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9 Days Rwanda Uganda Combo – Primates Adventure Safari 

Over a span of 9 Days, you will embark on a journey that will take you through the heart of this magnificent country affectionately called “the land of a thousand hills”.

Day 01: Arrival in Kigali, drive to Volcanoes N.P

Upon your arrival in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, you will be warmly welcomed to the “land of a thousand hills.” Your driver/guide will be standing at the Arrivals Hall holding a placard with your name so you cannot miss him. After the meet and greet, will go on a Kigali city tour, which will include visits to the Kigali Genocide Memorial and the Kandt Museum. You also visit one of the crafts markets like Nyamirambo Women’s Centre and the National Museum. You enjoy an early lunch at a restaurant in the city center. After lunch, set off for Volcanoes National Park or Parc National des Volcans – part of a transboundary ecosystem that is shared between three countries (Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo) that is connected by the Virunga Mountains. Volcanoes National Park is a 160 square-kilometre reserve that includes evergreen bamboo forests, tropical rainforests and partial grasslands, valleys, serene lakes, a chain of volcanoes and farmed foothills. The drive is picturesque as you view these landscapes on winding roads that Rwanda is famous for. You’ll have opportunities for stopovers to take pictures and stretch along the way. On arrival, you check-in at the lodge you have chosen. If you arrive with time to spare, in the evening you can do a 2-hour trek to primatologist Dian Fossey’s tomb and the Karisoke research station.

Meal Plan
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Travel Time
+/- 3 hours
Day 02: Track Golden Monkeys & visit Gorilla Guardians Village

After breakfast, head to Kinigi, the park HQ where you are briefed and are taken through all the formalities. After the formalities, you embark on the search for the Golden Monkeys – a trek that could last from about an hour to three hours. The Golden Monkeys are a different kind of primate encounter – different from the Mountain Gorillas as well as the chimpanzees. These striking endangered monkeys with their vibrant golden fur and playful demeanor are a captivating sight to behold. When you get into their presence, you will know it – the forest comes alive with monkeys everywhere. The opportunity to observe their social interactions and witness their acrobatic leaps in an unforgettable highlight of your safari. You are in their presence for 1 hour. Usually, the single hour is over and you come back to the trail-head. The endangered Golden Monkey is endemic to the Albertine rift and Volcanoes National Park offers a rare chance to track them high in the dense bamboo forests. After your encounter with the Golden Monkeys, return to the lodge and enjoy lunch. In the late afternoon/ early evening, you’ll visit the Gorilla Guardians Village or the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village, where you immerse yourself in Rwandan culture. The villages celebrates traditional Rwandan life through music, dance and storytelling. Participate in activities like becoming a “King” or “Queen” for a day, trying your hand at knitting, learning to use a bow and arrow, and enjoying songs and dance from the Rwandan society. The word Iby’Iwacu is a Kinyarwanda word that means “treasures of our home and heritage”. The village combines all of Rwanda’s known cultural traditions, people and history into one place for display and a personal experience. Visitors get to see what life was in a typical African village setting – the lifestyle, houses, traditional dance and song, dress code, the food, herbs and how ancient kingdoms were generally organized. Visitors are given an opportunity to try their hands at basket weaving/mats, carpentry. After this cultural experience, return to your accommodation for dinner and overnight stay.

Optional Activities: visit Dian Fossey’s tomb, hike Mountain Karisimbi or Bisoke, visit twin-lakes of Burora

Meal Plan
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Travel Time
+/- 5 hours
Day 03: Drive from Volcanoes N.P to Bwindi Impenetrable N.P

Today marks the start of the second leg of this combined safari as you depart Uganda and are welcomed into Rwanda – the so-called “land of a thousand hills”. After breakfast, you will depart Bwindi Impenetrable National Park headed to Volcanoes National Park – home to the endangered Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda. You arrive at the Cyanika border crossing, clearing immigration and continuing to Ruhengeri, northern Rwanda where you find Volcanoes National Park. On the drive, the Virunga Mountains (also known as Mufumbiro) dominate the horizon. They are a chain of volcanoes in East Africa, along the northern border of Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. On arrival at your destination, check-in at the lodge.

Meal Plan
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Travel Time
+/- 5 hours
Accommodation
Day 04: Gorilla tracking & return to Lodge

After breakfast, with your packed lunch, lots of water in your rucksack, your guide will take you to the park HQ before 8:00am for registration and briefing by Uganda Wildlife Authority staff. Once the formalities of what to do and not to do while tracking the gentle giants are communicated, you will head to the trail-head of the gorilla family you have been allocated. At the trail-head, you will commence the trek, pushing your way through the undergrowth, to track the gorillas. (the trek can last from half an hour to 8 hours – a reasonable degree of fitness is required as well as a sturdy pair of walking shoes). When you finally locate the family that you are tracking, take in everything as you watch the gorillas go about their day – feeding on the green leaves, bamboo shoots, wild celery, stinging nettle and wild fruit. If there are juvenile gorillas, enjoy them play about and take it all in. Take lots of pictures (and a selfie if you happen to have a gorilla in your selfie frame) and video as the one-hour will be over before you know it. It is an extraordinary feeling being in the presence of these majestic apes, sitting/standing in the dense rainforest with the knowledge that you are in the presence of the few remaining wild mountain gorillas. After the mandatory one hour is up, the rangers will lead you back to the starting point/trail-head where you will find your driver/guide. Once back at the trail-head, your driver/guide will be waiting to take you back to the park HQ where you receive your tracking certificates (evidence of your contribution to the conservation of the majestic gorillas). From here, you return to the lodge and enjoy a hot lunch. After lunch, relax and can use the time to look back on your awe-inspiring encounter with the gorillas through the lens of your camera. Later, dinner and overnight at the resort.

What to bring for gorilla tracking/trekking: light but sturdy hiking shoes, light rain jacket, daypack, 2 litres of water, gardening gloves, long trousers either jeans/khakis, long-sleeved shirt/blouse, wide-brimmed hat, sun glasses, insect repellent and an energy bar.

After breakfast, with your packed lunch, lots of water in your rucksack, your guide will take you to the park HQ before 8:00am for registration and briefing by Uganda Wildlife Authority staff. Once the formalities of what to do and not to do while tracking the gentle giants are communicated, you will head to the trail-head of the gorilla family you have been allocated. At the trail-head, you will commence the trek, pushing your way through the undergrowth, to track the gorillas. (the trek can last from half an hour to 8 hours – a reasonable degree of fitness is required as well as a sturdy pair of walking shoes). When you finally locate the family that you are tracking, take in everything as you watch the gorillas go about their day – feeding on the green leaves, bamboo shoots, wild celery, stinging nettle and wild fruit. If there are juvenile gorillas, enjoy them play about and take it all in. Take lots of pictures (and a selfie if you happen to have a gorilla in your selfie frame) and video as the one-hour will be over before you know it. It is an extraordinary feeling being in the presence of these majestic apes, sitting/standing in the dense rainforest with the knowledge that you are in the presence of the few remaining wild mountain gorillas. After the mandatory one hour is up, the rangers will lead you back to the starting point/trail-head where you will find your driver/guide. Once back at the trail-head, your driver/guide will be waiting to take you back to the park HQ where you receive your tracking certificates (evidence of your contribution to the conservation of the majestic gorillas). From here, you return to the lodge and enjoy a hot lunch. After lunch, relax and can use the time to look back on your awe-inspiring encounter with the gorillas through the lens of your camera. Later, dinner and overnight at the resort.

What to bring for gorilla tracking/trekking: light but sturdy hiking shoes, light rain jacket, daypack, 2 litres of water, gardening gloves, long trousers either jeans/khakis, long-sleeved shirt/blouse, wide-brimmed hat, sun glasses, insect repellent and an energy bar.

Optional Activities: Meet the Batwa pygmies in a cultural experience

Meal Plan
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Travel Time
+/- 5 hours
Accommodation
Day 05: Drive from Bwindi to Queen Elizabeth National Park

This drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park via the Ishasha sector will also serve as a game drive. As you journey through Ishasha – the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, bring out binoculars and keep your gaze trained on the horizon as you search for the iconic tree-climbing lions that inhabit this unique region. If you are lucky to find them, marvel at the sight of these majestic predators perched atop ancient sycamore fig trees or acacia trees, surveying their kingdom with regal poise.

There are about four prides of lions in the area numbering more than 40 in total. Look out for the males with their black mane, which is a notable attribute. Also, there are about 1000+ elephants present in the area and you normally see large herds. There are Topi (savannah relatives of the world-famous Wildebeest) and Uganda Kob antelopes in large numbers. The drive is a fantastic opportunity to take pictures. Through Ishasha, you continue to Mweya – the northern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. As the day draws to a close, arrive at the lodge you have chosen in or close to the park, where you can unwind amidst the tranquil surroundings.

Meal Plan
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Travel Time
+/- 6 hours
Accommodation
Day 06: Game Drive & boat safari along Kazinga channel

Begin your day with the anticipation of thrilling wildlife encounters as you embark on a morning game drive through the picturesque landscapes of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Wake up early, enjoy your breakfast or opt to take it on the go as you venture into the Kasenyi track, renowned for its rich biodiversity. In this open savannah, keep your eyes peeled for sightings of buffaloes, majestic lions, graceful elephants, and a myriad of avian species that call this park home. Queen Elizabeth National Park stands out for its lush greenery, even during the dry season, a testament to its unique landscape shaped by ancient volcanic activity. Traverse through this remarkable terrain, marveling at the vast crater lakes, sprawling grasslands, and dense woodlands that dot the park. After the guided morning game drive, return to your lodge for a hot lunch. After, you will embark on a boat cruise along the Kazinga channel – a major highlight of the safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The channel is a natural waterway, linking lakes Edward and George. It boasts one of Africa’s highest concentrations of hippos (there are 1,500 hippos found along the channel), providing a mesmerizing spectacle of these aquatic giants. Glide along the tranquil waters, accompanied by the symphony of birdcalls and the occasional splash of a crocodile, as you soak in the serene beauty of the surroundings. On the boat cruise, hippos frolic and yawn wide, elephants and buffalo drink their fill at the channel’s banks. The boat trip is a front-row seat to nature’s spectacle. The boat cruise promises to be a highlight of your journey, offering unparalleled opportunities for wildlife viewing and birdwatching. From the boat cruise, if time allows continue on an evening game drive culminating into a return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Meal Plan
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Travel Time
+/- 5 hours
Accommodation
Day 07: Lion Experiential & drive to Kibale Forest National Park

You are up at 6.00am to prepare for today. Your driver/guide will head towards the Kasenyi gate of the park to meet staff from the Uganda Carnivore Project as well as a research team from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). Rangers from UWA will brief you about the experience you are about to undertake – tracking lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Lion Tracking Research at Queen Elizabeth is another way to see the lions and leopards in Queen Elizabeth National Park – often closer than on a regular game drive. The Uganda Carnivore Project does research on lions and other predators in the northern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Prides of lions have been collared, allowing the researchers to gain valuable insights into their behavior and habits specific to this region of the park. You are with them on today’s research outing for 3-hours. Not only will you get up close and personal to get that amazing photo, you will also learn about the work of the researchers including human-carnivore conflict prevention and working with local communities. Part of the fee you pay goes directly towards future carnivore conservation. This activity is limited in terms of the number of participants that can take part and a rare opportunity for those that can! It has to be booked in advance. You get to help in monitoring, tracking, researching the King of the beasts in Queen Elizabeth Park which is certainly an out of the ordinary time for visitors. Normally this is done using locator devices as researchers monitor the weather, the lion’s behavior as well as their surroundings. The findings are added to the databases of the researchers, hence contributing very important data to the general understanding of Africa’s wildlife ecology in particular that in Queen Elizabeth National Park, and assisting to conserve this amazing ecosystem. Queen Elizabeth Park is the only Park in Uganda where Lion Tracking research is offered. At the end of this experience, you will go back, buy packed lunch at the lodge and commence the 3-hour drive to Kibale Forest National Park. Check-in at the lodge you have chosen and have the rest of the day for yourself. Later, dinner and overnight stay.

Meal Plan
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Travel Time
+/- 4 hours
Accommodation
Day 08: Chimpanzee trekking & visit Bigodi wetland sanctuary

Today you are in for some real monkey business! After breakfast, you head to Kanyachu, the headquarters for Kibale Forest National Park. Reputed for having the greatest variety and highest concentration of primates in East Africa, Kibale Forest National park teems with wildlife and is also home to 13 other primate species. After a comprehensive briefing, venture into the wilderness in search of these fascinating creatures, known for their intelligence and social behaviors. Given the diversity of the place, keep your senses attuned as you might spot the rare L’Hoest monkey, red-tailed colobus monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys and many others. Perhaps you will hear rare bird calls or the playful cries of olive baboons. The guides and rangers will provide detailed explanations, not only on primates, but also on all the forest fauna and flora and will ensure that your walk is both informative and enjoyable. However, what you are roaming the forest for are the chimpanzees. Once you locate the chimpanzees, you will have a full 1-hour in their presence. You watch them go about their day, see the young ones play and the mature ones grooming each other or looking for food. You either find them atop the big fruit trees or on the ground. It is a most exhilarating experience if you are lucky to find them on the ground. After the mandatory 1-hour is finished, your guides/rangers will lead you back to the trail-head from where you come back to the park HQ. You receive your tracking certificates and it’s a wonderful Instagram moment so indulge, take the pictures and you can post later. From here, return to the lodge for a hot lunch.

Afternoon: After lunch, set out for a guided nature walk through the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary – a community project. The swamp offers visitors a platform to see more primates, swamp and forest birds, all the while supporting local conservation efforts. On your tour, you will likely see several kinds of monkeys including black and white colobus, red colobus etc. Other wetlands mammals include baboons, Sitatunga (an increasingly endangered swamp antelope), bush pigs, civet cats, mongooses, bush bucks and an occasional chimpanzee appearance. The walk is 4.5 kilometres in length and lasts 3 hours and should not be missed by avid birders. Money generated from the activities in Bigodi is used to fund community projects including a school and a clinic. Later, return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Meal Plan
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Travel Time
+/- 5 hours
Accommodation
Day 09: Drive from Kibale to Entebbe & Departure

After breakfast, check-out and commence the drive to Entebbe. You should arrive in Entebbe at lunch time and will find a restaurant for lunch. If you have time to spare, after lunch you can visit the Uganda National Botanical Gardens where you see some of Uganda’s special birds. At the right time, you are dropped-off at the airport in time for you to check-in for your onward flight home. If your flight is much later, you can use the facilities at one of our partner Guest Houses to freshen up ahead of check-in. At the appropriate time, you will be dropped off at the airport in time for you to check-in for your onward flight to bring to an end what we believe will have been an awe-inspiring Rwanda/ Uganda primates safari whose memories will stay with you for a long time.

Meal Plan
Breakfast, Lunch
Travel Time
+/- 7 hours
Accommodation

Over a span of 9 Days, you will embark on a journey that will take you through the heart of this magnificent country affectionately called “the land of a thousand hills”. You explore Kigali – considered to be Africa’s cleanest city on an urban, cultural and historical visit. You see and experience the Big5 safari and superb bird-watching in Akagera National Park where you go on guided game drives and boat trips. The highlight of your safari will be in Volcanoes National Park where you go to track the majestic but endangered Mountain Gorillas as well as see the golden monkeys high in the Virunga ranges of Volcanoes National Park. Other excursions include visiting primatologist Dian Fossey’s tomb and research centre at Karisoke, the Gorilla Guardians village or hike out to Bisoke and Karisimbi mountains. To relax, you spend two days at Lake Kivu beachside where you can stay on the sun lounger all day reading a book or venture out for a myriad of activities. Activities include bird watching, wind-surfing, kayaking, jet-skiing, visit tea and coffee farms, traditional fishing and a lot more. You continue to Nyungwe Forest National Park where you go on a chimpanzee trek, canopy walk high in the trees from where you return to Kigali and head home after what will have been a super safari loaded with memories that you will cherish for a long time.

  • Arrival in Kigali, drive to Volcanoes N.P
  • Track Golden Monkeys & visit Gorilla Guardians Village
  • Drive from Volcanoes N.P to Bwindi Impenetrable N.P
  • Gorilla tracking & return to Lodge
  • Drive from Bwindi to Queen Elizabeth National Park
  • Game Drive & boat safari along Kazinga channel
  • Lion Experiential & drive to Kibale Forest National Park
  • Chimpanzee trekking & visit Bigodi wetland sanctuary
  • Drive from Kibale to Entebbe & Departure
Inclusions
  • Accommodation in Standard Rooms in safari lodges/camps and hotel facilities as mentioned in the itinerary.
  • On the ground transport in a 4×4 safari Land-cruiser with pop-up roofs for game viewing
  • Game drives, excursions and sight-seeing activities (if any) as described above
  • Activities (if any) as outlined in detailed itinerary
  • Transfers as indicated in the itinerary
  • Meals as indicated in the itinerary
  • Gorilla Permits
  • Chimpanzee permits
  • Services of an English-speaking driver/tour guide
  • Bottled water, snacks and fruit whilst on safari
Exclusions
  • Personal expenses such travel and medical insurance, excess baggage fee, communication charges that include, emails, faxes and phone calls beverages including water, soft drinks, luxury champagne, spirits or meals not included in the itinerary
  • Gratuity for porterage/ waiters at hotels, camps and airports
  • Gratuity for your professional driver guide
  • East Africa Tourist Visa (apply online at visas.immigration.go.ug )
  • Any optional tours and excursions not mentioned in the itinerary
  • Travel Insurance
  • International Airfare
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