Day 3: Entebbe to Kibale National Park via Fort Portal

Today marks the beginning of the overland safari proper, with a 6-hour drive westward from Entebbe toward Kibale National Park, one of Uganda's most primate-rich ecosystems and the chimpanzee tracking capital of East Africa.

The route passes through Fort Portal, the elegant tea-town capital of the ancient Toro Kingdom. Fort Portal is one of Uganda's most attractive provincial towns, framed by the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains to the west and surrounded by a patchwork of tea estates, banana plantations, and crater lakes. It was historically the seat of one of Uganda's most celebrated kingdoms, and a stop here introduces the first threads of Uganda's rich cultural tapestry.

En route or near Fort Portal, visit the atmospheric Amabeere ga Nyinamwiru — a series of caves and waterfalls draped in calcium carbonate formations that the local Batooro people have long associated with an ancient legend of a princess. The cave walls weep with a white milky substance formed by centuries of mineral-rich water seeping through limestone — scientifically these are stalactites and stalagmites, but locally they are understood as something far more poetic and powerful. The site is beautiful, shaded, and deeply atmospheric.

Continue west to Kibale Forest, checking into your lodge in time for a sundowner overlooking the canopy before dinner.

Highlights: Fort Portal cultural stop, Amabeere ga Nyinamwiru caves, arrival at Kibale Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Luxury: Ndali Lodge | Midrange: Turaco Treetops | Budget: Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse

Day 4: Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale National Park

Today is dedicated entirely to Kibale National Park — Uganda's premier destination for primate experiences and one of the finest chimpanzee habitats in the world.

Rise early for the drive to the park headquarters at Kanyanchu for the pre-trek briefing. Kibale National Park protects a spectacular mosaic of tropical rainforest, woodland, and wetland habitats across 795 square kilometres in western Uganda. It harbours over 1,500 chimpanzees — one of the largest and most studied populations in East Africa — as well as 12 other primate species, including the Ugandan red colobus monkey, the Ugandan mangabey, the grey-cheeked mangabey, olive baboon, black and white colobus, and the blue monkey.

Led by an expert guide and tracker, you will enter the forest on the trail of one of Kibale's habituated chimpanzee communities. The tracking experience is dynamic and immersive — the chimps are noisy, fast-moving, and extraordinarily expressive. Calls echo through the canopy overhead, branches shake with their passage, and when you finally locate them — whether feeding on figs high in the trees or resting on a forest floor — the proximity is astonishing.

Birdwatchers will also find Kibale extraordinarily rewarding, with species including the Rwenzori turaco, African pitta, and various sunbirds among the more than 370 recorded species.

Return to the lodge for lunch, and in the afternoon consider the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary Walk — a community-run guided walk through the swamp adjacent to the national park, offering excellent primate spotting (especially red colobus and mangabey) and outstanding birdwatching in a more intimate setting.

Highlights: Chimpanzee tracking, Kibale Forest primates, optional Bigodi Wetland Walk Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: As Day 3

Day 5: Kibale to Queen Elizabeth National Park

A relaxed morning at the lodge allows time to enjoy breakfast at leisure, perhaps take a gentle walk around the crater lakes near Fort Portal — each one a shimmering volcanic bowl nestled among hills — or simply sit on the lodge terrace and listen to the forest waking up.

After lunch, transfer south to Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP), Uganda's most visited protected area and one of the most biodiverse parks in Africa. Stretching across 1,978 square kilometres from the Rwenzori foothills to the Rift Valley floor, QENP encompasses savannah, wetlands, forests, and the famous Kazinga Channel that links Lake Edward and Lake George.

The park is home to an astonishing 96 mammal species, including elephants, hippos, buffaloes, leopards, hyenas, and the rare aquatic sitatunga antelope, as well as over 600 bird species — one of the highest densities of bird diversity of any protected area in the world.

Arrive at the park in time for an evening game drive through the open savannah plains, where herds of Uganda kob and buffalo graze against the backdrop of the Rwenzori Mountains and the setting sun paints the Rift Valley in extraordinary shades of orange and gold.

Highlights: Crater lakes stop, transfer to QENP, evening game drive Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge | Midrange: Marafiki Lodge | Budget: Bush Lodge

Day 6: Full Day in Queen Elizabeth National Park

A full day in QENP unfolds across three distinct and thrilling experiences.

The morning begins with a game drive through the Kasenyi Plains, the park's classic big-game viewing area, where large herds of Uganda kob gather and resident prides of lion hunt. Elephants are frequently encountered along the track edges, and with patience, leopard sightings are possible in the acacia woodland.

Midday brings a stop at the Katwe Salt Lake — one of Uganda's most unusual geological features, a volcanic crater lake that has been commercially mined for salt for centuries by local communities — and a visit to the adjacent fishing village, offering a window into traditional lake-dependent livelihoods.

The afternoon highlight is the celebrated Kazinga Channel boat cruise, a 2-hour journey along the 32-kilometre channel that connects Lake George and Lake Edward. The Kazinga Channel is home to one of the largest concentrations of hippos in Africa, with hundreds visible at close range from the boat. African buffalo wade in the shallows, massive Nile crocodiles bask on the banks, and the birdlife is extraordinary — pied kingfishers, malachite kingfishers, African fish eagles, yellow-billed storks, and pink-backed pelicans are all commonly observed.

Highlights: Morning game drive, Katwe Salt Lake, Kazinga Channel boat cruise Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: As Day 5

Day 7: Ishasha Sector & Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Today's drive takes you through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park — the remote, forested southern corner famous as one of the only places in the world where lions habitually climb trees. The phenomenon is well-documented here, and while no wildlife sighting is ever guaranteed, the Ishasha fig and acacia trees regularly conceal resting lion prides draped languidly across their branches in a behaviour that still puzzles researchers.

Alongside the lions, Ishasha supports healthy populations of topi — one of East Africa's most elegant antelopes — as well as elephants, leopards, olive baboons, and the beautiful black and white colobus monkey, whose long white-fringed capes make them unmistakeable in the forest canopy. A bush lunch is enjoyed in the field today, adding a quintessential safari moment to the drive.

In the afternoon, continue southward through dramatically beautiful highland terrain into Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most extraordinary places on earth. Check into your lodge as the forest closes in around you and the sounds of the night begin.

Highlights: Tree-climbing lions of Ishasha, bush lunch, arrival at Bwindi Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Luxury: Buhoma Lodge | Midrange: The Haven Lodge | Budget: Buhoma Community Lodge

Day 8: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

There are moments in travel that divide your life into before and after. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is one of them.

After an early breakfast, transfer to the park briefing point where Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers will assign you to a habituated gorilla family and provide essential guidelines for the encounter. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is home to over 400 individual mountain gorillas — approximately half of the entire global population of this critically endangered species. There are currently 19 habituated gorilla families in Bwindi, spread across four trekking sectors: Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga, and Nkuringo.

The trek through Bwindi's dense, tangled, ancient forest is demanding and deeply atmospheric. The forest itself — a UNESCO World Heritage Site for both its biodiversity and geological significance — is extraordinarily rich: over 1,000 flowering plant species, 120 mammal species including chimpanzees and colobus monkeys, and 348 bird species including the endangered African green broadbill and numerous Albertine Rift endemics.

When the rangers and trackers locate your assigned gorilla family, the experience begins: one hour in the presence of these magnificent animals. Silverbacks, weighing up to 220 kilograms, observe you with quiet authority. Juveniles tumble and play. Mothers nurse infants with extraordinary tenderness. The connection is profound and impossible to fully describe in words — it must be lived.

Highlights: Mountain gorilla trekking, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest biodiversity Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: As Day 7

Day 9: Bwindi to Lake Bunyonyi

After the intensity of gorilla trekking, today offers a gentle transition to one of Uganda's most serene and beautiful destinations: Lake Bunyonyi, the country's deepest lake at a recorded depth of 44 metres.

The drive from Bwindi to Lake Bunyonyi takes approximately 1.5–2 hours through the lush highlands of Kigezi, often called the "Switzerland of Africa" for its dramatic terraced hillsides and cool highland climate. The first view of Lake Bunyonyi — its sapphire waters studded with 29 named islands and fringed by terraced green hills — is one of Uganda's most memorable arrivals.

Spend the day at total leisure. Options include a canoe paddle across the glassy water in a traditional dugout, a boat cruise to visit the islands — each with its own legend and history — or a village walk through the Batwa and Bakiga communities on the lakeshore. Alternatively, simply find a hammock and let the extraordinary stillness of the lake and hills do their quiet work.

Highlights: Arrival at Lake Bunyonyi, canoe or boat cruise, island visits Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Birdnest at Bunyonyi

Day 10: Lake Bunyonyi to Musanze (Rwanda) via Kisoro & Cyanika Border

Today the safari crosses an international frontier, transitioning from Uganda into Rwanda via the Cyanika Border Post near Kisoro. This crossing is typically smooth and well-organised, and your Ntungo guide will assist with all border formalities.

The morning begins with a drive south from Lake Bunyonyi to Kisoro — a small, atmospheric highland town nestled at the foot of Uganda's section of the Virunga Volcanoes. Take time here for a walk through the local market, some souvenir shopping, or a coffee stop before crossing into Rwanda.

As you enter The Land of a Thousand Hills, the landscape immediately confirms the name — endless layers of hill and valley unfolding in every direction, the terraced slopes a testament to Rwanda's extraordinary agricultural tradition. Stop at a forex bureau to exchange currency, then continue to Musanze (Ruhengeri), the bustling gateway town to Volcanoes National Park, arriving in time for a relaxed evening.

Highlights: Kisoro town stop, Cyanika border crossing, first views of Rwanda's landscape Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Luxury: Five Volcanoes | Midrange: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge | Budget: Le Palme

Day 11: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

Your second gorilla trekking experience — this time in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda — offers a meaningfully different perspective on the same extraordinary wildlife encounter you experienced in Bwindi.

Volcanoes National Park protects the Rwandan portion of the Virunga Massif, a chain of six volcanoes straddling the borders of Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It was here that the pioneering primatologist Dian Fossey conducted her landmark research in the 1960s and 70s, establishing the foundation for modern gorilla conservation. Her grave — and the ruins of her research station at Karisoke — remain within the park and serve as a powerful pilgrimage site for those with time to visit.

The pre-trek briefing at the park headquarters in Kinigi is thorough and engaging, covering gorilla behaviour, photography etiquette, health protocols, and group assignments. Rwanda's gorilla families tend to range at slightly lower elevations than some Bwindi families, though the terrain remains challenging. The forest here — a mix of bamboo zone, Hagenia woodland, and montane forest — has a distinct character and beauty.

The hour spent with the gorilla family is as transformative here as anywhere. No two encounters are ever the same, and experienced gorilla trekkers consistently report that each visit reveals something new about gorilla society, behaviour, and the remarkable privilege of sharing space with our closest great ape relatives.

Highlights: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes NP, Virunga volcanic landscape, Dian Fossey legacy Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: As Day 10

Day 12: Musanze to Nyungwe Forest National Park

Leaving the volcanic north behind, today's drive takes you southward across Rwanda's spectacular interior to Nyungwe Forest National Park — one of the most ancient and biodiverse montane rainforests in Africa and a destination that rewards every traveller who ventures into its green depths.

The journey takes approximately 4–5 hours and passes through some of Rwanda's most photogenic scenery. The road climbs through terraced valleys, crosses high ridges with panoramic views, and eventually begins its descent through the tea-covered hills that frame Nyungwe's perimeter — a sea of manicured green bushes stretching in every direction, punctuated by the dark, dense wall of the ancient forest itself.

Nyungwe Forest covers 1,019 square kilometres and is estimated to be over 2 million years old. It harbours 13 primate species including habituated chimpanzees and the Ruwenzori black and white colobus monkey — a species endemic to the Albertine Rift — as well as over 300 bird species, including 29 Albertine Rift endemics that draw birders from across the globe.

Check into your lodge and spend the evening on the terrace, breathing in the cool forest air and listening to the nocturnal sounds of the rainforest coming alive around you.

Highlights: Scenic drive through Rwanda's highlands, tea plantation landscape, arrival at Nyungwe Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Luxury: One&Only Nyungwe House | Midrange: Top View Hill Hotel | Budget: Gisakura Guest House

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Day 13: Full Day in Nyungwe Forest National Park

Today belongs entirely to Nyungwe — a day of forest immersion, primate observation, and one of the most thrilling walkway experiences in East Africa.

Sleep in this morning — a luxury well-earned after days of early starts. A leisurely breakfast can be followed by a gentle village walk through the tea-farming communities bordering the national park, offering genuine interaction with local families and an understanding of how communities live alongside one of Rwanda's most important conservation areas.

The centrepiece of the day is the Igishigishigi Canopy Walk — a 160-metre suspension bridge system that carries visitors up into the forest canopy at heights of up to 50 metres above the forest floor. The name derives from the giant tree ferns (igishigishigi) that line the trail, and the walk to the suspension bridge itself winds uphill through increasingly dramatic forest scenery. Once on the bridge, the views are extraordinary: a rolling green canopy stretching to the horizon, with the distant glimmer of Lake Kivu visible on clear days to the west.

The walk is exhilarating — the bridge sways gently underfoot, the forest floor is a dizzying drop below, and the experience of being suspended within a forest ecosystem that has survived for two million years produces a feeling of profound smallness and gratitude.

Highlights: Village walk, Igishigishigi Canopy Walk, forest immersion Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: As Day 12

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Day 14: Nyungwe to Kigali via Murambi Genocide Memorial

The final full day of your 15-day Uganda Rwanda adventure safari carries you northward to Kigali, Rwanda's remarkable capital — but the journey includes one of the most important stops of the entire trip.

En route to Kigali, visit the Murambi Genocide Memorial, located near Butare in southern Rwanda. During the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, more than 45,000 Tutsi civilians sought refuge at the Murambi Technical School after being assured of safety by local authorities. They were massacred over a period of days. Today, the site is preserved as a memorial and museum, with remains still displayed in some of the buildings as an act of witness and remembrance.

To visit Murambi is not easy. It is harrowing, deeply moving, and profoundly necessary. Rwanda's commitment to Kwibuka — the Kinyarwanda word for remembrance — is central to the country's extraordinary journey of national reconciliation and healing since 1994. Understanding what happened here, and how Rwanda has responded to it, adds an irreplaceable layer of meaning to everything you have experienced in this country: its people's warmth, its extraordinary cleanliness, its community spirit, its ambition.

Continue to Kigali for check-in and a final dinner — perhaps at one of the capital's excellent restaurants — to celebrate an extraordinary journey.

Highlights: Murambi Genocide Memorial, arrival in Kigali Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Central Kigali hotel (to be confirmed on booking)

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Day 15: Departure from Kigali — Until Next Time

Your final morning in East Africa. Depending on your flight departure time, the day can be spent with a Kigali city tour — visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Gisozi, the vibrant Kimironko Market, the Inema Arts Center showcasing Rwanda's thriving contemporary art scene, or simply wandering the impossibly clean and ordered streets of this fascinating capital.

Before departure, treat yourself to a coffee at one of Kigali's excellent specialty cafés. Rwanda produces some of the finest coffee in the world — single-origin, hand-washed Arabica grown on these very hills — and leaving without one final cup would be a genuine oversight.

Your Ntungo Wildlife Safaris guide will transfer you to Kigali International Airport in good time for check-in, bid you a warm farewell, and send you home with memories that no amount of photographs can fully capture.

Highlights: Optional Kigali city tour, farewell coffee, departure Meal Plan: Breakfast Accommodation: N/A (departure day)

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Safari Inclusions

• All airport and ground transfers in a private 4WD safari vehicle
• Professional English-speaking driver-guide throughout
• All accommodation on a full-board basis as per the meal plan
• Gorilla trekking permits (Bwindi & Volcanoes National Park)
• Chimpanzee tracking permit (Kibale National Park)
• Ngamba Island chimpanzee sanctuary experience
• Kazinga Channel boat cruise
• Igishigishigi Canopy Walk fee
• All national park entrance fees
• Bottled water throughout

What's Not Included

• International flights and Uganda/Rwanda visa fees
• Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
• Optional activities not listed above
• Tips and gratuities for guides, rangers, and lodge staff
• Personal expenditure and bar bills

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Best Time for a Uganda Rwanda Safari

Uganda and Rwanda can be visited year-round, but the dry seasons (June–September and December–February) offer the most comfortable trekking conditions. The long rains (March–May) and short rains (October–November) make forest trails muddier and more challenging but also bring lush green landscapes and fewer visitors. Gorillas and chimpanzees are tracked in all seasons.