9 Days Uganda primates and wildlife safari from Kigali

7 Days Murchison falls, Kibale and Queen Elizabeth safari

This 9 days Uganda primates and wildlife safari from Kigali is an extraordinary safari that starts and ends in Kigali Rwanda. The safari will take you to different national parks in Uganda including Lake Mburo national park and Queen Elizabeth national park where you will be able to view different animals like elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, hippos, warthogs, bushbucks, giraffes, oribi, lions, leopards, Nile crocodiles, zebras, impalas, topi, elands among others during the game drive and boat cruise. The 9 days Uganda primates and wildlife safari from Kigali will also take you to Kibale forest national park and Bwindi impenetrable national park where you will be able to spend time with the endangered mountain gorillas and chimpanzees in their natural habitat and Lake Bunyonyi which is the deepest freshwater Lake in Uganda.

Highlights of the 9 days Uganda primates and wildlife safari from Kigali

Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Lake Mburo national park-boat cruise

Day 2: Morning game drive and transfer to Kibale forest national park

Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk

Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park

Day 5: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise

Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park

Day 7: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park

Day 8: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi-boat ride

Day 9: Departure to Kigali

Detailed itineraries

Day 1: Pick up from Kigali and transfer to Lake Mburo national park- boat cruise

Depending on your location in Kigali on the first day of the 9 days Uganda primates and wildlife safari from Kigali, you will be welcomed by our driver guide who will brief you about the safari and then start the journey to transfer to Lake Mburo national park. On the way, you will enjoy great views of the rolling hills, homesteads, Kigezi hills among others. Upon arrival you will check into the lodge for lunch.

After lunch, you will go for an amazing boat cruise where you will be able to cruise near hippos in water, buffaloes and antelopes drinking water along the shores, view crocodiles basking on the water banks, spot aquatic bird species like cormorants, fish eagles, hornbills, kingfishers among others. After the boat ride, you will drive to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

 Day 2: Morning game drive and transfer to Kibale forest national park

On the second day of the 9 days Uganda primates and wildlife safari from Kigali, you will have an early breakfast and meet up with your driver guide to go for a short morning game drive in the park where you will be able to view some of the animals like buffaloes, waterbucks, bushbucks, impalas, oribi, giraffes, warthogs, zebras, elands among others.

After the game drive, you will drive back to the lodge for lunch where after you will check out and start the journey to Kibale forest national park with stunning views of the crater lakes, Rwenzori mountain peaks, tea and banana plantations among others. Upon arrival in the park, you will connect to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk

Chimpanzee trekking

After an early breakfast on the third day of the 9 days Uganda primates and wildlife safari from Kigali, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge and transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules and regulations to follow during trekking. After the briefing you will start trekking in the forest with an experienced park guide who is well conversant with chimpanzee trekking trails. During chimpanzee trekking which takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours, you will be able to view different bird species, other primates, plant species among others. Once the chimpanzees are located, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn about their behaviours, watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, playing, breastfeeding, resting, take photos and record the breath taking moments. After the one-hour encounter with the chimpanzees, you will trek back to the starting point where you will meet up with your driver guide and drive to the lodge for lunch.

After lunch, you will go for a guided nature walk in Bigodi swamp where you will be able to spot different primate species, birds, view plant and tree species, listen to sweet sounds of bird species in trees, take beautiful pictures among others. After the swamp walk, you will return to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park-afternoon game drive

After a relaxed breakfast on the fourth day of the 9 days Uganda primates and wildlife safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey to Queen Elizabeth national park which takes about 2 to 3 hours’ drive. Upon arrival, you will check into the lodge for lunch where after you will go for an afternoon game drive in the park where you will be able to view animals like elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, bushbucks, warthogs, oribi, lions, leopards, hyenas among others. After the game drive, you will return to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Morning game drive/ lion tracking experience and afternoon boat cruise

Morning game drive/ lion tracking experience

After an early breakfast on the fifth day of the 9 days Uganda primates and wildlife safari from Kigali, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for a morning game drive in Kasenyi plains where you will be able to spot animals like elephants, waterbucks, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, warthogs, bushbucks, view predators like lions, leopards among others. After the game drive you will drive back to the lodge for lunch.

9 Days Uganda primates and wildlife safari from Kigali
Lion

Afternoon boat cruise

After lunch you will go for an amazing boat cruise on Kazinga channel a water channel that connects Lake Edward and Lake George. During the boat cruise you will be able to view large concentrations of hippos and Nile crocodiles in water, view elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, warthogs among others drinking water along the shores, view water birds like cormorants, hornbills, king fishers, fish eagles among others. After the boat cruise which takes about 2 to 3 hours’ drive, you will return to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park

After an early breakfast on the sixth day of the 9 days Uganda primates and wildlife safari from Kigali, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park via Ishasha sector where you will be able to view the tree climbing lions lying up in tree branches during the game drive. After the game drive, you will have lunch and then proceed to Bwindi impenetrable national park. Upon arrival in the park, you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 7: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park

Gorilla trekking

On the seventh day of the 9 days Uganda primates and wildlife safari from Kigali, you will have breakfast, carry packed lunch and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking. After the briefing, you will be allocated a gorilla family to trek and start trekking in the jungle with an experienced park guide. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park takes about 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on where the gorillas are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking you will be able to view other primate species, birds, plants and once the mountain gorillas are located, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn about their behaviors, habits, watch them feed, breastfeed, groom young ones, take photos and record the moments to show people back home after the safari. After the one hour with the gorillas, you will trek back to the starting point where you will be awarded a certificate for participating in gorilla trekking and later meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Day 8: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi-boat ride

After breakfast on the eighth day of the 9 days Uganda primates and wildlife safari from Kigali, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Lake Bunyonyi in Kabale district. The journey takes about 3 to 4 hours’ drive and upon arrival, you will connect to your lodge for lunch. After lunch, you will go for an exciting boat ride on the lake where you will be able to explore the 29 islands, enjoy views of the stunning landscape, hills, terraced farmlands, spot different bird species among others. After the boat ride, you will return to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Day 9: Departure to Kigali

On the last day of the 9 days Uganda primates and wildlife safari from Kigali, you will have breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey back to Kigali. On the way you will have en-route lunch and then proceed to Kigali arriving early evening and upon arrival your driver guide will drop you off at Kigali international airport for your departure flight or drop off at any place of advise.

End of 9 days Uganda primates and wildlife safari from Kigali

Tour includes                                  

  • Gorilla trekking permit
  • Chimpanzee trekking permit
  • Bigodi swamp walk
  • Park entrance fees/ game drives
  • Boat cruise fees
  • Lion tracking experience
  • Professional English speaking driver guide
  • Full board accommodation
  • Ground transfers (in a 4WD vehicle)
  • Vehicle and fuel
  • Bottled drinking water

Tour excludes                     

  • International air flight tickets
  • Visas
  • Optional activities not included on the itinerary
  • Life insurance
  • Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.