7-Day Uganda And Rwanda Safari Highlights

• Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial to learn about Rwanda’s history and resilience.
• Explore Volcanoes National Park and visit the Gorilla Doctors headquarters to learn about gorilla conservation.
• Enjoy game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park to see elephants, lions, leopards, hippos, and numerous bird species.
• Take a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel to observe hippos, buffalo, elephants, and waterbirds up close.
• Relax and enjoy optional water activities at the scenic Lake Mutanda, surrounded by the Virunga Volcanoes.
• Trek through Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with mountain gorillas.

A Detailed 7-Day Uganda And Rwanda Safari

Day 1: City tour Kigali/Volcanoes National Park

After picking you up from your Kigali hotel or the airport, your expert driver-guide will give you a rundown of the day’s activities.

As a commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the Tutsi genocide, the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre was inaugurated in 2004. It is a memorial museum that pays tribute to the victims of Rwanda’s tragic past.

In the aftermath of your adventure, you’ll hit the road to Musanze, the entry point to the mountain gorilla and golden monkey-rich Volcanoes National Park. The Gorilla Doctors are the only organization on Earth whose exclusive mission is the care and preservation of mountain and eastern lowland gorillas. You will have the opportunity to visit their offices in the afternoon. They keep an eye on the gorilla families, make sure no one is sick or hurt, and treat them when necessary. It will take around 2.5 hours to drive today.

Day 2: Musanze/Volcanoes National Park

Your first stop after breakfast will be at the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund’s Ellen DeGeneres Campus. In addition to studying and preserving gorillas, this world-renowned research center also assists local people in their conservation efforts.

Discover the story of the renowned American primatologist Dian Fossey, who saved mountain gorillas from extinction for 18 years in Volcanoes National Park until she was assassinated.

Musanze has a wide variety of extra activities, such as canoeing down the Mukungwa River, trekking up Mount Bisoke, or going on a Golden Monkey Trek in the Virunga Mountains. Redrocks Rwanda also has demonstrations of basket weaving, dancing, and drumming in addition to seeing the production of banana beer.

Day 3: Queen Elizabeth National Park

As you make your way to Queen Elizabeth National Park, you’ll pass through Uganda today, leaving Rwanda behind. There are 95 species of mammals, including the endangered tree-climbing lions, and 618 species of birds at this world-renowned park. It is also home to 10 kinds of primates, including chimpanzees.

The 7-Day Uganda And Rwanda Safari journey to your lodge will be like going on a mini-safari, so be on the lookout for chimpanzees, crocodiles, warthogs, lions, leopards, hyenas, and hippos, among other creatures.

About 6.5 hours is the total time spent driving.

Day 4: Queen Elizabeth National Park

Have breakfast at the lodge before you hit the road for a morning game drive. Many famous African creatures can be seen when driving across the Kasenyi Plains.

Elephants, buffalo, kob, bushbuck, hippos, warthogs, crocodiles, hyenas, leopards, and many more creatures may be spotted in Africa. As the sun rises, this section of the park takes on an even more picturesque quality. Species such as the Shoebill, African Hobby, Rüppell’s Vulture, Bateleur, Brown Snake Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Grey Kestrel, African Finfoot, African Skimmer, Palm-nut Vulture, and Papyrus Gonolek are available for birdwatchers to find.

Get some rest and lunch at the lodge after your game drive. During the afternoon, take part in yet another thrilling pursuit! Embark on a two-hour boat ride at the Mweya Jetty, departing at 2pm. Guests to the park simply must take a boat ride across the Kazinga Channel. While elephants drink from the shore, you’ll float within meters of hundreds of buffalo and hippos.

A wide variety of waterbirds can be observed, such as the African Skimmer, pelicans, cormorants, saddle-billed stork, glossy ibis, water thick-knee, grey-hooded gull, terns, and African wattled lapwing. Along the shoreline, you may also spot nile crocodiles. Return to the resort for dinner and relaxation after your boat ride with a quick game drive along the channel track.

Day 5: Lake Mutanda, Bwindi

A lovely and picturesque adventure awaits you today. Rushaga, in the southern portion of Bwindi, is reached after a 6-hour trip via red dirt roads that pass through rolling mountains, crater lakes, jungles, tea plantations, and small African settlements.

Lake Mutanda is one of Africa’s most picturesque bodies of water, and your resort is located on its shores, so you can unwind while gazing out over the Virunga Volcanoes. There are many other ways to enjoy the lake, such as swimming or exploring it by canoe, kayak, stand-up paddleboard, or sailboat.

About Lake Mutanda

Located at the foot of the Virunga Volcanoes—a breathtaking mountain range that borders Uganda, Rwanda, and the Congo—Lake Mutanda is situated in southwestern Uganda, far from the capital. The lake serves as an ideal starting point for gorilla trekking because it is encircled by verdant rainforests, the home of the endangered mountain gorillas. The neighbouring Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park are good places to see these docile giants. There is a wide variety of fauna around the lake, including otters, chameleons, frogs, lizards, kingfishers, and grey crowned cranes.

Optional Water Activities at Lake Mutanda

You may enjoy a wide range of water activities at Mutanda Lake Resort. Unwind on one of the jetties or go swimming in the bilharzia-free, crystal-clear lake. Explore the water on a kayak, stand-up paddleboard or sailboat for an exciting journey. Taking a dugout boat out on the lake is a great way to get back to nature. You may also rent a motorboat, which is perfect for taking in the serene countryside while birdwatching or just relaxing with a drink. The resort is the best place to book any activity.

Day 6: Face to face with mountain gorillas

One of the most exciting parts of your vacation will be going gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, which you will enter this morning.

Primate habitats for mountain gorillas include Rwanda’s Virunga Mountains and the Bwindi jungle. Despite its small size, the forest provides a home for about half of the world’s mountain gorillas. There are 350 species of birds and 120 species of mammals that call this place home.

With the assistance of knowledgeable rangers from the Uganda Wildlife Authority, you will stoop and walk through dense woodland on your hike. Gorilla poop, nests, chewed bamboo, and splintered branches are some of the telltale indicators that they’ll use to lead you.

The next part is the most enchanted part: being within a few meters of a formidable silverback and his family. You will never forget the sensation of watching them behave so naturally and quietly in your presence.

Day 7: Drive Back to Kigali

The four- or five-hour drive back to Kigali will begin after breakfast. As soon as you arrive, your 7-Day Uganda And Rwanda Safari will come to a close because no activities are scheduled.

Please inform us if you would like to prolong your stay in the city, and we would be happy to help. After 4 pm, please make sure to book your international flight from Kigali. Observe that Rwanda is one hour behind Uganda (GMT+2) and that Uganda is one hour ahead of Rwanda (GMT +3).

End of the 7-Day Uganda And Rwanda Safari

Inclusions

• Pick-up and drop-off from Kigali International Airport or hotel.
• Accommodation as specified in the itinerary (Midrange lodges and resorts).
• All meals as specified (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner).
• Transport in a comfortable safari vehicle with a professional driver-guide.
• Visit to Kigali Genocide Memorial.
• Visit to Gorilla Doctors headquarters in Volcanoes National Park.
• Visit to Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
• Game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Boat cruise on Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
• Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
• All park entrance fees for listed activities (Volcanoes, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi).
• Bottled water during game drives.
• Local taxes and service charges at lodges/resorts.
• Border crossing fees and assistance

Exclusions

• International flight to and from Uganda
• Domestic flight transfers
• Optional Activities
• Travel insurance
• Visa
• Tips