
Adventure Holiday in Uganda & Rwanda
Start/End: Kampala/ Kigali
Duration: 15 Days
Activity: Rafting, Rhino Trekking, Game Drives, Launch trips, Chimp tracking, Gorilla Trekking, hiking, cultural tours
Destinations: Jinja, Ziwa Sanctuary, Murchison falls, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth N.P, Bwindi, Bunyonyi, Dian fossey grave, Nyungwe, Kigali
A 15 days adventure holiday in East Africa’s most rewarding areas to explore for Wildlife, Birds, Primates and finally the gorillas accompanied by an expert guide.
TOUR DESCRIPTION
This adventure holiday takes you to Uganda and Rwanda, one of the few destinations with abundant wildlife, birds & beautiful nature. Once you finally arrive in Uganda, you will feel the beautiful fresh air and surrounding beauty.
Starting off with adrenaline activities along the Nile like rafting, kayaking, bungee jumping. Next you will try out the rhino trekking at Ziwa while on your way to Murchison falls park, which is Uganda’s largest national park, with a number of attractions like the dramatic Murchison falls, Victoria Nile etc. Visit the primate capital of the world – Kibale, with a number of primate species like chimpanzees, collobus monkeys etc.
Heading south, this trip gives you a chance to view the Rwenzori Mountains while on a game viewing safari in Queen Elizabeth Park. Expect a lot of birdlife & wildlife and many other attractions including the Kazinga channel, crater lakes etc. You will also get to trek the endangered gorillas in Bwindi – one of Africa’s ancient forests. Later passing through the hilly areas of Kabale, you will enjoy a day relaxing at Lake Bunyonyi, a beautiful place with many birds.
This trip then takes you to Rwanda – first visiting the Dian Fossey grave site before heading to Kigali to visit the Genocide memorial center. You will also enjoy a great canopy walk in Nyungwe forest there after which you head to Kigali to see the Nyanza palace and that will be the end of your 15 days trip.
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
- Jinja town, Rafting & visit the source of the Nile
- Rhino trekking at Ziwa Wildlife Sanctuary
- Murchison falls national park
- Kibale forest – chimpanzee tracking
- Queen Elizabeth national park
- Ishasha sector – tree climbing lions
- Bwindi forest – gorilla trekking
- Lake bunyonyi
- Dian fossey grave site
- Nyungwe forest national park
- Kigali Genocide memorial center
TOUR ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrive in Uganda at Entebbe.
Meet and greet with our tourist driver/guide at Entebbe International Airport. Transfer to Kampala for the first night in the capital city of Uganda.
Accommodation at Adonai Guest House (Standard), Cassia Lodge(Comfort), Serena Hotel(Luxury)
Meal plan: Lunch & Dinner.
Day 2: Jinja White Water Rafting
After breakfast proceed to Jinja for white water rafting. This is the most exciting 31 km rafting trip on earth and includes a fantastic barbeque lunch and complimentary drinks after the trip. In the Evening, visit the source of the River Nile before you transfer back to Kampala.
Accommodation at Adonai Guest House(Standard), Cassia Lodge(Comfort), Serena Hotel(Luxury)
Meal plan: Lunch & Dinner.
Day 3: Rhino trekking en-route to Murchison falls
After breakfast begin the safari with panoramic drive north-west through the famous Luwero Triangle. Stop en route at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to see Rhinos being reintroduced to the area. Then on to Masindi Town for lunch. Proceed Murchison Falls National Park, stopping at the spectacular ‘Top of the falls’ where you can see the Nile’s beauty perfected! Marvel at the Nile, compressing from 50 meters to squeeze through a 7 meter canyon dropping 50 meters with a thunderous roar creating a beautiful rainbow, a plume of spray and the best thing that happened to the Nile, “the Murchison Falls”.
Accommodation at Paraa Safari lodge (Luxury) or Murchison River Lodge (Comfort)
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 4: Murchison falls national park
Early morning game drive on the northern bank of the River Nile. Your guide will help you spot Elephant, Lion, Cape buffalo, Rothschild’s giraffe, hartebeest, Waterbuck, Oribi, Bushbuck, Bohor reedbuck, hyena and if you are lucky, the leopard. After lunch, go for a boat safari upstream on the calm Victoria Nile to the base of the falls stopping just tens of meters from the “Devil’s Cauldron”. En- route, marvel at the toothsome hippos, crocodiles and over this 19 km stretch you will see many animals including elephant, waterbuck and Uganda Kob. This riverine zone is also home for many bird species like Goliath heron, Egyptian goose, Brown pelican, Red-throated bee-eater, various kingfishers, Fish eagles, cormorant and the rare shoebill stork. After taking shots of photogenic Murchison Falls, return to your accommodation.
Accommodation at Paraa Safari lodge (Luxury) or Murchison River Lodge (Comfort)
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 5: Murchison to Kibale forest
Whole day drive south via Hoima to Fort Portal through verdant countryside and past traditional homesteads and farms. Fort-Portal rests in the shadow of the fabled Mountains of the Moon.
Accommodation at the Kibale Forest Camp (Standard), Mountains of the Moon Hotel (Comfort) or Papaya Lake lodge (Luxury)
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 6: Chimp tracking to Kibale forest national park
Morning visit to Kibale Forest National Park, where you enjoy a guided walk in search of chimpanzee and 12 other primates including l’ Hoestes, Red colobus, blue, red-tailed monkeys, brown monkeys and gray – cheeked mangabey. The guide will provide detailed explanations, not only on primates, but on all the forest fauna and flora and will ensure that your walk is informative and enjoyable. This walk is excellent for viewing bird life and seeing primates at close quarters. After lunch, visit the community and take a walk in Bigodi Swamp. Return to your lodge.
Accommodation at Kibale Forest Camp (Standard), Mountains of the Moon Hotel (Comfort), Papaya Lake Lodge (Luxury)
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 7: Kibale forest to Queen Elizabeth
After Breakfast, visit the Mpanga tea estate and later proceed to Queen Elizabeth National Park following the mystical Rwenzori Mountain range for much of the journey. A game drive en route to your accommodation may be rewarded with views of elephant, buffalo, and a variety of antelope species along the Crater drive.
Accommodation at Kasenyi Safari Camp (Comfort) or Mweya Safari lodge (Luxury)
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 8: Queen Elizabeth national Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park’s diverse eco- system of grassy plains, tropical forest, rivers, swamps, lakes and volcanic craters is home to an incredible abundance of wildlife. Game drive in this park, with the massive Rwenzori Mountains as a backdrop provides excellent opportunities to see lion, leopard, giant forest hog, Cape buffalo, elephants, defassa waterbuck, Uganda Kob, Topi and bush buck. After lunch enjoy the unique 2 hour boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel and into Lake Edward. This trip passes through possibly the highest concentration of hippos and many animals may be seen drinking at the water’s edge. This launch cruise offers an excellent platform for photography, bird watching and game viewing. The prolific bird life is colorful and stupendous with well over 600 resident species.
Accommodation at Kasenyi Safari Camp (Comfort) or Mweya Safari lodge (Luxury)
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 9: Ishasha sector – Queen Elizabeth Park
Drive south to the Ishasha Sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Mammalian specialties in this area include Giant Forest Hog and the legendary Tree-climbing Lions.
Accommodation at the River Camp (Standard), Ishasha Jungle Lodge (Comfort), Enjojo Lodge (Luxury)
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 10: Ishasha to Bwindi
Drive through the “Switzerland of Africa” area known as the Kigezi Highlands, with its terraced hillside and winding roads to Bwindi.
Accommodation at Silverback lodge (luxury), Rushaga Gorilla Camp (Comfort), Bunyonyi Overland resort (Standard)
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 11: Bwindi forest – Gorilla Trekking
This Bwindi Impenetrable forest offers a dramatic steeply forested landscape, which is incredibly dense, crisscrossed by numerous animal trails allowing access to tourists. In a group of 8 tourists led by a tour guide, the trekking starts early morning at around 8:00 am. The time taken before you get to the gorillas varies according to how far the creatures might have moved but normally between 2 to 7 hours. It’s a thrilling adventure to watch the rare mountain gorillas and once you have got to them, you will be only be allowed 1 hour with them. There about 9 gorilla families in this magnificent rainforest. After the gorilla trekking, your guide will transfer you to Lake Bunyonyi surrounded by terraced hills.
Accommodation at the Bunyonyi Overland Camp (Standard), Birdnest @bunyonyi resort (Luxury)
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 12: Lake Bunyonyi
Spend the day at Lake Bunyonyi which is surrounded by terraced hills. Enjoy Bilharzia – free swimming, dug out canoeing, sunbathing, and visit the Batwa community on one of the Islands. In the Early evening transfer to Ruhengeri across the border in Rwanda.
Accommodation at Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (mid-range) and Virunga Lodge (Luxury)
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 13: Ruhengeri to Dian Fossey grave site
After Breakfast, drive to the Volcanoes national park headquarters’ where you will start your trek to Dian Fossey’s grave site that is on Mount Karisimbi and Mount Visoke. It takes about 3 to 4 hours to trek to the Karisoke research camp which is at an altitude of 3000m and takes you through some of the most beautiful stretches of Hagenia – Hypericum forest in the Volcanoes. The Dian fossey’s grave is just next to other gorillas which had also been killed by poachers in the early 1980’s. In the afternoon visit the Genocide Memorial site before you relax at your Lodge.
Accommodation at Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (mid-range) and Virunga Lodge (Luxury)
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 14: Nyungwe forest national park
After breakfast, you will drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park. The drive to the rain forest is smooth with tarmac all the way. Lunch at our lodge and have an evening canopy walk tour at the Uwinka visitor’s center. The canopy walk is 160Meters divided in 3 sections. Great view from the center point as you easily spot many monkeys, birds, and butterflies.
Accommodation at Top Hill View Lodge (mid-range)
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 15: Nyungwe to Kigali airport
After Breakfast, we head out to Kigali. Visit the Nyanza Palace before drop-off at the airport in time for your Flight.
Meal plan: Breakfast & Lunch.
End of tour
INCLUDED
- Transport in a 4WD vehicle with pop-up roof.
- All fuel for the tour
- English speaking Ugandan driver/guide.
- Accommodation and Meals on Full Board (Breakfast Lunch and Dinner)
- Park-entrance fees for all National parks
- All activities described in the itinerary
- 1 Gorilla permit per person.
- 2 chimp permit per person
- Drinking water.
NOT INCLUDED
- International air fares
- Entry visa Uganda
- Meals that are not part of your accommodation.
- A porter for during the gorilla tracking’s (someone who carries your daypack).
- Personal (medical/travel) insurance
- Tips and gratuities to rangers, driver/guide, porter, hotel staff, etc.
- All expenses of personal nature (e.g. drinks, laundry, optional activities, souvenirs etc.)











