12-Days Uganda and Rwanda Primate safari combined starts in Kigali, the Capital of Rwanda and ends in Kampala, the Capital city of Uganda. This safari offers you a great opportunity to track gorillas twice in both countries birding, incredible primate trekking experience, boat trips, Cultural Excursions, City tours, and big game drives among others.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali, and transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Upon arrival in Kigali, you will meet your driver-guide at the airport and transfer to Volcanoes National Park. If time allows, we can take a tour of Kigali city; visit Genocide memorial site, local markets, local art and crafts among others. The 2 hours journey to PNV goes through the beautiful terraced hillsides that characterize much of Rwanda’s landscape
Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation : Le Bambou Lodge.
Day 2: Gorilla Tracking Volcanoes National Park
Wake up early and prepare for today’s incredible experience of Gorilla trekking adventure. We shall assemble at Park Headquarters with packed lunch, attend a briefing on the Dos and Don’ts while with Gorillas. Tracking gorillas take 1-6 hours depending on their movements. You will stay with these Giant apes for 1 hr for observation and photographing. Head back to the lodge for rest, and have an optional walk to nearby communities to interact with them and learn more about their culture.
Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation : Le Bambou Lodge.
Day 3: Excursion to Diana Fossey’s Grave
Have breakfast at the lodge and start our excursion to the grave of Diana Fossey; the American primatologist. This is situated at the former Karisoke Research Center where Diana spent about 20 years studying and habituating the Mountain Gorillas. The trek to the site is quite spectacular through bamboo forest and thick Afro-montane habitats crisscrossed trails with tracks of forest buffalo and elephants. You will be exposed to several primates and birds as you make your way up and down to Karisoke, nestled between the volcanic peaks of Karismbi and Bisoke.
Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation : Le Bambou Lodge.
12-Days Uganda and Rwanda Primate safari
Day 4: Transfer to Uganda “Lake Bunyonyi”
Have breakfast, depart Volcanoes National Park Rwanda for Lake Bunyonyi in southwestern Uganda; famous for its beautiful islands and prolific birdlife, settle into Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort, and relax as you wait for lunch. Join a canoe ride in the afternoon that exposes you to excellent bird watching, and visit the beautiful Islands of Lake Bunyonyi. Dinner and overnight stay at the Lodge.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation : Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort
Day 5: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Breakfast followed by a scenic drive to Buhoma in the north of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home to the endangered mountain gorillas in Uganda. Keep your eyes out for beautiful scenery and take fantastic photos, arrive at the lodge for lunch and enjoy entertainment from the Batwa people (Pygmies) and rest till the following day.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation : Mahogany Springs Lodge.
Day 6: Bwindi Gorilla tracking Expedition
After early breakfast, we shall proceed to park offices with packed lunch for a briefing about the Dos and Don’ts while with gorillas. Gorilla Tracking can take 2-9 hours depending on their movements. Tracking involves walking up steep and densely forested hills before finally coming across the gorillas camouflaged in the vegetation. Once you locate the Mountain Gorillas, you will have 1 hour for observation and photography closer to them. Later you will return to your lodge to relax in the evening as we wait for dinner and overnight stay.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation : Mahogany Springs Lodge.
Day 7: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to Queen Elizabeth National park
Take breakfast and set off to Queen Elizabeth National Park which is north of Bwindi entering through the Ishasha sector. The journey takes you through beautiful rolling hills and the Ishasha sector in the south of Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is home for tree-climbing lions. Lunch at Mweya and proceed for a launch cruise along the Kazinga channel iin the afternoon. The channel is famous for the highest concentration of Hippos in Africa as well as cape buffaloes and elephants along the channel. Birdlife is prolific with over 610 species and hundreds of Nile crocodiles. You will also see herds of elephants and buffaloes drinking water and taking a bath on the channel. The boat provides a clear platform for photographing. Later return to your lodge, Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation : Mweya Safari Lodge
Day 8: Lions and leopards tracking game drive and Chimpanzee tracking.
Breakfast at your lodge and proceed for a morning game drive called Experiential Lion and Leopard tracking. Here you move with experienced trackers that look for lions and leopard using JPS system. Some of these predators have trackers placed on their kneck for easy tracking, and you get an upclose look. Later have lunch at the lodge and head for Chimps tracking in the afternoon at Kyambura Gorge. The afternoon session starts from 14:00hrs to 17:00hrs. Chimps here are quite mobile and viewing is unpredictable but the walk is enchanting. During the trek, expect an encounter with other primates such as Baboons, Red-tailed monkeys, Black and White colobus monkeys, Vervets, Grey Cheeked Mangabeys, and Giant forest hog among others. Return to the lodge for rest as you wait for dinner and overnight stay.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation : Mweya Safari Lodge
12-Days Uganda and Rwanda Primate safari
Day 9: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
Wake up early for a cup of tea or coffee and take a morning game drive to Kasenyi plains to catch up with early raisers and predators returning to their hideouts. You will be exposed to a large variety of animals like Elephants, Buffaloes, Warthogs, and several Antelope species, Lion, leopards, and many more. Return to your lodge for full breakfast and relax as we wait for lunch.
Depart Queen Elizabeth for Kibale forest following the Rwenzori ranges. The journey will reward you with big game viewing en-route. You will have a stopover ion fort portal town, and then continue to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation : Turaco Treetops Lodge.
Day 10: Chimpanzee tracking – Kibale Forest
Have an early breakfast and assemble at Kanyankyu Park headquarters for a briefing before your chimpanzee trekking. Enter into the forest and look for man’s closet relatives, while opening your eyes to the lush/ evergreen vegetation. Tracking can take between 2 to 6 hours, and once you see them, you will have only one hour in their presence. This is a home to 13 primate species such as Black and White Colobus Monkeys, Red Tailed Monkeys, Mangabeys, Giant forest hogs, Olive Baboons, and Blue Monkeys among others. Bird Life is prolific with about 350 bird species. Lunch at Chimp Nest Restaurant and proceed for a nature walk around Bigodi Swamps for antelopes like the sitatungas, 8 primates species, and about 200 bird species including the rare shoe-bill. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation : Turaco Treetops Lodge.
Day 11: Bigodi community visit and transfer to Kampala
Get to Bigodi community after breakfast for a nature and community walk to interact with the people of the community. Return to your lodge, relax as you wait for lunch, and set off to Kampala with lots of scenic viewing en-route. Dinner and overnight stay at your Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation : Protea Hotel.
Day 12: Kampala City tour – Departure
Depending on your time of flight, you may have a city tour in Kampala, visit Kasubi Tombs, Bahai temple or Nakasero fruits Market before connecting to Entebbe International Airport for your scheduled flight back home.
End of your 12-Days Uganda and Rwanda Primate safari
Includes
- Park fees (For non-residents)
- Gorilla permits (Two per person, non-resident)
- Chimp permits (Two per person, non-resident)
- All activities (Unless labeled as optional)
- All accommodation (Unless listed as upgrade)
- A professional driver/guide
- All transportation (Unless labeled as optional)
- All Taxes/VAT
- Meals and drinks (As specified in the day-by-day section)
Excludes
- International flights (From/to home)
- Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
- Tips (Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)
- Personal items (Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
- The government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
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