8 Days Uganda-Rwanda Primates Safari
This 8 Days Uganda-Rwanda Primates Tour, will start in Kampala and end in Kigali Rwanda. On this tour, you will see and habituate the chimpanzees and many other primates in Kibale Forest National Park, Visit and trek the Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, do game viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Nature and community walks in Bigodi swamp and also go for a Golden Monkeys Tracking trip in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park.
You will finish with a visit to the Genocide memorial sites in Kigali to pay homage to the over one million people who lost their lives during genocide in 1994.
ITINERARY
DAY1: ARRIVAL AND TRANSFER TO YOUR HOTEL IN KAMPALA
Depending on your arrival time, Meet and greet by Albertine Tours representative at Entebbe airport, commence a visit of Kampala city tour before proceeding to the hotel for your overnight. Before departing Albertine tour guide will brief you about the 8 days’ tour with us and what to expect of this amazing Uganda-Rwanda Primates safari. Dinner and overnight will be at the preferred lodge of your booking.
DAY 2: TRANFER TO KIBALE NATIONAL PARK.
An early morning breakfast at the hotel. After, we start off at around 8:00 am, we will depart Kampala heading to the western part of Uganda where Kibale Forest National Park is located. This is a long hour drive and therefore, we shall spend between 6-7 hours gazing through the amazing savannah grasslands of Uganda dotted with lots of banana & Tea plantations, traditional homesteads, and picturesque landscapes
By around 3 pm in the afternoon, we arrive at Kibale Forest National park and go for the Bigodi swamp walk that will take you through swampy grassland, local communities, and some beautiful scenery. On your tour through the Bigodi wetlands, expect to spot at least 3 or 4 different primates and a variety of rare bird species and other smaller mammals. Dinner and overnight will be at the lodge of your booking.
DAY 3: CHIMPANZE TREKKING IN KIBALE FOREST NATIONAL PARK
After an early breakfast, our tour guide shall accompany you to Kibale Forest park headquarters where you will meet with other trekkers waiting to start the hike in search for the chimpanzees. When you meet the chimps, you will enjoy seeing them with their families during their daily activities, getting them used to human presence without altering their natural behaviour spend some time taking photos and videos and listening to the guide while providing information about the characters of them then return to the parking to meet your driver and transfer back to the hotel for lunch and relaxation. Dinner and Overnight, Papaya Lake Lodge/Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse
DAY 4: TRANSFER TO QUUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK
After breakfast, you’ll leave the Kibale Forest at a leisurely pace via the crater lakes to Kasese, the second most populous centre in western Uganda. The road passes through fertile agricultural land and follows the lower slopes of one of Africa’s largest mountain ranges – the Rwenzori Mountains. From Kasese, you’ll cross the equator as the road passes through the Queen Elizabeth National Park. Uganda kob antelope are abundant and you may be able to see elephant or buffalo in the distance. You will have a stopover at Kasese town for lunch, after lunch, continue your game viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park for your overnight stay. Dinner and Overnight Katara Lodge/Bush Lodge
DAY 5: QUEEN ELIZABETH GAME VIEWING
On this day of game drive in Queen Elizabeth (with your driver guide decide to start by Ishasha part for tree climbing lions or by Kasenyi) we will set out early in the morning for a game drive in the northern part of the park on the Kasenyi Track in search of lions, elephants and solitary buffaloes. This is the best time for the opportunity to view the cats in action owing to the vast population of Uganda kobs. After the activities, return to your hotel to refresh and evening boat cruise at Kazinga channel river.
DAY 6: TRANSFER TO BWINDI IMPENETRATABLE NATIONAL PARK
After having breakfast at the hotel, with your luggage transfer from Queen Elizabeth national park to Mgahinga national park, on your way to Kisolo have lunch at Kabale then proceed to your accommodation to relax for the next day gorilla trekking activity. Overnight stay at Mutanda lake resort.
DAY 7: GORILLA TREKKING DAY IN MGAHINGA PARK
Have an early morning breakfast and drive to the Park headquarters to join other trackers in a briefing about the Gorilla trekking rules at 7:45 am. You will trek through thick creepers and undergrowth with your guides to find the Gorillas, which can take you 2-4 hours. The steeply forested landscape is incredibly dense but crisscrossed by numerous animal trails allowing access by tourists. After a full hour with the Gorillas once sighted, you will later transfer to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. You will check in at the lodge booked hotel in Ruhengeri town adjacent to the park. Dinner and overnight at the best hotels of your choice.
DAY 8: GOLDEN MONKEY TREKKING AND TRANSFER TO KIGALI AIRPORT
Early morning breakfast at the hotel – Meet your driver and transfer to the park headquarters to join other golden monkey trackers on the briefing, thereafter, embark on the drive to the foothill of the mountain Sabyinyo to start your hike into the home range of the monkey. On reaching them, you will spend one hour with them and then return to where you left the car and transfer to Kigali for your flight.
This Tour includes;
- Airport/hotel pick up and drop off on first and last day,
- Transport in a 4×4 tourist vehicle
- Services of a professional English speaking driver guide
- Fuel for the whole trip
- Accommodation and meal (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
- Queen Elizabeth entrance fees
- Drinking water while in the vehicle and hiking
- Government taxes
- Company service fee
- 1 Gorilla trekking permit in Uganda
- 1 Golden monkey trekking permit
- En-route lunch
- Kibale entrance fee
This Tour Excludes;
- International flights.
- Travel insurance
- Drinks/laundry
- Tips and gratuities, which are optional.
- All drinks, including tea and coffee
- Visa for Rwanda
- All other things of personal nature