7 Days Uganda-Rwanda primates safari
Explore primates on a 7 Days Uganda-Rwanda safari.
Our 7 days Uganda-Rwanda primates safari is an exceptional safari that starts in Kigali, Rwanda, and ends in Entebbe, Uganda. The safari will take you to the primate destinations in Uganda and Rwanda, including Volcanoes National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Kibale Forest National Park, where you will get an opportunity to spend one hour with the golden monkeys, the endangered mountain gorillas and chimpanzees. During this Uganda safari, you will also engage in a Bigodi swamp walk and cultural tour, where you will interact with the local people in the community.
Safari Highlights
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Day 2: Golden monkey trekking
Day 3: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 4: Gorilla trekking experience
Day 5: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
Day 6: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk
Day 7: Departure to Kampala
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Depending on your location in Kigali, you will be welcomed by our driver guide, who will brief you about the Rwanda safari and then go for a short Kigali city tour where you will visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre, Kimironko market, and art centres, among others. After the city tour, you will have lunch and later transfer to Volcanoes National Park, which takes about 3 to 4 hours’ drive with stunning views of the rolling hills, beautiful scenery, and landscape, among others. Upon arrival, you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Golden monkey trekking
You will have an early breakfast and meet with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a golden monkey briefing, after which you will start trekking with the park guide and park rangers in search of the golden monkeys, which takes about 2 to 5 hours. During golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park, you will have views of other primates, bird species, and more, and once the golden monkeys are found, you will spend one hour watching them feed and play in tree branches and taking photos and videos.
After the encounter with the golden monkeys, drive back to the lodge for lunch and later go for an interesting Ibyi’wacu cultural tour, learn about the local people’s culture, history, lifestyle, and traditional dances, and learn the ancient hunting skills and taste their local food, among others. After the cultural tour, you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
You will have breakfast at leisure, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwestern Uganda. On the way, you will have en route lunch and enjoy beautiful views of the landscape, hills, homesteads, and terraced farmlands, among others. Upon arrival, connect to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi National Park
After an early breakfast, you will be picked up by your driver guide with your lunch box to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules, regulations and expectations of gorilla trekking. After the briefing, you will be divided into groups of 8 people, where each group will be allocated a habituated gorilla family to trek, an experienced park guide and park rangers. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi National Park takes about 2 to 7 hours, depending on where the gorillas are located, as they like to move from one place to another in search of food. When trekking, you will be able to spot other primates and different bird species, like the African Green Broadbill and Shelley’s Crimsonwing, among others. Once the gorillas are located, you will have a one-hour face-to-face encounter where you will watch them play, feed, breastfeed and groom young ones; learn more about their behaviours; take pictures; and record the moments to show people back home after the safari. Later return to the lodge for an evening of relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
You will have a relaxed breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kibale Forest National Park, also known as the primate capital in the western region. On the way, you will have stopovers for en-route lunch, to take pictures and stretch your legs, and upon arrival, check into your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 6: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk
After an early breakfast, you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kanyachu Park headquarters for a briefing about the rules and regulations to follow during chimpanzee trekking. After the briefing, you will be subdivided into groups of 6-8 people, allocated a chimpanzee family to trek with, and given an experienced park guide. Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest National Park takes about 2 to 5 hours, depending on where the chimpanzees are located. During the trek, you will be able to spot other primates like black-and-white colobus monkeys and blue monkeys and spot bird species and colourful butterflies, among others, and once the chimpanzees are located, you will spend one hour with them, learning about their habits; watching them play, feed, fight, and rest; and taking pictures and recording videos.
After chimpanzee trekking, return to the lodge for lunch, after which you will go for a guided nature walk in Bigodi wetland, where you will view primates like vervet monkeys, L’hoest monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, and grey-checked mangabeys and spot birds like the great blue turaco and mammals like sitatunga, among others. Later return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Departure to Kampala/Entebbe
You will have a relaxed breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey back to Kampala. On the way, you will have en route lunch and proceed to Kampala, arriving early evening, and upon arrival, you will be dropped off at your hotel or Entebbe airport for your departure flight. End of 7 days Uganda-Rwanda primates safari.
The tour includes
- Gorilla trekking permit @ $800pp
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Golden monkey trekking permit
- Kigali city tour
- Bigodi swamp walk
- Full board accommodation
- Meals at the lodge and en route (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
- Full-time English-speaking driver guide
- 4WD safari Vehicle and fuel
- Pick up from Kigali, Rwanda, and drop off in Kampala/Entebbe
- Bottled drinking water during the safari
The tour excludes
- Air flight tickets (International)
- Visas
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses like buying alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks, souvenirs, crafts, telephone calls, laundry services, and hiring a porter, among others.
- Tipping and gratuities.
