7 Days Rwanda Uganda Safari.
7 Days Rwanda Uganda Safari: This is a 7 days combined safari that takes you to Rwanda and Uganda respectively. Main highlights of these 7 days Rwanda Uganda Safari includes; Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes and Bwindi national parks, Lion Tracking Experience, a game drive and boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Detailed Itinerary for the 7 Days Rwanda Uganda Safari.
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali and Transfer to Volcanoes National Park.
Arrival in Kigali and City Tour: On day 1 of your 7 Days Rwanda Uganda Safari, your guide from Explore Rwanda Tours will meet you at your designated pick up location in Kigali City. You will then embark on short tour of Kigali city where you will pay a visit to interesting tourist sites like; the Kigali Genocide Memorial Site, Camp Kigali, Caplaki craft village, Nyamirambo Women’s center and Kimironko market among others.
Transfer to Volcanoes: Have lunch and proceed with your transfer to Volcanoes National Park. The national park is located about 106 kilometers away from Kigali city. It takes about a 2½ hours’ drive from Kigali to the national park.
Volcanoes national park is located in Ruhengeri district in the north-western park of Rwanda. The national park covers 160 square kilometers of rain forest and was established as a national park in 1925 by the Belgian colonial government. The park is home to 13 primate species and more than 200 species of birds.
Upon your arrival in the park, check into your lodge for dinner and accommodation.
Transfer to Volcanoes National Park:
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking and Iby’iwacu Community Tour.
Gorilla Trekking: Have your breakfast early in the morning and proceed to the park’s headquarters in Kinigi; where you will be briefed and place in groups of 8 members each. Your gorilla trekking safari will commence at 8am, therefore it is important to always keep time. Usually, tracking gorilla groups can take between 2-8 hours with an hour of direct contact with the gorillas once they have been located. Hiking through the forest might prove to be a bit cumbersome and thus calls for one to be physical and mentally fit for the vigorous activity. Also remember to come with a good pair of hiking boots and a raincoat, in case it rains while you are in the forest.
Iby’iwacu Community visit: After your gorilla trekking, you will have your packed lunch and later proceed to Iby’iwacu cultural village where you will been taken through the interesting cultural history of the people of Rwanda. While there, you will have a short peek into the day-to-day lifestyle of the locals, get to check out their traditional handcrafts and also watch dance performances from the local dance and drummer’s troupe.
Later head back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 3: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Transfer to Bwindi: Wake up early in the morning and have breakfast at your lodge. Meet up with your guide and transfer to Bwindi national park in Uganda via the Cyanika border. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park shelters half of the world’s remaining species of mountain gorillas. The national park is also home to about 120 mammals and 350 species of birds. Upon your arrival in Bwindi, you will embark on a guided nature walk to explore the beauty of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Get to see the unique bird species inhabiting the forest and monkey species like the vervet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys and so many more.
Upon your arrival in the park, check into your lodge for dinner and accommodation.
Day 4: Gorilla Trekking and Batwa Trail Experience.
Gorilla Trekking: Wake up early in the morning, have breakfast and drive to the park. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi national park starts at 8am every morning and usually takes six to eight hours, inclusive of one hour that is spent with the gorillas once they have been located. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi can be quite challenging due to the impenetrable forest and slippery hiking trails; therefore you will need to be physically and mentally prepared for this activity. Remember to carry a good pair of hiking shoes, some snacks and mineral water to keep hydrated.
Batwa Trail Experience: After your gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi Forest, you will proceed to do the Batwa Trail Experience, which is conducted by local Batwa guides. Get to learn more about the Batwa’s long and ancient history with the forest, and also learn how to make some local herbal medicines, and Batwa traditional hunting skills. Later head back to the park’s headquarters for your gorilla trekking certificate and transfer back to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park and Lion Tracking Experience.
Transfer to Queen: Wake in the morning and have breakfast at your lodge. Check out of your lodge and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The park is located in the western part of Uganda in Kasese district. It is one of the most visited savannah national parks in the country and the best for view lots of wildlife species in Uganda. It takes about 2 hours to get to the park from Bwindi. Upon your arrival in the park, check into your lodge and have lunch.
Lion Tracking Experience: After having lunch and relaxing for a while at your lodge, head out later in the afternoon for the lion tracking experience. You will have an opportunity to see the famous tree climbing lions of Queen, which can be found in the Ishasha sector. You will be accompanied by a park ranger and a team of expert researchers as you search for lions using advanced location tracking devices. This activity will give you the opportunity to have an up close view of the lions. Later drive back to your lodge for dinner and accommodation.
Day 6: Morning Game Drive and Afternoon Boat Cruise.
Morning Game Drive: Have an early morning breakfast and proceed on a morning game drive in the park which begins at 6am. This morning game drive will give you a great chance to view nocturnal animals like leopards, serval cats and other wildlife such as African savannah elephants, hyenas, Uganda Kobs, heart beasts, giraffes, zebras and many more. Queen Elizabeth National Park is blessed with over 612 bird species thus making it a great destination for birding activities. While on your game drive, you may spot birds like the African skimmer, Chapin’s flycatcher, Shoebill stock, the great flamingos and Pink- backed pelicans.
Afternoon Boat Cruise: Return back to your lodge for lunch and in the afternoon, head out for a boat cruise along the Kazinga channel. The boat cruise starts at exactly 1pm and can take approximately 2 hours. During your boat cruise, you may sight lots of wildlife such as hippos, Nile crocodiles, elephants and some species of birds like the great flamingos, Shoebill stock, Ibis and so many others.
Later return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 7: Transfer back to Kigali and Departure.
This is the last day of your 7 days Rwanda Uganda Safari. Wake up at leisure and have your breakfast before checking out of your lodge. Meet up with your guide and transfer back to Kigali city in Rwanda where upon your arrival in the city, your guide will drop you off at any hotel of your choice or at Kigali International Airport. End of Tour.
