15 days Uganda Rwanda Safari
This 15 days Uganda Rwanda Safari package offers the best highlights in both countries, including gorilla trekking and the Big 5. Major safari activities include gorilla trekking, game drives, chimpanzee and golden monkey tracking, boat cruises, cultural interactions, and hikes, among others. The safari starts with a birding safari in Entebbe (Uganda) in Mabamba swamp to search and witness the rare shoebill stork. Visit the best national parks in Uganda and Rwanda including Murchison Falls National Park to witness the big five after a brief stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, and the thunderous Murchison Falls, proceed to Kibale National Park, the home of Chimpanzees in Uganda, Queen Elizabeth National Park, for adventurous game viewing and refreshing cruises along the Kazinga channel, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Volcanoes National Park the popular homes for mountain gorillas, and wind up you safari with an amazing Kigali city tour.
Brief itinerary of 15 days Uganda Rwanda Safari
- Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe
- Day 2: Birding in Mabamba swamp.
- Day 3: Transfer to Murchison falls via Ziwa Rhino sanctuary
- Day 4:Game drive, Boat cruise, and hike to the top of the falls.
- Day 5:Transfer to Kibale National Park
- Day 6: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi Forest Walk
- Day 7:Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park- Visit Katwe salt works
- Day 8:Game drive – Boat cruise
- Day 9:Transfer to Bwindi Via Ishasha
- Day 10: Gorilla trekking
- Day 11:Transfer to Ruhengeri- visit Ib’yiwachu cultural center
- Day 12:Golden Monkey tracking
- Day13:Dian Fossey hike – Ellen DeGeneres Campus
- Day 14: Gorilla tracking and transfer to Kigali
- Day 15:Kigali city tour and Departure.
Detailed Itinerary of 15 days Uganda Rwanda Safari
Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe
On arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be welcomed by our company representative, greeted, and transferred to the hotel for a meal (breakfast or lunch ) depending on your arrival time. if time is by your side, in the afternoon hours, visit the Uganda Wildlife Education Center, formerly called the Entebbe Zoo. At this place, over 50 different animal species are represented by over 200 animals. You will observe the animals at close sight as the keepers feed them and carry out health checks. You are not allowed to feed these animals. Some of the species at the center include lions, giraffes, leopards, buffalo, monkeys, rhinos, crocodiles, monkeys, chimpanzees and several bird species. Later, return to the lodge for dinner.
Day 2: Birding in Mabamba swamp
On day 2, drive to Nakiwogo landing site, get into a motorized canoe, and transfer to the swamp to search for the rare shoebill in the overgrown papyrus. With a skilled guide, you will enjoy the canoe ride as you spot different bird species residents of the swamp, including the swamp flycatcher, Angola swallow, Blue-breasted bee-eater, African Jacana, African Fish eagle, Grey-rumped swallow, and many others. When you spot the rare shoebill, take photos, videos, and enjoy staying around it for the time of your convenience. Later, ride to the landing site and then drive to your accommodation for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Transfer to Murchison falls via Ziwa Rhino sanctuary
Early this day after breakfast, leave Entebbe for Murchison Falls National Park, which is about 6 6-hour of drive, including a stopover in Masindi town for lunch.
Along the way, stop over at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a guided Rhino tracking adventure. The sanctuary is home to the only Rhinos in the wild in Uganda. The Rhino tracking gives you a chance to see all the famed “big five” on this trip, as you will find the other 4 big five in Murchison Falls National Park.
Day 4:Game drive, Boat cruise, and hike to the top of the falls.
You will start your day with an early cup of tea or coffee before embarking on a four-hour game drive through Murchison Falls National Park. Because many of the animals in Murchison Falls National Park live in the savannah grasslands on the northern bank of the Nile, game drives are conducted there. You will travel along different routes, keeping an eye out for animals and birds as you appreciate the lovely savanna. Giraffes, buffalo, elephants, warthogs, and various antelope species such as Oribi, Kobs, Jackson’s hartebeest, Topi, waterbuck, and Bushbuck are all expected to be spotted. You have a fair chance of spotting cats like lions, hyenas, jackals, and leopards, but no guarantees.
After the game drive, return to the lodge for lunch and a little relaxation.
Later, you will go on a boat ride along the Nile, which is scheduled for 2 pm. This is a 2-hour boat ride to the bottom of the Murchison Falls. Along the Nile, you can see crocodiles, monitor lizards, and a variety of aquatic birds. Several large animals also come to quench their thirst on hot, sunny days.
The boat tour will take you to the base of Murchison Falls, where you will meet a park ranger and trek to the top of the falls. This is a 45-minute hike from the falls’ base to the summit. You will see the Mighty Nile squeeze through a 7-meter-wide fissure and explode into a vortex around 42 meters below before continuing its peaceful route. You will meet the tour driver at the top and then return to the hotel for supper and overnight.
Day 5:Transfer to Kibale National Park
After an early morning breakfast at your hotel, make your way to Kibale National Park. You will have a stopover for lunch and then proceed to Kibale. Arrival will be in the late evening hours.
Check into the planned accommodation, refresh, have dinner, and an overnight.
Day 6: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk.
After an early morning breakfast, you will proceed to Kibale National Park visitor center for a briefing on chimpanzee trekking. The Rangers will provide you with information regarding the park, its inhabitants, recommended packing items, appropriate behavior around chimpanzees, and what to anticipate during your visit. The duration for chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park typically ranges from 3 to 5 hours. Their vocal nature makes them easy to locate. Their groups exhibit a greater degree of drama compared to gorillas. Anticipate that the hour spent with them will be highly engaging. Feel free to capture as many photographs as you desire for memory of your trek. Later, return to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, move out for a guided nature walk in the Bigodi wetlands at the edge of Kibale forest, and popular for harboring several bird species and monkeys. When you come out of the swamp, return to the hotel for dinner and a night’s stay.
Day 7:Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park- Visit Katwe salt works
After breakfast, head to Queen Elizabeth National Park, renowned for its diverse wildlife such as hippos, Kobs, buffalo, elephants, as well as various bird species. Start with a game drive for about two hours, lunch will be at the lodge, then visit the Katwe salt mining area. While at Lake Katwe, get to learn the history of the traditional methods used in salt mining and how the mining is done. On the lake, you will spot pink flamingos and, on the shores, some elephants are seen liking the salt. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Day 8:Game drive – Boat cruise
You will rise early for breakfast or consider packing your coffee to enjoy it during the early morning game drive. The early morning game drive is to allow visitors to observe nocturnal animals returning to their dens after a night of hunting. It is also designed to capture the attention of early risers before they venture out to hunt. Be cautious of hippos as they return from grazing outside the water during the night. The morning is an ideal time to observe birds and herbivorous animals joyfully appearing to graze after successfully avoiding predators in the night. The game drive offers opportunities to observe buffaloes, lions, hartebeests various antelope species.
After the game drive, you’ll return to the hotel for lunch and rest. Following your resting, your driver guide will transport you to the Kazinga Channel for a boat excursion. The Channel serves as a collection of aquatic animals, including crocodiles and hippos, and the majority of the park’s animals especially those that come to drink water. It is one of Africa’s top wildlife viewing areas, and also one of Uganda’s top birdwatching destinations.
Day 9:Transfer to Bwindi National Park Via Ishasha sector.
After the previous day’s experience, transfer to Bwindi National Park with a 2-3 hours game drive through the Ishasha sector that is popularly known for climbing lions. As you search for the lions, you may luckily spot other wildlife you missed the previous day. After enough of the game drive, proceed to Bwindi National Park. Lunch will be along the way, and on arrival, check in, and spend the rest of the day and night at the lodge.
Day 10: Gorilla trekking
After breakfast, pack a lunch and head to the park headquarters, where you will be briefed by a park ranger on gorilla tracking. Head into the forest to search for the gorillas. When you find them, you will only be allowed to spend an hour with them, observing them play, feed, and care for one another. Gorilla hiking might take 2 to 6 hours, depending on the weather and location of the gorilla family. After the trek, return to the hotel for relaxation, dinner, and an overnight stay.
Day 11:Transfer to Ruhengeri- visit Ib’yiwachu cultural center
From Uganda, you will cross to Rwanda via the Cyanika border. Having cleared all the border paperwork, proceed to Musanze. Go directly to the lodge for lunch and some relaxation. In the afternoon, head to the gorilla Guardian Village, commonly referred to as the Ib’yiwachu Cultural Center. At this place, enjoy the blend of Rwandan culture and tradition through tales, songs, dances, and drums. Interact with the locals and buy some of their handmade crafts. Later return to the Lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 12: Golden Monkey tracking
After your breakfast, you will set off for the Volcanoes National Park offices for another briefing on golden monkey tracking. You will have an opportunity to hire a porter to help out with any heavy luggage. After around two hours of hiking, you’ll spot them foraging on tree branches and the ground. They are critically endangered and endure significant risks from human activity. Golden monkeys are incredibly playful and adorable. They live in groups of roughly 80 individuals. Unlike the gorillas, they are comfortable with flash cameras. After spending time with them, you will return to the starting point to meet your driver guide. Drive back to the lodge for lunch. You can choose to relax at the lodge for the remaining hours of the day or have a guided walk in Musanze town to interact with the locals. Visit their shops and stalls and share a good conversation with them.
Day13:Dian Fossey hike – Ellen DeGeneres Campus
On this day, the Dian Fossey hike leads you to the burial grounds of Dian Fossey, a great primatologist known for her research and conservation efforts of mountain gorillas. The hike is not so demanding, and every step you take is worth an opportunity to reconcile with Rwanda’s mountain gorilla heritage. The hiking trail exposes you to great views of forest fogs, elephants, and several bird species. You will reach the Karisoke research camp, where she based her research. You will see the house where she was murdered, her burial grounds, together with other gorillas that were killed by poachers. Later, return to the base and drive back to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, connect to the Ellen DeGeneres Campus to gather more information about Dian Fossey and mountain gorilla conservation. Entrance to the campus is free, but you are requested to donate to the fund to support conservation efforts.
Day 14:Gorilla trekking and transfer to Kigali.
The briefing for gorilla trekking starts at 7:00 am, so all the trekkers should be there ready to receive a briefing from the park officials. It is all about the guideline’s trekkers should follow while on the trek and in the presence of the gorillas. Once the briefing is done, you will be assigned to a particular gorilla family depending on fitness levels. you will be led into the forest by park officials. Trekking takes between 2 to 6 hours. After locating your gorilla family, you only have one hour to observe them.
After the trek, return to the starting point to meet your driver guide and connect to Kigali, where you will arrive in the late evening hours. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Day 15:Kigali city tour and departure
On this last day of your safari, after a relaxed breakfast, move out for a brief Kigali city tour. Visit a few educational places like the Kigali genocide memorial, the main city market, the presidential Palace Museum, and an artisan shop for some souvenirs.
After the city tour, the driver will drop you off at the hotel of your convenience or the airport for your flight back home.