Itinerary
Day 1: Airport pickup and hotel transfer
When you arrive at Kigali airport, you will be greeted by a Gecko safaris guide who will welcome you and brief you on your 8-day tour of Rwanda and Uganda. He will then drive you to your hotel for supper and an overnight stay.
Drive time: 10 minutes
Hotel: Hotel in Africa/Hotel Rwanda
Meal plan: solely in bed
Highlights of the day: briefing and city views.
Day 2: City tour and travel to Volcano Park
When you wake up, you will enjoy a delicious breakfast at the lodge before embarking on a Kigali city tour, during which you will visit the following locations: genocide memorials, downtown Kigali, craft market, museum, and then be transferred to Musanze Kinigi Parc de Volcanoes National Park. Which is located in the north of Rwanda, and you will make a quick stop in Nyirangarama to explore the food market and experience local grills like as Zingaro, Ebirayi, and Sambaza before continuing to Musanze, Rwanda’s third largest city. Check into the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.
Timing: 4 – 5 hours city tour, followed by a 2-hour journey to Kinigi.
Kinigi Peak Hotel or Five Volcanoes Hotel
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all on the menu.
Highlights of the day include a city tour and a drive through Rwanda’s countryside.
Day 3: Trekking with golden monkeys and transportation to Uganda.
You will have an early breakfast and then go golden monkey trekking, where you will observe the beautifully presented creatures and take photos to remember the experience. The hike in the forest will take you 2-4 hours, following which you will return to the lodge for a hot lunch and checkout before crossing to Uganda and spending the night at Lake Bunyonyi, where you will enjoy a walk around the community or rest before the next adventure.
Timing: 2-4 hours walking and 2 hours driving to Bunyonyi Lake.
Birdnest International or Birdnest International.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all on the menu.
Highlight of the day: walking with golden monkeys.
Day 4: Boat cruise on Lake Bunyonyi and transportation to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Have an early breakfast and then go on a boat ride on Lake Bunyonyi, which is claimed to be the second deepest lake in Africa. You will visit some other islands as well as pygmies and other locals. After lunch, you will be driven to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The trip will take you through the local community and small trading centres, where you will be able to stop and take photos with them. Tonight, you will sleep to the sounds of the jungle. Where you will check in, have dinner and sleep for the night.
Timing: 2 hours drive and 2 hours on the lake via boat.
Gorilla Mist Camp/Gorilla Mist Camp is a hotel.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all on the menu.
Highlights of the day include a boat ride on Lake Bunyonyi and visits to neighbouring settlements.
Day 5: Trekking with gorillas and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Rise early, eat breakfast, and leave the lodge with a packed lunch and drinking water to head to the park headquarters for a briefing before the activity. You will then head into the forest with the guidance of the ranger guides. It will take some time to find the gorillas depending on their movement. Once you find them, you will have an hour to feed, play, and take pictures with the amazing apes. After the activity, you will leave the forest and board a car to travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park in the park’s southern section, which is known for its tree climbing lions and magnificent scenery. You will check in, have supper, and spend the night at the lodge.
Timing: 2- 5 hours trekking, followed by a 3-hour drive to Ishasha.
Hotel: Ishasha Jungle Lodge or River Lodge.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all on the menu.
The highlight of the day is gorilla trekking.
Day 6 consists of a morning game drive, an afternoon boat excursion, and an evening game drive.
Today you will get up early, have a cup of coffee, and then head to the wild for a morning game drive where you will see buffaloes, kobs, antelopes, giraffes, a variety of bird species, and other natural life. You will snap as many shots as you like. This will take many hours, following which you will return for breakfast while relaxing, followed by your lunch meal and an afternoon boat tour to see the aquatic fauna. When you finish the activity, you will return to the lodge for dinner, an evening game drive, and a night’s sleep.
Timing: 3-5 hours game drive and 2 hours channel boat trip
Hotel options include Engazi Lodge and Mweya Safari Lodge.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all on the menu.
Highlights of the day include a game drive and a boat excursion down the waterway.
Day 7: Transfer to Kibale National Park, followed by Chimp trekking in the afternoon.
Wake up early enough to eat your breakfast and transfer to Kibale National Park via the crater lake region, where you will be able to see the volcanic forest, crater lakes, and some animals, lunch, and head for afternoon trekking with a briefing at 2:00pm before you head into the forest to trek the chimps, where you will see them having a late lunch relaxed on the grounds. You will get an hour to see and engage with the chimps before heading out of the forest to the lodge to check in, freshen up, and then have supper and spend the night there.
Timing: 2 hours travel and 3-4 hours trekking with chimps.
Hotel: chimp forest view crater safari lodge guest
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all on the menu.
Highlights of the day include chimp trekking and a drive to Crater Lake.
Day 8: Transfer to Entebbe International Airport.
You will have breakfast in the morning, check out of the hotel, and then the driver will pack your bags and transport you back to Kampala. Straight to Entebbe airport, albeit with a lunch break along the route.
Tour has come to an end.
