This 9 Days Rwanda and Uganda Safari Without Primates does not include gorilla or primate trekking in both countries, making this specific safari package quite ideal if you are travelling with children or simply wish to have a more laid-back safari experience without excessive hiking. During these 9 days Rwanda and Uganda Safari, you will be visiting Kigali city in Rwanda, hiking Isumo trail and canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest National Park, Lake Kivu in Gisenyi town, game drives and a boat cruise in Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda; and source of the Nile in Jinja city. This tour begins in Kigali city, Rwanda and ends in Entebbe, Uganda.
Highlights for 9 Days Rwanda and Uganda Safari Without Primates
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali
Day 2: Full Day Kigali City Tour
Day 3: Transfer to Nyungwe National Park- Hike to Isumo Waterfalls and Canopy Walk
Day 4: Transfer to Gisenyi Lake Kivu for a Boat Ride
Day 5: Transfer to Kampala
Day 6: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park-Afternoon Boat Cruise
Day 7: Morning Game Drive and Transfer Back to Kampala
Day 8: Visit Jinja Source of the Nile and Transfer Back to Entebbe
Day 9: Departure from Entebbe International Airport
Detailed Itinerary for 9 Days Rwanda and Uganda Safari Without Primates
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali
Pickup from Kigali international airport upon your flight arrival. Depending on your time of arrival in Kigali, you will be driven to your lodge for dinner and overnight. (In case your flight lands in Kigali in the morning hours or noon, you can visit Kigali Genocide Memorial center).
Day 2: Full Day Kigali City Tour
After your breakfast, meet your driver guide and check out of your hotel. If you didn’t visit the genocide memorial center the previous day upon arrival in Kigali, you will be able to do so today. Spend the entire day exploring the beautiful Kigali city with visits to interesting places such as; Kigali Genocide Memorial Center, Inema Arts Center, Nyamirambo Women’s center, Caplaki craft village and Kimironko market among others. You will have a break for lunch at a local restaurant in town during your tour.
Later retire to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 3: Transfer to Nyungwe National Park- Hike to Isumo Waterfalls and Canopy Walk
After having breakfast, check out of your hotel. You will embark on about a 6-hour drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park where you will be hiking Isumo trail. Isumo trail in Nyungwe forest is one of the best trails to explore during your visit to the park. Hiking the Isumo trail in Nyungwe forest takes approximately 4 hours, covering a total of 10.6 kilometers. This trail offers hikers stunning views of bird species such as the White-eyed slaty, Regal sunbird, Dusky Crimson and the Handsome Spurfowl to mention but a few. Another highlight of hiking this trail would be the beautiful and stunning Isumo waters.
After your hike to Isumo waterfalls, head back to base and meet up with your driver guide. You will have lunch before embarking on the canopy walk, where you will get to explore the canopy walkway bridge- a swing bridge 50 meters in length that is suspended from large trees. You will be able to see the amazing rainforest with a bird’s eye view, spotting wildlife moving about below you.
Later retire to your accommodation for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4: Transfer to Gisenyi Lake Kivu for a Boat Ride
Wake up in time for breakfast at your lodge/hotel. You will then embark on about a 4-hours’ drive to Lake Kivu in Gisenyi where you will check into your lodge and have lunch before embarking on an afternoon boat ride on the lake. You will view a number of islands on the lake and also interact with some of the local fishermen on the lake.
Later head back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 5: Transfer to Kampala
Today you will embark on a long drive to Kampala in Uganda with a stopover for lunch and to refresh yourself. Though this drive is very long, you will pass via Kigali city in Rwanda and the beautiful countryside in both Rwanda and Uganda as you view the beautiful, lush green terraced hills and mountains along the way. Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel in Kampala.
Day 6: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park-Afternoon Boat Cruise
After having your breakfast, you will check out of your hotel and then start your journey to Murchison Falls National Park. On the way you will enjoy great views of the countryside, beautiful scenery among others. Upon arrival in the park you will check into the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, you will go for an interesting boat cruise to the bottom of the falls where you will be able to view large herds of hippos in water, crocodiles basking on the banks, view elephants, buffaloes, warthogs, antelopes along the shores and water birds like cormorants, bee-eaters, kingfishers, fish eagles, hornbills and many others. After the boat ride you will drive to the top of the falls where you will be able to enjoy the beautiful waterfall, enjoy water splashes among others. After the top of the falls, you will drive to the lodge for dinner and overnight
Day 7: Morning Game Drive and Transfer Back to Kampala
After an early breakfast you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to go for a morning game drive in the park. During the game drive you will be able to enjoy spectacular views of the beautiful sunrise, animals like buffaloes, elephants, giraffes, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, warthogs, Jackson’s hartebeest, lions, leopards, hyenas, variety of bird species among others.
After the game drive you will drive out of the park and start the journey back to Kampala. On the way you will have en-route lunch and then proceed to Kampala where upon arrival in the evening, you will check-in at your hotel and later have dinner and overnight stay.
Day 8: Visit Jinja Source of the Nile and Transfer Back to Entebbe
Have you breakfast in the morning and meet up with your driver guide. Today you will be visiting Jinja. On the way you will have a stopover at Sezibwa falls where you will have stunning views of the waterfalls, view different bird species, beautiful scenery among other and then continue the journey with another stopover in Mabira forest where you will engage in optional activities like guided forest walk where you will have views of primates like red tailed monkeys, bird species, tree species among others.
From Mabira forest you will have en-route lunch and then proceed to Jinja where you will engage in an evening boat ride on the source of the Nile upon arrival. The boat cruise takes about 1 to 2 hours and offers you great views of bird species such as the king fisher’s, cormorants, fish eagles, reptiles like the monitor lizards and Nile crocodiles along the shores, have beautiful views of the sundowner among others. After the boat ride you will drive back to Entebbe where you will check-in at your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 9: Departure from Entebbe International Airport
Have breakfast at leisure and drive to Entebbe international airport depending on your flight departure time. In case your flight departs Entebbe airport later in the day, you can spend time exploring Entebbe city with visit options being malls, zoo or Ngamba island for half day chimpanzee tour.
End of the 9 Days Rwanda and Uganda Safari Without Primates
