Uganda and Rwanda Wildlife and Primate Encounter Safari

Upon your arrival at Entebbe international airport, you will be welcomed by our customer care representative and your assigned English-speaking safari guides to meet and greet and thereafter, transfer to booked Hotel in Entebbe town. The Hotel is about 10 to 15 minutes’ drive from the airport in Entebbe town. On arrival at the hotel, check in to relax after a long flight, later have breakfast and then visit Entebbe Botanical gardens for a walking safari. Botanical gardens are a home to some primate species such as Vervet monkeys and several bird species. The walk will take you to the shores of Lake Victoria where you will have a chance to spot some water birds, and to enjoy the fresh breezes from the lake as well as getting used to Uganda’s beautiful nature. Lake Victoria is the largest water body in Africa and second largest fresh water body in the world and shared by three East African Countries (Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya). After the walk, return to your hotel to have lunch, relax for some time, as you are refreshed and then drive to Nakiwoogo landing site for a boat ride to visit the Mabamba sanctuary swamp for the shoebill tracking experience. The shoebill stork is one of the most sought-after birds to be seen in Uganda and Mabamba sanctuary swamp is one of the only places that you are always guaranteed to see them. Mabamba Swamp was awarded the status of a ‘Wetland of International Importance’ since it contains globally threatened species. The Mabamba Swamp is one of the places you go to and realize just how blessed Uganda is by nature. Thereafter seeing the shoebill, return to the mainland and drive back to your hotel to chill until it is time to have dinner and an overnight.

“Today, wake up very early in the morning to enjoy your hearty breakfast, have all your travel bags ready to be loaded into your safari vehicle, checkout of your hotel and thereafter, depart by 7:00 AM for Kibale Forest National Park, a 5-6 hour scenic drive through central and western Uganda. The drive will take you through rolling hills, lush forests, and vibrant rural villages. On the way, you will make a stopover at Kiko Tea Estate, one of Uganda’s finest tea plantations to take a guided tour through the expansive green tea fields, learning about tea cultivation, harvesting, and processing techniques. Learn about the history of Uganda’s tea industry and its impact on local communities, how fresh tealeaves are transformed into the final product and conclude with a tea-tasting session, sampling freshly brewed Ugandan tea. Thereafter the Kiko Tea Estate Tour proceed your adventure to the park. Kibale Forest national park is proudly known as the Africa’s primate capital, with over 13 recorded primate species than any other national park or wildlife reserve in Africa plus the biggest population of chimpanzees that are amounting to more than 1500 individual chimpanzees which makes it the best destination for the wild chimpanzees tracking experience. While at Kibale Forest national park expect to encounter several primates such as the black-and-white colobus, red-tailed- monkeys, blue monkeys, olive baboons, grey-cheeked mangabeys, the threatened and rare L’hoest’s monkey and red colobus monkeys. Besides primates, the park is a home to several other primate species such as forest elephants, buffaloes, and some antelope species plus over 370 bird species. On arrival at the park, check in at your booked lodge to have lunch, refresh, relax for some time and later in the early evening go to Bigodi Swamp for a nature walk and community tour.

Bigodi wetlands, located on the eastern edge of the forest in Magombe swamp punctuated by biodiversity and lovely sceneries, sanctuary swamp is a paradise to bird lover’s with over 138 bird species and hosting eight species of primates such as the black-and-white colobus, red-tailed, grey-cheeked mangabey, L’Hoest’s and blue monkeys, and olive baboons plus other mammals like Bushbucks and mongooses. The swamp is managed by the surrounding local community wish a purpose of preserving exclusive environmental features along with the wetland for future generation. So, during this walk, you will have an opportunity to spot several monkeys, and bird species. The Bigodi community walk, will take you through the nearby community to have a chance to interact with local people to know how they harmoniously live with wildlife species, take you through how they locally to their daily activities without applying the modern technology such as making nice gins from banana, making delicious coffee and making art crafts. Dinner and an overnight.
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Today, wake up very early in the morning to dress up in a recommended style for the most memorable chimpanzee trekking experience, such as water-proof hiking boots, a long-sleeved shirt suitable for cold weather, a rain jacket, a round hut, and insect repellents. Have breakfast, meet your safari guide to drive to the park information centre for the pre-trekking briefing about the rules and regulations to follow during the forest walk for the chimpanzees. Thereafter, the pre-trekking briefings, start the forest walk to look out for chimpanzees, other primates like l’hoest monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys and blue monkeys, as well as other wildlife species like bird species, reptiles, and insects. On the planet, there is no other animal that reminds us so much of ourselves as the chimpanzee, and besides many common features and mannerisms, chimpanzees also share 98.8% of our human DNA, which makes them our closest living relatives. Chimpanzees are found in only 21 countries throughout Africa, but Kibale National Park in Uganda is the destination to encounter them due to its high concentration with over 1500 chimpanzees. The forest walk in search of chimpanzees may take about 30 minutes to 4 hours, depending on their location and when you encounter them, you will be allowed to stay with them for a maximum of 1 hour and you will be free to take as many photos and ask as many questions as you want and your guides will be well knowledgeable about the forest and all its wildlife species, which will make your chimpanzee safari adventurous and memorable. After spending an hour with the chimpanzees, return to the park information centre to receive your certificate of completion, meet your safari guide to drive back to your lodge to have lunch, refresh, be at your own leisure until it is early evening to go for the Kasenda crater lakes tour, the place not to miss out on while visiting Kibale Forest National Park due to its amazing views from the top of the world, beautiful small crater lakes, best atmosphere, that makes it a nature lover’s paradise. The tour will take you to visit several of the crater lakes on foot through the green-forested areas, rolling hills, communities, and several other beautiful natural areas that cannot be found anywhere else. The crater lakes in the Ndali-Kasenda area were formed over 10,000 years ago due to volcanic activity that left behind calderas, which later formed the scenic crater lakes in the area. The tour will end at the Ndali-Kasenda viewpoint, also known as the “top of the world”, which offers breathtaking views of the Lake George and Kichwamba escarpment in the rift valley, Kibale Forest national park, and the Rwenzori Mountain ranges. After the Kasenda crater tour exploration, embark on your drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park, one of the most unique safari destinations on the African continent. Queen Elizabeth National Park is more famous for its big cats, such as lions and leopards, the Kazinga Channel which has the largest population of hippos in the world. There are over 600 species of birds recorded, plenty of big game with approximately 2,500 elephants, 5,000 hippos, and 10,000 buffalo, and many small mammals. On arrival at Queen Elizabeth National Park before checking in at your booked lodge go for an evening game drive safari to look out for the wildlife species of this park since during the evening hours, animals, mostly herbivores, come together to form a big group in an open area that gives you great spots to capture the best photos. Also, it is so nice for the sunset to meet you in the African savannah. After the game drive, drive to check in at your booked lodge to refresh, have dinner, and stay overnight.

Wake up very early in the morning (0530 a.m.) to prepare yourself for the day. You can put on light clothes and simple shoes, and then pack a sweater for an emergency, have an extra camera battery, and have your binoculars. Have a cup of coffee and then get a box of your packed full breakfast, and later leave your lodge at 0630 am to Kasenyi Plains, found in the north of Queen Elizabeth National Park, for a morning game drive safari. It is always very important to begin your game drive as early as possible because during the morning hours of the day, animals are more active, and chances are high to encounter as many species as possible. Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the best savanna destinations in Africa to encounter several wildlife species, and it is one of Uganda’s most visited and beautiful protected areas. The park is home to two of Africa’s biggest cats, the majestic lion and the elusive leopard, alongside other classic big game such as approximately 5,000 hippo, 2,500 elephants, and 10,000 buffalo. During your game drive safari, expect to encounter different animal species like buffalo, elephants, Uganda kobs, and many other antelopes, warthogs, lions, leopards, spotted hyenas, and many others. Your safari guide will help you spot as many animals as possible, as well as give you much information regarding everything that you will encounter, which will make your game drive time so interesting and memorable. Later, around 1130 am, retire from the game drive to return to your lodge to have some time at leisure until it is time to be served lunch, and then drive back to the park for an afternoon boat cruise on the Kazinga channel, which starts at 0300 pm. A boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel is one of the special ways to explore and enjoy Queen Elizabeth National Park, where you will have a chance to have a close encounter with several mammal species like hippos, Nile crocodiles, herds of elephants and buffalo, and many antelope species when swimming and others wandering down to the shoreline to bathe in the cooling waters. So, the boat cruise will get you so close to wildlife, and for many of our visitors, they consider a boat cruise safari on the Kazinga channel the highlight of their visit to Queen Elizabeth National Park. After the afternoon boat cruise on the Kazinga channel, return to the Kasenyi Plains for an evening game drive safari to lookout for more wildlife species, mostly predators. Return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

After having your tasty breakfast, get all your luggage packed in your safari vehicle, check out of your lodge, and then drive to the Kasenyi plains for another morning game drive safari to search for more wildlife species. Queen Elizabeth National Park is understandably one of Uganda’s most popular national parks and an ideal habitat for classic big game such as the four mammals of the big five family of the African savannah (lions, leopards, elephants, and buffaloes), several antelope species, primates, and many others. Your safari guide will ensure that you spot as many wildlife species as possible and give you as much information as possible about everything that you may encounter during your game drive. After the game drive, relax and then start the journey to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park via the Ishasha sector in the southern parts of Queen Elizabeth National Park for a game drive to lookout for the unique tree-climbing lions, which are only found in the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda with 4 prides, Lake Manyara in Tanzania with 2 prides, and Kruger National Park in South Africa. After the game drive, have lunch and proceed with the journey to Lake Bunyonyi that is known as “A place of many little birds”) made of 29 islands including Punishment Island and Bushara Island. Lake Bunyonyi is a perfect place to relax and have the best moments to memories of your great moments during the gorilla trekking experience. On arrival at Lake Bunyonyi, check in and spend the evening at leisure until dinnertime and overnight.

Today, wake up at your convenient time to have your travel bags ready in your safari vehicle, enjoy your hearty breakfast, check out of your lodge, and then go for a morning boat ride on Lake Bunyonyi, one of the most naturally beautiful lakes in Africa and the second deepest lake in Africa, with the cool weather to enjoy nature and offer great panoramic views from all sides. Boat riding is the only way of getting around the lake and its islands, so during the boat ride on Lake Bunyonyi, expect to visit some islands such as Akampene Island, also known as the “punishment island”, which was used by the Bakiga people to punish their girls who would get pregnant before marriage by leaving them on this small island where they would die of hunger and others while trying to swim to the mainland. This was to intimidate others from making the same mistake since, in African traditional society, it is an abomination for a girl to get pregnant before marriage, and parents would do everything possible to keep them from engaging in sexual activities until their rightful time to get married. So, poor men who could not afford to pay dowry could go to this island and pick up some of these abandoned girls. But this act of isolating girls on the punishment island was later abandoned in the first half of the 20th century. After the punishment island, you will have a chance to visit one of the islands that is occupied by people to interact with them and learn how they manage to stay in this isolated place happily. Thereafter exploring Lake Bunyonyi, depart for Mgahinga gorilla national park which sits high in the clouds at an altitude of between 2,227m and 4,127m along the border region of Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo and one of the two parks that were created to protect the rare mountain gorillas and the only place in Uganda to encounter the beautiful golden monkeys with over 76 mammals including giant forest hogs, elephants, bush pigs, buffalos, leopards, bush buck and over 180 bird species including the 14 endemic Albertine rift, notably the Kivu ground thrush and turaco. On arrival at the park, check in at your booked lodge to have lunch, freshen up and later visit the Batwa pygmy settlement for a cultural experience. The Batwa pygmy people, also referring to themselves as “the forest keepers”, are one of the oldest surviving indigenous tribes in Africa. For thousands of years, they occupied the mountainous and forest regions of south-western Uganda, where they lived a typical hunter-gatherer lifestyle. On this Batwa trail tour, you learn how the Batwa people used to live in the forest, how they interacted with wildlife, how they used forest plants and weeds in their daily lives, such as for medicine, and how the Batwa prepare traditional dishes, build huts, harvest honey, and make fire. The Batwa were good artists too, and they will impress you with some of their products, like a cup made out of bamboo. Throughout the trail, the Batwa will narrate stories that will highlight their history, creation, and life in the forest. The tour will conclude with the traditional performances from the Batwa women group, and then you will drive back to your lodge to refresh and then have a free evening until time to have dinner and overnight.

Today, wake up at your convenient time to have your travel bags ready in your safari vehicle, enjoy your hearty breakfast, check out of your lodge, and drive to the Uganda Rwanda land border of Chanika to go through all the required border crossing formalities to cross over to Rwanda to visit the the Iby’ Iwacu cultural village commonly known as “Gorilla guardians’ village” for a cultural walk. The Gorilla Guardian cultural village is well known for combining all of Rwanda’s known cultural traditions, people and history into one place for display and a personal experience. This will get you to see what life was like in a typical African society setting such as the lifestyle, houses, traditional dances, dressing code, food, and herbs and how the ancient kingdoms were generally organized. In addition, you will have an opportunity to learn African ancient hunting skills, try weaving baskets/mats, carpentry that provides a unique experience and it is a great place for relaxation and purchasing some locally handmade craft souvenirs to keep your memories. Visit the Karisoke Research Center, the program of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. The center holds one of the largest databases on any wild animal, and operates education and community programs that reach tens of thousands of people in the region each year. The Karisoke Research Center is a research institute in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. It was founded by Dian Fossey on 24 September 1967 to study endangered mountain gorillas. After the Karisoke Research Center tour, proceed with your adventure to Lake Kivu Gisenyi Lake Kivu, one of Africa’s Great Lakes nestled within the picturesque landscapes of the Albertine Rift Valley, straddling the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The town of Gisenyi, located on the Rwandan side, is a popular destination for those seeking to explore the beauty and serenity of this remarkable lake. On your arrival at Gisenyi, check in at your booked hotel to refresh and stay at your own leisure until it is time to have dinner and overnight.

Today, wake at your convenient time, be served breakfast, get on the boat to cruise from Gisenyi to Nyamirundi island where you will have an experience of a delightful journey into the heart of Rwandan coffee culture, set against the backdrop of the stunning Lake Kivu. This experience will offer you a unique opportunity to have the entire knowledge of the coffee-making process, from bean to cup, while surrounded by the natural beauty of one of Africa’s most picturesque regions. The coffee experience begins with a guided tour of the plantation, where you can learn about the cultivation process from local farmers who have perfected their craft over generations. The tour offers insights into the planting, nurturing, and harvesting of coffee cherries, as well as the traditional methods used to ensure the highest quality beans. The island’s farmers are passionate about their work, and their enthusiasm is infectious as they share stories and techniques passed down through the years. One of the most engaging parts of the Nyamirundi Island Coffee Experience is the hands-on opportunity to participate in the coffee-making process. Visitors are invited to pick ripe coffee cherries, helping to sort and prepare them for processing. You’ll witness the traditional methods of drying, roasting, and grinding the beans, gaining a deeper appreciation for the labor and care that goes into every cup of coffee. The culmination of the experience is, of course, the tasting. As you sit back and relax on the island, you will be treated to a freshly brewed cup of coffee made from the very beans you helped prepare. The experience is not just about coffee; it’s about connecting with the local community, understanding their way of life, and appreciating the hard work that goes into one of the world’s most beloved beverages. After the coffee experience, get on the boat and sail back to the main land to have lunch and then start your drive to Nyungwe National Park a home to over 13 different species of primate making about 20- 25% of all the primates of Africa such as Grey-cheeked mangabeys, Angolan Colobus monkeys, Olive baboon, Velvet monkeys, Crowned monkey, Red-tailed monkey, owl-faced and many others in chimpanzees our closest relatives sharing 98.8% human DNA. On arrival at the park, drive straight to check in at your booked lodge to refresh, and then spend the evening enjoying the beautiful views of Lake Kivu until it is time to have dinner and overnight.

Today, wake up very early in the morning to have all your bags ready to check out of your hotel, have breakfast and then drive to the park information center for the briefing regarding the guideline to follow and then start the day’s activity. This is the only one of its kind in East Africa and the third in Africa. The walk is one of the extremely awesome experiences in Nyungwe Forest National Park never to miss on your African safari to Rwanda that will give you a chance to spend approximately 2 hours in the canopies of the largest protected mountain forest in Africa that covers between 1600 and 2000 sq metres into the middle of Rwanda. The walk gives opportunity to spot several wildlife species like some primate and birdlife while enjoying the beautiful views of Nyungwe national park. After walk, return to the starting point to meet your safari guide and start your drive to Kigali the capital and commercial center of Rwanda, with most of the important political offices in the country on the way to Kigali city, you will have a stopover at the Royal Palace, this palace is a beautifully-crafted thatched dwelling shaped like a beehive. In olden times, Nyanza was the heart of Rwanda. According to tradition, it was the site of battles and power struggles and Ethnographic Museum which is one of the six museums that make up the Institute of National Museums of Rwanda that was built in 1987 with help of the Belgian government as a gift from Belgium’s King, and it is now one of Africa’s finest ethnographic collections. Its seven galleries display historical, ethnographic, artistic and archaeological artefacts accompanied by visual aids, giving visitors a rich insight into the culture of Rwandans. The exhibits open with geographical and geological displays, moving on to items used in hunting, agriculture, animal husbandry, pottery, weaving and woodwork. The traditional clothing and architectural methods as well as the social importance of cattle. After exploring the Royal Palace and Ethnographic Museum, continue with your drive to Kigali city. On your arrival to Kigali city, if time allows, go for Kigali city, where you will visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Ground, where more than 250,000 Rwandan victims of the 1994 Genocide were laid to rest in a mass grave. After the genocide museum, visit the Kimironko local market, which is one of the best things to do while in Kigali and gives you a chance to understand the culture of the country place, such as what people eat, how they buy their items, and what is available, which tells much about culture. So, while at the market, you will have a chance to carry out some transactions with the vendors on your own using the local currencies, as your safari guide is just looking on and enjoying how you freely interact and do business with the locals. Therefore, we would urge you to be prepared to bargain for the best price using Rwandan currencies. At Kimironko Market, you can find handicrafts and souvenirs, colorful baskets, fabric and seamstresses ready to make you a dress, fresh vegetables and exotic fruits, and a host of other household items. After Kimiranko local market, drive to check in at your booked hotel to refresh, relax for time, have dinner and then at 1130pm, drive to Kigali international airport to prepare for your flight back to your beautiful country. This will be the end of your Uganda and Rwanda Uganda wildlife, primates and culture encounter safari