Best of Rwanda & Uganda Safari
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Duration
Tour Type
Overview
Safari Overview
This slow-paced journey blends classic savannah safaris, primate trekking, epic waterfalls, crater lakes, cultural villages, and scenic boat cruises all while traveling overland through the region’s most spectacular landscapes. It’s perfect for nature lovers who want the ultimate Rwanda-Uganda adventure in one epic trip.
Safari Highlights
- Kigali city tour and Genocide Memorial
- Akagera National Park game drives & Lake Ihema boat safari
- Chimpanzee trekking & Canopy Walk in Nyungwe Forest
- Lake Kivu relaxation & coffee tour
- Gorilla trekking & Golden Monkey trekking in Volcanoes NP
- Cultural village experiences in Rwanda & Uganda
- Bwindi gorilla trekking on Uganda side for double experience
- Lake Bunyonyi canoeing and island tours
- Game drives & boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Tree-climbing lions in Ishasha
- Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest
- Big Five game drives in Murchison Falls National Park
- Boat cruise to the bottom of the falls and hike to the top
- Rhino tracking at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Included/Exclude
- Private 4x4 safari vehicle and professional English-speaking guide
- Airport transfers in Kigali and Entebbe
- All park entrance fees and activities listed
- 2 Gorilla trekking permits (1 in Rwanda, 1 in Uganda)
- Chimpanzee trekking permits in Nyungwe & Kibale
- Golden Monkey permit or Dian Fossey hike
- Boat safaris and cultural visits
- Rhino tracking at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
- Accommodation and meals as indicated
- Bottled drinking water in the vehicle
- International flights
- Rwanda and Uganda visa fees (East Africa Tourist Visa recommended)
- Tips for guides, rangers, porters, and lodge staff
- Alcoholic drinks and personal expenses
- Optional activities not listed
Tour Plan
Arrive at Kigali International Airport. Meet your guide and transfer to your hotel. If time allows, do a guided city tour including the Kigali Genocide Memorial, local craft markets, and Nyamirambo neighborhood.
Accommodation: Hotel des Mille Collines / Heaven Boutique Hotel / Onomo Hotel Kigali
Meal Plan: Dinner
After breakfast, drive east to Akagera National Park. Enjoy an afternoon game drive in the savannah plains, spotting elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, and antelope.
Drive time: ~2.5 hours
Accommodation: Akagera Game Lodge / Ruzizi Tented Lodge / Karenge Bush Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Spend the day exploring Akagera’s rolling hills and lakeshores on morning and afternoon game drives. Look for lions, hyenas, leopards, hippos, crocodiles, and abundant birdlife.
Accommodation: Same lodge as above
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, take a relaxing boat cruise on Lake Ihema to see hippos, crocodiles, and water birds. Return to Kigali for an overnight stay.
Accommodation: Heaven Boutique Hotel / Hotel des Mille Collines / Onomo Hotel Kigali
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Depart Kigali after breakfast and head southwest through beautiful tea plantations and rolling hills. Visit the King’s Palace Museum in Nyanza and the Ethnographic Museum in Huye en route. Arrive in Nyungwe by evening.
Drive time: ~6–7 hours with stops
Accommodation: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel / One&Only Nyungwe House / Gisakura Guesthouse
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Start early for your chimpanzee trekking adventure in the lush Nyungwe rainforest. Later, visit a nearby tea estate or relax at your lodge.
Accommodation: Same lodge as above
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, enjoy Nyungwe’s famous Canopy Walk for a bird’s-eye view of the forest. Then hike the Isumo Waterfall Trail to see spectacular falls hidden deep in the forest.
Accommodation: Same lodge as above
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, drive north along the scenic Congo Nile Trail to Kibuye. Relax by the lake, take a sunset boat ride, or explore the town.
Drive time: ~4 hours
Accommodation: Cormoran Lodge / Moriah Hill Resort / Lake Kivu Serena Hotel (Gisenyi if you prefer)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
In the morning, enjoy a boat cruise to nearby islands and fishing villages. In the afternoon, visit a local coffee cooperative to see Rwanda’s specialty coffee from bean to cup.
Accommodation: Same lodge as above
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drive northeast through the terraced hills to Musanze. Check in at your lodge near Volcanoes National Park and prepare for gorilla trekking the next day.
Drive time: ~4–5 hours
Accommodation: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel / Mountain Gorilla View Lodge / Virunga Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today is a highlight! After an early breakfast and briefing, trek into the bamboo forest to find one of the habituated mountain gorilla families. Spend an unforgettable hour observing them.
Accommodation: Same lodge as above
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, trek to see the playful Golden Monkeys or choose a hike to the Dian Fossey Research Center ruins for insight into gorilla conservation.
Accommodation: Same lodge as above
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, cross the Cyanika border into Uganda and drive through the beautiful Kigezi Highlands to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Arrive at your lodge and relax.
Drive time: ~2–3 hours
Accommodation: Buhoma Haven Lodge / Mahogany Springs Lodge / Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Enjoy another magical gorilla trekking day in Bwindi to experience a different gorilla family or region of the park. Relax at the lodge afterward.
Accommodation: Same lodge as above
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, transfer to Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda’s “Lake of a Thousand Islands.” Spend the afternoon canoeing and exploring the islands.
Drive time: ~2–3 hours
Accommodation: Birdnest @ Bunyonyi Resort / Arcadia Cottages / Bunyonyi Overland Resort
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, drive north to Queen Elizabeth NP via the Ishasha Sector, famous for tree-climbing lions. Enjoy a game drive en route.
Drive time: ~4–5 hours
Accommodation: Ishasha Jungle Lodge / Enjojo Lodge / Mweya Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Enjoy a morning game drive on the Kasenyi Plains, looking for elephants, buffaloes, and lions. In the afternoon, take a boat safari on the Kazinga Channel watch for hippos, crocodiles, and abundant birdlife.
Accommodation: Same lodge as above
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Depart early for Entebbe. Stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for guided rhino tracking on foot. Continue to Entebbe for drop-off at the airport for your departure flight.
Drive time: ~8–9 hours
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch
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