About the 10-Day Rwanda and Uganda Gorillas, Chimpanzees and Wildlife Safari
This 10-day safari combines gorilla trekking, chimpanzee tracking and wildlife viewing across Rwanda and Uganda. It lets you meet two of East Africa’s best-known great apes and add savannah game viewing in a single journey between the two countries.
It suits travellers who want a fuller primate trip than a short gorilla-only itinerary. It includes long drives and a border crossing, gorilla treks are moderate to strenuous, and the minimum age for gorilla trekking is 15.
Planning tips: see our Uganda and Rwanda tours, the guide to the Kigali to Bwindi border crossing and the East Africa Tourist Visa. Permits and park fees for the activities in the itinerary are included. Request a free quote and we will reply by email.
Read more: Rwanda gorilla permit cost, our Kigali to Bwindi border crossing guide and gorillas and Big Five safari in Rwanda.
Read the full trip guide: 10-Day Rwanda and Uganda Gorillas, Chimpanzees and Wildlife Safari
Table of Contents
Last updated October 2026. Planned by Victoria Kayaga, founder of Afraeka Adventures, with over 7 years in East African tourism.
10 day Rwanda and Uganda safari: quick answer
This 10 day Rwanda and Uganda safari combines gorilla trekking, chimpanzee tracking and wildlife viewing across both countries. You meet two of East Africa’s best-known great apes and add savannah game viewing in a single journey.
The minimum age for gorilla trekking is 15.
Day-by-day route of the 10 day Rwanda and Uganda safari
Day 1: arrive in Kigali with an optional visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial.
Day 2 and 3: drive to Musanze, about 2 to 2.5 hours, then trek gorillas in Volcanoes National Park.
Day 4 and 5: cross the border at Cyanika with our assistance and continue to Bwindi, about 4 to 6 hours in total, then trek gorillas there.
Day 6 and 7: drive through the Ishasha sector, where tree-climbing lions are sometimes found, to Queen Elizabeth National Park, then enjoy a game drive and a Kazinga Channel cruise.
Day 8 and 9: drive to Kibale, about 3 to 4 hours, and trek chimpanzees, with an optional walk in the Bigodi Wetland.
Day 10: drive to Entebbe, about 6 to 7 hours depending on traffic, for your flight home.
What to expect on a 10 day Rwanda and Uganda safari
You trek gorillas in both countries and chimpanzees in Kibale, so primates are the focus.
Queen Elizabeth adds elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kob, hippos and water birds.
There are several long drives, so expect road time on days 4, 6 and 10.
Read our Uganda and Rwanda tours page and the Queen Elizabeth National Park guide.
What is included
Included are airport pick-up in Kigali, a 4×4 vehicle with an experienced driver-guide, gorilla trekking permits for Rwanda and Uganda, a chimpanzee trekking permit in Kibale, Queen Elizabeth National Park fees with the Kazinga Channel boat cruise, border-crossing assistance and accommodation for 9 nights.
International flights, visa fees, insurance, tips and personal expenses are not included.
How Afraeka plans your two-country safari
We request the permits for your dates. Permits are date-specific and paid in full at booking.
You need to meet entry rules for both countries, including the East Africa Tourist Visa where it applies.
Send us your questions and we will reply by email with a personal quote.
Who this safari suits
Travellers who want a fuller primate trip than a single country offers, aged 15 or older.
10 day Rwanda and Uganda safari FAQ
Which apes will I see?
Mountain gorillas and chimpanzees.
Which parks are visited?
Volcanoes, Bwindi, Queen Elizabeth and Kibale.
Where does the trip end?
In Entebbe, Uganda.
Are permits included?
Yes, for gorillas in both countries and for chimpanzees in Kibale.
Related guides and sources
Check destination information on the official Visit Rwanda website, compare more options on our Rwanda safaris page, or request a free quote for this 10 day Rwanda and Uganda safari.
The 10 day Rwanda and Uganda safari in more detail
Day 1: arrive in Kigali
The 10 day Rwanda and Uganda safari starts in Kigali, where you arrive and settle in. An optional visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial can be added, which many travellers find a moving introduction to Rwanda.
Days 2 and 3: gorillas in Rwanda
You drive to Musanze, about 2 to 2.5 hours, and then trek gorillas in Volcanoes National Park. After the briefing at Kinigi, you spend one hour with a habituated gorilla family in a group of no more than 8 visitors. The minimum age is 15, and the trek is moderate to strenuous.
Days 4 and 5: crossing to Bwindi
You cross the border at Cyanika with our assistance and continue to Bwindi, about 4 to 6 hours in total, then trek gorillas there. Bwindi’s dense forest is a different experience from the Virungas.
Days 6 and 7: Queen Elizabeth National Park
You drive through the Ishasha sector, where tree-climbing lions are sometimes found, to Queen Elizabeth National Park. There you enjoy a game drive and a Kazinga Channel cruise. Queen Elizabeth adds elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kob, hippos and water birds, although sightings are never guaranteed.
Days 8 and 9: chimpanzees in Kibale
You drive to Kibale, about 3 to 4 hours, and trek chimpanzees, with an optional walk in the Bigodi Wetland. The chimpanzee permit in Kibale is included.
Day 10: Entebbe
On the last day you drive to Entebbe, about 6 to 7 hours depending on traffic, for your flight home. Tell us your flight time when you enquire so we can plan the day.
Pace and entry rules
There are several long drives, so expect road time on days 4, 6 and 10. We request the gorilla and chimpanzee permits for your dates. Permits are date-specific and paid in full at booking. You need to meet the entry rules for both countries, including the East Africa Tourist Visa where it applies. See the East Africa Tourist Visa guide and the Queen Elizabeth National Park guide.
Who it suits
The safari suits travellers aged 15 or older who want a fuller primate trip than a single country offers. Accommodation is for nine nights.
Making it your own
See more routes on our Uganda and Rwanda tours page. Send us your questions and we will reply by email with a personal quote.
Gorillas and chimpanzees on the 10 day Rwanda and Uganda safari
Two countries, two gorilla forests
Most primate itineraries choose one country. This one treks gorillas in both countries, so you can compare the Virunga volcanoes in Rwanda with the dense forest of Bwindi in Uganda. In Rwanda you gather at Kinigi for the briefing, then walk to a habituated gorilla family in Volcanoes National Park. In Uganda you trek in Bwindi, where the forest is a different experience from the Virungas. In both places you spend one hour with the gorillas, in a group of no more than 8 visitors. The minimum age is 15, and treks are moderate to strenuous.
Chimpanzees in Kibale
After the gorillas and the savannah, the trip turns to chimpanzees. On days eight and nine you drive to Kibale, about 3 to 4 hours, and track chimpanzees with a ranger. The chimpanzee permit in Kibale is included, and you can add an optional walk in the Bigodi Wetland. Having chimpanzees after the gorillas gives the week a natural rhythm, with the strongest trekking days spaced between rest and driving.
Game viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park
On days six and seven the route passes through the Ishasha sector, where tree-climbing lions are sometimes found, and continues to Queen Elizabeth National Park. A game drive and a Kazinga Channel cruise show elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kob, hippos and water birds. Sightings are never guaranteed, but the mix of land and water viewing makes this one of the most relaxed parts of the journey.
The border crossing
The route crosses from Rwanda to Uganda at Cyanika, and we assist you at the border. The drive from Musanze to Bwindi takes about 4 to 6 hours in total, depending on the crossing. We recommend travelling with your passport and any documents for both countries easy to reach. Read our guide to the Kigali to Bwindi border crossing for detail.
Permits and entry rules
We request your gorilla permits for Rwanda and Uganda and your chimpanzee permit for Kibale for your dates. Permits are date-specific and paid in full at booking, so book early. You need to meet the entry rules for both countries, including the East Africa Tourist Visa where it applies. See our East Africa Tourist Visa guide and our Rwanda gorilla permit cost guide.
Getting the pace right
There are several long drives on this safari, especially on days four, six and ten. Tell us your preferred pace when you enquire. If you would like more rest between treks, we can adjust the order of stops or add a night. The trip ends in Entebbe, so tell us your flight time and we will plan the final drive around it.
Why plan it with Afraeka
Afraeka Adventures is based in Uganda and arranges gorilla permits for travellers. Victoria Kayaga plans each safari personally and keeps one driver-guide with your group across the whole route. Send us your questions and we will reply by email with a personal quote.
A one-way journey from Kigali to Entebbe that links the two best gorilla destinations in Africa with savannah wildlife and chimpanzees. You trek gorillas in Rwanda and Uganda, cruise the Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park and track chimpanzees in Kibale Forest.
We arrange your driver-guide, accommodation and park permits, and every itinerary can be adjusted to your dates, interests and budget. Contact us for a personal quote.
Highlights
- Gorilla trekking in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park and Uganda's Bwindi
- One-way route from Kigali to Entebbe, with border-crossing help
- Drive through the Ishasha sector, known for tree-climbing lions
- Queen Elizabeth game drive and Kazinga Channel boat cruise
- Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest
- Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking permits included
