Rwanda and Uganda Combined Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival and transfer to your hotel in Kigali
Upon arrival at Kanombe International Airport, you will be picked up by one of our guide professionals. He will welcome you, greet you and brief you on your trip to Rwanda. Later on you will transfer to Kigali city. Depending on the time of your arrival, you will go for a short city tour with in Kigali and visit the Murambi and Gisozi genocide memorial sites. Dinner and overnight stay at Hotel des Mille Collines for luxury /Hotel ChezLando for Budget/Golden Hills Hotel for mid range.
Day 2: Transfer to Parc National Des Volcans
After an early morning breakfast, you will then transfer to Parc National Des Volcans which is found in the northern area of the country. The park is well known for its rare mountain gorillas and there fore Gorilla trekking is its major tourism activity. Upon arrival you will go for Ruhengeri city tour, after, transfer to your place of accommodation for dinner and overnight at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge for Luxury/Gorilla nest lodge or Virunga Lodge for Mid range/Kinigi Guest house or Muhabura lodge for Budget.
Day 3: Gorilla trekking in Parc National Des Volcans
Early in the morning after breakfast and a briefing from the ORTPN officials, set off for the gorilla tracking. This experience of gorilla tracking is a once in a life time adventure. The rangers will lead you deep into the forest in search for the Gorillas. You will move up and down the rugged terrain until you finally meet these harmonious creatures that will entertain you with performances for about 1 hour. The Gorilla trek in Rwanda can take 3-5 hours since the gorillas move up and down. This is an awesome and exciting moment. Enroute there are a lot of chimpanzees and other types of the primates such as the monkeys, birds and so more. Return for lunch at the Lodge and in the afternoon, visit the Karisoke research center and the graves of Diane Fossey a woman who was murdered because she was protecting these endangered mountain Gorillas. Return for dinner and overnight stay at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge for Luxury/Gorilla nest lodge or Virunga Lodge for Mid range/Kinigi Guest house or Muhabura lodge for Budget.
Day 4: Golden Monkey tracking and transfer to Kisoro
After breakfast, you will go for golden monkey tracking. This activity also takes like 2-3 hours in the Virunga forest. Later return back to your lodge for early lunch and transfer to Kisoro via Kyanika Border. Dinner and overnight at Kisoro Traveler’s Rest Hotel / Heritage Guest House.
Day 5: Gorilla tracking in Mgahinga Forest National Park
After breakfast, you will go for the 2nd time Gorilla tracking in the forest but this side on the Ugandan side. Mgahinga National Park is the 2nd smallest National Park and I found in the south western Uganda bordering Congo and Rwanda with in the Virunga ranges. During this gorilla trek, still you will be accompanied by ranger Guides from Uganda wildlife Authority. Upon meeting the gorillas, you will only be given one hour after which you will come back to your lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, you will go for the cave exploration. Dinner and overnight at Kisoro Traveler’s Rest Hotel / Heritage Guest House.
Day 6: Gorilla tracking in Nkuringo
Nkuringo Gorilla group is part of the many gorillas found in the Bwindi Forest. However, its easily accessible from the Kisoro area. After your breakfast in the morning, you will set out for gorilla tracking in the Bwindi Forest. Return back to your Lodge for dinner and overnight stay at Kisoro Traveler’s Rest Hotel / Heritage Guest House.
Day 7: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
After breakfast, you will depart for Lake Bunyonyi which is one of the deepest lakes is Africa. The Lake has almost 32 Islands. The Lake is a good stop over for relaxation for people from trekking Mountain Gorillas. Upon arrival, you will go on a boat ride. This will enable you visit most of the islands on the Lake. Each Island is named according to the bird species found on the Island and some were named because of their purposes for example the Punishment Island which is the smallest and was used by the Bakiga people to drop their girls who got pregnant before marriage. After the Boat ride, return back to the Lodge for relaxation while you watch the beautiful sunset. Dinner and overnight at Bunyonyi Overland Resort.
Day 8: Transfer back to Kampala
After breakfast you will transfer back to Kampala. You will have lunch En route in Mbarara town, after proceed and make a stopover at Equator at Kayabwe for water experiments and photographs, Royal drum Village at Mpambire for souvenirs. Proceed to Kampala reaching in the evening. Dinner and overnight stay at Holiday Express Hotel/Excellent Hotel, Kampala Serena Hotel/Sheraton Hotel, Imperial royale/Grand Imperial Hotel.
Day 9: Kampala City tour
After breakfast at your hotel, set off for your Kampala city/urban tour visiting places like Makerere University, Bahai temple the one of its kind in the whole of Africa, drive to Namugongo Martyrs shrine, Uganda museum, National theater for the art and crafts, cruise around the city itself get to know places like Hotels, Post office and even bars and restaurants. In the evening visit the famous Kasubi Tombs a place where the 4 Kings of Buganda are buried. Dinner and overnight stay at your Hotel in Kampala.
Day 10: Departure
Depending on the time of your flight, you will have a short city shopping and after you will be transferred to Entebbe International Airport for your flight back home.
