Uganda
20-Day Ultimate Primate & Hiking Safari, Uganda & Rwanda
This 20-day expedition covers Uganda and Rwanda's most dramatic landscapes: gorilla trekking in Bwindi/Volcanoes, chimpanzee tracking in Kibale, and hiking Mount Elgon/Moroto/Sabyinyo. Combines wildlife safaris in Kidepo and Murchison Falls with cultural immersion (Ik tribe) and adrenaline activities (Nile zip-lining).
What to Expect
- 🦍 Gorilla trekking in Bwindi & Volcanoes NP
- 🦧 Chimp encounters in Kibale Forest
- 🏔️ Volcanic hikes (Elgon, Moroto, Sabyinyo)
- 🦁 Big Five safaris in Kidepo & Murchison Falls
- 🛶 Nile source cruise & Sipi Falls exploration
- 🪂 Mabira Forest zip-lining (30-40m canopy tours)
- 👑 Ik tribe cultural experience in Morungole Mountains
Key Notes
✔️ Fitness Level: Strenuous (multiple multi-day hikes + gorilla treks)
✔️ Visa: East African Tourist Visa covers Uganda/Rwanda
✔️ Packing: Waterproof hiking boots, thermal layers for high altitudes
Itinerary Summary
| Days | Destination | Key Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | Jinja → Mbale → Mt. Elgon | Zip-lining Mabira Forest → Nile Source cruise → Sipi Falls hike |
| 4-7 | Pian Upe GR → Moroto → Kidepo NP | Pian Upe cheetah tracking → Mt. Moroto summit hike → Kidepo Valley game drives |
| 8-10 | Kidepo Valley NP | Descend Moroto → Narus Valley safari → Ik tribe cultural immersion |
| 11-12 | Murchison Falls NP | Transfer via Gulu → Game drives → Top of the Falls hike |
| 13-14 | Kibale NP → QENP | Chimpanzee tracking → Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP |
| 15-16 | Bwindi → Mgahinga | Gorilla trekking → Transfer to Rwanda via Mt. Sabyinyo hike |
| 17-19 | Volcanoes NP, Rwanda | Golden monkey tracking → Iby'iwacu Village → Kigali city tour |
| 20 | Kigali | Genocide Memorial visit → Departure |
Day 1: Kampala → Jinja (Zip-lining)
- Adventure: 6-7hr canopy zip-lining in Mabira Forest
- Wildlife: Spot monkeys (Vervet, Red-tailed) mid-flight
Swing between 30-40m tall trees on 5 adrenaline-pumping lines, then transfer to Jinja—East Africa's adventure capital.
Accommodation: Jinja Guesthouse
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Day 2: Nile Source → Mbale
- Boat cruise to the Source of the Nile
- Birdwatching: Pied kingfishers, malachite sunbirds
Glide past papyrus shores where the Nile begins its 6,650km journey north, then drive to Mbale at the foot of Mount Elgon.
Accommodation: Mbale Resort Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Sipi Falls Exploration
- Hike to 3 waterfalls (highest = 100m drop)
- Views: Karamoja plains, Lake Kyoga
Trek through coffee plantations to Uganda’s "most romantic falls," with mist-cooled cliffs and rainbows in the spray.
Accommodation: Kapkwai UWA Bandas
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Mt. Elgon Nature Walk
- 4-5hr forest hike to hidden waterfalls
- Flora/Fauna: Giant lobelias, black-and-white colobus monkeys
Explore the volcano’s lower slopes, where montane forests shelter rare birds like the lammergeier vulture.
Accommodation: Kapkwai UWA Bandas
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Pian Upe Game Reserve
- Evening game drive (cheetahs, roan antelope)
- Landscape: Uganda’s 2nd-largest protected savannah
Search for Karamoja’s wildlife in this little-visited reserve where giraffes and rhinos once roamed.
Accommodation: Pian Upe UWA Bandas
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Pian Upe → Moroto
- Morning game drive (dik-diks, ostriches)
- Transfer to Karamoja’s volcanic highlands
Spot Patas monkeys—Africa’s fastest primates—before heading to Moroto town.
Accommodation: Karatunga Guesthouse
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: Mt. Moroto Summit Hike
- 6-7hr ascent through arid thorn savanna
- Camping: Bush tents at summit (2,700m)
Hike past Turkana herders to volcanic ridges with views stretching to Kenya.
Accommodation: Mountain Tents
Meals: Breakfast, Packed Lunch, Dinner
Day 8: Mt. Moroto → Kidepo Valley NP
- 3hr descent → 4hr transfer to Kidepo
- Evening game drive (Rothschild’s giraffes, bat-eared foxes)
Descend through Karamoja’s golden grasslands, then spot cheetahs in Uganda’s wildest national park.
Accommodation: Kidepo UWA Bandas
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9: Kidepo Game Drive
- Full-day safari in Narus Valley
- Rarities: Jackson’s hornbills, Abyssinian ground hornbills
Search for climbing lions on kopjes and 500+ bird species in this isolated Eden.
Accommodation: Kidepo UWA Bandas
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10: Ik Tribe Cultural Hike
- 5-6hr trek to Morungole Mountains
- Cultural exchange with the Ik people
Learn survival skills from one of Africa’s last hunter-gatherer communities displaced by Kidepo’s creation.
Accommodation: Kidepo UWA Bandas
Meals: Breakfast, Packed Lunch, Dinner
Day 11: Kidepo → Murchison Falls NP
- 7-8hr drive via Gulu town
- Landmark: Cross the Albert Nile
Transition from arid savannah to the Nile’s lush banks, watching for red-throated bee-eaters en route.
Accommodation: Red Chilli Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 12: Murchison Falls Safari
- Morning game drive (Jackson’s hartebeest, giraffes)
- Top of the Falls hike (45m Nile cascade)
Feel the mist from the "Devil’s Cauldron" where the Nile explodes through a 7m gorge.
Accommodation: Red Chilli Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 13: Murchison → Kibale Forest NP
- 6-7hr drive through tea plantations
- Evening forest sounds (chimpanzee calls)
Arrive at primate-central, where 13 species (including L’Hoest’s monkeys) thrive in the rainforest.
Accommodation: Isunga Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 14: Chimpanzee Tracking → Queen Elizabeth NP
- 4-6hr chimp trek (tool-use observations)
- Transfer to savannah park (2-3hrs)
Watch chimps fashion termite-fishing sticks, then drive past Rwenzori Mountain views.
Accommodation: Bush Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 15: Queen Elizabeth NP → Bwindi
- Morning game drive (tree-climbing lions in Ishasha)
- 4hr transfer to gorilla country
Search for lions lounging in fig trees before ascending into Bwindi’s misty rainforest.
Accommodation: Gorilla Mist Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 16: Gorilla Trekking → Mgahinga NP
- 4-6hr trek to meet a gorilla family
- Cross-border transfer to Kisoro (2hrs)
Spend 1 magical hour with mountain gorillas—watch infants play while silverbacks chew bamboo.
Accommodation: Traveler’s Rest Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 17: Mt. Sabyinyo Hike → Rwanda
- 5hr summit hike (3-country view: UG/RW/DRC)
- Border crossing to Volcanoes NP
Conquer the "Old Man’s Teeth" volcano, then transfer to Rwanda’s Da Vinci Lodge for luxury recovery.
Accommodation: Da Vinci Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Packed Lunch, Dinner
Day 18: Golden Monkey Tracking
- 3hr bamboo forest trek
- Playful encounters with endangered golden monkeys
Photograph these sunlit-fur acrobats (found only in the Virungas) as they leap through bamboo.
Accommodation: Da Vinci Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 19: Cultural Relaxation Day
- Optional: Iby’iwacu Cultural Village visit
- Experience: Traditional Kinyarwanda wedding ceremony
Learn fire-making with ex-poachers-turned-conservationists, or simply soak in volcano views at the lodge.
Accommodation: Da Vinci Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 20: Kigali Genocide Memorial → Departure
- City tour: Memorial visit & craft markets
- Airport drop-off by 4pm
Reflect at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, then browse vibrant Imigongo art before flying home.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Cultural Notes
- Ik Tribe: Ask permission before photographing; consider bringing school supplies as gifts.
- Gorilla Trekking: Maintain 7m distance; no flash photography.
- Rwanda: Plastic bags are banned—pack reusable totes.
End of Safari
From zip-lining over the Nile to standing atop volcanic peaks, this 20-day odyssey across Uganda and Rwanda delivers the ultimate East African adventure—with luxury lodges and budget-friendly bandas balancing comfort and authenticity.
✅ Included
- All accommodation on Half Board (HB), Full Board (FB) or Bed and Breakfast (B&B) basis as quoted in the text
- Safari vehicle and fuel
- English speaking tourist guide
- Game drives and walks
- Entrance fees to the national parks. All boat tours
- Taxes
- Free mineral water in the vehicle during the tour
- AMREF emergency evacuation insurance
- Gorilla Permit
❌ Excluded
- International flights
- Visa fees
- Drinks / alcoholic drinks / additional meals
- Tips
- Activities not part of the described program
- International travel insurance
- Items of personal nature / souvenirs
PLEASE NOTE
The safari indicated here is essentially an offer. Changes in the course of the journey, the duration of your tour, the number of travelers, as well as the choice of accommodation are subject to availability, although we always endeavor to stick as closely as possible to this program. For the majority of itineraries, we can offer luxury, mid range or budget versions of this safari upon request.
Sometimes it is not possible to adhere to the travel plan as described in this itinerary, due to weather and road conditions, authority regulations, organizational requirements, etc. Occasionally, the planned route of the tour has to change according to the situation on the ground. We must therefore explicitly refuse liability for adherence to the journey plan.
