The 13 days Uganda-Rwanda safari is a comprehensive tour that offers the best of wildlife and cultural experiences in Uganda and Rwanda. These include gorilla trekking and chimpanzee tracking in both countries, game viewing in Uganda’s vast savannah parks as well as a cultural encounter with the Batwa pygmies community. The tour starts in Uganda with a game drive in Murchison Falls national park and ends in Rwanda with chimpanzee tracking and a canopy walk in Nyungwe national park.
Trip Summary – 13 Days Uganda-Rwanda Safari
Day 1: Arrival & transfer to Murchison falls national park.
Day 2: Game viewing and launch trip.
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale forest national park
Day 4: Chimp trekking in Kibale Forest- Queen Elizabeth National park
Day 5: Game drives & kazinga channel launch cruise
Day 6: Ishasha game drives- Bwindi forest national park
Day 7: Mountain gorilla trekking – Batwa communities
Day 8: Transfer to Rwanda & Kigali city tour
Day 9: Mountain gorilla trekking and Ibyiwacu cultural village.
Day 10: Transfer to Nyungwe forest national park
Day 11: Chimpanzee trekking
Day 12: canopy walk and nature walks
Day 13: Departure
We can substitute Lake Mburo national park with a visit to Jinja city, see the source of River Nile, Bijagali Falls, Mabira forest and Sezibwa Falls among others. There great opportunities of White water rafting, Quad Biking, horse Riding Arcrobatics and cultural performances.
Detailed Itinerary – 13 Days Uganda-Rwanda Safari
Day 1: Arrival & transfer to Murchison Falls National Park.
Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by our driver guide who will transfer you to Murchison falls national park via the luwero triangle town. You will have a stop over at Zziwa rhino sanctuary a home to the orphaned rhinos alongside spectacular views of lake Kyoga with lunch en-route in Nakasongora. You may travel to the top of the Nile and wander at the lovely site of the beautiful Murchison falls. Dinner and overnight at Paraa safari lodge/Red chilli rest camp, Nile safari camp.
Day 2: Game viewing and launch trip.
After the morning breakfast, you will transfer to the delta circuit where you will have a spectacular views of the beautiful acacia savanna vegetation, Jackson’s hartebeest, Uganda Kobs, lions, waterbuck, buffalos, oribi, elephants and baboons browsing in the lovely savanna grasses. In the afternoon, you will drive to the bottom of the falls for launch cruise providing you with great views of various bird species such as Abyssinian ground hornbill, grey crowned crested crane, African fish eagle, goliath heron, malachite kingfisher and shoebill stork along side water animals such as Hippos, crocodiles and waterbucks among others. Dinner and overnight at the lodge (Day1).
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale forest national park
You will have a morning breakfast and then transfer to kibale forest national park. This will will take you approximately 7-8 hours with lunch en-route. Reach kibale in the evening and go for Dinner and overnight at Crater Safari Lodge/ Primates Lodge/Kibale Forest Camp.
Day 4: Chimp trekking in Kibale Forest & transfer to Queen Elizabeth National park
Wake up early, have breakfast and then transfer to the national park headquarters for briefing before trekking. At 8:30am, transfer to the starting point for trekking trails and then hike into the forest searching for the chimpanzees. Trekking time will vary between 30 minutes to 6 hours depending on the movements of the chimpanzees and where they slept the previous night. Besides the chimpanzees, you will also encounter other animals like grey checked mangabey, L’Hoest monkey, red-tailed monkey and vervet monkeys among others. You will then return to the park for refreshing and then in the evening transfer to Queen elizabeth national park. Dinner and overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge/Katara Lodge/Enganzi Lodge.
Day 5: Game drives & kazinga channel launch cruise
You will wake up very and at 6:00am drive to the open savannah grasses for game viewing. There you will see a variety of animals such as herds of elephants, buffalos, impalas, warthogs, waterbucks, antelopes, topis and Uganda kobs, lions and leopards browsing in the park. The game drive will then return to the lodge for late breakfast and them rest waiting for hot lunch. after lunch at 2:00pm, transfer to Kazinga channel for a launch cruise. the channel connects lakes Edward and George and will provide you with a clear view of various birds such as ibises, yellow billed stalk, Hammer-kop, African fish eagle, and African kingfisher alongside animals such as buffalos, elephants, crocodiles and Hippos on the water shores. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge (Day 4).
Day 6: Ishasha game drives- Bwindi forest national park
Have a morning breakfast, check out from the lodge and then drive to the ishasha southern sector of the national park a home to the tree climbing lions. You will have a stop over at Savannah hotel for lunch and then proceed to Bwindi forest national park reaching in the early evening. Dinner and overnight at mahogany springs lodge/Bwindi Gorilla forest camp/Bakiga lodge/ Gorilla mist lodge.
Day 7: Mountain gorilla trekking – Batwa communities
After a very early morning breakfast, transfer to the national park headquarters for briefing about gorilla trekking. At 2:30am, you will hike into the jingle following specific trails depending on the allocated mountain gorilla family. Trekking time will depend on the movements of the gorillas and where they slept the previous night. After meeting the gorillas, you will spend an hour observing their characters and taking photographs after which you will drive back to the lodge.
In the evening, you may visit the Batwa local communities who will tell you more about their traditional forest life. Dinner and overnight at the lodge (Day 6).
Day 8: Transfer to Rwanda & Kigali city tour.
You will have a morning breakfast and then transfer to Rwanda which will take you roughly 3 hours via Kisoro Chanika border. On reaching Kigali, you will do a city tour to various tourism sites in the city such as the Kigali genocide memorial centre, presidential palace and the kigali convention centre among others having lunch at Frame tree village. Later, you will then proceed to Volcanoes national park for dinner and overnight at Mountain gorilla view lodge/Da Vinci Gorilla lodge/ Gorilla solution Lodge.
Day 9: Mountain gorilla trekking and Ibyiwacu cultural village.
Early in the morning, have breakfast and transfer to volcanoes national park headquarters in kinigi for a simple briefing about gorilla trekking by the park rangers. From there, hike into the forest in follow of the allocated gorilla family with which you will spend an hour but although you spend an hour with the gorillas, the time to spend in the forest varies depending on the movements of the gorillas and where they slept the previous night. After trekking, go back to the lodge for refreshment. In the evening, you will transfer to Ibyiwacu cultural village where you will be introduced to Rwanda culture in form of traditional dances, songs and poems. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge (Day 9).
Day 10: Transfer to Nyungwe forest national park
After the morning breakfast, check out of the lodge and then transfer to Nyungwe forest national park with lunch en-route. The whole drive will take you roughly nine hours reaching the lodge in the evening. Dinner and overnight at Nyungwe forest lodge/Nyungwe top view lodge/Gisakura guest house.
Day 11: Chimpanzee trekking
You will have early morning breakfast and then transfer to the park headquarters for briefing about chimpanzee trekking. You will then get into the forest in follow of the chimpanzees with which you will spend an hour. You will also encounter other animals such as elephants, monkeys and bird species among others. In the evening, you may go a community walk. Dinner and overnight at the lodge (Day 10).
Day 12: canopy walk and nature walks
After breakfast, you will go for canopy walk which will provide you with aerial view of the entire national park and wildlife and then go back to the lodge for lunch and relief.In the evening, you will go or nature walks where you will follow different trails in the forest leading to different sites in the forest. You will enjoy the fresh air in the forest together with the sweet sounds of birds singing up in the trees. Dinner and overnight at the lodge (Day 11).
Day 13: Departure
Have morning breakfast and drive to kigali for the return flight.
End of the tour
Inclusions in this safari
• Gorilla Permits
• Park Entrance Fees
• Relevant Government Taxes
• Full Board Accommodation
• Full-time English speaking Driver/Guide
• Ground Transportation by a 4×4 safari vehicle
• Airport transfer, as long as your flight is on the same day on which the safari ends.
Tour Exclusions:
• Airfares
• Visa Fees
• Personal Insurance
• Expenses of personal nature such as; drinks, tips, laundry, telephone, cigarettes, accommodation & meals not indicated in the itinerary and optional activities.
For travel inquiries and bookings, contact our travel consultants through +256-705487517 or +256-776107004. Alternatively, send us an email at
