15 Day Uganda Rwanda Gorilla and Wildlife Safari Tours

This 15-day Uganda Rwanda gorilla and wildlife safari is designed for travellers who want a complete East Africa safari route with primates, savannah wildlife, boat cruises, crater lakes and scenic countryside. The journey starts in Uganda and follows a rich safari circuit through Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Murchison Falls National Park, Budongo Forest, Kibale Forest, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Lake Mburo National Park. It then continues into Rwanda for Kigali, Volcanoes National Park and a second gorilla trekking experience before returning through Lake Bunyonyi. This safari works well for travellers who want more than a short gorilla trek. It combines rhino tracking, chimpanzee trekking, two gorilla trekking experiences, big game viewing, Nile and Kazinga Channel boat cruises, crater scenery, local culture and relaxed lake time. The route is long, but each stop adds a different experience, making it one of the strongest Uganda and Rwanda safari combinations for visitors with two weeks in East Africa.

Safari Highlights

• Rhino tracking on foot at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
• Murchison Falls game drive and Nile boat cruise
• Chimpanzee tracking in Budongo Forest
• Fort Portal city visit and Amabere Ga Nyina Mwiru caves
• Kibale chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi Wetland walk
• Crater lake scenery in western Uganda
• Queen Elizabeth National Park game drive
• Kazinga Channel boat cruise for hippos, crocodiles, elephants and birds
• Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
• Kigali city visit and transfer to Volcanoes National Park
• Gorilla trekking in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park
• Twin Lakes visit at Burera and Ruhondo
• Lake Bunyonyi boat ride and relaxation
• Lake Mburo nature walk and game drive
• Private safari vehicle and driver guide throughout the trip

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1, Arrival in Entebbe and Overnight in Kampala

On arrival at Entebbe International Airport, your driver guide will meet you and transfer you to your hotel in Kampala. This day is kept light to allow you to recover from your flight, change money if needed and prepare for the safari journey ahead. Depending on your arrival time, a short city orientation can be arranged, but the main focus is rest before the early start the next morning. Accommodation options: Budget option: Holiday Express Hotel, Mid-range option: Grand Imperial Hotel: Luxury option: Sheraton Kampala Hotel.

Day 2, Ziwa Rhino Tracking and Transfer to Murchison Falls

After breakfast, begin the drive north towards Murchison Falls National Park. The route passes through Luweero and continues to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, the only place in Uganda where rhinos can be tracked on foot. On arrival, you will meet a ranger for a briefing before heading out to look for the rhinos. The experience usually involves a short drive and a guided walk, depending on where the rhinos are feeding or resting. After rhino tracking, continue to Murchison Falls National Park. If timing allows, 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 an overnight stay. Accommodation options: Budget option: Red Chilli Rest Camp, Mid-range option: Sambiya River Lodge or Budongo Eco Lodge, Luxury option: Paraa Safari Lodge or Nile Safari Lodge

Day 3, Murchison Falls Game Drive and Nile Boat Cruise

After an early breakfast, cross to the northern bank of Murchison Falls National Park for a morning game drive. This area offers strong wildlife viewing, with chances of seeing elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, antelopes, warthogs and predators such as lions. Your guide will focus on the open savannah tracks where animals are more active in the cooler morning hours. Return to the lodge for lunch before the afternoon Nile boat cruise. The boat safari follows the Victoria Nile towards the base of Murchison Falls. Along the riverbanks, you may see hippos, crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes and many bird species. The boat stops at a safe distance from the falls, giving you time to view the power of the Nile before returning to the lodge. Dinner and overnight stay at your lodge.

Day 4, Budongo Chimpanzee Tracking and Transfer to Hoima

After breakfast, head to Budongo Forest for chimpanzee tracking. Budongo is one of Uganda’s important chimpanzee habitats and offers a different forest experience from Kibale. After briefing, you will enter the forest with ranger guides to search for a habituated chimpanzee community. The walk may also offer sightings of forest birds and other primates. After the chimpanzee experience, continue to Hoima. If time allows, take a short afternoon nature walk or relax at the hotel after the drive. Accommodation options: Budget option: Hoima Kolping Hotel, Mid-range option: Hoima Kontik Hotel or African Village Hotel

Day 5, Transfer to Fort Portal and Amabere Caves Visit

After breakfast, travel to Fort Portal, one of Uganda’s most scenic towns. The drive passes through rural landscapes, tea-growing areas and western Uganda’s rolling countryside. On arrival, take a short Fort Portal city visit and continue to Amabere Ga Nyina Mwiru caves. The Amabere site combines culture, local legend, caves, waterfalls and rock formations. It adds useful cultural value before you continue towards the Kibale region. Accommodation options: Budget option: Primate Lodge Cottages or Rwenzori View Guest House, Mid-range option: Nyinabulitwa Country Resort, Luxury option: Kyaninga Lodge, Primate Lodge Kibale, Ndali Lodge or Mountains of the Moon Hotel

Day 6, Kibale Chimpanzee Trekking and Bigodi Wetland Walk

After breakfast, transfer to Kibale Forest National Park for chimpanzee trekking. You will report to the visitor centre for a briefing before entering the forest with ranger guides. Kibale is one of the best places in East Africa for chimpanzee trekking, and the experience gives you the chance to observe chimpanzees feeding, calling, grooming and moving through the forest. After lunch, visit Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for a guided nature walk. Bigodi is known for birds, monkeys, butterflies and community conservation. It is a good afternoon activity after the chimpanzee trek because it adds local life, wetland scenery and more primate viewing. Return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 7, Crater Lakes and Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Start the day with a nature walk or scenic drive in the Ndali Crater Lakes region. This area is known for rolling hills, lake-filled craters, farms and beautiful views around Fort Portal. After the morning activity, continue to Queen Elizabeth National Park. On arrival, visit the crater lake region within Queen Elizabeth National Park if time allows. The area gives wide views of the Rift Valley landscape, crater lakes and open savannah. Accommodation options: Budget option: Simba Safari Lodge or Bush Lodge, Mid-range option: Ihamba Lakeside Safari Lodge or Hippo Hill Camp, Luxury option: Mweya Safari Lodge or Katara Lodge

Day 8, Queen Elizabeth Game Drive and Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise

After an early breakfast, head out for a game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Your guide will look for elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, Uganda kob, warthogs and other savannah wildlife. The Kasenyi plains are especially good for wildlife viewing because of their open grassland and concentration of antelopes. Return to the lodge for lunch and later connect to the Kazinga Channel boat cruise. This boat safari is one of the park’s main highlights, giving close views of hippos, crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes and many water birds along the channel. Return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 9, Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After breakfast, begin the journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The route depends on the confirmed gorilla trekking sector. If travelling through Ishasha, you may have a chance to look for the tree-climbing lions, depending on timing and road conditions. Continue through rural villages, hills and forested landscapes before arriving near Bwindi. Check in at your lodge and prepare for the gorilla trekking experience the next morning. Accommodation options: Budget option: Buhoma Community Bandas, Virunga Hotel or Nkuringo Safari Centre, Mid-range option: Lake Kitandara Camp, Luxury option: Gorilla Forest Camp, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Gahinga Lodge or Volcanoes Bwindi Lodge

Day 10, Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Forest

After an early breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters for a gorilla trekking briefing. Rangers will explain the trekking rules, group allocation, forest safety and how to behave around the gorillas. You will then enter the forest with guides and trackers to search for your assigned gorilla family. The trek can take 2 to 8 hours depending on where the gorillas are feeding or moving. The forest terrain may include slopes, muddy trails and thick vegetation, so comfortable hiking shoes are important. Once the gorillas are located, you spend one hour with them. You may see a silverback, mothers with infants, juveniles playing and the family feeding in the forest. After the trek, return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.

Day 11, Transfer to Kigali and Volcanoes National Park

After breakfast, leave Bwindi and cross into Rwanda. The drive takes you through the highlands of southwestern Uganda before reaching Kigali. Depending on border timing and arrival time in Kigali, a short Kigali city visit can be arranged. This may include the Kigali Genocide Memorial or a brief city orientation. Later, continue to Musanze near Volcanoes National Park. Accommodation options: Budget option: Muhabura Lodge or Kinigi Guest House, Mid-range option: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Luxury option: Virunga Volcanoes Lodge or Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge

Day 12, Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park and Twin Lakes Visit

After an early breakfast, report to Volcanoes National Park headquarters for a gorilla trekking briefing. You will be assigned to a gorilla family and guided into the forest by rangers and trackers. The trek takes place in the Virunga foothills, with bamboo forest, farmland edges and volcanic slopes depending on the group visited. Once the gorillas are found, you spend one hour observing them. After the trek, return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, take an optional visit to the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo if time and energy allow. These lakes offer beautiful views and a relaxed scenic break after the forest trek. Dinner and overnight stay near Volcanoes National Park.

Day 13, Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi and Boat Ride

After breakfast, leave Rwanda and return to Uganda, heading towards Lake Bunyonyi. Lake Bunyonyi is one of Uganda’s most beautiful lake areas, known for its island scenery, terraced hills and calm waters. On arrival, check in and enjoy a relaxed afternoon boat ride. The boat ride can include island views and local stories around the lake, making it a gentle break after the trekking days. Accommodation options: Budget option: Bushara Island Camp, Mid-range option: Bunyonyi Overland Camp or Arcadia Cottages, Luxury option: Heritage Lodge

Day 14, Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park and Nature Walk

After breakfast, drive to Lake Mburo National Park. This smaller savannah park is useful at the end of the safari because it breaks the long journey back to Kampala and adds different wildlife. Lake Mburo is known for zebras, impalas, elands, buffaloes, warthogs and birdlife. In the afternoon, take a guided nature walk in the salt lick area, where you can experience the park on foot with a ranger guide. Accommodation options: Budget option: Rwonyo Bandas, Mid-range option: Arcadia Cottages Lake Mburo, Luxury option: Mihingo Lodge or Mantana Tented Camp

Day 15, Lake Mburo Game Drive and Return to Kampala

After an early breakfast, take a final game drive in Lake Mburo National Park. This is a good chance to look for zebras, impalas, elands, buffaloes, topis and other wildlife before leaving the park. After the game drive, begin the return journey to Kampala or Entebbe. A stop can be made at the Uganda Equator for photographs and souvenir shopping before continuing to your final drop-off point. This marks the end of your 15-day Uganda Rwanda gorilla, primate and wildlife safari.

Inclusions and Exclusions

Inclusions

• Airport pickup and drop-off
• Private safari vehicle for the full route
• English-speaking driver guide
• Fuel for the safari route
• Accommodation as stated in the final itinerary
• Meals as stated in the final itinerary
• Bottled drinking water during transfers
• Ziwa rhino tracking
• Budongo chimpanzee tracking support
• Kibale chimpanzee trekking permits
• Bwindi gorilla permit
• Rwanda gorilla permit
• Park entry fees

Exclusions

• International flights
• Uganda and Rwanda visa fees
• Travel insurance
• Tips for guides, rangers, porters and lodge staff
• Personal drinks, laundry and calls
• Optional activities not confirmed in the final itinerary
• Extra accommodation before or after the safari