Uganda Tours
Uganda and Rwanda Combined Tour
We combine Uganda and Rwanda on this 12 day safari including a Mountain Gorilla trek.
Uganda and Rwanda Combined Tour
Experience both Uganda and Rwanda on this twelve day safari tour. Cultural experiences include getting to enjoy the famous Ugandan hospitality and trying a range of delicious local food. The highlight of the tour though is when we meet the majestic mountain gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
There is more wildlife as we take a safari and track the chimpanzees of Kibale Forest. You will also get to immerse yourself in wildlife conservation and local culture by engaging with experts and going behind the scenes with a leading conservationist and scientist. The final part of our tour takes in Rwanda as we visit Volcanoes National Park and learn about Dian Fossey's work and legacy.
This is a private tour that can be tailor-made to your requirements – just contact our experts for further details.
Day By Day
Your Itinerary
DAY 1
Arrive in Entebbe
One of our local team members will meet you on arrival in Entebbe and transfer you to your hotel in Kampala.
Overnight in Kampala
DAY 2
Kampala Sight Seeing
Set off from your hotel late morning and visit the Kasubi cultural tombs and King's palace, which was also once a home of Idi Amin's torture chambers. The tour includes lunch in the city, and you'll return to your hotel in time for dinner.
Overnight in Kampala · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 3
Nile River and Community Tours in Jinja
An early start as you head east for a three-hour journey to Jinja city, home of the source of the Nile. On the way, stop at Namawojolo for a taste of "salty chicken on a stick," a delicacy popular with locals in transit. On arrival in Jinja, take a two-hour boat tour on the Nile, enjoying the serenity of the river while spotting numerous bird species including kingfishers and learning how the Nile has shaped Uganda's culture and history, before a stop at a local fishing village to learn about their trade and way of life. After the boat tour, enjoy lunch at the home of a Ugandan family in a nearby community and learn how they have been helped by the Abide Family Centre, followed by a two-hour quad biking tour along the banks of the Nile and neighbouring communities, before heading back to Kampala.
Overnight in Kampala · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 4
Kampala Walking Tour
Head out early morning for a walking tour of Kampala – all your senses come alive as you make your way through the hustle and bustle of the city, visiting a local market, the taxi park and Uganda's oldest food market. Return to your hotel for brunch before setting off for Fort Portal, a five-hour drive.
Overnight in Kibale National Park · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 5
Chimp Tracking
Fort Portal is home to Kibale Forest National Park – head out early at 7am for a chimp tracking expedition, an enthralling hike through the forest in search of the chimpanzees, with an hour to watch and observe once found. Spend the afternoon at leisure, then head to Bigodi swamp for a swamp walk, a great way of seeing the eight different species of monkey found in Kibale National Park.
Overnight in Kibale National Park · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 6
Kasese Coffee Tour and Queen Elizabeth National Park
Set off early morning to the foothills of Mount Ruwenzori to meet the Bakonjo people and tour their coffee gardens on the mountain slopes, learning how coffee is grown, harvested, processed and brewed, with a chance to make and taste your own cup. Continue to Queen Elizabeth National Park, arriving in time for lunch and an afternoon break, before a 5pm game drive – the prominent sightings are buffalos, elephants, warthogs, antelopes and lions, with leopards and hyenas also occasionally seen.
Overnight in Queen Elizabeth National Park · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 7
Queen Elizabeth Lion Tracking and Game Drives
This morning, meet local wildlife conservationists for a lion tracking expedition – using GPS technology, you'll track and locate a dominant lioness usually in the company of its pride, with other predators and wildlife commonly encountered along the way. After lunch, head out for a two-hour boat safari on the Kazinga Channel, a 30km stretch of water connecting Lake Edward and Lake George, home to hippos and Nile crocodiles and a magnet for elephants, antelopes and many bird species.
Overnight in Queen Elizabeth National Park · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 8
Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Enjoy breakfast before a five-hour drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, arriving in time for lunch. Meet Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka or one of her colleagues, a leading conservationist and scientist working to save Uganda's critically endangered mountain gorillas, for a tour of a nearby village and her education work, plus insight into the traditions and cultures of the Batwa tribe who reside in the Bwindi region.
Overnight in Bwindi National Park · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 9
Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi
Start the day at 8am for a full day trekking experience through the thick jungle of Bwindi. Led by Dr Gladys and/or forest rangers, you'll search for a family of mountain gorillas and spend an hour observing and learning about these magnificent creatures – the maximum time permitted with the gorillas in any encounter. Please note this can be a strenuous hike, taking between one and three hours each way depending on the location of the gorillas. Return to the lodge later in the afternoon for a much-needed rest, time to reflect, and dinner.
Overnight in Bwindi National Park · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 10
Volcanoes National Park
A three-hour drive through the rolling hills of southern Uganda to the border with Rwanda, where our guide helps you through immigration, before continuing for another hour to your lodge in the town of Kinigi, on the slopes of the Virunga mountains. After lunch, visit the Karisoke Exhibit – the Karisoke Research Centre, founded by Dr Dian Fossey almost 50 years ago, is now housed in a large office building in the Rwandan town of Musanze, just outside Volcanoes National Park – to learn about her work and legacy and current efforts to protect Rwanda's mountain gorillas.
Overnight in Volcanoes National Park area · Meals included: Breakfast
DAY 11
Transfer to Kigali
Spend the day at leisure, with no activities planned until later in the afternoon when you'll travel to Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, two hours away. A range of additional activities can be added to your tour, including gorilla tracking, hiking to the Dian Fossey Research Camp and grave site, golden monkey tracking, or a visit to the Iby'Iwacu Cultural Village.
Overnight in Kigali · Meals included: Breakfast
DAY 12
Fly from Rwanda
Depending on the time of your onward flight, you can take the morning to do some souvenir shopping, before transferring to the airport in the evening for your flight home.
Interested in this tour?
Enquire About the Uganda and Rwanda Combined Tour
Tell us a little about what you’re looking for and one of our travel experts will get back to you.
Know Before You Go
Included & Excluded
What’s Included
Accommodation and meals as stipulated in the itinerary
Local transportation in private customised safari vehicles
Experienced local tour manager
11 breakfasts, 10 lunches and 10 dinners
All activities as described in the itinerary
Park entry fees
All tipping of local guides (apart from the main tour guide)
What’s Not Included
International travel to the start and end point – contact us for information and flight options
Any airport taxes
Travel insurance
Any visa requirements (approx. $100 per person)
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks plus meals other than those mentioned on the program
Expenditure of a personal nature, laundry, telephone bills, drinks, souvenirs, tips etc.
Early check-in / late checkout fees if required
Gratuities for the main local tour guide
Book With Confidence
Dates & Prices
This is a private tour, scheduled to your requirements, with three accommodation tiers available: Budget from £4,655pp, Mid-range from £5,345pp, and Luxury from £9,145pp, all based on two people sharing a room. Contact us for exact accommodation options.
From £4,655 per person
Good to Know
Travel Information
Safety, Passport, Visa and Health Information
We strongly recommend that you check your government’s travel advisory for up-to-date information and advice about your destination: safety and security, entry requirements, health, local laws and customs. For UK citizens, check the latest Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advice for Uganda and for Rwanda.
Your passport should be valid for a minimum of 6 months from the date of entry into Uganda, and for at least 6 months from the date of entry into Rwanda, with one blank page for entry stamps. Apply for a Uganda visa at the Ugandan High Commission in London or online for an e-visa (an East African Tourist Visa is also available, valid 90 days for multiple entry into Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda). A Rwanda visa is required – thirty-day tourist visas are free and available on arrival for citizens of Commonwealth, African Union and Francophonie member states (including the UK), or can be arranged in advance at any Rwandan diplomatic mission or online.
Homosexual activity is illegal and not tolerated in Uganda's conservative society, and public displays of affection between same-sex couples could lead to arrest. It is illegal to buy, sell or trade protected wildlife or their parts without a licence, under the CITES ivory ban. Smoking is prohibited in public places and within 50 metres of them, and e-cigarettes and shisha are banned. Drug trafficking penalties are severe in both countries. Do not photograph military, official or diplomatic sites, including Owen Falls Dam near Jinja, and always ask permission before photographing people. It is an offence for anyone, including children, to wear military-style clothing, camouflage or red berets in Uganda. Homosexuality is not illegal in Rwanda but remains frowned upon by many, and there are no specific anti-discrimination laws protecting LGBT individuals.
At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the latest country-specific health advice from the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) on the TravelHealthPro website. Medical facilities in Uganda are limited, especially outside Kampala – serious accidents or illness may require air ambulance evacuation, so make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds. Malaria and schistosomiasis (bilharzia) are common, with regular cholera outbreaks – drink or use only boiled or bottled water and avoid ice in drinks. Rwandan law requires that any person on Rwandan territory has health insurance.
What to Bring
Light clothing will suffice for most of your trip, with long-sleeved shirts/tops and trousers ideal for mornings and evenings when insects are active, plus a light waterproof coat. Well-worn, low-cut hiking shoes are ideal for safari activities and gorilla tracking, which can take some time.
Please allow yourself one main piece of luggage and a day-sack – you're expected to carry your own baggage, so don't overload yourself; a soft wheely bag may be easier to manage than a suitcase. We also recommend a sunhat, sunscreen, a torch, insect repellent, a water bottle, a solar charger, binoculars and a camera.
While You're There
The Ugandan Shilling is the local currency in Uganda – ATMs are widely available and credit cards widely accepted in Kampala and other main towns. The Rwandan Franc is the currency in Rwanda, where cash is expected for transport and smaller shops – ATMs are available in Kigali, though not all accept foreign cards.
Uganda uses type G plugs on a 240V/50Hz supply; Rwanda uses type C and J plugs on a 230V/50Hz supply. Uganda is on GMT+3, Rwanda on GMT+2, and wifi is common in hotels, lodges, restaurants and cafes across touristed areas in both countries.
Ready to Book or Need More Information?
Get in touch with our expert travel consultants now. We can help you with tailormade options, best times to travel and much more.