Trip highlights: 20 Days Across Rwanda and Uganda itinerary will take place in Rwanda and Uganda. Arriving in Rwanda via Kigali International Airport and departing through Entebbe International Airport in Uganda. You will visit Kigali, Nyungwe and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and take part in the Kigali city tour, Chimpanzee trekking, canopy walk, Colobus Monkey trekking and Isumo waterfall hike in Nyungwe, Gorilla trekking, local community visit and Golden Monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park. You will cross Rwanda into Uganda via the Cyanika border and visit Bwindi Impenetrable, Queen Elizabeth, Kibale Forest, Murchison Falls National Parks. In Uganda you will and trek the Gorillas in Bwindi, enjoy game drives in different parks, boat rides on the Nile and Kazinga Channel, Nature walk in Bigodi swamp.
Across Rwanda and Uganda Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrival
After you arrive Kigali International Airport, clear with immigration and proceed to the arrivals where you will meet your driver guide who will transfer you to your hotel for overnight stay.
Accommodation: Marriott Hotel Kigali (high-end), Onomo Hotel Kigali (medium) or Five to Five Hotel (budget). Meal Plan: B
Day 2: Kigali City Tour
After a relaxed breakfast, proceed for a tour of Kigali city which includes visiting the Kigali Genocide memorial center and Inema Arts center.
Kigali Genocide memorial is the best known landmark in the city. It sets out the history leading to the Genocide in Rwanda and others around the world. It helps one understand why the Genocide took place, what happened and to appreciate how far the country has moved on from that tragic time. After lunch in Kigali you will visit the Inema Arts center founded by brother’s spurs creativity for personal, social and economic growth.
Accommodation: Marriott Hotel Kigali (high-end), Onomo Hotel Kigali (medium) or Five to Five Hotel (budget). Meal Plan: B & L
Day 3: Kigali – Nyungwe National Park
After breakfast start your drive to magnificent Nyungwe National Park passing via Butare visiting the Nyanza King’s Palace and the Ethnographic museum and having lunch en-route. Dinner at your Lodge.
Accommodation: One&Only Nyungwe House (high-end), Nyungwe Forest Lodge (medium) or Gisakura Guest House (budget). Meal Plan: B, L & D
Day 4: Chimpanzee Trekking and Canopy Walk
On this day you will depart the Resort with packed breakfast and drive to the park headquarters for briefing then proceed to the starting points into the forest. During this trek you will see a variety of bird species and the Primates. You will be allowed to stay in the presence of the Chimpanzees for an hour as you enjoy watching them go about their normal day. You then return to the lodge to rest and have lunch.
In the afternoon, you will once again proceed to the park headquarters for canopy walk briefing. Experience the forest from a dazzling perspective on the canopy walkway the only one of its kind in East Africa. Dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: One&Only Nyungwe House (high-end), Nyungwe Forest Lodge (medium) or Gisakura Guest House (budget). Meal Plan: B, L & D
Day 5: Colobus Monkey Trek
After breakfast at the Resort, proceed to the park headquarters for briefing and start your Colobus Monkey trek. These Primates are Old World Monkeys of the genus Colobus native to the African continent. They are black with white fur on their necks and backs. As you walk through the rainforest you will be amazed how large they are in number; about 400 individuals in a group comprising the largest group of the Angolan Colobus Monkeys in Africa. This trek isn’t as tiresome as the Chimpanzee trek tends to be. You will see a good number of them at the tree tops as they swing from one branch to another. Return to the Resort in time for lunch. Then spend the rest of the day relaxing at the Resort and enjoying its facilities.
Accommodation: One&Only Nyungwe House (high-end), Nyungwe Forest Lodge (medium) or Gisakura Guest House (budget). Meal Plan: B, L & D
Day 6: Rest Day
You will spend this entire day at leisure enjoying the lodge facilities.
Accommodation: One&Only Nyungwe House (high-end), Nyungwe Forest Lodge (medium) or Gisakura Guest House (budget). Meal Plan: B, L & D
Day 7: Isumo Waterfall Hike
After breakfast, you will proceed to the park headquarters where you will be briefed and then proceed to the starting point of your hike. This is the trail most tourists to Nyungwe National Park hike. This trail covers a distance of 10.6 kilometres together with the road segment and takes approx. 4 hours to complete. It begins at Uwinka and Gisakura reception area. This trail passes through tea plantations to the magnificent Isumo waterfalls that it is named after. The name “Isumo” is a local slang meaning waterfall. This trail lies on an altitude of 1770 metres above sea level at the low point and 1940 metres above sea level at the highest point. It’s considered a moderate trail to hike. Dinner and overnight stay at your Hotel.
Accommodation: One&Only Nyungwe House (high-end), Nyungwe Forest Lodge (medium) or Gisakura Guest House (budget). Meal Plan: B, L & D
Day 8: Drive to Musanze (Volcanoes National Park)
After breakfast drive to Musanze via Gisenyi having lunch en-route. Dinner and overnight stay at the Resort.
Accommodation: Singita Kwitonda Lodge (high-end), Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (medium) or Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (budget). Meal Plan: B, L & D
Day 9: Gorilla Trekking and Cultural Tour
A very early breakfast at the Resort, with your driver guide proceed to the park headquarters for Gorilla trekking briefing and thereafter proceed to the starting point; trail heads for your amazing adventure. You will be trekking the Mighty Great Apes, the Mountain Gorillas in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. This activity could take between 2-6 hours. Rwanda has 12 habituated groups of Mountain Gorillas all over the Park. You will spend an hour with the Apes, watching the habituated group going about their normal day playing, eating… etc
Return to your Resort to freshen up and have lunch. In the afternoon you will visit the Gorilla guardian’s village for a cultural tour. Here you will learn various aspects of culture of this community and have an insight on their way of life. This community found at the park boundaries transformed from living on bush meat by poaching for generations.
Accommodation: Singita Kwitonda Lodge (high-end), Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (medium) or Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (budget). Meal Plan: B, L & D
Day 10: Golden Monkey Trekking
After breakfast at the Resort, proceed to the park headquarters for briefing and thereafter drive to the trail heads for another highlight of the Volcanoes National Park. Trekking usually takes 4 hrs. When you encounter the habituated primates you will spend 1 hour with them as they go about their normal day. The monkeys are playful and inquisitive by nature hence spend their day leaping from bamboo branches. Upon return from your trek, you will be driven back to the Resort where you will have lunch and spend the rest of the day relaxing and enjoying their facilities.
Accommodation: Singita Kwitonda Lodge (high-end), Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (medium) or Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (budget). Meal Plan: B, L & D
Day 11: Musanze – Kisoro
After breakfast start your journey to Uganda crossing via the Cyanika border. You will proceed to Kisoro town and drive on to your lodge. Lunch, dinner and overnight stay at the Lodge.
Accommodation: Clouds Mount. Gorilla Lodge (high-end), Chameleon Hill Lodge (medium) or Travelers Rest Camp (budget). Meal Plan: B, L & D
Day 12: Gorilla Trekking in Uganda
After an early breakfast, you will proceed to the park headquarters for briefing and thereafter go to the start points and off you will proceed into the Impenetrable Forest to enjoy the highlight of the safari. Trekking the Great Apes the Mountain Gorillas is a once in a lifetime and worthwhile experience which takes between 2–6 hours. You will then return to your Lodge for lunch, dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Clouds Mount. Gorilla Lodge (high-end), Chameleon Hill Lodge (medium) or Travelers Rest Camp (budget). Meal Plan: B, L & D
Day 13: Kisoro – Queen Elizabeth National Park
After relaxed breakfast at the lodge, you will be assisted with checking out and after settling the bill for extras if any start your drive to the famous Queen Elizabeth National Park. The second most visited Park and the most popular savannah reserve in Uganda. This Park has the highest variety of habitats and wildlife too. Dinner and overnight stay at the Lodge.
Accommodation: Kyambura Gorge Lodge (high-end), Enganzi Lodge (medium) or Simba Safari Camp (budget). Meal Plan: B, L & D
Day 14: Game Drive and Boat Ride Along Kazinga Channel
After an early breakfast, you will proceed for a game drive; through the Kasenyi and North Kazinga plains where you will see herds of Elephants, Buffalos, Antelopes, etc…
In the afternoon after lunch at the lodge, you will have a boat ride along the Kazinga Channel en-route you will see groups of Hippos and Buffalos a few metres away. You will see some animals coming to drink water at the banks and a various bird species.
Accommodation: Kyambura Gorge Lodge (high-end), Enganzi Lodge (medium) or Simba Safari Camp (budget). Meal Plan: B, L & D
Day 15: Drive to Fort Portal
Drive to Fort Portal Town / Kibale National Park. Fort Portal was founded as a garrison for British soldiers by Gerald Portal from whom the town derives its name. And is the only town with an English name in Uganda. Here you will see many tea plantations producing high quality tea for local and export market en-route.
Accommodation: Kyaninga Lodge (high-end), Isunga Lodge (medium) or Chimpanzee Guest House (budget). Meal Plan: B, L & D
Day 16: Chimpanzee Trekking and Bigodi Swamp Walk
On this day, after breakfast, you will drive to the park headquarters for briefing and proceed for a morning Chimpanzee trekking experience in the company of an experienced ranger guide, you will search for Kibale Forest’s resident Chimpanzees and also have a chance to see other primates such as Grey-cheeked Mangabeys, Red Colobus, Red-tailed and Blue monkeys. In the afternoon you will enjoy a walk through the papyrus swamps of the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary.
Accommodation: Kyaninga Lodge (high-end), Isunga Lodge (medium) or Chimpanzee Guest House (budget)
Day 17: Drive to Murchison Falls National Park
After breakfast, drive to the beautiful Murchison Falls National Park formerly known as Kabalega National Park. This park derives its name from the Murchison Falls which is a 7 meter canyon where the Mighty River Nile forces itself from a narrow gorge pouring down with a thunderous roar. Lunch, dinner and overnight stay at the Lodge.
Accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge (high-end), Murchison River Lodge (medium) or Red Chilli Rest Camp (budget). Meal Plan: B, L & D
Day 18: Rest Day
You will spend this entire day at leisure enjoying the lodge facilities.
Accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge (high-end), Murchison River Lodge (medium) or Red Chilli Rest Camp (budget). Meal Plan: B, L & D
Day 19: Game Drive and Boat Ride to the Bottom of the Falls
Enjoy a morning game drive through the Savanna where you will see herds of Elephants, Buffalos, Giraffes, Kobs, Oribi, Jackson’s Hartebeest and various bird species that include the forest and water birds and the Albertine Rift endemics thereafter return to the Lodge for breakfast. In the afternoon, you will have a boat ride to the bottom of the falls whence the park derives its name. You will see groups of Hippos, Crocodiles, and a variety of animals that come to drink water at the River banks and a variety of bird species too.
Accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge (high-end), Murchison River Lodge (medium) or Red Chilli Rest Camp (budget). Meal Plan: B, L & D
Day 20: Departure
After breakfast at the Lodge, you will be assisted with checking out and start your drive to Entebbe International Airport to catch your departure International flight. Meal Plan: B
Across Rwanda and Uganda Inclusions and Exclusions:
Includes
- Return airport transfers
- 19 night’s accommodation with meals as indicated in the itinerary above
- Activities shown in the itinerary
- Kigali Genocide Museum
- Inema Arts centre
- Visit Nyanza Kings Palace
- Visit the Ethnographic Museum
- Chimpanzee trekking permits in Rwanda and Uganda
- Canopy walk
- Colobus Monkey trekking permits
- Isumo waterfall hike
- One Rwanda Gorilla permit $1,500 per person
- Gorilla Guardians cultural visit
- Golden Monkey trekking permits
- One Uganda Gorilla permit $700 per person
- Game drives in Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls NPs
- Boat ride on the Kazinga Channel
- Bigodi swamp walk
- Boat ride on the Nile
- Services of an experienced English speaking driver guide
- Transportation in a 4×4 safari vehicle
- Government taxes
Excludes
- International flights
- Visas
- Insurance
- Optional activities
- Tips
- Drinks
- Items of personal nature
