will later in the afternoon be taken on a nature walk to the twin lakes or visit the Iby’ Iwachu Village to explore the Banyarwanda culture. You will return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Location: Volcanoes national park
Accommodation Option:
Luxury: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel/Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
Mid range: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge/La Palme Hotel
Budget:Garden Palace Hotel/Kinigi Guest House
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner
Drinking Water and Fruits throughout
Day 15: Dian Fossey hike and transfer to Lake Kivu for boat cruise
After breakfast at the lodge, your guide will take you and have a hike up. To Karisoke research Centre established by Dian Fossey. Diane Fossy was an American primatologist who dedicated all her entire life conserving the endangered mountain gorillas that they become familiar to human. It’s because of her that gorillas can be met safely in their natural habitat without causing any harm to human.
She stayed with these few remaining apes for a period of over 18 years until when she was killed by the said poachers. After, return to your Hotel for lunch after which you will be driven to Lake Kivu 110km away for a boat cruise. This drive will be approximately 2 hours in duration. Dinner and an overnight at
Accommodation option: Gorillas Lake Kivu Hotel
Meal Plan: half board (Lunch, Dinner)
Day 16: Drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park
On this day after breakfast, you will make a transfer from Lake Kivu to Nyungwe forest national park. A home to over 13 species of primates. The drive will take approximately 5 hours scenic drive with lunch en-route arriving in the afternoon
Budget facility: I’Hoests Monkey House
- Meal plan: Lunch, Dinner
Day 17: chimp trek & evening tour of the Tea factory
after breakfast, you will get briefed from the park wardens about the dos and don’ts while with the chimps. Later follow the ranger guide to venture deep into Nyungwe Forest National Park in search of the chimpanzees. During the search of Chimpanzee you have a chance to see other primates. And many forest dwellers that live into the forest.
Once the chimps are met are you are strictly allowed to stay with them for a period of one hour. Watching them interact with each other. And go about their daily routine of grooming, playing and foraging is an incredible experience. Chances of meeting the chimps are high. However it’s never 100% guaranteed since they are wild animals with wills and minds of their own! Retire back to the lodge for relaxation and lunch. In the afternoon, you will take a tour to the adjacent tea factory. To see how the locally grown tea is processed to become one of the finest products Rwanda has for export. Return for dinner and an overnight at;
Location: Nyungwe national park
Accommodation Option:
Luxury: Nyungwe forest Lodge,
Mid range: Nyungwe Nziza Eco Lodge
Budget:I’Hoests Monkey House
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner
Drinking Water and Fruits throughout
Day 18: Kigali city excursion
On this last day of uganda rwanda tour, you will wake up luxury and make a transfer to Kigali Rwanda’s capital and its largest city, the drive from Nyungwe to Kigali takes about 6 hours’ drive passing through the rolling hills. En-route you will have a chance to visit the Butare Museum, Murambi Memorial and Nyanza Palace. You will either spend an optional night in Kigali or take a departure flight back home. you can as well fly from kigali to Uganda and visevasa or cross borders. Thus the end of our safari.
Location: Kigali
Accommodation Option: no accommodation, end of tour
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch
Drinking Water and Fruits throughout
Additional costs can be arranged for extra costs , you will be dropped at the airport
End of 18 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari
What needed for this 18 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari :
- Uganda & Rwanda Visas which can be got either from your home country or on arrival at the Airports
- Chimpanzee, Gorilla and Golden Monkey trekking permits (paid for in advance through our company mum and Dad Uganda Tours)
- Travel & Health insurance arranged for from your home country
- Yellow fever proof vaccination (certificate)
- Some levels of Physical fitness
Tour inclusions;
Airport transfers
Transportation in a 4WD plus all fuel for the tour
Professional English-speaking driver/guide
Accommodations
Meals
Drinking water in the vehicle
Park entrance fees
Activities as listed
1 Gorilla tracking permit per person bwindi NP(USD750)
1 Gorilla Tracking permit per person (USD 1.500)
Excluded
International flights
Visa
Meals that are not part of your accommodation
Activities that are mentioned as optional in the program
A porter to carry your daypack during gorilla tracking (recommended)
Request a quote FOR this safari, we are at your disposal to serve you
