20 Days Uganda & Rwanda COMBO

Safari summary

Day 1: Arrival.

Up on arrival, you will be welcomed by our guide at the Airport who will transfer you to your Hotel in Kampala for an overnight. Silver springs Bugolobi http://www.silverspringshotelug.com/

Day 2: Transfer from Kampala to Jinja White water rafting

Our tour guide will pick you up from your hotel/ residence early in the morning to begin you journey to Eastern Uganda. After an hour’s drive, we turn off the Sezibwa falls and enjoy a guided tour of the falls. Thereafter we proceed to Jinja Town, have lunch head out for a half day rafting adventure on the Nile. Get prepared by listening to some briefing, fitting of life jackets and few minutes training. Feel the adrenaline rush as you paddle with your team though grade 5 rapids for over 11 km. If you’re doing half day rafting, your trip will end on Malubisi Island. Drive to accommodation for dinner and over night at Source of the Nile hotel http://www.sourceofthenilehotel.ug/
Sezibwa Falls is an important cultural site in Buganda Kingdom and the falls are believed to be of spiritual significance to the local people. The powerful falls offer great sightings and the stories told about these mysterious falls are worth listening to.

Day 3: Source of the Nile and Bujagali falls

After breakfast, we shall visit the Source of the Nile, we shall have lunch thereafter, we drive to Ziwa rhino sanctuary. We shall have lunch on our way at a selected restaurant by the guide, and continue with our journey to our accommodation. Ziwa Rhino accommodation for dinner and overnight.The Nile is a long river flowing northwards regarded as the world’s longest river measuring 4258 miles shared by eleven countries on the eastern side of the African continent namely Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Egypt, Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Eritrea, South Sudan and North Sudan. The Nile continues its journey to North Africa until it pours into the Mediterranean Sea.

Day 4: Ziwa Rhino tracking and head to Murchison falls National park.

After breakfast, we shall go for Rhino tracking at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary - a vast reserve for the rebuilding of the Rhino Population of Uganda. Lunch at the Sanctuary then drive up to the Rhinos and a guide from Ziwa will take you on a walk close to Rhinos. Then we shall return for Lunch and after Lunch, we shall drive to Murchison falls National Park to our accommodation for dinner and overnight. Fort Murchison http://www.naturelodges.biz/fort-murchison/

Day 5: Game and Boat cruise

After breakfast head to the Delta in search for bird life and enjoy the game drive to look for lions, giraffes, herds of elephants, buffaloes and many more. We will drive back to the lodge for lunch before taking an afternoon boat cruise to the foot of Murchison Falls. This boat trip along the Nile is often cited as being the highlight of a trip to Murchison since it allows you to get up-close and personal with the animals. Along this stretch of the river, there are reported to be around 4,000 hippos in addition to some enormous Nile crocodiles. The bird life is stunning with brightly colored kingfishers and bee-eaters darting along the riverbanks. If lucky, you may see the rare and prehistoric looking shoebill, which is a cross between the dodo and a dinosaur. The boat takes you to the base of the falls which only adds to their impressiveness. We return to the accommodation for dinner, and over night as above.

Day 6: Top of the falls and drive to Rwenzori.

After breakfast, with your packed lunch, you will visit the top of the falls and experience how they bask themselves into the river. Leave Murchison falls National Park via the Lake Albert escarpment, having a good view of the lake. Stopover at Kolping Hotel in Hoima for lunch and after drive across the interesting river Nkusi (flowing from the southern end of L. Albert, through the villages of Kagadi, joining Victoria Nile). Both rivers join L. Kyoga and flow through the Murchison Falls continue to L. Albert and north to the Mediterranean Sea. Traveling on both asphalt and unpaved roads, you pass through traditional Ugandan Villages where you see people at work tending their traditional crops of millet, sorghum, beans and maize. The lush rolling hills of this region provide good "photo opportunities". As you approach Fort Portal in the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains, you enter Uganda's famous tea plantation region. A carpet of green spreads before you, as far as the eye can see, and seems an unusual contrast to the countryside through which you have just passed. You arrive at Fort Portal, then, continue towards Rwenzori national park at your accommodation for dinner and overnight at Rujuna guest house.

Day 7: Rwenzori Mountain visit

After breakfast, we shall drive to the Crater Lake in Rwenzori. These crater lakes were formed rather recent in the light of ancient volcanic activity in Uganda – a mere 8 to 10,000 years ago though you see them as serene, scenic lakes today – when they exploded they caused tremendous damage in their time covering an area larger than Mount Vesuvius did at Pompeii – in the case of the Ugandan Explosion Craters – they reduced Lake Edward to a toxic mess. Fire and brimstone still erupted from these explosion craters as recently as 2000 BC while the Pyramids in Egypt were being built. We shall settle in the accommodation for dinner and overnight at Mountains of the moon.

Day 8: Hike Crater Lakes area

After breakfast, we shall go for a Hike of the crater lakes area, then we shall return for lunch at the accommodation then drive to Kibale national park. Settle in our accommodation for dinner and overnight at Kibale Forest camp. http://www.naturelodges.biz/kibale-forest-camp/

Day 9: Chimp tracking

Assemble at Kanyankyu River camp at 0800hours to go for the most popular activity in this park which is Chimpanzee tracking. Chimpanzees are man’s closet cousins though they are one of the most threatened primate’s species. More primates like Black and white Columbus monkeys, L’Hoest Monkeys, Grey checked Mangabey, Red tailed monkeys, bush babies, pottos and many bird species like the yellow spotted nicator, rumped tinker bird, Little greenbul, green breasted pitta, the crowned eagle, black bee eater and mammals like Elephants can be seen in this walk.
In the afternoon we visit a nearby forest swamp that is excellent for viewing primates and other forest animals. At the Eastern edge of Kibale forest is Bigodi Wetland sanctuary which is maintained by the local community. You will expect birds like the great Blue turaco, blue monkeys, baboons, otters, mongoose, bush bucks, bush pigs and among others. We shall return for our lunch, relax at the lodge till time for dinner and overnight as above.

Day 10: Drive to Queen Elizabeth National park and evening game drive.

Shift to Queen Elizabeth National Park this morning (about 3 hours driving). Leaving through Fort Portal town, you turn south and early this afternoon enter Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is dominated on its northern border by the snow-capped 16,000-foot Rwenzori Mountains-the famed "Mountains of the Moon". This 767-square-mile conservation area is bordered on the North East by Lake George and on the South West by Lake Edward; its western border adjoins the Zaire Parc Du Virunga. You will expect to see teeming herds of impala-like Uganda Kob, as well as topi, elephant and lion, giant forest hog, Cape buffalo. There are also several soda lakes filling ancient volcanic calderas where flamingos reside seasonally. We shall have an evening game drive then go back to the accommodation and settle in for dinner and overnight. Bush lodge. http://www.naturelodges.biz/the-bush-lodge/

Day 11: Game drive and boat cruise

Take a cup of coffee and go for an early morning game drive in this park, provide excellent opportunities to see Lions, Cape Buffaloes, Giant Forest Hogs, Leopards, Elephants, Defassa Waterbucks, Uganda Kobs, Topi and Bush bucks and many more.
After lunch, enjoy the unique 2-hour launch cruise on the Kazinga Channel and into Lake Edward. This trip passes through possibly the highest concentration of Hippos and many animals may be seen drinking at the water's edge. This launch cruise offers an excellent platform for photography, bird watching and game viewing, ideal for the Uganda safari .The prolific bird life is colorful and stupendous with well over 550 resident species. Dinner and overnight at as above.

Day 12: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National park

Early breakfast, Check out and continue to Bwindi through the Ishasha plains with chances of seeing the tree climbing lions on the way. Lunch at Savannah Resort Hotel, continue to Bwindi and check into Gorilla valley lodge for dinner and overnight. http://www.naturelodges.biz/gorilla-valley-lodge/

Day 13: Gorilla tracking

You will rise relatively early for a jovial breakfast to give you the energy needed for gorilla tracking. Report to the ranger station at 08.00 am where the guides will take you through the forest, slashing at the undergrowth, to track gorillas. This trek can take from half an hour to five hours therefore, a reasonable degree of fitness is required as well as a sturdy pair of walking shoes. On top of that, there are other animals and birds which you could see on the way. You will spend only one hour with the gorillas as you listen, watch and marvel at them. It is amazing, for one to be in audience with these giants and think they would attack you. However, these gentle giants as they are known don’t attack anybody unless they are threatened, and sometimes, they tease you by jumping up and down and hitting their chests to scare you and see what your reaction would be. Under the circumstances, it is advisable not to look at them directly into their eyes, but look down and don’t show any jocular actions that may be interpreted as an attack to them, keep silence and talk in small tones. And after one hour, they will leave you where you are or your guide will tell you when to depart. If you have the afternoon free, we could walk to the water fall nearby or you can take a guided village amongst the locals. Return at your lodge for an overnight and dinner as above. (Meals: FB)

Day 14: Bwindi to Volcanoes National Park

Today you will be transferred to Cyanika border (Uganda /Rwanda). After finishing with Custom procedures at Cyanika border, you’ll find your Rwanda driver guide with your Rwanda safari Jeep waiting for you. After a brief introduction, your driver guide will transfer you to Musanze formerly known as Ruhengeri the base home for mountain gorillas in Volcanoes N.P Meals and Overnight at Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel :http://www.fivevolcanoesrwanda.com/

Day 15: Gorilla Tracking in Volcanoes National Park

After breakfast (6:00am) proceed to Volcanoes National Park headquarters for briefing about the Gorilla Trekking Dos and Don’ts while trekking the Mountain Gorillas. There are 12 Gorilla Families in Rwanda, 10 are fully habituated and open to tourists and 2 are left for research purposes. The trek can take from 1 to 8 hours depending on the gorilla family you’re allocated, Gorilla families are allocated based on the preference of the tourist and their physical fitness. You will discover the Gorillas doing their day by day chores of sustaining their young ones, climbing trees and others simply unwinding.Take your excellent photographs having switched off your flash. You’re allowed to stay with the Gorillas for just one hour, and then descend back to the park office HQ for your gorilla tracking Certificates .Transfer back to your hotel for hot lunch followed by afternoon relaxation as you wait for your dinner and overnight at your hotel as at above.

Day 16: Golden Monkeys tracking and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

This morning, you will checkout from the hotel with packed lunch and participate in another adventure tracking the “Little Primates” of the Virungas, the ‘Golden Monkey’ (Cercopithecus Kandti), now listed by the IUCN as endangered because of their small numbers. You will be part of a select group of a maximum of 6 people, and the track will take most of the day. Depart to Cyanika border, handed over to your Uganda driver again who will transfer you to Lake Bunyonyi at Bunyonyi overland resort for dinner and overnight. http://www.bunyonyioverland.com/index.htm
Day 17: Boat cruise Bunyonyi and drive to Lake Mburo National Park
After breakfast, we shall enjoy a boat ride on Bunyonyi Island and then return for lunch, after we shall transfer to Lake Mburo National park to our accommodation for dinner and overnight. Eagles nest camp

Day 18: Game drive and drive to Kampala.

Early breakfast before embarking on our return to Kampala, driving down the grassed and terraced escarpments of southwestern Uganda while taking in the breathtaking sights of the hills of the region dubbed ‘the little Switzerland of Africa’. This area is a highly fertile, mountainous region with steep sided hills covered from top to bottom in neatly terraced cultivated rows. Not to miss as we traverse Mbarara are the impressing long horn Ankole cattle. A remarkable highlight of this journey is the Equator line and surely you will cross it as we have a brief stop here. We will be in Kampala in the evening at our accommodation Ndere cultural center for dinner and overnight plus the entertainment from Ndere cultural group. http://ndere.com/

Day 19: Explore Kampala.

Wake up early in the morning after breakfast and prepare for the city cultural drive, have a visit to Kasubi royal tombs, and also have a visit to Kabakas palace (Lubiiri), Kabakas Lake after go for lunch and later on in the afternoon have a visit to Uganda museum and drive through the city of Kampala and go to the Namugongo Martyrs shrine and in the evening drive to Bhai temple. Have supper in a selected restaurant and then have night life tour in Kampala. (Optional, drive to one of the best clubs in Kampala or visit a casino for fun night.) Overnight as above.

Day 20: Departure

After breakfast, we shall have a drive around Kampala, have lunch at a selected Restaurant and then proceed to Entebbe for our flight back home carrying memories of our Adventure in Uganda and Rwanda!
 Note: Prices are subject to changes without notice; contact us for updates on prices.
The above safari package includes:-
• Transportation by a 4WD vehicle both Uganda & Rwanda
• Accommodation and meals as per the itinerary
• Sezibwa falls visit
• Boat ride to the source of the Nile
• One Gorilla permit per person (Uganda) to be secured and paid for in advance ($600)
• Park fees
• Kibale Chimpanzee Permits per person to be secured and paid in advance ($150)
• Boat trips Murchison and Queen Elizabeth
• Game drives
• Community visits
• Crater Lake visit
• Rwenzori visit
• Services of English speaking Driver/guide both Uganda & Rwanda
• Enroute lunches
• All Cyanika border assistance by our driver guides
• One Gorilla permit per person (Rwanda) to be secured and paid for in advance ($750)
• One Golden Monkey permit per person (Rwanda) to be secured and paid for in advance ($100)
• Drinking water

However, the package excludes: Expenses of personal nature like: Uganda and Rwanda Visa, tickets, drinks, laundry, tips to local guides, telephone, porter fee while trekking, personal insurance, Yellow fever card and tobacco.

About this tour

	Tour type	Custom, tailor-made, private
	Main focus	Primate trekking
	Activity level	Moderate activity
	Best months	All months
	Countries	Rwanda Uganda
	Parks	Bwindi Impenetrable Lake Mburo Murchison Falls Queen Elizabeth Volcanoes