22-Day – The Ultimate Uganda and Rwanda Expedition

A once-in-a-lifetime journey combining Big Five safaris, primates, lakes, rainforests, waterfalls, and culture across Uganda and Rwanda

A once-in-a-lifetime journey combining Big Five safaris, primates, lakes, rainforests, waterfalls, and culture across Uganda and Rwanda.

UGANDA • RWANDA • The Ultimate Expedition

Uganda • Ziwa • Murchison • Kibale • Queen Elizabeth • Bwindi • Bunyonyi Rwanda • Volcanoes • Kivu • Nyungwe • Huye • Kigali

GORILLAS x2 CHIMPS x2 GOLDEN MONKEYS BIG FIVE LAKES x3 RAINFORESTS CANOPY WALK CULTURE HERITAGE

Entebbe

Ziwa

Murchison

Kibale

Queen E.

Bwindi

Bunyonyi

Border

Volcanoes

Kivu

Nyungwe

Huye

Kigali

Day 1 – Arrival Entebbe International Airport – Overnight UG Uganda

Arrival at Entebbe International Airport. Meet and greet by our professional safari guide. Transfer to hotel, safari briefing, and leisure time. Dinner and overnight in Entebbe.

Uganda • Arrival • Safari briefing

Day 2 – Transfer from Entebbe – Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary – Murchison Falls National Park UG Uganda

Breakfast at 07:00. Start from 07:30–10:30 drive for 180 km to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Then 11:00–13:00 guided on-foot rhino tracking (southern white rhinos; bushbuck, Uganda kob; birds: ground hornbill). Lunch 13:00–14:00. Later in the day start from 14:00–17:30 drive to Murchison Falls NP. Dinner and overnight near the Nile.

Uganda • Ziwa Rhinos • Transfer to Murchison Falls

Day 3 – Murchison Falls National Park UG Uganda

Early breakfast 06:00. Start at 06:30–09:30 morning game drive (elephants, giraffes, lions, buffalo). Brunch 10:30–11:30. Then 14:00–17:30 Nile boat cruise to the base of the falls (hippos, crocodiles, elephants, African skimmer). Optional hike to the top of the falls. Dinner and overnight.

Uganda • Murchison Falls • Game drive • Nile boat cruise

Murchison Falls • Big Five • Nile River • Waterfalls

Day 4 – Drive from Murchison Falls – Kibale Forest National Park UG Uganda

Breakfast at 07:00. Then 07:30–16:00 drive for 430 km with lunch en-route. Afternoon arrival and rest. Dinner and overnight.

Uganda • Drive: 430 km to Kibale NP

Day 5 – Kibale Forest National Park UG Uganda

Early breakfast 06:00. Start the day at 06:30–09:30 chimpanzee trekking (chimpanzees, red colobus, L’Hoest’s monkeys). Return to lodge for brunch 10:30–11:30. Then from 14:00–16:30 Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary walk (birds, community encounter). Dinner and overnight.

Uganda • Chimpanzee trekking • Bigodi Wetland

Kibale • Chimpanzee tracking • Primates of Uganda

Day 6 – Transfer from Kibale Forest – Queen Elizabeth National Park UG Uganda

Breakfast at 07:00. From 07:30–11:00 drive to Queen Elizabeth NP. Lunch 12:30–13:30. Start from 14:30–17:30 afternoon game drive (elephants, lions, buffalo, and antelope). Dinner and overnight.

Uganda • Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP • Afternoon game drive

Day 7 – Queen Elizabeth National Park UG Uganda

Early breakfast 06:00. Begin the day at 06:30–09:30 morning game drive in Kasenyi Plains. Lunch at lodge. Then 14:00–16:30 Kazinga Channel boat cruise (hippos, crocodiles, waterbirds). Dinner and overnight.

Uganda • Kasenyi Plains • Kazinga Channel cruise

Queen Elizabeth • Big Five • Kazinga Channel • Hippos

Day 8 – Drive from Queen Elizabeth – Bwindi Impenetrable National Park UG Uganda

Breakfast at 07:00. The day begins from 07:30–13:30 drive via Ishasha sector (tree-climbing lions). Lunch en-route. Afternoon arrival in Bwindi, rest. Dinner and overnight near Bwindi.

Uganda • Ishasha tree-climbing lions • Transfer to Bwindi

Day 9 – Ultimate Gorilla Trekking (Bwindi Impenetrable NP) UG Uganda

Early breakfast 05:30. Start at 06:00 transfer to park headquarters. Then 07:00–13:00 gorilla trekking (1–6 hrs depending on family). Packed lunch in the forest. Afternoon rest and community visit (optional). Dinner and overnight near Bwindi.

Uganda • Gorilla Trek #1 • Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Bwindi • Mountain Gorilla Trekking • Once in a Lifetime Experience

Day 10 – Transfer from Bwindi Forest – Lake Bunyonyi UG Uganda

After breakfast at 07:00. Start the day from 08:00–10:30 drive to Lake Bunyonyi. Lunch 12:30–13:30. Afternoon canoe ride or island visit. Dinner and overnight.

Uganda • Drive to Lake Bunyonyi • Canoe ride

Lake Bunyonyi • “Place of little birds” • 29 islands

Day 11 – Drive from Lake Bunyonyi – Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda) UG Uganda RW Rwanda

Breakfast at 07:00. Begin the day at 07:30–12:00 drive to Cyanika/Gatuna border. Border formalities and immigration. Lunch near Volcanoes NP. Afternoon leisure with volcano views. Dinner and overnight.

Border Crossing: Uganda → Rwanda • Transfer to Volcanoes NP

Day 12 – Ultimate Gorilla Trekking (Volcanoes NP – Rwanda) RW Rwanda

Early breakfast 05:30. Start from 06:00 transfer to park headquarters. Then 07:00–13:00 gorilla trekking in Volcanoes NP. Packed lunch. Afternoon rest and recovery. Dinner and overnight near Volcanoes NP.

Rwanda • Gorilla Trek #2 • Volcanoes National Park

Volcanoes NP • Mountain Gorillas • Land of a Thousand Hills

Day 13 – Volcanoes National Park RW Rwanda

Breakfast at 07:00. Then from 07:30–11:00 golden monkey trekking or Dian Fossey Tomb hike. Lunch 12:30–13:30. Afternoon leisure or spa time. Dinner and overnight.

Rwanda • Golden monkey trekking or Dian Fossey Tomb

Golden Monkeys • Endangered primates of Volcanoes NP

Day 14 – Transfer from Volcanoes National Park – Lake Kivu (Gisenyi) RW Rwanda

After breakfast at 08:00. Start the day at 08:30–11:30 scenic drive ±100 km to Lake Kivu. Lunch at lakeside restaurant 13:00–14:00. Afternoon swimming, kayaking, or relaxation. Dinner and overnight at Lake Kivu.

Rwanda • Drive to Lake Kivu • Lake activities

Lake Kivu • One of Africa’s Great Lakes

Day 15 – Lake Kivu RW Rwanda

Early morning breakfast 08:00. Then from 09:00–12:00 boat cruise (fishing villages, Napoleon Island bats). Lunch 13:00–14:00. Afternoon coffee experience or lakeside leisure. Dinner and overnight at Lake Kivu.

Rwanda • Lake Kivu boat cruise • Coffee experience

Lake Kivu • Fishing villages • Local coffee culture

Day 16 – Drive from Lake Kivu – Nyungwe Forest National Park RW Rwanda

Early Morning breakfast at 07:00. Then begin the day at 07:30–13:30 drive for 260 km along the Congo–Nile Divide. Lunch en-route and tea plantation visit. Afternoon arrival and rest. Dinner and overnight.

Rwanda • Drive to Nyungwe Forest • Congo-Nile Divide

Nyungwe Forest • Ancient rainforest • Primates

Day 17 – Nyungwe Forest National Park RW Rwanda

Early breakfast 05:00. Then start the day at 05:30–09:00 chimpanzee trekking (chimps, colobus monkeys; birds: great blue turaco). Return for brunch 10:30–11:30. Afternoon leisure. Dinner and overnight.

Rwanda • Chimpanzee trek #2 • Nyungwe Forest

Nyungwe • Chimpanzee tracking • Primates of Rwanda

Day 18 – Nyungwe Forest National Park RW Rwanda

Breakfast at 07:00. Kick off the day at 08:30–10:00 canopy walk (60 m above forest floor). Lunch 12:30–13:30. Then from 14:00–17:00 guided forest walk (waterfalls, orchids, endemic birds). Dinner and overnight.

Rwanda • Canopy walk • Guided forest walk

Canopy Walk • 60m above forest floor • Spectacular views

Day 19 – Transfer from Nyungwe – Huye (Butare) RW Rwanda

Breakfast at 07:00. Start at 07:30–11:00 drive to Huye. Lunch at 12:30–13:30. Afternoon visit to Ethnographic Museum & Nyanza Royal Palace. Dinner and overnight in Huye.

Rwanda • Transfer to Huye • Museum & Royal Palace

Huye • Ethnographic Museum • Nyanza Royal Palace • Rwandan heritage

Day 20 – Transfer from Huye – Kigali RW Rwanda

Early breakfast from 07:00. Then start the day at 07:30–12:30 drive back to Kigali. Lunch 13:00–14:00. Afternoon city leisure or market visit. Dinner and overnight in Kigali.

Rwanda • Return to Kigali • City leisure

Day 21 – Kigali (Leisure and Culture) RW Rwanda

Breakfast at 08:00. Optional activities: Mount Kigali hike, cooking class, coffee roasting experience, community visit. Lunch and afternoon at leisure. Farewell dinner. Overnight in Kigali.

Rwanda • Leisure day • Optional cultural activities

Kigali • Mount Kigali • Cooking class • Coffee roasting • Community visit

Day 22 – Kigali City – Kigali International Airport (Departure) RW Rwanda

After breakfast then transfer to Kigali International Airport for your onward flight.

Rwanda • Transfer to Kigali Airport • Departure

Disclaimer: Exact lodge options will be shared at quotation stage to match availability and travel dates. And once you confirm the option you like, we will then work on a more detailed itinerary.

Uganda ✦ Rwanda

The Ultimate Expedition • A Once-in-a-Lifetime Journey

Uganda

Ziwa Rhinos • Murchison Falls • Kibale Chimps • Queen Elizabeth • Bwindi Gorillas • Lake Bunyonyi

Rwanda

Volcanoes NP Gorillas • Golden Monkeys • Lake Kivu • Nyungwe Chimps • Canopy Walk • Huye Museum • Kigali

Gorilla Trek x2

Chimp Trek x2

Golden Monkeys

Big Five

3 Lakes

Canopy Walk

Culture

22 Days • 2 Countries • 2 Gorilla Treks • 2 Chimp Treks • Golden Monkeys • Big Five • 3 Lakes • Canopy Walk • Rainforests • Heritage • Culture

✦ Entebbe • Ziwa • Murchison • Kibale • Queen Elizabeth • Bwindi • Lake Bunyonyi • Volcanoes NP • Lake Kivu • Nyungwe • Huye • Kigali ✦

Rhino tracking • Big Five safaris • Nile boat cruise • Chimpanzee trekking x2 • Gorilla trekking x2 • Golden monkeys • Canoe ride • Lake Kivu boat cruise • Canopy walk • Ethnographic Museum • Royal Palace • Kigali cultural experiences