9 Day Rwanda Uganda Gorilla and Wildlife Safari

9 day Rwanda Uganda gorilla and wildlife safari combines the strongest wildlife parks in Uganda with gorilla trekking in both Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. The journey starts in Kampala and first takes you north to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and Murchison Falls National Park, where you track rhinos, enjoy a game drive and take a boat cruise along the Victoria Nile. You then continue through Hoima to Queen Elizabeth National Park for savannah wildlife, the Kazinga Channel boat cruise, crater scenery and chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge or Kalinzu Forest. The safari then moves south through Ishasha, known for tree-climbing lions, before reaching Bwindi for Uganda gorilla trekking. From Bwindi, you cross into Rwanda and continue to Volcanoes National Park for a second gorilla trekking experience in the Virunga region. This tour suits travellers who want a full Uganda and Rwanda safari with rhinos, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, lions, chimpanzees, gorillas, Nile scenery, crater lakes, forest landscapes and carefully selected lodge options.

Safari Highlights

• 9-day Rwanda and Uganda safari covering wildlife, primates and scenery
• Rhino tracking at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
• Murchison Falls National Park game drive and Victoria Nile boat cruise
• Visit to the base of Murchison Falls
• Overnight stop in Hoima with optional activities at Kontik Hotel
• Queen Elizabeth National Park evening game drive
• Kasenyi game drive for lions, elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kob and other wildlife
• Kazinga Channel boat cruise, a 40-kilometre channel linking Lake George and Lake Edward
• Optional chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge or Kalinzu Forest
• Ishasha sector visit, with a chance to search for tree-climbing lions
• Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
• Cross-border transfer to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda
• Rwanda gorilla trekking experience in the Virunga Mountains
• Flexible final exit through Kigali or return route to Kampala
• Budget, standard, mid-range and luxury accommodation options

Detailed Safari Itinerary

Day 1, Ziwa Rhino Tracking and Transfer to Murchison Falls

Your driver guide will pick you up from your hotel in Kampala and begin the journey to northern Uganda. You will travel through Luweero and Masindi before visiting Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, the only place in Uganda where rhinos can be tracked on foot. You will join a ranger for rhino tracking, then continue for lunch before driving to Murchison Falls National Park. Murchison Falls National Park covers about 3,840 square kilometres in northwestern Uganda. The park has savannah, riverine forest, wetlands and woodland, with wildlife concentrated strongly around the River Nile. The main landmark is Murchison Falls, where the Nile pushes through a narrow 7 metre gorge before dropping powerfully into the lower river. Dinner and overnight stay.: Budget options: Red Chilli Rest Camp, Sambiya Bandas or another available budget lodge, mid-range options: Sambiya River Lodge Cottages or Budongo Eco Lodge, Luxury options: Nile Safari Camp or Paraa Safari Lodge

Day 2, Murchison Falls Game Drive and Nile Boat Cruise

Start with tea or coffee before heading out for an early morning game drive in Murchison Falls National Park. Your guide will help you search for giraffes, elephants, hyenas, Uganda kob, bushbucks, waterbucks, leopards, oribi and many savannah birds. Birders may also look out for species such as the crested crane and fish eagles, with the shoebill possible in wetland areas. Return to the lodge for breakfast and relaxation before lunch. In the afternoon, go for a boat cruise starting from a launch trip along the Victoria Nile. The river supports large numbers of hippos and crocodiles, with elephants, buffaloes and water birds often seen along the banks. The boat cruise takes you towards the bottom of Murchison Falls, where the Nile becomes louder and more dramatic as it squeezes through the gorge. Return to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 3, Transfer from Murchison Falls to Hoima

After breakfast, transfer from Murchison Falls to Hoima. You will have lunch at Hoima Kontik Hotel, then spend the afternoon relaxing at the hotel. Optional activities may be arranged depending on time and interest. Possible activities at Hoima Kontik Hotel include horse riding for both experienced and beginner riders, watching weekend sports events on a wide screen, bird watching in the gardens, and visiting the fruit orchard where guests may see fresh fruits used for breakfast. The hotel gardens are suitable for beginner birders, with more than 50 bird species seen within a short walking distance, especially in the early morning. These activities are optional and must be requested at the time of booking. Choose only one activity because the next day requires an early start. Dinner and overnight stay at Kontik Hotel.

Day 4, Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park and Evening Game Drive

After breakfast, continue to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Queen Elizabeth National Park covers about 1,978 square kilometres and lies along the Albertine Rift between Lake Edward and Lake George. The park supports about 95 mammal species and more than 612 bird species, making it one of Uganda’s most varied wildlife areas. The park is part of a wider protected landscape that includes Kyambura Wildlife Reserve and Kalinzu Forest Reserve. It is also within reach of Kibale National Park, Rwenzori Mountains National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the Virunga landscape. Arrive in the afternoon, have lunch and continue for an evening game drive if time allows. During the drive, you may see elephants, lions, leopards, hyenas, buffaloes, hartebeests, topis and other savannah wildlife. Bird species may include martial eagle, African skimmer, pink-backed pelican and other wetland or savannah birds. Dinner and overnight stay. Budget options: Bush Lodge or Simba Safari Camp, mid-range options: Ihamba Lodge or Hippo Hill Camp, Luxury options: Mweya Safari Lodge, Jacana Safari Lodge, Kyambura Game Lodge or Katara Lodge

Day 5, Kasenyi Game Drive and Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise

After tea or coffee, head to the Kasenyi plains for an early morning game drive. Kasenyi is one of the best wildlife viewing areas in Queen Elizabeth National Park because of its open grassland and high numbers of Uganda kob. Your guide will search for wildlife missed during the previous evening drive, including lions, elephants, buffaloes, antelopes and other savannah animals. Return to the lodge for breakfast, then relax until lunch. In the afternoon, go for a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel. This 40-kilometre channel connects Lake George and Lake Edward and is one of the best places in Uganda for relaxed wildlife viewing. The banks attract birds, mammals and reptiles throughout the year. Hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes, elephants and many water birds are commonly seen during the cruise. The boat guide will explain the wildlife and bird sightings along the channel. Dinner and overnight stay at your lodge.

Day 6, Chimpanzee Tracking, Ishasha and Transfer to Bwindi

Wake up early, have breakfast and drive to the chimpanzee tracking starting point. Chimpanzee tracking may be arranged in Kyambura Gorge or Kalinzu Forest, depending on permit availability. Permits must be booked in advance. Kyambura Gorge is a deep forested valley within the wider Queen Elizabeth conservation area. The gorge is about 100 metres deep and is home to a small chimpanzee population, other primates and forest birdlife. The surrounding Kyambura Wildlife Reserve also has crater lakes where flamingos may occasionally gather. After chimpanzee tracking, continue through the Ishasha sector with a picnic lunch. If weather and road conditions allow, you may take a short game drive to search for the famous tree-climbing lions. Ishasha lies south of the Mweya Peninsula and is known for savannah woodland, the Ishasha River and wildlife moving across the southern plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Later, continue to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Bwindi is one of Africa’s most important mountain gorilla habitats. Its forest survived from earlier climatic periods and supports a wide range of habitats, from lowland forest around 1,160 metres to afromontane vegetation above 2,600 metres. Dinner and overnight stay. Budget options: Buhoma Community Bandas, Bwindi View Bandas, Virunga Hotel or Nkuringo Safari Centre, Mid-range options: Lake Kitandara Luxury Camp, Nkuringo Campsite or Nkuringo Safari Lodge, Luxury options: Gorilla Resort Camp, Gorilla Forest Camp, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge or Gahinga Volcanoes Lodge

Day 7, Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After an early breakfast, carry your packed lunch and report for a briefing by the ranger guides. Your guide will help with the gorilla permit formalities before you are assigned to a trekking group. The rangers will explain the trekking rules, forest safety and how to behave when you meet the gorillas. You will then enter Bwindi Forest to search for your assigned gorilla family. The time taken to find the gorillas is unpredictable because they move naturally through their habitat while feeding, resting and nesting. Once the gorillas are located, you spend one hour observing them. This may include seeing a silverback, females with young ones, juveniles playing, feeding behaviour and quiet family interactions. Return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 8, Transfer to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda

After breakfast, transfer from Bwindi towards Rwanda and continue to Volcanoes National Park. Volcanoes National Park protects part of the Virunga Mountains and is surrounded by major volcanic peaks such as Karisimbi, Bisoke and Mikeno. It is one of Africa’s most important mountain gorilla conservation areas and is strongly linked to the work of Dian Fossey, who began her gorilla research in this region in 1967 and founded the Karisoke Research Centre between Karisimbi and Bisoke. The park combines bamboo forest, evergreen forest, open grassland, swamp and heath vegetation. It reopened for tourism after the security situation improved following the difficult years of the Rwandan conflict. Dinner and overnight stay near Volcanoes National Park. Budget options: Kinigi Guest Hotel or Muhabura Guest House in Musanze, Mid-range: Gorilla Nest Lodge, Gorilla Mountain View Lodge, Gorillas Hotel or Le Bambou Hotel, Luxury options: Virunga Lodge or Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge

Day 9, Rwanda Gorilla Trekking and Return to Kigali or Kampala Route

After an early breakfast, report to the Volcanoes National Park headquarters for the gorilla trekking briefing. The ranger guides will explain the trekking rules, group allocation and safety guidelines before you proceed to your assigned gorilla family. Gorilla trekking in Rwanda can sometimes be shorter than Bwindi because some trekking areas are more accessible, but the final walking time always depends on where the gorillas are on that day. Once the gorillas are located, you will spend one hour with them while observing their behaviour, including feeding, resting, grooming and family interaction. After the trek, return to the starting point and meet your driver guide. If you are flying out of Kigali, transfer to Kigali for your final drop-off or overnight stay. If continuing to Kampala, travel with lunch en route and stop at the Uganda Equator for photos and souvenir shopping. This marks the end of your Rwanda and Uganda gorilla and wildlife safari.

Inclusions and Exclusions

Included

• Airport or hotel pickup in Kampala
• Private safari vehicle and fuel
• English-speaking driver guide
• Hoima overnight stop
• Chimpanzee tracking  permit
• Bwindi gorilla trekking permit
• Cross-border transfer to Rwanda
• Volcanoes National Park gorilla trekking permit
• Meals as stated in the final itinerary
• Bottled drinking water during transfers

Excluded

• International flights
• Uganda visa fees
• Rwanda visa fees
• Travel insurance
• Tips for driver guides, rangers, trackers, porters and lodge staff
• Porter fees during gorilla trekking
• Personal drinks, laundry, calls and other personal expenses
• Optional activities at Hoima Kontik Hotel
• Optional cultural visits, nature walks or village experiences
• Extra accommodation before or after the safari