Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival in Entebbe
You'll land at Entebbe Airport where your guide meets you with a welcome and overview of your 11-day trip. The recommendation is to spend a day in Kampala and Entebbe before heading out to Lake Mburo National Park, so you can get oriented and rest up from your flight.
Optional Activities
- Sightseeing in Kampala
- Sightseeing in Entebbe
- Day 2
Kampala to Lake Mburo National Park
Your pickup happens at 7:30 am from your Kampala accommodation after breakfast. You'll stop at the equator to stand with one foot in each hemisphere for photos, then continue toward Lake Mburo National Park. Lunch comes at Igongo Hotel during the drive, and by arrival you should spot zebras, giraffes, buffaloes, and various birds around the park.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch at Igongo Hotel)
Included Activities
- Stop at the equator for photos
- Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park
Landmarks/POIs Equator Lake Mburo National Park - Day 3
Lake Mburo National Park to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast, you'll do a morning game drive where zebras are particularly common here, along with impala, buffaloes, elands, waterbucks, and birds. Following checkout, it's roughly a four-hour drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park via Kasese with a lunch stop. As you enter the park toward your lodge, watch for buffalos, lions, waterbucks, leopards, and warthogs.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch in a restaurant en route to Queen Elizabeth National Park)
Included Activities
- Morning game drive at Lake Mburo National Park
- Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Landmarks/POIs Lake Mburo National Park Queen Elizabeth National Park - Day 4
Queen Elizabeth National Park
You'll meet your guide early for a game drive through the park to see elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, antelope, and tropical birds. Return to your lodge for lunch, and then head out on a boat ride along the Kazinga Channel where hippos, crocodiles, elephants, and buffalos come to drink and bathe.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Morning game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Boat ride along the Kazinga Channel
Landmarks/POIs Queen Elizabeth National Park Kazinga Channel - Day 5
Queen Elizabeth National Park to Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
Breakfast wraps up by 6:30 am when you check out and begin your drive across into Rwanda via Kisoro. You'll pass through striking topography on the way to Volcanoes National Park in northwestern Rwanda. The park covers 160 km² of rainforest and includes five volcanoes from the Virunga Mountains: Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga, and Sabyinyo.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Border crossing from Uganda to Rwanda
- Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Landmarks/POIs Volcanoes National Park Karisimbi Volcano Bisoke Volcano Muhabura Volcano Gahinga Volcano Sabyinyo Volcano - Day 6
Mountain Gorilla Trekking
After breakfast, you'll head to park headquarters with packed snacks, solid hiking shoes, camera, raincoat, and binoculars. Park Rangers will brief your small group and go over gorilla trekking rules before you enter the ancient rainforest. The trek typically takes a couple hours, and then you'll have a full hour observing gorillas in their natural habitat. On your way back, you might see buffaloes, elephants, and bushbucks, with lunch later at your lodge.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Leisurely lunch at lodge)
Included Activities
- Mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
- Park ranger briefing and documentation check
- One hour observation of mountain gorillas
Optional Activities
- Visit to Gorilla Guardians Iby'iwacu cultural village (afternoon) - showcasing traditional Rwandese lifestyle, dress code, food, wedding ceremonies
Landmarks/POIs Volcanoes National Park - Day 7
Volcanoes National Park to Nyungwe National Park
You'll check out by 6:30 am and drive approximately 6 hours to Nyungwe National Park via the Ruhengeri-Gisenyi Road. Along the way you'll see the King's Palace in Nyanza district, a thatched structure shaped like a beehive. You'll tour the King's Palace Museum for about an hour to learn about Rwanda's monarchy and its history, grab lunch at a local restaurant, and then continue to Nyungwe where mountain rainforest is home to chimpanzees and other primates.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch in a local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Tour of King's Palace Museum (approximately 1 hour)
- Transfer to Nyungwe National Park
Landmarks/POIs King's Palace Museum Nyungwe National Park - Day 8
Chimpanzee Trekking & Canopy Walkway
After breakfast, you'll transfer to park headquarters with good hiking shoes, camera, raincoat, and binoculars for a briefing with your small group. You'll trek through tropical rainforest looking for chimpanzees, spotting colobus monkeys, birds, and butterflies along the way. After observing the chimpanzees, return for lunch at your lodge. In the afternoon, head to Uwinka Visitor's Center for the canopy tour on the suspension bridge, which offers aerial views and connects to Kamiranzovu Marsh where you'll see primates and birds.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National Park
- Ranger briefing
- Canopy Walkway tour at Uwinka Visitor's Center
Landmarks/POIs Nyungwe National Park Uwinka Visitor's Center Kamiranzovu Marsh - Day 9
Nyungwe National Park to Akagera National Park
Early breakfast and 6:30 am checkout, then you're driving to Akagera National Park near the Tanzania border. The landscape here features woodlands, swamps, low mountains, and savannahs with zebras, giraffes, elephants, and lions. Lake Ihema in the southern section has hippopotamus and crocodiles. You'll stop for lunch en route at a local restaurant before dinner at your accommodation.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch and refreshments in a local restaurant), Dinner
Included Activities
- Transfer to Akagera National Park
Landmarks/POIs Akagera National Park Lake Ihema - Day 10
Akagera National Park
Morning game drive catches the park's late hunters and early risers, so you'll see elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, rhinoceros, lions, and leopards. After lunch at your lodge, you'll go out on a boat cruise on Lake Ihema to see hippos, crocodiles, and other animals at the water. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Morning game drive in Akagera National Park
- Boat cruise on Lake Ihema
Landmarks/POIs Akagera National Park Lake Ihema - Day 11
Akagera National Park to Kigali Departure
Your day starts with an early breakfast and checkout. Depending on your flight time, you may have a chance to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Site to learn about this significant chapter in Rwanda's history. After that, you'll have time to head to the airport, and it's worth noting that Rwanda now ranks among Africa's most peaceful countries.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit to Kigali Genocide Memorial Site (depending on flight time)
Landmarks/POIs Kigali Genocide Memorial Site
