This 8 Days Uganda Safari from Kigali is an amazing tour that starts and ends in Kigali Rwanda. The safari will take you to Queen Elizabeth National Park and Lake Mburo National Park where you will be able to view different animals like elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, hippos, warthogs, bushbucks, lions, leopards, Nile crocodiles among others during the game drives and boat cruise on Kazinga channel. The 8 days Uganda safari will also take you to Kibale Forest National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where you will be able to spend time with the endangered mountain gorillas and chimpanzees in their natural habitat and Lake Bunyonyi which is the deepest freshwater Lake in Uganda.
Highlights of the 8 days Uganda safari from Kigali
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to a hotel in Kigali
Day 2: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 4: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 5: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 6: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 7: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi-boat cruise
Day 8: Departure to Kigali
Detailed itineraries
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to a hotel in Kigali
Depending on your location on the first day of the 8 days Uganda safari from Kigali, you will be welcomed by our driver guide who will brief you about the safari and then transfer to a hotel in Kigali for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
After breakfast on the second day of the 8 Days Uganda Safari from Kigali, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey to Kibale Forest National Park. On the way, you will have en-route lunch and enjoy stunning views of the rolling hills, crater lakes, Rwenzori mountain peaks, and tea and banana plantations among others. Upon arrival in the park, you will continue to check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Chimpanzee trekking
After an early breakfast on the third day of the 8 Days Uganda Safari from Kigali, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge and transfer you to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules and regulations to follow during trekking. After the briefing, you will start trekking in the forest with an experienced park guide who is well-conversed with chimpanzee trekking trails. During chimpanzee trekking which takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours, you will be able to view different bird species, other primates, and plant species among others. Once the chimpanzees are located, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn about their behaviors and watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, playing, breastfeeding, resting, taking photos and record the breathtaking moments. After the one-hour encounter with the chimpanzees, you will trek back to the starting point where you will meet up with your driver guide and drive to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Upon arrival, you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Morning game drive/ lion tracking experience and afternoon boat cruise
Morning game drive/ lion tracking experience
After an early breakfast on the fourth day of the 8 days Uganda safari from Kigali, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for a morning game drive in Kasenyi plains where you will be able to spot animals like elephants, water, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, warthogs, bushbucks, view predators like lions, leopards among others. After the game drive you will drive back to the lodge for lunch.
Afternoon boat cruise
After lunch, you will go for an amazing boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel a water channel that connects Lake Edward and Lake George. During the boat cruise you will be able to view large concentrations of hippos and Nile crocodiles in water, view elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, warthogs among others drink water along the shores, view water birds like cormorants, hornbills, kingfishers, fish eagles among others. After the boat cruise which takes about 2 to 3 hours’ drive, you will return to the lodge for evening relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
Day 5: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
After an early breakfast on the fifth day of the 8 days Uganda safari from Kigali, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park via Ishasha sector where you will be able to view the tree climbing lions lying up in tree branches during the game drive. After the game drive, you will have lunch and then proceed to Bwindi impenetrable national park. Upon arrival in the park, you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Gorilla trekking
On the sixth day of the 8 days Uganda safari from Kigali, you will have breakfast, carry packed lunch and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking. After the briefing, you will be allocated a gorilla family to trek and start trekking in the jungle with an experienced park guide. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park takes about 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on where the gorillas are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking, you will be able to view other primate species, birds, plants and once the mountain gorillas are located, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn about their behaviors, habits, watch them feed, breastfeed, groom young ones, take photos and record the moments to show people back home after the safari. After the one hour with the gorillas, you will trek back to the starting point where you will be awarded a certificate for participating in gorilla trekking and later meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
Day 7: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi-boat ride
After breakfast on the seventh day of the 8 days Uganda safari from Kigali, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Lake Bunyonyi in Kabale district. The journey takes about 3 to 4 hours’ drive and upon arrival, you will connect to your lodge for lunch. After lunch, you will go for an exciting boat ride on the lake where you will be able to explore the 29 islands, enjoy views of the stunning landscape, hills, and terraced farmlands, and spot different bird species among others. After the boat ride, you will return to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
Day 8: Departure to Kigali
On the last day of the 8 days Uganda safari from Kigali, you will have breakfast, check out of the lodge, and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey back to Kigali. On the way you will have an en-route lunch and then proceed to Kigali arriving early evening and upon arrival your driver guide will drop you off at Kigali International Airport for your departure flight or drop off at any place of advice.
End of 8 days Uganda Safari from Kigali
Tour includes
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Park entrance fees/ game drives
- Boat cruise fees
- Lion tracking experience
- Professional English-speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Ground transfers (in a 4WD vehicle)
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled drinking water
Tour excludes
- International air flight tickets
- Visas
- Optional activities not included on the itinerary
- Life insurance
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, and tips among others.
