The 14 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari leads you to both wildlife and birding on Uganda safari by visiting several different magical safari places. This trip starts and ends in Kampala/ Entebbe International Airport.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to a hotel in Entebbe
Upon arrival time at Entebbe International Airport on the first day of the 14 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari, you will be welcomed by our driver guide who will brief you about the safari and then transfer to a hotel in Entebbe for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at Protea hotel Entebbe-luxury/ Best western hotel-midrange or Cycad guest house-budget.
Meal plan: Half Board
Day 2: Birding at Mabamba Swamp
After breakfast, the driver guide will pick you up from your hotel with your packed lunch boxes, brief you about the safari and start your trip to Mabamba wetlands. Mabamba Swamp lies around the shores of Lake Victoria and is one of the best birding sites in Uganda that offers visitors perfect birding experience and an encounter with different bird species. This site is also one of the few places in Uganda where there are higher chances to experience the rare shoebill stork. You will take a canoe ride at Mabamba where you will get closer to different bird species that harbors here.. You may also see other bird species. After the birding excursion, drive back to the hotel for dinner and overnight as above.
Meal plan: Full Board
Day 3: Transfer to Murchison falls national park via Ziwa rhino sanctuary
On the third day of the 14 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari, our driver guide will pick you up from the hotel to begin the journey to Murchison Falls National Park which is the largest national park in Uganda. The journey takes about 5 to 6 hours’ drive and on the way you will have a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking where after you will proceed the journey with another stopover in Masindi town for lunch. After lunch you will proceed to Murchison Falls National Park.Upon arrival you will drive directly to the top of the falls where you enjoy the stunning waterfall, enjoy water splashes and others. From the top of falls, you will drive to check into your booked lodge for dinner and overnight stay at Twiga safari lodge-super-midrange/ Pakuba safari lodge-midrange or Parkside safari lodge-budget.
Meal plan:Full Board
Day 4: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
After an early breakfast on the fourth day of the 14 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for a morning game drive where you will be impressed with stunning views of animals such as giraffes, buffaloes, elephants, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, lions, leopards, warthogs, Jackson’s hartebeest and others. After the game drive,return to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch ,you will go for an impressing boat cruise to the bottom of the falls where you will be able to view animals like elephants, antelopes, buffaloes which will be drinking water along the shores, view hippos and Nile crocodiles in water, view aquatic bird species such as hornbills, cormorants, king fishers, bee-eaters, fish eagles among others. After the interesting boat cruise you will return back to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight as above.
Meal plan: Full Board
Day 5: Transfer to Kibale National Park
After breakfast on the fifth day of the safari ,followed by check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to set off to Kibale Forest National Park which lies in western Uganda. It’s a whole day journey and on the way you will have en-route lunch and enjoy gainfull views of the beautiful scenery, landscape, tea plantation, Rwenzori Mountains, views of the crater lakes many more. Arrive in Kibale national park, you will continue to check into the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at Chimpundu lodge-luxury/ Chimpanzee forest lodge-midrange or Kibale forest lodge-budget
Meal plan: Full Board
Day 6: Chimpanzee habituation and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Wake up have early breakfast, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge with your lunch box to transfer to the Kanyachu park headquarters for a chimpanzee trekking briefing. After the briefing you will be allocated an experienced park guide and start trekking in the forest in search of chimpanzees which takes a whole day. During trekking you will be stunned with views of other primates, views of different bird species among others. once the chimpanzees are located you will be allowed to spend four hours with them in their environment which helps you to watch and monitor their behaviors, watch them feed, play, fight, hunt, rest, take photos and record videos.
After the encounter with the chimpanzees, you will walk back to the park headquarters where you will meet up with your driver guide and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park – home to divesirty of wildlife. Depending on your time, have stopovers to take some pictures of the tea plantations, crater lakes many more, before accessing the park. Upon arrival, followed by the check into the lodge for Dinner and overnight at Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge (budget)/Elephant hub Lodge (midrange) or Elephant plains lodge-luxury.
Meal plan: Full Board
Day 7: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
After an early breakfast, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for a morning game drive in Kasenyi plains. During the game drive you will be able to adventure different animals such as elephants, buffaloes, warthogs, Uganda kobs, waterbucks which will be grazing in open savannah plains, view predators like lions, leopards, hyenas which will be looking for a morning hunt, view bird species and others. After the game drive you will drive back to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch you will go for an interesting boat cruise on Kazinga channel a water channel that connect lake Edward and lake George. During the boat cruise which takes about 2 to 3 hours, you will be able to view large herds of hippos and Nile crocodiles in water, view buffaloes, elephants, warthogs, waterbucks drinking water along the shores, view water birds such as hornbills, cormorants, fish eagles, king fisher’s among others. After the boat ride you will return to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight as above.
Meal plan :Full Board
Day 8: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
You will enjoy a delicious breakfast, 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 in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth national park where you will be able to view the unique tree climbing lions which will be lazily lying up in acacia/ fig tree branches. After the game drive in Ishasha sector you will have lunch and then continue the journey to the park with great views of the beautiful landscape, countryside, Kigezi hills, terraced farmlands among others. Upon arrival in Bwindi impenetrable national park you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at Sanctuary gorilla forest camp/Buhoma lodge-luxury/ Buhoma haven lodge-midrange or Buhoma community rest camp-budget
Meal plan: Full Board
Day 9: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
After an early breakfast, you will carry a packed lunch and meet up with your driver guide to drive to the park headquarters for a gorilla trekking briefing. After the briefing, you will be allocated a gorilla family to trek and be accompanied by skilled park guide who knows about different gorilla trekking trails. Trekking of mountain gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable national park takes about 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on where the gorillas are located . During trekking you will be able to view other primate species, different bird species, plants, others and once the mountain gorillas are located, you will be able to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which offers you an opportunity to observe their behaviors, watch them carry out their daily activities ; feeding, playing, breastfeeding, grooming young ones, take photos and record videos.
After the one hour experience with the gentle giants you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will be rewarded a certificate for participating in gorilla trekking and then meet up with your driver guide back to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight as above.
Meal plan: Full Board
Day 10: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi-boat ride
Have breakfast at leisure, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Lake Bunyonyi in Kabale. Upon arrival, check into the lodge or lunch where after you will drive for an afternoon boat ride where you will be able to explore the 29 islands, punishment and floating islands, learn more about its history, enjoy spectacular views of the scenery, landscape, terraced farmlands, different bird species many more.
After the boat ride you will either return to the lodge for relaxation or engage in optional activities like zip lining experience where you will be able to swing on top of the calm waters of Lake Bunyonyi, nature walk many more. Later ,drive back to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at Arcadia lodge-super midrange or Lake Bunyonyi eco resort-budget.
Meal plan: Full Board
Day 11: Transfer to Volcanoes National park (Rwanda)
Wake up have a relaxed breakfast, followed by check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Volcanoes national park. The drive goes through the beautiful country side, rolling hills and peoples homesteads along with amazing views of the Virunga Volcanoes among others. On the way, you will have en-route lunch .Upon arrival at Ruhengeri, you will connect to relax at your lodge. Dinner and overnight stay at Virunga inn resort and spa-luxury/ Da Vinci Gorilla lodge for mid-range/Hotel Muhabura for budget.
Meal plan: Full Board
Day 12: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Have an early breakfast, carry a packed lunch and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a gorilla trekking briefing. After the briefing, you will be assigned a gorilla family to trek to and a knowledgeable park guide. Trekking of mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park takes about 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on where the gorillas are located. During trekking, you will be able to view other primate species, different bird species, plants . On finding the mountain gorillas ,you will be able to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which offers you an opportunity to observe their behaviors, watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, playing, breastfeeding, grooming young ones, take photos and record videos for your future remember. After the one-hour with the mountain gorillas, you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight as above.
Meal plan: Full Board
Day 13: Golden monkey trekking
On the 13th day of the 14 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari, you will wake up have an early morning breakfast, be driven to the park headquarters for briefing and later enter the forest and hike while in search of the golden monkeys. Tracking the golden monkeys rewards views of other primates like the black and white Colobus monkeys, Olive baboons and many more. Once the golden monkeys are allocated, you will be able to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which offers you a chance to learn about their behaviors, watch them feed, play, jump up in trees, take photos and record videos. After the one-hour with the golden monkeys, you will drive back to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight as above.
Meal plan: Full Board
Day 14: Transfer to Kigali
After a delicious breakfast on the last day of the 14 days Uganda Rwanda safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer back to Kigali. Upon arrival in Kigali, you will go for a short city tour where you will visit the genocide memorial Centre, Kimironko market among others. After the amazing city tour, you will have lunch and later drive to Kigali international airport where you will be dropped for your departure flight or drop off at any place of advice.
End of 14 days Uganda Rwanda safari.
Price includes
• Uganda gorilla trekking permits @ $800pp
• Rwanda gorilla trekking permits @ $1,500pp
• Chimpanzee habituation permit @ $300pp
• Golden monkey permits @ $100pp
• Park entrance fees/ game drives
• Boat cruise fees
• Birding at Mabamba swamp
• All mentioned activities
• Full time English speaking driver guide
• Accommodation as indicated in the itinerary
• All meals at the lodge (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
• Pick up and drop off in Kigali
• 4WD safari Van and fuel
• Bottled drinking water
Price excludes
• Air flight tickets and Visas
• Optional activities not included on the itinerary
• Life insurance
• Lion tracking experience
• Tipping
• Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter among others
