This 5-day safari from Kigali combines Savannah wildlife with highland jungle adventures. The trip starts and ends in Kigali. You will explore Queen Elizabeth National Park, home to many wildlife species including the Big Four, before trekking the mountain gorillas of Bwindi.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Pickup from Kigali & Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
On arrival at Kigali International Airport, your driver guide will welcome you and brief you about the safari. Drive through Kigali city before crossing into Uganda through the Katuna border. Continue directly to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Arrive in the evening, check in at your lodge, and have dinner before resting overnight.
Day 2: Game Drive & Boat Cruise
After breakfast, set out for a morning game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Look out for lions, leopards, hyenas, elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, topis, waterbucks, and reedbucks. Enjoy the scenery and bird calls as you explore the Savannah. Return to your lodge for lunch.
In the afternoon, take a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel. This waterway is home to hippos and crocodiles and attracts elephants, buffaloes, and many birds along its shores. After the cruise, return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 3: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
After breakfast, start the journey to Bwindi. The drive takes about 4 to 5 hours through the countryside, passing terraced hills and dense forests. Arrive at your lodge in time for lunch, then relax and rest in preparation for gorilla trekking the next day. Have dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4: Gorilla Trekking & Batwa Community Walk
After breakfast, head to the park offices for a briefing on gorilla trekking rules. With the help of guides and porters, enter the forest and begin the trek. The walk can be challenging, but once you find the gorilla family, you will spend one hour observing them in their natural habitat. Watch them as they play, feed, or rest, and take photos and videos to capture the experience.
In the afternoon, visit the Batwa community. Learn about their traditional way of life in the forest and their survival skills. After the cultural experience, return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 5: Return to Kigali, City Tour & Departure
After breakfast, drive back to Kigali through the Gatuna border, arriving before noon. Begin a city tour with a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial to learn about the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. Continue to the art museum and Nyanza Palace to explore Rwanda’s culture and heritage. End the tour at Kimironko Market, where you will see local produce, crafts, and daily life.
Have lunch before transferring to Kigali International Airport for your departure flight, marking the end of your safari.
