With this 4×4 rooftop tent safari vehicle, it starts from Uganda parks and ends in Rwanda’s tourism hub – Kigali. On this self drive safari you will sit behind the wheel and take relaxing drive as you enjoy the road trip surroundings with the driver or your colleague on the steering. You give your self time to enjoy your journey without the driving inconveniences. This safari trip presents opportunities of exploring some of Uganda parks,reserve and Rwanda’s top National Parks with a driver.
4×4 rooftop tent journey begins with the visit to Jinja, Mount Elgon – Sipi falls, Moroto, Kidepo, Murchison and then Queen Elizabeth National Park, the most popular savannah park in the country is visited for a game drive in the Kasenyi and Ishasha sector and a boat ride along the Kazinga channel.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is another tourist destination explored for a gorilla trekking expedition where mountain gorillas, the endangered species are met in close proximity in the wild. In the middle of the trip, you cross over from Uganda to Rwanda to visit Akagera National Park, a renowned wildlife sanctuary for the big five (lions, buffaloes, rhinos, leopards, and elephants).
you will go for a drive in Entebbe and enjoy some of the attractions it offers for example the resort beaches, Uganda Wildlife education centre, Botanical gardens, and exquisite shopping malls or drive straight to the hotel to relax and prepare for the following day.
Here is the second route if you don’t go northern Uganda. Early in the morning, you will set off to western Uganda using the Entebbe Express highway and then connect to the Kampala – Masaka – Mbarara highway. You will make a stopover at the Equator Monument in Kayabwe near Masaka. Here you will observe the water experiment which validates that the spot is where the imaginary line of the equator passes.
You will also take pictures and videos standing and posing on the monument. You can as well for craft shopping at the centre around. You will then proceed with your journey till you will reach Mbarara city where you will have lunch. Proceed to Queen Elizabeth National Park is situated. You will probably reach the park in the late evening and head straight to your lodge for check-in, dinner, and night rest.
You will wake up have breakfast then drive to Kasenyi plains for a self-game drive. The animals likely to be seen on this expedition include elephants, lions, buffaloes, elands, Ugandan kob, oribi, and many more. The game drive will take about 3-4 hours and by noon you will be heading back to your lodge for lunch.
Take a boat trip on Kazinga channel in the afternoon. Kazinga channel is a lifeline of different marine animals such as crocodiles, hippos, water buck, and countless bird species and most of these are sighted during the launch cruise. Dinner and overnight. As you head to Bwindi, you will make a stopover to track the tree-climbing lions. Here the lions are seen resting on fig and acacia trees after a long hunt in the morning.
You will then proceed with your journey out of the park to connect to Kihihi town where you will have lunch. There is a chain of restaurants in this local town with delicious and organic meals to enjoy. You will choose one for your lunch. Continue to Bwindi such a large property with four sectors, notably Buhoma in the north, Ruhija in the east, Rushaga in the south, and Nkuringo in the southwest. Therefore, you will stay at the lodge close to or within the sector, you will be tracking the gorillas.
Head to Bwindi head offices for a briefing about the gorilla tracking guidelines. You will then be allocated to a group of eight people. Afterward, you will lead to the starting point of the trek. You will be guided by the park ranger through the forest as you search for the gorillas in their exact habitats.
When you meet the gorillas, you will be amazed by the size of the silver back. It is such a gigantic monstrous-looking creature but peaceful, gentle, and welcoming. The gorillas have unique social characters which are observed during the track and we are pretty sure that you will be captivated by them.
Pictures and video capturing come into play while you watch the gorillas go about their routine. After an hour, you head out of the forest to return to your lodge for lunch. spend the afternoon and evening lousing and relaxing at the lodge to prepare for the following day’s long-distance travel to Rwanda.
You will have breakfast and then lead to either Katuna or Cyanika border to cross over to Rwanda. It will take you 45 – 50 minutes to drive from your lodge in Bwindi to any of the borders. At the border point, you will present the vehicle cross-border paper as well as your travel document, purchase Comesa and then enter Rwanda to proceed with your journey to Akagera National Park.
You will make a stopover in Kigali city for lunch and then proceed to Akagera. From Kigali to Akagera National Park is a two-hour drive. Therefore, you will reach the park area in the early evening, and check in at the lodge. Enjoy the evening breeze, dinner, and overnight.
You will wake up to the sights and sounds of Akagera National Park as you enjoy your breakfast, the only savannah park in Rwanda and head for a game viewing thrilling experience.
The park is home to the big five animals, notably elephants, lions, rhinos, buffaloes, and leopards. Other mammals to see on a game drive include elands, topis, duikers, hyenas, impalas, bush bucks, and many more. The game drive normally takes about 3-4 hours thus by noon, you will be returning to your lodge for lunch.
At the end of your lunchtime, you will drive to Lake Ihema for a boat ride trip to enjoy what its waters provide. Wildlife to sight on the launch trip include crocodiles, hippos, water bucks, and an array of bird species like papyrus ganolex, shoe bills, ibis, Jacana, herons, kingfishers, and hawks.
Late evening, you will return to your lodge for dinner and overnight. You will wake up for breakfast and head back to Kigali for a city tour before departure. The number of places to visit will depend on your preference, general interests and budget. Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Site: This site is one of the many built around the country to remember over 800,000 people who lost their lives during the 1994 genocide.
The Site has three main exhibitions – One focuses on general information about the 1994 genocide while another is a memorial of the innocent children who died during the same genocide. The third exhibition covers genocides that occurred in the different parts of the world giving you the opportunity to learn about the situation before, during and after the genocide through documentaries, videos or personal presentations. After you can depart.