16 Days Safaris & Bird Watching Tour Combining Uganda & Rwanda
16 Days
From 4 Persons
All year round
From $4800
Tour Introduction
Embark on an unforgettable adventure through the heart of East Africa with our 16 Days Safaris & Bird Watching Tour, combining the best of Uganda and Rwanda. This meticulously crafted itinerary offers nature enthusiasts and avid bird watchers a unique opportunity to explore two of Africa’s most biodiverse and breathtaking countries. From the lush rainforests and majestic mountains to the vast savannahs and serene lakes, this tour promises a rich tapestry of landscapes and wildlife encounters.
In Uganda, known as the “Pearl of Africa,” you will traverse through iconic national parks, including Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home to the endangered mountain gorillas, and Queen Elizabeth National Park, renowned for its diverse wildlife and the famous tree-climbing lions. Your journey will also take you to the tranquil shores of Lake Bunyonyi and the lush Mabamba Swamp, a birder’s paradise where you can spot the elusive Shoebill stork.
Crossing into Rwanda, the “Land of a Thousand Hills,” you will continue your exploration in Volcanoes National Park, where the misty forests and volcanic landscapes are a sanctuary for golden monkeys and mountain gorillas. The tour also includes visits to Nyungwe Forest National Park, one of Africa’s oldest rainforests, teeming with primates and a vast array of bird species, and Akagera National Park, a savannah reserve home to the Big Five and a multitude of birdlife.
Throughout this journey, you will be accompanied by experienced guides who will enrich your experience with their extensive knowledge of the region’s flora and fauna. Comfortable accommodations, expertly chosen for their proximity to nature and serene settings, will ensure you have a restful and immersive experience.
Join us on this extraordinary 16-day expedition and discover the unparalleled beauty and biodiversity of Uganda and Rwanda. Whether you are a seasoned birder, a wildlife enthusiast, or a nature lover, this tour promises an enriching and exhilarating adventure that will leave you with memories to last a lifetime.
Tour Price Includes
- 15 Nights Full Board Accommodation
- Services of an French/English speaking driver / guide
- Mineral water during game drives/bird watching
- Park entry fees
Tour Price Excludes
- All airport taxes, International airfares and Visas
- Insurance (trip cancellation medical insurances are recommended)
- Activities/Excursions not mentioned on itinerary
- Tips and Gratuities to driver and hotels staff
- Premium Drinks / Beverages with meals
Safari Itinerary
Upon arrival at Entebbe Airport, the driver will welcome you and transfer you at Nkima Forest Lodge where you have briefing and dinner.
After early breakfast, we drive to Mabamba to see the fabulous Shoebill Stork. We use a motor boat to reach the home of this famous birds and we shall see also many more waterbirds. After lunch at the lodge, we drive to Lake Mburo NP (around 250km); the accommodation and dinner are at Rwekobo Rock Lodge
After breakfast, we go for a safaris and wildlife viewing, we can see various birds such as Fish Eagles, Crested Cranes, Pelicans, herons, African Fin foot and animals like Giraffe, Eland antelope, Zebras, Topis, Impalas, Warthogs, Buffaloes, etc.After lunch, we drive to Kibale Forest national park and we reach the lodge “Kibale Guest House Cottages” at dinner time.
After breakfast, we go for a morning birding in Kibale Forest and our main target is Green-breasted Pita and other forest birds. Birding goes untill lunch time ; We go for birding around Kibale we can see Great Blue and Ross’ Turacos, Black Bee-eater, etc ; as well as some Primates ; at 6pm, we go back to “Kibale Guest House Cottages” for dinner and accommodation
After breakfast, we take a morning walk in Bigodi wetlands until lunch time to see more birds mainly Ross’ Turaco. After lunch, we are driving to Queen Elisabeth National Park,a savannah park to the west of Uganda; accommodation at Bush Lodge.
After breakfast, we start a sfaris and birwatching to see savannah birds combined with big animals. The safaris goes until 11am when we drive to Kazinga Channel where we havea boat cruise on to see Hippopotamus, Crocodiles, animals coming for watering like Buffaloes and Elephants and waterbirds ; accommodation at Bush Lodge.
After breakfast, we take off to Bwindi Impenetrable National park. En route, we continue our birdwatching and game driving towards Ishasha Sector and we can see climbing lions towards the south exit of Queen Elisabeth NP. After lunch in Kihihi Town we drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and our accommodation is booked at Gorilla Mist Camp
After breakfast, we go for a morning birding to see some Albertine Rift Endemics. Bwindi is a home to 24 Albertine Rift endemic bird species and the rare African Green Broadbill. After lunch at the lodge, we have an afternoon birding according to the guide’s suggestion and our accommodation is at Gorilla Mist Camp
After reakfast, we are trekking the famous Mountain Gorilas ; trekking can go until lunch time. Afternoon, we we drive towards Rwanda-Uganda border (Kisoro) to reach the lodge in Rwanda around dinner time ; accommodation at Ingagi Park Lodge
Trekking Golden Monkeys starts at 7am from the headquarters of Volcanoes National park. After breafing, we are hiking to meet these endangered primateswhere they are swinging in bamboos. We stay with monkeys until 11am and we drive to Nyungwe Nation al Park via Kivu Belt road. We reach the accommodation “Ken Barham Guest house or Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel” at dinner time
After breakfast, we have a full day birding to see the Albertine Rift Endemics like Regal Sunbird, Rwenzori Turaco as well as the mountaneous birds like Great Blue Turaco, Doherty’s Bushshrike, etc. We have a brief lunch before we switch to the other birding trail where we have our birding until 5pm when we drive to the lodge
Today, we have a day birding until lunch time; afternoon we are meeting the communities around the forest to have a tea processing experience. We learn how tea is planted, harvested and processed and we test tea from the farm! Our dinner and accommodation is at accommodation “Ken Barham Guest house or Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel”
Trekking Chimpanzees starts at 5am; we leave the hotel with our packed breakfast and we go for trekking Chimpanzees. You know that Humans and chimps share a surprising 98.8% of their DNA! Trekking goes until lunch time, after lunch, we drive to Kigali and we reach our lodge at dinner time; accommodation at Chez Lando Hotel.
We are leaving Kigali after breakfast, we drive to Akagera NP. After registration, we have a morning birding and game driving. We try savannah birds mainly Tabora Cisticolas, Creseted Barbet and Ruaha Chat. After lunch, we resume birding at 3pm towards Lake Ihema for a sunset cruise to see flocks of waterbirds like Goliath Heron, Striated Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Rufous-bellied Heron, etc. We will also see crocodiles and hippopotamus; at 6pm we drive to the lodge for dinner and accommodation (Akagera Game Lodge or Ruzizi Tented Lodge).
After breakfast, we hav a morning game drive to see more birds like Red-faced Barbet, Bare-faced Go-awaybird, etc. Later afternoon, we drive to Kigali; accommodation at Chez Lando Hotel or Hotel des Milles Collines.
After breakfast, we drive to Bugesera to see papyrus birds mainly Papyrus Gonolek, Papyrus Canary and Carruther’s Cisticola. After lunch, we visit Kigali Genocide Memorial and we go for souvenirs shops before we drive to the airport; END
RATES
Prices: Start from USD 7200/Person sharing a double room (Taxes and bank charges included)
Additional information: Minimum 4 people,
Minimum age: 15 years
Tour is open throughout the year