Overview.
The 7 days combined safari is a great one that will take you to Uganda and Rwanda visiting primate national parks and wild savannah national parks. The safari will begin by visiting Queen Elizabeth National Park for game drives and a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, head to Bwindi National Park for gorilla trekking and later cross to Kigali Rwanda to visit Akagera National Park.
This park offers a sight of the big five animals and the rater shoebill stork through game drives, boat cruises and hot air ballooning tours. The safari involves touring Kigali city where you visit places like Kimironko market, art and gallery centre and Genocide Memorial museum. The tour will end after a drop at Kigali International Airport.
Detailed Itinerary.
Day 1. Pick up in Entebbe and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
The driver guide assigned to you will pick you up from the airport and you will transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park home to large numbers of savannah wildlife hence highly visited by both locals and international tourists.
The journey is amazing as it passes through the tea plantations of Fort Portal, scenic views of Rwenzori mountain ranges, banana plantations, rolling hills, and then into the endless scenery of savannah plains. Arrive and be welcomed by different animals such as elephants, Uganda kobs, warthogs, and buffalos as you head to your lodge.
Day 2. Game drive and boat cruise
Have a morning game drive to watch early raisers such as hyenas, leopards, jackals, lions and more of the elephants, buffalos, Uganda kobs, and hornbills among others on sunrise. The game drive will last for 2 hours which will be followed by the lunch break. Afterwards, take a boat cruise on Kazinga Channel a water body that connects Lake George and Lake Edward.
This is where most of the wild animals and birds concentrate to drink water. Some of the animals that will be spotted are elephants, buffalos, water bucks, Uganda kobs, warthogs birds like pelicans, Egrets, hamerkops, fish eagles, kingfishers, black crake and more.
Day 3. Drive to Bwindi National Park
Leave Queen Elizabeth National Park and head to Bwindi National Park home to endangered mountain gorillas together with other large mammals such as elephants, buffalos and more of the monkeys. This has been credited to be under the World Heritage Site.
The journey will be through the Ishasha sector to have a chance to spot the tree-climbing lions. Arrive and head to the lodge for your dinner.
Day 4. Gorilla trekking and cross to Kigali, Rwanda
Take part in the most exciting experience of trekking the gorillas which will begin with a briefing at the park offices. This exercise involves crosschecking the gorilla trekking permits, assignment of the park guide, elaborating on the rules and regulations like don’t feed wild animals, don’t use a flashlight camera and more.
The search will begin with the help of the park ranger guide, escorts and the Porter in case you have extra luggage to carry. While in the forest, there is a lot to meet such as varvet monkeys, colobus monkeys and more. Meeting the gorillas for the first time, the clock will start counting until an hour elapses while taking memorable photos and recording videos. After the experience which will last for about 5 hours then cross to Kigali Rwanda after lunch.
Day 5. Travel to Akagera National Park and game drive
Leave Kigali and head to Akagera National Park where you will encounter a great savannah and endless plains. Akagera National Park is well known for homing the African Big Five animals and the rare shoebill stork. This is the only savannah national park in Rwanda but very unique and offers several activities.
The journey takes about 4 hours of adventure where you encounter beautiful scenery from rolling beautiful hills to endless savannah plains. After lunch, head to enjoy an evening game drive which will introduce you to different wildlife such as elephants, zebras, Masai giraffes, duikers, elands, jackals, warthogs, rhinos, bushbucks and more. The game drive will take about 2 hours of adventure.
Day 6. Hot air balloon tour and boat cruise
Take part in the morning hot air ballooning tour where you get a panoramic view of the surrounding. The experience takes about two hours where you spot animals like elephants, buffalos, rhinos, lions, leopards, cheetahs, warthogs, giraffes, zebras and more.
In the afternoon, you will take a boat cruise on Lake Ihema where you get to spot animals like hippos, crocodiles and other birds. Return to the lodge and this will be the end of the day.
Day 7. Head back to Kigali and fly home
The driver guide will take you back to Kigali and have a short city tour where you visit places like the Kigali Genocide Memorial Museum, Kimironko market and many more. Later, be dropped at Kigali International Airport and this will be the end of the safari.