7 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari

Wake up early after the long rest yesterday and take your breakfast. The company Guide will pick you up and take you to the park offices for briefing. The briefing is led by a park Guide and covers topics about the forest, what to expect, the chimpanzee communities in the park and how to act around them. Chimpanzee trekking  usually take between 3 to 5 hours. It is a different experience from gorilla trekking because the chimps are more mobile. This implies that you might have to keep following them at high speed even after finding them. A chimpanzee group is more dramatic with conflicts among members a constant occurrence. Gorilla groups are very gentile and the silverback gorilla has ultimate authority without always having to show it every time. The great thing about chimps is that finding them is easier because they are very vocal. You can hear them from miles away even before seeing them. Like I said, chimp groups are more dramatic and this can be even more exciting than what you will experience with gorillas.

After observing the group for one hour, you will return to your lodge for lunch and rest. Our Guide will start the 2-hour journey from Kibale National Park to Queen Elizabeth national park in the afternoon. After check in, you can take a walk around your lodge before going to bed as early as possible.

Dinner and overnight will be at Mweya Safari Lodge (luxury), Park view lodge (Mid-range) and Simba safari camp (budget).

You will wake up early and be driven to the Kasenyi plains or Mweya area with your packed breakfast for the early morning game drive. This morning game drive is designed to allow you spot the nocturnal animals going back to their dens after hunting in the night. Expect to see Leopard, hippos, hartebeests, lions, small primates, birds and other early morning risers. On completing the game drive, you will be taken back to the lodge to have early lunch then go rest as you wait for the next activity in Queen Elizabeth National Park. At 2.00 pm, the company guide will transfer you to the Kazinga Channel for a boat cruise. The Kazinga Channel Separates Lake Edward from Lake George. It is a collection point for most of the wildlife in Queen Elizabeth. It is also one of the best spots for bird watching in Africa. While on the boat cruise, you will be very impressed with what the channel has to offer.

Dinner and overnight will be at Mweya Safari Lodge (luxury), Park view lodge (Mid-range) and Simba safari camp (budget).

Wake up to a new day, take your breakfast and check out as you wait for the driver. The guide will come pick you and take you for another game drive in Queen Elizabeth national park on your way to Rwanda. The main purpose of this game drive is to see the famous tree climbing lions at the Ishasa section of Queen Elizabeth National park. The lions can be sighted resting on top of fig and acacia trees after hunting in the night. The lions stay on top pf the trees to escape insect bites on the ground while also giving them great views of their next meal. Expect to see elephants, buffaloes and the Uganda Kob among other wildlife in the Ishasha sector. After having enough of the game drive in Ishasha, it’s time to begin the journey back to Rwanda and to the Volcanoes National park. We hope you will enjoy the beautiful scenery and countryside during your journey back to Rwanda. Lunch will be taken during the journey back to Rwanda.

Dinner and overnight at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Luxury), Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (Mid-range) and Kinigi Guest House (budget).

Wake up early to take breakfast and then wait for the driver to pick you up and take you to the park office for briefing.  Briefing is at 7:00 am and is led by the Rangers and park Guides. After the briefing, you will be assigned a gorilla family based on your fitness and age. Use the briefing time to hire a porter if you have heavy luggage. Gorilla tracking can be challenging depending on the location of the family but at the end of the day, it’s worth every effort. The chance to see mountain gorillas in the wild is the ultimate wildlife experience. Follow instructions from the park guides and wardens especially when you encounter the primates. You will have one hour with the gorilla family. Take time to observe them and take photos/videos. The driver will be waiting for you at the starting point for a transfer back to the lodge for lunch and rest.

After resting in your room, you will be picked up by the guide to go for a tour of the Gorilla Guardians Village in Musanze – just near the park. Formerly known as the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village, the Centre brings together all the different tribes of Rwanda to show case their cultural heritage. Expect musical performances, dance and drama. You will also have an opportunity to buy souvenir if you wish. The Iby’iwacu Cultural Village is built to high standards and tourists are not just onlookers. You can also put on the traditional costumes and join the performers.

Dinner and overnight at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Luxury), Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (Mid-range) and Kinigi Guest House (budget).

Wake up early once again, take breakfast and wait for the driver to take you to the park offices for the briefing on golden monkey tracking. You will be assigned a Guide and armed Rangers to escort into the forest to search for the cute monkeys. Golden monkeys are endangered primates and can only be found in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. They live off bamboo shoots and other vegetation. Their greatest threat comes from man but Eagles are their natural enemies. Golden monkeys are very playful and love flash photos unlike gorillas. After some time hiking in the forest, you will see the golden monkeys on top of trees or feeding on the ground. Once done, head back to your lodge for lunch and rest. Later in the Afternoon, the drier will take you to visit the beautiful twin lakes of Ruhondo and Burera.

Dinner and overnight at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Luxury), Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (Mid-range) and Kinigi Guest House (budget).

You will wake up early, take breakfast and hit the road to Kigali. The journey is 3 hours but you will once again be treated to the beautiful rolling hills of Rwanda’s countryside and the vast tea plantations. Lunch will be in Kigali after which you will go for a tour of the city. The tour involves visiting the Gisozi Genocide memorial site, the presidential palace museum, city markets and gift shops where you can buy local crafts/arts.  The Kigali city tour take between one to two hours. After this final tour of Rwanda, you dropped at your hotel or transferred to the airport.

End of Tour