12 Days Uganda Rwanda double gorilla trekking adventure
12 Days Uganda Rwanda double gorilla trekking adventure
Our 12 days Uganda Rwanda double gorilla trekking adventure will begin from Entebbe Uganda and end in Kigali Rwanda.
The safari will take you to the best safari destinations in Uganda and Rwanda including Murchison falls national park and Queen Elizabeth national park where you will be able to spot wildlife species like lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants, waterbucks, giraffes, Uganda kobs among others.
The safari will also take you to Kibale forest national park, Bwindi impenetrable national park and Volcanoes national park where you will get an opportunity to spend time with the endangered mountain gorillas, chimpanzees and golden monkeys in their natural environment.
Highlights of the 12 days Uganda Rwanda double gorilla trekking adventure
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to a hotel in Entebbe
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park
Day 3: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 4: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking experience and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 6: Morning game drive/ lion tracking and afternoon boat cruise
Day 7: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 8: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 9: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Day 10: Gorilla trekking experience
Day 11: Golden monkey trekking experience
Day 12: Departure to Kigali
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to a hotel in Entebbe
On the first day of the safari, you will be welcomed from Entebbe International Airport by our driver guide, have a short briefing about the safari and later transfer to your booked hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
After breakfast at the hotel, you will check out and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey to Murchison falls national park which takes about 6 hours’ drive. On the way, you will have a stopover at Ziwa rhino sanctuary where you will be able to see rhinos roaming around the sanctuary and another stopover for en-route lunch. Later proceed to Murchison falls national park and upon arrival, drive to the top of the falls where you will enjoy views of the waterfall, take photos among others. From the top of the falls, you will connect to your booked lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Morning game drive and boat cruise to the bottom of the falls
You will have an early breakfast and the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park for a morning game drive where you will be able to spot animals like elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, lions, leopards, warthogs, Jackson’s hartebeest, oribi, waterbucks, Uganda kobs among others. Later return to the lodge for lunch where after you will go for an amazing boat cruise to the bottom of the falls where you will view hippos and Nile crocodiles in water, buffaloes and elephants along the shores, bird species like hornbills, kingfishers, bee-eater, cormorants among others. After the boat cruise, you will drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Transfer to Kibale forest national park
On the fourth day of the safari, you will have a relaxed breakfast, check out of the hotel and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kibale forest national park. It’s a whole day journey and on the way you will have stopovers for en-route lunch, stretch your legs and take pictures of the beautiful scenery, tea plantations, crater lakes among others. Upon arrival, you will either go for an optional nature walk in Bigodi swamp or connect to your lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking experience and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Wake up and enjoy an early breakfast at the lodge, meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kanyachu Visitors Centre for chimpanzee trekking briefing at around 8:00am. After the briefing you will be allocated a habituated chimpanzee family and start trekking in the forest which takes about 2 to 5 hours depending on their location because they are mobile and like to move deep into the forest in search of food especially during the dry season.
During chimpanzee trekking, you will be able to view other primates like grey cheeked mangabey, blue monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, olive baboons, red tailed monkeys, spot different bird species among others. Once the chimpanzees are located, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in the habitat, watch them feed, breastfeed, play, rest, hunt, fight, take photos and record videos.
After the one hour with the chimpanzees, you will return to the lodge for lunch where after you will check out to transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park which takes about 2 to 3 hours’ drive with stunning views along the way. Upon arrival, check into your booked lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Morning game drive/ lion tracking experience and boat cruise on Kazinga channel
You will have an early breakfast and your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for a morning game drive or lion tracking experience in Kasenyi plains where you will enjoy views of predators like lions, leopards, hyenas looking for a morning hunt, spot large herds of buffaloes, elephants, Uganda kobs, bushbucks, warthogs, waterbucks among others roaming in the open savannah plains.
After the game drive, you will drive back to the lodge for lunch where after you will go for an interesting boat cruise on Kazinga channel a 40km long water channel that connect lake Edward and Lake George.
During the boat cruise, you will be able to view large concentrations of hippos in water, Nile crocodiles basking on the banks, spot buffaloes, elephants, antelopes among others which gather around the shores to drink water, aquatic bird species among others. Later transfer back to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park via Ishasha sector
After breakfast on the seventh day of the safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park. On the way you will have a stopover in Ishasha sector for a game drive where you will be able to view the tree climbing lions lying in acacia/fig tree branches. After the game drive, you will have en-route lunch and then proceed to Bwindi impenetrable national park arriving early evening and upon arrival you will check in at the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Wake up and enjoy an early breakfast at the lodge, carry your lunch box and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters at around 8:00am for a briefing about the rules, regulations and expectations of gorilla trekking.
After the briefing, you will allocated a habituated gorilla family to trek based on your fitness and an experienced park guide. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi national park takes about 2 to 7 hours and while hiking, you will be able to view different bird species, other primates like l’hoest monkeys, chimpanzees, colorful butterflies among others.
Once the mountain gorillas are located, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their environment which gives you a chance to learn about their behaviors, watch them carry out their daily activities, take pictures and record videos to show people back home.
After the encounter with the gentle giants, you will trek back to the starting point where you will be awarded a certificate for participating in gorilla trekking experience and later meet up with your guide to return to the lodge for an evening relaxation dinner and overnight.
Day 9: Transfer to Volcanoes national park
You will have breakfast at leisure, check out of the lodge and meet with your driver guide to transfer to Volcanoes national park Rwanda passing via Cyanika border in Kisoro or Katuna border in Kabale. On the way, you will have en-route lunch and enjoy stunning views of the scenery, landscape, rolling hills, terraced farmlands among others. Upon arrival, connect to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 10: Gorilla trekking experience
After an early breakfast, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge 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 and start trekking in the jungle which takes about 2 to 6 hours depending on where the gorillas slept the previous night.
During the trek, you will be able to spot other wildlife species and once the gorillas are found, you will be able to spend one hour with them in their habitat, watch them feed, groom and breastfeed young ones, rest, play, take photos and record breathtaking videos. Later return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 11: Golden monkey trekking and Ibyi’wacu cultural tour
You will enjoy a hot breakfast at the lodge, meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a golden monkey briefing where after you will start trekking in the forest in search of the golden monkeys with an experienced park guide and park rangers which takes about 2 to 5 hours depending on where the golden monkeys are located.
During golden monkey trekking, you will follow trails of leftover bamboo shoots, leaves where you will be able to view other primates, butterflies, bird species among others. Once the golden monkeys are located, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them, watch them feed, play, rest, jump up in tree branches, take pictures and record memories.
After golden monkey trekking, you will drive back to the lodge for lunch and later go for an interesting cultural tour where you will visit the Ibyi’wacu cultural village, interact with the local people in the neighboring communities, learn about their culture, tradition, enjoy their traditional songs and dance among others. Later return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 12: Departure to Kigali
On the last day of the safari, you will have breakfast at leisure, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kigali. Upon arrival, you will go for a short city tour, visit the Kigali genocide memorial center, Kimironko market among others. Later have lunch and then proceed to Kigali International Airport, where you will be dropped off or drop off at any place of advise.
End of 12 days Uganda Rwanda double gorilla trekking adventure
Tour includes
- Gorilla trekking permits
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Golden monkey trekking permit
- Park entrance fees/ game drives
- Boat cruise fees
- Rhino tracking permit
- Lion tracking experience
- Cultural tour
- All activities included in the itinerary
- Services of a professional English speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Pick up in Entebbe and drop off in Kigali
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled drinking water
Tour excludes
- Air flight tickets
- Visas
- Travel insurance
- Optional activities not included on the itinerary
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, cigarettes, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.
