After securing your car hire Uganda or Rwanda, now the next question is what is the best travel plan for a 15-day self-drive road trip in Uganda and Rwanda? In this article, we will draft for you the best itinerary for you to have it all in the 2 countries.
The 15 Days Best of Rwanda and Uganda Self-drive presents you with a lifetime opportunity to embark on a road trip and explore the wonders of Uganda and Rwanda on your own. This trip itinerary is a perfect option for any adventure seeker who desires to explore and experience what the two East African destinations have to offer the world without being disrupted by others. The extensive 15-day self-drive road trip will best be enjoyed in a classic 4×4 safari car.
Expect to explore the finest self-drive safari destinations in the Pearl of Africa and the land of a thousand hills. You will be visiting Nyungwe Forest National Park, and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. In Uganda, your self-drive tour package takes you to iconic destinations such as Kibale National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kibale National Park, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, and Murchison Falls National Park. For those who want to sleep in the wild for this kind of trip, hire a rooftop tent car in Uganda and have it all at once transport and accommodation sort. This will give you the freedom to sleep wherever you feel like. This trip is flexible because you can begin it from Uganda or Rwanda.
Brief Itinerary
Day 1: Pick up & car handover
Day 2: Drive from Entebbe to Murchison Falls, enjoy a rhino trek at Ziwa
Day 3: Enjoy a game drive plus a boat cruise experience
Day 4: Transfer from Murchison to Kibale National Park
Day 5: Chimpanzee tracking plus Bigodi Swamp Walk
Day 6: Kibale to Queen Elizabeth National Park on a self-drive
Day 7: Game drive plus a guided launch/boat cruise
Day 8: Travel to Bwindi National Park via Ishasha to Buhoma region
Day 9: Experience the best gorilla trekking & Batwa cultural visit
Day 10: Drive from Bwindi to Volcanoes National Park using a self-drive car
Day 11: Embark on a gorilla trekking adventure
Day 12: Golden Monkey tracking
Day 13: Head off to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Day 14: Chimpanzee tracking and Canopy walk
Day 15: Departure from Nyungwe on a self-drive tour to Kigali
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Pick up & car handover
Upon arrival at the Entebbe International Airport (EBB), you will me the car rental staff at the lobby holding a placard reading your names for easy identification. Upon meeting him, he will warmly welcome you to the pearl of Africa. He will then take you where he might have parked the car, inspect the car from there, sign the paperwork, make payment and he will hand the car to you there and then for you to start off your road trip. Since most tourists fly in from 1200 hours and above, we believe that you can visit any destination since most of them are far away from the Airport. For this, you can either have a tour through Entebbe or Kampala, but it is advisable to just rest and start your road trip the next day.
Accommodation options
- Luxury: No.5 Boutique Hotel
- Midrange: The Boma Hotel Entebbe/K Hotel
- Budget: Pineapple Guesthouse
Day 2: Drive from Entebbe to Murchison Falls, enjoy a rhino trek at Ziwa
Enjoy a hefty breakfast at the comfort of your hotel and after, you will head off to Murchison Falls Game Park. Murchison is the largest of the Ten Uganda Parks with a land area coverage of 3840 sq. km and is situated in the Northwestern part of the country.
Expect to drive from Entebbe through the Luweero-Masindi route for you to get to Murchison Falls National Park via its Southern gate. En route, you will branch off to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to track rhinos in the wild. This is likely to last for about 2 hours and after, you will proceed to the park to check in your respective lodges.
Accommodation options
- Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge
- Midrange: Pakuba Safari Lodge
- Budget: Red Chili Rest Camp
Day 3: Enjoy a game drive plus a boat cruise experience
Wake up early in the morning and after, expect to embark on your memorable game drive via the Northern sector of Murchison Falls National Park. On a game drive, you will be exposed to diverse wild animals including warthogs, giraffes, leopards, lions, elephants, buffaloes, Uganda Kobs, hartebeest, oribis, and also different bird species.
After the 2-3 game drive experience, you will have a leisurely afternoon in your respective lodges including lunch. At around 2:00 pm, you will connect to the Paraa Jetty to engage in a boat cruise which is to last for 2 hours along the Victoria Nile River. Today’s boat cruise brings you great sights of hippos, crocodiles, and aquatic bird species.
Once you have reached the base of the falls, make the best of your time to take as many photos as you can. If the boat cruise excursion falls around the period when the water levels are low, expect to embark on a hike to the top of the falls for 45 minutes.
Day 4: Transfer from Murchison to Kibale National Park
Get up early for you to prepare and also have a delicious cup of tea/coffee. Afterward, check out of your camp/lodge and proceed to Kibale National Park in Western Uganda via the Hoima-Fort Portal route. Your 4×4 self-drive vehicle will give you a remarkable treat to the countryside’s breathtaking Rift Valley Escarpment. Arrive at Fort Portal early for you to settle for lunch. After having lunch, you will continue to lodge in/around Kibale National Park.
Accommodation options
- Luxury: Kyaninga Lodge/Ndali Lodge
- Midrange: Chimpundu Lodge/Primate Lodge
- Budget: Isunga Lodge/Kibale Forest Camp
Day 5: Chimpanzee tracking plus Bigodi Swamp Walk
Enjoy breakfast early morning and later, you will gather at the Kanyanchu Visitor Centre to get briefed about chimpanzee tracking guidelines. Today, you will also be allocated the park ranger guide to escort you on the search for the chimpanzee community. The morning Kibale chimp trek will go for 2-4 hours which also covers one hour for up close and personal encounter with chimpanzees in the wild.
Kibale is a primate capital and therefore, expect to find more than chimps. After you have explored more about chimpanzees, return and enjoy lunch at leisure. At around 2:00 pm, continue to Bigodi Wetland in a 4×4 self-drive car. At Bigodi, expect to be thrilled by the guided nature walk in Bigodi Wetland.
Day 6: Kibale to Queen Elizabeth National Park on a self-drive
At leisure, you will enjoy a delicious breakfast in your respective lodges. Set off for Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) through the area dominated by breathtakingly scenic Crater Lakes. At Kikorongo, you will have a stopover at the Equator crossing, take pictures or perform experiments. From Kikorongo, continue to the park and keep your speed within the park’s driving speed limit (40 km/h).
Accommodation options
- Luxury: Elephant Plains/Mweya Safari Lodge
- Midrange: Bulbul Lodge/Enganzi Lodge
- Budget: Simba Camp/Kazinga Channel Resort
Day 7: Game drive plus a guided launch/boat cruise
After a delicious breakfast, head off to the Kasenyi plains to enjoy a 2-3 hours game drive. You will have great encounters with wildlife that roam around this sector of the park including elephants, buffaloes, spotted hyenas, Kobs, bush bucks, warthogs, lions, and leopards, etc.
Lunch will be offered at the lodge and after, continue to Mweya peninsula side to catch up with a launch cruise along the Kazinga Channel. The 2 hours boat cruise gets you the best sights of hippos, crocodiles, and water birds.
Day 8: Travel to Bwindi National Park via Ishasha to Buhoma region
Expect to leave your lodge and transfer to Bwindi National Park in southwestern Uganda, driving through the Ishasha sector. At the Ishasha, you may have a short game drive to search for some savanna wildlife with a focus on the tree-climbing lions, buffaloes, antelopes, and some birds. Exit the Ishasha area for the Buhoma sector in Northern Bwindi impenetrable forest where you will check in your lodge for relaxation.
Accommodation options
- Luxury: Buhoma Lodge
- Midrange: Engagi Lodge/Mahogany Springs
- Budget: Buhoma Community Rest Camp
Day 9: Experience the best gorilla trekking & Batwa cultural visit
This day is primarily set for you to embark on a gorilla trekking adventure in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. You will begin your day with a briefing about gorilla trekking guidelines and allocation for gorilla groups. The briefing session is expected to start at around 7:00 am and by around 8:00 am, you will be heading to look for the gorilla group family. The trek to find Buhoma gorillas will run for 2-6 hours inclusive of one hour for up close and personal encounter with these large apes and taking photos.
Return from the Bwindi jungle to be awarded a gorilla trekking certificate at the briefing area. After getting your gorilla certificate, proceed to the lodge for relaxation, and late in the afternoon, you will have a thrilling Batwa cultural visit.
Day 10: Drive from Bwindi to Volcanoes National Park
Have a delicious breakfast and after, you will head to the Volcanoes National Park Rwanda in your 4×4 self-drive vehicle. Expect to arrive at the border crossing (Katuna border) early to clear and cross to Volcanoes National Park to check in your gorilla lodge.
Accommodation options
- Luxury: Kwitonda Lodge/Wilderness Bisate Lodge
- Midrange: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel/Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
- Budget: Kinigi Guesthouse
Day 11: Embark on a gorilla trekking adventure
A delicious cup of tea or coffee will be offered at your lodge and after, connect to Kinigi for a briefing about gorilla trekking safety measures. You will be allocated a gorilla group to explore in a group comprising 8 visitors and the park ranger guide will be present to lead you through. Expect to have an hour face-to-face with a group of mountain gorillas and also take pictures. When you return, you will have a long evening relaxing in your respective lodges.
Day 12: Golden Monkey tracking
Golden monkey tracking is part of your superb self-drive tour and today, you will assemble at Kinigi to get briefed about guidelines to be followed during your primate adventure. The park ranger guide will also be allocated to you to lead you through the entire search for the golden monkeys.
The trek with golden monkeys will go for about 2-4 hours inclusive of 1 hour for up close and personal encounters with a troop of these primates. Get back from the golden monkey trek to chill at the lodge and later, you will have an afternoon visit at the Iby’Iwacu village.
Day 13: Head off to Nyungwe Forest National Park
After breakfast, check out of your lodge, you will embark on a self-drive road trip to Nyungwe Forest National Park. As you drive, be ready for great views of Lake Kivu before you get to the park to check in your lodge.
Accommodation options
- Luxury: One&Only Nyungwe House
- Midrange: Nyungwe Top view Hotel
- Budget: Gisakura Guesthouse
Day 14: Chimpanzee tracking and Canopy walk
Enjoy a delicious breakfast early in the morning and after, expect to visit Uwinka for a briefing about chimpanzee trekking rules. At Uwinka, you will also be allocated a park ranger guide to lead you on the entire search for the chimpanzee community. Expect to find other primates in Nyungwe Forest and an hour will be guaranteed for you to have a face-to-face interaction with chimps.
In the afternoon when you have finished with breakfast, you will have the best of the canopy walk. This will allow you to walk through the 200 canopy path set about 50 meters from the forest floor.
Day 15: Departure from Nyungwe on a self-drive tour to Kigali
Get yourself a delicious cup of tea/coffee and after, you will drive out of Nyungwe in a 4×4 self-drive vehicle. En route, you may make a stopover at Butare to visit the ethnographic museum and King’s Palace then also settle for lunch. From Butare, continue to Kigali to drop off the vehicle at the respective agreed point.
End of tour
In conclusion, a 15-day self-drive road trip to Uganda and Rwanda offers an unforgettable adventure with breathtaking scenery, incredible wildlife and rich cultural experiences. With proper planning, preparation, and flexibility, you will be able to navigate the challenges and make the most of your journey memorable.