11-Day Gorillas and Big Five in Uganda Rwanda & Burundi

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

Day 1
Transfer From Entebbe Airport to Kibale Forest National Park
1 stop
1
From Entebbe, embark on a 6–7-hour morning drive to Kibale Forest National Park, renowned for its rich primate diversity. Arrive in the afternoon and check in at your lodge for lunch before heading out for the Bigodi community experience. Begin with a coffee farming experience, where you will learn about the local methods of planting, harvesting and processing coffee. Continue with a visit to a women's community group to discover traditional handicraft-making techniques, and conclude with an introduction to the local banana brewing process and its cultural significance. After the experience, return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
5 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 2
Chimpanzee Tracking Experience
1 stop
2
Kibale Forest National Park
Start the day with an early morning chimpanzee tracking experience in Kibale Forest. The experience begins at 8:00 AM with a briefing about chimpanzee conservation programs and tracking guidelines. Together with experienced trackers, you will join a small group of a maximum of 8 visitors for a forest walk, following the sounds and footprints of a family of chimpanzees. Once located, spend an hour observing and photographing them while witnessing their human-like behavior in the wild. After the experience, drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park with a lunch break along the way and another stop at the Equator crossing for photos. Arrive at your next lodge in the early afternoon for check-in, then later head out for a late afternoon game drive in the Kasenyi Plains to enjoy more wildlife sightings.
5 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 3
Explore Kazinga Channel and Kasenyi plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park
1 stop
3
Queen Elizabeth National Park
After an early morning breakfast, head out for a second game drive across the Kasenyi Plains to search for lions, elephants, buffaloes, and leopards. The drive continues until around 10:00 AM. Return to your lodge for a short coffee break, then check out and begin a 2-hour drive to the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Arrive in the early afternoon, check in at your lodge, and enjoy lunch. At 4:00 PM, head into the Ishasha plains for an evening game drive. This sector is known for species such as topis and other antelopes, along with its unique landscape. The drive continues until around 7:00 PM, after which you return to your lodge for the night.
6 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 4
Track Tree climbing lions at Ishasha sector
1 stop
4
Queen Elizabeth National Park
This morning marks your final game drive in Uganda, focusing on the rare tree-climbing lions of the Ishasha sector. Drive through the remote parts of the park and enjoy a picnic breakfast at a riverside site near the Congo border. The experience ends around 11:00 AM. Drive to a roadside café for a 2-hour lunch break and refreshment before a 2–3 hour drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home of the endangered mountain gorillas. Arrive at your lodge near the forest in late afternoon, around 5:00 PM, and settle in to rest ahead of the next day’s gorilla trekking experience.
5 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 5
Gorilla Trekking Experience
1 stop
5
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Gorilla trekking, the highlight of this safari, begins after an early breakfast and a transfer to the park offices for a briefing by park officials about the gorilla conservation efforts. You will then head into the forest with rangers and fellow visitors to track a gorilla family. The hike can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours, depending on where the gorillas nested the previous night. Once you find them, spend up to 1 hour observing them at close range—watch mothers feeding their young, juveniles playing, and the dominant silverback keeping watch over the group. After the experience, exit the forest and enjoy a short picnic lunch. Then drive about 1.5 hours to the Rwanda border, immigration formalities typically take around an hour. Continue with another 1.5-hour drive to your lodge near Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.
6 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 6
Golden Monkey Tracking Experience
1 stop
6
Volcanoes National Park
Golden monkeys are endangered primates found only in Uganda and Rwanda within the Virunga Massif. This experience supports ongoing conservation efforts to protect these playful species, which were once close to extinction. The day begins with a briefing, followed by a hike that can take between 30 minutes to 4 hours, depending on the location of the monkeys. The experience usually ends around midday when you encounter them in the bamboo zones of the Virunga ranges, often near local communities. Golden monkeys move in troops through the forest canopy and are commonly seen feeding on bamboo shoots, their favorite seasonal food. After the tracking experience, visit the Gorilla Guardians Village for a cultural experience and learn more about Rwanda’s traditions and way of life. Return to your lodge for lunch, then transfer about 2 hours to Lake Kivu, arriving at your lakeside lodge near the Congo border.
5 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 7
Boat excursion on Lake Kivu of Rwanda
1 stop
7
Lake Kivu Rwanda
Lake Kivu, Rwanda’s largest lake, is shared with the Democratic Republic of Congo. Enjoy a boat ride along the shoreline to visit local fishing villages and small lakeside communities near the Congo border. You may also take a short walking tour of a local market, where traders from Goma- Congo often cross over to sell their goods. Walk to the border line and observe daily life on the Goma side. If the security situation at the time of your visit allows, you may choose to cross into Goma for a brief city and market experience (this requires a valid entry visa). In the afternoon, begin a 3-hour drive to Kigali with a lunch stop along the way. Arrive in the late evening and relax at your hotel.
5 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 8
Kigali City Cultural and Historical Tour
1 stop
8
Kigali Genocide Memorial
Often described as Africa’s cleanest city, Kigali boasts a very organized society and well-built infrastructure. Start with historical visits to the Kigali Genocide Memorial and the Belgian Peacekeepers Memorial to understand the history of the genocide, which was fueled by ethnic divisions between the Hutu and Tutsi people. These cultural differences existed even before colonial times and later influenced the formation of Rwanda and Burundi, which were once part of the same kingdom. After the historical and cultural tours, visit a local craft market for souvenirs. End the city experience with a local cuisine meal, then drive 2 hours to your lodge near Akagera National Park.
5 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 9
Game Drive to Search Black and White Rhinos
1 stop
9
Akagera National Park, Rwanda
After an early breakfast at your lodge, set out with a packed lunch and drive to the park entry gate for registration. Begin your game drive from the southern part of the park, heading north. Explore areas around water sources where wildlife often gathers. Expect to see a variety of animals, including rhinos, Masai giraffes, antelopes, zebras, and buffaloes. On a good day, you may also spot lions and leopards. Enjoy a picnic lunch during the drive. Afterward, return toward the southern gate, marking the end of your game drive experience for this itinerary. Continue back to your lodge for the evening and overnight stay.
6 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 10
Cultural Experience at Gishora Drums Sanctuary
1 stop
10
Gishora Drum Sanctuary
Start with a 2-hour drive to the Rusumo border. It’s advisable to order a packed lunch from a restaurant on the Rwanda side before crossing into Tanzania, as food options along the route are limited. Spend about 1 hour completing immigration formalities into Tanzania, then continue with a 1.5-hour drive to the Kobero border with Burundi. Allow another hour for immigration procedures before entering Burundi. Proceed with a 3-hour drive to Gitega, with a picnic lunch stop along the way. You will arrive in the late afternoon at the Gishora Drum Sanctuary for a traditional drum performance, showcasing Burundi’s rich drumming culture passed down through generations. After the experience, transfer to your hotel for the night.
8 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 11
Bujumbura City Tour And Derpature
1 stop
11
Bujumbura
Begin your day with an optional visit to a local orphanage. Burundi is often described as one of the world’s poorest countries, and this visit offers a chance to support and interact with children in need, including abandoned babies and school-going children from disadvantaged backgrounds. As part of this safari, we encourage giving back to the community through such meaningful experiences (this activity is optional). Afterward, drive 2–3 hours to Bujumbura. Upon arrival, enjoy a short city drive to explore key landmarks and learn more about the political and cultural history of Burundi and Rwanda, which were once part of the same kingdom, from the Burundi perspective. In the late evening, prepare for your departure flight, marking the end of your safari experience.
6 hours • Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

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