This 8-Day Uganda Safari from Kigali – Gorillas, Chimps & Wildlife from Kigali is a specialized wildlife deep-experience including gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest National Park, game drives, boat cruises in Queen Elizabeth National Park, cultural encounters, city tours in Fort Portal and Kampala, and more.
This is an ideal wildlife and primate safari in Africa for travelers who seek deeper-than-ordinary experiences with Africa’s unique wildlife and geography. See detailed itinerary for this 8-Day Uganda Safari from Kigali below.
8-Day Uganda Safari from Kigali Highlights
- Day 1: Kigali – Bwindi Forest National Park
- Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi & Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
- Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Day 4: Game Drive & Boat Cruise
- Day 5: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
- Day 6: Bigodi Wetland Walk & Chimpanzee Trekking
- Day 7: Transfer to Kampala
- Day 8: Kampala City Tour & Departure
Detailed 8-Day Uganda Safari from Kigali Itinerary
Day 1: Kigali – Bwindi Forest National Park
After breakfast at your accommodation or pickup from Kigali airport, drive northwards. If time allows, take a brief tour of Kigali city to see spectacular views of shopping malls, genocide museums, craft markets, etc. Depart immediately for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via the Katuna border in Kabale where you’ll have lunch, arriving in Ruhija sector, east of Bwindi National Park in the evening.
Bwindi is renowned for its exceptional population of primates, including the endangered mountain gorillas, Colobus monkeys, mangabeys, baboons, forest mammals, and beautiful forest birds. Arrive in Bwindi in the evening, check into your accommodation, have dinner, and overnight.
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi & Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
Starts early at 7:00 am. Enjoy an early breakfast and proceed to the park headquarters for a briefing on gorilla trekking rules and regulations. You will be divided into groups of eight trekkers assigned to a specific gorilla family for the day. Enter the forest to begin the search for these gentle apes.
Walk through slippery trails, unclear paths, and rocky jungles. Finally, come face to face with the gorillas, spend an hour observing them as they carry on with their routines, swinging on tree branches and feeding. You have only one hour to view and photograph them.
Return from the forest, trek back to the starting point, meet your driver guide, have a picnic lunch, and depart Bwindi for Lake Bunyonyi. This is a 1.5-hour drive through the Kigezi region with its terraced slopes, rolling hills, and undulating plains. Arrive at Lake Bunyonyi in the evening, ready for a sunset boat cruise to explore Bunyonyi’s historical islands.
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
In the morning, opt for a canoe experience or a community walk on the shores of Lake Bunyonyi. After 1 or 2 hours, begin the drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP). The drive heads north along the eastern lower escarpments of the Rwenzori ranges, where, weather permitting, you can see the glaciated peaks.
Descend gradually into the Great Rift Valley and eventually to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The park is located in a fertile, equatorial area with unmatched beautiful scenery. It is Uganda’s most popular and easily accessible Savannah park primarily marked by grassy savannah plains, leafy rainforests, dense papyrus swamps, and natural explosion crater lakes.
Day 4: Game Drive & Boat Cruise
A morning game drive is the park’s highlight. With one of the highest biodiversity ratings of any game reserve globally, Queen Elizabeth boasts a total of 95 mammal species and over 610 bird species, including permanent residents and migratory species. In the afternoon, a boat cruise offers amazing opportunities to view wildlife, unique birds, reptiles, and more.
Day 5: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
Enjoy a leisurely morning breakfast. Continue driving through the rolling highlands of southwestern Uganda towards the greener, crater-filled Fort Portal region. The lush striking hills of this region provide excellent photo opportunities. As you approach Kibale Forest at the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains, traverse Uganda’s famous tea plantation region.
A carpet of green estates spreads before you as far as the eye can see, in unusual contrast to the countryside you have just passed through. In the afternoon, visit nearby destinations including Mpanga market in Fort Portal town, the historical Amabere Ga’nyinamwiru caves, Toro Kingdom palace, crater lakes, and more. Retire to your lodge in the evening.
Day 6: Bigodi Wetland Walk & Chimpanzee Trekking
This morning, explore the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, part of the larger Magombe wetlands. The sanctuary is a popular eco-tourism destination within the Kibale Forest area and is operated by the Kibale Association for Rural and Environmental Development (KAFRED), a local community-based organization. Activities here include birdwatching, swamp walks, and community walks.
In the afternoon, embark on a forest walk in search of chimpanzees. Trek through the lush green forest, surrounded by bird songs, and expect to see at least 8 other types of primates, including Red-tailed and grey-cheeked mangabeys, and of course, the endangered chimpanzees. Walking in this forest is fairly easy due to well-maintained trails and moderately flat terrain.
Day 7: Transfer to Kampala
After breakfast at your lodge in Kibale Forest, depart for Kampala via Mubende and Mityana towns. Take a detour to visit the historical Nakayima tree; a tree with significant cultural importance to the Baganda people. Continue the drive to Kampala. Arrive in the evening, and be dropped off at your hotel in the heart of Kampala city.
Day 8: Kampala City Tour & Departure
Enjoy an early breakfast at your hotel. Begin the city tour at 9:00 am, visiting Kampala’s historical and ancient buildings, towering shopping malls, craft markets, religious centers, cultural sites, etc. Have lunch and in the evening, transfer to check in at Entebbe airport, and depart later depending on your flight time.
End of 8-Day Uganda Safari from Kigali.
