Overview
5 days Rwanda Gorillas and Uganda wildlife will have you enjoying the thrill of the gentle giants in Rwanda and the diverse range of wildlife in Uganda and a combination of avian life from both countries not forgetting that Uganda has 50% of bird species in Africa. Considering Volcanoes national park and Queen Elizabeth national park, we shall have 4 of the big five all viewed with other animals, primates and birds for an exceptional trip. Expect to see primates like mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, blue monkeys, baboons, red colobuses, red-tailed monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, chimpanzees; animals like lions, elephants, buffaloes, leopards, kobs, hippos, waterbucks, topi, giant forest hog, warthog, crocodiles, hyenas, golden cat, bush pigs, serval cats, duikers and more; birds like pink-backed pelican, papyrus gonolek, red-chested sunbird, African skimmer, saddle-billed stork, black-headed gonolek, African Finfoot, African jacana, African fish eagle, martial eagle, white-tailed lark, shoebill, Rwenzori turaco, Rwenzori batis, strange weaver, black cuckoo-shrike, archer’s robin chat, crested barbet, kivu ground thrush, lesser honeyguide and more. The trip starts in Kigali and ends in Kampala.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Transfer to Volcanoes national park
You will be picked at an agreed point at 8:00am in Kigali by our driver guide from Omangwa Safaris, who will also brief you on how the trip will go, and then you will start with a city tour of Kigali by visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial, an important and sobering site that commemorates the victims of the 1994 genocide. With many of the guides as survivors, the memorial provides a historical overview of the events and serves as a place for reflection with a personal touch from the guide and this will take about 2hours. You will have an early lunch, then set off for the Volcanoes national park which will take about 2-3hours as you enjoy the beautiful green scenery the countryside of Rwanda has to offer and arrive in the evening. You will check into your lodging and have diner then rest for the night.
Day 2: Gorilla trekking and community visit
You will wake up early and have breakfast and head to the briefing spot by 7:30am where you shall be given the rules to be followed by a guide to ensure a smooth trek before you head deep into the forest to experience it. Depending on the targeted Gorilla families given to you to trek, the trekking will take between 30 minutes-6hours, it’s in this time that you shall get to see the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat, how they live, care for each other, care for their young, how and when they eat, all this will be done with a guide and armed ranger on route with you. Other primates like red-tailed monkey, blue monkey, black and white colobus monkeys, chimpanzees, olive baboons: animals like elephants, duikers, buffaloes, giant forest hogs, otto, civet and jackal; birds like black-bee eaters, regal sunbirds, black-billed turaco, bushshrikes, Shelley’s crimsonwing, mountain oriole, strange weaver will also be seen during the trek. You will be given water and a snack for when you need it. When done with the trekking, you will head back to the center where you will be picked by the driver guide who will take you back to your lodging for freshening up and lunch. Once lunch is done, you will head out to the Iby’iwacu village for a community tour with the help of a local guide. You will take park in local banana brewing, traditional meals, local herbal remedies with some music, dance and drama to top off the experience which can take 2-3hours. When done you will head back to your lodging for the night, have dinner and retire for the night at will.
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
You will have breakfast, checkout of your lodging and exit the park for Queen Elizabeth national park in Uganda. As you leave the lush greenery of the volcanic region, you’ll traverse through varied terrain, each with its own unique beauty. You’ll be greeted by breathtaking vistas of the Rwenzori Mountains, also known as the “Mountains of the Moon,” which provide a stunning backdrop to the park’s diverse landscapes once you get to Queen Elizabeth national park and this journey will take about 6-7hours with a lunch break in Mbarara. When at Queen, you will check into your lodging in the evening, have dinner and rest for the night as you prepare for the next day’s adventures.
Day 4: Morning game drive and boat cruise on Kazinga Channel
You will have breakfast and then head out for the morning drive through Queen Elizabeth with a guide and expect to see 4 of the big five: elephants, buffaloes, lions, bush backs, kobs, leopards, hyenas, antelopes, giant forest hogs giraffes, colobus monkeys as well as several bird species, then return to your lodging to relax as you wait for lunch. After lunch you will head to Kazinga Channel and launch, the cruise will tale 2-3hours with a guide to avail answers for any questions you might have during the boat cruise and during the cruise you will see water animals like the hippopotamus, buffaloes, elephants, water bucks, crocodiles and bird species including the African skimmer. You will head back to the hotel in time for dinner and after dinner you can enjoy the evening by the fire as you relive the experiences of the days and retire at will.
Day 5: Checkout and Departure for Kampala
With breakfast done, you will check out of the hotel and exit the park for Kampala. On your way to Kampala you will enjoy the beautiful scenic views of the countryside and also have a chance to take some pictures while at it. A stopover in Mbarara for lunch and another at the Equator for more pictures and exploring the craft world will be done. Then continue to Kampala at an agreed point for drop off which will mark the end of your 5 days Uganda and Rwanda Gorillas’ trip.
