16 Days Rwanda and Uganda Primates Safari

The 16 Days Uganda and Rwanda Primates Safari tour that offers you a variety of gorilla and chimpanzee experiences in both countries in diverse way. Here the main focus is gorilla trekking and habituation, chimpanzee tracking and habituation. In addition to other experiences such as boat cruise, seeing wildlife, nature walks etc. This is the best of Uganda & Rwanda adventure safari with primates’ tour that takes you through Uganda and Rwanda’s tourist destinations for memorable activities.

Safari Highlights

• Day 1: Arrival in Kigali – City tour
• Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
• Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking – Canopy walkway
• Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
• Day 5: Gorilla trekking experience
• Day 6: Bisoke hike /Golden monkey tracking – Community tour
• Day 7: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – Kisoro
• Day 8: Gorilla habituation experience
• Day 9: Transfer to another sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
• Day 10: Gorilla trekking experience
• Day 11: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park – Ishasha sector
• Day 12: Morning game drive and boat cruise along the Kazinga channel
• Day 13: Chimpanzee/primate tracking Kyambura gorge – crater lake exploration tours
• Day 14: Transfer to Kibale national park – Bigodi swamp –
• Day 15: Chimpanzee Habituation experience
• Day 16: Transfer to Kampala/Entebbe – Departure

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Kigali – City tour

Upon arrival in Kigali airport, you will be welcomed by our company representative who will also be your safari guide. Connect for a Kigali city tour and visit the Kigali genocide memorial, Rwanda Art Museum and the presidential palace museum where you will learn more about the history of Rwanda depending on the time available. Enjoy en-route lunch, dinner and overnight stay at Des Mille Collins Hotel – Mid-range option/Step Town Motel for budget option

Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest national park

After your early breakfast, embark on your journey to Nyungwe forest national park which is a 6-7 hours’ drive from Kigali with en-route lunch and en-route stop to visit the Nyanza King’s palace, butare national museum. Proceed to check-in your booked lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel for mid-range option, Gisakura Visitors’ Centre for budget option

Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking – Canopy walkway

Enjoy breakfast and go for briefing about the endangered chimpanzees before entering the forest in search of the active and playful fellows in Nyungwe forest with your backpack. The Chimpanzees are much easier to spot as they jump from one tree to another, chattering and laughing. Chimpanzee tracking usually takes about 3-5 hours depending on their location. On finding them, spend an hour while taking pictures and videos.

Proceed to the park and connect for the 2 pm canopy walk experience. You will go on a walking trail that will take you to the Canopy Walk-a swing bridge 50 meters in length that is suspended from large trees; you will be able to see the amazing rainforest with a bird’s eye view, spotting wildlife moving below you. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above

Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes national park

After breakfast, follow the same procedure as of chimpanzee tracking, receive a briefing then enter the forest to search for the colobus monkey. These primates are quite different to spot as they keep jumping from tree to tree however, the park rangers will do their best to help you get the best view of the primates. This will take 2-5 hours and on finding them, you will be allowed to spend an hour in their presence.

Thereafter, embark on your journey the Volcanoes national park. It’s a 6-7 hours’ drive with great sights of the Lake Kivu and Virunga Mountains and the forest. You can stop to take pictures keeping in mind the time. Upon arrival in Musanze, proceed to check-in your lodge, dinner and overnight stay at Hotel Muhabura for budget option/Le Bambou Gorilla lodge for mid-range option

Day 5: Gorilla trekking experience

After early morning breakfast, you will be transferred to the Kinigi park headquarters with your trekking gears for a briefing about the endangered mountain gorillas. You have been allocated a gorilla family to trek, connect to the starting point and start trekking along with the guidance of the armed ranger guides together with the ranger guides. This activity may take between 2-8 hours searching for the gorillas depending on their movement. However meeting them is so rewarding and you will spend maximally 1 hour with them as you take time studying them and taking pictures and videos. After spending your time with the fascinating mountain gorillas, return to the base and meet your driver to connect to your lodge for lunch and refresh. Spend the rest of your day at leisure. Dinner and overnight stay at booked lodge as above

Day 6: Bisoke hike /Golden monkey tracking – Community tour

Option 1: Mount Bisoke hike – After breakfast, connect to the park offices for your trekking experience. You may either trek Golden monkeys or do a Mount Biskoe hike. Mt. Bisoke hike is part of volcanoes national park; home to Rwanda gorillas. On reaching the summit, you will discover a beautiful crater lake and the whole experience is overwhelming! Along the trail, you will discover a lot of birdlife and captivating scenery – the reason Rwanda is referred to as the “land of a thousand hills”. After the hike, drive back to your lodge.

Option 1: Golden Monkeys trekking – After an early morning breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters for briefing and later enter the forest and hike while in search of the golden monkeys. Tracking the golden monkeys rewards views of other primates such as the black and white Colobus monkeys, Olive baboons among others.

After trekking, visit the Ibya wacu cultural village to have an experience of Banyarwanda culture and tradition. Connect back to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above

Day 7: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park – Kisoro

After breakfast, transfer to Bwindi national park, crossing via Cyinka border. It’s a 4-5 hours’ drive with en-routes at the stop for lunch. On arrival in Bwindi, you will proceed and check in your lodge for relaxation. Dinner and overnight stay at Rushaga Haven Lodge for budget/Ichumbi Gorilla camp for mid-range

Day 8: Gorilla habituation experience

Enjoy early morning breakfast and transfer to the park headquarters with your packed lunch for briefing by the ranger guides and later head into the forest for your trek. Gorilla habituation in Bwindi involves visiting a semi-habituated gorilla family that is under the process of habituation. This activity takes a whole day and you are granted 4 hours to stay with the gorillas. After the habituation experience, meet your guide and drive back to your lodge to rest. Dinner and overnight at Lodge as above

Day 9: Transfer to another sector of Bwindi impenetrable national park

After breakfast, check-out and embark on your journey to another sector of gorilla trekking. It’s about 4-5 hours’ drive with en-routes at the stop for lunch. On arrival in Bwindi, you will proceed and check in your lodge for relaxation. Dinner and overnight stay at Buhoma Community Rest Camp for budget option/ Buhoma Haven Lodge for mid-range option

Day 10: Gorilla trekking experience

Have breakfast and transfer to park headquarters for briefing about gorilla trekking and at around 7:00 am, you will set off for the gorilla search. The search time for these apes is unpredictable but normally ranges between 2-8 hours depending on their movement. This activity takes you through the steep rocks climbing up and down making it tiresome but in an adventurous way. However, after encountering these humble giant primates for 1 hour, return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above

Day 11: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park – Ishasha sector

After breakfast, transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park. It’s a 4-5 hours’ drive from Buhoma sector with en-route lunch. Connect for an afternoon game drive in Ishasha sector then proceed to your booked lodge for dinner and overnight stay at Kazinga Wilderness Safari Lodge for budget / Elephant Hub Lodge for mid-range option

Day 12: Morning game drive and boat cruise along the Kazinga channel

Early in the morning after breakfast, you will enjoy a game drive in search for early risers in the Kasenyi area. This area has the highest population of animals such as lions, antelopes, leopards, buffaloes, elephants, waterbuck, Uganda Kob and other types of antelopes.

Connect for your boat cruise experience along the Kazinga channel and into Lake Edward. This cruise will let you pass through a place of the highest concentration of hippos and you may also see many animals drinking at the water’s edge. The cruise also offers a good platform for photography, bird watching, and game viewing. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above

Day 13: Chimpanzee/primate tracking Kyambura gorge – crater lake exploration tours

After breakfast early in the morning, you will depart for Chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura or Kalinzu forest with your tracking gears. The walk in the forest in search of the chimpz generally takes around 2‐5 hours. spend an hour with the chimpanzees before you return for lunch at your lodge.

Later afternoon/evening, spend it a leisure or optional activity like visiting the Katwe salt mine area, visit the beautiful crater lakes found around park.  Before night fall, return to your lodge to refresh relax, have dinner and spend another night at lodge as above

Day 14: Transfer to Kibale national park – Bigodi swamp –

After breakfast, transfer to Kibale forest national park which is about 3-4 hours’ drive from Queen Elizabeth national park with en-route lunch. Proceed for a nature walk in the Bigodi swamp. Take a walk to the Bigodi sanctuary for plenty of bird species plus the rare flora and fauna. Thereafter, proceed to your booked lodge for dinner and overnight stay at Chimpanzee Guesthouse Cottages for mid-range option/Isunga lodge for budget option

Day 15: Chimpanzee Habituation experience

Wake up very early, enjoy your breakfast and set off to the park headquarters with your trekking gears, packed lunch and water. Meet with other trekkers and gather for a briefing from the park officials where you will be guided on the expectations. Thereafter in only a group of 6 people and ranger guides/researchers, set off for chimpanzee habituation experience. This is a full day activity were you will visit a semi-habituated chimpanzee group that in the process of habituation. These chimpanzees are usually difficult to find because they keep running away however the researchers will find them and allow you to spend 4 in their presence. Return to meet your safari guide and receiving your certificate and drive back to your lodge; dinner will be serve and overnight stay at lodge as above

Day 16: Transfer to Kampala/Entebbe – Departure

After early morning breakfast, check-out of the lodge and embark on your journey to Entebbe with en-route lunch. Upon arrival Entebbe, the driver will drop you off at a location you advise or at the airport for your drop off for your scheduled flight back home.

End of safari