8 Days Best Uganda & Congo Safari

8 Days Best Uganda & Congo Safari (Uganda Gorilla trekking, wildlife safari & Nyiragongo hiking safari from Kigali)

8 Days Best Uganda & Congo Safari from Kigali is one of the best combined Uganda safaris and Congo safari starting from Kigali Rwanda. This safari covers both Nyiragongo volcanoes hiking, gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park, chimpanzee trekking in kibale, and Uganda wildlife viewing adventure. 8 days Uganda Gorilla trekking, wildlife safari & Nyiragongo hiking safari from Kigali as stated starts from Kigali but will end in Uganda.

Highlights of 8 Days Best Uganda & Congo Safari

Day 1: Kigali city tour and transfer to Gisenyi
Day 2: Hike Mount Nyiragongo (Ascend)
Day 3: Descend Mount Nyiragongo and Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 4: Uganda Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 6: Morning game drive and afternoon Kazinga channel boat cruise
Day 7: Transfer to Kibale forest national park and trek chimpanzees
Day 8: Transfer to Kampala

Detailed Safari Itinerary

Day 1: Kigali city tour and transfer to Gisenyi

Transfer to Gisenyi: On day 1 of 8 days Uganda Gorilla trekking, wildlife safari & Nyiragongo hiking safari from Kigali, you will be picked up from your hotel in Kigali or direct from Kigali international airport upon landing then head out for a Kigali city tour where you will explore the genocide memorial sites in Kigali, visit kimironko market and later on have lunch at any hotel in Kigali. After lunch, you will embark on a drive from Kigali to Gisenyi where you will visit more of genocide memorial sites and if time allows, have an evening boat cruise on stunning Lake Kivu. Head to the lodge later in the evening for hotel check in, dinner and overnight in Gisenyi.

Day 2: Hike Mount Nyiragongo (Ascend)

Hike Nyiragongo (Ascend): After breakfast at the lodge in Gisenyi on day 2 of 8 days Uganda Gorilla trekking, wildlife safari & Nyiragongo hiking safari from Kigali, check out of the lodge with packed lunch and meet with your safari driver to start the journey from Gisenyi to Goma where you will cross via Grande barrier into Congo for clearances. After clearing with the park management, you will obtain your Nyiragongo hiking permit and later on be driven by the convoy direct to Kibati ranger post where you will take part in briefing before the real hike starts at 10:00am. During briefing, you will learn important information about Nyiragongo that is the most visited and active volcano whose last eruption in 2002 was very destructive and claimed several lives of both people and wildlife without forgetting the destruction of properties it caused. Ensure that you hire a porter to carry your backpack and extra luggage, hire a sleeping bag in case you dint carry one. During Nyiragongo hike, look out for a possibility to view different species of wildlife along the way and the view of the nearby volcanoes with in Virunga Massif. About 6 hours are enough for you to summit the top of Nyiragongo. While at the summit, you will spend the entire night watching the glowing lave lake that is the major reason as to why tourists hike up Nyiragongo and even spend an overnight there.

Day 3: Descend Mount Nyiragongo and Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park

Descend Nyiragongo: Early in morning on day 3 of 8 days Uganda Gorilla trekking, wildlife safari & Nyiragongo hiking safari from Kigali at about 5:30am, arise at the summit of Nyiragongo, prepare yourself, have breakfast if possible and join other hikers, rangers and any other person in preparation to start descending as early as 6:30am. descending is more fun and less tiresome taking about 3 hours to reach back at Kibati where you will be picked and driven back to Goma to meet with your safari driver. You will be picked up and driven to a nearby hotel for a hot meal and finally embark on a drive to Bwindi impenetrable national park in southwestern part of Uganda where you will arrive in evening, have dinner served and take enough rest in preparation for gorilla trekking on day 4 of your safari.

Day 4: Uganda Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park: After breakfast on day 4 of 8 days Uganda Gorilla trekking, wildlife safari & Nyiragongo hiking safari from Kigali, pack all that you require for this trek including appropriate trekking gear, enough drinking water and snack then meet your safari driver to be driven to the park headquarters for briefing. After briefing, hire a porter and finally set off for a 30 minutes to 7 hours trail in search of endangered mountain gorillas that have been habituated and used to human beings. One hour is the maximum time offered to all trekkers to spend with gorillas in their natural habitats. In this one hour, you are free to take photographs but remember to turn off your flash light as long as you’re in the wild with gorillas. Once an hour elapses, you will trek back to the starting point where you will be picked by your guide and returned to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park

Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park: Enjoy a relaxed breakfast at the lodge on day 5 of 8 days Uganda Gorilla trekking, wildlife safari & Nyiragongo hiking safari from Kigali, check out and meet your safari driver to start a journey from Bwindi impenetrable national park with packed lunch to Queen Elizabeth national park via southern part of the park where you will enjoy your packed lunch or have lunch at any hotel in Ishasha sector. After enjoying your lunch, have a game drive within Ishasha sector where you will watch the tree climbing lions as they sleep lazily in tree branches while overlooking other grazing mammals mainly Uganda Kob. After the game drive in Ishasha sector, you will be driven direct to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 6: Morning game drive and afternoon Kazinga channel boat cruise

Morning game drive in Kasenyi plain: Have an early morning breakfast on day 6 of 8 days Uganda Gorilla trekking, wildlife safari & Nyiragongo hiking safari from Kigali, then meet your driver for a game drive in kasenyi plains of queen Elizabeth national park where a good variety of wildlife species thrill. During the game drive, you will sight out Lions, buffaloes, elephants, plenty of bird species, butterflies and many other fauna and flora species. After the game drive, you will return to the lodge for lunch.
Afternoon boat cruise: Later in the afternoon, meet your safari driver again for a transfer to Kazinga channel where you will spend 2-3 hours cruising along this channel while overlooking different wildlife along the shores including Hippos, Crocodiles, and water birds among others. This will mark the end of your day as you drive back to your lodge for dinner and have a restful night.

Day 7: Transfer to Kibale forest national park and trek chimpanzees

Transfer to Kibale forest national park: after breakfast at the lodge in Queen Elizabeth national park on day 7 of 8 days Uganda Gorilla trekking, wildlife safari & Nyiragongo hiking safari from Kigali, check out of the lodge and meet your driver for a drive to Kibale forest national park a home to 13 species of primates including chimpanzees, baboons, monkeys among others. Upon arrival at the park, you will check in at the hotel, have lunch and finally be transferred to Kanyanchu for briefing about chimpanzee trekking dos and don’ts while in the wilderness with chimpanzees. Trekking chimpanzees takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours but be sure to spend a full one hour in presence of chimpanzees and finally return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 8: Transfer to Kampala

Transfer to Kampala: Enjoy a relaxed breakfast at the lodge on day 8 of 8 days Uganda Gorilla trekking, wildlife safari & Nyiragongo hiking safari from Kigali then check out of the lodge and start the 5-6 hours’ drive journey to Kampala the capital city of Uganda. Upon arrival in Kampala, you have lunch then embark on a city tour before being driven to either your hotel or to Entebbe international airport for departures.

End of 8 days Uganda Gorilla trekking, wildlife safari & Nyiragongo hiking safari from Kigali