Involves visiting some of the best destinations Uganda and Rwanda have to offer. The Rwanda tour starts from Uganda and ends in Rwanda. If you are interested in the same tour starting from Rwanda and ending in Uganda, book in advance and get that memorable experience.
While in Rwanda, you will get go for the Kigali city tour and visiting the genocide war memorial centre as well as volcanoes national park for gorilla expedition. Uganda will take you to Kibale national park, Bwindi Forest National Park as well as Lake Bunyonyi.
Start with Volcanoes National Park; Briefing for gorilla trekking at the Volcanoes National Park starts at around 7:00am. Wake up very early and take breakfast as you wait to be picked up by the guide.
There are about 10 gorilla families in Rwanda. The allocation of gorilla groups is based on overall fitness of participants. While in the forest tracking mountain gorillas, always listen and follow instructions given by your guides.
Do not make sudden movements and only take photos when you are cleared to do so. After gorilla tracking in Rwanda, you will head back to the starting point where you will find our guide waiting to take you back to the lodge for lunch and rest.
Later in the afternoon, the guide will take you to visit the gorilla guardians village. This centre showcases the cultural heritage of the Banyarwanda. It’s a well-organized centre and tourists do not just sit and watch. They are invited to participate in the presentations and are allowed to dress in the local costumes to take photos.
Take another day for golden monkey tracking. Golden monkeys are very cute primates but endangered. They are very playful and move in large troops. Their gold coats make them very distinct from all other primates in the park. As you track them, expect to spot the other primates along the trails.
Afterwards, our guide will take you back to the hotel for checkout before starting the journey to Kigali. The journey will take 3 hours but you will be amazed by the beautiful rolling hills, green scenery and tea plantations in Rwanda – Rwanda is indeed a land of a thousand hills. Lunch will be along the way.
Once you reach Kigali, you will be taken for a tour of the neat and organized Kigali city. This visit involves visiting the genocide war memorial centres. Then transfer to Uganda for yet another amazing countryside and wildlife safari.
You will head to Kibale Forest National Park for chimpanzee trekking and visiting the Bigodi wetlands sanctuary. You will wake up to take a quick cup of coffee, then head for the Kibale Forest National Park headquarters for 10 briefing. The briefing is basically about what you should expect during your chimpanzee tracking adventure, what to bring with you and how to behave once you spot the chimpanzee.
Chimpanzee trekking usually takes between 3 to 5 hours. It is a different experience from gorilla trekking because the chimps spend more time on top of all trees. Chimpanzee tracking is also more demanding physically. Whereas it is easy to find them, you need to move faster to keep up with them. After the one hour with them, go for lunch then to Bigodi for bird viewing.
After spending time at Kibale, the driver will transfer you to Bwindi impenetrable Forest Park to prepare for gorilla trekking. You will wake up very early, take breakfast and be taken to the park offices for registration and briefing. The briefing covers information about the park, what to expect and the gorilla groups in Bwindi.
Gorilla groups are allocated based on level of fitness, preference and age. One done with the briefing, you will be offered a hiking stick and led into the forest to locate the primates. Gorilla tracking is an interesting and adventurous activity.
It takes you through dense forest, shrub, and muddy areas before suddenly finding the gorilla group. Take as many photos as you can as you will only be with the family for one hour. You will then be offered a certificate of participation before being driven back to the lodge for lunch and rest. After resting and checking out, you should prepare late afternoon journey to Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation.
Spend the whole day relaxing and exploring one of Africa’s most naturally beautiful places – Lake Bunyonyi. The lake has about 29 islands allowing visitors tour some of them. Nature has blessed the area with a beautiful green environment and romantic beaches which you can explore using a boat.
If you love birds, you will be amazed by the sheer abundance of different species. If birding is not your thing, you can just spend time lazing around the beach as you watch the local people row their boats or catch fish. Lake Bunyonyi is an excellent place for relaxation after or in the middle of a long safari in Uganda. Head back to Entebbe for your flight.
