10 Days Uganda and Rwanda Safari
This 10 Days Uganda and Rwanda Safari promise an unforgettable and magical experience in two of Africa’s most traveled to destinations. Lots of awesome things to do during these 10 Days Uganda and Rwanda Safari; from visiting the mighty Murchison Falls to chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest National Park, wildlife viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park, gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable and Volcanoes national parks in Uganda and Rwanda respectively. This tour begins from Entebbe/Kampala in Uganda and ends in Kigali city in Rwanda.
Highlights for 10 Days Uganda and Rwanda Safari
Day 1: Pickup from Kampala/Entebbe and Transfer to Murchison Falls NP- Visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Day 2: Morning Game Drive and Afternoon Boat Cruise
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale National Park.
Day 4: Chimpanzee Trek and Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Day 5: Morning game drive and Afternoon Boat cruise
Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 7: Gorilla Trek and Optional Batwa Cultural Tour
Day 8: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Day 9: Gorilla Trek and Iby’iwacu Village Tour
Day 10: Transfer to Kigali and Departure.
Detailed Itinerary for 10 Days Uganda and Rwanda Safari
Day 1: Pickup from Kampala/Entebbe and Transfer to Murchison Falls NP- Visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
You will have an early breakfast before beginning the lengthy journey to Murchison Falls National Park, with a detour at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking and lunch in Masindi. Proceed to Murchison Falls, arriving in the afternoon, and drive to the top of the Falls for a close-up look of the famous ‘Murchison Falls.’
This is Uganda’s biggest park, comprising about 4000 square kilometers, and one of the most stunning in Africa. The park is named by its amazing falls, but it also has rough savannah, deep woods, and spectacular fauna.
Check in to your hotel, relax, have dinner and overnight stay at your lodge.
Day 2: Morning Game Drive and Afternoon Boat Cruise
A full day of game watching in Murchison Falls National Park; start with a morning game drive looking for elephant, buffalo, giraffe, antelope, lion, leopard, and jackal. If chance is on our side, we could see one of Murchison’s rare cheetahs.
In the afternoon, you will ride a boat to the foot of the 43-meter-high waterfalls. This is also an excellent chance to see some of Murchison’s 460 bird species, including the shoebill stork and the goliath heron. You will also observe one of Africa’s most dense hippo and crocodile populations.
Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale National Park.
You’ll eat breakfast and then drive to Kibale. En way, you’ll see the amabere ganyinamwiru stalagmites and waterfalls near Fort Portal, as well as the crater lakes. Have lunch and go to Kibale, arriving late afternoon.
Dinner and overnight stay at your lodge.
Day 4: Chimpanzee Trek and Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
On Day 4 of the 10-day Uganda and Rwanda safari, after an early breakfast, you will check out of the lodge and meet your driver guide to go to the Kanyanchu Visitors Centre for a chimp trekking briefing regarding the laws, regulations, and expectations. Following the briefing, you will be assigned a chimpanzee family to hike with, as well as a park guide who is familiar with the forest’s hiking trail.
Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda’s Kibale Forest National Park takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours depending on their location because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. Once the chimpanzees have been located, you will spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn more about their life style, behaviors, watch them feed, enjoy the juveniles playing up in the trees, take photos and record videos with a flash less.
After the one-hour interaction with the habituated chimpanzees, you will return to the park headquarters, meet your driving guide, and begin your journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park. On the way, you will stop for lunch and enjoy spectacular views of the Rwenzori Mountains, Lake George, and tea plantations, among other things. When you arrive, you will go on an evening game drive in the park, where you will see elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, bushbucks, warthogs, and other animals.
After the game drive you will drive to the lodge check in, have dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Day 5: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Morning game drive,
On Day 5 of your 10-day Uganda and Rwanda safari, your driving guide will pick you up from the resort after an early breakfast for a morning game drive. During the game drive, you will see the dawn, the big four mammals (lions, leopards, elephants, and buffaloes), smaller animals such as waterbucks, bushbucks, and Uganda kobs, as well as many bird species. Following the game drive, you’ll return to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, you will go to the landing spot near Mweya Safari Lodge for an unforgettable boat tour down Kazinga canal, a 40-kilometer-long canal that links Lake George with Lake Edward. During the 2-hour boat trip, you will be able to see large concentrations of hippos and Nile crocodiles in the water, as well as buffaloes, elephants, and warthogs drinking water along the banks, and water birds such as yellow-billed storks, cormorants, hornbills, African skimmer, kingfishers, and fish eagles, among others.
You will also be able to witness fisherman along the coast preparing their fishing gear for night fishing and taking gorgeous photographs, among other things. After the boat tour, you will embark on an evening game drive to see some of the species you missed in the morning before returning to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable NP
In the morning after breakfast, you will embark on a transfer to Bwindi impenetrable forest with lunch en route and arriving in the evening for, check in the lodge and relax. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.
Day 7: Gorilla Trek and Optional Batwa Cultural Tour
After an early morning meal, you will be taken to the park headquarters for a training before being instructed to explore the jungle with the park rangers leading the hunt for the gorillas. This will take between 2-8 hours depending on the gorilla’s activity in the wild, and you will spend no more than one hour with the gorillas before returning to the lodge to unwind.
Later in the evening, you may take an optional tour to surrounding Batwa settlements to engage with the friendly residents, enjoy traditional dance performances, and learn more about their culture. Dinner and overnight stay at your assigned lodging.
Day 8: Transfer to Volcanoes NP
Wake up for your transfer to Volcanoes National Park. The trip takes you past stunning scenery and homesteads, as well as breathtaking vistas of the Virunga Volcanoes. When you arrive in Ruhengeri, check in to your preferred accommodation for lunch. Spend the remainder of the afternoon unwinding at your lodge, preparing for your activities the next day.
Dinner and overnight stay at your lodge.
Day 9: Gorilla Trek and Iby’iwacu Village Tour
Wake up to an early morning breakfast and report to the park headquarters for briefing and allocation of Gorilla trekking groups. Later, you will head into the cold and misty forested slopes of Virunga national park for your Gorilla trek.
Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park can be anywhere between 2 to 6 hours depending on the movement of the Gorillas and upon finding them, you will be allowed 1 hour to see and take photos after which you exit the forest.
Meet your driver/guide and return to the resort. After lunch, you’ll go on a cultural tour of Ibyi’wacu. Learn more about the locals and how they transitioned from poachers to participants in the park’s conservation efforts. You will also tour the old King’s Palace, dress in traditional Rwandan clothing, and see dance performances by the local company.
Dinner and overnight stay at your lodge.
Day 10: Transfer to Kigali and Departure.
Unfortunately, this marks the last day of your 10 Days Uganda and Rwanda Safari with us! After having a hearty breakfast meal at your lodge, you will then check out and meet up with your driver guide. You will then embark on a 3-hours’ drive back to Kigali arriving in time to have lunch at a local restaurant. Drop-off will be at a hotel of your choice in Kigali City or Kigali International Airport if you have a late-night flight to catch back home.
End of 10 Days Uganda and Rwanda Safari.
