7 Days Rwanda and Uganda Primate Safari

7 Days Rwanda and Uganda Primate Safari begins as you arrive in Kigali, Rwanda and take on the double Gorilla adventure in two countries. This will be in Volcanoes National Park where you will do gorilla trekking, do golden monkey trekking. Cross border in Uganda’s Bwindi and expect gorilla trekking there. From Bwindi, you will relax at lake bunyonyi and connect to kampala/ Entebbe via the Uganda equator.

 

Day 1: Arrival in Kigali City

On arrival at Kigali International Airport in Rwanda, you will be received by one of our representative/guide who will welcome you to Rwanda and brief you about your safari. Thereafter, you will be transferred to your accommodation for relaxation and the overnight stay.

Main Destination: Kigali International Airport

Accommodation: Hotel des Mille Collines

Meal plan : Dinner and Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

 

Day 2: Kigali city tour and transfer to Volcanoes National Park

On this day, you will wake up to a warm breakfast at your hotel and head for a city tour of Kigali city. Here you will visit a number of places like the Kigali Genocide memorial centre, Kimoronko market, Inema arts centre and the drive to Volcanoes National Park after lunch stop at Gisenyi on shores of Lake Kivu, and then proceed to the park for dinner and overnight.

Main Destination: Volcanoes National Park

Accommodation: Le Bambou Gorilla lodge/ Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge

Meal plan : All meals and Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

 

Day 3: Gorilla Tracking experience in Volcanoes National Park

This day will be remembered for a lifetime. After an early breakfast, we will be given a preliminary trekking briefing before being assigned to groups and walking in the woods. There is no guess as to how long or short our hike will be, as it depends on the gorillas and the weather, so you can stay in the park from one hour to six or more. No matter how long the hike is, the reward at the end is the same: a magical hour of watching these magnificent animals as they relax, play and eat in the heart of the jungle.
At the end of the hike, we will return to our lodge for dinner and relaxation.

Main Destination: Volcanoes National Park

Accommodation: Le Bambou Gorilla lodge/ Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge

Meal plan : All meals and Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

 

Day 4: Golden monkey trekking at Volcanoes NP and transfer to Bwindi-Uganda

The golden monkey trekking takes place in Volcanoes National Park and at the same as the gorilla trekking. These rare monkey species are also listed as endangered. Volcanoes NP has habituated groups that are available for trekking by visitors. The exercise starts with a short briefing from the park ranger at the RDB office. Thereafter, you will proceed to trek the golden monkeys through the rainforest of the Volcanoes NP. Return to the accommodation for some rest and lunch. After lunch, drive to the Cyanika border post. From Cyanika, you will be received by our Uganda-based professional tour driver-guide who will take over from his Rwanda-based colleague. You will cross the border into Uganda and overnight at a property close to Bwindi National Park, where you will undertake the gorilla trekking the next day.

Main Destination: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Accommodation: Buhoma Gorilla Camp

Meal plan : All meals and Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

 

Day 5: Gorilla trekking and batwa cultural encounter.

Encountering the rare and endangered Mountain Gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is an experience of a lifetime.

Half of the world’s populations of gorillas live under the mist-covered canopies of Uganda’s oldest and most biologically diverse rainforest. In the company of an experienced park ranger, you will be tracking the whereabouts of one of the habituated family groups who reside here.

Your tracking experience will be an exciting, yet challenging, journey along forested (often muddy and slippery) slopes, tangled vines, thick vegetation, and bamboo forests before you reach the territory of these gentle giants. En route, your ranger will point out telltale signs of previous gorilla activity like dung, nests, and chewed bamboo shoots. Depending on the location of the gorillas on any given day the walk can take anything from 2 to 7 hours. Once the family of gorillas has been located, settle into your surroundings and enjoy the 1 hour you have to quietly observe these fascinating primates whose habits and mannerisms remind us so much of our own.

After tracking you will transfer to the lodge for relaxation as you wait for the evening where you will have a community visit to the batwa people of Bwindi. The Batwa experience begins with a nature-walk through the forest seeing the forest in a new way, take your eyes through the original people of the Forest. They still leave in these forest despite of the many years of civilisation in the area. After this cultural experience, you will head back to the lodge for relaxation and dinner.

Main Destination: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Accommodation: Buhoma Gorilla Camp

Meal plan : All meals and Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

 

Day 6: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation

On this day, wake up at a chill breaklfast and check out of the lodge, and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi. Lake Bunyonyi is framed by lush, green-terraced hills that reach a height of (2,200 – 2,478m) but it’s the 29 islands of various shapes and sizes scattered across the water that make it most magical and you could admire them all day. Should you wish to go out for an activity, you may consider the following;

Historical Islands tour, visit to the Batwa/pygmies’ community, Nyombe swamp excursion, Mountain Bike cycling, Zip lining, Quad biking, community visits, canoeing or kayaking on the lake. The activity can be arranged onsite with the help of your driver-guide.

Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.

Main Destination: Lake Bunyonyi

Accommodation: Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort

Meal plan : All meals and Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

 

Day 7: Transfer to Kampala with a stop over at the Equator

This will be your last day of the safari. You will wake up to a delicious breakfast and since Lake Bunyonyi is known to be a bilharzia, crocodile and hippo free lake, swimming would be an ideal activity to wind up your relaxation experience. Thereafter, you will check out of your lodge and then you will be transferred to Kampala city with a stopover at the Equator for lunch and taking photographs as well as souvenir shopping. After you will drive straight to Kampala/ Entebbe for your flight back home.

End of your 7 Days Rwanda and Uganda Primate Safari

 

Includes:

• Park fees
• Gorilla permits
• Golden monkey permits
• All activities (Unless labelled as optional)
• All accommodation (Unless listed as upgrade)
• All Meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)
• A professional driver/guide
• All transportation (Unless labelled as optional)
• All Taxes/VAT

 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.)
• Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees