11 Day Uganda & Rwanda Primates and Wildlife Safari

Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, you’ll be warmly welcomed by your professional safari guide and transferred to your hotel in Kigali. Depending on your arrival time, you may enjoy a relaxed introduction to the city, including visits to key landmarks such as the Kigali Genocide Memorial and local craft markets.

This first day allows you to ease into the journey, recover from travel, and begin connecting with the rich history and culture of Rwanda. The clean streets, rolling hills, and vibrant atmosphere of Kigali offer a gentle and meaningful start to your safari experience.

After breakfast, set out for a guided Kigali city tour, giving you deeper insight into Rwanda’s history, resilience, and culture. You’ll visit local markets, art centers, and historical sites before beginning your scenic drive north to Volcanoes National Park (approximately 2.5–3 hours).

The journey is incredibly picturesque, winding through Rwanda’s famous “land of a thousand hills,” with terraced farmland, banana plantations, and rural villages lining the route.

Arrive at your lodge in the afternoon, nestled at the foothills of the Virunga Volcanoes. Spend the evening relaxing in the cool mountain air as you prepare for your first gorilla trekking adventure.

Today is one of the most anticipated highlights of your safari—gorilla trekking in Rwanda. After an early breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters for a detailed briefing from expert rangers.

You’ll then venture into the forest in small groups, guided by trackers who follow the movements of habituated gorilla families. The trek can take anywhere from 1 to 5 hours depending on the gorillas’ location, moving through bamboo forests, volcanic slopes and dense vegetation.

Once you find the gorillas, you’ll spend one magical hour observing them up close—watching their interactions, feeding habits, and family dynamics. It’s an intimate and emotional wildlife encounter that few experiences can match.

After the trek, return to your lodge for rest. Optional activities include visiting the Dian Fossey Research Center or enjoying Golden Monkey trekking.

After breakfast, cross into Uganda via the Cyanika border and continue to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (approximately 4–5 hours).

This scenic drive offers incredible views of the Virunga ranges, terraced hillsides, and rural communities. As you approach Bwindi, the landscape becomes increasingly lush and dramatic, with dense rainforest covering the hills.

Arrive at your lodge in the afternoon, located on the edge of one of Africa’s oldest rainforests. Spend the evening relaxing, listening to forest sounds, and preparing for another extraordinary gorilla encounter.

Today brings another extraordinary highlight of your safari—your second gorilla trekking experience, this time within the ancient and biodiverse rainforest of Bwindi. Known for its dense vegetation and rugged terrain, Bwindi offers a more immersive and adventurous trekking environment compared to other gorilla habitats.

After an early breakfast, you will transfer to the park headquarters for a comprehensive briefing led by experienced rangers from the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Here, you’ll learn about gorilla behavior, trekking etiquette, and safety guidelines before being assigned to a habituated gorilla family.

The trek itself can take anywhere between 2 to 6 hours, depending on the location and movement of the gorillas. As you hike through steep forest trails, thick vines, and mist-covered slopes, your guide will enrich the experience by pointing out unique plant species, colorful birds, and other primates that inhabit the forest.

When you finally encounter the gorillas, you’ll spend one unforgettable hour in their presence. Watch as mothers nurture their young, juveniles play energetically, and the powerful silverback calmly oversees the group. This close interaction is both emotional and humbling, often described as one of the most powerful wildlife experiences in the world.

After the trek, return to your lodge for relaxation and reflection. In the afternoon, you may opt for a Batwa cultural experience or a guided nature walk to explore more of Bwindi’s ecological richness.

After breakfast, begin your scenic journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park, a drive of approximately 4–5 hours that offers constantly changing landscapes and rich photographic opportunities.

The route takes you through the Ishasha sector, a remote and less-visited area of the park famous for its rare tree-climbing lions. Unlike most lions, these unique predators often rest in large fig trees, providing a fascinating and unusual wildlife sighting. Your guide will carefully scan the trees and open plains to increase your chances of spotting them.

As you continue northward, enjoy views of rolling savannah, crater lakes, and rural Ugandan life unfolding along the roadside. You may also encounter elephants, buffaloes, and antelopes even before reaching your lodge.

Arrive at your lodge in the afternoon, where you can unwind and take in sweeping views of the savannah landscape. As the sun sets, the park comes alive with distant wildlife sounds, creating a truly authentic safari atmosphere.

Begin your day early with a sunrise game drive in the Kasenyi Plains, widely regarded as one of the best wildlife viewing areas in Uganda. The early morning hours are ideal for spotting predators such as lions and hyenas, often seen returning from a night hunt or preparing for the day ahead.

You’ll also encounter herds of elephants, buffaloes, and Uganda kobs grazing across the golden savannah. The soft morning light creates perfect conditions for photography, making this one of the most rewarding game drives of your safari.

After returning to the lodge for lunch and some relaxation, head out for an afternoon boat cruise along the famous Kazinga Channel. This natural waterway connects Lake Edward and Lake George and hosts one of the highest concentrations of wildlife in Africa.

As you cruise slowly along the channel, you’ll witness large pods of hippos, Nile crocodiles basking along the banks, and elephants cooling off at the water’s edge. Birdlife is equally spectacular, with species such as African fish eagles, kingfishers, pelicans, and herons frequently spotted.

Return to your lodge in the evening, where you can relax and reflect on a day filled with diverse wildlife encounters.

Start your day with another morning game drive, offering a final opportunity to explore the rich ecosystems of Queen Elizabeth National Park. This drive allows you to spot wildlife you may have missed earlier, including elusive predators, large mammals, and a variety of bird species.

After breakfast and check-out, begin your journey to Kibale Forest National Park (approximately 5–6 hours). The drive is incredibly scenic, passing through crater lakes, tea plantations, and rolling hills that gradually transition from savannah to lush tropical rainforest.

Along the way, you may stop for photography or short breaks to take in the views and local life.

Arrive at your lodge in the evening, surrounded by dense forest and the sounds of nature. This peaceful setting marks your transition from savannah wildlife to primate-rich rainforest environments.

Today is dedicated to chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest, one of Africa’s premier primate experiences. After breakfast, head to the park headquarters for a briefing before entering the forest with expert guides.

The trek typically lasts between 2 to 4 hours, as you follow vocalizations and movement patterns to locate the chimpanzees. Once found, you’ll spend one hour observing them in their natural habitat—watching them groom, forage, communicate, and move through the forest canopy.

Kibale is home to over 13 primate species, so you may also encounter red colobus monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, and black-and-white colobus monkeys along the way.

After lunch, visit the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for a guided nature walk. This community-run conservation project is a haven for birdlife and offers excellent opportunities to see additional primates and learn about local conservation efforts.

Return to your lodge in the evening for relaxation.

After breakfast, begin your journey to Murchison Falls National Park, a scenic drive of approximately 6–7 hours through Uganda’s heartland.

The route takes you past vibrant local villages, farmlands, and open countryside, offering insight into daily life in rural Uganda. There will be stops along the way for lunch, refreshments, and photography.

Arrive in the late afternoon or early evening and check in at your lodge, located near the Nile River. Enjoy a relaxed evening as you prepare for the exciting wildlife experiences ahead.

Start your day with an early morning game drive in the northern sector of the park, known for its rich wildlife populations.

Here, you’ll encounter giraffes, elephants, buffaloes, hartebeests, and possibly predators such as lions and leopards. The open savannah landscape allows for excellent visibility and rewarding wildlife sightings.

After returning to the lodge for brunch or lunch, head out for a boat cruise along the Nile River toward the base of the iconic Murchison Falls.

This cruise is one of the highlights of the park, offering close-up views of hippos, crocodiles, and a wide variety of bird species. As you approach the falls, you’ll witness the dramatic sight of the Nile squeezing through a narrow gorge before plunging powerfully below—a truly unforgettable natural spectacle.

Return to your lodge in the evening.

After breakfast, begin your return journey to Entebbe (approximately 6–7 hours).

Along the way, you may opt for a stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, the only place in Uganda where you can track wild rhinos on foot. This optional experience adds a final unique wildlife encounter to your safari.

Continue to Entebbe, arriving in time for your departure flight.

As your journey comes to an end, you’ll leave with unforgettable memories of gorilla trekking, chimpanzee tracking, and classic wildlife safari experiences across East Africa.