8 days Uganda Rwanda gorilla safari

Overview of the 8 Days Uganda Rwanda Gorilla Safari

The 8 Days Uganda Rwanda Gorilla Safari takes you through the impressive countryside landscapes of Uganda and Rwanda providing a perfect escape from the daily bustling life that most people are always accustomed to. The safari incorporates double gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda in the respective parks of Volcanoes and Bwindi, golden Monkey tracking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, recreational boat cruise on Lake Bunyonyi and rewarding wild game viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park including the tree climbing lions, elephants, Buffaloes among others not forgetting the aquatics of the Kazinga Channel namely the Hippos and the Nile Crocodiles.

Safari Highlight of the 8 Days Uganda Rwanda Gorilla Safari

Day 1: Arrive in Rwanda – Kigali International Airport & drive to Volcanoes National Park
Day 2: Undertake gorilla trekking & drive to Uganda (Mgahinga Gorilla National Park)
Day 3: Undertake golden Monkey tracking & drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 4: Undertake gorilla trekking & Batwa Community tour in the evening
Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Do an afternoon boat cruise along Kazinga Channel and evening game drive along channel track
Day 6: Do morning game drive in upper Queen Elizabeth NP & transfer to Ishasha sector for another game drive in search of tree climbing lions
Day 7: Transfer to Kigali. Do Coffee tour en route
Day 8: Departure. Visit the Gisozi genocide memorial if the flight is in the afternoon

Detailed Safari Itinerary of the 8 Days Uganda Rwanda Gorilla Safari

Day 1: Arrive in Rwanda – Kigali International Airport & drive to Volcanoes National Park

You land at Kigali International Airport following your flight from the country of origin where you will be welcomed courteously by the guide giving you briefing about Rwanda and the safari in particular. You embark on the transfer to Volcanoes National Park 116km about 2 - 3 hours’ driving through impressive hills of Rwanda that have earned her the naming as the land of a thousand hills making stops at ideal spots for sightseeing and photography. You continue to arrive in Volcanoes National Park for relaxation, dinner and overnight

Accommodation
Upmarket / Luxury: Mount Gorilla View Lodge / Virunga Lodge
Midrange / Standard: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge / Hotel La Palme
Budget / Basic: Muhabura Hotel
Camping

Day 2: Undertake gorilla trekking & drive to Uganda (Mgahinga Gorilla National Park)

Gather at Volcanoes National Park headquarters Kinigi after breakfast at your place of stay to catch up with briefing at 8am local time. If you arrive early before, you have an opportunity to attend to the impressive Kinyarwanda dance performance and drinking a hot cup of Rwandan coffee till the briefing time. You attend to briefing our respective gorilla groups allocated to you on spot and then embark on the drive to trail heads of each gorilla family. You head to the slopes of the volcanoes in search of these critically endangered apes. You have one hour with them gain at them as they forage, socialize and the silverback demonstrating its manhood. The encounter tends to last 2 – 8 hours depending on the gorilla movements and the gorilla family allocated to you. Retreat from the activity and cross to Uganda for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation
Upmarket / Luxury: Mount Gahinga Lodge
Midrange/Budget: Travellers Rest Kisoro
Wild Camping

Day 3: Undertake golden Monkey tracking & drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Gather at the Park headquarter Mgahinga for briefing at 8am after which you head to the forest in search of the golden monkeys. The golden Monkeys are considered as critically endangered world over and are known to be thriving in the Virunga massif. The hike through the forested landscapes of the Volcanoes gives you an opportunity to explore the impressive flora and fauna not forgetting counts of birds and amazing sceneries of the Volcanoes. The golden monkeys tend to dwell in the Bamboo zone and the encounter tends to last 4 hours. You retreat from the activity and embark on the drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park 201km to Buhoma, 100km to Ruhija and 53km to Rushaga and Nkuringo. Arrive in the evening for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation
Upmarket / Luxury: Chameleon Hill Lodge / Buhoma Lodge
Midrange / Standard: Gorilla Mist Camp / Gorilla Valley Lodge
Budget / Basic: Broadbill Forest Camp
Wild Camping

Day 4: Undertake gorilla trekking & Batwa Community tour in the evening

After breakfast, gather at the respective park headquarters for a rewarding gorilla trekking encounter in the hilly forested landscapes of Bwindi dubbed the impenetrable. You attend to the briefing at 8am after which you head to the mist following your respective gorilla family trails in the company of the ranger guide and a group of 8 gorilla trekkers walking through their challenging hilly landscapes marked with dense undergrowth and mature trees. You eventually come across the critically endangered mountain gorillas thriving in their natural habitat. The one hour is available for you to maximize the experience where you can photo as well. The trekking encounter tend to last 2 – 8 hours after which you retreat from the activity and retreat to the lodge for relaxation. In the evening, you explore the Batwa people which are known to be among the last groups of short people in the world. The Batwa are shorter than an average person and have got impressive traditions that are worth exploring. You attend to their cultural performances and retreat from the activity for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation
Upmarket / Luxury: Chameleon Hill Lodge / Buhoma Lodge
Midrange / Standard: Gorilla Mist Camp / Gorilla Valley Lodge
Budget / Basic: Broadbill Forest Camp
Wild Camping

Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Do an afternoon boat cruise along Kazinga Channel and evening game drive along channel track
Embark on the drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park in the north of Bwindi 160km from Buhoma, 218km from Ruhija, 309km from Rushaga and 316km from Nkuringo. You will drive through impressive rural landscapes of Kihihi and Kanungu before arriving in the Mweya Peninsular where you gather at the Mweya jetty for an afternoon boat cruise starting at 2pm for Marasa and 3pm for UWA with the interval of 2hours to make a round trip for another turn. The encounter offers you opportunity of encountering the Nile crocodiles, the Hippos and water birds along the channel. The wild game also tends to come to the channel shores to quench their thirst. Retreat from that and do a game drive along the channel track as you connect to the lodge for overnight.

Accommodation
Upmarket / Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge / Katara Lodge
Midrange / Standard: Enganzi Game Lodge / Kasenyi Safari Camp / Marafiki Safari Lodge
Budget / Basic: Pumba Safari Cottages
Wild Camping

Day 6: Do morning game drive in upper Queen Elizabeth NP & transfer to Ishasha sector for another game drive in search of tree climbing lions

Drive to the rolling plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park with its extensive savannah grassland for amazing game viewing experience after breakfast. The drive through the Kasenyi tracks enables you to explore a range of game including the elephants, lions, buffaloes, leopards, water bucks, side stripped jackals among other species. The activity tends to last 3 – hours after which you will embark on the transfer to the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park named Ishasha. You undertake a game drive in Ishasha sector in search of tree climbing lions that tend to lie on fig tree branches overlooking their prey in the plains. Retire for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation
Upmarket / Luxury: Ishasha Wilderness Camp
Midrange / Standard: Ishasha Jungle Lodge
Budget / Basic: Savannah Resort Hotel
Wild Camping

Day 7: Transfer to Kigali. Do Coffee tour en route

After breakfast embark on the transfer back to Kigali. You will drive through impressive Kigezi highlands dubbed the Switzerland of Africa and the impressive hill sides of Rwanda dubbed the land of a thousand Islands. You undertake coffee plantation tour en route in Kanungu district exploring the coffee growing practices right from planting to maintenance, harvesting, processing and eventual use. You participate in the process like harvesting and gain an authentic touch of the local coffee growing and enjoy the themed interpretation from the local farmers explaining the significance of coffee and its cultural attachment especially its use in extending friendship among individuals. You arrive in Kigali in the evening for relaxation, dinner and overnight

Accommodation
Upmarket / Luxury: Hotel des Milles Collines
Midrange / Standard: Hotel Chez Lando
Budget / Basic: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel

Day 8: Departure. Visit the Gisozi genocide memorial if the flight is in the afternoon

This day is dedicated for your departure but if the flight is in the evening, embark on the tour to the Kigali genocide memorial exploring the historic living museum of the horrific genocide that befell Rwanda in the year 1994. It is the greatly visited genocide memorial in Rwanda and it features a detailed themed interpretation of the entire occurrence. Retreat to connect to Kigali International Airport for flight departure.

End of the 8 Days Uganda Rwanda Gorilla Safari