20 Days Best of Uganda and Rwanda Safari

After an early morning breakfast, be ready to head off to Murchison Falls National Park in Northwestern Uganda. Drive time takes between 6 and 7 hours on the Kampala-Gulu highway but includes an en-route visit to see rhinos at Ziwa Sanctuary. From Ziwa, you will proceed to Murchison Falls National Game Park. At Murchison, expect to check in your accommodation for you to relax, dine, and retire for the night.

Join others on an early morning exploration of Murchison Falls Game Park’s abundant wildlife on a guided game drive through the Northern section. The 2-3 hours guided game viewing expedition in a 4×4 safari vehicle with a pop-up will get you exposed to a diversity of wild animals. Among the many animals to be encountered include Uganda Kobs, elephants, Rothschild giraffes, waterbucks, buffaloes, lions, hartebeest, oribis, hyenas, and on a lucky day, leopards.

After the rewarding game drive, have a lunch break at the lodge. In the afternoon, catch up with the launch or boat cruise excursion on the Victoria Nile River. With an expert on board, expect to explore aquatic species including hippos, Nile crocodiles, and water birds.

Head towards the base of the falls to enjoy a clear view and also take pictures. You may also proceed with a trek to the top of the falls but this can be best done if the water levels are low.

Have a hefty breakfast at your respective lodges and after, check out then proceed to Kibale Forest Park. This primate safari park is in Western Uganda and getting there will involve driving via Hoima city to Fort Portal tourism city. En route, expect to enjoy the breathtaking views from the Rift Valley Escarpment. On getting to Fort Portal, you will have a lunch break then continue to the lodge for relaxation and an overnight stay.

Get up early to prepare for your enriching chimpanzee tracking adventure in Kibale. The chimp trek begins at Kanyanchu Visitor Center with a briefing and allocation of the park guides. After, you will embark on a guided walk through the lush Kibale Forest for 2-4 hours, and on getting a chimp community, you will enjoy an hour face-to-face with these apes.

Along the way as you trek, plenty of other primates will be encountered. These include l’hoest monkeys, olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, and many birds. Walk back and be transferred to your respective lodges by the driver guide. At the lodge, enjoy lunch and also relax for some time then you will have your next visit to Bigodi Wetland.

At Bigodi, expect to have a guided walk that allows you to enjoy great encounters with different primates and birds. Over 138 species of birds plus primates exist in this beautiful swamp. After, you will get back to relax at the lodge awaiting the next day’s program.

Check out of your lodges in Kibale and today, be ready to connect to Queen Elizabeth National Park by car. The road trip to Queen Elizabeth Park comes with great views from the countryside’s spectacular Crater Lakes and the legendary Rwenzori Mountain ranges.

Get up early for your game drive along the Kasenyi Plains which is expected to go for 2-3 hours using a 4×4 safari vehicle. As you navigate through the Kasenyi track, expect to find different wild animals including buffaloes, spotted hyenas, elephants, lions, antelope families, warthogs, and many species of birds. After the game viewing session, have a great time at the lodge including having lunch. In the afternoon, you will have the best of the Kazinga Channel launch cruise. This will include spotting a diversity of aquatic species such as hippos, Nile crocodiles, and birds.

Check out of your lodge and be transferred to the Ishasha side where you will have another game drive session. At Ishasha, expect to search for the tree-climbing lions plus other animals and birds. After, you will have the rest of the evening at the lodge.

Enjoy a hefty breakfast and after, expect to proceed to Bwindi National Park. As you exit Ishasha, keep your eyes on more wildlife as they freely roam in their natural habitat. When you get to Bwindi, expect to check in your accommodation.

After a heavy breakfast, leave the lodge for briefing at the park offices in Bwindi. It will be at this session when you will also be allocated gorilla groups and park ranger guides. About 23 habituated groups of mountain gorillas live in Bwindi and each family will be visited by a maximum of 8 (eight) visitors. The park ranger guide will be available to take you to explore mountain gorillas in the wild and expect to spend about 2-6 hours depending on your walking speed or the location of the gorillas.

An hour will be given for you to have a close encounter with a family of mountain gorillas. This will be a great moment for you to also take as many pictures as possible. After, walk back to have the rest of the evening in your lodge.

Leave Bwindi National Park for Lake Bunyonyi, Africa’s 2nd deepest Lake. This is where you will have the best of a canoe ride. On a canoe ride, head to one of the stunning Islands –about 29 Islands all exist on this freshwater Lake.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Rwanda and today’s journey includes clearing at the border point –Katuna or Chanika. Later, proceed to your safari lodge in Volcanoes National Park for relaxation and an overnight stay.

Enjoy a hefty breakfast and after, proceed to Kinigi for a briefing on gorilla trekking rules and regulations. At Kinigi, the park official will allocate a gorilla family to be trekked by a maximum of 8 visitors. The park ranger guides will also be allocated then at around 8:00 am, depart from Kinigi to enjoy your enriching primate adventure.

On finding Rwanda gorillas in the wild, expect to have an hour observing their behaviors, and body gestures, and taking pictures. Later, you will return to relax at the lodge, and in the evening, visit the Iby’Iwacu Village for a community tour.

Depart from Volcanoes National Park to explore Lake Kivu. At Lake Kivu, you will have a relaxed moment on the lake shores. Lake Kivu is a freshwater lake and one of the biggest lakes in Rwanda.

Have a full day to yourself to chill at the scenic beach. You will also have a memorable boat ride on Lake Kivu with an expert. In the evening, you will have a night in your lodges or hotels.

Enjoy a hefty breakfast and after, proceed to Nyungwe Forest National Park. Nyungwe is in the Southern Province of Rwanda and is where 13 species of primates all live. You will have a relaxed evening at the lodge and use this period to organize yourself for the next activity the following day.

Get up early fully prepared to join other guests at the Uwinka or Cyamudongo reception for a briefing on chimpanzee tracking rules. The park ranger guides will be present to lead you on a search for chimpanzees in Nyungwe. On locating the Nyungwe chimp community, expect to spend an hour for a close encounter with chimpanzees and take their photos.

Return from the Nyungwe Forest to relax, enjoy lunch, and in the evening, continue with a canopy walk. This is a unique experience involving walking on a suspended walkway for about 2 hours expecting to see some primates and birds.

Today, you will be transferred to Kigali by road. En route, you will make a stopover at the King’s Palace, ethnographic museum, and other historical/cultural sites. After, continue straight to Kigali to check in at your pre-booked hotel.

Meet your driver guide after your breakfast and today, you will have a long day exploring Kigali. The Kigali City tour will include paying a visit to historical/cultural sites like the Kigali genocide memorial centre – a UNESCO-designated site.

Today, you will wake up at leisure to prepare and have breakfast. After, check out and be transferred to the Kigali Airport for departure. This brings to an end the 20 Days Best of Uganda and Rwanda safari.