2 Weeks Uganda Rwanda Self Drive Adventure – An Ultimate Road trip
(14 days combined safari)
This14 days ultimate road trip is designed for both self drive and guided visitors who wish to explore the diverse biodiversity of Uganda and Rwanda. For these 14 days, you will experience the best of Uganda primate parks, Kibale and Bwindi, have close moments with the gentle endangered primates in their natural habitat. Relax on the cool waters of Kazinga channel, a narrow stream that joins Lake Edward and George, Lake Kivu beaches are also luxurious and the islands so adventurous. Discover the beauty of Virunga volcanoes through trekking to the mountain gorillas and the golden monkeys combined with a memorable cultural visit in the gorilla guardian village (Ibyiwachu). The trip begins with exploring the beaty of Lake Victoria in Uganda and ends with the vibrant Kigali City tour in Rwanda.
Trip summary of 2 Weeks Uganda Rwanda Self Drive Adventure
- Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe / Kampala
- Day 2: Transfer to Kibale national park- community walk
- Day 3: Chimpanzee habituation
- Day 4: Bigodi swamp walk and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
- Day 5: Game drive and boat cruise (Kazinga channel)
- Day 6: Game drive in Ishasha and transfer to Bwindi
- Day 7: First gorilla tracking (Rushaga/Ruhija)
- Day 8: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park – Ibyiwachu cultural center
- Day 9: Golden monkey tracking
- Day 10: Second gorilla tracking
- Day 11: Transfer to Lake Kivu- Boat cruise – Night fishing
- Day 12: Island Exploration
- Day 13: Coffee plantation tour and transfer to Kigali
- Day 14: Kigali City tour and departure
Detailed Itinerary of 2 Weeks Uganda Rwanda Self Drive Adventure
Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe / Kampala
On arrival at Entebbe International airport in Uganda, meet our company representative from Active African Vacations, a prominent tour operator company all over east Africa. You will read through and later sign the rental contract, and the vehicle will be handed over to you to start your safari. Depending on your arrival time, you will visit Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, formerly referred to as Entebbe Zoo where over 50 different animal species are represented by over 200 animals. Here you will be able to observe the animals at close sight as their keepers feed them and also carry out health checks. Animals in the centre include Rhinos, Giraffes, Lions, Chimpanzees, and over 250 bird species.
Visit the Entebbe botanical gardens on the shores of Lake Victoria to enjoy the cool/fresh waters of this lake that is mainly referred to as the source of the Nile. Later check into the accommodation in Entebbe / Kampala for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Transfer to Kibale national park- community walk
On this second day of your 2 weeks self drive safari in Uganda and Rwanda, get up so early for breakfast, check out and set off for a 6-hour drive to Kibale national park. A possible stopover can be made at Karambi to witness the “Amabeere ga Nyinamwiru” caves. During your journey, you will be impressed by the beautiful sites of cater lakes
and the Rwenzori Mountain ranges. Lunch will be enjoyed in fort portal city. Once you arrive, check into the accommodation for relaxation. Later visit the Bigodi community where you get to interact with members of the local community. Visit the local homesteads, help empower and inspire them. You can buy some of their hand made crafts as support to their daily earnings.
Day 3: Chimpanzee habituation/ tracking
Wake up early and ensure that you take heavy breakfast in preparation for a long day activity. With your packed lunch, head to Kanyanchu park headquarters for briefing about chimpanzee tracking/ habituation. Kibale forest Park is hoe to over 13 primate species, some of which you will luckily spot as you trek. The Rangers will locate the group by following their hoots and calls and are easy track in this park than in Budongo forest, Kyambura gorge or Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda. Chimpanzee trekking takes between two to four hours depending on the location of the group you are assigned, and you are allowed one hour of encounter during tracking and if you opt for habituation, you have four hours following the chimps as they always moving and spend most of their time in the tree branches. After watching them and taking memorable photos, and videos, return to the accommodation where you will relax for the evening.
Day 4: Bigodi swamp walk and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
After an early morning breakfast, go for a guided nature walk in Bigodi swamp. The swamp is a birders haven characterized by rich biodiversity and a lush vegetation. The walk takes over 3 hours walking along the boards. Expect to encounter and take photos of several bird species and primates. After the walk, return to the lodge for lunch.
In the afternoon, check out of the accommodation and head to queen Elizabeth National Park.
Day 5: Game drive and boat cruise (Kazinga channel)
Have early breakfast and set off by 6.30am to go for the game drive in the beautiful Kasenyi plains which is the main animal watching area of the park. Expect to see some nocturnal returning to their hideouts and the early grazers coming out for their daily routine activity. The game drive will last about 3 -5 hours and some of the animals you will see include: elephants, buffaloes, lions, hyenas, bush pigs, oribis, topis, waterbucks, warthogs, reedbucks etc…
Return to the lodge for lunch and some relaxation
Later, you will go for the afternoon boat safari on Kazinga Channel which is scheduled to start at 2.00pm. The cruise will bring you close to a range of aquatic wildlife such as hippos, and crocodiles. Other animals that can be seen at the banks of the channel include buffaloes, elephants, antelopes, monitor lizards etc… The channel offers incredible bird watching opportunities as several water birds flock the banks of the channel, examples here are pelicans, herons, lapwings, plovers, African skimmers, fish eagles, kingfishers etc… The boat cruise lasts for about 2 hours.
Return to the lodge with a scenic drive through the crater lakes region and ridges as you may also get to bump into other wildlife.
Day 6: Game drive in Ishasha and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National park
After your breakfast, you will drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via the Ishasha sector. The Ishasha is popularly known for the climbing lions that are often spotted resting on branches of fig trees as they try to spot their prey. After the climbing lions experience, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and then proceed to Bwindi. (Rushaga/Ruhija)
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to almost half of the world’s most endangered mountain gorillas. Trekking mountain gorillas is a lifetime experience and seeing them in their natural habitat is truly rewarding.
You will arrive at your lodge in the late afternoon for relaxation followed by dinner and overnight.
Day 7: First gorilla tracking (Rushaga/Ruhija)
After breakfast, with your packed lunch, you will drive to the park headquarters for briefing about gorilla trekking. The park guide will take you through all the dos and don’ts while with mountain gorillas and after that, in groups of eight, you will be transferred to the starting point of the trek. Please note that gorilla family allocation depends on your interests, fitness and age, therefore, inform your guide of your interests before the trek for the best gorilla family allocation. Gorilla trekking can be strenuous thus the need for good physical fitness levels.
Gorilla trekking can take from 30 minutes to 6 hours depending on the gorilla family. You will be allowed only one hour of photography and observing the mountain gorillas as they go about with their daily day activities
You will have your packed lunch while still in the forest, then trek back to the park headquarters to find your vehicle and proceed to your Lodge. Spend the evening at leisure at the lodge,later dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park – Ibyiwachu cultural center
After a relaxed breakfast, you will travel to travel to Volcanoes national park in Rwanda. Cross via Cyanika border post and drive to Musanze. On arrival, check into the lodge for lunch.
In the afternoon, visit the gorilla Gurdian village, commonly known as the Ibyiwachu Cultural Center. This is a place to enjoy the best of Rwanda culture and tradition through folk tales, songs, drumming and dances. If time is by your side, you can go for a guided community walk in the village. Return to your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 9: Golden monkey tracking
On this ninth day of your safari, have an early breakfast, transfer to the park head quarters for briefing about the golden monkey trekking. Trekking usually lasts for 3-4 hours. Once you come across the habituated family, you are allowed to send one hour with them, take memorable photos as you observe them carry out their daily activities.
Golden monkey trekking is another highlight of Volcanoes national park. They are sub species of the Sykes Monkey, also known as the blue monkey. They are considered endangered primates that are often spotted on bamboo forested zones as they mainly forage on the bamboo shoots and young leaves. Volcanoes national park has two groups of habituated golden monkeys with the big one having 80 – 100 members residing at the foothills of Mount sabinyo.
Dinner and over night at the accommodation.
Day 10: Second gorilla tracking
In the verdant Virunga rainforest, you can go very near to the mountain gorillas. The procedure starts with a briefing at the park headquarters in Kinigi, where you will be assigned to a group of 8 trekkers, and a ranger guide to accompany /lead you to the gorilla family into the jungle. Following the briefing, your ranger guide will accompany you to the trailhead. It is possible that you will need to travel to the beginning of the walk in order to reach the gorilla troop you are hiking with. Due to the incredible and potentially life-altering nature of entering the habitat of these enormous creatures, many individuals aspire to do so. This trek takes 30 minutes to five hours depending on the gorillas’ locations.
Day 11: Transfer to Lake Kivu- Boat cruise – Night fishing
After having your breakfast, check out of the accommodation and drive to Lake Kivu. This lake one of Africa’s great lakes shared by Rwanda and DR Congo. It is a freshwater lake offering several relaxational adventures. On arrival at Gisenyi, embark on an afternoon boat cruise on the lake. Later check in and relax at the lodge. I the late evening (at 6pm), join the local fishermen for the night fishing activity. Sail happily with the fishermen heading to the center of the lake listening to the exciting melody of traditional songs and entertaining gestures. It’s really an amazing lifetime experience to join fishermen singing and whistling while going forward to immerse their nets into fishing ground. The lake itself is more attractive with its blue colour decorated with fishermen’s fishing lights. Later return to the accommodation for dinner and overnight.
Day 12: Island Exploration
After a relaxed morning breakfast, you will transfer to Lake Kivu, to catch up with the beautiful sun rise over the Lake. You will take a boat ride to explore the beautiful islands within this great lake. You have a nature walk on the Napoleon Island within this lake to witness thousands of the bats, that call the island home. Other islands to explore include peace island, monkey island, and Nyamirundi island. This lake is also a birding paradise as it hosts several bird species like the cormorants, pied king fishers, weaver birds, heron etc… After enjoying the islands trip, we will transfer to the hotel for a night stay.
Day 13: Coffee plantation tour and transfer to Kigali
Wake up in time to have breakfast at the hotel, set off to Kinunu coffee washing station for a coffee experience. Get to learn how Rwandan coffee is grown, harvested and processed up to final consumption. Wind your visit by sharing a cup of coffee with the locals and buy some of the processed product to show support. After your tour, have lunch, then drive to Kigali.
On arrival check into the accommodation for dinner and night stay.
Day 14: Kigali City tour and departure
After breakfast, go for brief Kigali city tour. Visit the Gisozi Genocide Memorial site, Kimironko Market and some souvenir craft shops. After the city tour, contact our reservation team to drop back the car. Our driver will help transfer you to the airport for your flight back home.
End of 2 weeks Uganda Rwanda Adventure.