7 Days Uganda safari from Kigali
This 7 days Uganda safari from Kigali is an interesting safari that starts and ends in Kigali Rwanda. The safari will take you to Kibale forest national park where you will spend time with the chimpanzees and other primates like grey cheeked mangabey, black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, baboons among others and Queen Elizabeth national park where you will be able to view different animals like lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, hippos, Nile crocodiles among others during the game drives and boat cruise on Kazinga channel. The 7 days Uganda safari will also take you to Bwindi impenetrable national park where you will have a face to face encounter with the endangered mountain gorillas and spend one hour with them in their natural environment and Lake Bunyonyi which is the deepest lake in Uganda.
Highlights of the 7 days Uganda safari from Kigali
Day 1: Pick up from Kigali and transfer to Kibale forest national park
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 3: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 4: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 5: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 6: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi-boat cruise
Day 7: Departure to Kigali
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Kibale forest national park
Depending on your location in Kigali on the first day of the 7 days Uganda safari from Kigali, you will be welcomed by our driver guide who will brief you about the safari and then start the journey to Kibale forest national park which is located in western Uganda passing via Katuna border in Kabale district. It’s a whole day journey and on the way you will have en-route lunch and enjoy stunning views of the beautiful scenery, landscape, tea plantation, Rwenzori Mountains, views of the crater lakes among others. Upon arrival in Kibale national park, you will continue to check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Chimpanzee trekking,
After an early breakfast on the second day of the 7 days Uganda safari from Kigali, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to transfer to the Kanyachu park headquarters for a chimpanzee trekking briefing. After the briefing you will be allocated an experienced park guide and start trekking in the forest in search of chimpanzees. Trekking of chimpanzees in Kibale national park takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours depending on where the chimpanzees are located because they like to move from one area to another in search of food. During trekking you will be rewarded with views of other primates like l’hoest monkeys, red tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, views of different bird species among others. once the chimpanzees are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their environment which helps you to watch them feed, play, fight, hunt, rest, observe their behaviours, take photos and record videos.
After the one-hour encounter with the chimpanzees you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will meet up with your driver guide and return to the lodge for lunch where after, you will check out and start the journey to Queen Elizabeth national park. Upon arrival in Queen Elizabeth national park, you will continue to check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Morning game drive/ lion tracking experience and afternoon boat cruise
Morning game drive/ lion tracking experience
After an early breakfast on the third day of the 7 days Uganda safari from Kigali, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for a morning game drive in Kasenyi plains. During the game drive you will be able to spot different animals like elephants, buffaloes, warthogs, Uganda kobs, waterbucks which will be grazing in open savannah plains, view predators like lions, leopards, hyenas which will be looking for a morning hunt, view bird species among others. After the game drive you will drive back to the lodge for lunch.
Afternoon boat cruise
After lunch you will go for an interesting boat cruise on Kazinga channel a water channel that connect lake Edward and lake George. During the boat cruise which takes about 2 to 3 hours, you will be able to view large herds of hippos and Nile crocodiles in water, view buffaloes, elephants, warthogs, waterbucks drinking water along the shores, view water birds like hornbills, cormorants, fish eagles, king fisher’s among others. After the boat ride you will return to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
On the fourth day of the 7 days Uganda safari from Kigali, you will enjoy a relaxed breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park. On the way you will have a stopover in Ishasha sector in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth national park where you will be able to view the famous tree-climbing lions which will be lazily lying up in acacia/ fig tree branches. After the game drive in Ishasha sector you will have lunch and then continue the journey to the park with great views of the beautiful landscape, countryside, Kigezi hills, terraced farmlands among others. Upon arrival in Bwindi impenetrable national park you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Gorilla trekking,
After an early breakfast on the fifth day of the 7 days Uganda safari from Kigali, you will carry packed lunch and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a gorilla trekking briefing. After the briefing you will be allocated a park guide who is knowledgeable about the mountain gorillas and also conversant with different gorilla trekking trails. Gorilla trekking takes about 2 to 6 hours depending on where the gorillas are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking you will be able to view other primate species, different bird species, plants among others and once the mountain gorillas are found, you will be able to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn about their behaviors, watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, playing, breastfeeding, grooming young ones, take photos and record videos.
After the one hour with the gentle giants, you will either drive back to the lodge for relaxation or go for an interesting Batwa cultural tour where you will be able to interact with the batwa people, learn about their culture, way of living, enjoy their traditional performance among others. After the cultural tour, you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi-boat cruise
After a relaxed breakfast on the sixth day of the 7 days Uganda safari from Kigali, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Lake Bunyonyi in Kabale which is the deepest lake in Uganda. Upon arrival, you will connect to the lodge for lunch where after you will go for a boat cruise on Lake Bunyonyi where you will be able to explore the islands, view different bird species, enjoy stunning views of the beautiful scenery, terraced farmlands, traditional homesteads among others. After the boat cruise, you will meet up with your driver guide and return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Departure to Kigali
On the last day of the 7 days Uganda safari from Kigali, you will enjoy a relaxed breakfast, check out of the lodge and then meet up with your driver guide to start the journey back to Kigali. On the way you will have en-route lunch and then proceed to Kigali arriving early evening and upon arrival your driver guide will drop you off at Kigali international airport for your departure flight or drop off at any place of advise.
End of 7 days Uganda safari from Kigali.
Tour includes
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Boat cruise
- Park entrance fees/game drives
- Lion tracking experience
- Services of a professional English speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Pick up and drop off
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled drinking water
Tour excludes
- Air flight tickets
- Visas
- Life insurance
- Optional activities not included on the itinerary
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.
