Private safari itinerary

Uganda Primates and Queen Elizabeth to Kigali

This itinerary is planned around Uganda, Rwanda and can be adjusted for budget, lodge level, transport style, and add-on activities.

5 days Uganda, Rwanda Midrange Request a quote

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Gorilla permits and peak-season rooms can sell out early.

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Trip Planning

This itinerary is planned around Uganda, Rwanda and can be adjusted for budget, lodge level, transport style, and add-on activities.

Price

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Duration

5 Days

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Days

Overview Itinerary

Overview

This is a detailed 5-night safari itinerary that blends primate tracking, immersive game drives, in Uganda’s lush rainforests and iconic savannahs with the scenic beauty of Rwanda’s rolling hills. From chimpanzees in Kibale to tree-climbing lions in Ishasha and gorilla encounters in Bwindi, every moment of this tour pulses with raw, natural wonder and a scenic cross-border finale into Rwanda — all tailored to your travel style and interests.

Itinerary

Day 1. Entebbe to Kibale National park

Your Guide will be at your Lodge, for departure from Entebbe early in the morning, ideally around 7:00 AM to make the most of your day. The journey to Kibale National Park by road stretches between 6 and 7 hours, winding northwest through vibrant towns, rolling hills, and lush plantations. It's not just a transfer; it's a scenic introduction to Uganda’s rich tapestry of life.
On arrival in Fort Portal, you will visit the Amabere caves after lunch before heading to the lodge to your lodge, for check and overnight
The Amabere Ga Nyina Mwiru Caves, located near Fort Portal in Western Uganda, are a captivating blend of geology, mythology, and cultural heritage and they make a perfect stopover en route to or from Kibale National Park.
The name translates to “Breasts of Nyinamwiru”, referring to a local myth about Princess Nyinamwiru, daughter of King Bukuku. According to legend, her breasts were cut off and thrown into the cave as punishment for defying her father's marriage plans.

Day 2. Chimpanzee tracking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth

After breakfast we drive to the tracking center for briefing. The chimpanzee tracking experience lasts between 2/4 hours, depending on the family location. The guides will lead you deeper into the forest until you spot them, a family of chimps grooming, playing, and swinging through the canopy. You’re allowed one magical hour in their presence, a rare window into their social world.
After the trek, you return to the lodge for a quick refresh and begin your midday transfer to Queen Elizabeth. The drive via Fort Portal takes about 2 to 3 hours, winding past, tea plantations, and the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains. It’s a scenic transition from rainforest to savannah.
By mid-afternoon, you arrive at your lodge, As the sun begins to dip, you set out for a sunset game drive along the Channel trail. This route skirts the Kazinga Channel’s northern edge, where euphorbia trees and acacia thickets host a variety of wildlife. Later diner and overnight at the lodge.

Day 3. Game drives and boat cruise

After an early breakfast, you set out for a game drive in the Kasenyi Plains, one of Queen Elizabeth National Park’s most wildlife-rich sectors. The open savannah stretches endlessly, dotted with acacia trees and Euphorbia shrubs — a perfect backdrop for spotting Uganda kobs, elephants, and the park’s famed lion prides, often seen prowling near kob breeding grounds.

The early hours are prime time for predator activity, and the golden light makes for stunning photography. Birdlife is equally impressive, with sightings of grey crowned cranes, and secretary birds adding color to the landscape.

In the afternoon, you head to the Kazinga Channel for a boat cruise, a highlight of the park safari. As your vessel glides along the channel, you’ll encounter massive pods of hippos, Nile crocodiles, and elephants bathing at the shoreline. After the boat trip you head for lunch and transfer to Ishasha sector to your lodge for check in and overnight.

Day 4. Morning game drive and transfer to Bwindi

The morning begins in the Ishasha sector, a remote and wild corner of Queen Elizabeth National Park famed for its tree-climbing lions a rare behavior seen in only a few places in Africa. As your safari vehicle rolls out around 6:30 AM, the golden light filters through the savannah woodlands, casting dramatic shadows across the fig and candelabra trees. These majestic cats climb to escape the heat, avoid biting insects, and gain a vantage point over the grazing Uganda kobs below. With binoculars in hand and camera ready, you may also spot elephants, topis, and even the elusive leopard slinking through the underbrush.
After the game drive, you return to the lodge for a hearty breakfast and check out. The journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park begins mid-morning, winding through scenic countryside and rural villages. The drive takes approximately 4 to 5 hours, depending on your gorilla trekking sector.
On arrival to your lodge check in and overnight.

Main Destination:
Bwindi Impenetrable Nation

Day 5. Gorilla Trekking and transfer to Kigali

Early in the morning, with a mist curling through the dense canopy of Bwindi. After an early breakfast, you head to the briefing center, Ruhija, where rangers provide essential guidelines and assign you to a habituated gorilla family.
Equipped with hiking boots, a walking stick, and bottled water, you set off into the forest. The trek can last anywhere from 2 to 6 hours, depending on the gorillas’ location. The terrain is steep and tangled, but the reward is profound, a magical hour spent in the presence of mountain gorillas, observing their interactions, feeding habits, and social dynamics. It’s a moment that transcends wildlife viewing intimate, humbling, and unforgettable.

After the trek, you return to your lodge for lunch. Then begins your cross-border journey to Kigali, Rwanda.
The drive winds through Uganda’s highlands, past terraced hills and crater lakes, before descending into Rwanda’s smooth roads and manicured countryside. You’ll arrive in Kigali in evening.

Why book with us

Local planning, flexible routes, and direct safari support

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Built around your dates

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Permit-aware planning

Gorilla permits and peak-season rooms can sell out early.

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Safari FAQ

Before you enquire

Can this safari be customized?

Yes. Use the enquiry form or WhatsApp CTA to share dates, traveler count, budget level, and any activities you want added or removed.

What does the price include?

Use the overview inclusions and exclusions as the starting point. Final quotes depend on lodge category, rooming, transport style, permits, and season.

How early should I enquire?

Gorilla permits and peak-season rooms can sell out early. Enquiring early gives the team more room to secure the right route and lodge match.

Plan this safari with confidence

Departure and return: Tell us your arrival city and flight dates; your written quote will confirm pickup and drop-off.
Route: Entebbe to Kibale National park → Chimpanzee tracking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth → Game drives and boat cruise → Morning game drive and transfer to Bwindi → Gorilla Trekking and transfer to Kigali
Accommodation: We will propose named properties and room arrangements for your dates. Lodge availability is confirmed during quotation.
Price basis: Request a quote. Your quote will state the currency, traveler count, room-sharing assumptions, permit fees, inclusions and exclusions.

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Uganda Primates and Queen Elizabeth to Kigali

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