16 Days Uganda Discovery, Primate Trekking & Rwanda Safari

Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe International Airport

Welcome to Uganda the Pearl of Africa! Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, our professional representative will meet and transfer you to your hotel for check-in and relaxation. Enjoy your first evening on the shores of Lake Victoria as you prepare for your East African adventure.

Accommodation: Protea  Hotel Entebbe or 2 Friends Beach Hotel
Meal Plan: Dinner

Day 2: Kampala City Tour & Sunset Boat Cruise on Lake Victoria

After breakfast, embark on a Kampala City Tour, exploring the historical and cultural highlights of Uganda’s vibrant capital. Visit the Kasubi Tombs, burial site of Buganda kings; the Kabaka’s Palace with Idi Amin’s torture chambers; and the Uganda Martyrs Shrine in Namugongo. If time allows, visit the Bahá’í Temple, the only one of its kind in Africa.

In the evening, head to Banga Beach for a sunset boat cruise on Lake Victoria. Enjoy light snacks, soft drinks, and a taste of Uganda Waragi as you watch the sun dip below the horizon.

Accommodation: Protea Hotel Entebbe or 2 Friends Beach Hotel
Meal Plan: Bed & Breakfast

Day 3: Entebbe – Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary – Murchison Falls National Park (6 hrs drive)

After breakfast, depart for Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest and oldest conservation area. Stop en route at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a guided rhino trekking experience—the only place in Uganda to see these endangered giants. Visit the Boomu Women’s Community Project for a glimpse into local life before proceeding to the top of Murchison Falls.

Watch the mighty Nile squeeze through a 7-meter gorge and plunge 45 meters into a thunderous rainbow mist—one of nature’s most powerful spectacles.
Accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge (High-end) or Pakuba Safari Lodge (Mid-range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Game Drive & Nile Boat Cruise in Murchison Falls

Enjoy an early morning game drive on the northern bank of the Nile. Spot elephants, lions, buffaloes, giraffes, hartebeest, oribi, and, with luck, a leopard.

After lunch, embark on a boat cruise along the Nile to the base of Murchison Falls. Expect close encounters with hippos, crocodiles, waterbirds, and elephants along the riverbanks. Bird lovers can watch for Goliath herons, bee-eaters, and the elusive shoebill stork.
Accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge or Pakuba Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Murchison Falls – Kibale Forest National Park (7 hrs drive)

Drive south through scenic landscapes, tea plantations, and the Albertine Rift Valley escarpments toward Fort Portal, a charming town at the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains.
Accommodation: Chimpundu Lodge (High-end) or Turaco Treetops (Mid-range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Chimpanzee Tracking & Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary

After breakfast, report to Kanyanchu Visitor Centre for a briefing before your chimpanzee trek. Kibale is home to 13 primate species, including the endangered red colobus, L’Hoest’s monkey, and grey-cheeked mangabey.

After lunch, enjoy a guided nature walk in Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, famous for birdlife (especially the Great Blue Turaco) and beautiful swamp flora. Visit crater lakes or tea plantations nearby before returning to the lodge.
Accommodation: Chimpundu Lodge or Turaco Treetops
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7: Kibale – Queen Elizabeth National Park (3 hrs drive)

After breakfast, travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda’s most diverse ecosystem. Enjoy breathtaking views of the Rwenzori Mountains en route.

After lunch, take a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, connecting Lakes Edward and George. This is one of Africa’s best wildlife spectacles, with large pods of hippos, crocodiles, and hundreds of bird species along the shores.
Accommodation: Buffalo Safari Lodge (High-end) or Bush Lodge (Mid-range)

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8: Queen Elizabeth – Ishasha Sector – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

After an early morning game drive through Kasenyi Plains, continue south to the Ishasha Sector, known for its famous tree-climbing lions. Later, drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to nearly half of the world’s mountain gorilla population.
Accommodation: Mahogany Springs (High-end) or Engagi Lodge / Rushaga Gorilla Lodge (Mid-range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Today is the highlight of your journey Mountain Gorilla Trekking!
After a briefing, venture deep into Bwindi’s lush rainforest in search of a habituated gorilla family. The trek can take 2–6 hours, but the reward of watching these gentle giants feed and interact is truly life-changing.
Accommodation: Mahogany Springs or Engagi Lodge / Rushaga Gorilla Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10: Leisure and Relaxation at Lake Bunyonyi

After breakfast, transfer to Lake Bunyonyi, a serene lake surrounded by terraced hills. Spend the day relaxing, swimming, or taking an optional canoe trip to one of its 29 islands.

Accommodation: Birdnest Resort Lake Bunyonyi
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 11: Lake Bunyonyi – Cross into Rwanda / Volcanoes National Park

Drive across the Cyanika border into Rwanda, admiring the scenic “Land of a Thousand Hills.” Stop by Lakes Ruhondo and Burera before arriving in Musanze, near Volcanoes National Park.
Accommodation: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (High-end) or Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (Mid-range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 12: Optional Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park

(Optional at extra cost – US$1500 per person)
Join an early morning gorilla trek in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, where you’ll encounter another gorilla family in a different terrain and forest environment.
Accommodation: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel or Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 13: Golden Monkey Trek & Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village

Enjoy a Golden Monkey Trek in Volcanoes National Park – an exciting encounter with these lively primates that swing through the bamboo forests.

In the afternoon, visit the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village for traditional dance, storytelling, and a glimpse into Rwandan heritage.
Accommodation: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel or Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 14: Leisure and Relaxation at Lake Kivu

Drive to Lake Kivu, Rwanda’s most beautiful freshwater lake. Spend the day relaxing, swimming, or taking an optional boat cruise and coffee tour on the island.

Accommodation: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel (High-end) or Paradise Kivu Resort (Mid-range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 15: Lake Kivu – Kigali City Tour

After breakfast, transfer to Kigali, Rwanda’s vibrant capital. En route, visit the Dian Fossey Institute before arriving in the city for a Kigali Genocide Memorial visit and souvenir shopping at Hotel des Mille Collines.
Accommodation: Kigali Serena Hotel (High-end) or Hotel Chez Lando (Mid-range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 16: Departure – Transfer to Kigali International Airport

Depending on your flight time, your driver will transfer you to Kigali International Airport for your departure.

Meal Plan: Breakfast

• Airport transfers
• Transport in a 4×4 Safari Vehicle
• English-speaking driver/guide
• All accommodation & meals as per itinerary
• Park entry fees
• One Gorilla Permit (Uganda – US$800)
• One Golden Monkey Permit (US$100)
• Optional Rwanda Gorilla Permit (US$1500 – not included)
• Kibale Chimpanzee Permit (US$250)
• All game drives & boat trips
• Community & cultural activities
• Iby’Iwacu cultural visit
• Nature walks & crater tours

• International flights
• Visas for Uganda & Rwanda
• Personal travel insurance
• Laundry, drinks & tips
• Optional Rwanda Gorilla Trek
• Coffee & Lake Kivu tours