Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe

Karibu! On arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be met by your Kaara Adventures guide and transferred to your lodge on the shores of Lake Victoria. Depending on your arrival time, take a relaxed stroll around the botanical gardens or simply settle in after your flight. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.

Day 2: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park

After breakfast, drive west through the Rift Valley escarpment and rolling tea plantations towards Kibale Forest National Park, known as the primate capital of East Africa with 13 species of primates recorded within its forest. Check into your lodge in the afternoon and relax ahead of tomorrow’s tracking.

Day 3: Chimpanzee Tracking and Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Start the day early with chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest, following experienced guides through the canopy to observe chimpanzee families as they feed, call, and move through the trees. After lunch, continue south to Queen Elizabeth National Park, arriving in time to check into your lodge overlooking the plains.

Day 4: Game Drive, Kazinga Channel Cruise and Transfer to Bwindi

Enjoy an early morning game drive across the Kasenyi plains, home to lions, elephants, buffalo, and Uganda kob, followed by a scenic boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel to spot hippos, crocodiles, and abundant birdlife. In the afternoon, continue south to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home to nearly half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. Check into your lodge and attend a briefing on gorilla trekking rules.

Day 5: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi

After an early breakfast, head into the forest with your ranger guide to track a habituated mountain gorilla family through Bwindi’s dense, ancient rainforest. Trekking time varies from one to several hours, but once the gorillas are found, you will spend a magical hour observing them at close range. Return to your lodge for a well-earned rest and overnight stay.

Day 6: Transfer to Rwanda – Volcanoes National Park

After breakfast, cross the border into Rwanda and continue to Volcanoes National Park, home to five of the eight Virunga volcanoes and the birthplace of Dian Fossey’s gorilla research. Enjoy the scenic drive through Rwanda’s terraced hills, arriving in time to settle into your lodge and prepare for tomorrow’s activities.

Day 7: Gorilla Trekking and Golden Monkey Tracking

Set off early for your second mountain gorilla encounter, this time on the volcanic slopes of the Virungas, a landscape quite different from Bwindi’s rainforest. In the afternoon, head back into the park for golden monkey tracking through the bamboo zones, watching troops of these lively, endangered primates leap between branches. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.

Day 8: Transfer to Kigali and Departure

After breakfast, drive to Kigali, Rwanda’s clean and hilly capital. Depending on your flight schedule, take a short city tour with a stop at the Kigali Genocide Memorial and a local craft market, before transferring to Kigali International Airport for your departure flight, bringing your 8-day Uganda and Rwanda Primate Tour to a close.

Plan Your 8-Day Uganda Rwanda Primate Tour

Ready to track chimpanzees, mountain gorillas, and golden monkeys across two countries in just over a week? Get in touch with our safari consultants to customize this itinerary, or browse more of our primate safaris and combined tours to find the perfect fit for your travel dates, budget, and interests. For trekking preparation tips, see our gorilla trekking checklist before you travel.