The best Safari for one to compare the best place to see mountains gorillas between Uganda and Rwanda. Why ask around the best place, experience it your self.
Day 1 – To Lake Bunyonyi – Boat ride
A driver guide from AA safaris and tours will pick you up from your residence or Hotel in Kampala and transfer you to Kabale .
Kabale is situated about 410 kilometres south-west of Kampala. After you cross the equator you drive through Masaka and later Mbarara on a good tarmac road. You will have lunch en route and then later you will go for an evening boat ride along Lake Bunyonyi. Lake Bunyonyi gets its name from a Local word Bunyonyi which is a Bantu language word that means small birds because it harbors so many small birds. It lies in south western Uganda between Kisoro and Kabale close to the border with Rwanda. It is about 25 km long and 7 km wide. It is said to be the deepest lake in Uganda for its depths varies from 44m to 900 metre. Enjoy your stay around the scenic Lake Bunyonyi as you wait for dinner and over night at;
Budget -Bushara Island Camp
Moderate- Arcadia Cottages/ Bunyonyi Overland Camp
Day 2 – To Rwanda – Volcanoes Np- Time changes to GMT+02:00 Uganda is GMT+03:00
Wake up early for breakfast and then later have a Kabale city tour before you proceed to the south western corner of Uganda where Ruhengeri lies. You will clear visas at the border. Note that you must check with your Rwanda embassy or consulate in your country to ensure that you get a confirmation letter of your Rwanda visa before you travel to any border because without the letter , you may not be allowed entry to do Rwanda Safari. Later enter Kinigi. Lunch en route. You will also need the Yellow Fever certificate
Dinner and over night at
Budget accommodation in Muhabura Lodge / Kinigi guest house
Moderate accommodation in Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/ Le Bambou Lodge / Hotel Gorillas Ruhengeri
Up market accommodation in Volcanoes Lodge / Sabinyo Silver back lodge .
Day 3; gorilla trekking in Rwanda
Take breakfast and assemble at the Headquarters of the Park where your driver-guide will accomplish the necessary official procedure for you. You will meet your ranger guide(s) for a briefing about the greatest gorilla and apes experience ever! We will drive you to the inclines of one of the Virunga volcanoes for trekking . After the Gorilla trekking, if time allows lunch at Ruhengeri and an excursion to explore the beautiful lakes in the region (Lake Bulera & Ruhondo). Overnight at Kinigi. Your guide will make the necessary arrangements for the next day. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight .
Day 4; Transfer to Bwindi .
You will drive back to Uganda – then to Bwindi Impenetrable forest Np. The Bwindi Impenetrable ancient equatorial forest is a habitat to roughly half of the world’s mountain gorillas. Looking profound into the animated brown eyes of the gentle giants is certainly the most exhilarating wildlife encounter in Africa. This national park has 90 mammal species including 11 primates, and the prominent black and white colobus, with its lovely flowing white tail. You will have lunch along the way and then have dinner and overnight at
Budget Buhoma Community bandas or Bwindi View bandas/ Virunga Hotel / Kisoro torist hotel/ Nkuringo safari Centre
Moderate – Lake Kitandara Lodge / Wag tail Eco Camp / Nkuringo camp site
Up market : Buhoma Lodge / Gorilla resort camp / Engagi lodge/ NKURINGO Safari Lodge / Gorilla safari LOdge
Luxury : Clouds Lodge /Gorilla Forest Camp / Mt Gahinga Lodge / Virunga Volcanoes Lodge
Day 5; Gorilla Tracking
Take breakfast and assemble at the starting point of gorilla trekking . You will trek up the thickly forested hills before finally coming across the gorillas cloaked in the vegetation. An inspirational moment! (This walk takes from half an hour to 10 hours – a sensible amount of fitness is necessary as well as a sturdy pair of hiking shoes). Sit in the forest among the gorillas, listening to them grumble to each other, and marvel at the sheer size of the dominant male; the silverback. The ranger guides will provide the necessary information about the flora and fauna that you will encounter to make the trek more informative .
It is an extraordinary experience sitting in the dense rainforest knowing you are with a few of the last remaining mountain gorillas. It is amazing to think there are only about 650 of these gorgeous creatures left!
If you have the energy this afternoon, take a guided walk on the Munyaga River trail at an extra US$10. This trail leads to three delightful crystal clear waterfalls, and there is a profusion of tree ferns, epithytic ferns, orchids and Bwindi’s colorful array of butterflies. Here you may also see birds and primates from the forest edge.
Or If you have the afternoon free, how about a guided village walk at US$ 10 per person to see how the Ugandans live! Dinner and over night at your lodge
Day 6; To Queen Elizabeth Np
We will depart early with our packed lunch for Queen Elizabeth National Park. We will drive through the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth known as Ishasha, famed for its tree-climbing lions. Ishasha is a remote and beautiful extension of Queen Elizabeth National Park. We will see buffalo, topi and hippo among other species. It is a fabulous sight to see the lions draped from the trees and nowhere in Africa do you stand a better chance of seeing this than in the large low-limbed fig tree of Ishasha.
After checking in and having some time to relax, we will head for a late afternoon game drive. We often spot Elephants, waterbucks, warthogs, hippos and others. Dinner and overnight at
Budget Instiitute of Ecology/ Simba safari Camp / Bush lodge
Moderate – Hippo Hill Lodge / Ihamba Lodge
Luxury Mweya safari lodge / Jacana safari lodge/ Kyambura Game lodge
Day 7; The game drive and Launch cruise
Wake up early in the mornings and take cup of tea or coffee. Go for a game drive along Kasenyi track to search for Buffalos, Elephants, Warthogs, the elusive leopard, hyenas and Lion. The search may take 3-4 hours . Return to the lodge for mid morning breakfast. After lunch, a two-hour launch cruise along the Kazinga channel proffers visitors a unique opportunity to encounter at close quarters hippo and a variety of bird species common to the park. The prolific bird life is colorful and astonishing with well over 550 resident species. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Day 8; To Kibale Np – Chimp Tracking
Take your breakfast and proceed to to Kibale national park. A high light of visit to Kibale National Park will be the Chimpanzee tracking excursion that starts from Kanyankyu at 1400hrs. You will have lunch before proceeding to Kanyankyu for the trek. Start the trek to search for Man’s closest cousin.
Whilst in the forest, you can expect to see encounter other types of primates most probably the grey-cheeked mangabey and red-tailed monkey. You will listen to birds as they sing but it is very difficult to see any bird in the heart of forest-you are better off looking for them. Suddenly you will see the chimps and then transfer to your lodge for Dinner and overnight at
Budget – Chimps nest / Rujuni Guest house
Moderate – Rwenzori Vies guest house or its similar
Luxury – Ndali lodge/ Mountains of the moons lodge or you may stay at the Primates lodge
Day 9; To Murchison Falls Np
You will transfer to Murchison falls Np via Hoima. Lunch en route. On arrival, you will visit the top of the falls and then retire for dinner and overnight at
Budget – Red Chillis Camp / Budongo Eco lodge
Moderate – Sambiya River Lodge
Luxury : Paraa Lodge or Nile safari Camp
Day 10; The game drive and Launch cruise
Wake up early morning for a cup of coffee or tea then set off for a 3-4 hours game drive on the northern Bank of the Nile River. Expect encounters of Game in this park that include Rothschild Giraffe, Elephant, Jackson Hartebeest, Lions, Waterbucks and a variety of Savannah woodland birds. Return to your lodge. Have a mid morning breakfast and relax as you wait for lunch. In the afternoon, you will go for your reserved private boat ride along the Nile to view aqua game and avian species at close proximity. This is a unique encounter with a family of hippos, crocodiles, among other animals. For those interested in birds, watch out for the legendary shoe Bill stork if you are lucky and many other bird species. Then take dinner and overnight at Your lodge.
Day 11; Return to Kampala.
You will return to Kampala – Lunch en route . if you have time , there is an optional visit to Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary at an extra cost . We will let you know of the extra cost once you inquire. End of Uganda Safari