7 days Uganda Rwanda Wildlife Safari
7 days Uganda Rwanda wildlife safari combines two exceptional destinations in East Africa- Uganda and Rwanda. The 7 days Uganda Rwanda safari is one of the best long safaris taking you through variety exciting activities and unique experiences including Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda.
Volcanoes National Park is located in the Virunga Mountain region, Northwestern Rwanda- only accessible within 2-3 hours’ drive from Kigali capital.
Volcanoes National Park hosts up to 13 habituated gorilla families and on actual gorilla trekking, each group of 8 visitors trek a single family. The park is compact in size, extending up to 160sq.kms and in 1925 it was founded mainly to protect some of the endangered mountain gorillas which remain not more than 1063 in the world.
The 7 days Uganda Rwanda wildlife safari also includes chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park and game drives, a boat/launch cruise at Queen Elizabeth National Park in Western Uganda. The long wildlife tour also combines cultural visit at Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village.
Kibale National Park is one of East Africa’s top visited chimpanzee tracking parks strategically positioned in Western Uganda. This park protects 13 species of primates with over 1500 chimpanzees making it a true primate capital of the world.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is a splendid wildlife park set in Kasese District, Western Uganda. Queen Elizabeth NP is the second biggest of the 10 National Parks occupying up to 1978sq.kms and established in 1952- originally as Kazinga National Park.
Later it was renamed as Queen Elizabeth National Park taking its name after Queen Elizabeth of England. This park prides itself as a home to diverse wildlife including the tree climbing lions, buffaloes, elephants, leopards, 620 bird species and more.
Brief itinerary for 7 days Uganda Rwanda Wildlife Safari
- Day 1: Kampala to Kibale National Park- 7 days Uganda Rwanda wildlife safari
- Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking Kibale N.P & a trip to Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Day 3: Guided game drive, launch/boat cruise Queen Elizabeth N.P
- Day 4: Ishasha sector guided game drive & transfer to Volcanoes National Park
- Day 5: Gorilla trekking Volcanoes National Park Ruhengeri & Iby’Iwacu cultural villag
- Day 6: Golden monkey tracking Volcanoes NP Ruhengeri & Twin Lake visit
- Day 7: Depart Volcanoes NP for Kigali- City Tour
Detailed itinerary for 7 days Uganda Rwanda Wildlife Safari
Day 1: Kampala to Kibale National Park
Take a hot cup of tea/coffee early morning and after, meet your safari guide or driver for briefing about your 7 days Uganda Rwanda wildlife safari.
Leave Kampala for about 6 hours’ drive to Kibale National Park, Kabarole District with lunch to be enjoyed at a hotel in Fort Portal city. Transfer afterwards to Kibale National Park to check into your accommodation for overnight stay.
Accommodation
- Budget: Chimpanzee Guesthouse
- Midrange: Primate Lodge, Chimpanzee Forest Camp
- Luxury: Papaya Lake Lodge, Kyaninga Lodge, Ndali Lodge
Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking Kibale N.P & a trip to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day two of 7 days Uganda Rwanda wildlife safari begins with an early morning breakfast and followed by briefing about chimpanzee tracking rules at Kanyanchu Tourist Center, Kibale National Park.
You will be assigned to a park guide and at 8:00am, you will start the actual trek to see a habituated chimpanzee community in Kibale. The chimp trek can last for 2-4 hours and it is inclusive of one hour which you will enjoy face to face with chimpanzees.
Retreat from jungles after exploring about chimp behaviors, enjoy lunch at the lodge in Kibale National Park and then spend 3 hours to drive up to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Accommodation
- Budget: Simba Safari Lodge, Bush Lodge in the Tents
- Mid-range: Park View Lodge, Bush Lodge
- Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge, Katara Lodge
Day 3: Guided game drive, launch/boat cruise Queen Elizabeth N.P
Leave early for a guided game drive after breakfast- explore Kasenyi Plains/sector an area rich with diversity of wildlife.
The Kasenyi Plains game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park allows you see mammals such as buffaloes, elephants, lions, warthogs, antelopes and variety of bird species. These will be excellently viewed while in a 4×4 safari vehicle with a pop up roof and takes 2-3 hours.
Drive back from Kasenyi Plains for lunch and at 2:00pm, set off for Kazinga channel that connects Lake George and Lake Edward. Have the best of a boat cruise on Kazinga channel 2-3 hours expecting to see large schools of hippos, crocodiles and water birds.
Accommodation
- Budget: Simba Safari Lodge, Bush Lodge in the Tents
- Mid-range: Park View Lodge, Bush Lodge
- Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge, Katara Lodge
Day 4: Ishasha sector guided game drive & transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Enjoy early morning breakfast and after, set off for Ishasha sector guided game drive. This will get you amazing sight of the tree climbing lions while they are relaxed on fig and acacia trees.
Several other wildlife, birds will also be spotted during your guided game drive at Ishasha sector and after, proceed from Queen Elizabeth NP to Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda.
Accommodation
- Budget: Kinigi Guesthouse
- Midrange: Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge, Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge, Virunga Lodge
- Luxury: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Gorilla’s Nest, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge
Day 5: Gorilla Trekking Volcanoes National Park Ruhengeri
After breakfast, leave your place of stay for briefing (starting at 7:00am) at Kinigi offices- get to know the gorilla trekking rules to follow and the gorilla family to trek.
During briefing, you will be expected to be on right attire and gear then by 8:00am leave the park offices with guide on lead to look for a habituated gorilla group in Volcanoes National Park. You should have some water and snacks since the search may take from 2-6 hours less or more depending how fast you can walk and location of gorillas.
You will enjoy a face to face encounter with gorillas for one hour once you have found them, the time you will use taking photos, learning about their daily behaviors and more.
Later, walk back to settle at the lodge and you will again be picked by your tour leader ready to pay a visit to Gorilla Guardians Village/Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village. This will be for you to have the best of cultural dances, learn the distinct traditions, cultures, norms and others.
Accommodation
- Budget: Kinigi Guesthouse
- Midrange: Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge, Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge, Virunga Lodge
- Luxury: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Gorilla’s Nest, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge
Day 6: Golden Monkey Tracking Volcanoes NP Ruhengeri
After an early morning breakfast, go for briefing at Volcanoes National Park offices but mainly on golden monkey tracking rules.
After, leave the briefing point with a guide to search for the beautiful golden monkeys 2-4 hours inclusive of one hour of magical interaction and photography.
Return to your accommodation for relaxation, leisurely lunch be enjoyed and later, travel to the Twin Lakes (Lake Ruhondo and Burera).
Accommodation
- Budget: Kinigi Guesthouse
- Midrange: Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge, Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge, Virunga Lodge
- Luxury: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Gorilla’s Nest, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge
Day 7: Depart Volcanoes NP for Kigali- City Tour
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast, after leave Volcanoes National Park Ruhengeri for Kigali 2-3 hours. Have incredible view of the rolling hills en-route to Kigali and once you have arrived, begin a city tour visiting key historic sites such as Kigali genocide site, presidential palace museum, craft markets and more.
Later, get dropped to a hotel or airport marking the end of the 7 days Uganda Rwanda wildlife safari.
End of 7 days Uganda Rwanda wildlife safari
Safari package includes
- Gorilla permits
- Park entrance fees
- Game drives
- Boat cruise
- Accommodation
- All trip activities as per 7 days Uganda Rwanda wildlife safari
- Fulltime English speaking guide-Uganda & Rwanda
- A comfortable 4×4 safari vehicle
- A bottled water
Safari package excludes
- Cigarettes
- Alcoholic drinks
- Laundry services
- Optional activities
- Telephone
- Shopping expenses