The 18 Days Uganda Rwanda safari is a fantastic Wildlife adventure as you discover the unknown treasures in these two countries with Africa Adventure Safaris. The 18 days safari is an opportunity to encounter mountain gorillas, chimpanzees and other wildlife including the ‘Big Five’. The safari also includes city tours, boat trips and cultural walks both in Uganda and Rwanda. The 18 days Uganda -Rwanda safari starts from Kampala Uganda ending in Kigali Rwanda.
Trip summary – 18 days Uganda Rwanda safari
- Day 1: Arrival and Kampala City Tour
- Day 2: Transfer To Murchison Falls National Park and visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
- Day 3: Game drive, afternoon boat cruise and hike to the top of falls
- Day 4: Transfer to Kibale National park
- Day 5: Chimpanzee tracking and nature walk in Bigodi swamp
- Day 6: Transfer to Semuliki Valley National park and visit Sempaya hot springs and visit the Batwa of Ntandi
- Day 7: Transfer to queen elizabeth national park and evening game drive
- Day 8: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
- Day 9: Game drive in Ishasha sector and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park
- Day 10: Gorilla trekking
- Day 11: Adventure hike of the three volcanic mountains Gahinga, Sabinyo and Muhabura
- Day 12: Batwa exploration and transfer Lake Bunyonyi
- Day 13: Boat cruise and transfer to Volcanoes National park
- Day 14: Mountain Gorilla Trekking and visit of Iby’iwacu cultural village
- Day 15: Transfer to Nyungwe forest National park
- Day 16: Chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk in Nyungwe forest
- Day 17: Colobus monkey tracking and tea plantation exploration
- Day 18: Transfer to Kigali for departure
Detailed Itinerary – 18 days Uganda Rwanda safari
Day 1: Arrival and Kampala City Tour
Your 18 days Uganda-Rwanda safari will begin Upon your arrival at Entebbe airport, our friendly tour guide will welcome and brief you at the airport before transferring you to the hotel for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.
Entebbe is a small and quiet town in central Uganda,about 40 km southwest of Kampala capital city located on the shores of lake Victoria, the world’s largest tropical lake. If your flight arrives early you might choose to explore the nearby attractions.
You can take a leisurely stroll around the entebbe botanical gardens which is a home to over 300 exotic plants and indigenous bird species with black and white colobus monkeys.
You can also visit the uganda wildlife education center where you can see and learn about uganda’s native wildlife, local markets to buy souvenirs, Ngamba island chimpanzee sanctuary in lake victoria for close up chimpanzee encounters or the Mabamba swamp for rare shoebill stock. Alternatively you may choose to do a tour of Kampala city including the Bahai Temple (the largest in Africa), the Gadaffi Mosque, Namugongo Martyrs shrine, the Kasubi Cultural Tombs and Kabaka’s palace. Overnight at Savannah Suites (budget)/ 2 Friends hotel (deluxe)/ Protea hotel (luxury)
Day 2: Visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and Murchison Falls National Park
After enjoying breakfast at 6:30 am, embark on a 311 km (5-6 hours) drive northeast to Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest national park covering 3840 sq km. This park boasts diverse habitats, the world’s longest river, the mighty Murchison Falls, and a rich collection of African wildlife, including 76 mammal species and over 450 bird species.
During the drive, you’ll pass through stretches of Nakasongola district before branching off to Nakitooma for a 7 km drive to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, the home to Uganda’s wild rhinos. The sanctuary is home to more than 30 reintroduced southern white rhinos. Rhino tracking begins with a briefing from a local ranger, after which you’ll set out to track the rhinos. The duration of the activity is 2 to 2.5 hours, depending on the location of the rhinos within the sanctuary. While tracking, you’ll also encounter other mammal species such as bushbucks, waterbucks, Uganda kobs, and oribi.
From Ziwa, the next stop will be Kabalega Diner for lunch, followed by a continuation of the journey to Murchison Falls National Park. Enjoy dinner and spend the night at Kabalega Wilderness Lodge (luxury), Pakuba Lodge (deluxe/luxury), or Red Chilli Lodge (budget).
Day 3: Game drive, afternoon boat cruise and hike to the top of falls
This morning, after breakfast at 6:30 am, you will embark on your game drive in Murchison Falls National Park. Heading to the northern section of the park, you’ll encounter rolling savannah grassland dotted with stands of acacia trees, borassus palms, riverine woodland, and a variety of bird and mammal species. During this 3-4 hour game drive, you’ll search for lions, leopards, buffaloes, giraffes, waterbucks, Jackson’s hartebeest, and patas monkeys.
There’s a diverse array of animals to spot, including saddle-billed storks, Denham’s bustards, gray-crowned cranes, squacco herons, piapiacs, red-throated bee-eaters, goliath herons, and kingfishers. After the game drive, you’ll retreat to the lodge for lunch and relaxation. Following lunch, gather at Paara Jetty for a boat cruise along the Nile River to the bottom of the falls.
The 3-hour boat trip, departing at 2 pm, offers opportunities to observe Nile crocodiles, elephants, hippos, buffaloes, and water birds such as goliath herons, African fish eagles, African jacanas, and shoebill storks. After the activity, you’ll embark on a 45-minute hike to the top of Murchison Falls. These falls are arguably the world’s most powerful, wide like none you’ve ever seen before. Located along the Nile River, which is 50 meters wide, they squeeze through narrow clefts of up to 7 meters and drop 45 meters down. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4: Transfer to Kibale National park
After breakfast, you’ll begin a 441 km, approximately 9-hour drive to Kibale National Park. Along the way, you’ll enjoy beautiful scenery, including the Albertine Rift Valley landscapes, Lake Albert, Butiaba Escarpments, rural settings, natural forests, and plantations.
Kibale National Park is a natural habitat boasting the highest densities and diversity of Africa’s primates. It’s a popular destination for those seeking close encounters with our closest non-human relatives, chimpanzees. Besides chimpanzees, Kibale Forest is home to 12 primate species, including the rare L’Hoest monkeys, olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys, Uganda red colobus, black-and-white colobus, blue monkeys, Grey-cheeked mangabeys, bush babies, and pottos.
The park also hosts over 70 mammal species, 375 bird species, 250 butterfly species, and 351 plant species. Proceed to check-in at Chimpanzee Guest House (budget), Turacco Tree Tops (deluxe), Papaya Lake Lodge, or Crater Safari Lodge (luxury).
Day 5: Chimpanzee tracking and nature walk in Bigodi swamp
You will wake very early in the morning, have breakfast and get your packed lunch and then head to Kanyanchu park headquarters in Kibale forest national park where you will be allocated a guide who will brief you and you then head for chimpanzee tracking in the forest. Kibale forest national park is called the primate capital of east Africa because of the high primate population it has. It’s the only national park in east Africa where one can have the best primate tracking viewing the chimpanzee man’s closest primate and many other primates like monkeys plus a number of bird species.
After tracking, you will return to the park headquarters for your certificates, relax a bit and head to the Bigodi wetlands if you are interested in birding or visit the Bigodi community for community tourism and later return to your lodge Meals and overnight at chimpanzee guest house (budget)/crater safari lodge (mid range)/Kyaninga lodge (luxury)
Day 6: Semuliki Valley National park, the Sempaya hot springs and the Batwa of Ntandi
This morning transfer to Semuliki Valley National Park at the extreme west of Uganda, within Bundibugyo District. This park stands out as the only lowland tropical forest in East Africa classified as moist and semi-deciduous. Within its boundaries, there are 336 recorded tree species, with 24 of them unique to Semuliki National Park. The park also boasts a diverse array of wildlife, including 63 mammal species. Among them, nine species are diurnal forest primates, such as chimpanzees, blue monkeys, vervet monkeys, and olive baboons.
The proximity of Semuliki Valley National Park to Fort Portal means you’ll arrive early, as it’s just about 30 kilometers away. This early arrival allows for ample time to explore the park’s attractions, including the famous hot springs and engaging in game drives.
For accommodation, you’ll have the option to stay at Kirimia Guesthouse (mid-range) or Semuliki Safari Lodge (luxury), where you can relax and unwind after a day of exploration in this remarkable national park.
Day 7: Queen Elizabeth national park
After breakfast this morning, you will transfer to Queen Elizabeth national Park taking about 3 to 4 hours. You will arrive during lunchtime, have your meals and head for afternoon game drives to view the major wildlife species in this part of Uganda. This national park has a number of wild animals like elephants, warthogs, waterbucks plus a number of antelopes. After the game drives, you will then head to your lodge for relaxation. Meals and overnight at Enganzi lodge (budget)/Kyambura game lodge (midrange).
Day 8: Game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Wake up early enough for a morning breakfast. Embark on a game drive across the Kasenyi plains and Queen’s Mile in the open savannah of Queen Elizabeth National Park, nestled flat on the Albertine Rift Valley. The most captivating game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park typically commence as early as 6:30 am or around 2:00 pm. The morning drive provides opportunities to encounter side-striped jackals, hyenas, warthogs, cape buffaloes, elephants, topis, kobs, waterbuck, and even leopards. You’ll also spot various bird species as Queen Elizabeth boasts the highest bird count in Uganda and East Africa. These may include African skimmer, Chapin’s flycatcher, black bee-eater, white-winged warbler, pink-backed pelican, and the majestic martial eagle.
After the drive, take some time for relaxation and lunch. Then, converge at Mweya Jetty for a Kazinga Channel boat cruise departing at 2:00 pm. This afternoon excursion entails a two-hour cruise along the Kazinga Channel, spanning from Lake George to Lake Edward, covering a 45 km distance. The cruise provides excellent opportunities to observe schools of hippos, herds of buffaloes, and a group of crocodiles along the water channel, alongside a plethora of both endemic and migratory bird species. Additionally, the boat cruise offers an ideal platform for photography, bird watching, and wildlife viewing.
You can conclude the day’s activities with an evening game drive along the channel track, exploring more wildlife during their active evening hours. Finally, return to your lodge for an overnight stay at Parkview Safari Lodge or Enganzi Safari Lodge.
Day 9: Game drive in Ishasha sector and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park
After breakfast, transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park’s Ruhija sector, depending on your gorilla tracking location.
The journey takes you through the Ishasha sector, south of Queen Elizabeth National Park, where you’ll enjoy a stunning game drive. Keep an eye out for the tree-climbing lions that have made this park a must-visit for many Uganda safari adventurers. These unique lions are often spotted resting in the branches of trees during mid-morning.
You can have lunch at the Savannah Hotel in Kihihi before continuing to Bwindi. Along the drive, make another stop in the local communities of Kanungu to explore traditional coffee growing practices, its cultural significance to the local people, and its importance to the community. The trip from Queen Elizabeth, including a game drive in Ishasha, is estimated to take 6 hours.
For dinner and overnight stay, you have various options such as Trekker’s Tavern Cottage (budget), Bakiga Lodge, L. Mulehe Safari Lodge (deluxe), Mahogany Springs, or Four Gorillas Lodge (luxury).
Day 10: Gorilla trekking
On this day, you will be expected to wake up early in the morning, take breakfast and head to the park headquarters for briefing about the gorillas and immediately head for the thick jungles of Bwindi as you trek searching for the gorillas. This can take you half a day or more. After getting to the mountain gorillas, you will spend an hour with them observing and taking photographs after which you will be directed back to the park headquarters and given certificates of participation.
After completing the activity, return to the starting point and begin your journey to Mgahinga National Park, located in the extreme southwest of Uganda within the Virunga massif. This park is home to three peaks of the eight-mountain chain.
As you drive through the Kigezi highlands, take in the breathtaking sights of the Virunga volcanoes. Upon arrival at your lodge, whether it’s Traveler’s Guest Hotel (budget), Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge (mid-range), or Mount Gahinga Gorilla Lodge (luxury), enjoy dinner and settle in for an overnight stay.
Day 11: Adventure hike of the three volcanic mountains Gahinga, Sabinyo and Muhabura
Meet at Ntebeko Park headquarters at 8:00 am for a briefing from the park ranger, then set off on an exciting volcano climbing adventure. Depending on your preference, you can choose to climb either Mount Gahinga, Mount Sabinyo, or Mount Muhabura.
Mount Muhabura stands tall at 4127m and requires approximately 8 hours to complete the 12 km round trip. The climb involves a steep ascent to the summit, offering breathtaking views of Bwindi Forest, the Virunga mountain chain, and the Rwenzori mountains in Rwenzori National Park. On clear days, you can even see three countries: Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo from the peak.
Mount Gahinga rises to 3474m and takes about 6 hours to ascend. While climbing, you might be lucky enough to spot golden monkeys in the bamboo forest on the mountain’s slopes.
Mount Sabinyo reaches a height of 3669m and takes around 8 hours to complete the 14km round trip. It features a series of peaks at the top, offering stunning panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.
Whichever mountain you choose, the climb promises an unforgettable adventure amidst stunning natural scenery.
Day 12: Batwa exploration and Lake Bunyonyi exploration
Mgahinga Forest was once the ancient home of the Batwa people before they were forced to settle on the outskirts of the designated park. A trail has been developed to allow visitors to explore the heritage of the Batwa Pygmies, guided by Batwa guides.
The journey begins from Ntebeko Park headquarters in the morning, following a designated trail with the Batwa guides. Along the way, they will showcase various items significant to their traditional way of life, including edible and medicinal plants, hunting techniques, and bamboo cup making. The trail leads to Ngarama cave, which served as the central hub and home of their chief.
After the exploration, retreat from the activity and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi, enjoying the beautiful scenery en route. Dinner and overnight accommodation at Bunyonyi Overland Camp (budget), Bunyonyi Safari Resort (mid-range), or Bunyonyi Overland Resort (luxury)
Day 13: Boat cruise and transfer to Volcanoes National park
After breakfast, you’ll embark on a boat cruise for island exploration, visiting various islands. You’ll explore Bucuranuka (upside-down) Island, which is believed to have buried people alive after a curse from an old woman for refusing to offer local brew. You’ll also visit Akampene (punishment) Island, where girls with unwanted premarital pregnancies were once dumped to die of hunger as they swam back to the mainland.
After lunch, you will drive through the Kisoro highlands, enjoying great scenic views, and head directly to the Kyanika border. From there, you’ll cross over to Rwanda and then proceed directly to Kinigi. You will arrive at your lodge for dinner and rest. Meals and overnight accommodation will be provided at Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (mid-range) or Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (luxury).
Day 14: Mountain Gorilla Trekking and Visit to Iby’iwacu cultural village
After enjoying an early morning breakfast, you will head to the Kinigi Park headquarters where you will be divided into groups of eight allocated to a particular gorilla family, and then venture into the jungle for the highly anticipated trek.
The guides are well-informed and will provide all the necessary information needed for the trek. Trekking mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park offers a unique experience, giving you the chance to get up close to one of humanity’s closest primate species. The trek can take several hours, depending on how quickly you locate your allocated mountain gorilla family. You will strictly be given an hour to interact with the mountain gorillas, and after this time elapses, you will be directed back to the headquarters and given certificates of participation.
In the afternoon, you will have the opportunity to visit the Iby’iwachu cultural village. Here, you can engage with local people and discover their homes and heritage treasures, including lifestyles, activities, artifacts, and ways of living. The Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village is dedicated to showcasing traditional ways of living, cultural practices, and dances to tourists.
Meals and overnight accommodation will be provided at Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (mid-range) or Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (luxury).
Day 15: Transfer to Nyungwe forest National park
Day 15 of the 18-day Uganda-Rwanda safari begins with a relaxed breakfast. Afterward, you embark on a 7-8 hour drive to Nyungwe. The journey takes you via the Congo Nile divide, offering possibly the best opportunity to witness Rwanda’s remarkable natural beauty.
Along the trail, you will be treated to endless views of tea and coffee plantations and rolling hills. Nyungwe National Park is home to 13 primate species, which account for 25% of Africa’s total. These include over 500 chimpanzees, as well as blue, mona, L’hoest, colobus, red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons, bush babies, and owl-faced monkeys. You will arrive at Nyungwe Forest in the evening for relaxation, dinner, and overnight stay. Meals and accommodation are provided at Gisakura Guest House (budget), Nyungwe Top View Lodge (mid-range), or Nyungwe Forest Lodge (luxury).
Day 16: Chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk in Nyungwe forest
After breakfast, you will head to the park head office for a briefing before venturing into the forest for an exciting chimpanzee tracking adventure. The trek typically takes 2-3 hours, guided by a ranger through the lush tropical surroundings. Once you catch up with the chimpanzees, you will have the opportunity to observe them and also search for other primates such as l’hoest, blue, mona, red-tailed, and owl-faced monkeys, as well as black and white colobus, olive baboons, bushbabies, along with diverse bird species and unique plants.
Throughout the trek, your guide will provide insights into the behavior of these apes and share information about ongoing conservation efforts. Upon reaching the chimpanzees, you will be allowed to stay and interact with them for a maximum of 1 hour, capturing photos to your heart’s content. Later, you will return to your lodge for a well-deserved lunch.
In the afternoon, you will transfer to the Umwinka Visitor Center for a forest canopy walk adventure in Nyungwe Forest. The canopy walkway provides breathtaking views across the forest, offering an eye-level perspective of monkeys and birds that may not be easily spotted from the ground. After the adventure, return to your lodge Gisakura guest house (budget)/Nyungwe top view lodge (mid range)/ Nyungwe forest lodge (luxury) for a delightful dinner and a peaceful overnight stay.
Day 17: Colobus monkey tracking and tea plantation exploration
After enjoying a good breakfast at 7 am, head to the park’s visitors center for another amazing adventure. These beautiful old monkeys tend to form supergroups of 400 members, a phenomenon observed only in Nyungwe Forest.
The colobus monkey experience is not tiresome. Hike through lush tea plantations and beautiful rolling hills to an isolated forest patch where you can see these attractive primates jumping through trees. Spend one hour with them before returning to the lodge for lunch.
In the afternoon, go for a tea plantation exploration and interact with the local people working there. Learn the process of growing tea plants from harvesting to what goes into making the best cup of tea. Meals and overnight at Gisakura guest house (budget)/Nyungwe top view lodge (mid range)/ Nyungwe forest lodge (luxury)
Day 18: Transfer Back To Kigali And Departure
After breakfast at 8:00 am, embark on the 5-6 hour drive back to Kigali, passing through rolling hills and beautiful scenery as you make your way to Rwanda’s cultural heritage corridor. Tour the ethnographic museum in Butare for a look at the socio-cultural history of Rwanda. Proceed to Nyanza and visit the king’s palace replica. Learn about the royal style and authority of pre-colonial Rwanda kings. Meet the royal cows, Inyambo, on-site and herders who sing to them. Then, visit the home of the last king of Rwanda. After enjoying lunch, continue driving to Kigali airport for your departure.
End of Tour
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