Enjoy the excitement Rwanda’s tourism has to offer on the 12 Days Rwanda Uganda Wildlife Safari. Cross the border and have a taste of the Savannah Wildlife in Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park. This African Safari will explore with you on mountain gorilla trekking, Chimpanzee & golden monkey tracking, wildlife game drives, Kigali genocide memorial and the picturesque landscapes Uganda and Rwanda have to offer. 
Safari Highlights
- Tracking the famous chimpanzees, experiencing the canopy walk and witnessing beautiful birds in the Nyungwe Forest National Park.
- Taking a guided nature walk in the forest to see a variety of other animals and primates found in Nyungwe Forest.
- Breathtaking Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park.
- The rare treat at the beautifully created Lake Bunyonyi where you will enjoy cool canoe rides as you spot splendid varieties of birds and wildlife; marvel at spectacular scenic views and experience native cultural exposures.
- The thrill of trekking the elusive Golden monkeys in the airy bamboo forest.
- Enjoying game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park and a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel.
- Hiking the Gahinga mountain ranges to visit the beautiful Lake Mutanda, surrounded by volcanic mountains.
- Visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre, a sobering and yet touching museum dedicated to the nearly one million people who lost their lives in the conflict and is now an educational site with museums and exhibits dedicated to preventing genocides around the world.
Day 1: Arrival
Upon arrival at the Airport our safari guide will meet you and transfer you to the city of Kigali. Time allowing you will have a Kigali City excursion. You will visit the Genocide memorial site, the colourful markets and the craft centres before retiring to your hotel for dinner and overnight. This marks the start of the 12 Days Rwanda Uganda Wildlife Safari.
Accommodation options:
Up-market: Mille Collins Hotel
Midrange: Gorillas Hotel Kigali
Budget: Step Town Hotel
Meal plan: Dinner only
Day 2: Kigali – Butare – Nyungwe Forest National Park
You will have breakfast and embark on the Rwanda Uganda Best Tour route for Butare the second largest city of Rwanda. This city is home to the National Museum and several academic (University) and research institutions. On your way to Butare you will visit the former King’s palace and seat of the feudal monarchy. You will also visit the National Museum in this area said to be most well organized ethnographic museum in East Africa. You will end up in Nyungwe Forest National Park where you will have dinner and overnight at the hotel of your booking.
Accommodation options:
Up-market: Nyungwe Lodge
Midrange: Top Hill View Lodge
Budget: Gisakura Guest House
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe Forest
You will have an early breakfast after which you will assemble at the Park headquarters for a briefing on the Chimpanzee tracking rules before setting off to search for them with the trained guides. During the chimpanzee tracking you will come across other primates such as, l’hoest’s monkey, Angola colobus, Silver monkey, Hamlyn’s Monkey, Dent’s Mona Monkey, Red-tailed Monkey, Grey-cheeked Mangabeys, and Olive Baboon among others. You will also see various types of birds in the verdant flora of this ancient forest. You will retire for dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Day 4: Guided Nature Walk in Nyungwe Forest
You will have breakfast and transfer to Volcanoes National Park. This is a 341km journey that takes about 6 hours. You will have lunch en route and enjoy the beautiful scenery of lush green covered hills, the volcano mountain ranges and various tourist attractions. You will have dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Accommodation options:
Up-market: Nyungwe Lodge
Midrange: Top Hill View Lodge
Budget: Gisakura Guest House
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Gorilla Tracking and Cultural Experience
On our 12 Days Rwanda Uganda Wildlife Safari, you will have an early breakfast and assemble at the Park headquarters for briefing at 8:30am about the rules on Gorilla tracking. You will be allocated a Gorilla family to track and the guides to lead you to the Gorillas. The tracking experience will be a 2-5 hour exercise after which you will be returned to the lodge for lunch. You will later in the afternoon you will go to visit the different cultures around the Parc De Volcanoes to learn about their life and culture and return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation options:
Up-market: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge / Gorillas Nest Lodge.
Midrange: La Palme Hotel / Volcanoes Gorilla Lodge.
Budget: Kinigi Tourist Guest House / Muhavura Lodge.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 6: Golden Monkey Tracking
You will have breakfast; you will go for golden monkey tracking in Volcanoes National Park. You will assemble at the Park head quarter for a briefing on the Golden monkey tracking rules before going out to track them in the forest. You will retire to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation options:
Up-market: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge / Gorillas Nest Lodge
Midrange: La Palme Hotel / Volcanoes Gorilla Lodge
Budget: Kinigi Tourist Guest House / Muhavura Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Transfer to Mgahinga National Park, Mountain Hiking
You will after breakfast, be taken to hike the mountain Mgahinga. Mgahinga Volcano acts as a better point to view the 3 countries, Uganda, Rwanda and Congo without cloud and mist. You will be able to see Lake Edward in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Burundi and some peaks of Rwenzori Mountain. Dinner and overnight will be at your lodge of booking.
Accommodation options:
Up-market: Volcanoes Mgahinga Lodge/ Rushaga Gorillas Safari Lodge
Midrange: Gorilla Safari Lodge/ Chameleon Hill Resort/ Mutanda Lake Resort
Budget: Gorilla Valley Lodge/ Travellers Rest Hotel Kisoro
Day 8: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi, Canoe Trek
You will, after breakfast drive to Lake Bunyonyi. The lake is said to be the second deepest lake in Africa and one of the most beautiful places in western Uganda. It is also one of the few places in the country where it is considered safe to swim as it is bilharzias free. The journey takes 6-7 hours and you will have your lunch enroute. You will have a canoe-ride on the lake or a walk through the surrounding hills. The landscape around the lake is made up of steep hills covered with lush green vegetation protruding from the water’s edge. Bunyonyi means “place of little birds” and as the name suggests, there is plenty of birdlife around the lake. You will hike to the view point in the hills to admire the volcano mountain ranges at the border with Rwanda.
Accommodation options:
Up-market: Bird’s Nest/ Archadia Cottages
Midrange: Bird’s Nest
Budget: Bushara Island Camp
Day 9: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Game Drive in Ishasha Sector and Boat Cruise.
You will, after breakfast drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park via Ishasha sector. You will do a morning game drive in search for the tree climbing lions and other animal species such as the elephants, buffalos, leopards and many others and bird species. In the afternoon, you will go for a 2-hour boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel.
The 42km channel joins Lake Edward and Lake George. This trip passes through possibly the highest concentration of hippos and offers an excellent platform for photography, bird watching and game viewing. The prolific bird life is colorful with over 550 resident species. Dinner and overnight will be at your lodge of booking.
Accommodation options:
Up-market: Mweya Safari Lodge / Katara Lodge / Jacana Lodge
Midrange: Simba Safari Camp in rooms / Buffalo Safari Resort/ Enganzi Lodge / Ihamba Safari Lodge
Budget: Kazinga Channel View Lodge / Simba Safari Camp in tents / Bush Lodge in tents
Meal Plan: Dinner
Day 10: Game drive and transfer to Kibale National Park
You will wake up early for a morning game drive in the park during which you will see Lions, Elephants, Topis, Leopards, Bush bucks, Cape Buffaloes, Defassa Waterbucks, Giant Forest Hogs, Uganda Kobs, among others. You will later in the afternoon transfer to Kibale National Park. Dinner and overnight will be at your lodge of booking.
Meal Plan: Full board
Day 11: Chimp tracking and Bigodi Swamp Walk
After breakfast you will report at the Kanyanchu Tourist Centre at 08.00 am for a briefing before tracking the chimpanzees. The forest is only accessible on foot and the walk will provide you with the opportunity to also see a variety of other primates and animals as well as birds, and a variety of butterflies, and other insects. You will return to the lodge for lunch and in the afternoon go for a nature walk in the Bigodi Wetland to see a variety of birds and monkey species. You will have dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Accommodation options:
Up-market: Mille Collins Hotel
Midrange: Gorillas Hotel Kigali
Budget: Step Town Hotel
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 12: Drive to Kigali / Kampala
After breakfast you will be driven to either Kampala or Kigali with stopovers enroute to enjoy the scenery of green covered landscapes, tea and banana plantations, big herds of unique long-horned cattle and to do some shopping for souvenir crafts.
Meal plan: Breakfast and Lunch
End of the 12 Days Rwanda Uganda Wildlife Safari.
The 12 Days Rwanda Uganda Wildlife Safari package includes:
- Transportation in a land cruiser/super custom with pop up roof.
- Accommodation as per the itinerary.
- Services of an English speaking driver/guide.
- Meals as per the Itinerary.
- Park entrance fees.
- Boat launch fees on Lake Bunyonyi and Kazinga Channel.
- Gorilla trekking permit.
- Kigali City Tour.
The 12 Days Rwanda Uganda Wildlife Safari package excludes; air ticket, personal travel insurance, visa fees, drinks, cigarettes, tips, souvenirs and any other items of a personal nature.
This wonderful tour is brought to you by hire a car Rwanda. Rent a 4×4 safari car with hire a car Rwanda.