Detailed itinerary for 12 Day Budget Magical Rwanda, Congo and Uganda safari
Day 1 Arrival in Kigali Rwanda and Transfer to Gisenyi Rwanda Boarder
Depending on your arrival time at Kigali airport, you will be welcomed by our English speaking guide, have a short briefing, and transfer to your hotel or you may opt to have a Brief Kigali City Tour.
Visiting the Rwanda Genocide Memorial center
At this Genocide Memorial, you will understand what happened in Rwanda in 1994, a year in which 1 million people died within 100 days. If time allow us, you will also enjoy a short city tour of Kigali.
Kigali was founded in 1907 as a small colonial outpost by Dr. Richard Kant, the first German colonial resident of Rwanda. The city has made tremendous progress since the 1994 genocide.
About Rwanda
Considered one of the safest and friendliest of African capitals, Kigali is blessed with a moderate high-altitude climate. It is inhabited by approximately 1 million people who now enjoy the benefits of peace. You will be pleasantly surprised at how comfortable it feels to be among the gentle people of Rwanda who will be delighted to welcome you to their beautiful, exceptionally friendly country.
While there, you will visit Kimironko market where you will get a chance to purchase some local produce, crafts and Souvenirs. Thereafter, you will connect to your hotel.
Accommodation: Dian Fossey Nyiramacibir Hotel (Budget Hotel)
Meal Plan: All meals and Mineral Drinking water
Day 2 Transfer to Goma – Congo Border
You will wake up to a tasty breakfast and check out of your hotel. You will then meet your driver/guide who will transfer you to the Goma border.
From there, you will cross into the Democratic Republic of Congo; check-in at the Tourism office at the Grande Barrier building where you will receive your Volcano permits and Gorilla Permits that are to be presented at the beginning of every trek. Thereafter connect to your accommodation in Virunga National Park for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Bukima Tented Camp
Meal Plan: All meals and drinking water
Day 3 Gorilla Trekking in Virunga National Park
After your early morning breakfast, you will connect to your starting point that is the Bukima patrol passport where all the verifications of your documents will be done and the briefing before you start your hike. You will then sent off into the forest with a ranger in search of gentle giants. After locating the Gorillas, you are given only one hour with them.
On completing your adventure with the gentle giants, you will head back to your accommodation for late lunch and reminisce about the day’s experience. Also, you can spend the evening at leisure while waiting for dinner and overnight
Accommodation: Bukima Tented Camp
Meal Plan: All meals and drinking water
Day 4 Nyirangongo Hike
Wake up early and take a cup of coffee. Thereafter, connect to the park headquarters and check-in and with your clearance. Meet with your hike guide, Porter, and sent off for your Hike up this Nyiragongo Volcanic Mountain. It will take you about 5 hours to reach the summit and Meals will be provided.
You will stay overnight in the summit shelters at the Top with great views of the Crater Lake boiling.
Day 5 Descend the Nyirangongo and Transfer to Rwanda – Nyungwe Forest National Park
You will be transferred to Nyungwe Forest National Park after your breakfast with a stopover for lunch. The forest boasts flora and fauna which include; 13 primate species from colobus monkeys, mangabeys, blue monkeys, and, of course, chimpanzees. Nyungwe Forest National park is also a famous location for birders with approximately 310 recorded bird species, 26 of which are endemic.
You will enjoy a canopy walk in the evening, dinner, and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Gisakura Guest House
Meal Plan: All meals and drinking water
Day 6 Chimpanzee Tracking
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the park headquarters for a briefing about the “dos and don’ts” while with the chimps in the forest.
Furthermore, your guide will transfer you to the starting point for Chimps tracking. You will encounter the chimps and many other primates like the black and white monkeys and various bird species along the trail.
Accommodation: Gisakura Guest House
Meal Plan: All meals and drinking water
Day 7 Transfer to Akagera National Park
Depart for Akagera National Park after breakfast which is comprised of wetland, savannah, and woodland. You will be able to see giraffes, buffalos, and elephants as well as an abundance of birds. You will arrive in the afternoon, have lunch and rest at the lodge.
Accommodation: Dereva Hotel
Meal Plan: All meals and Mineral drinking water
Day 8 Game drive and Boat cruise
After breakfast, you will start the day with an early morning game drive through the park in search of lions, elephants, buffalos, Masai giraffe, gazelles, Impala, baboons, Oribi, Butchel’s zebra, Topi, Bushbaby, Leopard and bushbuck, Elands and many more.
You will have lunch and then a boat ride on Lake Ihema in the afternoon. Thereafter come back to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Dereva Hotel
Meal Plan: All meals and Mineral drinking water
Day 9 Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park Uganda
After your early morning breakfast, you will drive to Queen Elizabeth National park. The road winds up into the forested hills and the views are breathtaking. Additionally, you will have plenty of time to admire them because some stretch is unsurfaced. It passes through deep-farmed valleys.
You will have a stopover for lunch and proceed with your journey to Queen Elizabeth National park. While there, you will check-in at your accommodation.
After the check-in, you will go for a late evening crater drive with a visit to the Equator or you may opt to visit Lake Katwe and then come back for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Irungu Forest Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: All meals and Mineral drinking water
Optional activities at extra fees
- Chimp Tracking
- Lion or predators experiential tracking
Day 10 Morning Game drive with afternoon Boat Cruise
Have an early morning breakfast then go for a morning game drive within the park. Expect to see the famous big five for instance;
- Buffalos
- elephants
- lions
- Giant forest hogs
- Bushbucks
- Kobs
- Hyenas
- waterbucks.
In the afternoon hours, you will get ready for a launch cruise along the Kazinga channel. You will appreciate the high scores of elephants, hippos, buffalos, and crocodiles. Additionally, you will see a number of bird species including the rare shoebill.
Dinner and overnight
Accommodation: Irungu Forest Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: All meals and Mineral drinking water
Day 11 Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation
After morning breakfast you will drive down to Kabale in Uganda’s highest town (2000 m), with beautiful, lush scenery along the way. You will stay at Lake Bunyonyi, Africa’s deepest Crater Lake (900 m). Bunyonyi means “place of little birds”, so you can expect to view interesting and unique birdlife. After lunch you may opt to take a guided walk to visit the locals in the community, visit the Batwa community or go canoeing on the lake. Return back to the Lodge for your Dinner and overnight
Accommodation: Bunyonyi Overland Resort
Meal Plan: All meals and Mineral drinking water
Day 12 Transfer Back to Kigali International Airport
After morning breakfast, check out and drive back to Kigali for your onward flight with a stopover for lunch
No accommodation
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Mineral drinking water
With regard to prices, visit our website
- Park fees (For non-residents)
- Gorilla permits (One per person, non-resident)
- Chimp permits (One per person, non-resident)
- All activities (Unless labeled as optional)
- All accommodation (Unless listed as upgrade)
- A professional driver/guide
- All transportation (Unless labeled as optional)
- All Taxes/VAT
- Round-trip airport transfer
- Meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)
- Drinking water (On all days)
- Border crossing fee for the Vehicle
EXCLUDED
- International flights (From/to home)
- Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
- Tips (Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp. per day)
- Personal items (Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
- The government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
