Combining gorilla trekking in Rwanda with safari in Uganda

A combination of gorilla trekking in Rwanda and safari in Uganda is a cocktail of African safari experiences that gives you a scoop of gorilla trekking in Rwanda and different safari options in Uganda. It is best to ensure you have secured the gorilla permits for Rwanda first, as this is the only ticket that allows you into Volcanoes National Park for a gorilla trek.

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Uganda is a rich safari destination, giving you a test of wildlife and scenery, and a unique destination found nowhere else in the world. While on Uganda safari, you may do game safaris, visit the source of the River Nile, enjoy white water rafting, chimpanzee trekking, launch safaris, sports fishing, enjoy points of tranquility away from the noisy cities, and so much more. 

At Encounter Africa Safaris, our safari consultants have experience. They are professional enough to work with you in drafting the best safari itinerary from Uganda activities to Rwanda gorilla safari based on your interests and time.

If you must acquire a visa before traveling to Uganda and Rwanda, applying for an East African visa will solve everything. Both Uganda and Rwanda are subscribers to the East Africa tourist visa arrangement. An East Africa visa allows you to enter two East African Community member states without re-applying for another.

How To Plan Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda and Safari in Uganda

Uganda has more optional activities to add to this itinerary for an African safari, but you must select activities that will not overcrowd your safari.

Day 1 Drive to Kibale National Park in Uganda

Early in the morning, your driver guide will pick you up from your overnight accommodation in Entebbe or Kampala to start the journey to the western part of Uganda. Kibale National Park, the home of chimpanzee trekking, is your first destination. Ensure you have a chimpanzee trekking permit.

On the way, you may take an optional detour to the Nakayima mythical tree in the Mubende district. Learn about the tree that is believed to have swallowed a couple and all the rituals performed at this tree.

Carry on through Fort Portal town to Kibale National Park. 

Kibale accommodation: Primates Lodge, Ndali Lodge, Kyaninga Lodge, Kibale Safari Lodge, chimps Nest lodge

Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park

After breakfast, you gather at the Kanyanchu visitor center or Sebitoli Ranger station for a briefing. If you need a porter's assistance, hire one before proceeding into the forest. As you search for the chimpanzees, you can look for other interesting forest inhabitants, as over 13 primate species are residents of Kibale National Park. You may spot black and white colobus, red-tailed monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, bush babies, LHoest's, olive baboons, etc. More than 325 bird species are residents of this park.

Chimpanzees live in communities with an alpha male as their leader, but they split into groups each day to feed. Tourists are allocated chimpanzee troops each day in the morning and afternoon.

The chimpanzees get to know about your presence in the forest before you recognize where they are because they operate a spy network. 

Upon finding the chimpanzees, only one hour is allowed with them for conservation. Take photos for memories, but do not use flash photography. Return to your lodge to relax.

Day 2: Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda

The drive from Queen Elizabeth National Park is about 1 hour from Kibale National Park. As you get into the park, enjoy a game drive where you may spot animals like buffaloes, elephants, waterbucks, bushbucks, warthogs, and others.

Queen Elizabeth Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge, Bush Lodge, Jacana Lodge, Simba Safari Camp, Katara Lodge

Day 3: Game Drive and Launch Trip on Kazinga Channel

Rise up for a game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park, taking the tracks in the park. The Kasenyi track offers you more chances to see lions in action. The network of tracks allows you to see animals like elephants, buffaloes, lions, and Uganda kobs, which are normally preyed on by lions and cape buffaloes. A game drive in the Ishasha sector allows you to spot the tree-climbing lions, topis, and others.

The game driver in the Northern Kazinga area offers opportunities to spot a wide range of wild animals and birds.

After lunch, a launch trip on the Kazinga channel is worth the safari experience. This 40-meter-long channel is a spectacle wildlife hub. Look over to the banks, where you have a chance to see reptiles, mammals, an array of birds, hippos, crocodiles, otters, and so much more. The Uganda Wildlife Authority launch trip runs from 1500 hours to 1700 hours.

You can also take a private launch trip arrangement for an exclusive experience.

Return to your lodge

Day 4 Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Uganda

From Queen Elizabeth National Park, the drive from the Mweya area is about 160 kilometers, and from the Ishasha sector, the distance is about 64 kilometers to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Ensure you book accommodation for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park according to the area where your gorilla permit is secured. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has four areas: Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga, and Nkuringo.

Check into your lodge.

Bwindi Accommodation: Gorilla Safari Lodge, Mahogany Springs, Ruhija Gorilla Lodge, Engage Lodge, Bwindi View Bandas, Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge

Day 5 Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Uganda

Carrying your packed lunch and gorilla trekking gear, head to the ranger station for briefing. You will meet other trekkers with whom you will be allocated gorilla families in the area indicated on your permit.

The ranger guide leads the way, following the trail to where the mountain gorillas were last seen the previous day. The time of finding the mountain gorillas may be hard to determine as factors prevailing in the forest influence it. Look out for other forest inhabitants like primate species, birds, butterflies, tree species and more.

Have some patience so you still hold the same excitement you had when booking this Uganda-Rwanda safari.

Finally, when you find the mountain gorillas, watch them and take photos, but remember, only one hour is allowed with the fully habituated mountain gorillas for conservation purposes.

Return to your lodge.

Day 6 Drive to Rwanda Volcanoes National Park

From Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the drive to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is about 5 to 6 hours. Enjoy the view of the rolling hills and winding roads with lush, evergreen vegetation on the slopes.

Volcanoes accommodations: Sabyinyo Silver Back Lodge, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Kinigi Guest House, Hotel Muhabura, La Palme Hotel, 

Day 7 Second Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park

After breakfast, walk to the ORTPN for a briefing, but do not remember to wear a mask and carry another clean one to change into when you find the mountain gorillas. This was adopted after the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent chances of passing any contagious infection to the mountain gorillas.

Look out for several forest inhabitants like olive baboons, blue monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, olive baboons, and others. Keen birders have plenty to see in the wilderness, including Albertine rift endemics.

Upon finding the mountain gorillas, watch them do activities like munching on the surrounding foliage, grooming, and much more. Return to your lodge to relax.

Day 8 Kigali City Tour and Depart

You can depart for Kigali airport to catch up with an international flight or do an optional Kigali city drive.

How do you leave Rwanda and miss out on the city tour? Depart Volcanoes National Park for a Kigali city tour early in the morning. The distance from Volcanoes National Park to Kigali City is about 3 hours. Visit the Kandt house and genocide memorials, enjoy the aromas of perfectly brewed Kigali coffee from Nay coffee shop, and much more.

Transfer to Kigali International Airport to catch up with your flight back home.

When is the best time for gorilla trekking in Rwanda and safari in Uganda?

Safaris in Rwanda and Uganda are open yearly; however, most tourists prefer the dry season. The dry season in Uganda and Rwanda is usually June, July, August, September, and December.

The mountain gorillas are more lively, plus other forest inhabitants. In the game parks, the grass is lower, creating better visibility even for the features within the national park. Trails and tracks are quicker to navigate, and less grass obstructs the way.

Demand is high for gorilla permits and chimpanzee permits during the peak season, even though supply is limited to a maximum of 8 per gorilla family. During the peak season, finding the availability of last-minute gorilla and chimpanzee permits is challenging. Even logistics that support these safari options run out.

During the wet season, which is the low season, that is, March, April, May, and November, chances of finding last-minute permit availability are more open because there is less demand. If you wish for less disturbances during your safari holiday in Uganda and Rwanda, chances for exclusive and customized service may be possible.

Those with a communicable limited budget but have a gorilla, chimpanzee, and game safaris in Uganda and Rwanda on their bucket list may use the low season opportunity. Some discounts on gorilla permits for Rwanda may be available, but terms and conditions apply. The low season may also come with discounts on logistics that support your safaris, like accommodations, driver guide fees, and others.

Are Uganda and Rwanda safe for a safari?

Uganda and Rwanda are safe for doing safaris in Africa. These countries are enjoying peace since the tragedies that happened in the past, like the 1994 Rwanda genocide and the 1990s insecurities in Uganda.

All the parks in Uganda are under the watchful eye of the Uganda Wildlife Authority. In Rwanda, the Rwanda Development Board is responsible for all the national parks in the country. These bodies have well-trained ranger guides who protect the wild animals, their inhabitants, and the tourists in their company.

Tourists are advised not to walk in the parks of Rwanda or Uganda without an escorting ranger guide. During the game drives, do not get out of the vehicle, not even for a short call, as you may not know what you are watching.

What are the Safari Guidelines For Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda and Safari In Uganda?

Gorilla trekking safari has its guidelines, and some may also apply to the game safaris as below.

• Littering in the forest is forbidden because it alters the nature of the forest where food for the mountain gorillas grows.
• Burry all feces in a hole at least 30 cm deep so no forest dwellers can exhume anything. It should be buried beyond recognition.
• Eating or smoking 250 meters from the gorillas is forbidden because the effect of the smoke may be felt later by the gorillas. Even feeding the mountain gorillas is forbidden because they are wild animals that must search for their food.
• If you wish to sneeze, do it away from the mountain gorillas to reduce the chances of passing an infection to the mountain gorillas.
• Keep a distance of about 8 meters from the gorillas when you meet them. This narrows the chances of catching an infection from them or to them.
• Wearing a mask during gorilla trekking is a must as one of the measures adopted after the covid-19.
• If you feel any illness or have a communicable infection like flu, cholera, or ebola, volunteer to stay behind so that you do not pass this infection to the highly susceptible mountain gorillas. They are highly vulnerable to these infections, which may cause massive death.
• Only one hour is allowed with the mountain gorillas when you locate them. They have been habituated to be in the presence of humans for just that one hour. Later, they must be left alone to feed with no human interference.
• Using flash photography is forbidden because it may scare the mountain gorillas, which are very sensitive to foreign occurrences in their vicinity.
• Do not surround the mountain gorillas when you locate them because they feel ambushed.
• Provoking the mountain gorillas is forbidden because you are unsure of the reaction.

Our team is ready to plan your safari to Rwanda and Uganda. Contact us for more information.