This 8-Day Uganda Safari from Kigali combines gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest National Park, game drives, boat cruises in Queen Elizabeth National Park, cultural experiences, and city tours in Fort Portal and Kampala.
This trip suits travelers who want more time immersed in Uganda’s wildlife and geography rather than a shorter overview. See the detailed itinerary for this 8-Day Uganda Safari from Kigali below.
8-Day Uganda Safari from Kigali Highlights
- Day 1: Kigali to Bwindi Forest National Park
- Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
- Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Day 4: Game drive and boat cruise
- Day 5: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
- Day 6: Bigodi wetland walk and chimpanzee trekking
- Day 7: Transfer to Kampala
- Day 8: Kampala city tour and departure
Detailed 8-Day Uganda Safari from Kigali Itinerary
Day 1: Kigali to Bwindi Forest National Park
After breakfast at your hotel, or pickup from Kigali airport, drive north. Time permitting, take a brief tour of Kigali city, including its shopping areas, the Genocide Memorial, and local craft markets.
Continue to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via the Katuna border in Kabale, with lunch there, arriving in the Ruhija sector, on the east side of Bwindi, in the evening.
Bwindi holds a strong population of primates, including mountain gorillas, colobus monkeys, mangabeys, and baboons, along with other forest mammals and birds. On arrival, check in to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi and Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
Starts early, at 7:00 am. Have breakfast, then head to park headquarters for the briefing on gorilla trekking guidelines. Groups of eight are assigned to a specific gorilla family for the day, before heading into the forest to search for them.
The trail can be slippery, unclear, and rocky in places. Once you find the gorillas, spend an hour observing them feed and move through the trees, with time for photos.
Afterward, trek back to the starting point, meet your driver guide, and have a picnic lunch before departing Bwindi for Lake Bunyonyi, a 1.5-hour drive through the Kigezi region’s terraced hills. Arrive at Lake Bunyonyi in the evening for a sunset boat cruise to explore some of its islands.
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
In the morning, take an optional canoe trip or community walk along the shores of Lake Bunyonyi. After 1 to 2 hours, begin the drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park, heading north along the lower eastern escarpment of the Rwenzori range, with views of the glaciated peaks on a clear day.
Descend gradually into the Great Rift Valley and continue to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The park sits in a fertile equatorial area and ranks among Uganda’s most visited and accessible savannah parks, with grassy plains, forest, papyrus swamp, and crater lakes.
Day 4: Game Drive and Boat Cruise
A morning game drive is the highlight of the park. Queen Elizabeth holds 95 mammal species and over 600 bird species, including both resident and migratory populations. In the afternoon, a boat cruise brings further chances to view wildlife, birds, and reptiles.
Day 5: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
Have a relaxed breakfast, then continue driving through the hills of southwestern Uganda toward the Fort Portal region and its crater lakes, with good photo opportunities along the way.
As you approach Kibale Forest, at the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains, the route passes through Uganda’s main tea-growing region, a wide stretch of green estates in contrast to the countryside before it.
In the afternoon, visit nearby sites, including Mpanga market in Fort Portal, the Amabere Ga’Nyinamwiru caves, the Toro Kingdom palace, and local crater lakes. Return to your lodge in the evening.
Day 6: Bigodi Wetland Walk and Chimpanzee Trekking
In the morning, explore Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, part of the wider Magombe wetlands. The sanctuary is run by the Kibale Association for Rural and Environmental Development, a local community organization, and offers bird watching, swamp walks, and community visits.
In the afternoon, take a forest walk in search of chimpanzees. The forest also holds at least 8 other primate species, including red-tailed and grey-cheeked mangabeys, alongside the chimpanzees. The walk is fairly easy, with well-maintained trails and mostly flat terrain.
Day 7: Transfer to Kampala
After breakfast at your lodge in Kibale Forest, depart for Kampala via Mubende and Mityana. Along the way, stop at the historical Nakayima Tree, a site of cultural significance to the Baganda people.
Continue to Kampala, arriving in the evening, and be dropped at your hotel in the city.
Day 8: Kampala City Tour and Departure
Have breakfast at your hotel, then start the city tour at 9:00 am, visiting Kampala’s historical buildings, shopping areas, craft markets, and religious and cultural sites.
Have lunch, then transfer to Entebbe Airport in the evening for check-in and your departure flight.
End of 8-Day Uganda Safari from Kigali.
