21 Days Rwanda-Uganda Vacation & Balloon Safari

Day 1: Arrive in Kigali airport and have an afternoon Kigali City tour.

On your arrival to Kigali International Airport, you will be picked-up by our experienced driver guide who will transfer you to one of the booked Kigali hotels for relaxation and lunch. After lunch, you embark on an afternoon convivial city tour. You will proceed to other attractive sites within the city. After city tour, retire back to your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Kigali Serena hotel

Midrange: Hotel chez Lando

Budget: Discover Rwanda youth hosteL

Day 2: Transfer to Akagera NP and do boat cruise on Lake Ihema, behind the Scenes experience.

After an early morning breakfast, embark on transfer from Kigali to Akagera Nation Park 130 kms about 2-3 hours drive. The drive to the eastern part of Rwanda is very fascinating as it will take you through impressive landscape sceneries dotted with natural setting and local populations. On arrival to the park, you will drive to your lodge to check-in, have lunch, relaxation as you wait for an afternoon Boat trips along the shores of Lake Ihema, Rwanda’s second largest lake.

After lunch and relaxation, embark on an afternoon boat trip which will give you the opportunity to get close to the plentiful water birds species including African fish eagles, open-billed stork marabou stork, cormorants, crowned cranes, egrets and herons among others. The boat trip will also only reward you with the encounters of the wild game like Hippos, Nile Crocodiles, elephants, Buffaloes when they are drinking on the lake side. After the boat trip, you will drive back to the park head Quarters for Behind the Scenes experience. Here you will get more insights into Akagera, including conservation developments within the park, take a ‘Behind Scenes’ tour of the park headquarters enables you to meet some of the people integral to the management of the park. Retire back to your lodge for dinner and overnight after the activity.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Ruzizi tented camp

Midrange: Akagera game lodge

Budget: Dereva hotel

Day 3: Morning game drive and transfer to Butare museum and visit the king’s palace in Nyanza.

After an early morning cup of coffee, embark on an early morning game drive along a well-designed network of tracks. The early morning game drive will offer you possibilities of encountering early morning wildlife risers when they are starting their normal day activities like looking for food and you also confront the nocturnal wildlife species when they are retiring back to their hiding grounds. The variety of wildlife that you stand pretty chance to watch include elephants, buffalo, zebra, bush baby, hippos, crocodiles among other mammal species.

On rare occasions, one can see species such as leopard, lion and black rhino. As one of the most scenic savanna parks in East Africa, the game drive in Akagera will provide you pretty opportunity to see gentle hills blending in beautifully lowland swamps and water bodies. After enjoying the fascinating game drive, you will retire to the lodge for relaxation, lunch and thereafter embark on transfer to Butare town. On arrival to Butare, you will drive to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation options:

Hotel Ibis

Day 4: Explore Butare and transfer to Nyungwe forest.

After breakfast, embark on exploring Butare city in the Southern Province of Rwanda. You will visit interesting places like the National Museum of Rwanda- which shows cultural history of the Rwanda and the region. Closest to this museum is the historical Murambi genocide memorial site, actually, you can see a certain beauty in the display of the dead at this site-and in the sense they are more dignified than those buried in the mass graves under big stone slabs

Explore the Nyanza king’s palace, the residence for the two Rwandan monarchs; king Musinga and his predecessor, king Rudahigwa. The traditional hut at the site which is the house of King Rudahigwa was traditionally crafted in an attractive architectural design with an authentic Rwandese cultural attachment which is well preserved. The charming Inyambo royal cows with their long horns also add a great meaning to the site worthy visiting.

After exploring this city, you retire back to your lodge for lunch, relaxation as you wait for transfer to Nyungwe. After lunch, embark on transfer from Butare to Nyungwe national park a drive distance of 155kms about 3-4 hours’ drive. The drive to Nyungwe is very fascinating because it takes you through impressive landscape sceneries dotted with local settings and local populations. On arrival to the park, you will drive to your booked lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Nyungwe forest lodge

Midrange: Nyungwe hill top view hotel

Budget: Gisakura guest house

Day 5: Early morning chimpanzee trekking and afternoon canopy walk.

After your early morning breakfast, you will drive to the park headquarters for memorable primate’s encounter. Nyungwe National Forest is an ideal destination for lovers of primates, with 13 different species living. You will have the opportunity to trek the chimpanzees in their natural habitat. In the park you will be briefed by the park ranger guides and divided in groups of 8 people. At exactly 8:00am, you will be led by the ranger guide through the beautiful forest trail to trek the fascinating chimpanzee creatures. Along the trails you will enjoy the nice melodies of different bird species housed in the forest and you will also have chance to enjoy the views of other primates like grey-cheeked mangabey, monkeys.

The activity takes between 2-6 hours but experienced guides will also make sure that they take you where you will have to see the primates as fast as possible. Face to face encounter with the chimpanzees is very amazing because you will observe them play, feed and rest. After this worthwhile experience, you will head back to the lodge for lunch and later explore canopy walk to see the beautiful twin lakes as well as various bird species.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Nyungwe forest lodge

Midrange: Nyungwe hill top view hotel

Budget: Gisakura guest house

Day 6: Transfer to Gisenyi, on the shores of Lake Kivu.

Transfer from Nyungwe Forest Park to Gisenyi on Lake Kivu after your early morning breakfast. The drive journey of 189 kms is very fascinating as it will take you through impressive landscape sceneries dotted with natural setting and local populations. On arrival to Gisenyi town, you will drive direct to your booked lodge within Lake Kivu for lunch, relaxation. After lunch, embark on a thrilling canoe experience and kayaking around the Virgin Islands like the Napoleon’s Hat Island. After enjoying these adventurous activities on the waters of Lake Kivu, retire back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Lake Kivu Serena hotel

Midrange: Water front resort

Budget: Paladise Malahide hotel

Day 7: Transfer to Volcanoes national park and have an afternoon cultural encounter.

After taking your breakfast like at 8:00am, embark on transfer from Lake Kivu to Volcanoes national park. The drive distance of 62 kilometers about 1 & half hours’ drive will lead you to natural home of Mountain gorillas in Volcanoes national Park. On arrival to the park, you will drive to your lodge to relax and have lunch. After lunch, you will embark on an evening cultural encounter with the local communities around volcanoes national park. The cultural encounter will give you a rare opportunity to interact with the local people in their natural environment, with a taste of their unique culture and traditions. On arrival to the village, you will be genuinely welcomed by the community as special Visitors. After cultural refreshment, entertainment, you will retire back to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Mount Gorilla view hotel

Midrange: Le Bambou gorilla Lodge

Budget: Muhabura hotel

Day 8: Gorilla Trekking and visit the twin lakes.

After an early morning hearty breakfast, you will be driven by your driver guide to the park headquarters for a briefing at 07:30 am to 8:00 am regarding gorilla trekking etiquette in Volcanoes National Park. While at the park headquarters, you will meet other trekkers and will be divided in groups of eight individuals who are allowed to trek one habituated mountain gorilla group. After briefing, you will be led by ranger guide to hike through the verdant jungle searching for mountain gorillas. The activity which will take 2-8 hours needs someone to be physical fit since it involves a lot of hiking the hills and slopping the Valleys.

Gorilla trekking process is tedious but impressive when you finally set your small eyes direct to bit big round eyes of the mountain gorillas. When you eventually meet the gorillas, you will be allowed one hour with them, seeing them feed, play and look for their young ones. While staying with the gorillas, you will be required to maintain a distance of 7 meters away, also turn off the flash of your camera as you take pictures. Right after one hour, you will retire back to the starting point and transfer to your lodge for late lunch and in the evening undertake a trip to the twin lakes of Ruhondo and Bulera for scenic viewing. Retire for dinner and overnight

Accommodation:

Luxury: Mount Gorilla view hotel

Midrange: Le Bambou gorilla Lodge

Budget: Muhabura hotel

Day 9: Transfer to Mgahinga gorilla national park in Uganda.

After an early morning breakfast, embark on transfer from Volcanoes national park to Mgahinga Gorilla Park in Uganda. The drive journey of 68kilometres will take you through impressive landscape sceneries of Rwanda before crossing to Uganda side through Cyanika border. On arrival to Mgahinga Park, you will drive to your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Mount Gahinga lodge

Midrange: Mucha hotel

Budget: Amajambere Iwacu community camp

Day 10: Do Batwa Heritage trail and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable NP via Lake Mutanda.

After an early morning breakfast, embark on exploring the Batwa trail. The Batwa Trail is such an incredible experience as it takes you through the thick forests of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. During this Batwa trail tour, the Batwa local guide will demonstrate to you their hunting techniques; how they used to gather honey; point out medicinal plants and demonstrate how to make bamboo cups. The tour will lead you to sacred Ngarama Cave- once home to the Batwa King, where the women of the community perform a sorrowful song which echoes around the depths of the dark cave, and leaves you with a striking and moving sense of the richness of this fading culture.

After fully exploring the Batwa trail, you will retire back to the lodge for relaxation and lunch. Embark on transfer drive from Mgahinga to Bwindi national park via Lake Mutanda for a canoe paddling experience: For years now, canoeing at Lake Mutanda is done on a wooden dugout canoe to explore this fabulous lake and visit some of its islands. On arrival, you will drive to your lodge for check-in, have diner and overnight.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Gorilla Safari lodge

Midrange: Ichumbi gorilla lodge

Budget: Ichumbi gorilla lodge (standard rooms)

Day 11: Do Gorilla trekking and afternoon Cultural encounter with the Local Batwa people.

After your early morning hefty breakfast, your driver guide will drive you with your packed lunch, bottled water, to the Park head Quarters in your respective gorilla trekking region for an early morning briefing at about 7:30am to 8:00am about etiquettes of gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. While at the park headquarters, you will meet other trekkers and you will be divided into groups of eight individuals who are only allowed to trek one specific habituated Gorilla family. After briefing, UWA experienced ranger guide will lead you to the trail heads where thrilling gorilla trekking experience starts from.

You will enter in the ancient, thick dark impenetrable forest to begin hiking the hills and slopping the valleys when looking for the unique species of the mountain gorillas inhabited in the famous Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The trek can take you between 2-8 hours to meet face to face with the mountain gorillas and once up close, you will be allowed to spend one magical hour with these stunning apes. During this time you can decide to sit down listen to gorilla crumble, study how these apes go about their daily activities and you can take as many photos as possible.

When the one hour is done, you will walk back to the park headquarters and retire back to your lodge for late Lunch, relaxation. After relaxation, you will be driven to the nearby Batwa community for memorable, refreshing cultural encounter. Here you will be guided by a local guide who will take you to the different communities to see how people have managed to survive through farming.

You will see how local brew is processed from fresh Bananas and forest remedies to get beer and Waragi and also enjoy the performances done by the local Batwa women groups. After that interesting cultural encounter, you will drive back to your respective lodge for dinner and overnight. Thereafter the activity, you will retreat back to your lodge for dinner, memory sharing and overnight.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Gorilla Safari lodge

Midrange: Ichumbi gorilla lodge

Budget: Ichumbi gorilla lodge (standard rooms)

Day 12: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP and Ishasha game drive in search of the elusive climbing lions.

Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park after taking your early morning breakfast. The drive will take you through the impressive country side landscapes with rural setting and local populations. On arrival to Ishasha sector, you will have your lunch and participate in an afternoon game drive through the tracks of Ishasha sector. The game drive will give you the possibilities of encountering tree climbing lions that tend to lie on the branches of fig trees while keeping a close eye on herds of Uganda Kobs. You may also see other wildlife species like buffalos, elephants. After game drive in Ishasha, continue with the drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park in Mweya peninsular.

Retire to the lodge in the evening for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Mweya safari lodge

Midrange: Ihamba Safari lodge

Budget: Simba Safari Camp

Day 13: Do a morning game drive along Kasenyi plains and an afternoon Kazinga channel boat trip.

Take an early morning cup of coffee before embarking on the wild game viewing in the rolling savannah plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The drive will take you through Kasenyi which is a dwelling place for a range of game including the elephants, lions, buffaloes, Antelopes among others. The racks are well designed to increase you possibilities of encountering wild game. The sights of an elusive leopard, defassa waterbuck, Uganda Kob, Side stripped Jackal; Oribis among others might be encountered. Return to the lodge after this 3 -4 hour game drive for refreshment and relaxation until the time for lunch. After having a sumptuous lunch, embark on the rewarding boat cruise on the 45km long Kazinga Channel that connects Lakes Edward and George.

The 2 hour boat cruise opens your possibilities of enjoying the calm channel waters filled with counts of Hippos no wonder the channel is called the Paradise of Hippos. The other sights of water birds and the Nile crocodiles may not be missed. Retire in the evening at 5pm for dinner and overnight at the lodge.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Mweya safari lodge

Midrange: Ihamba Safari lodge

Budget: Simba Safari Camp

Day 14: Have an early morning balloon safari and transfer to Rwenzori mountains National Park.

The hot air balloon adventure is obviously an amazing experience especially for the honeymooners and couples who will enjoy the serenity of the wilderness above the ground.

The balloon costs $380 per person and it takes off at 06.15 am and the flight will take place for approximately 1 hour. Flights can vary from 45 minutes up to 1.5 hours depending on the amount of fuel on board, the passengers’ combined weight, the temperature of the air and when the pilot finds a suitable landing area. The balloon will fly at an altitude range anywhere from tree tops up to 2500 feet (760 meters) which allows guests’ unique panoramic views and great photographic opportunities of the scenery and wildlife below.

This amazing adventure includes breakfast refreshments before and after and a balloon certificate. Return from this unique adventure for breakfast before embarking on the trip to Mountain Rwenzori Park.

On the road to Kasese just after queen Elizabeth national park, you will have a stopover at the amazing equator that divides the world into two halves, you take pictures for memories.

The transfer distance is about 72 kilometers about 2-3hours on rough road will see you arrive in Mountain Rwenzori late afternoon for lunch and do simple afternoon nature walks before you retire at the lodge for dinner and overnight

Accommodation:

Luxury: Equator snow lodge

Midrange: Ihamba lakeside safari lodge

Budget: Ruboni community camp

Day 15: Hiking and nature walks in Rwenzori Mountains and transfer to Kibale national park.

After cup of coffee, embark on an early morning hiking to Rwenzori Mountains. You will hike through Kilembe Trail. The trail will take you through the lovely Nyamwamba Valley passing through glacial lakes and some stunning viewpoints before joining the Central Circuit at Lake Kitandara. Along the way, you will keep an eye out for chameleons, squirrels, vervet monkeys and many birds .After having memorable hiking experience, retire back to the starting point and head to the park for late lunch. After lunch, embark on 135 kms distance transfer to Kibale forest Park. Arrive in Kibale national park late in the evening like at 8-9 pm and advance with the drive to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Primate lodge

Midrange: Kibale Forest camp

Budget: Rwenzori view guest house

Day 16: Early Morning Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi wetland walk in the afternoon.

Have an early morning breakfast and embark on the Chimpanzee trekking encounter in the primate Capital of the world – the Kibale National Park. The Park boasts of 13 primate species including the common Chimpanzees which have been fully habituated making your chances of encountering them to be at 90%. These apes are the most intellectual in the animal kingdom, perhaps brighter human beings. Chimpanzee trekking encounter starts at Kanyanchu tourism center at 8am in the morning and the Uganda Wildlife Authority Park rangers are dedicated to take you throughout the whole exercise. The Chimpanzees will lure you in a state of amazement as they swing through the branches, make pant hooting calls, play with each other, and imitate your body language along with other features that will make your one full hour with them a memorable experience of its own.

In a bid to search for chimps, you will come across other primates including olive baboon, red-tailed monkey, black and white Colobus monkey and the blue monkey. Retreat from the activity which tends to take 2 – 5 hours to your lodge for lunch, relaxation .Afterwards, embark on the transfer to Bigodi wetland. The Bigodi wetland, lies in close distance to the park thus connecting there is less hectic. The Bigodi wetland walk exposes you to typical eco –tourism encounter in Uganda. The impressive flora and fauna existing along with the local community is indeed rewarding to encounter. The sights of great blue turaco and the Sitatunga may not be missed. Retreat from the activity back to lodge for relaxation dinner and overnight.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Primate lodge

Midrange: Kibale forest camp

Budget: Rwenzori view guest house

Day 17: Transfer to Semuliki national park and visit the interesting hot springs at Sempaya.

After breakfast, embark on the journey to Semuliki National Park driving through Fort Portal town, Uganda’s arguably tourism city and eventually continue to Semuliki. Upon arrival, you will begin with the Sempaya Nature Walk exploring both male and female hot springs at Sempaya. This walk rarely exceeds 4 hours and after lunch you will do a stunning game drive to explore semuliki’s most elusive Mammal species which include leopards, hippos, elephant, forest buffalo, hippopotamus, civets, potto, bush babies, Mona monkeys, water chevrotains, and nine species of Duikers, including the Bay Duiker and the Pygmy Flying Squirrel that occur nowhere else in East Africa.

The forest is also remarkably rich in primates including the chimpanzee, baboon, grey-cheeked mangabey, black-and-white colobus, Central African red colobus, blue, red-tailed, de Brazza’s, vervet, and Dent’s Mona monkeys. Nocturnal primates include the potto and bush baby. Hippos and crocodiles are common along the Semliki River. You return from this activity for relaxation at the lodge, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Mountains of the moon Hotel

Midrange: Fort Motel

Budget: Rwenzori View Guest House

Day 18: Transfer to Murchison Falls national park, the whole day journey.

You will embark on this journey to explore the most powerful falls in the world, passing through the countryside of the amazing western Uganda landscapes and have a lunch stopover in Hoima before proceeding to the park for relaxation and overnight.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Paraa safari lodge

Midrange: Pakuba game lodge

Budget: Red chili rest camp

Day 19: Game drive and fantastic boat cruise to the bottom of the falls.

Early in the morning, you will take a cup of coffee and then go for a game drive where you will encounter Giraffes, Lions, Elephants, baboons, and a number of different antelopes.

In the after lunch go for a launch cruise on the Victoria Nile upstream to the base of the Murchison falls. You cannot miss to see among others; Hippos, crocodiles, Water bucks, and a wide variety of bird species. Return for dinner and overnight at your lodge.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Paraa safari lodge

Midrange: Pakuba game lodge

Budget: Red chili rest camp

Day 20: Transfer to Kampala city and visit the Ziwa Rhino sanctuary en route.

After an early morning warm cup of coffee at your lodge, you embark on the trip to Kampala, the capital of Uganda and visit the Ziwa rhino sanctuary en route, in Nakasongala district and have lunch. This experience offers a rewarding memory for any visitor as you are able to view some of the remaining white rhinos. This activity takes a maximum of 2 hours before you embark on a trip to Kampala for relaxation.

Accommodation options:

Luxury: Sheraton hotel Kampala

Midrange: Cassia lodge

Budget: Forest cottages

Day 21: Visit the source of River Nile and do white water rafting.

After an early breakfast at your place of stay in Kampala city, you travel to Jinja towards the eastern region to view the source of the legendary Nile River which is arguably the longest river in the world.You will proceed and do a mild white water rafting along the Nile.

Later retire from this activity in the evening and travel back to Kampala for resting and an overnight to mark the end of your safari.

End of Safari with Love Uganda Safaris