12-Day Uganda Gorillas and Wildlife Safari: Kigali to Entebbe

Overview: This Uganda gorillas and wildlife safari combines mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest, game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park, and the dramatic scenery of Murchison Falls National Park.

Beginning in Kigali, Rwanda, and ending in Entebbe, Uganda, this cross-border journey is ideal for travellers who want to experience East Africa’s great apes, savannah wildlife, river landscapes and tropical forests before flying onward to Tanzania.

The journey follows a northbound route through Uganda, with opportunities to see elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, hippos, crocodiles and, with luck, lions.

Detailed day-by-day itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Kigali, Rwanda

Arrive at Kigali International Airport, where you will be met by your driver-guide and transferred to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, you may relax at the hotel or explore some of Kigali’s highlights.

Kigali is a convenient gateway for travellers heading to southwestern Uganda. Spending the first night here allows you to rest before crossing the border and continuing to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Accommodation at Marriote hotel kigali

Day 2: Kigali to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After breakfast, depart Kigali and travel towards southwestern Uganda, crossing at the appropriate Rwanda–Uganda border post for your gorilla trekking sector.

The drive offers beautiful views of rolling hills, rural communities and cultivated landscapes. After completing immigration formalities, continue to your lodge near Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Bwindi is a UNESCO-listed forest landscape renowned for its mountain gorillas, rich biodiversity and guided forest experiences. The remainder of the day is set aside for relaxation and a briefing about the following day’s trek. Accommodation at Bweza Gorilla lodge

Day 3: Mountain Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi

Today is one of the highlights of your Uganda safari: mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

After an early breakfast, travel to the designated trekking headquarters for registration and a briefing from Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers. You will then enter the forest with experienced guides to search for a habituated gorilla family.

The trek can take several hours, depending on where the gorillas are located. Once the family is found, visitors are generally allowed one hour to observe these remarkable primates, following the park’s rules.

Watch the gorillas feed, groom their young and interact within their family groups while your guide explains their behaviour and conservation.

Return to the lodge for a well-earned rest. Trekking requires a reasonable level of fitness, and sturdy hiking boots, drinking water and a waterproof jacket are recommended.

Accommodation at Bweza Gorilla lodge

Day 4: Bwindi to Ishasha Sector, Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, leave Bwindi and travel north towards the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Ishasha is known for its open savannah, woodland habitats and the possibility of spotting tree-climbing lions. These lions are famously seen resting in large fig trees, although sightings are never guaranteed.

Enjoy a game drive as you enter the sector, looking for elephants, buffaloes, antelopes and other wildlife. Depending on your arrival time, your guide may arrange additional game viewing before you check in at the lodge.

Accommodation: Buffalo lodge

Day 5: Ishasha to the Kasenyi Plains

Begin the day with a morning game drive in Ishasha, offering another opportunity to search for lions and other wildlife before continuing to the northern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park.

The journey takes you through changing landscapes, from Ishasha’s woodland and grassland habitats to the expansive savannah around Kasenyi.

The Kasenyi Plains are especially known for Uganda kob, a common prey species for lions in the area. Your guide will look for elephants, buffaloes, warthogs and other savannah wildlife.

Arrive at your lodge in the Kasenyi area or near the northern Queen Elizabeth safari circuit, ready for further exploration the next day.

Accommodation: Enshama game lodge

Day 6: Game Drive and Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise

Set out early for a game drive across the Kasenyi Plains. Early mornings can be productive for wildlife viewing, especially when temperatures are cooler and animals are active.

After returning for breakfast or lunch, enjoy a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, which connects Lake George and Lake Edward.

The channel attracts large concentrations of hippos, Nile crocodiles, elephants and buffaloes along its banks. Birdwatchers can also look for African fish eagles, kingfishers, herons, pelicans and other waterbirds.

The boat cruise complements the game drives by offering close views of wildlife gathering near the water. Overnighta at Aardvark safari lodge.

Day 7: Queen Elizabeth National Park to Kibale Forest National Park

After breakfast, depart Queen Elizabeth National Park and drive towards Kibale Forest National Park, travelling through the scenic countryside of western Uganda.

The route passes crater-lake landscapes, farms, small towns and views of the Rwenzori Mountains when weather conditions permit.

Kibale is one of Uganda’s best-known destinations for chimpanzee tracking. The forest supports a rich diversity of primates, birds and other forest wildlife.

Arrive at your lodge and spend the remainder of the day relaxing or enjoying the surroundings.

Accommodation at chimpanzee forest lodge.

Day 8: Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale Forest

Today, explore Kibale Forest on a guided chimpanzee tracking experience.

After an early breakfast, head to the park’s visitor centre for a briefing before entering the forest with trained guides. As you follow the trails, listen for chimpanzee calls and watch for movement in the forest canopy.

Once the chimpanzees are located, observe their behaviour according to park regulations. You may see them feeding, grooming, playing or travelling through the forest.

Kibale is also home to other primates, including red-tailed monkeys, black-and-white colobus monkeys and L’Hoest’s monkeys. Birdlife and forest vegetation add to the experience.

Return to the lodge in the afternoon. Depending on your interests and timing, you may also arrange a community visit or a nature walk outside the main tracking activity.

Accommodation: kibale bweza Lodge

Day 9: Kibale to Murchison Falls National Park

After breakfast, begin the journey north towards Murchison Falls National Park. This is a long road transfer, so an early departure is recommended.

Travel through western and central Uganda, with stops for refreshments and lunch along the way. Your guide will plan the journey according to road conditions and your lodge location.

Murchison Falls is Uganda’s largest national park and is known for its savannah wildlife, river habitats and dramatic waterfall, where the Nile forces its way through a narrow rocky gorge.

Arrive at your lodge and relax after the journey. If you reach the park early enough, a short wildlife drive may be possible, depending on your location and timing. Overnight at Pakuba safari lodge.

Day 10: Game Drives in Murchison Falls National Park

Set out early for a game drive across the park’s northern savannah plains or another suitable wildlife-viewing area, depending on your accommodation.

Murchison Falls offers opportunities to look for elephants, Rothschild’s giraffes, buffaloes, Uganda kob, hartebeest, warthogs and lions. Leopards are also present but are more elusive.

The park’s varied habitats support a wide range of birds, making it an appealing destination for birdwatchers as well as traditional safari travellers.

Return to the lodge during the warmer part of the day and enjoy the surrounding landscape before an optional afternoon activity. Overnight at Pakuba safari lodge.

Day 11: Nile Boat Cruise and Murchison Falls

Spend the day exploring the Nile and the spectacular Murchison Falls landscape.

Depending on your selected cruise, take a boat trip upstream towards the base of the falls, passing hippos, crocodiles and waterbirds along the riverbanks. The boat journey offers excellent opportunities for photography and a different perspective on the park’s wildlife.

You may also visit the designated viewpoint near the top of Murchison Falls, where the Nile squeezes through a narrow gorge before plunging downstream. Access and scheduling depend on the chosen activity and current park arrangements. If time allows, enjoy another game drive or a relaxed afternoon at the lodge. Overnight at Pakuba safari lodge.

Day 12: Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary Rhino Tracking Walk and Transfer to Entebbe

After an early breakfast, depart Murchison Falls National Park and drive south towards Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, home to Uganda’s southern white rhinos. The sanctuary provides an opportunity to see rhinos on foot with trained guides in a protected natural environment.

Upon arrival, join a guided rhino tracking walk. Accompanied by experienced sanctuary rangers, you will walk through the designated area while learning about rhino behaviour, conservation efforts and the importance of protecting Uganda’s wildlife. Seeing these magnificent animals on foot is a memorable addition to your Uganda gorillas and wildlife safari.

After the rhino tracking experience, enjoy lunch or refreshments before continuing to Entebbe. Arrive in the late afternoon or evening, depending on the time spent at the sanctuary and road conditions. Overnight at 2Friends Beach hotel / Protea Hotel.

Day 13: Mabamba excursion & then Fly from Entebbe to Kilimanjaro-Tanzania

Enjoy breakfast if your flight schedule allows, then transfer to Entebbe International Airport for your onward flight to Tanzania.

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What is included in a typical Uganda safari package.