19 Days Uganda Rwanda Primates & Wildlife Safari

Day 1: Transfer to Murchison falls Park via Ziwa Rhino Ranch

With an early morning breakfast, embark on your Primates & Wildlife Safari to Ziwa Rhino sanctuary, an asylum to the Rhinos. Enjoy a glimpse of the white Rhino, continue to the Royal Mile, enjoy the view and some birding around the vicinity and the road. Have lunch and then transfer to Murchison falls National Park. Enjoy more birding before checking in to the lodge.

Accommodation: Murchison River Lodge / Baker’s Lodge / Paraa Lodge

Day 2: Game Drive and a boat safari on Murchison Falls

After breakfast, enjoy the game drive with a view of; giraffes, elephants, lions, hartebeest and different species of birds, on the way to the morning delta boat ride to the bottom of the waterfall.  Look out for the Nile crocodile, hippos, water bucks and a variety of bird species. Upon reaching the bottom of the waterfalls you will disembark and hike your way up to the Top of the Falls where you will be rewarded with amazing views of the Nile. Also be on the lookout for different bird species. Look out for mammals like the graceful Rothschild Giraffe, Jackson’s Hartebeest, Uganda Kob, Defassa Waterbuck, Buffaloes, Elephants, Warthog, Hippos, Oribi and when lucky a leopard and Lion among others. Hike up to the top of the falls and enjoy the magnificent view before retiring back to the lodge.

Accommodation: Murchison River Lodge / Baker’s Lodge / Paraa Lodge

Day 3: Game Drive and transfer to Kibale Park

Have an early breakfast, enjoy another game drive. View more game as you catch them from their hunt expeditions before driving to Kibale. Proceed via the Escarpment, enjoy the landscape and look out for different bird species like the African Crowned Eagle, Heuglin’s Francolin.

You will then set off to Kibale Forest National Park found in Fort Portal, a town at the south-western side of Uganda. The park bares homage to a very large number of primates. This day will be a long driving day of 7-9 hours; we will have numerous stops to stretch your legs.

Accommodation: Primate Lodge / Chimpanzee Forest Guest / House Kibale Forest Camp (FB)

Day 4: Chimpanzee Jungle Treking

Proceed early morning at 6:30am for full day chimpanzee tracking experience; you will spend the entire day with Chimpanzees following them from nest to nest. While tracking, you will be able to spot different animal species like the Red Colobus, Black and white Colobus, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, Olive Baboon, Red-tailed Monkey, and L’Hoest’s Monkey among others and different bird species.

Accommodation:Primate Lodge / Chimpanzee Forest Guest House / Kibale Forest Camp (FB)

Day 5: Bigodi nature walk,transfer to Queen Elizabeth Park and conduct a boat safari on the Kanziga Channel

With an early morning breakfast travel to Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for a nature walk, Rich in biodiversity and beautiful scenery, the wetland is a birder’s paradise with about 138 species. Located outside the park in Magombe Swamp, it also hosts eight species of primates including the black-and-white colobus, grey-cheeked mangabey, red-tailed, l’Hoest’s and blue monkeys, and olive baboons. Bushbucks and mongooses can also be found here. The sanctuary was set up to preserve the exclusive environmental features along with the wetland and is managed by the local community.

Later depart Kibale Forest to Queen Elizabeth National Park, lying 1978 sq. km west of Uganda. It harbours a diverse ecosystem with a lovely savannah, fertile wetlands making it home for the big game, 10 primate species and a large number of bird species.

After checking in, you will enjoy an afternoon Launch cruise along the Kazinga channel.  The channel is 40 wide and offers beautiful scenery of hundreds of hippos along the banks as well as different bird species seen when cruising west towards Lake Edward.

Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge /kasenyi safari Camp / Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge (FB)

Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Forest

After breakfast, your Primates & Wildlife Safari will proceed as you head for a game drive through Kasenyi sector, watch out for the Albert endemic birds, buffalos, elephants and different bird species.
With packed lunch proceed to Ishasha sector, very famous for the tree climbing lions. The Ishasha sector is the only other place in the entire world where you will find tree climbing lions apart from Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania.

Continue to Buhoma sectors of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This vast reserve offers arguably the most productive montane forest birding in Africa and supports 23 of Uganda’s 24 Albertine Rift endemic bird species. Once part of a much larger forest that included the Virunga Volcanoes in neighboring Rwanda, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is now an ecological island within a sea of human cultivation and is of immense conservation importance.

Accommodation: Buhoma lodge/ Mahogany Springs/Gorilla Valley Lodge / Gorilla Mist Lodge (FB)

Day 7: Walking Safari from Buhoma to Nkuringo

With an early breakfast, proceed to the park headquarters for a nature walk from Buhoma to Nkuringo. Enjoy a 15km walk to Nkuringo following the Kashasha river and Ivy River trails. This is a full day walk where there would be an opportunity of visiting the Munyaga River falls in the forest. The emphasis of this activity is for your walking guide to share his knowledge of the forest as part of your Primates & Wildlife Safari.

Accommodation: Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge / Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge / Gorilla Valley Lodge

Day 8: Gorilla Trekking

After breakfast at around 7:45 am with packed lunch and drinking water you will transfer to the starting point for briefing on the dos and the don’ts while with the gorillas. You will then continue to the forest for gorilla tracking following them. This activity can last from a few hours up to a full day, depending on the location of the gorillas as they range freely in the impenetrable forest.

Accommodation: Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge / Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge / Gorilla Valley Lodge

Day 9: Birding in Buniga pocket forest

Drive to the Nombe pocket forest 5km away from the lodge for a nature walk. The location has been well reserved by visitors looking for Bwindi Forest specialties. Here you will be able to search for the Purple breasted sunbird, Stripe breasted tit, Rwenzori double collared sunbird and Doherty’s bush shrike. Evening bird watching along the road adjacent the nearby Buniga pocket forest outside the village of Nkuringo

Overnight at Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge / Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge / Gorilla Valley Lodge

Day 10: Walking safari and canoe excursion on L.Mutanda

With an early breakfast, proceed to Rubuguri junction with vehicle, and then start the walk for of 9kms, taking about 3 hours or more depending on your speed. Pass through villages and local community. You will then meet your canoe team at Rwenjeje landing site to embark on canoe excursion for 2 ½ hours across Lake Mutanda to the other side. With your vehicle proceed to Kisoro, and later proceeding to Mgahinga National Park for an overnight.

Accommodation: Mount Gahinga Lodge / Travelers Hotel / Mount Gahinga Rest Camp

Day 11: Golden Monkey Jungle Trekking

After we proceed into the bamboo forest of Mgahinga Gorilla Park which is a small Park with many activities including Golden Monkey Trekking. It is done on the three Virunga Volcanoes and you are one hour with the monkeys – this is half-day activity in the park. The park also has a huge cultural significance, in particular for the indigenous Batwa pygmies. This tribe of hunter-gatherers was the forest’s first people. 

Accommodation: Mount Gahinga Lodge / Travelers Hotel / Mount Gahinga Rest Camp

Day 12: Mount Sabinyo Hike

With an early breakfast, proceed with your vehicle and walking safari guide to Mgahinga NP 15 kms outside of Kisoro for mount climbing. Mt. Sabinyo, at 3,669m, it takes about eight hours to cover the 14km round trip, following a steep ridge up to the peak this trek will be conducted in the company of your Nkuringo Walking Safari guide. The third peak of Mt. Sabinyo is where the 3 countries Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo meet and on a clear day the views are stunning.

Day 13: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park via Cyanika border

After an early breakfast you will picked by Your driver to be transferred from Kisoro to Volcanoes National Park via the Cyanika border. This drive has various scenaries to enjoy including the virunga volcanoes,the plantations, the rolling hills and not forgetting the fresh breeze from the sorrouding. The drive from Kisoro to Volcanoes National Park lasts 1-2 hours, you will arrive at the hotel in the afternoon where you will rendezvous and enjoy the views of the virungas.

Accommodation: Sabyinyo silverback Lodge / Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge / Hotel Muhabura

Day 14: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park

With an early breakfast, drive to the park headquarters for gorilla briefing in Kinigi where you will be allocated trekking groups and a tour guide to begin your Rwanda Gorillas & Wildlife Safari. Along with your trekking gear, drinking water and packed lunch, the driver will drop you off at the starting point to trek the gorillas together with the ranger guides. Tracking the gorillas lasts between 1-8 hours and meeting them is so rewarding as you spend 1 hour with them as you take time studying them and taking pictures and videos and this is the climax of your Rwanda Gorillas & Wildlife Safari.

Depending on the time your gorilla trekking will end, you can decide take a cultural walk to Iby’iwachu Cultural Village-a Non-Profit umbrella organization that aims at improving the lives of reformed poachers and communities around  Volcanoes National Park or you may enjoy the Kinyarwanda traditions including the Intore dance, traditional ceremonies and a guided community walk. Later retire for an overnight at the lodge and reflect on the day’s activities over dinner.

Accommodation: Sabyinyo silverback Lodge / Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge / Hotel Muhabura

Day 15: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park via Lake Kivu

After early morning breakfast at the lodge, you will set off and drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park with an en-route stopover at Lake Kivu and enjoy the breeze, lunch and Rendezvous at the shores, this is an hour drive to Rubavu. After lunch, you will drive for 4-5 hours to Nyungwe National Park.  Arrive at your lodge in the evening and enjoy dinner as you prepare for the next day’s amazing adventure.

Accommodation: Nyungwe Forest lodge / Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel / Gisakura guest house

Day 16: Chimpanzee Trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park

Have an early breakfast, you will be transferred to the park headquarters for a briefing. With a park ranger enter the forest for Chimpanzee trekking. Enjoy chimps viewing; as they swing from tree to tree, branch to branch and the little ones feeding on fruits or hiding behind their mothers as you follow them from nest to nest.

After lunch, you will enjoy a walking safari on the trail that leads to the Canopy Walk-a swing bridge 60 meters suspended from large trees and 90 meters above the forest floor. You will be able to see the amazing rain forest with a bird’s eye view, spotting wildlife moving about below you and birds flying above you.

Accommodation: Nyungwe Forest lodge / Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel / Gisakura guest house

Day 17: Transfer to Akagera National Park

After early morning breakfast, you will be transferred to the eastern province for your Rwanda Gorillas & Wildlife Safari to visit Akagera National Park that borders Tanzania. The drive from Nyungwe Forest National Park to Akagera National Park lasts 5-6 hours with en-route stopovers at Nyanza king’s palace and Rwanda national museum. Check into the hotel for a rest and lunch.

After lunch drive to the park, enjoy a game drive to introduce you to the beautiful scenery as you spot animals and as the sunsets you may be able to spot the big cats getting ready for parole.

Accommodation: Akagera game lodge / Dereva hotel / Ruzizi tented camp

Day 18: Game Drive and Boat Safari on Lake Ihema

Have an early morning breakfast and drive the park for 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 and other animals including; giraffes, warthogs, waterbucks, zebras, hyenas and different antelope species. The park is also home for over 500 species of birds that you might see on your game drive, the game drive may last for about 3-4 hours. Return to lodge for lunch and relax as you wait for the next activity.

After lunch,you will be transferred 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.

Accommodation: Akagera game lodge / Dereva hotel / Ruzizi tented camp

Day 19: Transfer to Kigali

After breakfast,you will be transferred to Kigali where you will enjoy a Kigali city tour including the National Museum and Genocide memorial center that tales of the happenings of the massive deaths in April 1994, the time you spend on your city tour depends on your outbound flight. Later  connect for your flight back home.

End of the Primates & Wildlife Safari.