The 24 days Rwanda-Uganda safari offers the best tourist experiences in these two attractive destinations. Leading attractions on this comprehensive tour include gorilla trekking and chimpanzee tracking in both countries, game viewing, golden monkey tracking, boat cruise, rafting, cultural and historical tours, city tours, among others. The tour features visits to all the major national parks in the two countries such as Volcanoes national park, and Nyungwe national park in Rwanda for breathtaking primate experiences. From Rwanda, you crossover to Uganda for more primate encounters in Bwindi impenetrable national park and Kibale national park. Visits to Queen Elizabeth national Park, Murchison Falls national park and Kidepo Valley national park will reward you with life-long game viewing memories. This tour starts in Rwanda and ends in Uganda, however it can be customised according to the traveller’s interests.
24 days Rwanda-Uganda safari – Trip summary
Day 1: Arrival at Kigali Airport
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe National park
Day 3: chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk
Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes National park
Day 5: Gorilla trekking and cultural visit
Day 6: Hike Dian fossey’s grave and a visit to twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo
Day 7: Golden Monkey Tracking and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
Day 8: Boat cruise on Lake Bunyonyi
Day 9: Transfer to Bwindi national park
Day 10: Gorilla Tracking and community visit
Day 11: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National park
Day 12: Game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 13: Community tour and transfer to Kibale national park
Day 14: Chimpanzee tracking and afternoon cultural walk in Bigodi community
Day 15: Transfer to Murchison Falls national park
Day 16: Game drive and boat cruise
Day 17: Visit the top of falls and transfer to Kidepo Valley National park
Day 18: Game Drive and Cultural Village Tour
Day 19: Transfer to Pian Upe wildlife reserve
Day 20: Game drive in Pian Upe
Day 21: Hike the Sipi Falls and visit coffee plantations
Day 22: Transfer to Jinja
Day 23: Visit the Source of the Nile
Day 24: Kampala or Entebbe city tour
Detailed itinerary of the 24 days Rwanda-Uganda safari
Day 1: Arrival at Kigali Airport
The company tour guide will welcome and brief you before transferring you to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Kigali is regarded as the cleanest and one of the most beautiful cities in Africa. It is made up of 3 districts; Nyarugenge, Gasabo and Kicukiro. If you arrive early, you can visit some of its amazing attractions such as the genocide museum the resting site of more than 250,000 victims of the 1994 Rwanda genocide. Alternatively you can visit Kimironko market for souvenir shopping or visit the Nyamirambo women’s center for a community walk. Overnight stay at Kigali Serena, Hotel des Mille Collines.
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe National park
The day begins with a relaxed breakfast and afterwards embark on the 4 hour drive to Nyungwe National park. On the way you will have a stopover at King’s palace in Nyanza. This is a traditional site for the Rwandan kings. Get an opportunity to delve into the history of the Rwandan royals, authority of the precolonial kings and their style. There are also royal cows and their herders who sing for them. Along the trail you will be treated to endless views of coffee and tea plantations and rolling hills.
Nyungwe National park is a home to 13 primates and these include chimpanzees, red-tailed monkeys, L’hoest, mona, colobus, blue, owl-faced monkeys, bush babies and olive baboons. Meals and overnight stay at Nyungwe Top View Lodge (mid-range), Nyungwe Forest Lodge (luxury), Lake Kivu marina bay and Emeraude Kivu resort.
Day 3: chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk
After breakfast, you will head to the park headquarters for a briefing at 8:00 am. Afterwards venture into the forest with the lead of the ranger in search of chimpanzees. The trek usually takes 2 to 3 hours and once these creatures are found, you will have an opportunity to observe them for 1 hour. There are other primates that can be spotted along the way for instance; owl-faced, l’hoest, black and white colobus, mona, blue, red-tailed, bushbabies, and olive baboons.
Throughout the journey the ranger guide shares information about these apes. Later, you will return to your lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, you will transfer to the Umwinka Visitor Center for a forest canopy walk adventure in Nyungwe Forest. The activity offers an opportunity to see all monkeys and birds which are hardly seen from the ground. After the adventure, return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes National park
The journey from Nyungwe to Volcanoes takes 3-4 hours using the Gisenyi route. You will drive through plantations offering views of the local communities. For your accommodation, you will have the option of staying at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Gorilla Solution Lodge, Tiloreza Volcanoes ecolodge. Virunga Inn.
Day 5: Gorilla trekking and cultural visit
In the early morning, after breakfast, you will go for a briefing at the park headquarters. At 8 am, a ranger will guide you into the jungle through the volcano forest in search of the mountain gorillas. Gorilla tracking may take 1 to 7 hours, as some gorilla families are elusive, and the tracking process can extend to a full day, especially in wet and muddy conditions. The activity is relatively tiresome and challenging.
In the afternoon, you will have the opportunity to visit the Iby’iwachu cultural village. Here, you can engage with local people and discover their home and heritage treasures, including lifestyles, activities, artifacts, and ways of living. The Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village is dedicated to showcasing traditional ways of living, cultural practices, and dances to tourists.
Day 6: Hike Dian fossey’s grave and a visit to twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo
Day 6 of the 24-day Rwanda and Uganda safari is dedicated to the Dian Fossey hike. Have breakfast at 6:30 am and then transfer to the park’s headquarters for a briefing at 7 am. Take a hike to Dian Fossey’s grave site however, the trek requires a relatively fit level and takes 3-4 hours. You may have the opportunity to spot forest buffaloes, hogs, duikers, birds, golden monkeys, elephants, and even gorillas, in addition to enjoying the natural beauty of this reserve.
Your guide will provide you with information about Dian Fossey and her work in saving the mountain gorillas from extinction.
Upon reaching the site, you will be able to see the ruins of her house and pay a visit to her grave. Lying next to her is the grave of her favorite gorilla, Digit, along with 20 other gorillas killed by poachers.
In the afternoon, take a walk to the twin lakes of Ruhondo and Burera, where you will encounter local fishermen and also enjoy the spectacular views of the lakes. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Day 7: Golden Monkey Tracking and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
After breakfast at 6:30 am, you will return to park headquarters of Volcanoes National Park for golden monkey tracking. These primates are even more endangered than mountain gorillas and are endemic to the bamboo forests of the Virunga Mountains. With their beautiful golden fur coats and spirited character. The trek to find them is relatively easy, as they are usually found at the bottom of the mountains. Golden monkey tracking will take 1-3 hours to locate them, and then you will have one hour with the habituated group, which consists of 80 members. Retreat from the activity and head back to your lodge for lunch In the afternoon transfer to lake Bunyonyi. Dinner and overnight at Birdnest/Bunyonyi Resort.
Day 8: Boat cruise on Lake Bunyonyi
After morning breakfast, you’ll embark on a full-day island exploration, visiting various islands. You’ll explore Bucuranuka (upside-down) Island, which is believed to have buried people alive after a curse from an old woman for refusing to offer local brew. You’ll also visit Akampene (punishment) Island, where girls with unwanted premarital pregnancies were once dumped to die of hunger as they swam back to the mainland.
After lunch, you’ll enjoy a boat ride to Kyahugye Island and hike up Kyahugye Hill for spectacular views of Lake Bunyonyi. Following the hike, you’ll go on a community tour, visiting local schools. Donating scholastic materials to the school can make a meaningful impact on these students’ education.
Another option is visiting Nyombi Swamp for zip-lining, bird watching, and high rope courses. Overnight accommodation at Bunyonyi Overland Resort, Bunyonyi Rock Resort, or Birds Nest.
Day 9: Transfer to Bwindi national park.
Wake up for breakfast, and then embark on your 2-3 hour journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National park. The time spent on a journey depends on the sector that is allocated on the gorilla permit.
Day 10: Gorilla Tracking and community visit
After breakfast, the lodge provides a packed lunch, and you’ll be transferred to the park headquarters, depending on the sector specified on your gorilla permit. Upon gathering at the park headquarters, you’ll be treated to local traditions, usually Bakiga or Batwa. Following that, a briefing will be given by the senior warden, covering the history of gorilla trekking in Bwindi, gorilla conservation, gorilla behavior, trekking rules and regulations, and the importance of gorilla trekking to the local community. This typically starts at 7:30 am to 8:00 am.
You will be grouped with a maximum of 8 members, led by a ranger who will guide you into the tropical forest of Bwindi in search of the mountain gorillas. Sometimes, it may take an hour or more to find them, and you will navigate through the rugged, steep, and slippery landscape under canopies, which can make it dark even during the day. The forest also showcases various tree species, beautiful flowers, and other primate species like l’hoest, black-faced vervet monkeys, and black-and-white monkeys. You may also spot mammals such as bushpigs, warthogs, bushbucks, yellow-backed duikers, giant forest hogs, elephants, and various butterfly species.
Gorilla tracking typically takes 2-3 hours, depending on the gorillas’ movements. You will be allowed at least an hour to interact and take photographs, maintaining a 3-meter distance. If it’s habituation, more time is spent observing the mountain gorillas, including watching the young ones play. After a few hours, return to the offices for your certificates. You will return to your lodge for lunch and prepare for the Batwa community visit.
Dinner and overnight at Trekker’s Tavern cottage (budget)/Bakiga lodge / L. Mulehe Safari lodge(deluxe)/ Mahogany Springs/ Four Gorillas lodge (luxury).
Day 11: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National park
After breakfast, transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Along the drive, make a stop in the local communities of Kanungu to explore traditional coffee growing practices. through the Ishasha sector, south of Queen Elizabeth National Park, where you’ll enjoy a stunning game drive. Keep an eye out for the tree-climbing lions that have made this park a must-visit for many Uganda safari adventurers. These unique lions are often spotted resting in the branches of trees during mid-morning.
Day 12: Game drive and afternoon boat cruise
After an early morning breakfast, embark on a game drive across the Kasenyi plains and Queen’s Mile in the open savannah of Queen Elizabeth National Park, nestled flat on the Albertine Rift Valley. The most captivating game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park typically commence as early as 6:30 am or around 2:00 pm. The morning drive provides opportunities to encounter side-striped jackals, hyenas, warthogs, cape buffaloes, elephants, topis, kobs, waterbuck, and even leopards. You’ll also spot various bird species as Queen Elizabeth boasts the highest bird count in Uganda and East Africa. These may include African skimmer, Chapin’s flycatcher, black bee-eater, white-winged warbler, pink-backed pelican, and the majestic martial eagle.
After the game drive, take some time for relaxation and lunch. Then, gather at Mweya Jetty for a Kazinga Channel boat cruise departing at 2:00 pm. This afternoon excursion entails a two-hour cruise along the Kazinga Channel, spanning from Lake George to Lake Edward, covering a 45 km distance. The cruise provides excellent opportunities to observe schools of hippos, herds of buffaloes, and a group of crocodiles along the water channel, alongside a plethora of both endemic and migratory bird species. Additionally, the boat cruise offers an ideal platform for photography, bird watching, and wildlife viewing.
You can conclude the day’s activities with an evening game drive along the channel track, exploring more wildlife during their active evening hours. Finally, return to your lodge for an overnight stay at Parkview Safari Lodge or Enganzi Safari Lodge.
Day 13: Community tour and transfer to Kibale national park
In the morning, you will go for game drives, where you will see games like lions, bush bucks, antelopes, elephants, water hogs among others. Go back to the hotel for a late breakfast, and relax at the pool side as you wait for your lunch. After lunch, set off to Kibale national park, home of over 13 primate species. Dinner and overnight at Ndali Lodge (Luxury)/Mountains of the moon hotel (Deluxe)/Chimps nest lodge (Budget).
Day 14: Chimpanzee tracking and afternoon cultural walk in Bigodi community
In the morning, transfer to Kanyanchu Park headquarters, where you will receive a short briefing about the chimpanzee trekking experience. Accompanied by a ranger, embark on the search for the giant humans of the chimpanzee world. When you meet them, you’ll witness how much we have in common with these great apes – they laugh, hug, kiss, and care for their young ones, just like humans.
Beyond chimpanzees, this forest walk presents an excellent opportunity to encounter other primates such as Vervet Monkeys, L’Hoest’s Monkeys, gray-cheeked monkeys, and Black-and-white Colobus, among others. After the one-hour chimpanzee encounter, return to the park center, where your trekking efforts will be rewarded with a trekking certificate. Then, head back to your lodge for lunch later in the afternoon and go for a guided cultural walk in Bigodi village. Follow the village path and visit a primary school, traditional homestead, and enjoy storytelling. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 15: Transfer to Murchison Falls national park
After breakfast, you’ll embark on a 441 km, approximately 9-hour drive to Murchison Falls National Park. Along the way, you’ll enjoy beautiful scenery, including the Albertine Rift Valley landscapes, Lake Albert, Butiaba Escarpments, rural settings, natural forests, and plantations. Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s largest national park, covering 3840 sq km. This park boasts diverse habitats, the world’s longest river, the mighty Murchison Falls, and a rich collection of African wildlife, including 76 mammal species and over 450 bird species. Have lunch in Masindi town. Dinner and overnight stay will be at Paraa Safari Lodge, Murchison River Lodge, or Red Chilli Rest Camp.
Day 16: Game drive and boat cruise
This morning, after breakfast at 6:30 am, you will embark on your game drive in Murchison Falls National Park. Heading to the northern section of the park, you’ll encounter rolling savannah grassland dotted with stands of acacia trees, borassus palms, riverine woodland, and a variety of bird and mammal species. During this 3-4 hour game drive, you’ll search for lions, leopards, buffaloes, giraffes, waterbucks, Jackson’s hartebeest, and patas monkeys.
There’s a diverse array of animals to spot, including saddle-billed storks, Denham’s bustards, gray-crowned cranes, squacco herons, piapiacs, red-throated bee-eaters, goliath herons, and kingfishers. After the game drive, you’ll retreat to the lodge for lunch and relaxation. Following lunch, gather at Paara Jetty for a boat cruise along the Nile River to the bottom of the falls.
The 3-hour boat trip, departing at 2 pm, offers opportunities to observe Nile crocodiles, elephants, hippos, buffaloes, and waterbirds such as goliath herons, African fish eagles, African jacanas, and shoebill storks. After the activity, you’ll embark on a 45-minute hike to the top of Murchison Falls. These falls are arguably the world’s most powerful, wide like none you’ve ever seen before. Located along the Nile River, which is 50 meters wide, they squeeze through narrow clefts of up to 7 meters and drop 45 meters down. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 17: Visit the top of falls and transfer to Kidepo Valley National park
After your morning breakfast, you’ll embark on a 45-minute hike to the top of Murchison Falls. These falls are arguably the world’s most powerful, wide like none you’ve ever seen before. Located along the Nile River, which is 50 meters wide, they squeeze through narrow clefts of up to 7 meters and drop 45 meters down. After hiking, drive through open plains and small settlements of the Karamoja people to Kidepo National park. The journey takes 5-6 hours. You can have a stopover for hot lunch or have early dinner at the lodge.
Day 18: Game Drive and Cultural Village Tour
Early in the morning set off for morning game drive searching for predators like cheetah, side striped jackal, lions, leopards. Herbivores like elands, reedbucks, buffaloes, elephants, giraffes and others. After the game drive, head back to the lodge to have hot lunch and in the afternoon visit the Karamojong cultural village. The Karamojong culture is similar to the Masai people of Kenya. They live in big settlements with many huts that are called Manyattas. Get an opportunity to learn their cultural dances.
Day 19: Transfer to Pian Upe wildlife reserve
In the morning, set off for Pian Upe game reserve and the journey takes 6-7 hours depending on the condition of the road. The reserve covers an area of 2788 sq kms. Along the way you will meet Karamojongs settlement and some will be attending to their cattle.
Day 20: Game drive in Pian Upe
After breakfast, start the morning game drive and you will be able to see nocturnals before going to their hideouts. The reserve is a great place to see elands, Roan antelopes, Greater Kudu, four toed Hedgehog,and ostriches. After lunch you can opt for evening game drive. Since it is a remote game reserve there are high chances of spotting cheetahs and leopards. Transfer to Sipi falls in Mount Elgon National park.
Day 21: Hike the Sipi Falls and visit coffee plantations
In the morning drive to Sipi falls in eastern Uganda on the borders Kenya and Uganda. Sipi falls are a series of waterfalls that are separated by a steep hillside in Mount Elgon National park. Take a nature hike to caves and later in the day go for a coffee plantation and community tour. The Sipi area is famously known for Arabica coffee growing. This type of coffee is grown at an altitude of between 1600 and 1900 meters. Coffee is the main cash crop grown in this area. There are plenty of activities you can enjoy besides hiking. Overnight at Sipi falls resort
Day 22: Transfer to Jinja
Jinja city is located in the south of Mbale city. It is the second largest city in the country after Kampala city. The area is located on shores of lake Victoria where the source of nile is found. The city is a home to Owen falls dam which was constructed in 1952 making it a concentration of many manufacturing industries. The journey takes 3 to 4 hours depending on the road one has used.
Day 23: Visit the Source of the Nile
In the morning, take a 2-hour drive to the Source of the River Nile, the world’s longest river. Enjoy a boat cruise on the Nile. You can choose to do white water rafting along the Nile river. Both half and full-day trips are available, and you can have a picnic lunch on any private island. After that, you may do bungee jumping, or horseback riding. In the evening, return to Kampala.
Day 24: Kampala or Entebbe city tour
On this day you may choose to do tour of the Kampala city including The Kasubi Cultural Tombs, the Bahai Temple (the largest in Africa), the Gadaffi Mosque, or Entebbe environs – the Botanical Gardens, The Entebbe Zoo or Ngamba Chimpanzee Island. In the evening your tour guide will drop you at Entebbe International Airport for your departure flight.