5 days Rwanda Uganda safari
per person
This 5 days Rwanda Uganda safari is designed for tourists interested in visiting both Rwanda and Uganda for primate trekking. The 5 days trip includes gorilla trekking in the famous tropical forests of Bwindi in southwestern Uganda, chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest, and the canopy walk. The safari will start from Kigali then to Bwindi and later to Nyungwe and then end in Kigali city.
This 5 days safari in Uganda and Rwanda can be done at any time of the year though the dry season would be the best since it involves trekking. The dry season occurs from December to February and June to October characterized by little or no rainfall that makes the trekking trails passable. A gorilla trekking permit and chimpanzee trekking permit will have to be booked in advance.
5 days Rwanda Uganda safari Highlights
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park
Day 2: Encounter mountain gorillas
Day 3: Drive to Nyungwe forest national park
Day 4: Trek chimpanzees and do a canopy walk
Day 5: Drive back to Kigali
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park
On the first day of your 5 days Rwanda Uganda safari, our English-speaking driver-guide will pick you at Kigali international airport and he will brief you about the whole safari. You will thereafter go for lunch and after start on your journey to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park home of the highest number of mountain gorillas. to reach Bwindi, it will take you 4-5 hours to pass via the Katuna border in Kabale or Cyanika border in Kisoro. Upon arrival at any sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park, you will connect to the lodge for relaxation, prepare for trekking the following day, and have an overnight stay.
Meal plan
Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation
Silverback Lodge – luxury, Bakiga Lodge – Mid-range, Ride 4 a woman – budget
Day 2: Encounter mountain gorillas
Wake up early morning to a delicious morning breakfast and meet your driver guide for a transfer to the sector offices where you will meet other trekkers, armed ranger guides, and rangers that will take you through the rules and regulations of the mountain gorilla trekking activity.
The driver-guide will transfer you to the starting point where the armed ranger guides will lead you into the jungle through different trekking trails as you search for the endangered mountain gorillas. The mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi sectors takes 2-7 hours of meeting different park animals, different bird species, different vegetation covers but once you have met the mountain gorillas the 1 hour starts counting.
In a period of 1 hour, you can be able to watch the gorillas do daily activities, take photos and learn about their habits. After spending time with these gentle apes, you will trek out of the jungle, meet your driver guide who will transfer you back to the lodge for lunch, an afternoon relaxation, dinner, and an overnight stay.
Meal plan
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation
Silverback Lodge – luxury, Bakiga Lodge – Mid-range, Ride 4 a woman – budget
Day 3: Drive to Nyungwe forest national park
In the morning, you will wake up to breakfast after which meet your driver guide and start on your journey to Nyungwe forest national park which is in the northeastern part of the country. The journey from Bwindi impenetrable forest national park to Nyungwe forest national park takes 6 hours of passing through Cyanika border in Kisoro or Katuna border in Kabale. You will have an en-route lunch and on arriving at Nyungwe forest national park you will check in your lodge, relax, have dinner, and have an overnight stay.
Meal plan
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation
One&Only Nyungwe House – luxury, Nyungwe Top View Hotel – mid-range, and Gisakura Guest House – budget.
Day 4: Trek chimpanzees and do a canopy walk
You will wake up very early in the morning and have an early breakfast after which your driver guide will drive you to the park offices for briefing and its here that you will meet the rangers and other trekkers. At the park offices, you will have the rangers teach you about the rules and regulations of the chimpanzee trekking activity after which you will move to the starting points. At the starting point you will meet armed ranger guides who will lead you through different park trails searching for the endangered chimpanzees.
The trekking of chimpanzees in Nyungwe usually takes 2-4 hours and during this period you don’t only meet chimpanzees but also other park animals like the monkeys, duikers, impalas, klipspringer, buffaloes, and different bird species. Once you have found the chimpanzees, 1 hour will be given to you to be around these peaceful apes as you watch them do daily activities, take photos, and learn about their habits. Later you will trek out of the forest and meet your safari drive who will transfer you back to the lodge for lunch.
Later in the afternoon, you will head out for the canopy walk which starts with a briefing at the park offices. The canopy walk in Nyungwe forest national park is a walking trail 160m long on a suspended bridge 50m above the group. After the briefing, you will be led by the guide who will take you on a 160m long canopy walk for 2 hours having aerial views of the forest, the animals, and the surroundings. Later you will drive back to your lodge for relaxation, dinner, and an overnight stay.
Meal plan
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation
One&Only Nyungwe House – luxury, Nyungwe Top View Hotel – mid-range and Gisakura Guest House – budget
Day 5: Drive back to Kigali
On the last day of your 5 days Rwanda Uganda safari, you will wake up to a delicious breakfast at your lodge, check out and meet your driver-guide for a journey back to Kigali. On your way to the city, you will have an en-route lunch and on reaching Kigali you can decide to have a city tour where you will visit places like Kirimonko market, Kigali genocide memorial, and Ihema Art Centre. Later you will be dropped off at your hotel or Kigali international airport.
Meal plan
Breakfast and Lunch
Tour includes
- A gorilla trekking permit
- A chimpanzee trekking permit.
- Canopy walk
- Kigali city tour
- Transport
- Service of the English-speaking guide
- Accommodation for 3 nights
- Drinking water and meals indicated in the itinerary
Tour excludes
- International tickets
- Visas
- Personal insurance
- Tips
- Personal expenses
- Porter fee