15 Days Rwanda Uganda Safari – Self Drive Tours & Trips
Planning for an Ultimate Road trip to Rwanda and Uganda with strong safari jeep, Rwanda Car rental has suggested the 15 days Rwanda Uganda loop that will take you to most tourism destinations on multi country self drive safari in either Toyota land cruiser or Toyota Rav4. Rwanda offers Akagera National Park for wildlife game drive, boat ride, Nyungwe forest national park for the chimpanzee trek in the Chamudongo forest, canopy walk; visit Lake Kivu for Rwanda safari vacation and Volcanoes National Park for gorilla safaris, Dian hike. Uganda offers you Bwindi forest for gorilla tours, Lake Bunyonyi for holiday and then to Queen Elizabeth National Park for game viewing and boat ride along the Kazinga channel which connects Lake George into Lake Edward!
Day1: Kigali- Akagera National Park
In the morning the company staff will drop off the safari jeep rented from Rwanda car rental and the hotel receipts about the lodge booking and provide information about the entire driving routes for the safari, Test drive in the rented fleet to make sure everything will be prefect during the entire road trip. Later embark your vehicle and Drive to Akagera National Park which is much known for the African wildlife species like lions, elephants, buffaloes, leopards among others. You can spot some of the wildlife on your en-route game drive in the park driving to your lodge for lunch, after lunch evening you can a sun downer photographic game drive. Dinner and overnight at Ruzizi Tented Camp/Akagera Game Lodge. Meal plan: H/B
Day2: Game Drive & Boat Ride
Wake early morning and head for the game drive in the safari jeep looking for other wildlife species that were missed yesterday, most of the wildlife to spot are the African lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants, giraffes, water and bush buck among others. This experience takes like 4-5 hours and after return to the lodge for your breakfast and lunch. Then in the evening take an amazing boat cruise along the Lake Ihema. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay, Meal plan: F/B
Day3: Akagera- Nyungwe Forest National Park
Early morning embark into the Safari jeep and drive back to Kigali which is like to take 2 Hours drive and take breakfast, Later continue to Drive for the 5-6 Hours to Nyungwe Forest national park which is the home to the chimps trekking and canopy walk while in the jungle. Lunch is planned to be en route as you drive to the park, Self drive traveler be aware that its a serious drive and it need much of your attention.Dinner and overnight either Nyungwe Forest Lodge/Nyungwe Hill Top Hotel/Gisakura Guest House. Meal plan: F/B
Day4: Chimpanzee Trek & Canopy Walk
Wake up early morning and drive to Chamudongo forest which is the ideal destination for chimpanzee tracking and is part of the greater nyungwe forest national park , Briefing of the chimpanzee trekking rules and regulations is done in the morning at the park headquarters 8:00 am , the activity doesn’t reward you only to watch the primates but also to spot some bird species during the trek, Return to the lodge for lunch, then in the evening take the canopy walk where you will have closer view of the primates, birds and canopies which takes 2 hours activity and it always begins at 2:00Pm. Dinner and overnight as above, Meal plan: F/B. Chimpanzee tracking is an encounter safari activity to watch the primates in the wild, the activity can last for 2-4 hours depending on the weather of the day.
Day5: Nyungwe Forest-Lake Kivu
Early morning take a relaxed simple drive from nyungwe forest to Lake Kivu that is at the border of Rwanda and Congo, its offers the great to relax as you enjoy the beach view, Stopping at some genocide memorials is allowed as to have more information concerning what took place in Rwanda 22 Years a go during the 1994 Genocide. Have breakfast and after transfer to Lake Kivu with en-route visit to the Rwanda cultural sites and genocide sites. Upon arrival relax at the shores of the Lake and then dinner and overnight at Lake Kivu water front beach Hotel/Paradise Malahide Guest House. Meal plan: F/B.
Day6: Lake Kivu- Volcanoes National Park
No great experience of what true lake kivu is about than taking a morning boat cruise to visit some fishing sites on the lake and view the great mountain Nyiragongo in Virunga National Park Congo, This view is only possible if the day is clear sun day and having enough time to watch the space, Dont miss the chance to learn about the truth of the waters on lake kivu and Return to the lodge for breakfast and later embark the safari jeep and Drive to Volcanoes National Park where you will experience the gorilla trek on the following day. Dinner and overnight at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Villa Gorilla Lodge/Muhabura Guest House. Meal plan: F/B
Day7: Rwanda Gorilla Trek & Iby’iwacu Cultural Village
Early in the morning after breakfast enter into the safari jeep and take 3o Minutes drive to Volcanoes National park headquarters for the briefing about the mountain gorillas in the mist trekking rules and regulations in order to enable to conservation of the endangered mountain gorillas, allocation of Gorilla groups, registration of gorilla trekkers later you will take a short drive to the start point of gorilla trekking, enter into the jungle to search for the gorillas and once you meet them take the photos and videos and after the one hour allowed to be with the mountain gorillas return to the park offices for your gorilla trekking certificate and after return to the lodge. The Gorilla Trekking activity in volcanoes can last for 2-6 Hours depending on the gorilla movement in the jungle and then in the evening visit the Iby’iwacu cultural village for Rwanda cultural performances and then to the lodge for dinner and overnight, Meal plan: F/B
Day8: Dian Fossey Hike
In the Morning the client will transfer to the park head offices again like the previous day and take an expeditious adventure hike to the forest to watch the Dian fossey grave ( the female conservationists that love the mountain Gorillas during her life time and protected them at whatever costs. Visit Dian fossey foundation, Breakfast and after take the adventurous hike of the Dian Fossey center and you will experience the gorilla conservation work of Dian Fossey and in the evening hours the drive to cross the border and enjoy overnight at Kisoro travellers inn Meal plan: F/B
Day9: Golden Monkey Track – Mgahinga National park
Mgahinga National Park is located in Uganda its the second home of the mountain gorillas in Africa, After Morning breakfast, Take 45 Minutes drive to Mountain Mgahinga National park headquarters for briefing about the golden monkey tracking in the wild. These primates are only found in Rwanda and Uganda and the safari activity is compared to the Gorilla trekking as being Challenger but it rewards the spot birds and other trails in the park. Return to the lodge for lunch and later drive to Bwindi southern section dinner and overnight stay at Nkuringo Gorilla Camp/Mutanda Lake Resort. Meal plan: F/B
Day10: Gorilla trekking in bwindi
Bwindi impenetrable forest national park ranks high when it comes to gorilla trekking adventures, Gorilla Trekking requires you to be steady and fit for the hiking of the challenging terrains, it starts at the same time like rwanda 8:00 am and the search for the mountain gorillas in bwindi can last for 4-6 hours so remember to take the packed lunch and have enough drinking water, then you will be offered 1 hour to watch them playing and feeding with their young ones in the daily life practices and after travel back to the park offices for gorilla trekking certificate and after return to the lodge for dinner and overnight. Meal plan: F/B
Day11: Bwindi- Lake Bunyonyi
Have breakfast and after transfer to the Lake Bunyonyi via the undulating terrains and then relax to the shores of Lake Bunyonyi. Lunch at Arcadia Cottages, and then in the evening take boat cruise along the shores of Lake Bunyonyi visiting the local communities and other beautiful dotted islands. Dinner and overnight at Arcadia Cottages.
Day12: Lake Bunyonyi- Queen Elizabeth National Park
Have breakfast, after embark the safari jeep to take the long drive from Lake bunyonyi to Queen Elizabeth national park with chances of en-route game drive in ishasha sector where the tree climbing lions stay most of the time, Lunch is planned to be en-route at Savannah hotel , reach at the park main section in the evening hours Dinner and overnight at Bush Lodge . Meal plan: F/B
Day13: Game Drive & Boat Cruise
Early in the morning head for Dawn game drive looking for the early riser animals like lions, leopards and others like elephants, buffaloes, warthogs, bush and water bucks. The experiences takes 3-4 hours and then return to the lodge for breakfast and relax as you wait for the boat cruise in the afternoon on Kazinga Channel connecting lake gorge into lake Edward.Dinner and overnight as above, Meal plan: F/B
Day14: Queen Elizabeth National Park- Kibale Forest National Park
Have morning breakfast and jump into the safari jeep to take a relaxed drive of about 3-4 hours from queen elizabeth national park to Kibale forest National Park the best destination for chimpanzee trekking and nature walk, Reach at the park in time to be able to do the Community walk in the local villages , lunch at Kibale Forest Camp, dinner and overnight. Meal plan: F/B
Day15: Kibale Forest- Entebbe/Kigali
Wake early in the morning and head to the park headquarters for briefing about chimpanzee trekking and enter into the jungle forest to search for the apes in the wild. Return to the lodge for lunch and afternoon take 3-4 hours drive from fort portal to Kampala to mark the end of the self drive adventure.
Package includes:
- Airport transfers
- Accommodation and meals
- Park entrance
- Boat ride
- Chimpanzee permit Rwanda
- Canopy walk
- Boat ride along Lake Kivu
- Gorilla permits Rwanda
- Iby’iwacu cultural village
- Dian Fossey
- Gorilla permits Uganda
- Boat ride at Lake Bunyonyi
- Game drive
- Boat cruise
- Chimpanzee permit
Excludes:
The expenses of personal nature like: Air fares, Visas, Luxury drinks, laundry, tips to local guides, telephone, and porter fee while trekking.
