This Uganda Rwanda tour takes you to special places in Uganda and Rwanda for unforgettable safari experiences with primates, wildlife and local cultures.
Starting off in Entebbe, you will enjoy a brief tour of Kampala to get you grounded and acquainted with life in Uganda. You will then go to Kibale National park – the best place in the world to see chimpanzees in the world, and you will get to see them and spend 1 hour with them.
From Kibale, we’ll continue to Queen Elizabeth for Savannah wildlife and a boat cruise through schools of hippos on the Kazinga channel. We shall then drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National park for gorilla trekking, where you get to personally spend 1 hour with one family of endangered mountain gorillas.
Crossing into Rwanda, the adventure leads to Volcanoes National Park, home to the majestic Virunga Mountains. Here, you'll have the chance to track golden monkeys, adding a unique primate encounter to your safari. The exploration culminates with a visit to Kigali, Rwanda's vibrant capital, offering insights into the country's rich culture and history.
This safari is more than a journey; it's an immersive experience that connects you deeply with the heart of East Africa's wilderness. If you seek adventure, discovery, and a profound connection this expedition is designed for you.
Take a look at the full itinerary and let us assist you in planning this remarkable journey.
Detailed Trip Plan
Day 1: Arrival & Welcome to Uganda
Welcome to the Pearl of Africa, your home for the coming days!
Today is all about your arrival, some rest to settle in, and a briefing about the entirety of the upcoming trip. Your guide will pick you up from the airport and transfer you to the hotel in Entebbe.
Depending on when you reach Uganda, you might have some time in the afternoon for an evening stroll on the beach in Entebbe.
Day 2: Drive to Kibale National Park. Afternoon chimpanzee tracking
You will leave Kampala early in the morning and drive westward to Fort Portal town.
This drive will last 5 hours and will lead you through the green countryside with beautiful landscapes. You will stop in Fort Portal town for lunch.
Later you will proceed to Kibale National Park where you will embark on the search for chimpanzees inside the forest.
You will be led by experienced ranger guides who will provide detailed information, not only about primates, but on all the forest fauna and flora and will ensure that your walk is both informative and enjoyable.
The tracking lasts approximately 3 hours. You will spend an hour photographing the chimps before concluding and exiting the forest. Drive to your accommodation and check-in for the night.
Day 3: Drive to Queen Elizabeth national park. Afternoon boat ride on Kazinga channel
After breakfast, you shall drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park following the mystical Ruwenzori Mountain range for much of the journey.
Upon arrival into the park, you may choose to do a game drive which might be rewarded with spotting of antelopes, elephants, buffaloes and sometimes lions.
In the afternoon you will enjoy the unique 2-hour private boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel and into Lake Edward.
This trip passes through possibly the highest concentration of hippos and many animals may be seen drinking at the water's edge. This launch cruise offers an excellent platform for photography, bird watching and game viewing.
Day 4: Drive to Bwindi impenetrable national park via Ishasha game drive
After an early breakfast you will check out of your lodge and drive to Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth national park. This region is famous for large herds of elephant and buffalo and for tree climbing lions. You will enjoy a game drive in search of the tree climbing lions. You will carry a packed lunch which you shall enjoy at the Riverside in Ishasha.
Afterwards you will proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where you will arrive in the evening. You shall check in at your accommodation as you prepare for the next day’s activity.
Day 5: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi
Today is your day to meet the mountain gorillas - our evolutionary cousins in the forest. Gorilla trekking starts with a briefing by the UWA (Uganda Wildlife Authority) officials to give you a grounding about gorillas, the forests they live in, the conservation as well as the rules and guidelines you must follow on your trek.
You will then be led by experienced rangers who know the forest and your search for the gorillas will start. The gorilla trek takes you through thick rainforests and steep slopes where the trails are basic footpaths, and yet the beauty overshadows the challenge of the hike.
Once you reach the gorillas, the challenge of the hike goes out of your mind, and you are glad for every weird tree root you had to step over or hold on to as you trekked to the gorillas.
As a group, you will spend 1 hour with the gorillas, watching them go about their day with the silverback leading the family, the females taking care of the young ones as well as the young gorillas playing around with each other.
After your time with the gorillas, you will leave the forest taking with you memories that will last a lifetime. We'll then go back to the lodge for some relaxation- to let it all sink in.
The rest of the evening can be spent at leisure at the lodge, or you can go for a walk around the neighbourhood.
Day 6: Drive to Volcanoes national park. Visit Ellen DeGeneres campus
Today you will leave Bwindi and drive across the border to Musanze town in Rwanda. Formerly known as Ruhengeri, Musanze town is the nearest to Volcanoes National Park- the home of Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda.
In the evening you will visit Ellen DeGeneres Gorilla conservation campus and have a guided tour of the premises. Learn about the conservation efforts in Virunga ranges and the experiments conducted at the campus.
Afterwards, drive to your accommodation for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Golden Monkey trekking. Drive to Kigali
Golden monkeys in Rwanda live in the bamboo vegetation towards the base of the volcanoes. Habituation has helped them to overcome their initial shyness to accept their daily visits by researchers and tourists.
Trekking golden monkeys and gorillas is a similar experience – in a small group of no more than eight people, and you can spend one hour with the monkeys once you find them. The endangered species are very active creatures, and jump from tree to tree.
After the tracking, you will have lunch at the lodge before starting the journey to Kigali city. You will arrive in the evening and check in for night.
Day 8: City tour of Kigali. Airport transfer and departure
After breakfast you will take a city tour of Kigali. Top on the Menu is Gisozi Genocide memorial. You will be guided around the museum and given an account of how events leading to the 1994 Rwanda Genocide transpired.
The memorial is a resting place of thousands killed during the genocide and a reminder of the dark past that Rwanda endured. It also shows the significant steps the nation has taken to reconcile and rebuild.
You will also visit Kandt museum and a local market in town. You will also have lunch in the city.
You will check out of your rooms and transfer to the airport to check in for your departure flight to the next destination.
- 1 Gorilla Permit Per Person
- 1 Chimpanzee Permit Per Person
- 1 Golden Monkey Permit Per Person
- All local Transportation
- Accommodation & Meals
- Professional Tour Guide
- Park & Activity Fees
- International Flights
- Visa Fees
- Personal Insurance
- Personal Spending & Tips
- Extra Activities not specified in your Final Itinerary
Ask About This Trip
Does this safari package seem like it would work for you? Just talk to someone us. Whether you like it as it is, or would like to make some adjustments to your preference, we'll help you plan and enjoy the safari that is perfect for YOU.