17 Day Uganda, Rwanda Safari Tours-Gorilla Trekking, Chimpanzee Hiking & Wildlife
This 17 days tour combines 4×4 activity and the popular Gorilla tracking, Chimpanzee tracking, Dian Fossey hike, Canopy walks and game drives driving off the beaten path, with a special holiday twist at Lake Bunyonyi.
Day 1: Kampala City Tour
After breakfast, head for a Kampala city tour, with lunch en-route to visit places like: Namugongo shrines, where most Ugandan Christian believers were burnt alive for failing to denounce their faith; the Bahai temple, the only temple of the Bahai in Africa; the National museum; Makerere University-biggest &oldest university in Uganda; Kasubi Tombs where the Kings of Buganda Kingdom were buried; Gadhaffi Mosque; Namirembe Cathedral; Lubaga Cathedral; the King’s palace-Lubiri.
You will later return to your lodge in the evening for dinner and an overnight sleep
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls NP
Wake up early for breakfast, and transfer to Murchison Falls National park, passing by Ziwa Rhino sanctuary for Rhino Tracking. After here, you will proceed with your journey to Masindi for lunch break, and later arrive at Murchison Falls National Park. You will then visit the top of the falls and after drive to your lodge for dinner and an overnight.
Day 3: Game Drive and Boat Cruise
Wake up early for the morning game drive so as to be able to catch up with early risers as they return to their hiding places, such as lions, leopard, hyenas, bush bucks, among other wild animals. Return to the lodge for late breakfast, relaxation as you wait for lunch. After lunch, set off for a boat cruise to the bottom of the Victoria Nile falls which will reward you with an incredible view of game including hippos, crocodiles, buffalos, elephants and several bird species.
Dinner and overnight stay at your lodge.
Day 4: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
Have breakfast and set off for Kibale Forest National Park. You will drive a scenic journey through the Albertine rift found in the Western arm of Great East African rift valley to Fort Portal, a beautiful town overlooking the mountains of the moon, after which, you will take Western scenic route to Kibale National Park. Arrive in Fort Portal in the evening and proceed to you lodge in Kibale National Park, relax and refresh , as you wait for dinner and overnight at the Lodge.
Day 5: Chimpanzee Tracking and Nature Walk
Have an early morning breakfast and drive to the park headquarters at Kanyanchu Visitor center for chimpanzee briefing by the forest guide. You will then drive to the starting point to begin the search of the chimpanzees. By the help of the guides and forest rangers, you will locate the chimps by listening to their pant-hooting calls and the area from which they are calling. Chimpanzee tracking usually lasts for 2-6 hours depending on their location because they are mobile and only 1 hour is permitted for trackers to fully interact with them, upon their encounter. After here you will return to the park headquarters to pick your chimpanzee trekking certificates, after which you will drive back to the Lodge for Lunch.
Go for a Bigodi swamp walk, where you will sight various bird species including the great blue turaco, plant species, and butterflies in the forest. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Day 6: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park and a Boat Cruise
Wake up early for breakfast and drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park, with an en-route game drive while entering the park. Have lunch upon arrival and later proceed for the launch cruise on the Kazinga Channel. Different animals that come to drink water at the channel and water birds will be viewed along the shores like the buffaloes, elephants, school of hippos, crocodiles as well as a variety of bird species. Dinner and Overnight at the lodge.
Day 7: Game Drives and Nature Walk
Have a cup of coffee and set off for an early morning game drive along Kasenyi tracks and Queens mile in the park where youy might spot lions, elephants, cape buffalos, warthogs, spotted hyenas, mongoose, waterbucks, Kobs among others. Drive back to the lodge for late breakfast, relax and have lunch.
You can also go for a forest nature walk in Maramagambo forest, where you will encounter a number of bird species, tree species, visit the bat caves.
Return to the Lodge for dinner and overnight stay
Day 7: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Have breakfast and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national Park via Ishasha sector , where you might spot tree climbing Lions on the Top of the old fig trees. Proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable National Forest, in the southern part of the country. Arrive at the park in afternoon, and head to the lodge where you relax, have dinner, and an overnight stay whil preparing for the next day
Day 8: Gorilla Tracking and Cultural Walk
In the morning after breakfast, Transfer to the Park headquarters for briefing. Enter the forest for your gorilla trekking adventure. The steeply forested landscape is incredibly dense but criss-crossed by numerous animal trails allowing access for gorilla trekkers to walk through. Gorilla trekking may take 2-8 hours depending on the movements of the gorillas in their natural habitat. You will stay with the gorillas for a maximum of one hour once you encounter them, and then return back to pick your gorilla trekking certificate after which you will be transferred to the Lodge to relax and have lunch. In case you still have time, then you may go for community walk in the evening to visit the Batwa (pygmies) and get entertained with their traditional dances.
Dinner and overnight at the Lodge.
Day 9: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
Wake up early for breakfast, and later drive to Lake Bunyonyi, one of Africa’s deepest lakes and bilhazia-free. You will enjoy a boat ride around the surrounding islands with a great view of terraced hills and relax at the shores of the lake. Dinner and overnight at the Lodge
Day 10: Full Day Relaxation at Lake Bunyonyi
On this day, you will spend a full days relaxing at the Lodge, otherwise, you can also go activities including Zip lining, visiting some cultural communities, birdwatching, swimming among other
Breakfast, lunch, dinner and an overnight stay at the Lodge.
Day 11: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park – Rwanda
You will set off for a scenic drive to Volcanoes national in Rwanda, after your morning breakfast. You will drive passed the Cyanika or Katuna border to Rwanda, as you enjoy the beautiful landscapes the country has to offer. You have lunch en-route, arriving in the afternoon at the lodge where you will have dinner and an overnight stay, as you prepare for Dian Fossey hike to her tomb
Day 12: Golden Monkey tracking/Hike to Dian Fossey Grave
After breakfast, set off for the Park headquarters, where you will hike up to karisoke research centre, established by an American primatologist, Dian Fossey who dedicated her years in conserving the lives of the mountain gorillas until when she was killed and was buried at the center, near Digit a mountain gorilla she loved. On return, take a nature walk to the lakes Buhondo and Burela, or go for community walk, where you will learn about the Banyarwanda culture, and be entertained during their traditional dances.
Dinner and overnight stay at the Lodge
Day 13: Transfer to Lake Kivu
After a relaxed breakfast, you will set off to Lake Kivu, where you will enjoy a boat ride to the coffee island, the hot springs, the Goma-Congo Boarder, as well as the clear spectacular Nyiragongo volcano view. Dinner and overnight at the Lodge.
Day 14: Fully day beach relaxation and boat cruise around the surrounding islands.
Today you will spend the whole day on a boat cruise, and visiting several Islands, after which you will return back to the Lodge in the evening for dinner and overnight at the Lodge.
Day 15: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Have breakfast at your own pace, and later proceed to Nyungwe forest national park, with en route stopovers for scenic photography and lunch. Reach Nyungwe in the Late afternoon for dinner and overnight
Day 16: Forest Canopy walk and Colobus Monkey Tracking
Today you will start you day with an early morning breakfast, and later head to Nyungwe Forest national park for an incredible Canopy walk. You will enjoy the breathtaking view of the Nyungwe Forest, waterfalls and a number of birds at eye-level contact. After here, you proceed for your lunch at the Lodge, after which, you will, embark on colobus monkey tracking where you will encounter other 12 primate species along the track.
Dinner and overnight stay at the Lodge.
Day 17: Transfer to Kigali
After breakfast, transfer to Kigali, with en route visit to the museums, Nyanza king’s palace, among others, Kigali Genocide Memorial, Murambi Genocide Memorial, the crafts shops and the Major market in Kigali, after then drive to Kigali International Airport. To catch up with your flight back home.