Day 1: Arrival, pick up & drop off at the hotel

At Entebbe International Airport (EBB), you will be picked up by Mega Wild Safaris guide. First, he will brief you about this special 15 Days tour in Uganda and Rwanda, and then you continue to your hotel in Kampala.

Accommodation

• Budget: Aponye Hotel
• Midrange: Cassia Lodge/Protea Hotel/Fairway Hotel
• Luxury: Serena Hotel/Pearl of Africa Hotel

Day 2 of 15 Days Uganda Rwanda Wildlife Safari Tour: Drive to Budongo Forest

Enjoy a hefty breakfast and after, you will be picked up at the hotel and head to Budongo Forest. Budongo covers 825sq.km, an extension of the vast Murchison Falls National Park in the Southern side and has check list of over 360 species of birds, 130 moths, 290 butterfly species, 465 trees and 9 primates.

En-route to Budongo, you will branch off to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking –explore how rhinos behave and take pictures. Proceed to Budongo Forest through the Southern gate (Kichubanyombo gate) and be welcomed by the refreshing cool air and playful baboons as you connect to your lodge.

Accommodation

• Budongo Eco Lodge

Day 3 of 15 Days Uganda Rwanda Wildlife Safari Tour: Birding in Budongo & transfer to the Northern sector

After breakfast, meet the experienced park guide for briefing and later start your morning birding expedition through Budongo Forest. This forest holds a variety of birds with 2 species that only survive here –the Puvel’s illadopsis and yellow-footed flycatchers.

Today’s area of interest for your birding session will be the Royal Mile and other birds to be spotted include chestnut-capped flycatchers, brown twin spot, African dwarf kingfishers, blue-breasted kingfishers, plain greenbul, Sabine’s spinetail, cassin’s hawk eagle, black eared ground thrush, olive-breasted greenbul, white spotted fluff tail, and more.

Return from birding session, check out of the lodge and head to the Northern sector of Murchison Falls NP. Drive to the top of the falls for photography and to observe the powerful Murchison Falls as it forces itself into a narrow rock, about 8m.

Accommodation

• Budget: Red Chili/Heritage Lodge
• Midrange: Murchison River/Fort Murchison Lodge
• Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge/Bakers Lodge

Day 4 of 15 Days Uganda Rwanda Wildlife Safari Tour: Game drive & boat cruise –full day excursion

Set off from the lodge with an experienced guide to enjoy the morning game drive 2-3 hours via the Northern game tracks. In your 4×4 safari vehicle with pop-up, have excellent sights of giraffes, cape buffaloes, warthogs, elephants, lions, antelopes –oribis, Jackson’s hartebeest, Uganda kobs; leopard –on a lucky day and many birds.

Drive back while sighting more wildlife and you will be served lunch at the lodge. At 2:00pm, you will be at the Paraa Jetty fully prepared for a rewarding launch cruise on the Victoria Nile River to the base of Murchison Falls. This special water sport allows you to see diversity of aquatic species: hippos, crocodiles and water birds.

Accommodation

• Budget: Red Chili/Heritage Lodge
• Midrange: Murchison River/Fort Murchison Lodge
• Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge/Bakers Lodge

Day 5 of 15 Days Uganda Rwanda Wildlife Safari Tour: Journey to Kibale

Transfer to Kibale National Park after check out of the lodge, and you will drive via Hoima and Fort Portal city. You will have lunch en-route and continue to the lodge in Kibale or in the nearby area.

Accommodation

• Budget: Kibale Forest Camp/Rwenzori View Guesthouse
• Midrange: Primate Lodge/Chimps Nest
• Luxury: Kyaninga Lodge/Ndali/Papaya Lake Lodge

Day 6 of 15 Days Uganda Rwanda Wildlife Safari Tour: Chimpanzee tracking & Bigodi

You will report at Kanyanchu Visitor Center for registration and clearing with tourism officials in Kibale NP. After, join other visitors for briefing about chimpanzee tracking guidelines and at 8:00 am, your park guide will accompany you on a 2-4 hours trek to see chimpanzees.

Kibale is a rich primate park, and today’s chimp search allows you to also see other primates including l’hoest monkeys, vervet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, red colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, olive baboons, etc.

In the afternoon, you will be visiting Bigodi and enjoy a guided nature walk with an experienced local guide. Bigodi Wetland supports 138 bird species, and several primates which you will be spotting.

Accommodation

• Budget: Kibale Forest Camp/Rwenzori View Guesthouse
• Midrange: Primate Lodge/Chimps Nest
• Luxury: Kyaninga Lodge/Ndali/Papaya Lake Lodge

Day 7 of 15 Days Uganda Rwanda Wildlife Safari Tour: Queen Elizabeth –Boat cruise in the afternoon

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Queen Elizabeth NP your next wildlife destination. Arrive early, check in at the lodge, have lunch and the afternoon boat cruise will begin at 2:00 pm along the Kazinga channel. You will be watching hippos, crocodiles and aquatic birds plus other animals like elephants, buffaloes on river banks.

Accommodation

• Budget: Bush Lodge/Simba Camp
• Midrange: Ihamba Lodge/Elephant Plains/Buffalo Safari Lodge
• Luxury: Katara Lodge/Mweya Safari Lodge

Day 8 of 15 Days Uganda Rwanda Wildlife Safari Tour: Game drive & Bwindi

Set off for your early morning game drive through Kasenyi plains for 2-3 hours in a 4×4 tourist vehicle. Along this sector, a variety of wildlife will be encountered including waterbucks, lions, elephants, buffaloes, warthogs, leopards, spotted hyenas and birds. When you return, check out and head to Ishasha as you connect to Bwindi NP. At Ishasha, you will have a picnic lunch and opportunity to look out for the tree climbing lions.

Accommodation

• Budget: Buhoma Community Rest Camp
• Midrange: Silverback Lodge/Engagi Lodge
• Luxury: Volcanoes Bwindi Safari Lodge/Buhoma Lodge

Day 9 of 15 Days Uganda Rwanda Wildlife Safari Tour: Gorilla trekking

Leave the lodge after breakfast and carry some packed lunch plus adequate drinking water. With the lead of an experienced park guide, set off for actual gorilla trekking after being briefed on the dos and don’ts. The trek will run for 2-6 hours inclusive of one hour for a close encounter with mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Get back to the lodge for relaxation and if you still have energy, you may proceed for a cultural visit at the Batwa community.

Accommodation

• Budget: Buhoma Community Rest Camp
• Midrange: Silverback Lodge/Engagi Lodge
• Luxury: Volcanoes Bwindi Safari Lodge/Buhoma Lodge

Day 10 of 15 Days Uganda Rwanda Wildlife Safari Tour: Drive to Volcanoes NP Rwanda

Depart from Bwindi via Kabale to Katuna border, crossing to Volcanoes NP in the Northwestern Rwanda. Have a relaxed evening at the lodge awaiting your next adventure in Volcanoes N. Park.

Accommodation

• Budget: Kinigi Guesthouse
• Midrange: Gorilla Nest Lodge/La Palm Hotel/Le Bambou Lodge
• Luxury: Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge/Bisate Lodge/Mountain Gorilla View Lodge

Day 11 of 15 Days Uganda Rwanda Wildlife Safari Tour: Gorilla trekking & cultural experience

After having breakfast, go for briefing at Kinigi where you will get to know different gorilla trekking rules. The park official will also allocate a gorilla group for you to track and 12 families are all open for tourism in Volcanoes N/Park Ruhengeri. You will be led by the park guide to look for chimpanzees starting at 8:00 am and expect to spend 2-6 hours in the forest inclusive of one hour for a close encounter and taking photos. Get back to the lodge for relaxation and late in the afternoon, you will be accompanied to the Iby’Iwacu village for a cultural experience.

Accommodation

• Budget: Kinigi Guesthouse
• Midrange: Gorilla Nest Lodge/La Palm Hotel/Le Bambou Lodge
• Luxury: Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge/Bisate Lodge/Mountain Gorilla View Lodge

Day 12 of 15 Days Uganda Rwanda Wildlife Safari Tour: Golden monkey tracking & Nyungwe Forest

After breakfast, get briefed about golden monkey tracking regulations. At 8:00am, leave Kinigi for the actual trek to see golden monkeys –taking you about 2-4 hours but includes one hour for photography and a close encounter. Return to the lodge, check out and begin your trip to Nyungwe Forest NP with en-route view of Lake Kivu.

Accommodation

• Budget: Gisakura Guesthouse
• Midrange: Nyungwe Top view Hotel
• Luxury: One&Only Nyungwe House

Day 13 of 15 Days Uganda Rwanda Wildlife Safari Tour: Chimpanzee tracking & canopy walk

Begin your day with breakfast and proceed for briefing at Uwinka area of Nyungwe Forest. Learn about the dos and don’ts to be followed while on chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe. The actual chimpanzee search starts at 8:00 am and it will go for 2-4 hours inclusive of one hour of a close encounter. Other primates will also spotted, Nyungwe being home to 13 primate species.

In the afternoon, you will go for a canopy walk starting at Igishigishigi trail. The canopy walk takes you through a suspended walkway, about 2 hours and you stand a chance to see different birds and primates.

Accommodation

• Budget: Gisakura Guesthouse
• Midrange: Nyungwe Top view Hotel
• Luxury: One&Only Nyungwe House

Day 14 of 15 Days Uganda Rwanda Wildlife Safari Tour: Birding

After breakfast, set off for a long day birding excursion through Nyungwe Forest. This natural forest dominated park shelters 310 bird species, and you will come across birds such as white-bellied robin chat, Rwenzori Nightjars, Red-chested owlet, Rwenzori double collared sunbird, dwarf honey guide, handsome francolins, lagden’s bush shrike, mountain masked apalis, purple-breasted sunbird, Rwenzori turacos, short-tailed warblers, archer’s robin chat, grey-chested illadopsis, Kivu ground thrush and others.

Accommodation

• Budget: Gisakura Guesthouse
• Midrange: Nyungwe Top view Hotel
• Luxury: One&Only Nyungwe House

Day 15 of 15 Days Uganda Rwanda Wildlife Safari Tour: Nyungwe Forest to Kigali

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at the lodge and after, you will be driven to Kigali city, 6 hours’ drive through Butare. You will be visiting historical sites in Butare and later, have lunch before you connect to Kigali.

End of 15 Days Uganda Rwanda Wildlife Safari Tour