8 Days Uganda Rwanda Primates & Wildlife Safari

8 Days Uganda Rwanda Primates & Wildlife Safari will start from Kigali Rwanda and end in Kampala Uganda. The safari will start with a city tour in Kigali which is one of the cleanest cities in Africa and later Volcanoes national park where you will engage in golden monkey trekking and visit the twin lakes of Lake Burera and Ruhondo. From Volcanoes national park you will connect to Bwindi impenetrable national park in southern Uganda where you will get an opportunity to spend time with the endangered mountain gorillas and interact with the Batwa during Batwa cultural experience. You will also be able to visit Queen Elizabeth national park where you will engage in game drive, boat cruise on Kazinga channel and Kibale national park where you will visit chimpanzees in their natural habitat.

Highlights of the 8 Days Uganda Rwanda Primates & Wildlife Safari

Day 1: Pick up from Kigali international airport and transfer to Volcanoes national park
Day 2: Golden monkey trekking and twin lakes tour
Day 3: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park-Batwa cultural experience
Day 4: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 6: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 7: Transfer to Kibale national park-Bigodi swamp walk
Day 8: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Kampala

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Volcanoes national park, upon arrival at Kigali international airport on the first day of the 8 days Uganda Rwanda primates and wildlife safari, our representative will pick you up to transfer to Kigali for a city tour. During the tour you will visit Kigali genocide memorial centre where you will learn about the killing between the Hutus and Tutsi, visit craft markets, Kimironko local market where you will interact with the local traders, buy vegetables, souvenirs among other. After the city tour you will go for lunch and thereafter start the journey to Volcanoes national park in northwestern part of Rwanda. The journey takes about 2 to 3 hours drive with great scenic views on the way, upon arrival you will continue to check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 2: Golden monkey trekking and twin lakes tour

Golden monkey trekking, after an early breakfast on the second day of the 8 days Uganda Rwanda primates and wildlife safari you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kinigi park headquarters for a briefing. After the briefing you will be allocated an experienced park guide who will lead you during trekking and a habituated golden monkey family to trek. Golden monkey trekking is an active and exciting that takes 30 minutes to 3 hours depending in where they are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. Once the golden monkeys are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their habitat where you will be able to watch them jumping up in trees, playing, feeding, take photos and record videos. After the face to face encounter with the golden monkeys you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will meet up with your driver guide and transfer to the lodge for lunch.

Twin lakes tour, after lunch you will drive to the twin lakes of Lake Burera and Ruhondo which are located at the foothills of mount Muhabura. Upon arrival you will either engage in an interesting boat ride or enjoy spectacular views of the hills, farmlands, fishermen, beautiful scenery, bird species, local communities among others. After the twin lakes tour, you will drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park

After breakfast on the third day of the 8 days Uganda Rwanda primates and wildlife safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park which is located in southwestern Uganda. The journey takes about 3 to 4 hours passing via Cyanika border in Kisoro or Katuna border in Kabale district to the park headquarters. Upon arrival you will check in at the lodge and have lunch.

Batwa cultural experience, after lunch you will go for an exciting Batwa cultural experience with a Twa/pygmy guide. During the cultural experience you will walk through the forest where the Batwa used to live, learn how they used to hunt small animals for food, try out hunting with a bow and arrow, visit the Batwa homesteads, learn how the women prepare their food, listen to ancient stories, enjoy their traditional songs and dance among other. After the Batwa cultural experiences you will return back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park

Gorilla trekking, after an early breakfast on the fourth day of the 8 days Uganda Rwanda primates and wildlife safari you will carry packed lunch and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking. After the briefing you will be allocated a habituated gorilla family to trek and a park guide who is well conversant with trails in the jungle. Gorilla trekking is an adventurous activity that takes 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on where the gorillas slept the previous night. During trekking you will have views of other primates like l’hoest monkeys, chimpanzees, red tailed monkeys, different bird species, plant and tree species among other. Once the mountain gorillas are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural environment which gives you an opportunity to watch them carry out their daily activities like breastfeeding, feeding, playing, resting, observe their behaviors, take photos and record the moments to show people back home. After the one hour encounter with the gentle giants you will trek back to the park headquarters, meet up with your driver guide to return to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park

On the fifth day of the 8 days Uganda Rwanda primates and wildlife safari, you will have breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park. It takes about 3 to 4 hours drive and on the way you will pass via Ishasha sector in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth national park for a game drive where you will view the tree climbing lions lying up in fig tree branches. You will also see other animals like elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, warthogs among others, after the game drive you will have en-route lunch and then continue to Queen Elizabeth national park. Upon arrival you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 6: Morning game drive/lion tracking experience and afternoon boat cruise

Morning game drive, after an early breakfast on the sixth day of the 8 days Uganda Rwanda primates and wildlife safari your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to transfer to Kasenyi plains for a game drive/lion tracking experience. During the game drive you will be able to view animals like elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, waterbucks, Uganda kobs, warthogs, bushbucks, bird species, have views of the beautiful sunrise among others. After the game drive you will return to the lodge for lunch.

Afternoon boat cruise, after lunch you will drive to the landing site near Mweya safari lodge for an exciting boat cruise on Kazinga channel a 40 kilometer long channel that connects Lake Edward and Lake George. During the boat ride you will be able to view elephants, warthogs, buffaloes along the shores, view large herds of hippos and Nile crocodiles in water, aquatic birds like kingfishers, fish eagles, cormorants, hornbills among others. After the boat cruise you will drive back to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Day 7: Transfer to Kibale national park-Bigodi swamp walk

After breakfast on the seventh day of the 8 days Uganda Rwanda primates and wildlife safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kibale national park famously known as the primate capital because it harbors 13 primate species including chimpanzees, grey cheeked mangabey, red tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, olive baboons, blue monkeys, vervet monkeys among others. The journey to Kibale national park takes about 3 hours and upon arrival you will check into the lodge for lunch.

Bigodi swamp walk, after lunch you will go for an interesting nature walk in Bigodi swamp where you will have spectacular views of primate species like grey cheeked mangabey, baboons, vervet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, views of bird species like the great blue turaco, beautiful butterflies, different plant species among others. During the swamp walk you will also be able to relax your mind, breath fresh air, take great photos among others. After the swamp walk you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 8: Chimpanzee trekking and departure to Kampala

Chimpanzee trekking, after an early breakfast on the last day of the 8 days Uganda Rwanda primates and wildlife safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a chimpanzee trekking briefing. After the briefing you will be allocated a chimpanzee family to trek and a park guide who is well conversant with trails in the forest. Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale national park takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours and during trekking you will be able to view other wildlife species in the forest like animals, birds, plants, primates among others. Once the chimpanzees are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural environment which helps you to learn about their behaviors, watch the chimpanzees play, fight, feed, mate, hunt, rest, take photos and record videos with a flash less camera. After the face to face interaction with the chimpanzees you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will meet up with your driver guide to start the journey back to Kampala. On the way you will have en-route lunch and continue the journey to Kampala where you will reach early evening. Upon arrival your driver guide will drop you off at Entebbe international airport for your departure flight or drop off at any place of convenience.

End of 8 days Uganda Rwanda primates and wildlife safari

Tour includes

Boat cruise fee
Gorilla trekking permit
Golden monkey trekking permit
Chimpanzee trekking permit
Bigodi swamp walk
Park entrance fees
Twin lakes tour
Kigali city tour
All mentioned activities
Services of a professional English speaking driver guide
Full board accommodation
Ground transfers (in a 4WD safari vehicle)
Vehicle and fuel
Bottled water

Tour excludes

International Air flight tickets
Visas
Optional activities not included on the itinerary
Life insurance
Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.