Best of Uganda and Rwanda Primates, Wildlife & Culture in Uganda & Rwanda
- Information
- Tour Plan
- Gallery
- Similar Safaris
- Notes & Packing
What's included
- 1 Chimp tracking permit per person
- 1 Gorilla tracking permit per person
- Accommodation as mentioned in the itinerary
- Bottled drinking water throughout the safari
- English-speaking driver/guide
- Ground transportation in 4WD safari car
- Meals indicated in the itinerary
- Park / Activity Fees
- International flights
- Personal expenses
- Personal travel insurance
- Services not specifically stated in the itinerary
- Tips and gratuities
- Visa fees
8 Days Uganda Rwanda Tour
Quick Overview
This 8 day Uganda Rwanda tour takes you to special places in Uganda and Rwanda for unforgettable safari experiences with primates, wildlife and local cultures.
Starting off in Entebbe, you will enjoy a brief tour of Kampala to get you grounded and acquainted with life in Uganda. You will then go to Kibale National park – the best place in the world to see chimpanzees in the world, and you will get to see them and spend 1 hour with them.
From Kibale, we’ll continue to Queen Elizabeth for Savannah wildlife and a boat cruise through schools of hippos on the Kazinga channel. We shall then drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National park for gorilla trekking, where you get to personally spend 1 hour with a family of endangered mountain gorillas.
After seeing gorillas, we’ll take you to Volcanoes National park in Rwanda, where you will visit the Ellen DeGeneres Campus and track golden monkeys before going to Kigali for a short city tour and flight back home.
Highlights
Destinations: Entebbe, Kampala, Kibale National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Volcanoes National Park, Kigali
Activities: Chimpanzee tracking, Wildlife game drive, Boat safari, Gorilla tracking, Golden Monkey tracking, Cultural encounters
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- Day 8:
Arrival in Uganda. Half day city tour of Kampala
Today you will arrive at Entebbe airport with TK 569 at 03:40hr. After completion of your emigrations formalities, you will be welcomed by your safari guides who will drive you to your hotel in Kampala city. Have an early check in and rest. In the afternoon, you will have a city tour of Kampala where you will visit the following places;
Uganda Museum: The Uganda museum is a collection of historical artefacts and cultural information about different communities of Uganda. You shall be led by the museum guide who will narrate to you the history and purpose of the museum.
Buganda king’s palace: The country derives its name from Buganda Kingdom; one of the most powerful and well organised monarchies before colonial rule. The kingdom retains a lot of respect among the population and has also preserved a great deal of its history which at some point merges with the history of Uganda. At the palace, you will be told about the culture of Buganda while you tour around the beautiful residence.
Nakasero market: This is the largest fresh produce open market in the heart of the city. A visit to the market will give you a perspective of small-scale agricultural produce traders. You may also get to exercise your bargaining skills as you purchase a few items.
Kampala Crafts Village: This is a shopping area for handmade traditional and blended crafts from all over the country and some parts of Africa. It is the perfect place to shop for souvenirs which could be carvings, traditional attires, paintings and art-pieces.
You will have lunch at a local cousine restaurant in the city. Return to the hotel in the evening for lunch and overnight
Accommodation: Protea Skyz Hotel
Meal plan: Breakfast, -, -
Drive to Kibale Forest National Park. Afternoon chimpanzee tracking
You will depart from Kampala at 6am and drive west to Fort Portal town. This drive will last 5 hours. It will lead you through the green countryside with beautiful landscapes. Along the way you will enjoy spectacular views of tea plantations. You will stop in Fort Portal town for lunch. Later you will proceed to Kibale Forest national park. You will embark on the search for chimpanzees inside Kibale Forest national park. You will be led by experienced ranger guides who will provide detailed information, not only about primates, but on all the forest fauna and flora and will ensure that your walk is both informative and enjoyable. The tracking lasts approximately 3 hours. You will spend an hour photographing the chimps before concluding and exiting the forest. Drive to your accommodation and check-in for the night.
Accommodation: Papaya Lake Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drive to Queen Elizabeth national park. Afternoon boat ride on Kazinga channel
After breakfast, you shall drive to Queen Elizabeth national park following the mystical Ruwenzori Mountain range for much of the journey. Upon arrival into the park, you may choose to do a game drive which might be rewarded with spotting of antelopes, elephants, buffaloes and sometimes lions.
In the afternoon you will enjoy the unique 2-hour private boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel and into Lake Edward. This trip passes through possibly the highest concentration of hippos and many animals may be seen drinking at the water's edge. This launch cruise offers an excellent platform for photography, bird watching and game viewing.
Accommodation: Buffalo Safari Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drive to Bwindi impenetrable national park via Ishasha game drive
After an early breakfast you will check out of your lodge and drive to Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth national park. This region is famous for large herds of elephant and buffalo and for tree climbing lions. You will have a game drive in search of the tree climbing lions. You will carry a packed lunch which you shall enjoy at the Riverside in Ishasha. Afterwards you will proceed to Bwindi impenetrable national park near Rushaga headquarters where you will arrive in the evening. You shall check in at your accommodation as you prepare for the next day’s activity.
Accommodation: Gorilla Leisure Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi - Rushaga
After an early breakfast, you will be transferred to the park headquarters from where you shall be briefed and grouped for the Gorilla trekking exercise. You will be led by experienced ranger guides and guards off into the forests with trackers that assist in locating the gorillas by finding the nest the family had used the previous night. Tracking gorillas on average takes 3 – 8 hours depending on how far the animals have moved. The experienced ranger guides will willingly share with you a lot of information about history and lifestyle of the Gorillas. You will spend an hour following, observing and photographing the Gorillas as they feed, play and groom each other. After the experience you will head back to the lodge to rest.
Accommodation: Gorilla Leisure Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drive to Volcanoes national park. Visit Ellen DeGeneres campus
Today you will leave Bwindi impenetrable forest and drive across the border to Musanze town. Formerly known as Ruhengeri, Musanze town is the nearest to Volcanoes national park- the home of Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda. In the evening you will visit Ellen DeGeneres Gorilla conservation campus and have a guided tour of the premises. Learn about the conservation efforts in Virunga ranges and the experiments conducted at the campus. You are also free to donate to the campus. Afterwards, drive to your accommodation for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Golden monkey trekking. Drive to Kigali
Golden monkeys in Rwanda live in the bamboo vegetation towards the base of the volcanoes. Habituation has helped them to overcome their initial shyness to accept their daily visits by researchers and tourists. Trekking golden monkeys and gorillas is a similar experience – in a small group of no more than eight people, and you can spend one hour with the monkeys once you find them. The endangered species are very active creatures, and jump from tree to tree. After the tracking, you will have lunch at the lodge before starting the journey to Kigali city. You will arrive in the evening and check in for night.
Accommodation: Mille Collines Hotel
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
City tour of Kigali. Airport transfer and departure
After breakfast you will take a city tour of Kigali. Top on the Menu is Gisozi Genocide memorial. You will be guided around the museum and given an account of how events leading to the 1994 Rwanda Genocide transpired. The memorial is a resting place of thousands killed during the genocide and a reminder of the dark past that Rwanda endured. It also shows the significant steps the nation has taken to reconcile and rebuild. You will also visit Kandt museum and a local market in town. You will also have lunch in the city.
You will check out of your rooms at 20:00hr and have dinner at the Hotel. At 22:00hr, you shall be transferred to the airport to check in for your departure flight to the next destination.
Day rooms: Mille Collines Hotel
Meal plan: Breakfast, -, -
Notes of Chimp & Gorilla Trekking
Here are some important things to know about tracking gorillas or chimps in Uganda and Rwanda.
- Minimum age allowed to track chimps is 12 years old.
- Minimum age allowed to track gorillas is 15 years old.
- Tracking gorillas is quite strenuous and one should be physically fit to best enjoy the experience.
- Anyone with signs of communicable diseases will not be allowed to track chimps or gorillas.
- Maximum time allowed with the gorillas or chimps is 1 hour.
Packing Recommendation
Here are some general safari packing recommendations to consider. Your agreed itinerary will have recommendations based on your trip and schedule.
- Lightweight rain poncho
- Long sleeve shirt
- Sturdy hiking shoes
- Waterproof trousers
- gardening-type gloves
- Sunscreen
- Wide brim hat
- Insect repellent
- Camera with extra batteries and cards
- Your regular medication
- Phone/gadget chargers
Visas for Uganda or Rwanda
Both Rwanda and Uganda have simple to use online visa self-service portals where you can apply and get your visa in a few days. Here are the full articles to guide you about visas.
- Uganda visa requirements and processes for tourist
- Rwanda visa requirements and processes for tourist
Best time to visit Uganda or Rwanda
For most people, it is more pleasant and enjoyable to visit Uganda or Rwanda during the dry season months (June to September and December to February). The general climate is warm and sunny all year round, and you can visit at any time of the year.
If you don't enjoy crowds, the shoulder seasons are ideal since the tourist numbers are lower and the attractions are more intimate to explore.
Safety. Is its safe to visit?
Both Uganda and Rwanda are very safe countries to visit and live in. They are some of Africa's most visited countries and hailed for the friendly locals and warm welcoming smiles.
If you have any safety concerns or specifics your are worried about, simply reach out to us and we'll do everything to help you.
Why Choose Exclusive African Safaris
We are a full service Destination Management Company started and operating in Uganda since 2008. In more than 15 years, we have served guests from all parts of the world and helped them to enjoy wonderful experiences of the wild places, cultures and people in Uganda and Rwanda.
Choosing Exclusive African Safaris, is choosing to go with a trusted company whose wide network, experienced guides and staff will make sure that your safari experience is all that you wanted - and more.
Customizing your safari experience
All our safari packages can be customized and personalized to fit your budget, preferences and schedule. You can start the process through an already existing safari which is speaking to you - but not quite fully, and we shall tailor that trip to your wishes.
You can also directly reach out for us and request for a custom safari, and we shall work closely with you, start from scratch and build a safari that is 100% you.
