9 Day Safari in Uganda Rwanda Congo Burundi
Enjoy the exclusive Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo combined safari. The 9 day safari includes double trekking in both Uganda and DR Congo, cultural excursions, chimp trekking , golden monkey trekking, waterfall hike and a canopy walk in Nyungwe forest. The safari can be specifically designed for individuals, small groups, and couples who want to quickly and affordably see the African Great Lakes region states that share a lot of common history and culture. It is the ideal synthesis of the natural world, history, and culture.
Trip Summary
- Day #1: Arrival and Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National park
- Day #2: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
- Day #3: Visit the Twin Lakes, Ellen DeGeneres Campus and Gorilla Guardians Village.
- Day #4: Golden Monkey trekking and drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park.
- Day #5: Water fall hike and a Canopy Walk
- Day #6: Chimpanzee Trekking in Nyungwe and Transfer to Bukavu.
- Day #7: Gorilla Trekking in DR Congo’s Kahuzi Biega National park and return to Rwanda.
- Day #8: Drive to Bujumbura for city tour and visit the Chimpanzee sanctuary in Bujumbura
- Day #9: Visit the tea plantations and the Gishora Royal drums for cultural dances before departure.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival and Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National park
Pick up from Kigali International airport and drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Depending on your arrival time, if it’s during morning hours, we will have short visit to the two genocide memorial sites of Nyamata and Gisozi Genocide Memorial, this is less informative since most of the things here are more digitalized with video and audio tutorials, after the visit we shall have lunch in Kigali before our 3hours drive to Bwindi impenetrable forest with drive through the Cyanika Musanze side of the country, its where you can view the Five volcanoes in a closer distance, this route is remote and scenic with a lot of site sightings along the way. Getting to Bwindi for dinner and an overnight.
Overnight: Ichumbi Gorilla lodge or Kisoro Travelers Rest.
Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Mountain Gorilla in Uganda
Morning wake up early in the morning for breakfast and transfer to the briefing point at Rushaga gorilla trekking point, your guide will select the gorilla family for you according to your physical ability. The trekking may take between 5-8 hours, after the trek we shall drive back to the hotel for refreshment and have hot lunch. In the evening, visit the Pygmies families for cultural activities, these people inhabited the forest before they were kicked out of the forest. After the community and culture visit go back to the lodge for an overnight.
Overnight: Ichumbi Gorilla lodge or Kisoro Travelers Rest.
Day 3: Visit the Twin Lakes, Ellen DeGeneres Campus and Gorilla Guardians Village.
In the morning after the morning breakfast, drive to Volcanoes National Park via the Cyanika border, with visit to the Twin lakes of Burera and Rubondo, this lake is so unique almost share the same geographical formation features, you will have a lovely boat cruise visiting several islands including the punishment island in the heart of Rubondo lake , the lakes have the best views of the five volcanoes in a single row if you’re someone who loves photography this is the best place not to miss, the islands have thousands of different bird species some of which are endemic to the Albertine lift. After we shall proceed to the heart of Rwanda Volcanoes National park which is 20km drive. Upon reaching there, we shall have lunch at our respective hotel, after lunch we shall visit the Ellen DeGeneres campus by Dianne fossey who is the American primatologist who dedicated her life in saving the lives of mountain gorillas in the late 1960s, a lot is said about this lady that you will come to know from this museum, After the visit to the Museum go back for dinner and overnight.
Overnight: Mountain gorilla view lodge and Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel.
Day 4: Golden Monkey trekking and drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Nyungwe Forest National Park
After the morning breakfast, we shall drive to the briefing point at Kinigi Park headquarters, enjoy a complementary coffee as the guide is doing your registration, after you will join other guests for briefing about the golden monkey trekking and the entire volcanoes National park. You shall enjoy the trek, unlike the gorilla trekking, this is an easy trek compared to the gorillas, and you shall be back at mid-day, have lunch and begin our 5hour drive across the beautiful drive across the Congo Nile trail, to those of you who have been to Australia and have driven on the ocean road, this scenic road trip is as nice as the Ocean road. As we proceed to Nyungwe, lots of tea plantations and the views of the Lake Kivu are amazing. You will get to Nyungwe Forest National Park for dinner and an overnight
Overnight: One and only Gorilla nest or Nyungwe Top hill view.
Day 5: Water fall hike and a Canopy Walk.
Early in the morning after breakfast, don’t miss the lovely water fall hike which is a 4 hours down in the heart of Nyungwe forest, where you get to enjoy the Beautiful waterfall hike, words can’t explain how lovely this waterfall is in the middle of this mountain rain forest but it’s worth a visit. After we shall return back to the hotel for refreshment and we will again proceed to the park offices for the Canopy walk in Nyungwe forest, in the late evening, we shall have guided walk into the tea plantations trail. After all the activities go back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Overnight: One and only Gorilla nest or Nyungwe Top hill view.
Day 6: Chimpanzee Trekking in Nyungwe and Transfer to Bukavu.
In Nyungwe forest National Park it is not 100% chances that chimps will be seen but this is an incredible trek. Wake up as early as 5:30am for breakfast and set off for your chimpanzee trek. Have a briefing before entering the forest in search of the active and playful fellows in 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 hours. On finding the chimps, spend an hour while taking pictures and videos. Have lunch after your chimp trekking excursion. After lunch you will drive to Eastern DR Congo via the Kamembe town on the shores of Lake Kivu to the border in Bukavu town, its just 2 hours’ drive from Nyungwe to Bukavu Rusizi the Rwanda DR Congo border. We shall check inn to our respective hotel for dinner and an overnight
Overnight: Orchid Hotel.
Day 7: Gorilla Trekking in DR Congo’s Kahuzi Biega National park and return to Rwanda.
Gorilla Trekking in Congo
Leave your hotel as early as possible without forgetting to take breakfast as we proceed to Kahuzi Biega National Park. It’s a 2hours drive from Bukavu, town to this incredible park in the heart of DR Congo, we shall visit the Lwiro chimpanzee sanctuary in Bukavu after the lowland gorilla trek, the trekking of the lowland gorillas is not so much different from that of mountain gorillas only that the habituation process of the 2 species is much different, after the trek, we shall drive to out of DR Congo to spend the night in Kamembe.
Overnight: Moriah hotel
Day 8: Drive to Bujumbura for city tour and visit the Chimpanzee sanctuary in Bujumbura
Wake up early in the morning for breakfast after we drive to Bujumbura through Hamrwa boarder this is a 3 hours’ drive to Bujumbura the heart of Burundi, do the city tour of Burundi’s most historical city Bujumbura and explore lake Tanganyika, visit the incredible chimpanzee sanctuary in Bujumbura where you can walk with the chimps hold them if you want to. After we shall drive to the hotel for dinner and an overnight
Overnight: Hotel de luc Tanganyika
Day 9: Visit the tea plantations and the Gishora Royal drums for cultural dances before departure.
After the morning breakfast, proceed to the Teeza tea plantations en-route to Gishora drums for the Royal drums and cultural dance experience. These are the best moments ever to watch these crazy, powerful and lovely dance and drama, after we shall drive back to Bujumbura. For departure flight back home.
End of the 9 Day Safari in Uganda Rwanda Congo Burundi