13 Days Uganda Rwanda Combined Tour

This 13 day Uganda Rwanda combined tour is an incredible East African adventure that starts in Entebbe – Uganda and ends in Kigali- Rwanda. The safari will take you to interesting destinations like Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kibale Forest National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, and Volcanoes National Park.

During the safari, you will get an opportunity to engage in amazing activities like chimpanzee trekking, gorilla trekking and golden monkey trekking.

You will also be able to spot different animals, including the big five lions, leopards, buffaloes, rhinos, elephants, waterbucks, giraffes, Uganda kobs, bushbucks, hippos, Nile crocodiles, topi, oribi, among others.

Highlights

Day 1: Pick up and transfer to a hotel in Entebbe

Day 2: Transfer to Murchison falls national park via Ziwa rhino sanctuary

Day 3: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise

Day 4: Transfer to Kibale forest national park

Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park

Day 6: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise

Day 7: Ishasha game drive and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park

Day 8: Gorilla trekking experience

Day 9: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi—boat ride

Day 10: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park—Twin Lake Tour

Day 11: Gorilla trekking experience

Day 12: Golden monkey trekking and Iby’iwacu cultural tour

Day 13: Departure to Kigali

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Pick up and transfer to a hotel in Entebbe

Depending on your arrival time at Entebbe international airport on day one of the safari, the driver guide from Achieve Global Safaris will pick you up from the airport, brief you about the safari and later transfer to your hotel in Entebbe for dinner and overnight.

Day 2: Transfer to Murchison falls national park

You will be picked up from your hotel by the driver guide to start the journey to Murchison Falls National Park. On the way, you will have a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Nakasongola for rhino tracking and en route lunch, after which you will proceed to Murchison Falls National Park. Upon arrival, drive to the top of the falls, where you will see the most powerful waterfall in the world; take pictures and later connect to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise to the bottom of the falls

Take breakfast and after meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park for a morning game drive where you will spot animals like buffaloes, lions, giraffes, elephants, oribi, Jackson’s hartebeest, leopards, waterbucks, Uganda kobs, and warthogs, among others. After the drive, you will return to the lodge for lunch and later go for an amazing boat cruise to the bottom of the falls.

The boat cruise takes about 2 to 3 hours and offers stunning views of hippos and Nile crocodiles in water; views of antelopes, buffaloes and elephants along the shores; and views of aquatic bird species like the African fish eagle, Goliath heron, hornbills, cormorants, and kingfishers, among others. After the launch cruise, drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Transfer to Kibale forest national park

After breakfast, have a relaxed breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey to Kibale Forest National Park in western Uganda.

On the way you will enjoy stunning views of the Rwenzori Mountain peaks, tea plantations, and crater lakes and a stopover for en route lunch in Fort Portal. Upon arrival in Kibale National Park, you will connect to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking experience and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park

After an early breakfast, your driver-guide will pick you up from the lodge to transfer you to Kanyachu Visitors Centre for a chimpanzee trekking briefing, after which you will be allocated a chimpanzee trekking group to trek with and an experienced park guide.

Chimpanzee treks in Kibale Forest National Park take about 2 to 5 hours depending on where the chimpanzees are located. During chimpanzee trekking, you will be able to view other primates like blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons, grey-cheeked mangabeys, black and white colobus monkeys, different bird species, and animals, among others.

Once the chimpanzees are located, you will be able to spend one hour with them, which gives you an opportunity to learn more about their behaviors and habits and watch them feed, breastfeed young ones, hunt, rest, and take pictures and videos.

After the one hour with the chimpanzees, you will trek back to the starting point, where you will meet up with your driver guide and drive back to the lodge for lunch. After lunch, you will check out of the lodge to transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, which takes about 2 to 3 hours’ drive. You will enjoy views of the crater lakes, tea plantations, and the Equator on the way and upon arrival in the park, you will check into the lodge for an evening of relaxation, dinner and an overnight stay.

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

Wake up early, take breakfast, meet your driver guide and head out for a morning game drive or lion tracking experience in the Kasenyi plains, where you will be able to spot abundant wildlife species including elephants, buffaloes, lions, Uganda kobs, hyenas, waterbucks, bushbucks, leopards, warthogs, and others. Later, drive back to the lodge for lunch.

After lunch you will go for an exciting boat cruise on Kazinga Channel, a 40 km long water body that connects Lake George and Lake Edward. During the boat cruise, you will be able to view hippos in water, Nile crocodiles basking on the shores, elephants, buffaloes drinking water along the water banks, and aquatic bird species like African fish eagles, vultures, pelicans, hornbills, cormorants, and kingfishers, among others. After the boat cruise, you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 7: Ishasha game drive and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park

You will have breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. On the way you will have a stopover in the Ishasha sector for a game drive where you will be able to spot the tree-climbing lions lying in acacia/fig tree branches and other animals like buffaloes, elephants, waterbucks, topis, and Uganda kobs, among others. After the game drive, you will have en route lunch and then continue to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, and upon arrival, you will check in at the lodge for dinner and overnight.

 Day 8: Gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi impenetrable national park

After an early breakfast, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge with your packed lunch to transfer to the park headquarters for a gorilla trekking briefing, after which you will be allocated an experienced park guide and park rangers and start trekking in the jungle in search of the mountain gorillas, which takes about 2 to 7 hours.

During gorilla trekking, you will be able to view other primates, bird species, plants, and more. 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 like feeding and grooming young ones, playing, taking photos, and recording videos.

After the encounter with the gentle giants, you will trek back to the park headquarters, where you will be awarded a certificate for participating in the gorilla trekking activity and then meet up with your driver guide to return to the lodge for an evening relaxation dinner and overnight.

Day 9: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi—boat ride

You will have breakfast at leisure, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Lake Bunyonyi, which is the deepest lake in Uganda and the journey takes about a 2- to 3-hour drive.

Upon arrival, you will go for an interesting boat ride where you will explore the islands, learn about their history, enjoy views of the landscape and terraced farmlands, and spot different bird species, among others.

After the boat ride, you will connect to your lodge for lunch and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. Dinner and overnight.

Day 10: Transfer to Volcanoes national park

Upon taking breakfast, start the journey to Volcanoes National Park. On the way, you will enjoy views of the rolling hills and farmlands and a stopover for en route lunch, after which you will proceed to Volcanoes National Park. Upon arrival, you will visit the twin lakes of Lake Burera and Lake Ruhondo and later connect to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 11: Gorilla trekking experience

You will have an early breakfast, carry a packed lunch and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kinigi Park headquarters for a gorilla trekking briefing. After the briefing, you will be allocated a gorilla family and start trekking in the jungle, which takes about 2-6 hours depending on where the gorillas are located.

During the trek you will enjoy views of other wildlife species and once the mountain gorillas are found, you will be able to spend one hour with them in their habitat, watching them feed, play, breastfeed, groom young ones, and take photos and record videos to show people back home after the safari. Later return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 12: Golden monkey trekking

Your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge after breakfast to go for a briefing about the rules, regulations and expectations of golden monkey trekking.

After the briefing, you will start trekking in the forest in search of the golden monkeys, which takes about 2 to 5 hours depending on where they slept the previous night.

Once they are located, you will have a chance to watch them play, feed, jump up in tree branches, and take photos and videos. After the one hour with the golden monkeys, you will return to the lodge for lunch, after which you will either engage in the optional Ibyi’wacu cultural tour or spend the rest of the day at leisure. Dinner and overnight.

Day 13: Departure to Kigali

After a relaxed breakfast on the last day of the safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kigali. Upon arrival, you will go for a city tour where you will visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center, craft markets, art centers, among others.

After the Kigali city tour, you will have lunch and transfer to Kigali International Airport, where you will be dropped off for your departure flight or drop off at the hotel in Kigali depending on your schedule.

End of Uganda-Rwanda safari

The 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
• All activities included in the itinerary
• Services of a professional English-speaking driver guide
• Full board accommodation
• Pick up from Entebbe and drop off in Kigali
• Vehicle and fuel
• Bottled drinking water

The tour excludes                   

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