Compare Uganda and Tanzania Safari by Arrive Africa Safaris vs 8 Days Primate and Game Safari from Rwanda by Valiant Safaris

Day 1: Welcome To Uganda!

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel Africana

Your guide will pick you up from Entebbe airport and transfers you to Hotel Africana in the city center of Kampala. Depending on the time of your arrival, You can visit the Botanical gardens or the Ugandan Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC).

Day 2: Fort Portal/ Kibale Forest

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Kibale Forest Camp

This morning get on the road to Kibale Forest. You will drive through tea plantations and the lush green countryside which characterizes so much of Uganda.

Kibale Forest National Park lies just outside the colonial town of Fort Portal and is made up of dense tropical rainforest. This park is well known for its rare red colobus as well as the black and white colobus, red-tailed monkey, olive baboon, the Blue Monkey, and l’hoest’s monkeys.

Day 3 - 4 : Chimpanzee Trekking/ Game Drive & Boat Safari

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Park View Safaris Lodge

This morning you will enter the forest in search of Chimpanzees, these apes share 98% of human genes making them our closest living relatives. Chimpanzee Trekking experience requires fitness since it may take 1 -7 hours. While tracking chimpanzees, you will encounter other apes like red colobus, red-tailed guenon, white-nosed monkey, gray-cheeked mangabey, blue monkey, L’Hoest’s monkey, and the black and white colobus monkey. In addition, you may see olive baboons, bush babies, and nocturnal pottos. After Lunch, you will drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Your accommodation for the coming two nights in Park view Safari Lodge.

This morning go for a game drive to see the African animal kingdom. You will continue to the drive-in search of wildlife; elephant, buffalo, lion, waterbuck, leopard, Uganda kob, warthog and do not forget about the birds and the primates In the afternoon, you will go for a boat ride along the Kazinga Channel. On this ride, you will be able to explore the hippos, Buffalo, Crocodile, bathing Elephant, for birders you will see a range of beautiful birds.

Day 5 - 6 : To Lake Mutanda/ Gorilla Tracking

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Mutanda Resort Lodge

This morning be on your way to Kisoro, you will have lunch en route, Mutanda Lake Resort offers one of the best views in Uganda! Perched on a peninsula in Lake Mutanda, isolated in the shadow of the Virunga Mountain Range, this lodge offers comfortable accommodation in a very unique corner of the country. The Resort makes a perfect base for a gorilla trekking, volcano hikers, bird lovers as well for those looking for a secluded magical place in nature.

This morning is a day you have been waiting to see the Gorilla face to face in the forest. For most people, this is the absolute highlight of their tour in Uganda.

Day 7: Optional Activities At Lake Mutanda, To Kigali

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Flame tree village

Have a relaxed morning at Lake Mutanda or you can opt for the activity organized by the lodge. You will be driven to Kigali. If you arrive early you can visit the Kigali’s craft markets, carvings, batik, weaving, sculpture, musical instruments, leather and fabrics on offer. Dinner and overnight at heaven Flame tree village.

Day 8: Flight To Tanzania

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Ilboru Safari Lodge

You will be driven to Kigali international airport to catch up with Rwandair to Kilimanjaro airport in Tanzania. Note: These flights only depart on Mondays – Wednesdays – Fridays – Sundays. If the airline decides to change the flight times and/or days you might need to spend another night in Kigali at an additional cost. The cost of this flight is included in the price however prices are subject to change. You will arrive at Kilimanjaro Airport where you meet you guide to transfer you to Ilboru Safari Lodge;

Day 9: Lake Manyara N.P.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Manyara Safari Camp

Morning breakfast and go for a game drive, you will drive to ‘Mto Wa Mbu’. The bustling farming community of Mto Wa Mbu is home to around 18,000 people. On this walk, this place in Tanzania is not visite by many people, yet there is a lot to explore especially people who are interested in culture. You will find a melting pot of cultures; Mto Wa Mbu is one of the places found in Tanzania with a collection of 120 tribes staying together. You will also visit the farms and the milling machines, the schools, markets, and churches. You’ll likely visit the village banana plantation as well as a youth art project, and a wood workshop where you can watch skilled Makonde tribe members carve intricate figurines, masks, and household objects. Dinner and overnight at Manyara Wildlife Safari Camp.

Day 10 - 11 : Great Migration/ Game Drives In Serengeti National Park

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Tortilis Camp

Start the morning with a game drive the Serengeti National Park. The ward Serengeti in Masai Language means “endless plains” You will drive into the park to see millions of wildebeest migrating, This is referred to as Great Migration, following the ancient rhythm of Africa’s seasons. This is one of the most impressive natural events in the world. retire for dinner and overnight.

This new day 11 will start with having breakfast, Your guide will drive you to the park to see animals closely. You will see the thrill of the chase. a magical time, with the subtle light dappling the landscape, the birds awakening, and the sense of a great adventure beginning to unfurl. You visit the heart of the Serengeti, Seronera Valley. This valley is often termed as the ‘classic’ Serengeti; short grass plains with all different kinds of wild animals ranging from the impressive lion to the naughty mongoose. These full-day safaris are the best way to see the full range of what this magnificent park has to offer.

Your guide will help find a picnic spot to have your packed lunch

Optional activity: Hot Air Balloon Safari Serengeti:

Float in a hot air balloon over the famous Serengeti National Park with its enchanting scenery. This may be the most beautiful area in the world for a balloon flight. There are no power lines, fences, and few roads. Your Balloon Safari adventure starts early morning when you depart your lodge or camp. It is still dark and you may be fortunate to see nocturnal animals on the way to the launch site. When you arrive, you will meet your pilot and witness your balloon being inflated and prepared for launch. The capacity is limited making this experience a special and exclusive one. The balloon safari is approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on the weather conditions. You will end this excursion in style with a champagne bush breakfast in the middle of the park!

Costing: $500 us dollar p.p.

Day 12: Game Drive In The Ngorongoro Crater

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Country Lodge Karatu

Your guide will drive through the beautiful Serengeti and continue to the Ngorongoro Crater. After lunch, you will go for a game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater! This UNESCO World Heritage Site offers a unique biosphere that has remained virtually unchanged since the dawn of time. There are very few places in the world where you can find such a large population of wildlife throughout the year. Deep within the Crater, enclosed by towering walls, you will spot ‘The Big 5’: lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino, and leopard, and cheetah, jackal, Grant’s and Thompson’s gazelle, flamingo and bat-eared foxes, as well as approximately 400 species of colourful bird

Day 13: Departure Or Holiday Extention

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: No accmmodation

We have come to the end of your trip with Arrive Africa SAfaris! Your tour guide will take care of your transfer to Kilimanjaro Airport.

Day 1: Arrival at Kigali Airport

Accommodation. Heaven Boutique Hotel – Comfort, Kigali Serena Hotel – Luxury

Arrive Kigali International Airport, you meet and greet with our representative who will then transfer you to the hotel for an overnight.

Approx. Distance: 10kms, 20minutes’ Drive

Day 2: Kigali to Bwindi Gorilla Park

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation. Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge – Comfort, Four Gorillas Lodge – Medium, Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge-Suite – Luxury

Morning breakfast and a city tour of Kigali with a visit to the Genocide memorial, later transfer to the Cyanika border finalize with immigration and border crossing processes then continue the drive to Bwindi Gorilla Park. Check in at the Lodge and relax anticipating the gorilla trekking experience the next morning.

Approx. Distance: 170kms, 4hours’ Drive

Day 3: Gorilla Trekking

Meals. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation. Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge – Comfort, Four Gorillas Lodge – Medium, Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge-Suite – Luxury

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park located in southwestern Uganda edge at the edge of the great east African Rift Valley. It is a home to over 400 species of mountain gorillas about half of the world’s population. Many of these are habituated in families that are daily visited by tourists. The forest is also a home to over 350 species of birds and 400 flora species.

Gorilla trekking starts at 8am after a briefing at the park headquarters, you will trek through the dense steep forest searching for the gorillas depending on where they were seen making nests the previous evening. The trekking can last 2-7 hours depending on how soon you find the gorillas; this is influenced by the location they stayed overnight. Trekking can be a tasking adventure, but coming to a facial close-up with these close relatives to human is a reward worthy to earn

Approx. Distance: None

Day 4: Bwindi Gorilla Park walking experience to Queen Elizabeth

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Topi Lodge – Comfort, Enjojo Lodge – Medium, Ishasha Wilderness Camp – Luxury

Transfer to Nteko ridge and start a four hours guided walk through Bwindi Impenetrable Forest following the Ivy river trail to Buhoma trailhead. Hear you will find your vehicle waiting for you and transfer to Queen Elizabeth Ishasha sector for a game drive searching for tree climbing lions. End the game drive with a sundowner experience in the park.

Approx. Distance: 70kms, 2hours’ Drive (Buhoma to Ishasha)

Day 5: Queen Elizabeth National Park

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Albertine Rift Valley Lodge – Comfort, Buffalo Safari Lodge – Medium, Kyambura Gorge Lodge – Luxury

Morning game drive in the park and increase chances of sighting the lions, before heading to Kazinga Channel for an afternoon boat safari experience. The launch cruise on the Kazinga channel will give you great views of several game including Hippos, Buffaloes, elephants and birdlife that queen Elizabeth National Park has to offer. Off the boat cruise and continue with and evening game drive in the park if time permits before returning to your lodge for an overnight.

Optional activity; instead of a game drive, you can do a carnivore tracking experience at an extra cost, which also ends with a game drive. On this activity you will be accompanied by a research doctor see and drive closer to lions and leopards.

Approx. Distance: 100kms, 2hours’ Drive

Day 6: Queen Elizabeth National Park to Kibale Forest

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Kibale Forest Camp – Comfort, Turaco Treetops – Medium, Ndali Lodge – Luxury

A morning game drives in the Kasenyi plains through to Katwe Kob mating grounds. Most of the animals you are likely to find here include impalas, sitatungas and lions when lucky enough. You will have a chance to visit the Katara women project on a community visit, here women make paper products out of elephant dung. Alternatively, you can go for a lion tracking experience at an extra payment.

Visit the crater lakes region and walk to the top of the world, Kibale Forest national park is located in the crater lakes area including Kasenda craters; an area with many crater lakes that you will be amazed at. Alternatively, you can choose to go for a Farm experience and visit the coffee, tea and Vanilla plantations and learn how these crops are grown, harvested and processed in the area, as you interact with the local communities.

Approx. Distance: 130kms, 3hours’ Drive

Day 7: Chimpanzee Tracking Experience

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation. Kibale Forest Camp – Comfort, Turaco Treetops – Medium, Ndali Lodge – Luxury

Kibale forest has over 1,450 individuals (Chimpanzees) protected within the park. At Kanyanchu, a community of chimpanzees has been habituated since 1991, allowing visitors an outstanding opportunity to Track these apes in their natural Habitat. Tracking starts at 7am with a briefing at Kanyanchu park headquarter where you will be allocated rangers to take you to the forest. An advance team already in the forest keep tracking the chimps and communicates with your ranger on the radio call. Tracking can last for 2 to 4 hours depending on how far the chimps could be feeding.

Visit Bigodi swamp in the afternoon, this is a community project aimed at improving the livelihoods of the local people, a local guide will lead you on a developed 4.5km trial through the swamp for approximately 3 hours where you can find several bird species including the great blue Turacos, Hornbills Kingfishers and also Black and White Colobus, Red Colobus, Red Tailed Monkey, Grey Cheeked Mangabey, Olive Baboon, L’hoest Monkey, Vervet Monkeys can be spotted.

Approx. Distance: None

Day 8: Kibale to Kigali and Departure

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodation: Departure

Transfer to Entebbe Airport with lunch en-route and arriving Entebbe late afternoon in time to check in for your flight back home.

Alternatively take a 1hour 3ominutes’ local flight from Kasese to Entebbe.

Approx. Distance: 350kms, 6 hours’ Drive