18 Day Uganda Rwanda Gorilla and Wildlife Safari
This 18 day Uganda Rwanda safari is a complete cross-border journey for travellers who want primates, wildlife, adventure, lakes, forests and cultural experiences in one route. The safari starts in Entebbe, travels through Uganda’s major safari regions, then continues into Rwanda and ends in Kigali. In Uganda, the route includes Jinja, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Murchison Falls National Park, Kibale Forest, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Lake Bunyonyi. In Rwanda, the safari continues to Volcanoes National Park, Lake Kivu, Nyungwe Forest National Park and Kigali. The route combines white water rafting, rhino tracking, game drives, Nile and Kazinga Channel boat cruises, chimpanzee trekking, gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda, golden monkey tracking, Batwa culture, Lake Kivu and Nyungwe Forest walks. This itinerary works well for travellers who want a longer East Africa safari with strong variety, practical pacing and a clear start-to-finish route across Uganda and Rwanda.
Safari highlights
Source of the Nile boat experience in Jinja
White water rafting on the Nile
Rhino tracking at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Murchison Falls game drive and Nile boat cruise
Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park
Kazinga Channel boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Batwa cultural experience and Lake Bunyonyi boat ride
Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Golden monkey tracking in Volcanoes
Lake Kivu boat trip in Gisenyi
Nyungwe canopy walk and Isumo waterfall forest walk
Kigali is the endpoint in Rwanda.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1, Arrival in Entebbe and Overnight in Kampala or Entebbe
On arrival at Entebbe International Airport, your driver guide will welcome you and transfer you to your hotel in Entebbe or Kampala. This day is kept light to allow time for arrival, rest and a short safari briefing. Depending on your flight time, meals can be arranged at the hotel. Accommodation options: Luxury option Sheraton Kampala Hotel, Mid-range option Fairway Hotel, Budget option Forest Cottages.
Day 2, Jinja Source of the Nile Tour and Lake Victoria Boat Trip
After breakfast, meet your safari driver guide and transfer to Jinja in eastern Uganda. The drive takes about 2 to 3 hours, depending on traffic. On arrival, check in at your hotel and have lunch. In the afternoon, visit the Source of the Nile and take a boat trip on Lake Victoria. This gives you a relaxed start to the safari before the more active rafting day. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay. Accommodation options: Luxury option Jinja Nile Resort, Mid-range option 2 Friends Jinja Guesthouse
Day 3, White Water Rafting on the Nile and Return to Kampala
After an early breakfast, check out and transfer to the rafting base for your white water rafting experience on the Nile. You will receive a safety briefing from the rafting team and be provided with rafting gear before starting the activity. The rafting level can be adjusted depending on experience, water conditions and operator guidance. This is usually a full-day activity with lunch included. After rafting, return to Kampala for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4, Ziwa Rhino Tracking and Transfer to Murchison Falls
After an early breakfast, drive north towards Murchison Falls National Park. Stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking on foot. The activity usually takes about 2 to 3 hours, depending on where the rhinos are located. After lunch en route, continue to Murchison Falls National Park through Kichumbanyobo Gate. Visit the top of Murchison Falls, where the Nile forces through a narrow gorge before dropping into the river below. Continue to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay. Accommodation options: Luxury option Nile Safari Lodge, Mid-range option Pakuba Safari Lodge, Budget option Tilenga Safari Lodge
Day 5, Murchison Falls Game Drive and Nile Boat Cruise
After an early breakfast, go for a morning game drive in Murchison Falls National Park. Your guide will search for elephants, giraffes, lions, buffaloes, Uganda kob and other savannah wildlife. The morning hours are usually better for wildlife activity before the heat rises. Return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, take a Nile boat cruise towards the base of Murchison Falls. Along the riverbanks, you may see hippos, Nile crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes and water birds. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 6, Transfer to Kibale Forest and Bigodi Wetland Walk
After breakfast, leave Murchison Falls and travel southwest towards Kibale Forest National Park. This is a long scenic transfer through rural towns, farms and western Uganda landscapes, with lunch en route. In the afternoon, visit Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for a guided nature and community walk. Bigodi is known for birdlife, monkeys, wetland vegetation and local conservation work. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay at Chimpanzee Forest Lodge for mid-range, Chimpundu Lodge for luxury, Isunga Lodge for budget
Day 7, Kibale Chimpanzee Trekking and Transfer to Queen Elizabeth
After breakfast, transfer to Kanyanchu Visitor Centre for chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest. After briefing, enter the forest with ranger guides to search for a habituated chimpanzee community. The trek can take 2 to 4 hours depending on where the chimpanzees are moving or feeding. Once located, you spend one hour observing them as they feed, call, groom and move through the forest. After the trek, have lunch and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park for dinner and overnight stay at Buffalo Safari Lodge, Elephant Hub Lodge for mid-range, Elephant Plains Lodge for luxury
Day 8, Queen Elizabeth Game Drive and Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise
After an early breakfast, go for a morning game drive in the Kasenyi plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park. This area is known for Uganda kob, lions, elephants, buffaloes and other savannah wildlife. In the afternoon, take a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, which connects Lake George and Lake Edward. During the cruise, you may see hippos, crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes and many water birds along the shores. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 9, Ishasha Tree Climbing Lions and Transfer to Bwindi
After breakfast, check out and drive through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Ishasha is known for tree-climbing lions, often seen resting in fig trees during the heat of the day. Sightings are not guaranteed, but the sector offers a different wildlife experience from the northern part of Queen Elizabeth. After the game drive, continue to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and transfer to the sector assigned for your gorilla permit. Dinner and overnight stay near Bwindi. Accommodation options: Luxury option Mahogany Springs Lodge, Mid-range option Buhoma Haven Lodge or Buhoma Community Haven Lodge, Budget option Buhoma Community Rest Camp
Day 10, Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
After breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters for your gorilla trekking briefing. Rangers will explain trekking rules, safety guidance, group allocation and what to expect in the forest. The trek can take 2 to 8 hours depending on the location of the gorillas, terrain and forest conditions. Once the gorillas are located, you spend one hour observing them. You may see a silverback, mothers with infants, juveniles playing and family members feeding or resting. After the trek, return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 11, Batwa Cultural Experience and Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
After breakfast, take part in a Batwa cultural experience near Bwindi. This visit introduces Batwa forest heritage, traditional stories, music, dance and survival knowledge connected to the forest landscape. After the cultural experience, return to the lodge for lunch, then transfer to Lake Bunyonyi in the Kabale region. In the evening, take a boat ride on Lake Bunyonyi to see the islands and surrounding hills. Dinner and overnight stay at your lodge. Accommodation options: Luxury or upper mid-range option, Birdnest Resort Lake Bunyonyi, Mid-range option Arcadia Cottages Lake Bunyonyi, Budget option Bunyonyi Overland Resort
Day 12, Cross into Rwanda and Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
After breakfast, begin the transfer from Lake Bunyonyi to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. The route passes through the highlands of southwestern Uganda before crossing into Rwanda. After border formalities, continue through Rwanda’s rolling hills towards Musanze, near Volcanoes National Park. If time allows, visit the Twin Lakes of Burera and Ruhondo before continuing to your lodge. Dinner and overnight stay near Volcanoes National Park at Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge for mid-range, 5 Volcanoes Gorilla Lodge for luxury
Day 13, Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park
After breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters for gorilla trekking briefing in Volcanoes National Park. Rangers will assign groups, explain trekking rules and brief you on the Virunga terrain. The trek can take 2 to 8 hours depending on the gorilla family’s location. Once the gorillas are located, you spend one hour observing them under ranger guidance. Return to the lodge for lunch and relaxation. Dinner and overnight stay near Volcanoes National Park.
Day 14, Golden Monkey Tracking and Rwanda Cultural Experience
After breakfast, return to the park headquarters for a golden monkey tracking briefing. You will enter the forest with guides to search for golden monkeys, which are found in the bamboo areas of Volcanoes National Park. The activity can take 1 to 5 hours depending on movement and conditions. Once found, you spend time observing their feeding, movement and social behaviour. In the afternoon, visit a Rwanda cultural village experience near Musanze, where you learn about traditional dance, local history and community life. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 15, Lake Kivu Boat Trip and Gisenyi Stay
After breakfast, transfer to Gisenyi on the shores of Lake Kivu. On arrival, take a boat trip on Lake Kivu to visit nearby islands and enjoy the lakeside scenery. The rest of the afternoon is kept at leisure so you can relax after the primate trekking days. Dinner and overnight stay in Gisenyi. Accommodation options: Luxury option Lake Kivu Serena Hotel, Mid-range option Kivu Gorilla Lodge
Day 16, Transfer to Nyungwe Forest and Canopy Walk
After breakfast, transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park. The drive takes about 5 hours, with views of Rwanda’s rolling hills and Lake Kivu along parts of the route. Arrive in time for lunch and check in at your lodge. In the afternoon, take the Nyungwe canopy walk, a suspended forest walkway that gives views over the rainforest canopy. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 17, Isumo Waterfall Walk in Nyungwe Forest
After breakfast, return to Nyungwe Forest for the Isumo waterfall walk. This guided trail takes you through rainforest, ferns, birdlife and sections of highland vegetation before reaching the waterfall. The walk adds a slower forest experience after the canopy activity. Return to the lodge for lunch and spend the afternoon relaxing. Dinner and overnight stay at your lodge.
Day 18, Transfer to Kigali and Departure
After breakfast, check out and begin the journey to Kigali. Depending on your flight time, you may stop at the Ethnographic Museum in Butare and have lunch en route. On arrival in Kigali, your driver guide will transfer you to Kigali International Airport for your onward flight. For same-day international departures, choose an evening flight to allow enough time for the transfer from Nyungwe.
Inclusions and exclusions
Inclusions
Private 4×4 safari vehicle and fuel
English-speaking driver-guide
Accommodation as per the selected category
Meals as specified in the itinerary
White water rafting activity
Park entry fees were applicable
Murchison Falls boat cruise
Kibale chimpanzee trekking permit
Queen Elizabeth game drives and Kazinga Channel boat cruise
Bwindi gorilla trekking permit
Volcanoes gorilla trekking permit
Golden monkey permit
Lake Kivu boat trip
Nyungwe canopy walk
Bottled drinking water in the vehicle
Exclusions
International flights
Uganda and Rwanda visa fees
Travel insurance
Personal expenses
Drinks not included with meals
Tips and gratuities
Optional activities not clearly listed in the itinerary
