8-Day Rwanda & Uganda Gorilla, Chimpanzee & Wildlife Adventure

Our 8-day Rwanda and Uganda adventure begins and concludes in Kigali, combining exceptional wildlife encounters, primate experiences, scenic landscapes, and local culture. This cross-border safari takes you to four outstanding national parks across Rwanda and Uganda: Akagera National Park for Big Five viewing and a boat cruise, Volcanoes National Park for golden monkey trekking, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for mountain gorilla trekking, and Kibale National Park for chimpanzee tracking. Your journey is completed with a rewarding Kigali city tour before departure.

Your safari opens with a visit to Akagera National Park, Rwanda's leading savannah destination. Situated in eastern Rwanda near the Tanzanian border, the park covers approximately 122 km² and features a striking mix of open grasslands, rolling hills, woodland, lakes, and extensive wetlands. This diverse environment supports an impressive concentration of wildlife, including elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, and a rich variety of birdlife. A boat ride on Lake Ihema, in the southern part of the park, offers excellent opportunities to see hippos, Nile crocodiles, waterbirds, and, with luck, the rare shoebill stork.

From Akagera, you will travel to Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park, located in the breathtaking Virunga Mountains. Covering around 160 km², the park is renowned for its dramatic volcanic scenery and rare primate encounters. Golden monkey trekking is one of its most memorable activities, taking visitors into the bamboo forests at the base of the volcanoes.

Your adventure then continues across the border into Uganda and onward to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, one of Africa's most important mountain gorilla sanctuaries. Bwindi is home to approximately 18 habituated gorilla families available for daily trekking, distributed across the four sectors of Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga, and Nkuringo.

After your gorilla encounter, you will journey to Kibale National Park in western Uganda, widely recognized as the country's premier destination for chimpanzee tracking. Covering roughly 795 km², Kibale protects one of East Africa's most beautiful tropical forests and a remarkable diversity of primates. Uganda is estimated to have about 4,950 chimpanzees, with nearly 1,500 living in Kibale's forest ecosystem.

After chimpanzee trekking, you will take part in the Bigodi Community and Wetland Walk. This guided experience explores the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, an excellent habitat for birds and monkeys, while offering a meaningful introduction to the traditions and daily lives of the local community.

• Big Five Wildlife Safari – Akagera National Park
• Golden Monkey Adventure – Volcanoes National Park
• Immersive Community Cultural Experience
• Mountain Gorilla Encounter – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
• Chimpanzee Tracking Experience – Kibale Forest
• Bigodi Swamp Nature & Wildlife Walk
• Rwanda–Uganda Scenic Border Crossing Road Trip

On your arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be met and welcomed by our representative. He will be your tour and driver guide for the rest of the days you will be in the country. After the interaction and brief introduction, you will be transferred to your preferred Hotel in Kigali for overnight stay.

Meal Plan: Bed and Breakfast

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Your 2-day Akagera excursion begins at 7:00 a.m., when your professional safari guide collects you from your hotel in Kigali. You will then travel eastward to Akagera National Park, a scenic drive of approximately 2.5 hours. On arrival, enjoy a short introductory game drive before checking in at your lodge, offering an excellent first chance to spot wildlife while appreciating the park's striking landscapes.

The southern sector of Akagera, where you enter the reserve, features acacia woodland and dense thickets. Although this habitat is less favorable for many grazers, it supports a variety of species including impala, zebra, reedbuck, giraffe, baboons, and black-faced vervet monkeys. This part of the park is also home to rhinoceros, as its natural vegetation provides suitable cover and browsing habitat; with good luck, you may encounter them during the drive.

After lunch, depart at 3:00 p.m. for a relaxing boat safari on Lake Ihema. This rewarding water-based experience offers opportunities to see hippos, Nile crocodiles, monitor lizards, and an impressive diversity of waterbirds along the lake's shores.

Meal Plan: Lunch, Dinner

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After an early breakfast, check out of your hotel at 6:30 a.m. and set off for an immersive six-hour game drive through Akagera National Park. Following the park's principal game-viewing route, you will journey from the southern sector toward the north, passing through a striking mix of acacia scrub, open woodland, bushland, and sweeping savanna.

There will be rewarding stops at selected wetlands and along scenic lakeshores, where you can watch animals, waterbirds, and other species drawn to the water's edge. One of the highlights is Hippo Beach, a wonderful viewing point where pods of hippos often rest in the shallow water and Nile crocodiles can be spotted basking nearby.

Continuing north along the main track, you will eventually arrive at the famous Kilala Plains, regarded as one of Akagera's finest wildlife-viewing areas. These broad, open grasslands offer expansive views across the savanna and attract large concentrations of grazing animals. Buffalo, zebra, topi, impala, elephants, and warthogs are regularly encountered here, often spread across the plains in impressive numbers. After the game drive, enjoy your packed picnic lunch before leaving Akagera National Park and returning to Kigali.

Meal Plan: Breakfast and packed lunch

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Your driver-guide will collect you from your hotel and journey north to Volcanoes National Park in Ruhengeri. En route, admire Rwanda's rolling, terraced hillsides—a captivating introduction to the country's scenic highlands. Spend a relaxed evening at the lodge, resting and preparing for tomorrow's memorable adventure.

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Following an early briefing, set off in search of the lively golden monkeys. The activity begins at 7 a.m. at Kinigi Park Headquarters, where you will meet the ranger guide and begin your forest walk. This approximately 4-hour experience includes up to one hour observing these endangered primates in their natural habitat. Watch them leap, play, and feed among the bamboo stems, often at close range thanks to their habituation, while admiring their distinctive golden fur and silvery back patches.

After the trek, continue by road to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Uganda's renowned gorilla country. The journey unfolds through changing scenery, from lush tropical forests to the rolling, terraced hills of Kigezi, fondly known as the "Switzerland of East Africa" for its beautiful green slopes. Arrive at your lodge for relaxation, followed by dinner and an overnight stay in preparation for the following day's adventure.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

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After an early breakfast, depart with your packed lunch for a short drive to the park headquarters. Here, you will meet experienced local rangers and trackers for a detailed pre-trek briefing on gorilla-tracking procedures and respectful behavior around these remarkable primates. You will then enter the forest and begin following the trail from the point where the gorilla family was last seen the previous evening.

The trek may last from 1 to 6 hours, depending on the gorillas' movements, the location of the family, and the high-altitude terrain—often above 7,500 feet. Trails can be steep, muddy, and uneven, so a reasonable level of physical fitness is essential. Carry plenty of drinking water, and bring a camera with suitable settings for fast wildlife photography. Rain can fall at any time in this tropical forest, so waterproof clothing and sealed bags to protect cameras and valuables are highly recommended.

After the gorilla trekking experience, continue through Queen Elizabeth National Park toward Kibale Forest National Park. Arrive in the late evening for dinner and an overnight stay.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

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Your morning begins with an early breakfast before setting out for an unforgettable chimpanzee trekking adventure in Kibale National Park, home to an estimated 500 chimpanzees. Before entering the forest, you will attend a ranger-led briefing covering trekking rules, safety procedures, and responsible wildlife-viewing practices. Accompanied by an experienced guide, follow forest trails in search of chimpanzee families while discovering the park's other primates, fascinating plant life, birds, and forest creatures.

Kibale is widely regarded as one of Africa's premier destinations for viewing chimpanzees in their natural habitat. Habituated chimpanzee groups have been monitored here since 1992, and sightings are often especially rewarding when the animals gather in fruiting fig trees. Covering approximately 795 km², the park protects an extensive tract of lush equatorial rainforest and supports one of the world's greatest concentrations of primates.

After the chimpanzee trek, continue to the Bigodi Community Walk for a guided wetland and cultural experience. Explore the scenic swamp trail, known for its prolific birdlife and primates, then meet members of the local community to gain insight into their daily lives. The visit may include traditional healers, family homesteads, and community schools, offering a meaningful connection between wildlife conservation, culture, and the people living alongside Kibale's remarkable forest.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

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Today, travel south via the Katuna Border into Kigali, Rwanda, enjoying scenic landscapes shared by two East African countries. Stop for lunch en route before arriving in Kigali, where you will be dropped at the airport or your hotel.

Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch