This 12 Days Rwanda, Congo, and Uganda Safari includes both lowland and mountain gorilla trekking, chimp trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park, and a savannah wildlife safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Day 1: Arrival and transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park

Depending on your location in Kigali, you will be welcomed by your safari guide and taken on a tour to Nyungwe Forest National Park, which is 6-7 hours from Kigali and includes an early lunch. Continue with the journey to the park arriving in the afternoon. You will proceed for the 2 p.m. canopy walk adventure.

You will follow a walking track to the Canopy Walk, a 50-meter-long swing bridge strung from enormous trees from which you will get a bird’s-eye view of the beautiful rainforest, observing wildlife moving underneath you. Proceed to check into your booked lodge for leisure, supper, and overnight.

Accommodation options: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel mid -range option, Gisakura Visitors’ Centre for budget option/Nyungwe One and Only Hotel for luxury

Meal plan: Lunch and dinner

Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking and transfer to Bukavu.

Enjoy breakfast and a briefing on endangered chimps before heading into the jungle with your rucksack in search of lively and playful friends in Nyungwe forest. Chimpanzees are considerably simpler to recognize since they hop from one tree to another while chatting and laughing.

Chimpanzee tracking often takes 3-5 hours, depending on their location.

Spend an hour searching for them and photographing and filming. After lunch, continue on a magnificent ride to Bukavu in Congo, with beautiful views of Rwanda’s highlands, the tropical forest of Nyungwe National Park, and a clear glimpse of Lake Kivu. Dinner and overnight

Hotel Elizabeth for budget option/Orchid Hotel for Luxury/Panaroma Hotel for mid-range

Day 3: Lowland Gorilla tracking.

In the morning, you will go on a thrilling adventure: trekking lowland gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park. Tracking lowland gorillas is an incredible experience; lowland gorillas vary from mountain gorillas in that they are larger in size but not as bigger as the mountain Gorillas. Tracking lowland gorillas typically takes 1-4 hours.

Lowland gorillas live in larger groups than mountain gorillas; you will not regret your safari efforts once you have met the beautiful gorillas. Later in the afternoon, return to your hotel. Dinner and overnight

Hotel Elizabeth for a budget option/Orchid Hotel for Luxury/Panorama Hotel for a mid-range

Meal plan: Breakfasts, lunch and dinner

Day 4: Return to Rwanda and transfer to Volcanoes National Park.

After breakfast, you will meet up with your guide who will transfer to Rwanda.

At the border, you’ll meet your driver guide in Rwanda. After that, drive to Volcanoes National Park, which takes a whole day, and then check into your designated lodge for a relaxing supper and overnight stay.

Hotel Muthaura for budget option/Le Bambou Gorilla lodge for mid-range option/ five Volcanoes Gorilla Lodge for luxury

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 5: Golden Monkey tracking – community tour.

After an early breakfast, proceed to the park headquarters for a briefing from the park warden about the dos and don’ts of tracking the endangered golden monkeys. After, you will be led by the ranger guide to the starting point of the trek.

This excursion may last between 1 and 5 hours and allows for a closer look at the park’s other primates, such as red-tailed monkeys and Vervet monkeys.

After spending an hour photographing and analyzing the unusual golden monkeys’ behavior.

Later in the afternoon/evening, visit Iby’iwacu Cultural Village, a non-profit umbrella organization dedicated to improving the lives of reformed poachers and communities in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park by providing conservation incentives, promoting community enterprise development, and implementing livelihood-based projects.

It’s a gratifying site where you’ll be taken around while experiencing Kinyarwanda customs such as the traditional dance, traditional ceremonies, and a guided community stroll. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation options: Hotel Muthaura (Budget) / Le Bambou Gorilla lodge (mid-range) / Five Volcanoes Gorilla Lodge (luxury).

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 6: Transfer to Kigali.

After breakfast, return to Kigali and join a Kigali city tour that includes visits to the Kigali genocide memorial site, Kiromonko market, and other optional stops as recommended by your guide, as well as lunch on the way.

Des Mille Collins Hotel – Mid-range option/Step Town Motel for budget option/Kigali Serena Hotel for luxury

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 7: Transfer to Uganda.

Depending on your flight schedule, you will be dropped off at Kigali Airport for your subsequent trip to Uganda. Upon arriving at Entebbe airport, you will be picked up and sent to your hotel for leisure, supper, and an overnight stay.

Accommodation options: Protea Entebbe Hotel. Hotel No.5 (luxury) Onomo Hotel Budget)

Meal plan: dinner

Day 8: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After breakfast at your accommodation, your driver guide will pick you up and start your journey to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in western Uganda, which is approximately 540 kilometers from Kampala by car and takes about 9-10 hours’ drive. You will make a stop at the equator for photography and experimentation, followed by lunch in Mbarara. Proceed to Bwindi, arriving in the evening. Dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation options: Rushaga Haven Lodge (budget), Buhoma Haven Lodge (mid-range)/Mahogany Springs Lodge (luxury)

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 9: Gorilla trekking.

Enjoy an early breakfast and then transfer to the park headquarters with your packed lunch for a briefing from the ranger guides before heading into the forest for your hike. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi takes between 2 and 8 hours, depending on the movement of the gorillas.

These primates travel freely throughout the park, and it is impossible to predict where they will be on any given day. When you have found them, you will have one hour to watch and photograph these lovely creatures. have your lunch, and then meet your driver/guide who will drive you back to the lodge.

You may opt to spend the rest of the evening relaxation at the lodge, or visit the Batwa community living in surrounding areas of the park. you will meet and interact with the locals show casing various activities like making of local cousins, traditional dances among others.

Accommodation options: Rushaga Haven Lodge (budget)/Buhoma Haven Lodge (mid-range)/Mahogany Springs Lodge (luxury).

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 10: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

After breakfast, check out of the lodge and drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park driving via the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth famous for the tree climbing lions. On a lucky day, you may spot them lounging on the tree branches scaping the heat from the ground. You will have your lunch here and thereafter, drive to Queen Elizabeth national park arriving in the afternoon.

Proceed with enroute game drive to the lodge. Dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation options: Pumba Safari Cottages for (budget)/Elephant Hub Lodge/Parkview Safari lodge for (mid-range)/Elephant Plains lodge for (luxury)

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 11: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise.

You will wake up early, have your breakfast, and embark on an early morning game drive in Kisenyi region, where you will encounter lions as well as other wildlife such as antelopes, buffaloes, elephants, warthogs, and waterbucks. Mornings offer great animal sightings. During this time, the animals are active with various animals living their hiding grounds.

You will then go back to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, you will have a launch cruise in the Kazinga channel, where you will have the opportunity to witness a variety of bird species and animals including the elephants and buffaloes, hippos, crocodiles dusking by the shores. Return and rest at the lodge. Dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation options: Pumba Safari Cottages for (budget)/Elephant Hub Lodge/Parkview Safari lodge for (mid-range)/Elephant Plains lodge for (luxury)
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 12: Transfer back to Kampala

Get up early and enjoy your breakfast. Later, drive back to Kampala/Entebbe. The drive takes about 6 hours, including an en-route lunch break and a stop at the Equator. When you arrive in Entebbe, you will be dropped off at the hotel of your choice or taken to the airport for your return journey home. Marking the end of the 12 days safari.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

End of Tour