8 Days Uganda safari from Kigali
The 8 days Uganda safari from Kigali is an exceptional adventure that starts and ends in Kigali Rwanda. The safari will take you to interesting destinations in Uganda including Kibale forest national park, Queen Elizabeth national park and Bwindi impenetrable national park. During the safari you will be able to spend time with the endangered gorillas, chimpanzees in their natural environments, view different animals like the elephants, waterbucks, lions, leopards, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, Nile crocodiles, hippos, warthogs, topi, bushbucks among others during the game drives and boat cruise on Kazinga channel
Highlights of the 8 days Uganda safari
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park via Ishasha sector
Day 4: Morning game drive/lion tracking and afternoon boat cruise
Day 5: Morning game drive and transfer to Kibale forest national park
Day 6: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk
Day 7: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi-evening boat cruise
Day 8: Departure to Kigali
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up from Kigali and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Depending on your arrival time at Kigali international airport on the first day of the 8 days Uganda safari from Kigali, you will be welcomed by our driver guide who will brief you about the safari and then transfer to Kigali for a city tour where you will be able to visit the genocide memorial Centre, craft shops, local markets among others. After the city tour, you will have lunch in one of the restaurants and then start the journey to Bwindi impenetrable national park passing via Katuna border in Kabale or Cyanika border in Kisoro. The journey takes about 4 to 5 hours’ drive and on the way you will enjoy great views of the rolling hills, terraced farmlands, beautiful landscape among others. Upon arrival you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Gorilla trekking,
After an early breakfast on the second day of the 8 days Uganda safari from Kigali, you will carry packed lunch and your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules, regulations and expectations of gorilla trekking. After the briefing you will be allocated a gorilla family to trek and a park guide who is knowledgeable about the gorillas and well conversant with trails in the jungle. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park takes about 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on where the gorillas are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking you will have views of animals like forest elephants, buffaloes, other primates like l’hoest monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, chimpanzees, different bird species like African harrier hawk, crowned hornbill, African green pigeon, blue headed sunbird among others. Once the gorillas are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their habitat which gives you an opportunity to watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, breastfeeding, playing, observe their behaviors, take great photos and record the breathtaking moments to show people back home. After the one-hour encounter with the gentle giants you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will be awarded a certificate for participating in gorilla trekking, meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
After breakfast on the third day of the 8 days Uganda safari from Kigali, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park which is the most visited national park in Uganda. The journey takes about 3 to 4 hours’ drive and on the way you will have a stopover at Ishasha sector in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth national park. Ishasha sector is famously known for the tree climbing lions which will be viewed lying up in acacia/fig tree branches during the game drive. Ishasha sector also harbors other animals like elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, Uganda kobs among others. After the game drive you will have lunch where after you will proceed the journey to Queen Elizabeth national park, upon arrival you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Morning game drive/ lion tracking experience and afternoon boat cruise
Morning game drive,
After an early breakfast on the fourth day of the 8 days Uganda safari from Kigali, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for a morning game drive or lion tracking experience in Kasenyi plains. During the game drive you will have great views of the sunrise, big four mammals which are lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, other animals like waterbucks, bushbucks, Uganda kobs, views of different bird species among others. After the game drive you will return to the lodge for lunch.
Afternoon boat cruise,
After lunch you will drive to the landing site near Mweya safari lodge for an incredible boat cruise along Kazinga channel which is a 40km long channel that connects Lake George and Lake Edward. During the boat trip which lasts for about 2 hours you, will be able to view large concentrations of hippos and Nile crocodiles in water, view buffaloes, elephants, warthogs drinking water along the banks, view water birds like yellow billed stork, cormorants, hornbills, African skimmer, kingfishers, fish eagles among others. You will also be able to see the fishermen along the shores preparing their fishing gears for night fishing, take beautiful pictures among others. After the boat cruise you will go for an evening game drive where you will be able to view some of the animals that you missed in the morning and later return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Morning game drive and transfer to Kibale national park
After breakfast on the fifth day of the 8 days Uganda safari from Kigali, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for another morning game drive where you will be able to view some of the animals that you missed the previous day. After the game drive, you will return to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kibale national park. The journey takes about 2 to 3 hours’ drive with great views of the farmlands, traditional homesteads, Rwenzori Mountains, tea plantations among others. Upon arrival in Kibale national park you will continue to the lodge, check in for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk
Chimpanzee trekking,
After an early breakfast on the sixth day of the 8 days Uganda safari from Kigali, you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kanyachu Visitors Centre for a briefing about the rules, regulations and expectations of chimpanzee trekking. After the briefing you will be allocated a chimpanzee family to trek and a park guide who is well conversant with trails in the forest. Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest national park takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours depending on their location because they like to move from one place to another in search of food and once the chimpanzees have been located, you will spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn more about their life style, behaviors, watch them feed, enjoy the juveniles playing up in the trees, take photos and record videos with a flash less camera. After the one hour with the chimpanzees, you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will meet up with your driver guide and transfer back to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch you will go for an interesting Bigodi swamp walk where you will be able to view different primates, variety of bird species, visit the communities among others. After the Bigodi swamp walk, you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi-evening boat cruise
On the seventh day of the safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Lake Bunyonyi which is the deepest fresh water lake in Kabale. On the way you will have en-route lunch and enjoy stunning views of the Kigezi hills, landscape among others and upon arrival you will go for an evening boat cruise on Lake Bunyonyi where you will be able to explore the 29 islands such as the punishment island, Kyahugye island, Akampene island, Bushara island among others. After the boat ride, you will drive to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Departure to Kampala
After a relaxed breakfast on the last day of the 8 days Uganda safari from Kigali, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your guide to start the journey back to Kigali with en-route lunch on the way. Upon arrival in Kigali your driver guide will drop you off at Kigali international airport for your departure flight or drop off at any place of advise.
End of 8 days Uganda safari from Kigali
Tour includes
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Lion tracking experience
- Park entrance fees/ game drives
- Boat cruise fees
- Professional English speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Ground transfers (in a 4WD vehicle)
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled drinking water
Tour excludes
- International air flight tickets
- Visas
- Optional activities not included on the itinerary
- Life insurance
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.
