9 Days Uganda Rwanda Primates Safari
This 9 days Uganda Rwanda primates safari is an exciting primate adventure that starts from Kampala Uganda and ends in Kigali Rwanda. The safari will take you to Kibale forest national park where you will spend time with the chimpanzees, Queen Elizabeth national park where you will enjoy great views of abundant wildlife species including buffaloes, elephants, waterbucks, lions, leopards, Uganda kobs, hippos, Nile crocodiles, warthogs among others during the game drives and boat cruise on Kazinga channel. The 9 days Uganda Rwanda primates safari will also take you to Bwindi impenetrable national park and Volcanoes national park where you will have a face to face encounter with the endangered mountain gorillas and golden monkeys in their natural habitat.
Highlights of the 9 days Uganda Rwanda primates safari
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to a hotel in Kampala
Day 2: Transfer to Kibale forest national park
Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 4: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 5: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 6: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 7: Transfer to Volcanoes national park
Day 8: Golden monkey trekking and Ibyi’wacu cultural tour
Day 9: Departure to Kigali
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to a hotel in Kampala
Depending on your arrival time at Entebbe international airport on day 1 of the 9 days Uganda Rwanda primates safari, you will be welcomed by our driver guide who will brief you about the safari and then transfer to a hotel in Kampala for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Transfer to Kibale national park
After breakfast on day 2 of the 9 days Uganda Rwanda primates safari, you will check out of the hotel and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey to Kibale forest national park which is located in western Uganda. The journey takes about 5 to 6 hours 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 3: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Chimpanzee trekking,
After an early breakfast on the third day of the 9 days Uganda Rwanda primates safari, 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 behaviors, 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. After lunch, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park which is the second largest national park in Uganda. On the way you will enjoy spectacular views of the scenery, landscape, tea plantations among others. Upon arrival you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Morning game drive/ lion tracking experience and afternoon boat cruise
Morning game drive/ lion tracking experience
After an early breakfast on day 4 of the 9 days Uganda Rwanda primates safari, 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 5: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
On day 5 of the 9 days Uganda Rwanda primates safari, 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 6: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Gorilla trekking,
After an early breakfast on day 6 of the 9 days Uganda Rwanda primates safari, 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 gorilla family to trek and a park guide who is knowledgeable about the mountain gorillas and also conversant with different gorilla trekking trails. Trekking of mountain gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable national park takes about 30 minutes to 7 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 observe 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 encounter with the gentle giants, you will drive back to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Transfer to Volcanoes national park
After a relaxed breakfast on day 7 of the 9 days Uganda Rwanda primates safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Volcanoes national park with en-route lunch on the way. Upon arrival, you will check into the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Golden monkey trekking and Iby’iwacu cultural tour
Golden monkey trekking
After an early breakfast on day 8 of the 9 days Uganda Rwanda primates safari, you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules and regulations of golden monkey trekking. After the briefing, you will be allocated a habituated golden monkey family to trek and an experienced park guide. Golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes national park takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours depending on where the golden monkeys are located. During trekking, you will be able to view other primate species, birds, colourful butterflies, different plant and tree species among others. Once the golden monkeys are located, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn more about their behaviours, habits, watch them feed, jump up in trees, take photos and record videos.
After the one hour with the golden monkeys, you will trek back to the starting point where you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the lodge for lunch. After lunch, you will go for an exciting Ibyi’wacu cultural tour in the neighboring communities where you will be able to learn about the local people’s culture, lifestyle, way of living, listen to their ancient stories, taste their local beer, food, enjoy their traditional performances among others. After the cultural tour, you will drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 9: Departure to Kigali
On the last day of the 9 days Uganda Rwanda primates safari, you will have breakfast at leisure, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer back to Kigali. Upon arrival, you will go for a city tour where you will visit the genocide memorial centre, Kimironko market among others. After the city tour, you will have lunch and later 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 9 days Uganda Rwanda primates Safari.
Tour includes
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Golden monkey trekking
- Lion tracking experience
- Park entrance fees/ game drives
- Boat cruise fees
- Services of a professional English speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Pick up and drop off in Kampala/Entebbe
- 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.
