7 days Uganda gorilla and wildlife safari from Kigali
The 7 days Uganda gorilla and wildlife safari from Kigali is an interesting safari that starts and ends in Kigali Rwanda. The safari will take you to Bwindi impenetrable national park in southwestern part of Uganda where you will get an opportunity to visit the endangered mountain gorillas and spend one hour with them in their natural habitat. During the 7 days Uganda gorillas and wildlife safari from Kigali, you will also visit Queen Elizabeth national park where you will be able to view elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, bushbucks, warthogs, hippos during the game drive and boat cruise on Kazinga channel and Kibale forest national park where you will be able to view chimpanzees in their natural environment.
Highlights of the 7 days Uganda gorilla and wildlife safari from Kigali
Day 1: Pick up from Kigali airport and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 4: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 5: Morning game drive and transfer to Kibale forest national park
Day 6: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk
Day 7: Departure to Kigali
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up from Kigali and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park,
Depending on your location in Kigali on the first day of the 7 days Uganda gorilla and wildlife safari from Kigali, you will be welcomed by our representative who will brief you about the safari and then start the journey to Bwindi impenetrable national park. The journey takes about 3 to 4 hours’ drive passing through Cyanka border in Kisoro or Katuna border in Kabale. On the way you will enjoy great views of the rolling hills, countryside, terraced farmlands among others. Upon arrival in the park, you will continue to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Gorilla trekking,
After an early breakfast on the second day of the 7 days Uganda gorilla and wildlife safari from Kigali, you will carry packed lunch and your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules, regulations and expectations of gorilla trekking. After the briefing you will be allocated a gorilla family to trek and a park guide who is knowledgeable about the gorillas and well conversant with trails in the jungle. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park takes about 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on where the gorillas are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking you will have views of animals, other primates like l’hoest monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, chimpanzees, different bird species among others. Once the gorillas are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their habitat which gives you an opportunity to watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, breastfeeding, playing, observe their behaviors, take great photos and record the breathtaking moments to show people back home. After the one hour encounter with the gentle giants you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will be awarded a certificate for participating in gorilla trekking, meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
After breakfast on the third day of the 7 days Uganda gorilla and wildlife safari from Kigali, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park. On the way you will pass through Ishasha sector in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth national park where you will get an opportunity to spot the tree climbing lions which will be lying up in fig tree branches. After the game drive in Ishasha sector you will have lunch where after you will continue the journey to Queen Elizabeth national park and upon arrival you will check in at the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Morning game drive/ lion tracking and afternoon boat cruise
Morning game drive/lion tracking,
You will have breakfast on the fourth day of the 7 days Uganda gorilla and wildlife safari and meet up with your driver guide to go for a morning game drive or lion tracking experience in Kasenyi plains. During the game drive you will be rewarded with great views of large herds of elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, bushbucks, waterbucks, warthogs which will be grazing in the open savannah plains view predators like lions, leopards if you are lucky, variety of bird species among others. After the game drive you will drive to the lodge for lunch.
Boat cruise,
After lunch you will go for an exciting boat cruise on Kazinga channel a water body that connects Lake George and Lake Edward. During the boat cruise which takes about 2 hours you will get a chance to view elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, warthogs drinking water along the shores, view large concentrations of hippos and Nile crocodiles in water, water birds like martial eagle, papyrus gonolek, pelicans, hornbills, African skimmers, cormorants, African spoonbills, fish eagles, king fisher’s among others and also view fishermen organizing their fishing nets along the water banks. After the boat ride you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Morning game drive and transfer to Kibale forest national park
After breakfast on day 5 of the 7 days Uganda gorilla and wildlife safari from Kigali, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for another game drive in the park where you will be able to view animals that you might have missed during the previous game drive. After the game drive, you will return to the lodge for lunch where after you will check out of the lodge and start the journey to Kibale forest national park. On the way you will enjoy great views of the landscape, crater lakes, tea plantations among others and upon arrival you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight
Day 6: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk
After an early breakfast on the seventh day of the 7 days Uganda gorilla and wildlife safari from Kigali, you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kanyachu Visitors Centre for chimpanzee trekking briefing. After the briefing you will be allocated a chimpanzee family to trek and a park guide who is well conversant with trails in the forest. Trekking of chimpanzees in Kibale forest national park takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours depending on where the chimpanzees are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking you will be able to spot other primates such as grey cheeked mangabey, black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, some bird species, plants among others. Once the chimpanzees are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which helps you to learn more about their behaviors, watch them feed, breastfeed, fight, hunt, enjoy the juveniles playing up in the trees, take photos and record the moments. After the face to face encounter with the chimpanzees you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will meet up with your driver guide to return to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch you will go for an interesting swamp walk in Bigodi swamp where you will be able to view different bird species, animals like sitatungas, view different plant and tree species among others. After the swamp walk, you will drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Departure to Kigali
On the last day of the 7 days Uganda gorilla and wildlife safari from Kigali, you will have a relaxed breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey to Kigali. On the way you will have a stopover for lunch where after you will continue the journey to Kigali and upon arrival, your driver guide will drop you off at Kigali international airport for your departure flight or drop off at any place of advise.
End of 7 days Uganda gorilla and wildlife safari from Kigali.
Tour includes
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Chimpanzee trekking
- Park entrance fees/ game drives
- Boat cruise fees
- Bigodi swamp walk
- Professional English speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Ground transfers (in a 4WD vehicle)
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled drinking water
Tour excludes
- International air flight tickets
- Visas
- Optional activities not included on the itinerary
- Life insurance
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.