17 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari | Gorilla Trekking Tour

The 17 days Uganda Rwanda safari offers the best of the 2 countries, Uganda and Rwanda. From renowned safari parks for game viewing to ancient tropical rain forests that are home to the rare and endangered mountain gorillas and chimps, this trip has it all. Discover Murchison Falls, Kibale Forest, Semuliki, Queen Elizabeth, Mt Elgon national parks in Uganda, Volcanoes, Nyungwe Forest and Akagera national parks in Rwanda.

Depending on the ease in booking both air tickets and gorilla permits, this itinerary is tailor-made to suit the guests’ interests. If the arrival is in Kigali, Rwanda – the trip would begin with Akagera, then Nyungwe Forest and lastly Volcanoes national parks. From Volcanoes national park in Rwanda, Mgahinga or Bwindi National parks in Uganda would be the next destination. After gorilla tracking, Ishasha Game Reserve for tracking tree-climbing lions and Queen Elizabeth National Park for the verdant wildlife.

Mgahinga National Park

Let’s now unveil the whole 17 days Uganda Rwanda Safari. In this case we begin with Uganda and conclude with the Rwanda section of the itinerary, and vise versa.

17 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari – Highlights

Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe

Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park

Day 3: Day 3: Game drive/ Launch cruise

Day 4: Day 4: Transfer to Fort Portal

Day 5: Transfer to Semuliki National Park

Day 6: Transfer to Kibale National Park

Day 7: Chimpanzee tracking/ Primate walk

Day 8: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Day 9: Game drive/ launch cruise

Day 10: Ishasha/ Bwindi

Day 11: Gorilla tracking/ nature walk

Day 12: Transfer to Volcanoes national Park Rwanda for 2nd gorilla trek & visit Dian Fossey graveyard

Day 13: Gorilla tracking in PNV

Day 14: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest via Lake Kivu

Day 15: Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe / Kyamudongo Forest

Day 16: Transfer to Akagera National Park

Day 17: Game drives and boat cruise in Akagera National Park

17 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari – Detailed

Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe Airport
On arrival at Entebbe International Airport for the 17 days Uganda Rwanda safari, our tour guide will be ready to receive and transfer you to a lodge in either Entebbe or Kampala. Overnight stay at No.5 Boutique Hotel / Boma Hotel / 2 – Friends Beach Hotel

Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park
Depart Entebbe for Murchison Falls National Park. The drive distance between Entebbe and Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is approximately between 170 to 210 KM (105 – 130 Mi) taking 3 to 4 hours depending on the traffic on the road.

The 70 Sq.KM Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is the natural habitat to Southern White Rhinos. Intimate, guided walking safaris run from 8:00 to 10:00 am or 4:00 to 6:00 PM taking 1.5 to 2.5 hours with the rhinos. Visitors are permitted to get within a range between 6 to 7 metres under the supervision of an expert ranger.

In the afternoon , drive to Kabalega Resort, Hoima, for a delicious lunch. From here a 2 hours drive is quite enough to get you to Murchison Falls National Park. Drive straight to the Top of the Falls. Overnight stay at Pakuba Safari Lodge / Sambiya River Lodge

The Top of the Falls

Day 3: Game drive/ Launch cruise
Set off for an early game view drive on the North of the Nile. The lions, buffaloes, waterbuck, Jackson’s hartebeest, oribi and baboons are some of the animals you will spot. In the afternoon undertake a launch cruise on the Victoria Nile River. Spot schools of hippos, large crocodiles and small herds of buffaloes. The papyrus banks are good grounds for bird watchers. Expect to see the shoebill, the most sought after bird in Africa. Overnight stay at Pakuba Safari Lodge / Sambiya River Lodge

Day 4: Transfer to Fort Portal

The drive distance between Murchison Falls and Semuliki national parks is approximately 467 Km (7 to 9 hours). Thus it is better on this day to stay an overnight in either Hoima or Fort Portal. If you happen to get arrive in Fort Portal, an evening visit to the Stalgamites, locally referred to as “Amabere ga Nyina Mwiru” (the breasts of Mwiru’s mum). Overnight stay at Kyaninga Lodge / Mountains of the Moon Hotel

Day 5: Trip to Semuliki National Park
Transfer to Semliki National Park after taking breakfast. This is another beautiful park though seldom visited. Semuliki is the only true lowland tropical rainforest in East Africa located on the western Rwenzori Mountains. The Flora and fauna are an extension of the Eastern Ituri Rainforest. The forest originates from the Ice Age between 12,000 to 18,000 years ago.

Semuliki has over 120 mammal species including forest buffalos, leopards, pygmy hippos and Mona Monkeys. There are 8 primate species, 300 butterfly species and more than 435 recorded bird species, 300 butterfly species, 46 swallowtails and 235 moth species. About 216 of these species (66% of the country’s total bird species) are true forest birds, including the rare Forest Ground Thrush and Sassi’s Olive. For a night game drive one may not miss spotting small and big predators such as the civet cat, slender mongoose, leopards and the largest lions and birds like owls, pennant-winged and standard –winged nightjars.

Follow a short guided trail to Sempaya Hot springs, the highlight of Semuliki national Park! The hot springs bear geothermal features. The water bubbles at temperatures over 100°C (212°F). The steam clouds are seen from as far as 2 Km away. The most interesting activity here, is boiling eggs and bananas within 10 minutes.

Sempaya Hot Springs has 2 main sites:

the female Hot Spring (Nyasimbi) – this is a scenic boiling geyser that dramatically spews water and steam up to 2 Metres high into the air;
the male hot spring (Bintente) – this is bigger steaming pool approximately 12 metres diameter.

The local Bamaga Clan believes the hot springs are ancestral sites and thus sacred.

Sempaya Hot Springs – Nyasimbi Female Hot Spring

Day 6: Safari to Kibale National Park
Kibale national park has the highest concentration of primates in East Africa including chimps, black and white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys and baboons. Go for an afternoon primate walk to Kanyanchu river camp, the most popular walk in the park. It highlights a medley of flora and fauna within the forest.

Enjoy the scenic drive to Kibale forest as you drive past crater lakes and tea gardens. Overnight stay at Tabebuia Spa and Safari Resort / Chimpundu Lodge / Turaco Tree Tops (Full Board Basis)

Day 7: Chimpanzee tracking/ Primate walk
Awaken to a fine day ready to track chimps near Kanyanchu after enjoying tea. There are primates in the area like the golden monkey, L’Hoest monkey, baboons, white and black colobus monkeys, grey checked mangabey, red colobus, blue monkeys and pottos. Other animals involve forest elephants unique from the common type, giant forest hogs and a striking tree species. Later take a guided nature walk to Bigodi swamp sanctuary, a good site for ornithologists. The Great Blue Turaco and Papyrus Gonolek can easily be marked among the other bird 137 species plus an array of butterfly species. Overnight stay at Tabebuia Spa and Safari Resort / Chimpundu Lodge / Turaco Tree Tops (Full Board Basis)

Day 8: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After an early breakfast, proceed to Queen Elizabeth N.P. Carry out a game drive in the Mweya Peninsular that has a magnificent location of the Rwenzori glacial peaks. Check out Lake Katwe and other small crater lakes. Take dinner and stay overnight at Mweya Safari lodge (luxury) /Enganzi Safari Lodge / Parkview Safari Lodge

Day 9: Game drive/ launch cruise
After a cup of coffee, start the day with a game drive in the Kasenyi plains that will lead you to see black and white Colobus, bush buck, Uganda Kob, topi, Defassa waterbuck, and Cape buffaloes. A range of birds like Cassin’s grey flycatcher, broad billed roller, black bee-eater along the banks of Lake Edward. This can take you 2-3 hrs.

In the evening, go for a launch cruise on Kazinga channel along lake George-lake Edward, come eye-eye with yawning hippos, crocodiles, leopards though sporadic. Watch birds for birders with over 550 resident species like flamingos, red chest, papyrus Gonolek, pink backed pelicans, malachite kingfishers, yellow crown, pink backed pelicans, water thick-knee, yellow-billed stork, shoebill stock. Do not forget your camera. Take dinner and stay overnight at Mweya Safari lodge (luxury) /Enganzi Safari Lodge / Parkview Safari Lodge

Day 10: Ishasha/ Bwindi
Enjoy breakfast and go on a game drive in the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth called Ishasha plains famous for tree-climbing lions usually spotted on sycamore fig tress lying in wait for their prey. Directly connect to Bwindi forest. Welcome to Bwindi where gorillas are the centre of attraction, a distinct feature for Uganda’s tourism. Bwindi national park, Mgahinga National Park alongside Rwanda’s Volcanoes Park and Congo’s Virunga Volcanoes are habitats to the only endangered mountain gorillas left in the whole world. Dinner and overnight stay at Gorilla Forest Camp/Gorilla Resort (luxury)/Mahogany Springs / Buhoma community Bandas (budget) FB.

Day 11: Gorilla tracking/ nature walk
At daybreak, get up and take tea then set off for gorilla tracking in Bwindi forest. Enjoy this long (5hrs) scenic drive to southwest Uganda. The central feature on the way are blue mountains of Congo. Welcome to Bwindi where gorillas are the centre of attraction, a distinct feature for Uganda’s tourism.

Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga national parks alongside Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and Congo’s Virunga Volcanoes are habitats to the only endangered mountain gorillas left in the whole world. Dinner and overnight stay at Gorilla Forest Camp/Gorilla Resort (luxury)/Mahogany Springs / Buhoma community Bandas (budget) FB.

Day 12: Transfer to Rwanda
After enjoying that great experience of the gorillas in Bwindi, we will proceed for the one more prime destination for gorillas in Rwanda – Parc National des Volcans PNV). The Volcanoes National Park is part of the Virunga mountains which has different peaks like Bisoke, Karisimbi, Muhabura and Sabyinyo. This is the reason Rwanda is reffered to as the land of “a thousand hills.” Stay an overnight stay at Virunga Lodge / Mountain Gorilla View Lodge

Day 13: Gorilla tracking in PNV
Arise early morning and take breakfast then advance to the park head quarters for briefing. Go for gorilla trekking in the Volcanoes forest where you will be amazed by the huge size of the silverback, the behavior and communicating skills of these unique creatures among other things. Use this moment to learn and discover all there is about the gorillas. Stay an overnight stay at Virunga Lodge / Mountain Gorilla View Lodge

Day 14: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest via Lake Kivu
After breakfast, transfer to Nyungwe Forest through Gisenyi on Lake Kivu. The distance between Volcanoes to Nyungwe Forest national parks is approximately 270 – 300 Km (168 – 186 Miles), just 5 to 7 hours drive along a well paved road through Rubavu (Gisenyi). Overnight stay at One & Only Nyungwe House / Nyungwe Top View Hotel

Day 15: Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe / Kyamudongo Forest

Early morning transfer to Uwinka Visitors Centre for briefing. Start the day’s activity with chimp tracking and in the afternoon go for a canopy walk. Expect primates including L’Hoest monkeys and chimpanzees. There is a big bird checklist should you be paying attention to. Overnight stay at One & Only Nyungwe House / Nyungwe Top View Hotel

Day 16: Transfer to Akagera National Park

The drive distance between Nyungwe Forest and Akagera national park is 266 Km (5hours 15 Min). Prepare for a night game drive between 6:00 and 6:30 am. This is an opportune moment for encountering the “Big Five” including lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes and rhinos. Cheetahs have also been introduced to this park. Also expect to see big herds of antelopes ( reedbuck, bushbucks, robs, elands, kobs, etc) . Overnight stay at Akagera Game Lodge / Ruzizi Tented Lodge

Day 17: Game drives and boat cruise in Akagera National Park

Enjoy a 3 to 4 hours game drive which normally begins from 6:30 to 9:00 am and return for your breakfast. In the middle of the day go for a boat trip on Lake Ihema. Expect to crocodiles, hippos, buffaloes, different antelope species and different bird species. Later transfer to Kigali for a city tour visiting the Gisozi Genocide Site.

End of 17 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari

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