Overview
This is a 16-day Safari tour to Uganda and Rwanda. The itinerary includes visiting Mabamba Swamp and Kampala City in Uganda, followed by a drive to Murchison Falls National Park with a stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. You will have a game drive and launch cruise on the River Nile before driving to Fort Portal, where you will go chimpanzee tracking and visit a local school. You will then visit Amabere ga Nyina Mwiru and Toro King’s palace before driving to Queen Elizabeth National Park for a game drive and boat ride. The itinerary also includes a drive to Ishasha Sector, community visit, and a game drive in search of tree-climbing lions before driving to Rwanda. In Rwanda, you will go gorilla trekking before driving to Gisenyi for a boat ride on Lake Kivu and a walk through the fashionable lakeside resort. The itinerary also includes a visit to the fishing village and the Musanze Caves.
Itinerary
On arrival at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda and after finalizing the formalities, you shall be welcomed by your guide, who will then drive you to your hotel.
After breakfast you will head to Mabamba Swamp located on Lake Victoria a large tract of marshlands with various channels which provide the perfect habitat for countless water birds. In the afternoon after a traditional lunch enjoy a city tour in Kampala. Visit Kabaka’s palace in Lubiri and get to learn about the rich culture of the Baganda. Later proceed to the Uganda Museum, Rubaga Cathedral and Namirembe Cathedral. In the evening, you will drive to Ndere center to enjoy a variety of traditional dances.
Today you drive to Murchison Falls National Park. On your way to the park you will have a stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. After complete extinction of the rhino population during the Civil War 20 years ago rhinos in Uganda got resettled in the context of a project of the Rhino Fund. After your lunch, drive to Murchison Falls National Park.
Accommodation: Mid-range lodge located just outside Murchison Falls NP
Meals & Drinks:
All meals included
Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
After an early breakfast, proceed for a game drive. This is a beautiful drive across savannah, Borassus Palm Forest and grassland down to Lake Albert where the Albert Nile heads north. Drive in the open African savanna in search for lion, leopard, hyena, buffalo, and elephant. Additionally enjoy spotting various bird species such as the secretary bird, black chested snake eagle among others. In the afternoon, go for a boat ride up the Nile to Murchison Falls. Enjoy these spectacular falls where the Nile squeezes through a 7 meter gap and at the bottom bask huge Nile crocodiles. You will then hike to the top of the falls where you will experience the deafening roar.
Today you will drive to Kibale Forest National Park. Along the way you will see several Tea Plantations, you may have a stop and learn how Tea is grown, picked and processed.
After breakfast you will go for chimpanzee trekking and enjoy a wonderful forest experience.
Kibale’s 795 square km National Park contains one of the most beautiful and varying tropical forest in Uganda. This is home to 13 species of primates including chimpanzees. The park’s highest point is at 1590m above sea level. In the afternoon, after your lunch at Tinka’s homestead, you will visit a local school within the community. In the evening you will enjoy cultural dances of the Kibale Community.
Accommodation: (Budget Level)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drive Time: 2-3 hours.
Main Destination: Kibale National Park (Chimps)
Meals & Drinks:
All meals included
Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
After your breakfast, you will drive to Amabera ga Nyina Mwiru one of the seven wonders in Uganda located in Kabalore district. Amabera ga Nyina Mwiru is translated as the “Breasts of Nyina Mwiru” named after the daughter of King Bukuku, then ruler of the Batembuzi dynasty. You will later proceed to Toro King’s palace in Fort Portal. You will have an opportunity to learn about the culture of the Batooro and visit the Karambi tombs, the burial grounds of the Toro Kings. You will later be driven to Queen Elizabeth National park.
Have an early morning game drive. There are over 100 mammal species that include lion, hippo, buffalo, leopard, spotted hyena, elephant and the elusive giant forest hog in this park. The primates include chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, black faced monkeys, red colobus, red tailed monkeys and olive baboons. In the afternoon, you shall have a boat ride on the Kazinga Channel. Queen Elizabeth boasts of one of the highest bio diversity ratings of any game park, from the open Savannah to rain forest, dense papyrus swamps and crater lakes to the vastness of Lake Edward.
Drive Time: Approx. 6 hours.
Main Destination: Queen Elizabeth National Park (Uganda)
Accommodation: Mid-range lodge located just outside Queen Elizabeth NP
Meals & Drinks:
All meals included
Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Drive to Ishasha the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park. On arrival in Ishasha you will have a tour through community farmland where you will learn about farming, local medicinal plants and how the community people keep the elephants away from their crops.
In the evening you will have a game drive in search of the unique tree-climbing lions. Only here the lions have the habit of climbing the trees.
After breakfast you will drive to Rwanda fondly known as the “land of a thousand hills.” Enjoy the stunning landscapes along the way.
Today you will experience a unique highlight of your trip. You will visit the great mountain gorillas. You will be led by an experienced Ranger who will tell you interesting facts about the gorillas. In the afternoon you can relax in your hotel or alternatively, you can explore the city on your own in Ruhengeri.
Main Destination: Volcanoes National Park
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drive Time: Approx. 2 hours.
You shall leave Ruhengeri and proceed to Gisenyi. You will have a boat ride on Lake Kivu and later take a walk through the fashionable lakeside resort and visit the fishing village and learn about their way of life. Later in the evening, take a walk to the Congo boarder.
After breakfast you will drive to Nyungwe Forest. Nyungwe Forest National Park protects the largest single tract of Montagne forest remaining in Africa. It is a remarkably rich center of biodiversity, with 86 mammal species, 280 birds, and about 100 varieties of orchid. It is the most important birding site in Rwanda.
Drive Time: Approx. 6 hours.
Main Destination: Nyungwe National Park (Rwanda)
Early morning, you will be served breakfast and enjoy a canopy walk with in the forest. Specifically, the canopy walk is good for spotting a variety of bird species within the forest. While enjoying the canopy walk, look out for birds like the Rwenzori turaco, black and white casqued hornbill and also do not miss large troops of colobus monkeys. In the afternoon, you can relax.
An early morning breakfast is followed by a drive to Kigali. On the way visit Nyanza King’s Palace. Nyanza was the headquarters of the ancient Rwanda Kingdom before the arrival of the Europeans. The compound has the modern palace constructed by King Mutara in 1934. You shall proceed to the National Museum of Butare and the genocide memorial of Murambi and later visit the Ntarama church which was highly affected by the genocide. In the evening you will have dinner at Heaven Restaurant while being entertained by traditional dancers.
Today, you will enjoy a city tour in Kigali and visit the market place to learn about the various foods in Rwanda. Later, visit the Genocide Museum in the suburb Gisozi. In the evening depart for the Airport.
