11 Days Rwanda and Uganda Primate Safari

11 Days Rwanda and Uganda Primate Safari : This primate tour package will take you to see the best primates and apes in Uganda and Rwanda. You will start with Rwanda, visiting the oldest national park—Nyungwe Forest, with over 13 species of primates, the best being the chimpanzees. Visit Volcanoes National Park—home of the mountain gorillas in Rwanda. These mountain gorillas are the same as those in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park; however, to increase your experience, this package gives you a double opportunity to trek gorillas in both Rwanda and Uganda.

Golden monkeys are also one of the most interesting primates to visit; they can be found in the 2 countries in the Virunga Mountains, so meeting them in Rwanda is simply the same experience as finding them in Uganda. You will end the primates tour by visiting Kibale National Park, which is ranked as the best destination to experience the chimpanzees in Africa. Kibale Forest has more chimpanzee groups compared to Nyungwe Forest; however, during this safari, you will enjoy the chimpanzee habituation experience instead of trekking since tracking will be done in Nyungwe Forest. Chimpanzee habituation gives more time to spend with the apes as you track with the researchers the behavior of the chimpanzees.

Safari Highlights

Day 1: Arrival in Kigali, Rwanda

Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park (6-7 hours’ drive)

Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk

Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park (6-7 hours’ drive)—Iby’iwacu Village tour

Day 5: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park

Day 6: Golden monkey tracking—Dian Fossey Museum

Day 7: Transfer to Uganda—Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Day 8: Gorilla trekking experience and Batwa community tour

Day 9: Transfer to Kibale National Park—Bigodi Swamp Nature Walk

Day 10: Chimpanzee Habituation Experience

Day 11: Transfer to Entebbe and Departure

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Kigali, Rwanda

Upon arrival at Kigali airport, meet your driver and transfer to your hotel for check-in and depending on your arrival time, you may have an optional Kigali city tour, where you visit the Kimironko market, the Kigali genocide memorial museum site and other sites. Dinner and overnight stay at Des Mille Collins Hotel for mid-range/2000 Hotel Downtown for budget.

Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park (6-7 hours’ drive)

Depending on your location in Kigali, you will be met by our safari guide and embark on your journey to Nyungwe Forest National Park, which is a 6-7 hour’ drive from Kigali, with an en-route visit to the Rwanda National Museum, Nyanzi King’s palace and lunch. Proceed to Nyungwe Forest National Park and connect to your booked lodge for check-in, relaxation, dinner, and overnight stay at Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel for mid-range or Gisakura Visitor Center for budget.

Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk

After breakfast, enjoy breakfast and go for a briefing about the endangered chimpanzees before entering the forest in search of the active and playful fellows in the Nyungwe forest. The chimpanzees are much easier to spot as they jump from one tree to another, chattering and laughing.  Chimpanzee tracking usually takes about 3-8 hours. On finding them, spend an hour while taking pictures and videos. Return to the lodge for relaxation and lunch.

Later in the afternoon, connect for the canopy walk experience. You will go on a walking trail that will take you to the Canopy Walk, a swing bridge 50 meters in length that is suspended from large trees; you will be able to see the amazing rainforest with a bird’s-eye view, spotting wildlife moving below you. Return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay at the lodge as above.

Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park (6-7 hours’ drive)—Iby’iwacu Village tour

Embark on your journey to Volcanoes National Park with an en-route lunch and stop for great views of Lake Kivu. Upon arrival in Musanze, connect for a cultural tour before you connect to your booked lodge for check-in, relaxation, dinner, and overnight stay at Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge for mid-range or Amikus Hotel for budget.

Day 5: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park

After breakfast, transfer to the park offices for a briefing about the mountain gorillas in the mist, and thereafter enter into the jungle in search of the mountain gorillas. It takes about 2-8 hours, depending on the location of the gorillas. On finding the gorillas, you will be allowed to spend 1 hour taking amazing photos and videos. After gorilla trekking, return to the lodge for relaxation. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above.

Day 6: Golden monkey tracking—Dian Fossey Museum

After early morning breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing from the park warden about the endangered golden monkeys. After connecting to the tracking starting point, enter the forest to search for the rare golden monkey. This activity can take about 1-5 hours and is done at a closer view of the other primates in the park, like the red-tailed monkeys and vervet monkeys, among others. After viewing the rare golden monkeys for an hour while taking pictures and studying their behaviors,. After golden monkey tracking, visit the Dian Fossey Museum or the Ellen DeGeneres campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and learn more about the primates in Rwanda.

Day 7: Transfer to Uganda—– Bwindi Impenetrable National Par

After breakfast, check out and connect to Uganda crossing via the Cyanika border. After clearing with immigration, continue to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to check in at your booked lodge for relaxation as you prepare for your next day of gorilla trekking, dinner, and overnight stay at Buhoma Haven Lodge for mid-range/Buhoma Community Rest Camp for budget.

Day 8: Gorilla trekking experience and Batwa community tour

After breakfast, connect to the park headquarters for yet another gorilla trekking experience in the Buhoma sector. You will follow the same details as of the previous gorilla experience: meet for briefing at 7 am and start the trek at 8 am. Trekking will take between 1 and 8 hours, depending on the location of the gorilla family visited. After tracking, visit the Batwa community for a cultural tour. Return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner, and an overnight stay at the lodge as above.

Day 9: Transfer to Kibale National Park—Bigodi Swamp Nature Walk

After breakfast, check out and transfer to Kibale Forest National Park, which is about 6-7 hours’ drive with an en-route lunch, and transfer to your booked lodge in Kibale National Park. Depending on time, you may do the Bigodi Swamp tour. Dinner and overnight stay at Chimpanzee Forest Lodge for mid-range/Kibale Forest Lodge for budget.

Day 10: Chimpanzee Habituation Experience

Have breakfast very early and later transfer to the park head office for a briefing about the endangered chimpanzees, and later enter the forest with the guidance of a park ranger along with your tracking gear, packed water, and snacks. This trek is a whole-day experience. On finding the primates, you will spend 4 hours viewing them while studying their behavior and taking pictures. After tracking, return to the lodge for relaxation. Dinner and overnight as above.

Day 11: Transfer to Entebbe and Departure

After breakfast, check out of the lodge and drive back to Kampala/Entebbe, which is about a 6-7 hour’ drive. You will be dropped off at a location you advise or at Entebbe International Airport to find your evening flight back home.

End of 11 Days Rwanda and Uganda Primate Safari