13-Day Uganda & Rwanda: Ultimate Primate Group Tour

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda, you will be warmly welcomed by our representative and transferred to your accommodation for an overnight stay on a bed and breakfast basis at Cassia Lodge. The lodge offers a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere to unwind after your journey. Please note that accommodation is subject to availability at the time of booking, and a similar alternative may be provided if necessary.

After breakfast and a brief meeting with our representative, at 7.30 your adventure in Uganda will begin driving northwest to Masindi and Murchison Falls National Park. First activity along the journey is the nature walk in Ziwa Rhino sanctuary, the rhinos breeding project which has brought back to Uganda the endangered white rhinos and you will see them closely while walking freely. Lunch at a restaurant. Proceed to Murchison Falls, the largest national park in Uganda, that offers beautiful sceneries of grassland acacia and palm trees savannah in the north and tropical forests in the south. You reach the river Nile at the beautiful Murchison Falls and you will have a view from the "top of the falls". Before evening you check in to your lodge for dinner and overnight, Pakuba safari Lodge. Note: Today transfer is about 6 hours drive, part of it through dirt road within the park for a distance of about 350 km.

Early breakfast, at 6.30 am you will depart for an early morning game drive using our safari vehicle to explore the savannah, in the region of the delta of the Nile on Lake Albert, Northern bank. Among other animals in the wild, you might find elephants, lions, buffalos, giraffes, waterbucks, bushbucks, spotted hyenas and, very rarely, the leopards. Lunch at the lodge. In the afternoon, we organize a boat excursion along the river Nile to the base of the Murchison Falls. It is amazing the concentration of wildlife in the bank of the river Nile, including hippos, crocodiles, and a variety of bird's species, like African eagles, pelicans, kingfisher, Egyptian geese and much more. Dinner and overnight Pakuba safari Lodge.

After breakfast you leave the National Park proceeding southwest along the Lake Albert and Rift Valley escarpment, which offers a lot of sceneries and view points. You pass via Hoima the capital town of Bunyoro kingdom and through tea, banana, coffee and cocoa plantations. Lunch en route in Bugoma forest at Bugoma Jungle Lodge where we also organize a short nature walk to appreciate this authentic site. In the afternoon proceed the journey to Fort Portal, the capital town of Tooro kingdom on the shadow of Rwenzori Mountains, the biggest mountain range in Africa. Dinner and overnight at Isunga Lodge. Note: Today transfer is about 5 hours' drive for 350 km, through dirt road and the conditions are variable according to the rains.

After breakfast, enjoy the chimpanzee tracking experience in Kibale Forest. The activity starts either in the morning at 8:00am or in the afternoon, depending on permit allocation, and begins with a briefing by the head park ranger. Kibale Forest is home to one of the highest concentrations of chimpanzees in Uganda, with about 1,000 individuals living in this rich tropical forest. The habituation of these primates for eco-tourism was supported through conservation projects led by the Jane Goodall Institute. After the trek, return to the lodge for a hot lunch. In the afternoon, visit the Bigodi eco-tourism site for a community walk organized by Kafred, where you meet local residents and learn about their culture, traditions, and daily life. Guests may also participate in the "One Traveler, One Tree, One Forest" tree-planting project. Later, transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park for dinner and overnight at Marafiki Safari Lodge. Note:Transfer time today is about 2 hours.

In the early morning, at 6.30 am after breakfast, long game drive along the tracks of the national park, in the Northern sectors and towards Lake George and Kasenyi village, using our safari vehicle. You might see lions, elephants, buffaloes, spotted hyenas, waterbucks, Ugandan kobs, perhaps the leopard though is shy and rare to be seen. Lunch at the lodge or in a restaurant. In the afternoon, from Mweya peninsula you take the exciting safari by boat along Kazinga channel, one of the most popular sites in Uganda for its concentration of wildlife, bird's life and opportunities for good photographs. Moreover, you will see plenty of hippos, buffaloes and elephants while drinking from the channel. By evening, there is a short transfer to the south of Queen Elizabeth Park in the Ishasha sector. Dinner and overnight at Ishasha Jungle lodge.

After breakfast, at 7 or 8 am morning game drive in the area of Ishasha which is famed with the tendency of lions climbing up in the acacia trees. Early lunch at the lodge. In the afternoon you leave the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth NP and proceed further south towards the area famed for its stunning dramatic beauty bearing one of Africa's deepest Lakes. With the many islands on the lake, Lake Bunyonyi offers the peace and tranquility of a dreamer's heaven. You reach by evening the Lake Bunyonyi after Kabale town. Dinner and overnight at Arcadia Cottages Bunyonyi Note: Today transfer can be up to 5 hours through mountain road for about 140 km.

After breakfast, you will enjoy one of the most extraordinary wildlife and birding experience by boat crossing the Lake Bunyonyi. With its forested and green islands, the lake is home to species of endemic birds and the guide will help you to spot many of them. Lunch at the lodge. In the afternoon, the journey proceeds to the area of Bwindi Forest National Park or Mgahinga Gorillla NP. Dinner and overnight at Ichumbi Lodge.

After breakfast, in the morning you will have the top primates' travel experience: the gorilla trekking in the forest in search for one of the habituated families of mountain gorillas. After the briefing from the park rangers, at 8 am you follow them as they guide you through the forest's trails. It is not predictable the time you will spend to find the gorillas. You have one hour for observing the primates and their behaviors, while taking photographs. Bring with you water and packed lunch. By evening, cross the border of Rwanda from Cyanika. Dinner and overnight at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge. NOTE: the gorilla trekking may be in Bwindi or in Mgahinga according to availability of permits.

After breakfast, at 7 am we organize a walk in the Volcanoes National Park, to see the golden monkeys, a species of primate endemic to the area. Lunch at the lodge. In the afternoon or after the trekking we recommend (included) visiting the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Ellen DeGeneres Campus, with its photographic collection that tells the story of gorilla conservation since the time of Dian Fossey. In the center there is also the Azizi Life Gorillas Gift Shop, not to be missed. In the town of Kinigi there are also eco-tourism programs where you can watch traditional Intore dances. You will continue the journey towards Nyungwe National Park, in southern Rwanda along Lake Kivu and you arrive in the town of Kibuye in a lodge with a stunning view of Lake Kivu. Dinner and overnight at Cormoran Lodge.

After breakfast, we organize an activity on Lake Kivu, a boat excursion on the lake to see Napoleon Island and other naturalistic sites. Lunch at the hotel. In the afternoon you will continue your journey to Cyangugu, which is located on the south shore of Lake Kivu, near the entrance to Nyungwe Forest. We organize here the Rwandan "tea experience" through the organization a social enterprise that aims to promote culture and community tourism, to support local communities through responsible tourism in South- West of Rwanda. Activities include tea harvesting with farmers, traditional and modern tea making, tasting at the factory in Gisakura. You visit the tea museum and support the local communities by purchasing souvenirs in the local products shop. Dinner and overnight at Essencia Kivu Hotel.

After an early breakfast, at 7am you will enter the Nyungwe forest for the Angolan colobus trekking and other forest primates. Nyungwe Park expands over 970 square km of verdant hills, the largest tropical forest in East Africa. It is home to 13 different species of primates, including the Angolan colobus, the red-tailed monkey, the velvet monkey, the owl-faced monkey and the silver monkey and is a habitat for chimpanzees. Return to the lodge for lunch. The afternoon is free at leisure and in the evening we organize the "canopy walk", the panoramic walk on a suspension bridge over the forest. This activity is about 1 hour and half, as you walk through the bridge for observation. Dinner and overnight at Essencia Kivu Hotel.

After breakfast, continue your journey to Kigali with stops in Butare, Rwanda's cultural capital and home to the national university. Visit local artisan shops known for basket weaving and wood inlay crafts. Continue to the Royal Palace Museum in Nyanza, the former residence of Rwanda's Mwami (king), showcasing traditional royal furnishings and the famous long-horned Inyambo cows descended from the royal herd. Lunch will be served en route at a local restaurant. Arrival in Kigali is expected in the evening, followed by transfer to Kigali International Airport for departure. Note: Today's drive is approximately 260 km and takes about 7 hours. Flights should be scheduled after 8:00 pm. If necessary, an overnight stay in Kigali can be arranged at an additional cost.