10-Days Fantastic Tour in Rwanda & Uganda – Safari in East Africa

Tour Overview

Uganda and Rwanda sit side by side, share the same misty stretch of the Virunga Mountains, and between them hold some of the most extraordinary wildlife experiences left on the planet. This 10-day journey takes full advantage of that proximity, weaving together the very best of both countries into a single, seamless East African adventure — without the long backtracking that a lot of multi-country trips involve.

You’ll begin in Uganda with the open savannah and thick hippo pods of Queen Elizabeth National Park, continue on to the famous tree-climbing lions of the Ishasha sector, and spend a profoundly moving morning tracking mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. From there, the safari heads to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park — “where silver meets gold” — for golden monkey trekking, before crossing the border into Rwanda for a cultural visit to the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village near Volcanoes National Park, and finishing in Kigali with a visit to the sobering, essential Kigali Genocide Memorial and a tour of one of Africa’s cleanest and most impressive capital cities.

It’s a trip designed for travelers who want two countries’ worth of wildlife, culture, and scenery without two separate holidays’ worth of planning and travel time. If ten days is more than you can spare, our 4-Day Rwanda-Uganda Golden Monkey and Gorilla Trekking covers a condensed version of the same idea; if you have more time and want to add Rwanda’s own Big Five park, our 15-Day Rwanda–Uganda Primate & Big-Five Safari Adventure or the multi-country 20-Day East Africa Safari Itinerary are natural next steps. Or get in touch and we’ll tailor the pace, dates, or accommodation level to suit you.

Trip Highlights

  • A scenic drive west with a stop at the Equator for photos
  • Game drives across the Kasenyi plains in Queen Elizabeth National Park
  • A Kazinga Channel boat cruise among some of Africa’s densest hippo populations
  • A search for the famous tree-climbing lions of the Ishasha sector
  • A profoundly moving morning of mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
  • Golden monkey tracking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
  • Crossing the Cyanika border into Rwanda’s Northern Province
  • A cultural visit to the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village near Volcanoes National Park
  • A visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial and a guided city tour of Rwanda’s capital

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe International Airport

Your Kenlink Tours guide will meet you on arrival, assist with all arrival formalities, and transfer you to your hotel to rest and settle in. Depending on your arrival time, there’s often the option of a short Entebbe sightseeing tour or a sunset walk along the shores of Lake Victoria. Overnight: Entebbe

Day 2: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, drive west toward Queen Elizabeth National Park, stopping at the Equator line for the classic one-foot-in-each-hemisphere photo, with lunch en route. The park’s mix of savannah, forest, and volcanic crater lakes makes it one of Uganda’s most biodiverse protected areas. Arrive in the afternoon in time for an evening game drive before checking into your lodge for dinner. Overnight: Queen Elizabeth NP

Day 3: Morning Game Drive & Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise

Rise early for a game drive across the Kasenyi plains, with the Rwenzori Mountains — the legendary “Mountains of the Moon” — rising in the distance. Look out for lion, elephant, buffalo, Uganda kob, and leopard. In the afternoon, take a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, home to one of Africa’s densest hippo populations, along with crocodile and prolific birdlife. Overnight: Queen Elizabeth NP

Day 4: Ishasha Tree-Climbing Lions & Transfer to Bwindi

Head to the Ishasha sector for a game drive in search of the region’s famous tree-climbing lions — a behavior seen in only a handful of places on Earth — before continuing on to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The drive winds through the dramatically terraced Kigezi Highlands, arriving at Bwindi in the evening. Overnight: Bwindi

Day 5: Mountain Gorilla Trekking Experience

The heart of this safari. After a briefing at park headquarters, trek into the forest with experienced rangers in search of a habituated gorilla family. Once located, you’ll spend a full hour in their presence — creatures with whom humans share around 98% of our DNA, and an encounter most travelers describe as one of the most moving of their lives. Overnight: Bwindi

Day 6: Transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park & Golden Monkey Trekking

Drive to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Kisoro, known locally as “where silver meets gold” for being home to both mountain gorillas and golden monkeys. In the afternoon, set off on a guided trek in search of this playful, endangered primate, found in Uganda only within Mgahinga’s bamboo forest. Overnight: Kisoro/Mgahinga

Day 7: Cross the Border into Rwanda & Visit Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village

After breakfast, cross the Cyanika border into Rwanda’s Northern Province, a straightforward crossing when travelling with your guide. On arrival near Volcanoes National Park, visit the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village, where former poachers and local community members now share traditional dance, drumming, homestead life, and healing practices with visitors — a meaningful counterpoint to the previous days’ wildlife encounters. Overnight: Musanze, Rwanda

Day 8: Free Morning & Transfer Toward Kigali

Enjoy a relaxed morning near Volcanoes National Park — options include an optional visit to the Dian Fossey Tomb and Karisoke Research Center, a short nature walk, or simply time to rest after several active days — before beginning the scenic drive to Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, through rolling hills, tea plantations, and neatly terraced farmland. Overnight: Kigali

Day 9: Kigali City Tour & Genocide Memorial

Spend the day exploring Kigali, one of Africa’s cleanest and most orderly capitals. Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial, a sobering and essential stop that tells the story of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi and Rwanda’s remarkable journey of reconciliation since. Continue to local markets and craft centers for a lighter afternoon of shopping and browsing, picking up last-minute souvenirs. Overnight: Kigali

Day 10: Departure from Kigali

Depending on your flight time, enjoy a final morning of sightseeing or shopping before your transfer to Kigali International Airport for your onward or homeward flight — the end of an unforgettable 10 days spanning gorillas, golden monkeys, savannah wildlife, and two of East Africa’s most welcoming countries.

What’s Included

  • All park entrance fees (for non-residents)
  • Gorilla trekking permit, Uganda (one per person, non-resident rate)
  • Golden monkey trekking permit
  • All listed activities (unless marked optional)
  • All accommodation
  • Professional English-speaking driver/guide
  • All ground transportation in a safari 4×4
  • Cyanika border crossing assistance
  • All applicable taxes/VAT
  • Meals and drinks as specified in the day-by-day itinerary

Not Included

  • International flights
  • Tips (guideline: US$10 per person per day)
  • Personal items (souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
  • Optional activities such as the Dian Fossey Tomb hike
  • Meals not specified in the day-by-day itinerary

Good to Know

Gorilla permits: Uganda’s gorilla trekking permit currently costs USD 800 per person and is issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, the official body managing Bwindi, Mgahinga, Queen Elizabeth, and all of Uganda’s other national parks. Permits are limited daily and should be secured well ahead of your travel dates — we handle this as part of your booking.

Visas for a combined trip: Since this itinerary crosses both countries, we generally recommend the East African Tourist Visa, a single visa valid for Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya. Uganda’s visa can also be applied for individually through the Uganda e-Visa portal, and Rwanda’s through the Rwanda Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration. Apply well ahead of travel, since your itinerary is built around fixed permit and border-crossing dates.

Best time to go: This trip can be done year-round, but the driest months (December–February and June–August) are best for gorilla and golden monkey trekking, when forest trails are firmer, and for general game viewing, as wildlife concentrates around remaining water sources.

Fitness level: Game drives and boat cruises are easy and suitable for all fitness levels. Gorilla and golden monkey trekking involve uneven, sometimes steep and muddy forest terrain, so a reasonable level of fitness is recommended.

Entry requirements: Proof of yellow fever vaccination is required for entry into both Uganda and Rwanda. General destination information for Rwanda is available from the Rwanda Development Board, Rwanda’s official tourism authority.

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