6 Days Lake Mburo and Akagera
Experience both Rwanda and Uganda in a 6 days Lake Mburo and Akagera Park safari, visiting Rwanda’s only wildlife national park and later crossing into Uganda for another excursion at Lake Mburo National Park.
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Akagera National Park, Rwanda
Upon arrival at Kigali airport/depending on your location in Kigali, our company representative/guide will pick you up and take you through a city tour visiting places like the Kigali Genocide Memorial, craft shops and the market area; have lunch; and then connect to the eastern province of Rwanda to visit Akagera National Park. It’s a 2-hour drive.
On arrival at the park, enjoy en route game drive to introduce you to the beautiful scenery as you spot animals on your way to the lodge, check in the lodge for relaxation, dinner and an overnight stay at Ruzizi Tented Camp (luxury). Akagera Game Lodge (mid-range) Dereva hotel (budget)
Day 2: Morning game drive and boat cruise
After a morning breakfast, you will embark on a morning game drive around the park for rewarding wildlife views.
Expect to encounter the Big Five, including the lions, elephants, buffaloes, leopards, cape buffaloes and rhinos, along with other animals including giraffes, warthogs, waterbucks, zebras, hyenas and different antelope species.
Expect to also see over 500 species of birds. The game drive may last for about 3-4 hours. Return to lodge for lunch and relax as you wait for the next activity.
In the afternoon, the driver will pick up for a boat cruise on Lake Ihema, the second-largest lake in Rwanda after Lake Kivu. The boat trip exposes you to plenty of wildlife on the lake shores, which come to cool off and drink water, including hippos, buffaloes, huge crocodiles and birds such as malachite kingfishers and fish eagles.
After the amazing cruise, return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and an overnight stay at the lodge as above.
Day 3: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi and nature walk/canoe ride—Uganda
After morning breakfast, you will transfer to the Kabale district to Lake Bunyonyi; it’s believed to be the second deepest lake in Africa, with a depth between 44 m and 900 m and a width of about 7 to 25 km.
You will cross to Uganda via the Katuna border; the journey is a 4-5 hour drive through the rolling hills of both countries.
Upon arrival at Lake Bunyonyi with great scenic views, connect for a boat ride/canoe paddle and also take a walk visiting the main islands, including the community. The islands at the lake have great history that you will love to listen to.
Dinner and overnight stay at Arcadia Cottages (mid-range) and Lake Bunyonyi Overview Resort (Budget)
Day 4: Gorilla trekking—Ruhija sector
Have breakfast as early as 5am and drive for 1 and a half hours to reach the park offices for a briefing about mountain gorilla trekking by the park warden, then connect to the forest to search for the gorillas.
The time taken is usually between 2 and 8 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas. Meeting the gorillas unexpectedly is one of the most captivating lifetime experiences.
You will have a chance to observe and take pictures at very close range. After an hour with the long-awaited gorillas, your ranger guide will lead you back to the starting point where your driver will readily be waiting to transfer you back to the lodge for a restful evening.
Have dinner and an overnight stay at the lodge as above.
Day 5: Transfer to Lake Mburo and afternoon boat trip
After having your delicious breakfast, set off to Lake Mburo National Park. This will take approximately 4 hours driving from Lake Bunyonyi. You will have a stopover for lunch in Mbarara town.
Arrive at the park and connect for a boat ride along Lake Mburo, where you will enjoy watching hippos, elephants, and different species of antelopes on the banks of the lake.
Later return to your lodge for a restful evening.
Dinner and overnight at Mihinga lodge (Luxury), Rwakobo Rock (mid-range), or Eagles Nest lodge (budget)
Day 6: Return to Kampala
Wake up early, have breakfast and connect for an early morning game and seek out the early risers, especially the rare leopards and other animals.
Later, drive out of the park to embark on your 4-hour drive to reach Kampala, do a city tour, and then connect to Entebbe Airport for your evening flight back home.
