20 Day Rwanda, Burundi & Uganda Safari – Wildlife & Culture
Embark on an unforgettable 20-day Rwanda, Burundi & Uganda Safari with Adventure In The Wild Safaris, combining wildlife encounters, primate tracking, and immersive cultural experiences. This all-inclusive African safari offers thrilling game drives, gorilla and chimpanzee trekking, scenic boat cruises, and city tours in some of East Africa’s most captivating destinations.
Experience the lush rainforests of Rwanda and Uganda, explore vibrant cities, and meet welcoming local communities. Travel in a 4×4 safari vehicle, guided by knowledgeable experts, with comfortable full board accommodation ranging from budget to luxury.
Quick Itinerary Overview
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali – Rwanda
Welcome to Rwanda. On arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be met and transferred to your selected hotel. Enjoy dinner and an overnight stay as your Rwanda, Burundi & Uganda Safari begins.
- Meals: Dinner
Day 2: Kigali City Tour & Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Enjoy a Kigali city tour visiting highlights like Kimironko Market and the Kigali Genocide Memorial. After lunch, travel to Volcanoes National Park in Musanze. Check in to your lodge and relax over dinner.
- Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Golden Monkey Tracking & Cultural Experience
Track the rare golden monkeys in the bamboo forests of Volcanoes National Park. In the afternoon, visit the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Center for an authentic Rwandan village experience.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Lake Kivu Boat Cruise & Transfer to Nyungwe Forest
Start your day with a scenic sunrise boat cruise on Lake Kivu. Enjoy a Rwandan coffee tour en route before continuing to Nyungwe Forest National Park. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Chimpanzee Tracking & Canopy Walk in Nyungwe
Track chimpanzees in the dense forests of Nyungwe, home to 13 primate species and over 300 bird species. Later, take a canopy walk on the Igishigishigi Trail for aerial views of the forest.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Return to Kigali via Cultural Museums
Travel back to Kigali, stopping to visit the Royal Palace Museum and Ethnographic Museum. Return to the city in the afternoon for dinner and an overnight stay.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: Travel to Bujumbura – Burundi
Leave Rwanda and journey to Burundi’s capital, Bujumbura. Along the way, enjoy scenic views and cultural stops. Arrive in the evening for dinner and overnight stay in the city.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Rwanda, Burundi & Uganda Safari with Adventure In The Wild Safaris
Day 8: Rutovu & Karera Waterfalls to Gitega – Burundi
Start the day with a hearty breakfast before departing for an exciting adventure with Adventure In The Wild Safaris. Travel to Rutovu, a small town in Bururi Province, known as the southernmost source of the Egyptian White Nile and home to Burundi’s oldest Catholic mission. After exploring this historical town, stop for lunch en route to the breathtaking Karera Waterfalls. These impressive 80-meter falls are located in the conservation area of Karera and surrounded by lush forests and thermal springs. After this scenic excursion, transfer to your accommodation in Gitega for dinner and overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9: Gitega City, Gishora, Kibira National Park – Burundi
Enjoy breakfast before setting off on a cultural and nature-filled day with Adventure In The Wild Safaris. Visit Gitega City, the political capital of Burundi, and explore the National Museum and the historical German governor’s residence. Next, head to Gishora, home of the Royal Drums, where you’ll witness an extraordinary drumming and dance performance recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Continue to Kibira National Park for a guided forest hike among diverse wildlife and dense montane rainforest. Conclude the day with a visit to the Batwa pygmy community of Busekera before returning to Bujumbura for dinner and overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10: Rusizi National Park (Burundi) to Kigali – Rwanda
Begin the day with a boat safari on the Rusizi River through Rusizi National Park, renowned for its birdlife and aquatic wildlife such as hippos, crocodiles, and sitatungas. Enjoy stunning views of Lake Tanganyika and the surrounding mountains. Visit the historical Livingstone-Stanley Monument and the Unity Monument before transferring to Melchior Ndadaye International Airport for your flight to Kigali, Rwanda. Upon arrival, check in at your Kigali hotel for dinner and rest.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – Uganda
After breakfast in Kigali, drive with Adventure In The Wild Safaris through Rwanda’s rolling hills and cross into Uganda via the Rushagavia border. Pass by the scenic twin lakes of Ruhondo and Bulera before arriving at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home to half of the world’s mountain gorilla population. Enjoy some leisure time at your lodge before dinner and overnight stay.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 12: Gorilla Trekking, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest – Uganda
Today’s highlight is gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, one of Africa’s most biologically diverse ecosystems. After a briefing by UWA rangers, set off in search of mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. The trek can take 2–6 hours, and once the gorillas are located, you’ll have time to observe and photograph them. Return to your lodge for a well-earned rest.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 13: Batwa Trail & Kisoro Coffee Tour – Uganda
Explore the Batwa Trail, an immersive cultural experience where you’ll learn about the traditional forest-dwelling Batwa pygmies. Later, head to Kisoro District for an engaging coffee tour. Participate in every step of the coffee-making process, from bean to brew. After this flavorful journey, return to your accommodation in Bwindi for dinner and overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 14: Ishasha, Queen Elizabeth National Park – Uganda
Depart for Queen Elizabeth National Park via the Ishasha Sector, famous for its tree-climbing lions. This scenic drive offers opportunities to spot elephants, antelope, buffalo, and more. Arrive at your accommodation in the park for dinner and overnight stay.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 15: Game Drive & Boat Cruise – Queen Elizabeth National Park
Start early with a dawn game drive to witness wildlife at its most active. Spot rare species like the giant forest hog and an array of birdlife. In the afternoon, enjoy a relaxing boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, where you’ll see hippos, elephants, buffalo, and vibrant bird species. Return to your lodge for overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 16: Cultural Experience – Queen Elizabeth National Park
Today, dive into local life with a cultural tour near Queen Elizabeth National Park. Participate in cattle herding, milk processing, canoe-making, net sewing, and craft production. Visit swamps near the King of Tooro’s vacation palace and enjoy birdwatching along the trail. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 17: Queen Elizabeth to Kibale National Park – Uganda
After breakfast, journey toward Kibale National Park. En route, stop in Fort Portal, Uganda’s tourism city, and visit Nyakasura Falls and the historic caves nearby. This scenic drive offers beautiful views of crater lakes and rolling hills before arriving in Kibale, famous for its chimpanzees and diverse forest ecosystems. Overnight at your chosen lodge.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 18: Chimpanzee Tracking – Kibale National Park, Uganda
Today you embark on one of the highlights of your Uganda safari with a guided chimpanzee tracking excursion in Kibale National Park. After breakfast, head to the park headquarters for a briefing before setting off with your guide into the forest. As you trek through the lush vegetation, you’ll spot various species of birds, insects, butterflies, and several other primates along the way.
The trek may take between 2 to 4 hours depending on the location of the chimpanzee groups. Once you find them, you’ll spend about one hour observing these intelligent primates in their natural habitat — watching them feed, groom, and interact. Kibale is regarded as the best place in East Africa to see chimpanzees in the wild.
After this unforgettable wildlife experience, you return to the lodge for lunch and some relaxation. In the afternoon, you can opt for a guided walk through the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, a community-run eco-tourism project known for its diverse birdlife and rich wetland biodiversity. Later, return to your lodge for dinner and your final night in Kibale National Park.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 19: Return to Entebbe – Uganda
After breakfast, your Rwanda, Burundi & Uganda safari with Adventure In The Wild Safaris concludes as you journey back to Entebbe. Enjoy scenic landscapes, rural villages, and roadside markets along the way. Depending on your flight schedule, you may stop for lunch and explore local attractions or markets before your drop-off at Entebbe International Airport for your onward flight.
We hope this unforgettable journey through three East African countries has left you with cherished memories of wildlife encounters, cultural experiences, and awe-inspiring landscapes. Adventure In The Wild Safaris thanks you for choosing us to guide your multi-country African adventure.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch