Overview
This great 10 days Rwanda and Uganda gorilla trek offers the best sightseeing moments. The safari will begin in Rwanda and it will end in Uganda hence involving visiting different national parks, lakes and communities. This will create different activities like gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking, chimpanzee tracking, game drives and boat cruises in the national parks and the visiting the beautiful lakes such as the Ruhondo, Burera and lake Bunyonyi, community tours like the Isunga cultural community and Batwa community. Among other national parks visited include; Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, Volcanoes and Bwindi.
Detailed itinerary
Day1. Pick up from Kigali and transfer to Volcanoes national park
You will be picked from the airport and then transfer to volcanoes national park the only national park in Rwanda where you can see the rare and endangered mountain gorillas. You will have a great time spotting the beautiful landscape and this will create photographic points hence great experience nice. Check into the booked lodge and this will be the end of the great day.
Day2. Mountain gorilla trekking and visiting Iby’iwacu cultural village
Begin the beautiful day with breakfast and then head to visit the mountain gorillas which will start with briefing led by the park Ranger guide. You will be allocated to the gorilla group depending on your fitness and age. Head to the forest after breakfast where you will enjoy the presence of gorillas, spend an hour while in the presence and you will be advised to stay calm and follow the instructions of your guide Ranger. After be awarded with a certificate for trekking in Rwanda Volcanoes national park on the return to the park. You will after head to visit the Iby’iwacu cultural village where you will learn about the Rwandese culture through cultural music and dances.
Day3. Golden monkey trekking and visit the twin lakes (Burera and Ruhondo)
Head to the park offices where you will encounter briefing about the golden monkey trekking experience. This will be of great importance where you learn about the dos and don'ts while trekking. Head into the forest to start the search with a help of the park Ranger guide and this will be an amazing adventure where you will spend over 2 hours in the jungle and an hour in the presence of the golden monkeys. After the activity, you will head to visit the twin lakes of Ruhondo and Burera where you will have a boat cruise experience.
Day4. Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi from Volcanoes national park
Leave Volcanoes national park in the morning and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi one of the amazing lakes in Uganda and it is the second deepest lake in Africa. Cross the boarder and have your lunch at one of the resorts which will be followed by a boat cruise where you will discover different islands such as the punishment Islands and much more. Return to the resort booked and this will be the end of the day.
Day5. Relax and afternoon transfer to Bwindi national park
Relax at the resort Hotel while watching over the endlessness of Lake Bunyonyi and the surrounding hills. You will then transfer to Bwindi national park in South Western Uganda a home to almost half of the endengered mountain gorillas. You will enjoy the best of the terraced Kigezi Highlands, lush vegetation and many more others. Arrive and check in the accommodation site and this will be the end of the day.
Day6. Gorilla trekking and visit the Batwa community
This will be being after briefing at the park offices where the dos and don'ts are carried out and this will be done by the help of the park Ranger. You will be told about what to follow or not while in the forest such as don't feed wild animals, don't litter the park premises and many more others. Start the trek with the guidance of the park Ranger guide. You will spend an hour while in the presence of gorillas and this will be a narrative experience when you return home. You will be able to explore more. After, you will head to visit the Batwa Community where you will be entertained about the cultural entertainment through the music and dances.
Day7. Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national Park
Leave Bwindi in the morning after breakfast and pass through the Ishasha sector, this is a great sector in this park where you get to spot the rare tree climbing lions. Enjoy the sector whereby other wildlife such as elephants, antelopes and much more. You will proceed to Mweya and take a great afternoon boat cruise. This will be on Kazinga channel a stretch between lake George lake Edward. You will enjoy the hippos, crocodile and the elephants, antelopes and maybe the buffalos will be grazing on the banks of the river. Check in the lodge after a 2 hours adventure on Kazinga channel.
Day8. Game drive and transfer to Kibale National Park
Head for a morning game drive where you will spot the best of Queen Elizabeth national Park starting with the sunrise moments and then to the endless plains which will be covered with wild animals and bird species. Expect to spot animals like leopard, lions, buffalos, warthogs, elephants, spotted hyenas and many more including antelopes. Have lunch and then transfer to Kibale National a park where you will enjoy the best of Uganda's Primates. Arrive and check in the accommodation site followed by an evening entertainment from Isunga Cultural Community Association dancers who will take you through both the Bakiga and Batooro music and dances. Support them by buying some crafts that they sale. Have dinner and rest for the day long.
Day9. Chimpanzee trekking and Isunga community experience
Head to Kanyanchu visitors center for chimpanzee trekking after breakfast. Trekking will begin after briefing where you will you will be told about the guidelines such as never feed wild animals, always keep a distance, don't repeat the sound of chimpanzees because no one knows what they are saying, don't use flash light cameras and many more. Begin the search for the chimps. While in the forest you will meet different bird species, Primates and even vegetations.
Upon locating a troop/group of chimps, you will spend an hour while in the presence as you follow them, jumping from one tree to another, searching and feeding on their food interns of fruits and leaves and many more others. Interesting moments will come when the chimps start mating, laughing or talking. Return to the lodge after a great time of about 2 to 5 hours including an hour while in the presence.
After lunch, you will head to take a community walk in Isunga community with a local guide from Isunga cultural community Association who will take you to explore the crater Lake which is Lake Nyabikere, local farm Gardens of food crops, Banana and tea plantations among others. You will learn more about this great association at the edge of Kibale forest that co-live with wildlife and also learn about the local cultures of the Batooro and Bakiga.
Day10. Head to Kampala and drop off at Entebbe
Leave Kibale in the morning after a hefty breakfast and you can have an option of carrying out a coffee tour experience depending on your scheduled flight. The Isunga community guide will pick you from the lodge and then go through a local and traditional way of process coffee cherries into powder using handmade materials. Head to Kampala and have a stopover in Mubende Town for lunch and then proceed to Kampala. Be dropped at the airport and this will mark the end of the safari in Rwanda and Uganda.
