12 Day Rwanda Uganda Budget Gorilla and Wildlife Safari
This 12-day Rwanda Uganda budget safari is designed for travellers who want gorilla trekking, wildlife viewing, and key primate experiences across two countries without moving into a high-cost luxury itinerary. The route begins in Uganda with Queen Elizabeth National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, then crosses into Rwanda for golden monkey tracking in Volcanoes National Park, a scenic stop at Lake Kivu, and chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest. Along the way, the safari also includes lion tracking, a Kazinga Channel boat cruise, cultural visits, and a canopy walk, giving the trip more variety than a simple gorilla package. It is best suited to travellers who want a longer East Africa experience at a more manageable accommodation level, while still covering some of the region’s best-known wildlife and primate destinations in one cross-border route.
Safari highlights
Lion tracking and game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Kazinga Channel boat cruise
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Golden monkey tracking in Volcanoes National Park
Twin Lakes visit in Rwanda
Boat trip on Lake Kivu
Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest
Nyungwe canopy walk
Cultural experience at Ibya Iwacu village
Kigali city and heritage visits, depending on timing.
Detailed itinerary
Day 1, Entebbe Arrival and Kampala Overnight
Depending on your time of arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be welcomed by our company representative, who will also be your safari driver guide. You will then drive to your booked accommodation in Kampala city, which is about a 45-minute drive from Entebbe airport. Proceed to check in at your hotel for dinner and overnight stay at Forest Cottages as a budget accommodation and meals (only Dinner)
Day 2, Queen Elizabeth National Park Transfer and Crater Lakes
Wake up to a delicious breakfast, after which meet your safari guide at your agreed time to set off to Queen Elizabeth National Park, the second largest wildlife national park in Uganda, located in the western part of the country, about a 6-7 hour drive from Kampala. You will have a break at the Equator to refresh and also have the equator experience, and later make another stop in Mbarara town for a lunch break. Continue your journey, arriving late afternoon; visit the exciting crater lakes before you proceed to check into your accommodation. Refresh and relax as you wait for your dinner. Accommodation stay at Pumba Safari Cottages as a budget lodge and meals are based on full board
Day 3, Queen Elizabeth Lion Tracking, Game Drive, and Kazinga Cruise
After an early morning breakfast, drive to the park entry to check in for your lion tracking and game drive experience in the Kasenyi area. Lion experience is an activity introduced in the park to widen opportunities for visitors to see the rare lions. During a normal game drive, lions are hardly spotted, so for a guaranteed opportunity, doing the lion experience is the best option. It takes about 2 hours, and after a normal game drive is done, commonly spotted animals during a game drive include: the Elephants, Cape buffaloes, Waterbucks, Warthogs, Uganda kobs, among others.
After your lunch, connect for an afternoon boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel. Taking a boat cruise is a great experience in this park, as many animals and birds can be seen. Some of the land animals include the elephants and buffalo on the water shores; there are a lot of hippos, crocodiles, and several water birds. The boat takes about 2 hours before you drive back to your lodge for a relaxation dinner and overnight stay. Meals are based on full board
Day 4, Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Safari Transfer via Ishasha
After breakfast, check out of the lodge and embark on your journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Out of the 4 gorilla trekking sectors of Bwindi forest, the Buhoma sector is the nearest sector to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The closest and most scenic route to use is driving via the Ishasha sector, despite the bad, bumpy road, which allows you to view the tree-climbing lions at close range with lunch en route. Continue to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – Buhoma sector and arrive at your accommodation early evening to check in for dinner and overnight stay at the Buhoma Community Rest Camp as a budget lodge, and meals are based on full board
Day 5, Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Experience
After an early morning breakfast, drive to the park headquarters where you will report for a briefing along with other trekkers and be allocated a gorilla family to trek. Thereafter, drive to the starting point where you enter the forest with the park rangers in search of the gorillas. Trekking may take about 2- 8 hours, depending on the movement of the gorilla in the wild. You will meet and stay with the gorillas for a maximum of one hour before you descend back to the starting point, where your driver will be waiting for you to return and relax at the lodge. Dinner and overnight stay at the Buhoma Community Rest Camp as above
Day 6, Volcanoes National Park Transfer and Twin Lakes Visit
After enjoying your breakfast, check out of the lodge; meet your guide to set off for Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. It’s about a 5-6-hour drive from the Buhoma sector to Musanze with en-route lunch in Kisoro town, which is the closest town to the Cyanika border in Uganda. The drive goes through the beautiful countryside and local homesteads with dramatic views of the Virunga Volcanoes. After crossing the border, proceed to Musanze and proceed to take a nature walk to the twin lakes or even take a canoe ride on one of the lakes. Thereafter, proceed to your accommodation for check-in. Dinner and overnight stay at Hotel Muhabura as a budget lodge, and meals are based on full board
Day 7, Golden Monkey Tracking and Rwanda Cultural Experience
After an early morning breakfast, drive to the park headquarters – Kinigi for a briefing about the expectations of the golden monkey trekking experience. Drive to the starting point with your ranger 
guides, not forgetting your packed water and the right trekking gear. Golden monkey trekking also provides views of other primates such as the black and white Colobus monkeys, Olive baboons, among others. On meeting the primates, you will spend an hour with them while taking pictures before you descend back to the starting point, where you will meet your safari driver waiting to take you back to the lodge, where you will have your late lunch.Later in the afternoon, connect to Ibya’ cuwa cultural village for a cultural experience of the Banyarwanda culture and tradition, and entertainment. Before nightfall, drive back to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay at Hotel Muhabura as above
Day 8, Lake Kivu Boat Trip and Kibuye Stay
After your breakfast, check out of your lodge and connect to Gisenyi to visit Lake Kivu – Rwanda’s freshwater lake shared with the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is a 2-hour drive to Gisenyi, and upon arrival, you will connect for a boat trip experience on the lake to visit some of the islands. This will last for about 2 hours, return for lunch in Gisenyi town before you continue to Kibuye with great views of the Virunga mountains. Proceed to check in your accommodation for a relaxation dinner and overnight stay at the Moriah Hill Resort, and meals based on full board
Day 9, Nyungwe Forest National Park Transfer
Wake up to a delicious breakfast of Rwanda cuisines, check out, and embark on your journey to Nyungwe Forest National Park – home of the chimpanzees and other primates. The drive is quite interesting through the local homesteads, the different hills of Rwanda, and the zigzag roads, which need good attention and a speed limit. It’s a 5-6 hour drive to Nyungwe, arriving at a good time for lunch at your lodge. Check out and spend the afternoon at leisure. Accommodation and meals at Gisakura Visitors Center for budget and meals are based on full board
Day 10, Nyungwe Chimpanzee Trekking and Canopy Walk
After breakfast, meet your safari guide to connect to the Nyungwe forest. Nyungwe is one of the largest rainforests in East Africa and habitat for 13 species of primates. You will meet for a briefing about the Chimpanzee trekking experience at the park headquarters. Chimpanzees in Nyungwe forest are semi-
habituated, quite a difficult spot; however, the rangers will ensure that you get to see the endangered chimpanzees. It will take about 2-5 hours to find the chimpanzees, and on finding them, you will be allowed to view them for an hour before you return to the starting point, where you will meet your guide, and then drive back to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, head for the canopy walk experience. The Nyungwe forest has the most outstanding canopy, which is a 70-meter suspended bridge that gives an aerial, perfect view of the forest. Walking along the canopy offers an opportunity to view some of the available primates and birds at the top. After the walk, meet your guide and drive back to your accommodation to relax, have dinner, and stay overnight.
Day 11, Kigali City Transfer and Cultural Sites
After breakfast, check out of the lodge and embark on your journey back to Kigali city with an en-route lunch and visit to the King’s palace and the ethnographic center, and learn about the history and culture of Rwanda. It is a 7-8-hour drive to Kigali from Nyungwe forest, including stopovers. Arrive in Kigali late afternoon. Depending on the time, you may visit the Kigali genocide memorial and Kimoronko market before you connect to your accommodation for dinner and overnight at Step town motel (Budget accommodation), and meals are based on full board
Day 12, Kigali Departure
Wake up at leisure, have breakfast, and if you missed a city tour activity on the previous day, go for it, and even more, depending on your travel schedule, since it is the last day of the safari. Later in the afternoon, you will be dropped off at Kigali International Airport for your onward flight back home.
Inclusions and exclusions
Inclusions
Private 4×4 safari vehicle and fuel
English-speaking driver-guide
Budget accommodation as per the itinerary
Meals as specified in the safari program
Park entry fees were applicable
Gorilla trekking permit in Bwindi
Golden monkey trekking permit in Volcanoes National Park
Nyungwe chimpanzee trekking permit
Nyungwe canopy walk fee
Bottled water in the safari vehicle
Exclusions
International flights
Uganda and Rwanda visa fees
Travel insurance
Personal expenses
Drinks not included with meals
Tips and gratuities
Optional activities not listed clearly in the itinerary
