8 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari – SAFARI OVERVIEW
Your exciting 8 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari is a wonderful Uganda and Rwanda trip holiday adventure, offering gorilla trekking, Chimpanzee tracking, wildlife game viewing, beautiful scenery, and cultural community tours.
The tour takes you mountain gorilla trekking in the Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park of Uganda! You get to spend time with these gentle giant apes in the wild, experiencing one of the most thrilling and memorable wildlife encounters in the world – twice!
You also trek wild chimpanzees in Kalinzu Forest and enjoy great game viewing and bird watching in Lake Mburo and Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda’s premier game park. Here, you take a relaxing boat cruise on the hippo-filled Kazinga Channel, spot a variety of big game species, and track rare tree-climbing lions.
On this 8 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari, you also have a chance to learn about history and culture in these vibrant nations as you tour the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village, Batwa Communities, and Kigali genocide memorial.
This 8 day Uganda Rwanda safari tour starts in Kigali and ends in Entebbe. It can be arranged for you based on the luxury, midrange, and budget accommodation facilities and also can be customized further to suit all your safari interests.
8 Days Rwanda Uganda Safari – SAFARI PRIME ACTIVITIES
- Visit two of Africa’s most beautiful countries: Rwanda & Uganda
- Tour city tour & the genocide memorial
- Gorilla trekking in Uganda Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
- Gorilla trekking in Rwanda Volcanoes National Park
- Trek Chimpanzees in Kalinzu Forest
- Visit Batwa villages
- Classic game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Track the pride of tree-climbing lions in Ishasha
- Boat cruise on Kazinga Channel
- Excellent bird-watching opportunities
- Guided game walk in Lake Mburo National Park
- Cultural of Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village
- Uganda Equator crossing experience
- Scenic drives through Uganda & Rwanda countryside
8 Days Rwanda Uganda Safari – FEATURED SAFARI PARKS/DESTINATIONS
Day 1 & 2: Kigali City, Volcanoes National Park, & Iby’iwacu Village
Day 3 & 4: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park & Batwa Community
Day 5 & 6: Queen Elizabeth National Park & Kalinzu Forest
Day 7: Lake Mburo National Park.
Day 8: Uganda Equator.
8 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari – SAFARI HIGHLIGHTS
Day 1: Tour Rwanda’s Kigali city & drive to Volcanoes National Park
Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes, Iby’iwacu Cultural Village visit.
Day 3: Transfer to Uganda & Bwindi, Evening Batwa Cultural Experience.
Day 4: Mountain Gorilla trekking adventure & relaxation at the lodge.
Day 5: Visit Queen Elizabeth National Park. Enjoy a game drive in the Ishasha sector in search of tree-climbing lions.
Day 6: Chimpanzee Trekking in Kalinzu Forest, Kazinga Channel Boat Trip, & evening game drive along the Channel Track.
Day 7: Morning game drive in Kasenyi Plains. Travel to Lake Mburo National Park.
Day 8: Morning game walk. Drive to Entebbe via the Equator & Airport Drop Off.
8 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari – DETAILED SAFARI ITINERARY
Day 1: Tour Rwanda’s Kigali city & drive to Volcanoes National Park
Today, your fantastic 8-Day Uganda Rwanda safari begins! At 8.00 am, your tour driver/guide shall pick you up from your accommodation in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. You then take a city tour of this cleanest and safest city in Africa. You will explore some of the following interesting sites:-
- Kigali Genocide Memorial – to pay your respects to the victims of the horrific 1994 Rwandan genocide, learn about the dark history of this fascinating country.
- Kimironko Market – to encounter the local Rwandan people trade.
- Nyamirambo, the largest and most vibrant township in Rwanda, that center provides women and girls from a diverse range of backgrounds, the opportunity to support each other and succeed, through education and training programs.
After the Kigali city tour, have a lunch break at one of the best restaurants in Kigali, and then begin the 3-hour drive through picturesque farming villages and terraced hills to your lodge set at the foot of the majestic Virunga Volcanoes.
Accommodation Options:-
Luxury: – Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Bisate Lodge
Midrange: – Da Vinci Lodge
Budget: – Muhabura Hotel
Meal Plan: – Lunch & Dinner
Drive Distance & Time: – Approx. 116km or 2-3 hours
Activities and services:-
- Kigali city tour, Drive to Volcanoes
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking & Iby’iwacu Cultural Village Visit.
After a good breakfast at 7 am, go to the park offices to attend a briefing from the expert local park guide. At 8 am, set off on a guided trek into the lush, Afro-montane forest of Volcanoes National Park to see Rwanda’s rare mountain gorillas.
Volcanoes have about a third of the Earth’s last remaining mountain gorillas and the gorilla families that you will be trekking are accustomed to the presence of humans. In the wet, humid and muddy conditions it can be relatively tiresome as you hike for about 2-6 hours through the dense montane forest.
But, you also have an opportunity to see the endemic golden monkeys and other colorful forest creatures. On successfully trekking the gorillas, spend one magical hour observing these gentle giants, interacting, playing, eating, grooming, and going about their daily lives in their natural habitat – a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Then head back to your lodge for a late lunch and some relaxation. In the evening, explore Iby’Iwacu village and Rwanda’s cultural life. Talk to the ex-poachers who have rejected their former way of life. Discover the traditional house of a local king, watch a medicine man prepare herbal mixtures, try your hand at bow and arrow shooting, or listen to the drums of Africa.
Accommodation Options:-
Luxury: – Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Bisate Lodge/One & Only Gorilla Nest
Midrange: – Da Vinci Lodge
Budget: – Muhabura Hotel
Meal Plan: – Breakfast Lunch, and Dinner
Activities and services:-
- Gorilla trekking
- Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village tour
Day 3: Transfer to Uganda & Bwindi National Park. Have a Batwa Pygmies Cultural Experience.
This day of your 8 Days Rwanda Uganda Safari is quite relaxed and you will wake up at 9:00 am and have breakfast after which you will embark on a road transfer to Bwindi in Uganda. This journey is quite a short one, only lasting about 2-3 hours.
You can choose to spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing at the lodge or you can choose to visit the local Batwa Pygmies community and have a first-hand experience of how this small community of people has managed to live side by side with these giant Mountain Gorillas for over 1000 years.
While here you’ll see how these guys used to hunt and use some of the trees and leaves from these forests to treat several of their ailments.
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Haven Lodge Buhoma/Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp/Buhoma Lodge
Mid-range: – Gorilla Mist Camp/Agandi Uganda Eco-Lodge/Ichumbi Lodge
Budget: – Trekkers Tavern
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive Distance & Time: – Approx. 132km or 3-4 hours
Activities & Services:-
- The scenic drive to Bwindi
- Batwa Cultural Experience
Day 4: Mountain Gorilla Trekking & Relaxation at the Lodge.
Today, you’ll do a second gorilla trek, this time in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park! You wake up at 6.00 am, have a hearty breakfast, and transfer to the park headquarters. Here, your driver/guide will get the formalities done and your ranger guides tell you further information on gorilla trekking procedures.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site that delivers the most incredible jungle adventure. The forest is one of the most biologically diverse areas on Earth and is home to about half the world’s population of mountain gorillas, an astounding number of bird species, and a variety of monkeys.
Coming face to face with a family of mountain gorillas is undoubtedly a lifetime experience that will never forget. After your one hour with gorillas, you’ll enjoy a picnic lunch in the lush wilderness of the rainforest.
Then head back to the park headquarters for your gorilla trekking certificate, before returning to your lodge for relaxation, as you reflect on a memorable day. Enjoy a refreshing hot shower and a delicious dinner.
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Haven Lodge Buhoma/Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp/Buhoma Lodge
Mid-range: – Gorilla Mist Camp/Agandi Uganda Eco-Lodge/Ichumbi Lodge
Budget: – Trekkers Tavern
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & Services:-
- Gorilla trekking in Bwindi
Optional Activity:-
- Evening community walk
Day 5: Visit Queen Elizabeth National Park. Enjoy Game Drive In The Ishasha Sector In Search Of Tree-Climbing Lions.
After a leisurely breakfast on day five of your 8 days Uganda Rwanda Safari, leave the pristine montane rainforests behind and head to the extensive grasslands of Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda’s leading game park.
The park’s 1978km2 of rolling savannah, beautiful lakes, lush rainforests, and fertile wetlands make it a haven for big game like hippos, Elephants, Buffalos, Leopards, Lion, and buffalo, as well as 10 primate species, including chimpanzees. There are also over 600 bird species! On arrival here, enjoy a stunning game drive in the southern Ishasha sector, which is famous for its population of tree-climbing lions.
Try to track these cats lazing in branches of big fig trees. It is claimed that these lions climb into trees as a way of protecting themselves from stinging insects or simply to escape the heat on the ground – there is a cool breeze up in the branches!
After your game drive, transfer to a convenient lodge in this park sector for your lunch break which also helps you stretch your body for a while before continuing to your lodge on the Northern side of the park for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation Options:-
Luxury: – Mweya Safari Lodge/Katara Safari Lodge/Kyambura Gorge Lodge
Mid-range:- Enganzi Game Lodge/Bush Lodge
Budget: – Pumba Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & Services:-
- Transfer to Queen Elizabeth Park
- Track tree-climbing lions
Day 6: Morning Chimpanzee Trekking in Kalinzu Forest & Afternoon Kazinga Channel Boat Trip.
At 6:30 am, after a hearty breakfast, go to the nearby Kalinzu Forest Reserve to meet your local ranger guides for a briefing on chimpanzee trekking. At around 8:00 am, go on a 2 to 5-hour guided trek into the green Kalinzu Forest in search of the chimpanzee communities that inhabit this natural protected forest.
Discover more about the social behavior of these captivating primates – our closest cousins in the animal world. Keep an eye out for other forest creatures like Olive baboons, Colobus, Red-tailed, L’Hoest’s Vervet, and Blue monkeys, as well as 379 bird species, 400 tree species, and rare butterflies.
You spend an hour with the chimps and then return to the starting point for a pleasant picnic lunch. In the afternoon, take a relaxing 2-hour boat cruise down the Kazinga Channel, which flows between Lakes George and Edward. One of Africa’s largest concentrations of hippo is found here, as well as many elephants, buffalos, crocodiles, and waterbirds like pelicans, storks, and African fish eagles.
After the boat ride, have a game drive along the channel track as you return to your lodge for a delightful dinner and a good night’s rest.
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Kyambura Gorge Lodge /Mweya Safari Lodge,
Midrange: – Enganzi Game Lodge/Bush lodge/Kasenyi Safari Camp
Budget: – Pumba Safari Cottages
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & Services:-
- Morning game drive
- Afternoon Kazinga Channel boat cruise
Optional Activities:-
- Chimp trekking Kalinzu Forest/Kyambura Gorge
- Lion tracking
- Night game drive
Day 7: Extensive Morning Game Drive in Kasenyi Plains & Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park.
After an early breakfast on day seven of your 7 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari, go on an exciting morning game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Explore the beautiful grasslands of Kasenyi plains to see Uganda kobs, lions, buffalos, Elephants, Giant Forest Hogs, Leopards, Hyenas, Waterbucks, Bushbucks, Jackals, Common warthogs, and a variety of grassland birds.
After a game drive, have a bush picnic lunch and leave for Lake Mburo. Travel through quiet rural villages and lush banana plantations, exchanging waves with friendly locals and admiring the impressive Ankole cattle (their horns are unusually large). On arrival, you’ll do an evening game viewing up to your lodge inside the park. Relax, enjoy dinner, and overnight.
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Mihingo Safari Lodge
Mid-range:- Rwakobo Rock
Budget: – Eagles Nest Mburo
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive Distance & Time: – Approx. 170km or 3-4 hours
Activities & Services:-
- Morning game drive in Queen
- Transfer to Lake Mburo
Optional Activities:-
- Evening Lake Mburo boat cruise
- Night game drive in Lake Mburo NP
Day 8: Game Walk & Drive to Entebbe via Uganda Equator.
Start your last morning of this 7 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari at 6.00 am with a 2-hour guided game walk in Lake Mburo National Park, accompanied by an armed ranger. Expect to observe plenty of nature and wildlife up close, including Zebras, Giraffes, Hippos, Buffalos, Elands, Topis, Waterbucks, Bushbucks, birds, etc…
Then leave for Entebbe.
You make a stopover at the Uganda Equator Kayabwe for some picture moments and also purchase some crafts before continuing to Entebbe International Airport for your departure flight.
Meal Plan: – Breakfast
Drive distance & time: – Approx. 240km or 3-4 hours
Activities & Services:-
- Morning game walk
- Drive back to Entebbe or Kampala
- Photo shoots at Equator Kayabwe
Optional Activities:-
- Mburo Horseback safari
- Cycling safari in Mburo
- Ankole Community tour
End of the 8 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari
8 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari – SAFARI INCLUSIONS
- Full-time English professional safari driver-guide
- 4×4 safari van or 4×4 Safari Land Cruiser with pop-up roof for game viewing with functional A/C
- Full board accommodation
- Gorilla & chimpanzee trekking permit fees
- Boat cruise fees
- Wi-Fi Internet on board the safari vehicle
- Bottled water
8 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari – SAFARI EXCLUSIONS
- International &domestic flight fees
- Visa fees
- Laundry services
- Items of personal nature
- Gratuities and tips
- Other beverages/drinks
- Other extras not mentioned in the itinerary above
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
For Safari Bookings We Accept
We are highly reviewed on TripAdvisor & Safari Bookings.
PARTNERS
People who always support & endorse our work
