9-Day Uganda Wildlife & Gorilla Trekking Safari with Rwanda
Uganda & Rwanda 9 Days / 8 Nights 1-6 people
$4,290 per person (02 travelers)
Overview
This 9-day safari combines the highlights of Uganda and Rwanda, offering diverse landscapes, rich wildlife, and memorable cultural encounters.
Firstly, explore Uganda’s savannah parks, dense forests, and the spectacular Nile River at Murchison Falls.
Enjoy game viewing across Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth, and Lake Mburo National Parks, as well as Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, with opportunities to spot diverse wildlife, including the African Big Five.
The safari continues to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, where you experience the remarkable mountain gorilla trekking adventure in southwestern Uganda.
From Uganda, cross into Rwanda and discover the country’s rich cultural heritage of Iby’Iwacu in the Northern Province.
The journey concludes in Kigali, where you discover the city’s vibrant culture and attractions.
Quick Safari Notes
- The safari starts in Uganda and ends in Kigali, Rwanda, involving pick-up and drop-off services.
- It is a guided tour, with a professional and experienced Tour Guide accompanying you throughout the safari.
- It features thrilling activities such as game drives, gorilla trekking, boat cruises, cultural experiences, and scenic sightseeing.
- It follows a fixed day-by-day program, with accommodation and some activities paid upfront. Late changes are subject to availability and may incur additional charges.
- It involves gorilla trekking in Bwindi, lasting about 2–5 hours. The activity is moderately demanding and requires good physical fitness.
- The safari suits groups, couples, families with children, young travellers, and solo travellers. However, gorilla trekking is restricted to travellers aged 16 and above.
- It features budget, standard, and midrange accommodation, including guesthouses, cottages, and tented camps, all offering clean, spacious, and comfortable lodging.
- It includes road travel in a 4x4 Toyota Hiace safari van connecting the toursit destinations. The vehicle features a pop-up roof for enhanced wildlife viewing.
Itinerary
The assigned company guide picks you up from your lodge, hotel, or Entebbe Airport, and you begin your journey to Murchison Falls National Park.
Enjoy scenic views of Uganda’s countryside with a few memorable stopovers along the way.
The first stop is Luwero Town, where you visit a lively roadside market offering fresh, locally grown fruits. Sample fresh fruits such as ripe bananas and juicy pineapples before continuing north.
Proceed to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Nakasongola District and embark on a 2-hour guided rhino tracking experience with an experienced ranger for a close encounter with these endangered mammals.
After rhino tracking, continue to Murchison Falls National Park, enjoying views of its diverse landscapes, including savannah grasslands, woodlands, and riverine forests.
Drive time from Entebbe to Murchison Falls National Park is approximately 7 hours.
Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner
At 7:30 AM, embark on an exciting game drive through Murchison Falls National Park, exploring its diverse ecosystems and wildlife. Encounter elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, and various antelope species along the trails.
At 2:00 PM, enjoy a three-hour shared boat trip along the Victoria Nile to the bottom of Murchison Falls. Along the riverbanks, spot hippos, crocodiles, and a variety of water birds gathering around the water.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After an early breakfast, begin your 8–9-hour journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The scenic route features diverse landscapes and interesting stops along the way.
Pass through Bugungu Reserve, where you may spot baboons and monkeys along the roadside. At the Butiaba Escarpment, enjoy panoramic views of the winding road and the shores of Lake Albert.
Make brief stops at tea and banana plantations to appreciate the scenery and interact with local farmers. Enjoy lunch en route before continuing to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
At 7:30 AM, embark on a game drive across the Kasenyi Plains in the northern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Explore the open savannah and encounter diverse wildlife and bird species.
After the game drive, begin the journey to Lake Mburo National Park. Enjoy lunch in Mbarara City before continuing to the park and arriving in the late afternoon.
Upon arrival, embark on a guided walking safari and experience the park’s diverse landscapes and wildlife.
Encounter wildlife at close range, including zebras, giraffes, impalas, waterbucks, topis, elands, oribis, bushbucks, buffaloes, and warthogs.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
In the morning, visit a Bahima homestead near your lodge for an immersive cultural experience. Learn about the Bahima’s beliefs, customs, traditions, and pastoral way of life, traditionally centred around cows.
Participate in traditional activities such as milking cows, making cow ghee, and grazing cattle, while learning about their traditional conservation practices.
After the homestead visit, embark on a 4–5-hour journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Along the way, enjoy breathtaking views of the region’s rolling hills and banana plantations.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
At 7:30 AM, head to the park’s gathering centre for a 30-minute gorilla trekking briefing. Experienced rangers provide guidelines and important information before you enter the forest.
After the briefing, begin gorilla trekking through Bwindi’s steep, dense forest in search of a habituated gorilla family. Along the way, you may encounter birds, monkeys, bush elephants, and colourful butterflies.
Once you locate the gorillas, spend up to one hour observing their behaviour, interactions, and social dynamics.
Following this remarkable encounter, spend the rest of the day relaxing at the lodge.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, leave Uganda and travel for about 3–4 hours to Musanze, Rwanda, in the Northern Province. Enjoy the scenic journey as you cross the border into Rwanda.
Upon arrival, visit the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village near Volcanoes National Park for an immersive cultural experience.
The local community welcomes you with traditional presentations and activities. Connect with the community, experience their way of life, and explore traditional practices and cultural artefacts.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, travel for about 2 hours to Kigali, Rwanda’s vibrant capital city.
Upon arrival, begin your city tour with a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial, a significant site that preserves the history and memory of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Explore other attractions in Kigali, including Kandt House, Camp Kigali, local markets, and craft centres, to discover more about the city’s history, culture, and heritage.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
The 9-day Uganda and Rwanda safari concludes with a road transfer to Kigali International Airport for your departure flight.
We recommend booking a departure flight before 1:00 PM, allowing you to check out in the morning and proceed to the airport without incurring additional lodging costs.
Meal Plan: Breakfast
Safari Highlights
- Experience gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, searching for endangered mountain gorillas through the dense forest.
- Enjoy game viewing in Uganda’s vast savannah parks, with opportunities to spot diverse wildlife.
- Enjoy a boat trip on the River Nile to observe aquatic wildlife along the riverbanks.
- Embark on a walking safari in Lake Mburo National Park, offering close encounters with wildlife.
- Join the Bahima community to learn about their traditional culture, customs, and way of life.
- Explore Kigali, discovering the city’s history, culture, and remarkable development.
Price Per Person (USD)
| 1 Pax | 2 Pax | 3 Pax | 4 Pax | 5 Pax | 6 Pax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5890 | 4290 | 3990 | 3680 | 3620 | 3415 |
Price Includes
- The gorilla tracking permit
- Accommodation for 8 nights as indicated in the itinerary
- Road transport using a 4 x 4 Toyota Hiace Safari Van
- Services of the English-speaking guide/driver
- All meals during the safari period as indicated in the day-by-day section
- Entrance fees to all the parks indicated in the itinerary
- Bottled water in the safari vehicle
- Boat ride on the Nile River
- Iby’Iwacu cultural experience in Musanze, Rwanda.
- A walking safari and homestead visit in and around Lake Mburo National Park
- Airport transfers
Price Excludes
- International travel to/from Entebbe/Kigali.
- Personal/travel insurance
- Entry Visa fees into Uganda and Rwanda.
- Domestic flights (if required)
- Payment charges (when using online payment methods)
- Tips (gratuity) to guides (recommended)
- Activities not mentioned in the itinerary
- Any activity indicated as optional
- All kinds of drinks apart from water
- Pre-safari accommodation if required.
Accommodations
| Nights | Destination | Lodge/Hotel | Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nights 1 & 2 | Murchison Falls National Park | Fort Murchison Lodge | Mid-Range |
| Night 3 | Queen Elizabeth National Park | The Bush Lodge | Mid-Range |
| Night 4 | Lake Mburo National Park | Mpogo Safari Lodge | Mid-Range |
| Nights 5 & 6 | Bwindi Impenetrable National Park | Gorilla Valley Lodge | Mid-Range |
| Night 7 | Musanze | Mountain Gorilla View Lodge | Mid-Range |
| Night 8 | Kigali City | Heaven Boutique Hotel | Mid-Range |
Accommodation is subject to availability at the time of booking. If the quoted accommodation is unavailable, we arrange a similar-standard alternative and notify you before confirmation.
Preferred accommodation or upgrades can be requested to suit your preferences, though such changes may affect the tour cost.
Please contact us for special accommodation requests.Safari Highlights
- Experience gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, searching for endangered mountain gorillas through the dense forest.
- Enjoy game viewing in Uganda’s vast savannah parks, with opportunities to spot diverse wildlife.
- Enjoy a boat trip on the River Nile to observe aquatic wildlife along the riverbanks.
- Embark on a walking safari in Lake Mburo National Park, offering close encounters with wildlife.
- Join the Bahima community to learn about their traditional culture, customs, and way of life.
- Explore Kigali, discovering the city’s history, culture, and remarkable development.
