10-Day Rwanda and Uganda Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali and Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Upon your arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be greeted by our company representative who will take you on a city tour of Kigali. This includes visits to notable landmarks like the Genocide Memorial and the local museum. If you are already in Kigali, our representative will pick you up from your hotel after breakfast for the city tour. After lunch, embark on a scenic two-hour drive to Volcanoes National Park, where you’ll check into your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Volcanoes National Park, located in northwestern Rwanda, is renowned for its mountain gorilla tracking experiences. It also features five of the eight Virunga Mountain volcanoes (Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga, and Sabyinyo), covered in lush rainforests and bamboo forests. The park offers opportunities for golden monkey tracking and a visit to the Dian Fossey memorial site.
Day 2: Gorilla Tracking and Twin Lakes Visit
Start your day early with breakfast before heading to the park headquarters for a briefing on gorilla tracking. Equipped with a packed lunch, you will trek through the forest with expert park rangers to locate the gorillas. The adventure may take between 1-8 hours depending on their movement, and you’ll have up to one hour to observe them in their natural habitat. Afterward, enjoy your lunch in the forest before returning to the lodge or visiting the serene twin lakes for relaxation. Dinner and an overnight stay at the lodge will follow.
Day 3: Golden Monkey Tracking and Transfer to Lake Kivu
After breakfast, embark on a golden monkey tracking experience. Following the trek, return to the lodge for lunch before heading to Lake Kivu. Spend the rest of the day relaxing on the beach. Dinner and overnight accommodations will be at a lakeside lodge.
Day 4: Lake Kivu Boat Ride and Transfer to Nyungwe Forest
Begin the day with a boat ride on the tranquil Lake Kivu. Later, check out from the lodge and drive to Butare for lunch, continuing on to Nyungwe Forest. Check into your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 5: Chimpanzee Tracking and Nature Walk
Start your morning with breakfast before heading to the park headquarters for a briefing. Accompanied by rangers, embark on a thrilling chimpanzee tracking adventure, which may take 3-5 hours. Along the way, spot other primates like Angolan colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, and golden monkeys. After lunch and some rest, take a guided nature walk through the forest. Bird enthusiasts can enjoy sightings of species like the black-and-white casqued hornbill and the Rwenzori Turaco. Return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 6: Transfer to Kigali
After breakfast, begin your journey back to Kigali, which takes approximately 6-7 hours. Upon arrival, enjoy lunch and spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing. Dinner and overnight accommodations will be at a lodge in Kigali.
Day 7: Transfer to Uganda – Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast, drive to the Rwanda-Uganda border and cross into Uganda. Continue to Queen Elizabeth National Park, with a game drive in the Ishasha sector, famous for its tree-climbing lions. Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda’s most visited national park, is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including elephants, buffalo, warthogs, waterbucks, kobs, and over 600 bird species. Dinner and an overnight stay will be in the Ishasha sector.
Day 8: Game Drive and Boat Ride
Start your day with an early morning game drive in the Kasenyi sector, where you can spot lions, elephants, buffaloes, and more. Return to the lodge for lunch before enjoying a relaxing boat ride along the Kazinga Channel. This area is perfect for viewing hippos, buffalo, and a variety of bird species up close. Dinner and an overnight stay will follow.
Day 9: Return to Rwanda
After breakfast, begin your drive back to Kigali. Enjoy lunch upon arrival before heading to the airport for your departure flight.
