13 Days Rwanda Uganda Wildlife Safari

You will have an early breakfast at the hotel after which you start the journey to Murchison falls national park. You will set off from the hotel at 7am so as to hit the road early enough. The drive to the park takes you through the beautiful scenery and landscape of Uganda. Lunch will be along the way in Masindi town. You will have a stopover for rhino tracking at Ziwa Rhino sanctuary. The sanctuary currently has 32 white rhinos. After you receive a briefing from your ranger guide you will start your trek on foot to meet the rhinos. You have opportunities to take photos of the rhinos and watch them as they feed. After the trek you proceed with your journey. On arrival at the park you check in at the lodge and have dinner. Journey time: 6 hours Accommodation: Anyadwe House (Luxury), Pakuba Safari Lodge (Mid-range), Fort Murchison (Budget) Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

You will leave the lodge as early as 6am for the morning game drive which will take place in the northern section of the park. Murchison falls national park has a large concentration wildlife and the animals to look out for while on this game drive include elephants, giraffes, lion, warthogs, buffaloes, patas monkey, olive baboons, Uganda kobs, water bucks, hyenas and bush bucks. On a lucky day you might have a chance of spotting the leopard however this is a rare sighting. In the afternoon you will head for a boat ride on River Nile at 2:00pm. Animals that can be seen while on the boat cruise include crocodiles, hippos, monitor lizards, elephants, antelope species and water birds. The animals usually come to the river to drink water and cool off under the afternoon scorching sun. The boat continues to the base of the water falls where you get off the boat and start the hike to the top of the falls.. The top of the falls offer breathtaking views and opportunities to take great photos of the water falls and the vast landscape of the national park. The hike takes about 45 minutes – 1 hour. Your driver guide will be waiting for you to take you back to the lodge after this experience. Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you check out of your lodge and continue with your safari as you travel to Kibale forest national park which is also referred to as primate capital of East Africa. The drive to the park offers scenic views of Uganda’s landscape and vegetation. Arrive at the lodge in Kibale where you will have lunch. After lunch your driver guide will take you to visit the Fort Portal crater lakes located near the park, here you will capture great photos and return to the lodge later for dinner. Journey time: 5 hours Accommodation: Ndali Lodge (Luxury), Turaco Treetops (Mid-range), Chimpanzee Guest House (Budget) Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Have breakfast at the lodge early in the morning and then your driver guide will transfer you to the park headquarters for a briefing from your ranger guide. After the briefing you start the journey in to the rain forest as you look out for the chimpanzee, man’s closest relatives. Once you locate the chimps you will spend one hour with them as you watch then hop around the tree branches, feed,play and feed their young ones. You will also be able to capture great shots of the chimpanzee during this time. After this you trek back to the starting point. In the afternoon you go on the Bigodi swamp walk. The Bigodi wetland walk is a community run initiative outside the park boundary adjacent to Bigodi trading center. The wetland is home to several species of monkeys including the black-and-white colobus, red-tailed, vervet and olive baboons. The wetland hosts several bird species that you can look out for along the trail. The wetland walk ends with visiting the community to get a look in to the culture and life of the locals that live on the edge of Kibale forest. The revenue from this ecotourism site is put back in to the community through different projects. Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner  

Today you will check out of your lodge in Kibale national park and then travel to Queen Elizabeth national park. Once you arrive at the park you can spend the rest of the day relaxing at the lodge. Optional Activity:Community Walk and Tour Journey time: 2 hours Accommodation: Kyambura Gorge Lodge or Mweya Safari Lodge (Luxury), Kikorongo Safari Lodge (Mid-range), Bush Lodge (Budget) Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

You will go on an early morning game drive in the park after having breakfast at the lodge. The game drive will take place in Kasenyi plains as this is where you get the best game viewing opportunities. Wildlife to look out for includes hyenas, lions, elephants, buffaloes, hyenas, leopard and antelope species among other animals. Your afternoon will be spent on a boat cruise on Kazinga channel. The boat ride offers great opportunities to look out for water birds, hippos, huge monitor lizards, crocodiles that like to sunbathe on the shores, elephants that like to play in the water and antelopes as they come to the shores to drink water in the afternoon. The boat cruise takes 2 hours and offers you a relaxing afternoon on water. Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast you check out of the lodge and then travel to Ishasha. Ishasha is in the south western part of Queen Elizabeth national park and the main attraction in this area is the tree climbing lions. You will go on a game drive in search of the tree climbing lions in Ishasha with your ranger guides. The lions can be seen hanging and relaxing in the fig trees while they escape the afternoon scorching sun and the biting flies. Other animals to be spotted include topis, buffaloes, and elephants. Journey time: 2 hours Accommodation: Ishasha Wilderness Camp (Luxury Camp), Ishasha Jungle Lodge (Mid-range), Enjojo Lodge (Budget) Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast you check out of your lodge and then travel to Bwindi national park the home of mountain gorillas in Uganda. The journey furthers offers stunning views of Uganda’s beautiful landscape. Optional Activity – Community Tour Journey time: 5 hours Accommodation: Chameleon Hill Lodge (High End), Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge (Mid – range), Rushaga Gorilla Camp (Budget) Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today morning you will have breakfast at the lodge and then you will be taken to the park headquarters which is the starting point for your mountain gorilla trekking adventure. You will receive a briefing from your ranger guide with guidelines on the trek and how to behave around the gorillas. After this you will be given walking sticks for support as you trek in the forest and you will also be able to get porters who can be hired at a fee of 15 US dollars to carry your luggage for the day. We advise that you hire a porter because the gorilla trek can be strenuous and hectic hence the need for extra help. The park guides will lead you through the rain forest in search of these endangered species, once you locate the mountain gorillas you are allowed to spend one hour with them. The gorilla trek is an exciting adventure and watching the gorillas as they feed, move around and play with their young ones is a rewarding experience. You will have an opportunity to capture your great shot of the mountain gorillas and you are advised to turn off your camera flashlight when taking pictures. Optional Activity: Gorilla Habituation Experience

Today after breakfast at the lodge you will start the journey to Volcanoes national park. Volcanoes national park is located in Musanze district and offers great views of the Virunga Mountain ranges and the scenery of Rwanda. On arrival at the lodge you will check in and spend the rest of the day at leisure. Journey time: 2½ hours Accommodation: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (Up market), Gorilla Solutions Lodge (Mid – range), Garden Place Hotel (Budget) Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes national park is a great way to experience the primates of this park aside from the mountain gorilla trek. After breakfast this morning you will head to the starting point for this trek. The golden monkeys are active monkeys and a beautiful sight to see as they hop around in the forest and feed on bamboo shoots, which must be their favorite delicacy. The golden monkeys offer great photo moments and a unique experience with these primates. Visitors are allowed to spend one hour with them. You will also visit the Iby’Iwacu cultural village which is a great way to experience the way of the life of the Rwandans as you get a look in to their culture, traditions and norms. The cultural visit can be done after your gorilla trek depending on what time you return. While at the cultural village you will visit the traditional medicine man, be entertained by the traditional dances which you are free to join in and you visit the king’s palace where you can be dressed as a Queen or King for the day. Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Today is the last day of your safari as you leave Volcanoes national park and head back to Kigali. On arrival you will go on the Kigali city tour where you visits sites that include the Kigali genocide memorial, , Kandt museum which was named after Richard Kandt the first colonial governor of Rwanda, you will also visit a craft market and buy some souvenirs if interested and also visit the Belgian memorial site. After this your driver guide will transfer you to the airport for your flight back home. Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch Journey time: 2½ hours