Can I Tour Uganda and Rwanda Using One Tour operator?
Using one tour operator for two destinations in different countries (Rwanda and Uganda) is a commonly asked question. As we move through this article, this question will be answered, as will the follow-up questions like what to see, do, where to go, etc. Understanding the role of a tour operator is key when preparing to embark on a safari adventure. In some cases, tour operators are often overlooked thinking their job can be done by anyone as long as you have information about the destination without contacting them.
Well, I want to inform you that the work of a tour operator is not limited to mere information but the destination. It surpasses that too much more like organizing the entire safari and ensure safety of the visitors. The safety of the visitors is the number one priority for any tour operator followed by delivery as promised. Tour companies go the extra mile to make sure the visitors have the best safari and make their dreams come true.
Uganda and Rwanda are two incredible destinations with spanning tourist attractions that should not be missed on your bucket list. These destinations are both members of the East African Community an organization that aims at strengthening cooperation among member states. The East African Community also ensures free movement among the nations in this cooperation. Therefore, a tourism visa can be purchased once and it serves across all the member states. This cooperation has henceforth seen cross-border businesses. It is on this account that one tour operator can easily take visitors across the border to visit a variety of tourist attractions. This is not a myth theory but a fact as to many visitors we have taken across borders to explore the many attractions and have great experiences.
Destination Uganda
Uganda is the undisputed Pearl of Africa as many have come and admired the ultimate beautiful of this landlocked country. In the book “My African Journey” the author Winston Churchill could not hold back his blown-away moments as he came to a stop in Uganda. In 1908 while on his expeditions in Africa, Winston Churchill visited Uganda. He was submerged by the beautiful landscapes, perfect terrain, variety of forms and colors, flora, and fauna. Uganda is what the former British Prime Minister Churchill called, the pearl of Africa. A country gifted by nature beyond which imagination can engulf. From the rolling highland mountains that host the mountain gorillas to the lowland rainforest a playground for the chimpanzees to the savannah plains ruled by apex predators and giant grazers. Uganda is a top destination if only told would seem unreal hence exploration is at your disposal of this untamed treasure.
What to see in Uganda?
Uganda bears spanning tourist attractions that have made visitors scramble for flights from their home countries to explore this uncharted masterpiece. The top attractions responsible for the large tourist turnout in the country every year include the following.
Mountain gorillas
In Uganda, the endangered mountain gorilla primates of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park are a top gem for visitors in the country. These primates are considered endangered primates because they are only found in the Virunga conservation area. This conservation area is the remaining natural habitat of the mountain gorillas. This area also encircles Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and Virunga National Park of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The mountain gorillas as their name suggests dwell in the highland areas and have adopted this lifestyle for many years. They are very close cousins to us humans since they share over 98% of their DNA with us. Their incredible similarity does not stop at their biological makeup only. But also their social life as they stay in groups known as gorilla families. Just like the human structure, this family is headed by a dominant male gorilla called a silverback. Uganda hosts the largest population of mountain gorillas in the world. Hence, a ticket to Uganda is an assurance of encountering their primates in their natural habitats.
Tree-climbing lions
The kings of the jungle and savannah by nature are not known for climbing trees. This extraordinary practice is only known for the lions of Ishasha in Queen Elizabeth National Park and those in Lake Manyara National Park of Tanzania. These lions of Ishasha have defied the laws of nature and extended their law from the ground to the tree tops. Now their roar can be felt piercing the horizon shaking even the bravest. These lions of Ishasha have attracted visitors from far beyond to come and witness this imaginary myth to confirm it into reality.
Wildlife
Uganda’s wildlife is immense and exploration and experience take days and weeks. This is because the wildlife is scattered across the vast savannah plains of the various national parks in the country. These wildlife species even go far to extend into the waterbodies and sourcing them requires a skilled tour operator. Some of the unveiled Uganda wildlife include the Big 5 lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, and rhinos. Others include warthogs, hyenas, zebras, giraffes, antelopes, waterbucks, reedbucks, hippos, crocodiles, etc.
Murchison Falls
The strongest waterfall in the world the Murchison Falls is proud to call Uganda its home. The waterfall is located on the Victoria Nile a tributary of the longest river in the world the Nile. The falls bear allegiance with Murchison Falls National Park for habitat. Formed as water at incredible speeds is face to face with huge rock walls that block its path forcing it to a narrow gap in the rock before plunging into a small pool at the bottom of the rocks. This sheer battle of the most powerful force of nature with the rocks causes a thunderous roar that echoes across the plains with a rainbow crossing the skyline to represent the forged relationship of the water and rocks.
Rwanda is a popular safari destination
The land of a thousand hills, Rwanda, is a small country in East Africa that has grown from grass to grace. Its story of resilience emotionally breaks even the brave and strong to tears. Having experienced some of the most tragic events in the history of the world as the whole world watched. Rwanda has turned the tables and now is a fast-growing country worth anyone’s attention.
What are the places to visit in Rwanda?
Rwanda sits on a small scale of land mass compared to some of its neighbors but has awe-inspiring places to visit. Let’s unmask these places in Rwanda that have attracted visitors below.
Volcanoes National Park
Part of the Virunga conservation area, Volcanoes National Park is a treasure to Rwanda and the world. It hosts the remaining endangered mountain gorillas together with its counterparts in this conservation area. The park does not stop at the primate experience since among the 8 volcanoes in the Virunga massif, it has 5 of them. Explore the park for more hidden gems like rare golden monkeys, vervet monkeys, colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, and several birds.
Nyungwe Forest National Park
Rwanda’s southern national park Nyungwe, is a tropical rainforest protected area. It bears the playful chimpanzee primates that can be spotted on a tracking experience. The park also hosts various bird species and a canopy walk trail suspended 45 meters high to bond with the trees. Visitors to the park have a lot to explore and experience.
Kigali Genocide Memorial
The Rwandan genocide of 1994 claimed over a million lives of the Tutsi across the country. Many places were set up to commemorate this tragic event and the Kigali Genocide Memorial is one of these places. It is located on Gisozi hill a hotspot that saw over 250,000 Tutsi killed here. This memorial bears the names and some pictures of the children and adults killed in the genocide. It also has a section that exhibits the different genocides that have taken place in the world. Visit the memorial and learn much about genocides and see why they should never happen again in the world.
