This 3-day Queen Elizabeth National Park safari from Kigali is a short but rewarding adventure. It combines scenic drives, game drives in the Savannah, and a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel.
The safari starts in Kigali, Rwanda, crossing into Uganda through the Katuna border and entering the park via the Ishasha sector, which is famous for tree-climbing lions.
There is also an option of chimpanzee tracking on the last day, making this trip a great way to enjoy both primates and wildlife. Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s second largest park after Murchison Falls and one of the country’s top safari destinations.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Pick Up from Kigali – Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Your driver guide, dressed in company uniform, will meet you at the agreed pickup point. You will then begin the journey to Uganda, crossing the Katuna border. Along the way, enjoy views of plantations, the Virunga ranges, and the Kigezi highlands.
After crossing the border, enter the park through the Ishasha sector to look for tree-climbing lions and antelopes. Later, continue to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 2: Game Drive and Boat Cruise
Start the day with an early morning game drive in the Kasenyi plains. Look out for leopards, spotted hyenas, lions, elephants, buffalos, and other wildlife. The drive lasts about 2 hours.
After lunch, enjoy a 2-hour boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel. Here you will see hippos, crocodiles, buffalos, and many bird species such as skimmers, fish eagles, kingfishers, pelicans, jacanas, and hamerkops. On the way back to the lodge, you will have an evening game drive before dinner and overnight stay.
Day 3: Optional Chimpanzee Tracking – Return to Kigali
On the last day, you may choose to track chimpanzees in Kyambura Gorge, depending on your flight schedule. The trek lasts about 3 hours, with one hour spent watching the chimpanzees in their natural setting.
Afterward, begin the journey back to Kigali and proceed to the airport, marking the end of your 3-day safari.
