8 Days Akagera & Queen Elizabeth Wildlife Safari: This is an 8 Days Akagera & Queen Elizabeth Wildlife Safari which starts in Kigali city, Rwanda and ends in Uganda’s capital, Kampala. View stunning wildlife in Akagera national park which is Rwanda’s only savannah national park and then cross over to Uganda where you will be visiting Queen Elizabeth national park and get an opportunity to track lions in the park, enjoy a morning game drive and later embark on a boat cruise on Kazinga Channel.
Highlights for 8 Days Akagera & Queen Elizabeth Wildlife Safari:
Day 1: Leave Kigali for Akagera national park
Day 2: Morning game drive and Lake Ihema boat trip
Day 3: Cultural tour and evening game drive
Day 4: Leave Kigali for Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 5: Morning game drive/ Lion Tracking Experience & afternoon launch
cruise
Day 6: Full Day Game Drive in Ishasha sector
Day 7: Chimpanzee Trekking and Visit Lake Katwe crater lakes.
Day 8: Transfer to Kampala (approximately 7 to 8 hour road transfer)
Detailed Itinerary for 8 Days Akagera & Queen Elizabeth Wildlife Safari.
Day 1: Leave Kigali for Akagera national park
2 hour road transfer: Your driving guide will meet you at your accommodation in Kigali in the morning to orient you and bring you to Akagera National Park. You will take a city tour of Kigali, stopping at the Kigali Genocide Memorial grounds and the Kimironko market for lunch before continuing on to Akagera National Park, where you will check into your accommodation for supper and a night’s stay.
Accommodation in Akagera national park
Akagera game lodge for midrange/Karenge bush camp for budget
Day 2: Morning game drive and Lake Ihema boat trip
Half day game drive: Wake up in the Akagera park and connect for breakfast before meeting your driving guide who will bring you to the park reception where you will meet your Akagera ranger guide and drive to tour the dry savannah park. The game drive will last 4 to 5 hours and will include viewing the park’s many creatures such as rhinos, elephants, giraffes, lions, and antelopes. You will then return to your hotel for a nice meal to refuel your energies.
Lake Ihema boat cruise: After the sun has set, you will drive to Lake Ihema for your scheduled afternoon boat tour. This boat excursion allows you to witness the aquatic wildlife of Akagera National Park, such as crocodiles and hippos, as well as a wonderful viewing position for Akagera’s birdlife. After the boat ride, you will return to your hotel or supper and conclude the day at the same hotel where you spent the night before.
Day 3: Cultural tour and evening game drive
Community cultural experience: After breakfast, your driver guide will meet you at the hotel and transport you to the park reception, where you will meet a ranger guide who will join you for the village tour. This trip provides you the opportunity to connect with Rwandans who live around the park. They will also educate and amuse you about their traditional dances and way of life. Return to your lodge for lunch and unwind before the night game drive.
Evening game drive in Akagera national park: The night game drive in Akagera National Park begins at 5:30 p.m. and continues until 8:30 a.m., when you are expected to return to your accommodation. On this night game drive, you can spot nocturnal creatures. Dinner will be provided, and another night at the park will be spent.
Day 4: Leave Kigali for Queen Elizabeth national park
6 to 7 hour road transfer: After an early breakfast, depart for Queen Elizabeth National Park. Drive for roughly 3 hours and then enter into Uganda to reach Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is 4 hours distant from the Katuna border, with a on route lunch. Drive farther to connect to access the park before the gates close. You will check into your hotel and rest while you wait for supper to be prepared. Queen Elizabeth National Park accommodation Options.
Elephant Hub Lodge for midrange/Pumba Safari Cottages for budget
Day 5: Morning game drive/ Lion Tracking Experience & afternoon launch
cruise
Morning game drive: Wake up as early as 6 a.m. for a short breakfast before heading to the park to join the early risers on the morning wildlife drive/lion tracking adventure. Lion tracking begins at 7:30 a.m. and lasts around 4 hours, depending on the location of the lions. As you pursue the famed tree climbing lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park, you will be escorted by a team of specialist researchers and park rangers.
You are invited to bring your packed lunch from your lodge with you. Following your lion tracking adventure, you will go on a brief game drive. You will view a variety of species including elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, lions, antelopes such as Impalas, waterbucks, and warthogs, to name a few. Return to your accommodation and relax for the day.
Afternoon Launch cruise on Kazinga channel: Spend some time exploring the park’s vast lands before returning to your hotel to relax and wait for the sun to set before connecting to the Kazinga channel for an afternoon boat trip where you can see the aquatic life of Queen Elizabeth National Park, such as crocodiles and a variety of bird species, as well as the largest number of hippos wallowing at the river’s banks. Return to your hotel for supper and a second night’s stay.
Day 6: Full Day Game Drive in Ishasha sector
Full Day Game Drive in Ishasha Sector: Breakfast at your leisure, followed by a game drive in the park. Explore the Ishasha sector and take your time exploring for the species that you are looking forward to seeing in the park. Lunch will be served at your lodge, and you will be able to relax for the remainder of the day. Later, you will return to the park for an evening game drive, where you will witness wildlife species as they retreat to their burrows for the night. Later, return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay similar to the previous night.
Day 7: Chimpanzee Trekking and Visit Lake Katwe crater lakes.
Chimpanzee Trekking: You will be walking habituated chimps in Queen Elizabeth National Park this morning. Get up early and eat a hearty breakfast at your lodge. After that, you’ll meet your guide and drive to Kalinzu Forest for monkey trekking. This experience begins at 7 a.m. with a briefing and lasts around 4-5 hours, including an hour spent with the chimps after they are identified. You have the option of packing a meal from your lodge or returning for lunch following your monkey trek.
Lake Katwe Crater Lake visit: Have lunch at your lodge shortly, you will connect to Lake Katwe salt pans for a visit and be educated by the locals about the salt mining experience that happens on this Crater Lake. Later drive back to your lodge for dinner and overnight same as above.
Day 8: Transfer to Kampala (approximately 7 to 8 hour road transfer)
Connect with your driver guide after your morning cup of coffee and accompaniments to travel back to Kampala to conclude the excursion. You will travel for around 7 to 8 hours via Mubende, stopping for lunch along the way, and returning to Kampala in the evening. You will tell the driver guide where you want to be dropped off. End of the Tour
