The 15 Days Rwanda-Uganda safari offers some of the best wildlife, primate, adventure and cultural experiences in the two countries. Gorilla tracking is the highlight of this safari and the tour provides an opportunity to enjoy a double gorilla trek, one in Rwanda and another in Uganda.
Other amazing experiences featured in this comprehensive tour include game drives, chimpanzee tracking, golden monkey tracking, nature walks, cultural experiences and more. This 15 Days Rwanda-Uganda safari is a proposed itinerary that can be customised according to the visitor’s interests, budget and available travel time. The tour can also start from either country depending on your preference.
Safari Highlights
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrabele national park
Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park
Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe national park
Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale national park
Golden monkey tracking in Volcanoes national park
Game drive in Queen Elizabeth national park
Boat cruise on Kazinga Channel
Game drive in Murchison Falls national park
Nature walk in Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary
Boat cruise on the Nile
Top of the Falls experience in Murchison falls national park
Kigali city tour
Canopy walk in Nyungwe national park
Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village
Trip Summary
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali & city tour
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe national park
Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking & canopy walk
Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes national park
Day 5: Gorilla trekking & cultural experience
Day 6: Golden monkey trekking & cross into Uganda
Day 7: Second gorilla trekking in Bwindi
Day 8: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 9: Game drives & Kazinga Channel boat cruise
Day 10: Transfer to Kibale national park
Day 11: Chimpanzee tracking & Bigodi Wetland walk
Day 12: Transfer to Murchison falls national park
Day 13: Game drive & boat cruise on the Nile
Day 14: Top of the falls & transfer to Kampala/Entebbe
Day 15: Departure
Detailed itinerary – 15 Days Rwanda-Uganda safari
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali and city tour
Arrive at Kigali International Airport (KGL) and meet your driver guide for a transfer to your hotel. After checking in and relaxing, embark on a city tour around Kigali and checkout some of the city’s key sites. These include the poignant Kigali Genocide Memorial where you can pay tribute to the victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi and also learn about the country’s history and resilience. Other commonly visited sites around Kigali include Kimironko local market and the Inema Arts Centre for souvenir shopping.
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe national park
After breakfast, begin a scenic drive southwest to Nyungwe national park, home to 13 primate species. The offers stunning views of the lush countryside and terraced hills. Check into your lodge and relax or you can even take a guided walk around depending on your arrival time as you prepare for the next day activities.
Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk
Take early breakfast and transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing on chimpanzee tracking. Enter the Nyungwe forest looking for a community of habituated chimps led by a team of experienced guides. Spend a full hour in the presence of these intelligent primates observing how they go about their routine in their natural habitat. Return to your lodge after the experience for lunch and relaxation. In the afternoon, enjoy the breathtaking canopy walk, a suspended bridge which offers stunning aerial views of the forest canopy, wildlife and the surrounding areas.
Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes national park
Enjoy a relaxed morning in Nyungwe before transferring to Volcanoes national park in the northwest of Rwanda. This long journey offers scenic views including plantations, rolling hills and the local community. You may also have a brief stopover along the way for some cultural experience. Arrive and check into your lodge near Volcanoes national park and enjoy your dinner and overnight as you prepare for the gorilla trekking encounter in the morning.
Day 5: Gorilla trekking
This is the highlight of your Rwanda adventure! After early breakfast, head to the park headquarters at Kinigi and join other visitors for a briefing on gorilla trekking. You will also be divided into small groups and assigned a gorilla family to track (8 trekkers per gorilla family). Enter the forest to look for your assigned gorilla group led by a team of experienced guides and rangers.
The duration for this trek may vary from 1-6 hours depending on the location and movement of gorillas. Once you find them, you will forget the long trek during the magical you spend before these magnificent primates. Observe how they amazingly live in their natural habitat as you take their pictures (no flash) for your future memories. Return to your lodge after the breathtaking experience to relax and refresh.
Day 6: Golden monkey trekking and cross into Uganda
Enjoy another primate experience in Volcanoes national park by visiting the endangered golden monkeys on your final day in Rwanda. Golden monkey trekking is shorter and less strenuous than gorilla trekking. Meet these vibrant and playful primates in the bamboo forests of the park and spend a full hour in their presence. Return to your lodge for dinner and relaxation. In the afternoon, drive to the border and cross into Uganda. Head to Bwindi impenetrable national park, check into your lodge and get ready for your second gorilla trekking experience the following day.
Day 7: Second gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi
Enjoy a second gorilla trekking experience this time in Uganda’s Bwindi impenetrable national park, home to half of the world’s mountain gorillas. The terrain in Bwindi is a bit different from that of Rwanda and the trekking time may be a bit longer but no doubt you will enjoy this breathtaking encounter once you meet the gorillas. After the experience, return to the park headquarters and collect your gorilla tracking certificate before transferring back to your lodge.
Day 8: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
After your breakfast, drive to Queen Elizabeth national park, and enjoy some scenic views along the way. These include the rolling hills of Kigezi Highlands, the snow-capped peaks of the Rwenzori mountains and the local communities. Enter the park via the Ishasha sector for a chance to spot the famous tree-climbing lions on the way to your lodge.
Day 9: Game drive and Kazinga Channel boat cruise
Enjoy a morning game drive in the Kasenyi plains, where you can spot lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants, and a variety of antelope species. In the afternoon, go for a relaxing boat cruise along Kazinga Channel that connects Lake George and Lake Edward. While on the cruise, meet large concentrations of hippos, crocodiles as well as diverse birdlife.
Day 10: Transfer to Kibale national park
After breakfast, transfer to Kibale national park, popularly known as the “Primate capital of the world.” The journey offers stunning views of several crater lakes, tea plantations and local communities.
Day 11: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi Wetland walk
After briefing, enter the Kibale forest jungle to look for chimpanzee communities. Spend a full hour in the presence of these intelligent primates observing how they live and interact in their natural habitat. In the afternoon, go for a guided nature walk in Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, a community initiative known for conservation of several primate and bird species.
Day 12: Transfer to Murchison falls national park
After breakfast, embark on a long drive to Murchison falls national park, Uganda’s largest wildlife reserve. This journey offers stunning views of Uganda’s countryside featuring the Rift valley, rolling hills, plantations and local communities.
Day 13: Game drive and boat cruise on the Nile
Enjoy an early morning game drive in the northern bank of the Nile. Look out for giraffes, lions, elephants, buffaloes, zebras and a variety of antelope species. In the afternoon after relaxing, take a boat cruise up the Nile River to the bottom of the magnificent Murchison Falls. Watch the Nile squeezing through a 7-meter-wide gorge in a spectacular fashion.
Day 14: Top of the Falls and transfer to Entebbe
Enjoy a relaxed morning at your accommodation and later embark on a hike to the top of Murchison Falls for a different experience of the powerful waterfall. Start a long drive to Kampala or Entebbe to prepare for your departure flight. Depending on time and your interest, you may have a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a rhino tracking experience. Arrive and check into your hotel in Kamapla or Entebbe for an overnight stay.
Day 15: Departure
Transfer to Entebbe International Airport for your departure flight. Depending on your flight schedule, you can enjoy a final relaxed morning at your accommodation of go for a brief city tour and souvenir shopping before heading to the airport.
Important considerations for the 15 Days Rwanda-Uganda safari
Gorilla permits and chimpanzee permits should be booked and secured at least 6 months in advance through a credible tour operator. Rwanda’s gorilla permit cost $1,500 per person while a chimpanzee permit cost $250 per person. A golden monkey permit is sold at $100 per person. In Uganda, the gorilla permit is sold at $800 person while the chimpanzee permit is sold at $250 per person.
The best season for gorilla tracking and other wildlife safaris in Rwanda is the dry period between June to September and December to February. This is because the trails are drier and easier to trek while gorillas also tend to move freely in the forest hence easy to find. However, gorilla trekking tours and other wildlife safaris in Rwanda take place throughout the year. Note that it can also rain at any time, especially in the montane rainforests of Volcanoes national park hence the need to carry the relevant gear.
Your tour operator will also cater for your transport, accommodation and guiding services. Ensure to communicate to your operator in case you have any health concerns that may require special attention.
Some of the most important gear to pack for a gorilla trekking tour in Rwanda include sturdy hiking boots, long trousers, long-sleeved shirts, gardening gloves, and a camera with extra batteries. Gorilla trekking can be physically demanding and therefore you need a reasonable level of fitness to hike through dense montane rainforests. The minimum age allowed for gorilla tracking in both Uganda and Rwanda is 15 years.