5 days Uganda Rwanda tour includes game drives and boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park which is in western Uganda. This 1978sq.km protected area is Uganda’s second largest of all the 10 national parks in Uganda and remarkable home to African bush elephants, lions plus the tree climbing lions, leopards, buffaloes, antelopes, over 620 bird species, hippos, crocodiles to mention but a few.
This safari also takes you through thrilling gorilla trekking experience in Volcanoes National Park which is in northwestern Rwanda. Volcanoes National Park is 160sqkms and offers refuge to some of the 1004 mountain gorillas that today still thrive in the whole world. Currently, 10 gorilla families have been habituated and set for trekking in this park and only one will be assigned to you to trek in a group of 8 trekkers. Your 5 days Uganda Rwanda tour will start from Entebbe/Kampala and end in Kigali-Rwanda.
What to expect on your 5 days Uganda Rwanda tour
- An hour of close encounter with mountain gorillas
- Game drives and boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Kigali city tour
- Ground transportation in 4×4 drive safari car
- Service of an English-speaking driver guide
Brief itinerary of your 5 days Uganda Rwanda tour
Day 1: Transfer from Kampala to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 2: Morning game drives and afternoon boat cruise
Day 3: Transfer from Queen Elizabeth National Park to Volcanoes National Park
Day 4: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Day 5: Kigali city tour
Detailed itinerary of your 5 days Uganda Rwanda tour
Day 1: Transfer from Kampala to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Enjoy your delicious cup of tea or coffee at your hotel in Entebbe or Kampala and later, meet our company representative who will brief you on what your 5 days Uganda Rwanda tour is all about. After, you will embark on a 6-hour road trip to Queen Elizabeth National Park via Masaka-Mbarara-Ishaka-Bushenyi route. En-route, you will make a stopover at Equator for photo shoot in Mpigi and drive via Kiruhura with opportunity to spot out impalas, zebras, birds in Lake Mburo National Park. In Mbarara, you will have another stopover for lunch at Agip Motel.
Later, drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park via Bushenyi while enjoying the breathtaking views of extensive tea plantations. You embark on a game drive in the afternoon/evening and then return to check in at your safari lodge for relaxation, dinner and night stay.
Travel time: 6 hours
Meal plan: Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation options at Queen Elizabeth National Park
Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge/Kyambura Game Lodge/Ishasha Wilderness Camp
Midrange: Bush Lodge/Enganzi Game Lodge
Budget: Simba Safari Camp/Mweya Hostel
Day 2: Morning game drives and afternoon boat cruise
You will be served with a cup of tea or coffee and later, you have an early morning guided game drive via Kasenyi Plains. This will reward you with astonishing sights at variety of wildlife species including African bush elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, lions, leopard, birds like the red throat spurfowls, grey crown cranes, yellow throated long crow and many others. Your guided game drive along Kasenyi Plains will take you about 2-3 hours and later, drive back to have lunch.
At 2:00pm, you will have afternoon boat cruise along Kazinga Channel which will reward you with amazing views at hippos, crocodiles, water birds and many other wildlife species. After your 2-3-hour launch cruise, you will get back to the lodge to have a rest, dinner and a night stay.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation options at Queen Elizabeth National Park
Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge/Kyambura Game Lodge/Ishasha Wilderness Camp
Midrange: Bush Lodge/Enganzi Game Lodge
Budget: Simba Safari Camp/Mweya Hostel
Day 3: Transfer from Queen Elizabeth National Park to Volcanoes National Park
Have breakfast early in the morning and after, you will drive from Queen Elizabeth National Park via Ishasha sector where you have a chance to spot out the tree climbing lions. Proceed to Volcanoes National Park while enjoying the exceptional views of southwestern Uganda and connect through Chanika or Katuna border area.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation options at Volcanoes National Park
Luxury: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Bisate Lodge
Midrange: Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge/Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
Budget: Muhabura Hotel/Kinigi Guesthouse
Day 4: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Wake up early in the morning and enjoy your breakfast then connect to Kinigi park headquarters with your packed lunch for briefing on the set guidelines for gorilla trekking. You will be allocated to one gorilla family to track in a group of 8 visitors and park ranger guide will take you through your adventure which lasts for about 2-6 hours depending on your hiking speed, location of gorillas and nature of habitat. Once come across your gorilla group, you have only an hour to strike your imaginations with mountain gorillas, take photos and learn about their behaviors. The groups to trek in Volcanoes National Park include Susa A, Agashya, Bwenge, Kwitonda, Amahoro, Sabyinyo, Umubano, Karisimbi, Ugenda and Hirwa.
After you’re an hour of a face to face encounter with the great apes, you will return to the lodge to have rest, dinner and night stay.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation options at Volcanoes National Park
Luxury: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Bisate Lodge
Midrange: Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge/Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
Budget: Muhabura Hotel/Kinigi Guesthouse
Day 5: Kigali city tour
Enjoy your cup of tea or coffee and after, drive to Kigali which is about 2 to 3 hours’ drive. Arrive early enough and embark on a city tour with a chance to pay a visit to Kigali genocide memorial site in Gisozi, nearby local markets. After, you will be driven to Kigali airport for you to catch up with your flight back home or hotel in Kigali.
End of your 5 days Uganda Rwanda tour
5 days Uganda Rwanda tour includes
- Gorilla trekking permit ($1500 per person)
- Game drives and boat cruise
- Accommodation and meals
- All activities in the travel plan apart from the optional ones
- Service of an English-speaking driver guide
- Bottled water
- Relevant government taxes
- Airport transfer
5 days Uganda Rwanda tour excludes
- Laundry services
- Personal insurance
- International flights
- Visa fees
- Optional activities plus accommodation outside travel plan
- Tips to driver guides, waiters, waitresses
Guidelines for gorilla trekking
- Keep a distance of 7 meters at all times away from mountain gorillas.
- No flashlight camera is allowed when taking pictures of gorillas and in case your camera a flashlight, please turn it off before taking photos.
- Do not go to trek mountain gorillas if you are sick and in case of you need sneeze please cover your nose and mouth in case of cough.
- Only 8 trekkers are allowed to trek one habituated family.
- You have only an hour with mountain gorillas.
- Leave the gorilla habitat the way you found.
- Do not eat, smoke or drink when in the presence of gorillas.
- Always keep your voices low but it fine to ask your guide as many questions as you can.
What you should pack for your gorilla trek
- Waterproof daypack
- Camera with no flashlight
- Waterproof hiking boots
- Insect repellents
- Long sleeved shirts/t-shirt
- Trousers
- Gardening gloves
- Sun hat
- First aid kit
- Walking stick which you can find at the park headquarters or gorilla lodge in Volcanoes National Park.