From the detailed planning through to the wonderful service from our driver Fred this was one of the best trips we have ever taken… Edison was very responsive to our many questions ahead of booking and Fred was an excellent driver. Very happy to recommend them.
7-Day Rwanda Uganda Wildlife Safari with Ziwa Rhinos
Visit Volcanoes National Park
Track Mountain Gorillas
Game Drives in QE National Park
A wildlife lover’s dream trip spanning two countries: the Rwanda and Uganda wildlife tour. Explore the wonders of volcanic landscapes, track the endangered mountain gorillas to see them in their natural habitat, spot leopards, lions, buffalo, hippos, and elephants on game drives and boat cruises through Queen Elizabeth National Park. And end the trip with Rhino tracking at the Ziwa Sanctuary in Nakasongola District.
Tour Highlights
Track golden monkeys and enjoy a guided nature walk in Volcanoes National Park
Trek through Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park to see mountain gorillas
See the rare tree-climbing lions of the Ishasha sector of QE National Park
Spot a variety of wildlife on a game drive through the Kasenyi Plains
Cruise down the Kazinga Channel on a boat cruise and see hippos, crocodiles, and elephants
Track Rhinos at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary near Murchison Falls
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Trip Details
Trip Details
Price
Adult (15-80): $3,315
Please inquire for the budget accommodation price, this is our midrange accommodation tour
2 persons or more: $3,315 per person
3 persons or more: $3,289 per person
4 persons or more: $2,916 per person
Departure Time
Anytime between 7:00 am to 11:00 am Kigali time
Meeting Point
We offer pick-up from the following places for this experience:
- Kigali city
- Kigali International Airport (only on day 1, this is not available if you arrive before day 1)
Availability
Monday to Sunday, year-round
Duration
7 days
Difficulty Level
Moderate – uphill trekking
Group size
2 to 4 persons
Included
- Meals (as per itinerary)
- All permits (gorillas $700, golden monkeys, and chimps $200)
- Drinking water when in the safari vehicle
- Park entrance fees
Not Included
- Visas, tips, and costs of a personal nature
- Lodging in Kigali before and after the trip
- Pickup at Kigali airport if arrival is before the start of the trip
- Medical and travel insurance
What to Bring
- Hiking boots
- Garden gloves
- Rain jacket or poncho
- Long-sleeved shirt/blouse
- Cameras and extra batteries
- Hat/cap and sunglasses
- Pair of binoculars
- Flashlight (torch)
- Mosquito repellent
- Other items to include: zoom lens for wildlife shots and energy bars/bites
Participation Requirements
- Age restriction: 15-80 years old
- A valid passport is required on the day of travel
- This tour is not wheelchair accessible
- We advise against people with heart problems or other serious medical conditions participating on this tour
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
Good to Know
Depending on the availability of gorilla permits, we may propose trekking gorillas at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
What You’ll Do
We will pick you up in Kigali and drive you to Volcanoes National Park. Depending on the departure time from Kigali, you may be able to enjoy a complimentary Kigali city tour before traveling to northern Rwanda, visiting the Kimihurura market and the Kigali Genocide Museum. After a 2-hour drive from Kigali to Ruhengeri/Musanze, we will visit the Iby’iwacu Cultural Experience (also known as Gorilla Guardians Village) in Kinigi. We’ll then be treated to a guided nature walk around Volcanoes National Park.
We will start the day with a golden monkey trekking adventure in Volcanoes National Park. This primate is native to the high-altitude forests of the park. Once we have seen their playful interactions, we will head out of the park and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. The transfer to Bwindi National Park will go through the Rwanda-Uganda border at Cyanika.
Day 3 is another day for trekking into the wilderness to spot the rare local animals. You will head to the Bwindi National Park gate immediately after breakfast to get a briefing about the gorilla trek. The national park guide will conduct the presentation that covers the basics of what to expect during the gorilla trek and instruct you on how to behave in order to ensure the safety of guests and the animals. You will then embark on your tracking adventure, making your way through the rainforest until you find a family of mountain gorillas. The gorilla trek can take from 3 to 6 hours on average, depending on how far the gorillas are inside the forest. It could last longer, so be prepared just in case!
We will start the journey in the morning from Bwindi National Park and drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The tour will take us through the stunning landscapes of western Uganda and we’ll arrive at Queen Elizabeth National Park in the late afternoon. Our first activity will be to drive through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, popularly known for the tree-climbing lions. Unlike their counterparts at the Kasenyi plains, the lions at Ishasha have found a way to climb the fig trees to enjoy the warm temperatures. While the sighting of the tree-climbing lions is not 100% guaranteed, a stopover at Ishasha is worth a visit!
After the short game drive in Ishasha, continue the journey to the Kazinga channel to join the Kazinga Channel boat cruise for an afternoon of wild game viewing. We’ll have the chance to spot crocodiles, buffaloes, elephants, and a wide range of bird species on the channel waters.
We will start the day with an early morning breakfast at the lodge. Afterward, we will proceed to the famed Kasenyi Plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park to spot various species of wild animals. The Kasenyi Plains are in the vast savannahs of the Albertine Rift in Queen Elizabeth National Park. It will be a morning full of adventure! Expect to encounter lions, herds of buffalos, elephants, Uganda kobs, topi, and bushbucks. While spotting the ‘big five’ in the park is not guaranteed, on a lucky day, you may sight leopards to make it to the ‘big four’. After the Kasenyi game drives, drive to Kibale National Park via the Fort Portal crater lakes.
Day 6 begins with yet another early morning breakfast followed by a drive to the Kibale National Park Forest to experience tracking the chimpanzees in their forest home. If you are lucky on the trek, you might encounter some of the other different species of monkeys in the forest. These include colobus monkeys, olive baboons, and red-tailed monkeys. Once we have finished our last trekking adventure, it is time to drive to the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to prepare for the Rhino tracking the following morning–dinner & overnight at the only Amuka Lodge.
Day 7 begins with yet another early morning breakfast at Amuka Lodge followed by tracking Rhinos at the Ziwa Rhino sanctuary, the only reserve in Uganda to find back Rhinos. The Rhino tracking activity will be done in the morning. After the tracking, drive to Entebbe for 4-5hrs depending on the flow of the traffic.
Accommodation & Meals
- Day 1: Amarembo Gorilla Lodge or similar midrange lodge – All meals included
- Day 2-3: Mutanda Lake Resort– All meals included
- Day 4: Buffalo Safari Lodge– All meals included
- Days 5: Turaco Treetops(opens in a new tab)– All meals included
- Days 6: Amuka Lodge(opens in a new tab)– All meals included
- Day 7: Breakfast & lunch
Optional Activities on Days 2 & 3
- Golden Monkey Trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park – $100 USD
- The Batwa Trail Cultural Tour inside Mgahinga Gorilla National Park – $80 USD
- Visit the Batwa Community in the Village – $30 USD
- Canoe Trekking at Lake Mutanda – $30 USD
- Coffee-Making Experience – $30 USD
- Mabungo Community Village Tour in Kisoro – $30 USD
See our Local Experiences(opens in a new tab) page for more information on each activity.
See What Our Previous Guests Have Said...
We were greeted in Kigali, by our outstanding guide and driver, Fred. We couldn’t speak more highly about his professionalism, love for sharing his country with his clients in his friendly and caring way. The whole trip was an absolute blast and especially loved gaining an insight into the cultures that makes up the colourful Ugandan community.
Brilliant trip! Edison made this trip very easy to plan and tailored it exactly to our budget! We had Joseph as our guide for our 6-day tour and Herbert as our driver and they were both great and really helpful. We did the gorilla trekking in Bwindi, golden monkeys in Mgahinga, chimp trekking and visited Queen Elizabeth national park for a night. Defiantly recommend!
