An all-inclusive 20-day Rwanda, Burundi & Uganda Safari taking you on exciting cultural and wildlife adventures in unusual destinations.
This unique African safari combines game viewing in a 4x4 safari vehicle, with primate tracking on foot and exploring fascinating local cultures and histories. Immerse yourself in the lush rainforests of East Africa while gorilla trekking in Uganda and tracking chimpanzees and golden monkeys in Rwanda. Take in a range of beautiful landscapes on game drives, boat cruises, a forest canopy walk and visits to rural communities as well as modern African cities.
On this Rwanda, Burundi & Uganda Safari, you have a choice of comfortable accommodation in budget, mid-range, or luxury price ranges on a full board basis to suit your budget and preferences. This wildlife and cultural tour includes transport in a 4x4 safari vehicle, the services of an English-speaking guide and more.
Welcome to Rwanda, called the “Land of a Thousand Hills” due to the rolling green hills that characterise the landscape. At the start of this Rwanda, Burundi, and Uganda Safari you are collected from the international airport in Kigali, Rwanda's capital. From there you are transferred to the hotel of your choice where you will have dinner and stay overnight. Awake rested and ready to kick off your one-of-a-kind African safari experience tomorrow
Start your first full day in Rwanda with a relaxing breakfast at your Kigali hotel before being fetched by your experienced safari guide for a tour of the city. Kigali is the modern capital of Rwanda, a safe city with a vibrant atmosphere and friendly local people.
Most visitors find Kigali surprisingly clean and well-managed, especially compared to other African cities. The sightseeing tour takes us to the Kimironko Market, where you can browse local arts and crafts and buy curios and gifts, as well as visit the landmark Kigali Genocide Memorial, established in 2004 to commemorate the Rwanda Genocide of 1994. The memorial is more than just the final resting place of the more than one million people killed in the Rwandan genocide. It serves to honour the memory of those killed in the war, educate about and prevent future genocide, provide survivor support, and promote peace-building. After your Kigali City tour, your guide will drive you to the town of Ruhengeri, now called Musanze. This town is located in the Volcanoes National Park, about 80km from Kigali. Check in to your chosen lodge upon arrival in Volcanoes Park and enjoy dinner.
Day three of your Rwanda, Burundi & Uganda Safari begins with an early morning breakfast at your accommodation. After breakfast, you will be collected by your safari guide for a transfer to the Volcanoes National Park Headquarters where your Golden Monkey Tracking adventure will start.
In addition to being the Rwanda gorilla trekking hotspot, Volcanoes National Park is also famous for its golden monkey tracking. These endangered golden monkeys are endemic to this region and are found in the bamboo forests on the lower slopes of the mountains; which makes for an easier and shorter trek than gorilla trekking in Rwanda. Golden monkey tracking is a highly recommended and rare wildlife experience that will certainly be one of the most memorable highlights of your African safari experience.
Finding one of the two large, habituated troops, numbering over 100 golden monkeys each, you stop to watch these striking, long-tailed primates. The golden monkeys are very social and active, jumping energetically between the trees and interacting playfully. The walk also offers excellent opportunities for spotting other primates and mammals in the forest, along with numerous exotic birds. Animals found here, include forest elephants, spotted hyenas, buffaloes, giant forest hogs, bushpigs, and various antelopes such as bushbuck and duikers.
After your exciting morning tracking golden monkeys in Volcanoes Park, you return to your accommodation in time to enjoy a delicious lunch and relax before your cultural tour. This afternoon we visit a local indigenous village to experience traditional African culture. Get a glimpse into Rwandan life and watch a traditional drumming and dance performance at the IbyIwacu Cultural Center. Return to your accommodation for a delicious dinner and stay overnight.
Awake for an early breakfast before being collected from your accommodation for a breathtaking sunrise boat trip on nearby Lake Kivu. Considered one of the Great African Lakes of the Rift Valley, Lake Kivu lies on the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. Covering about 2700 km², it is the deepest freshwater lake in Africa due to the bottom of the lake being on a volcanic fault that is moving outwards giving it its depth. Known for its beautiful sandy beaches, you spend about 2 hours exploring this beautiful lake and the lush islands surrounding it, taking in the beautiful scenery and birdlife as we cruise along.
A highlight of this Lake Kivu boat cruise is a stop at Kimbiri to enjoy a Rwandan coffee experience at a coffee plantation. Here you will learn all about Rwandan coffee production and get to sample some on a crop-to-cup coffee tour. You return to your accommodation after this morning’s unforgettable excursion where you will be collected for your transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park. You stop en route to enjoy lunch before being dropped at your chosen accommodation where you will have dinner and overnight.
Day five in Rwanda is dedicated to chimpanzee tracking and an exhilarating forest canopy walk. This morning you have an early breakfast, before setting off for Nyungwe Forest National Park Centre with your guide, where your chimpanzee tracking adventure begins.
Nyungwe Forest covers over 1000km² of montane rainforest - the largest intact mountain forest area in East and Central Africa. The search for chimpanzees takes you into the oldest montane forest in Africa. Walking through this ancient and biodiverse rainforest is an incredible chance to spot a rich array of exotic and rare animals, birds, plants and small creatures. Once you find a troop of chimpanzees you spend time watching them move between the trees noisily. Sharing 98% of the same DNA as humans, chimpanzees are our closest relatives, often behaving very similarly to humans.
Nyungwe Forest is home to about 500 chimpanzees, offering excellent opportunities to watch these social apes, along with 12 other primate species. You will likely encounter black-faced vervet monkeys and L’Hoest’s monkeys, with grey-cheeked mangabey and Rwenzori colobus monkeys often sighted. Along with the abundance of primates, the dense tropical forest of Nyungwe also hosts over 60 species of other mammals, a multitude of orchids, over 120 butterfly species and more than 300 species of birds. Keep an eye out for endemic Grauer’s warbler, Rwenzori Turaco and Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill in the forest canopy.
Following this captivating chimpanzee encounter, you return to your accommodation for lunch, and later in the day, you return to the forest for an exhilarating guided forest canopy walk along the Igishigishigi Trail. Experience Nyungwe Forest from a tree-top perspective as you walk along a 70m high suspension bridge in ancient treetops, looking out for wildlife. Named after the giant tree ferns that grow along the trail, the Igishigishigi Trail is considered to be one of the easier canopy trails and takes about 1.5 hours to complete. After your tree-top adventure, head back to your accommodation and relax before dinner as you end another exciting day with a good night’s rest, ready to continue your African safari adventure tomorrow.
Today our Rwanda, Burundi & Uganda Safari returns to Kigali, where you will overnight at your preferred accommodation. Enjoy an early morning buffet breakfast before checking out from your Kivu accommodation for the drive back to Kigali. You visit the Royal Palace Museum and Ethnographic Museum in Southern Province along the way to learn more about the history and culture of Rwanda. The Ethnographic Museum showcases the ancient traditional way of life of the Rwandan people with its rich cultural exhibitions, while the Royal Palace Museum shows the traditional King’s palace and gives insight into the formation and expansion of the Rwandan Kingdom, as well as the colonial influence under Belgium and Germany.
You will stop for lunch en route and reach Kigali in the afternoon, making your total travel time to Kigali about 5 hours. Spend the afternoon in Kigali at your leisure, or if time permits, visit the Belgium Museum and Hotel des Mille Collins if you would like to learn more about the Rwandan Genocide. Enjoy dinner and a good night’s rest at your accommodation.
You say goodbye to Rwanda, the “Land of a Thousand Hills” after breakfast this morning and embark on a scenic drive to Burundi, also known as “The Heart of Africa” because of its location on the African continent and its shape.
Your first destination in Burundi is Bujumbura, the commercial capital city of Burundi. It is located on the Western border of the country and is also Burundi’s main port on Lake Tanganyika. Fondly known by locals as Buj or Buji, this port city is an economic and tourist hub with interesting attractions that reflect its colonial French and German influence. The drive takes about 8 hours with plenty to see as you make your way through stunning landscapes of lush green forests, valleys, hills and mountains. You stop en route for lunch and also to learn about the local culture along the way. Arrive at your hotel in Bujumbura in the evening, where you will have dinner and stay overnight.
Awake to a delicious breakfast at the hotel, after which you will be collected for today’s excursion to Rotovu and Karera Waterfalls. You are driven to Rotovu, a small town in Bururi Province in the south of Burundi, about 120 km southeast of Bujumbura. Rotovu is the southernmost source of the Egyptian White Nile River and also boasts the oldest Catholic Church mission in Burundi.
Stop for lunch before heading to Karera Falls, an 80m high waterfall, spanning about 142 hectares located in the conservation area of Karera in the south of Rutana. The magnificent waterfall consists of 3 main cascades with multiple smaller cascades, resulting in one of the most beautiful waterfalls to experience, especially during the rainy season (October to January). Surrounded by dense lush forests of huge trees and spectacular scenery, Karera Waterfall is also known for its ‘healing waters’ due to the many thermal falls nearby making this an unforgettable waterfall experience. Afterwards, you are taken to your accommodation in Gitega where you will have dinner and overnight.
After breakfast at the hotel, you begin your jam-packed day with a tour of Gitega City, the political capital of Burundi. Today’s activities take you on a cultural experience and a beautiful forest hike. You visit The National Museum of Gitega, where you learn all about the history and culture of Burundi, and then on to Boma, the former residence of the German governor before the First World War.
Next, you visit the former Royal site and Sacred Drum Sanctuary in Gishora, known as the “Land of the Royal Drums”, The Gishora Drum experience is a must to watch with traditional drumming, dance, song and heroic poetry. This spectacular performance by the Royal Drummers was historically reserved for the Burundian monarchy but is now considered a UNESCO Intangible Heritage and open to the public to enjoy. After this spectacular performance, you drive to Kibira National Park for a forest hike, enjoying the lush vegetation and looking out for primates such as black and white colobus monkeys, chimpanzees, baboons and about 98 different species of mammals as well as 200 species of birds. Kibira National Park is the second-largest primate viewing reserve in the country and also the source of many rivers and streams as it receives the highest rainfall in the country, making for lush vegetation and Montane rainforest. Take in the beautiful green velvet hills of tea plantations that go on for miles and overlook the forest before leaving Kibera.
Next, visit the Batwa Pygmy community of Busekera for another taste of African culture. Here you'll see traditional dancing and learn about the lifestyle of these indigenous forest-dwelling people. Day nine of our Rwanda, Burundi & Uganda Safari ends with a drive back to Bujumbura, where you enjoy dinner and overnight at your hotel.
This morning you visit Rusizi National Park, where you will embark on a boat safari on the Rusizi River to the shores of Lake Tanganyika. This national park is just 15 km north of the city, next to the river and is ranked as the top destination in Burundi for birdwatching, game viewing drives, nature walks and boat cruises. The park is home to unique species of flora and fauna with wildlife such as hippos, crocodiles, monkeys, marsh-dwelling antelope (sitatungas) and many colourful species of birds. The boat cruise is perfect for spotting wildlife and also offers spectacular views of the Congolese mountains. A highlight of the cruise takes you to where the Rusizi River joins Lake Tanganyika. Here, the red water of the river and the blue water of the lake meet but the waters do not mix.
After a memorable Rusizi National Park adventure, you make a stop en route back to Bujumbura for a visit to the Livingstone-Stanley Monument. The monument is a memorial stone that commemorates the meeting of the two famous explorers, David Livingstone and Henry Morton Stanley, who supposedly met at this spot in their quest to find the source of the River Nile. This is followed by a stop at another must-visit monument in Bujumbura, “Ubumwe”, the Unity Monument. This monument was erected in 1991 to unite the people of Burundi and serve as a reminder to end tension between the Hutu and Tutsi tribes. Your time in Burundi ends later today when you are transferred to Melchior Ndadaye International Airport for your flight to Kigali, Rwanda. End day 10 of your Rwanda, Burundi & Uganda Safari with dinner and a good night's rest at your hotel in Kigali and awake ready for another adventurous day in Africa.
Today, you leave Rwanda after breakfast and enjoy the scenic drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, marvelling at the rolling hills of Rwanda along the way. Then you cross the border into Uganda at Rushagavia, driving by the twin lakes of Ruhondo and Bulera along the way. These breathtaking lakes lie on the border between Rwanda and Uganda at the base of Volcano Muhabura and were formed as a result of volcanic activity. From the lakes, you continue to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, arriving in the afternoon with some time for sightseeing and relaxing at your hotel where you have dinner and overnight.
Your Uganda safari adventure begins with gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. After breakfast, you are briefed by the UWA (Uganda Wildlife Authority) staff on what to expect from your Uganda gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi.
This unique, lush and diverse forest, is one of the richest and most diverse ecosystems in East Africa contributing to Uganda being known as the ‘Pearl of Africa’ This ecosystem supports over 120 mammals, 345 species of birds, 200 species of butterflies, and 160 species of trees. The Bwindi National Park is a precious conservation area, as an estimated half of the world’s most endangered mountain gorillas live here. There are only about 1000 wild mountain gorillas left in the world, so this is sure to be an unforgettable encounter. Make sure you are well-prepared for your gorilla trek as it may take anywhere from 2 to 6 hours. Be sure to pack a rain jacket and wear appropriate walking shoes such as jungle boots and also pack drinking water and some snacks. Once the guides have located the gorilla group that has been selected, you will spend some time observing these primates interact with one another. After this unforgettable wildlife experience, return to your accommodation where you will stay overnight.
Today you get a glimpse into the lives of the Batwa pygmy people of the Bwindi Forest, followed by a coffee tour in Kisoro District. Your guide will take you on the Batwa Trail into the forest after breakfast, where you will enjoy a cultural experience learning about and interacting with the Batwa people who have until very recently lived in the forest as hunter-gatherers for many centuries. Today they live around the protected areas of the forest and no longer live in the forest due to the government's efforts to protect the forest and the endangered mountain gorillas and wildlife that live there. After this enlightening and memorable cultural experience with the Batwa people, you head to a local farm in the Kisoro District for a coffee tour. This seedling-to-bean-to-cup journey will leave you with a new appreciation for your cuppa, as you get a hands-on experience learning all about Ugandan coffee. You will get to participate in picking, pounding, roasting, grinding and finally tasting this delicious Ugandan coffee brew. From here, you head back to your accommodation where you will stay overnight once more.
After breakfast, our Rwanda, Burundi & Uganda Safari departs from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and continues to Queen Elizabeth National Park, driving through the Ishasha Sector. Queen Elizabeth National Park is located in the western branch of the Great Rift Valley and incorporates diverse habitats including swamplands, savannahs, and woods. It is the top wildlife destination in Uganda, known for its excellent sightings of elephants, buffalos, antelopes, baboons, Uganda kob, and lions.
This 6-hour game drive allows you to spot some of the abundant wildlife of Uganda and takes you through the Ishasha Sector of the park, which boasts one of the largest surviving natural forests, the Maramagambo. This forest is home to the famous tree-climbing lions often spotted lazing in the tree-tops. Overnight at your chosen accommodation and enjoy a good night’s rest ready to explore Queen Elizabeth National Park in the morning.
Day 15 kicks off early with a dawn game drive. This is one of the best times of the day to spot the abundant species of wildlife that inhabit Queen Elizabeth National Park, including rarer wildlife like giant hogs and about 638 recorded species of birds. After lunch, enjoy a laid-back boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, a 32 km-long natural channel that links Lake Edward and Lake George. This relaxing boat cruise takes you past fishing villages with lovely views of the Mweya Peninsula and its surroundings. The boat cruise is perfect for spotting herds of elephants, hippos, buffalo, warthogs, antelope, crocodiles, and numerous species of birds as you drift along the channel. Return to your accommodation where you will stay overnight to experience more of Queen Elizabeth National Park the following day.
Today our Rwanda, Burundi & Uganda Safari takes you on an enlightening Ugandan cultural experience into the lives of the local communities who live on the borders of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The park is a UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve, which means that some of the local tribes co-habit with the wildlife that is protected here. This half-day cultural experience begins after breakfast with a full immersion into the traditional farming practices of the community. Accompany the local cowherds to escort the cattle into the bush within the community parameters and participate in milking and making yoghurt and ghee. Next, learn about their marine practices, such as traditional canoe-making, net sewing, and fish preservation stoves, and see how the women of the community make traditional art and crafts.
Afterwards, you head to one of the most beautiful and best locations in Queen Elizabeth National Park to encounter hippos up close. If time permits, you will take a walk through the historical swamps to the King of Tooro’s vacation palace. Along the way, be enchanted by at least 26 species of birds that can be seen. Return to your accommodation, where you will overnight once more.
On day 17, you leave Queen Elizabeth National Park after breakfast and continue your Uganda safari to Kibale National Park, about a 3-hour drive. Along the way, you visit Fort Portal and enjoy a game drive en route. Located in the Crater Lake District, Fort Portal is set amid lush rolling green hills. One of the cleanest and largest cities in Uganda, it is perfectly situated as a base to experience all that Uganda has to offer and is thus known as Uganda’s tourism city. Historically, Fort Portal was the seat of the Tooro Kingdom and today, is the seat of the Kibarole District.
Learn about the history of the Batooro tribe on a cultural experience at Nyakasura Falls, about 9km from Fort Portal. See the Nyakasura Caves, also located here, before making your way to Kibale National Park.
Kibale National Park covers 766 km² of various kinds of forests such as lowland tropical rainforest, montane forest, and mixed tropical deciduous forest. It includes wetlands and savannahs, all providing habitats for a rich array of animals, birds, and insects, including 144 species of butterflies and moths. Kibale Forest National Park is renowned for its primates and is home to Red-tailed Colobus and Blue Monkeys as well as Olive Baboons and chimpanzees. Other wildlife found here include duiker, civet, antelopes, and bush pigs as well as nearly 400 species of birds, including an endemic species only found here. Check into your chosen accommodation in Kibale where you will stay overnight, ready for your Kibale National Park adventure tomorrow.
After breakfast today, you will be briefed by your guide at Kibale Headquarters for your chimpanzee tracking adventure. Tune in to the noisy forest sounds as active chimpanzees move quickly through the forest canopy. You may also spot them eating or resting near the forest floor. Chimpanzees are usually sighted on the treks in Kibale, sometimes at quite close range because the primates are quite habituated to humans. Once we have located the chimps, we spend an hour observing them. This exhilarating forest walk offers beautiful scenery and your knowledgeable guide will point out other species of primates like colobus monkeys and different bird and plant species within the forest as you go about your chimpanzee trek.
In the afternoon, you head to Bigodi Wetlands for a nature and community walk, which is part of a community-based tourism project. Considered to be one of Uganda’s best bird-watching locations, Bigodi Wetlands is part of the Bigodi Swamp, which was previously known as the Magonmbe Swamp. It has a rich ecosystem that supports numerous birds and primates, like red-tailed monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, vervet monkeys, blue monkeys, red colobus, black and white colobus monkeys and baboons. You will also get to see some of the women’s community projects around this area. Return to your accommodation where you will overnight on day 18 of your Rwanda, Burundi & Uganda Safari.
You leave Kibale National Park after breakfast this morning and embark on a 7-hour drive to Kampala, Uganda's capital city. The drive takes you via Mbarara to the Igongo Cultural Village, where you get a first-hand look into the culture and lifestyle of the Ankole and Bahima people. Here you can see the traditional huts used for cattle and crop farming and learn all about the traditions and past farming methods of the local people. The Igongo Cultural Centre is a museum where you can learn all about the history, art and culture of the local people. You continue your journey to Kampala with lunch en route and make a stop at the Equator in Uganda.
Uganda is one of the few countries in the world that the Equator runs through, making for an unforgettable stop, where you can stand with one foot in the northern hemisphere and the other foot in the southern hemisphere. From here, your next stop is Kampala, where you will stay overnight at your chosen accommodation.
Your epic Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda Safari ends in Uganda today. Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and if time permits, spend some time in Kampala before being transferred to Entebbe International Airport for your flight to your next destination or home.
Safari accommodation note: On this Rwanda, Burundi & Uganda Safari, you can choose between mid-range, budget and luxury accommodation options based on your budget and preferences. For more information see the Full Tour Pricing.
This tour does take children.
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