Detailed 10 Days Rwanda Uganda Safari Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Kigali – Kigali City Tour

Welcome to Rwanda.

Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be welcomed by your professional safari guide and transferred to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, you will have the opportunity to explore Kigali, one of East Africa’s most attractive capital cities.

Your Kigali city tour may include a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial, an important place for understanding Rwanda’s history, followed by a drive through some of the city’s main neighborhoods.

You can also visit local craft shops and markets where you can see traditional Rwandan artwork and purchase souvenirs.

If your international flight arrives late, the city tour can instead be arranged on Day 2 before departing for Volcanoes National Park.

In the evening, return to your hotel, enjoy dinner and prepare for the exciting days ahead.

Accommodation: Kigali hotel
Destination: Kigali, Rwanda
Meals: Dinner

Day 2: Kigali – Volcanoes National Park

After breakfast, depart Kigali and drive north toward Volcanoes National Park. The journey takes you through the beautiful Rwandan countryside, with rolling green hills, cultivated slopes, villages and spectacular views. As you approach Musanze and Kinigi, the dramatic Virunga volcanoes become visible in the distance. Upon arrival, check into your lodge and enjoy lunch.

The afternoon is available for relaxation or an optional cultural experience. You may also visit a nearby community or enjoy views of the volcanoes surrounding the park. Volcanoes National Park is one of Rwanda’s most important wildlife destinations and is internationally renowned for mountain gorilla trekking and golden monkey tracking. Rwanda’s official tourism booking platform also lists mountain gorilla tracking and golden monkeys among its key Volcanoes experiences.

Accommodation: Lodge near Volcanoes National Park
Destination: Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 3: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park – Rwanda

Today is one of the major highlights of your 10 Days Rwanda Uganda Gorilla Safari. After an early breakfast, you will drive to the park headquarters for a briefing from the park authorities and ranger guides.

You will then begin your Rwanda gorilla trekking experience in the foothills of the Virunga Mountains. The trek can take several hours depending on the location of your assigned gorilla family. The terrain can be steep and the forest can be challenging, but the experience is exceptionally rewarding.

Once you locate your gorilla family, you will have the opportunity to observe these magnificent mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.

Watch as they feed, rest, interact, groom one another and care for their young. After the gorilla experience, trek back through the forest and meet your safari guide. Return to your lodge for lunch and spend the afternoon relaxing after your trek.

Accommodation: Lodge near Volcanoes National Park
Destination: Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Main Activity: Rwanda Gorilla Trekking

Day 4: Golden Monkey Trekking – Rwanda to Uganda – Bwindi

After breakfast, you have the option of undertaking golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park, subject to permit availability. Golden monkeys are one of the special primates of the Virunga region and provide a different wildlife experience from mountain gorilla trekking.

Alternatively, you can enjoy a cultural experience, nature walk or simply relax at the lodge. After the morning activity, depart Rwanda and begin your journey toward Uganda. You will cross the Rwanda-Uganda border and continue toward southwestern Uganda.

The drive takes you through beautiful highland landscapes, rural communities and agricultural areas before reaching the Bwindi region. Depending on your selected gorilla trekking sector, you will continue toward Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga or Nkuringo. Arrive at your lodge, check in and relax in preparation for the following day’s Uganda gorilla trekking experience.

Accommodation: Lodge near Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Destination: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 5: Uganda Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Today you experience another major highlight of your Rwanda Uganda Safari — mountain gorilla trekking in Uganda. After an early breakfast, proceed to the park headquarters for registration and briefing. Experienced ranger guides will explain the trekking rules and conservation guidelines before assigning you a gorilla family. You will then enter the ancient Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

The trek can take several hours depending on where the gorillas are located and the terrain you encounter. Bwindi’s dense vegetation, steep hills and mist-covered forest create a completely different atmosphere from Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. Once you find your gorilla family, enjoy an unforgettable encounter as you watch the gorillas interact naturally within the forest.

After the trek, return to the starting point and meet your guide. Transfer back to your lodge for lunch and relaxation. For travelers interested in experiencing mountain gorillas in both countries, combining Volcanoes National Park and Bwindi offers two distinct forest and landscape settings.

Accommodation: Lodge near Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Destination: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Main Activity: Uganda Gorilla Trekking

Day 6: Bwindi – Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, leave Bwindi and travel toward Queen Elizabeth National Park. The drive takes you through the spectacular landscapes of southwestern Uganda, with rolling hills, farms, forests and rural communities. Depending on the selected route, you may have the opportunity to stop at Lake Bunyonyi for a short scenic experience before continuing toward Queen Elizabeth National Park.

As you approach the park, the landscape gradually changes from mountainous terrain to open savannah. Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of Uganda’s most popular wildlife destinations and is known for its diverse habitats and wildlife. Depending on your arrival time, you may enjoy an optional evening game drive.

Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Lodge in or near Queen Elizabeth National Park
Destination: Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 7: Queen Elizabeth National Park – Game Drive & Kazinga Channel Cruise

Wake up early and enjoy breakfast before heading out for a morning game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The cooler morning hours provide an excellent opportunity to search for wildlife.

Your safari guide will look for:

• African elephants
• Cape buffaloes
• Lions
• Leopards
• Uganda kob
• Warthogs
• Waterbucks
• Antelopes
• Hyenas
• Numerous bird species

Depending on the season and location of the animals, sightings can vary, but Queen Elizabeth offers a rich combination of savannah, woodland and wetland habitats.

Return to your lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, enjoy one of Uganda’s most popular wildlife experiences — the Kazinga Channel boat cruise. The channel connects Lake Edward and Lake George and is known for its large concentrations of hippos and water birds. During the cruise, you may see hippos in the water, elephants along the shoreline, buffaloes, crocodiles and numerous bird species.

After the cruise, return to your accommodation for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Lodge in or near Queen Elizabeth National Park
Destination: Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Main Activities: Game Drive & Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise

Day 8: Queen Elizabeth – Kibale Forest National Park

After breakfast, depart Queen Elizabeth National Park and drive toward Kibale Forest National Park. The journey takes you through western Uganda’s beautiful countryside, including tea-growing areas, crater landscapes and views toward the Rwenzori Mountains. Kibale is famous for its exceptional primate diversity and is one of Uganda’s leading destinations for chimpanzee trekking.

Upon arrival, check into your lodge and enjoy lunch. The afternoon can be spent relaxing at the lodge or enjoying an optional Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary walk.

The Bigodi experience offers opportunities to observe monkeys, birds and other wetland species while learning about the surrounding community and conservation initiatives. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Lodge near Kibale Forest National Park
Destination: Kibale Forest National Park, Uganda
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 9: Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale – Transfer to Entebbe

After an early breakfast, proceed to the Kibale Forest headquarters for briefing. Today you will experience chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest National Park. Enter the lush tropical forest with experienced trackers and search for habituated chimpanzee communities.

As you walk through the forest, you may encounter other primates including red-tailed monkeys, black-and-white colobus monkeys and blue monkeys, as well as a wide variety of forest birds. Chimpanzee trekking provides a completely different experience from gorilla trekking, with chimpanzees often moving quickly through the forest canopy and communicating through distinctive calls.

After the trek, return to the lodge for lunch. Later, begin your journey toward Entebbe. Enjoy the changing scenery as you travel through western and central Uganda. Arrive in Entebbe in the evening and check into your hotel.

Accommodation: Hotel in Entebbe
Destination: Entebbe, Uganda
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Main Activity: Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale Forest

Day 10: Entebbe – Mabamba Swamp Option – Departure

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel. Depending on your international flight departure time, you can have a relaxed morning in Entebbe or enjoy an optional Mabamba Swamp shoebill excursion.

Mabamba is a wetland on the shores of Lake Victoria and is one of the places where visitors can search for the prehistoric-looking shoebill stork. Alternatively, you can visit the Entebbe Botanical Gardens, explore local craft shops or simply relax before your flight.

Later, your safari guide will transfer you to Entebbe International Airport for your departure flight. Your 10 Days Best of Rwanda Uganda Safari comes to an end, leaving you with unforgettable memories of gorillas, chimpanzees, wildlife, forests, mountains and the people of Rwanda and Uganda.

Accommodation: Not applicable
Destination: Entebbe, Uganda
Meals: Breakfast

End of Safari