12 Days Uganda Rwanda Gorillas, Chimps & Wildlife Safari

12 Days Uganda–Rwanda Gorillas, Chimps & Wildlife Safari\ (Ultimate Primates & Wildlife Adventure in East Africa)

12 Days Uganda Rwanda Gorillas, Chimps & Wildlife Safari, Embark on a breathtaking journey through Uganda and Rwanda, two of Africa’s most remarkable safari destinations. This 12 Days Uganda Rwanda Gorillas, Chimps & Wildlife Safari blends thrilling primate trekking, wildlife encounters, scenic landscapes, and rich cultural experiences. Explore Kibale Forest, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Volcanoes National Park, Nyungwe Forest, and Kigali City—all in one unforgettable itinerary.

This tour is ideal for travelers seeking a comprehensive Uganda–Rwanda safari experience, from mountain gorilla trekking, chimpanzee tracking, and golden monkey trekking, to game drives, boat cruises, and immersive cultural tours.

Safari Highlights: 12 Days Uganda Rwanda Gorillas, Chimps & Wildlife

• Unforgettable Kazinga Channel boat cruise – a paradise for bird watchers

• Mountain Gorilla trekking in Bwindi & Volcanoes National Park

• Golden monkey tracking in Volcanoes National Park

• Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest & Nyungwe National Park

• Scenic game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park & Ishasha sector

• Visit Butare city, King’s Palace, and ethnographic museums

• Kigali Genocide Memorial tour

• Relaxation on the beautiful shores of Lake Bunyonyi, Africa’s second deepest lake

• Stunning views of the Albertine Rift landscapes, terraced hills, and volcanic highlands

Detailed Itinerary: 12 Days Uganda Rwanda Primates & Wildlife Tour

Day 1: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park (Home of 13 Primate Species)

Your safari begins with a scenic drive to Kibale Forest National Park, known as Africa’s Primate Capital. Along the route, enjoy views of rolling hills, crater lakes, and rural communities. arrive in the evening and check in to your lodge. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

Accommodation Options:

• Budget: Rweteera Safari Park / Kibale Forest Camp (Budget Rooms)

• Mid-Range: Chimpanzee Forest Lodge

• Luxury: Kyaninga Lodge / Crater Safari Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drinks: Drinking water + fruits throughout the journey

Day 2: Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale Forest

After breakfast, attend a ranger briefing before heading into the lush forest for chimpanzee trekking. Expect to encounter several other primates such as red colobus, L’Hoest monkeys, baboons, and forest birds.While trekking the apes, you may encounter other primates like the colobus monkeys, baboons, and others. Return to the lodge for lunch, in the evening you will gor for bigodi nature walk for more of seeing more specie of primates, visit the local people in their community, enjoy cultural dances and drama, later return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation Options:

• Budget: Rweteera Safari Park / Kibale Forest Camp (Budget Rooms)

• Mid-Range: Chimpanzee Forest Lodge

• Luxury: Kyaninga Lodge / Crater Safari Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drinks: Drinking water + fruits throughout the journey

Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park + Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise

Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park, famous for its rich wildlife. After check-in, enjoy a 2-hour boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, home to Africa’s largest concentration of hippos and countless bird species.for an opportunity to sport different species of wildlife that live and feed on the lake including schools of hippos, basks of crocodiles. The channel has the highest concentration of hippos in Africa it is also a great place for Birders enjoy most as you will see hundreds and hundreds of birds on the shore, you can easily identify over 40 species while on the boat cruise on kazinga channel, Later if time allows, take an evening game drive searching for lions, leopards, hyenas, elephants, buffaloes, and more.

Accommodation Options:

• Budget: Pumba Safari Cottages

• Mid-Range: Twin Lakes Safari Lodge

• Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge / Elephant Plains Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drinks: Drinking water + fruits throughout the journey

Day 4: Morning Game Drive + Transfer to Ishasha Sector (Tree-Climbing Lions)

Start the day with a sunrise game drive in the Kasenyi Plains—perfect for spotting predators and grazers. Visit the Katwe Salt Lake before transferring to Ishasha sector, famous for tree-climbing lions.On your return you will transfer to Ishasha sector an extension of queen Elizabeth national park a home to rare tree climbing lions. Ishasha is the only place in Uganda where one sport lions sited in fig trees arrive in the evening at the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay at

Accommodation Options:

• Budget: Enjojo Lodge (Budget Rooms)

• Mid-Range: Topi Lodge Ishasha

• Luxury: Ishasha Wilderness Camp

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drinks: Drinking water + fruits throughout the journey

Day 5: Ishasha Game Drive + Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Enjoy a morning game drive to search for tree-climbing lions resting on fig trees. Continue your journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home to nearly half of the world’s mountain gorillas. This ancient rain forest -one of the few in Africa to have flourished throughout the last ice age -is home to roughly half of the world’s mountain gorilla, arrive to check in and have lunch.After your lunch you can choose to have a free evening for relaxation at the lodge or you will go for an evening village walk and shopping at the craft market before dinner. At an altitude of up to 2,607 meters (8553ft). Expect some cooler temperatures in the evening. Optional: evening community walk or craft shopping.

Accommodation Options:

• Budget: Buhoma Community Rest Camp / Ride 4 a Woman

• Mid-Range: Bakiga Lodge

• Luxury: Mahogany Springs Lodge / Gorilla Safari Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drinks: Drinking water + fruits throughout the journey

Day 6: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi & Batwa Community Experience

After an early breakfast, head to the briefing area before beginning your unforgettable gorilla trekking adventure. Spend one magical hour observing these gentle giants.The time taken and the terrain vary with the movements of these great primates. Once you locate a gorilla trekking tour group, you will be allowed an hour in their presence. On this 12 Day Uganda and Rwanda safari, Enjoy your packed lunch with these mystical creatures. The thrill of spending time observing these gentle and endangered giants is an awesome, exciting experience to be long savored. Return to your lodge. Freshen up from the long tracking . Later, visit the Batwa community for cultural performances and storytelling.

Accommodation Options:

• Budget: Buhoma Community Camp / Bwindi Backpackers

• Mid-Range: Gorilla Mist Camp

• Luxury: Silverback Lodge / Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drinks: Drinking water + fruits throughout the journey

Day 7: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi – Relaxation

Travel through scenic terraced hills to the serene Lake Bunyonyi, known as the “Switzerland of Africa.” Optional activities include canoeing, island tours, or bird watching.

Accommodation Options:

• Budget: Bunyonyi View Resort

• Mid-Range: Bunyonyi Overland Resort

• Luxury: BirdNest Resort Lake Bunyonyi

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drinks: Drinking water + fruits throughout the journey

Day 8: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda)

After breakfast, drive toward the Uganda–Rwanda border and continue to Volcanoes National Park, home of the endangered mountain gorillas.

Accommodation Options:

• Budget: Hotel Muhabura

• Mid-Range: Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge

• Luxury: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel / Virunga Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drinks: Drinking water + fruits throughout the journey

Day 9: Golden Monkey Trekking + Transfer to Nyungwe Forest

Go for an exciting morning of golden monkey tracking—a playful and unique primate species. After lunch, transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park, a prime destination for chimpanzees and canopy walks.

Accommodation Options:

• Budget: Gisakura Guesthouse

• Mid-Range: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel

• Luxury: One&Only Nyungwe House

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drinks: Drinking water + fruits throughout the journey

Day 10: Chimpanzee Trekking + Canopy Walk in Nyungwe

Embark on a thrilling trek to see Nyungwe’s habituated chimpanzee groups. In the afternoon, enjoy a 160-meter long canopy walk, offering unmatched views of the rainforest’s biodiversity.

Alternatively, you might be taken to see a second habituated group, the Uwinka group, which is the largest with around 65 individuals. The duration of your trek depends on the location of the chimps – this could take from between 30 minutes to 3 hours to find them depending on how far they have moved in search for food.

After lunch, you will have a 3-hour round trip canopy walk along a 160m-long and 70m-high canopy walkway. Take in the scenery rewarding you with entire forest coverage with some few primate species. Return to the hotel for relaxation dinner and an overnight stay at the lodge

Accommodation Options:

• Budget: Gisakura Guesthouse

• Mid-Range: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel

• Luxury: One&Only Nyungwe House

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drinks: Drinking water + fruits throughout the journey

Day 11: Transfer to Kigali + City Tour

Drive to Kigali, Rwanda’s clean and vibrant capital. Explore top attractions such as the Kigali Genocide Memorial, local markets, and historic monuments.

Accommodation Options:

• Budget: Lebanon Hotel Kigali

• Mid-Range: Five to Five Hotel

• Luxury: Kigali Serena Hotel / Radisson Blu

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drinks: Drinking water + fruits throughout the journey

Day 12: Kigali City Tour & Departure

Visit the Kandt House Museum or Genocide Memorial (if not visited earlier). Transfer to the airport or hotel of choice, marking the end of your unforgettable 12 Days Uganda–Rwanda Safari.

Inclusions

• Transport in a customized 4×4 safari vehicle

• English-speaking driver/guide

• Drinking water

• All meals as per itinerary

• Park entrance fees

• Gorilla permits (both Uganda & Rwanda)

• Chimpanzee permits

• Golden monkey permits

• All listed activities

Exclusions

• International flights

• Rwanda/Uganda visa fees

• Personal travel insurance

• Tips, beverages, laundry

• Optional activities not listed

• Souvenirs and personal expenses