Rwanda & Uganda - 9-day Deluxe Pearl of Africa Safari - Private Accommodated

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Rwanda & Uganda – 9-day Deluxe Pearl of Africa Safari – Private Accommodated

9 days / 8 nights
Kigali • Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park • Southern Queen Elizabeth National Park • Northern Queen Elizabeth National Park • Kibale Forest National Park

Country

Rwanda, Uganda

Duration

9 days

Highlights

Kigali

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Southern Queen Elizabeth National Park

+2 destinations

Rated 4.9/5

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Rwanda & Uganda – 9-day Deluxe Pearl of Africa Safari – Private Accommodated

From $10,130
Kibale Forest National Park
Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge
Kibale Forest National Park
Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge
Elephant Plains Lodge
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Includes

Light aircraft flight Kasese - Entebbe
7 nights' accommodation on all-inclusive basis
1 night accommodation on bed & breakfast basis
Private 4x4 vehicle (Landcruiser) with experienced English-speaking driver-guide
All the excursions and activities mentioned
1 Gorilla tracking permit per person
1 Chimpanzee tracking per person
Drinking water in the vehicle (1 litre per person per day)
AMREF Evacuation Insurance cover
Government taxes
Park/Forest Fees

Excludes

International flights
Drinks and meals not mentioned 
Optional activities
Day-use room or extra night in Entebbe on the last night
Gratuities - recommended is US$ 10 per person per day for the guide and the same amount for all hotel staff together
Entry visa
Travel insurance
Increase in government tax and park fees

Itinerary

Kigali, Rwanda

Perched at an elevation of approximately 1,850 metres, Rwanda's capital city sprawls across a series of verdant hills and valleys and is the country’s financial, commercial and cultural hub, . This undulating terrain provides panoramic vistas, with Mount Kigali offering well-marked trails for hikers to explore its lush vegetation and unique wildlife. The city's history is deeply etched in sites like the Kigali Genocide Memorial, a poignant tribute to the nation's past. Today, Kigali thrives with a vibrant arts scene, exemplified by venues such as the Inema Arts Center, where contemporary Rwandan art flourishes. Culinary enthusiasts can indulge in the city's burgeoning food scene, including traditional milk bars that serve fresh dairy-based beverages. The Kimironko Market presents a sensory feast of fresh produce, textiles, and crafts. The Uganda National Mosque, commissioned by Libya’s former leader Muammar Gaddafi, was built to strengthen diplomatic and religious ties between Libya and Rwanda. Nearby, Nyamirambo brims with colourful streets, local boutiques, and a lively nightlife.
Kigali
Kigali
Kigali
Kigali
Kigali
Kigali
+5
  • Heaven Boutique Hotel

    Day 1 - 2

    Heaven Boutique Hotel is situated in Kigali, Rwanda, near the Kandt House Museum, the Kigali Prime Garden, the Inema Arts Centre, the Niyo Arts Gallery and the Cultural Green Square Park. Units feature air-conditioning, a flat-screen television, a coffee machine, a safety deposit box, a refrigerator and a wardrobe. There are two on-site restaurants where guests can enjoy meals. Additional amenities include a gym, an outdoor swimming pool, a hot tub, room service and an airport shuttle.
    Heaven Boutique Hotel
    Heaven Boutique Hotel
    Heaven Boutique Hotel
    Heaven Boutique Hotel
    Heaven Boutique Hotel
    Heaven Boutique Hotel
    +2

Day 1

Day Notes:

Upon arrival as per your international flight details, clear immigration, collect your luggage with assistance from our airport support who will lead you to arrivals to meet our representative and driver and transfer to the hotel driving for approximately 10 minutes upon exiting the airport.

  • Meet & Greet

  • Transfer from Kigali International Airport [KGL] to Heaven Boutique Hotel

  • Check-in to Heaven Boutique Hotel

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Uganda

Located in southwestern Uganda, the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is said to be Africa’s oldest rainforest. It is world-renowned for its excellent gorilla-sighting opportunities - the forest is home to half of the remaining mountain gorillas on earth. This gorilla experience takes place among a rugged landscape of dense jungle, cascading waterfalls, sparkling mountain streams, deep valleys, and steep ridges. The untouched forest has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its breathtaking natural beauty and unique ecological significance. Aside from the amazing gorilla interactions, there are other drawcards such as a network of forest walks, over 340 species of bird to spot, and a variety of brightly-coloured butterflies to identify.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
+13
  • Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge

    Day 2 - 4

    Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge sits at a 7000-ft (2,161 meters) altitude on a magnificent ridge with stunning views across the rugged landscapes and beyond to the Virunga Volcanoes chain.
    Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge
    Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge
    Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge
    Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge
    Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge
    Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge
    +8

Day 2

Day Notes:

Depart Kigali and travel over Cyanika border. Have lunch in Kisoro and meet the walking safari guides for your next activity. 

Join our walking safari guide in Kisoro Town for a community walk, canoeing excursion on Lake Mutanda, and nature hike through communities & cultivated garden trails. It is an immersive walking adventure connecting you with the local people and environments.

Settle in a local dugout canoe and the lake with possible sightings of a few bird species and admiring the surrounding views. Guests can decide on ground for guides to plan the stopping point. Meet the vehicle and drive to Nkuringo for lunch (30 min drive) or have a picnic lunch instead and continue walking to Rubuguri junction (approximately 2 hours), meet the vehicle and drive to Nkuringo for 30 mins.

Transfer time: ~5-6 hours

  • Check-out from Heaven Boutique Hotel

  • Community walk, canoeing on Lake Mutanda and nature hike

  • Transfer from Heaven Boutique Hotel to Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge

  • Check-in to Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge

Day 3

Day Notes:

After breakfast, at around 7:30 am, with packed lunch and drinking water you will be transferred to the briefing point for the briefing on the do’s and the don’ts while with the gorillas. You then continue to the forest for the start of the actual gorilla tracking in a group of 8 participants accompanied by escorts/ guides and rangers from Uganda wildlife Authority.

The duration of the trek is only determined by the location of the primates on the day of tracking, and the time taken to find the gorillas can take from an hour to a full day, after spotting them, spend 1 hour of viewing and hike back, meet the vehicle and drive back to the lodge.

The beauty of this rainforest is spectacular. The area offers a dramatic, steeply forested landscape and is incredibly dense, but crisscrossed by numerous animal trails, allowing access to tourists. The time taken and the terrain vary as per the movements of these great primates. The thrill of spending time observing these gentle and endangered giants is an awesome, exciting experience to be long savoured. Many find it to be a rare and moving opportunity.

 

  • Gorilla Trekking Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Southern Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda

Surrounded by other wonderful parks in the western region of Uganda, the Queen Elizabeth National Park is known for its rich biodiversity, wildlife and history. In the southern part of the park, the remote Ishaha sector is home to tree-climbing lions who spend long lazy days dozing in the pretty fig trees. The Uganda Kob, a type of antelope, are watched carefully by the tree lions while grazing the plains Around Lake Edward, enjoy fishing and more game watching - make sure to look out for chimpanzees, elephants, crocodiles, and perennial and migratory bird species.
Southern Queen Elizabeth National Park
Southern Queen Elizabeth National Park
Southern Queen Elizabeth National Park
Southern Queen Elizabeth National Park
Southern Queen Elizabeth National Park
Southern Queen Elizabeth National Park
  • Ishasha Wilderness Camp

    Day 4 - 6

    Ishasha Wilderness Camp is an idyllic retreat for people who truly enjoy the wilderness, coupled with superb accommodation and exceptional service.
    Ishasha Wilderness Camp
    Ishasha Wilderness Camp
    Ishasha Wilderness Camp
    Ishasha Wilderness Camp
    Ishasha Wilderness Camp
    Ishasha Wilderness Camp
    +6

Day 4

Day Notes:

This morning after an early breakfast, you will be transferred by the lodge driver to Nteko Ridge for about 30 mins to embark on a guided walk through the forest walking from South to North of Bwindi impenetrable forest (with a packed lunch from the lodge).

There are 2 options for this walk, the shorter route of 13KM taking about 4 hours which is recommended. The other alternative is walking the longer trail of 17km which starts from the lodge without driving to Nteko Ridge.

Upon reaching Buhoma, meet the vehicle and drive to Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park renowned for tree climbing lions that can be spotted in fig trees on lucky days. The drive takes about 2 hours.

If you prefer to be driven to Bwindi, please let us know, as that can, of course, also be arranged.

  • Check-out from Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge

  • Guided walk through Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

  • Transfer from Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge to Ishasha Wilderness Camp

  • Check-in to Ishasha Wilderness Camp

Day 5

Day Notes:

This morning you’ll head into the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, spending the day on game drives across its open savannah in search of the famous tree-climbing lions, elephants, buffalo, and abundant birdlife, before winding down with a sundowner in the park as the African sunset paints the horizon a perfect close to a day of adventure and discovery.

  • Full-day game drive

Northern Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda

One of the most popular parks in Uganda, the Queen Elizabeth National Park lies in the western region of the country. In the northern part of the park, visitors can look forward to boating along the Kasinga Channel, which is home to the largest population of hippos in the world and an abundance of Nile crocodiles. Along the banks, an incredible number of birds and wild animals flock to the river’s edge. At Kyambura Gorge, fondly known as ‘Valley of the Apes’, chimpanzees are at home in a world of lush tropical rainforest spread with canopies, and three salty crater lakes are decorated with swathes of pink flamingos. On the western shore of Lake George, the vast Kasenyi Plains are inhabited by lions and several interesting bird species.
Northern Queen Elizabeth National Park
Northern Queen Elizabeth National Park
Northern Queen Elizabeth National Park
Northern Queen Elizabeth National Park
Northern Queen Elizabeth National Park
Northern Queen Elizabeth National Park
  • Elephant Plains Lodge

    Day 6 - 7

    Elephant Plains Lodge is situated in Katunguru, Uganda, near the Lake George Observation Deck, the Katwe Explosion Craters Trail, the Water Crater Viewpoint and Lake Nyamunuka. Accommodation consists of cottages equipped with en-suite bathrooms, showers and bathtubs. The lodge offers on-site dining for guests. Additional amenities include a bar, a shared lounge and complimentary Wi-Fi.
    Elephant Plains Lodge
    Elephant Plains Lodge
    Elephant Plains Lodge
    Elephant Plains Lodge
    Elephant Plains Lodge
    Elephant Plains Lodge
    +2

Day 6

Day Notes:

This morning, after breakfast, with an en route game drive, continue to the lodge for lunch and after lunch head out for a private boat trip on Kazinga channel - the 36 km waterway which connects Lake George and Lake Edward, and allows special viewings of game and birds on the riverbanks, as the boat passes through pods of hippos. Crocodiles have only recently been seen in the Channel; they disappeared 8,000 years after they were eliminated from Lake Edward by toxic ash from local volcanoes.

The boat takes about 2-3 hour round trip depending on the sightings. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

 

  • Check-out from Ishasha Wilderness Camp

  • Game drive transfer en route to Kibale Forest National Park

  • Transfer from Ishasha Wilderness Camp to Elephant Plains Lodge

  • Check-in to Elephant Plains Lodge

  • Private boat trip on Kazinga Channel

Kibale Forest National Park, Uganda

Kibale Forest National Park, situated in Western Uganda, is famous for its high density of primates, breathtaking crater lakes, and thick, beautiful jungle. Thirteen primate species inhabit the beautiful tropical forest, including red-tailed monkey, L’Hoest's monkey, grey-cheeked mangabey, red colobus, and black and white colobus monkeys. Visitors may spot some of the 300 bird species and 250 butterfly species, and buffalo, forest elephants, leopards, bushbucks, and sitatungas also live in the park but are generally shy. The area is decorated by around 50 enthralling crater lakes and numerous pristine hiking trails. Several cultural tours are on offer which delve into the rich traditions of the Batoro people, giving travellers a chance to see Batoro dancing, singing and traditional healing up close.
Kibale Forest National Park
Kibale Forest National Park
Kibale Forest National Park
Kibale Forest National Park
Kibale Forest National Park
Kibale Forest National Park
  • Mirima Lodge Kibale

    Day 7 - 9

    Mirima Lodge Kibale is located on the edge of Lake Nyamirima, adjacent to Kibale Forest National Park in Uganda. The area offers access to chimpanzee trekking, forest walks, and cultural experiences within the crater lake region. Each suite includes an ensuite bathroom, indoor fireplace, and a private balcony with views of the lake and forest. The lodge integrates conservation and community engagement into its operations, supporting local initiatives and habitat protection.

Day 7

Day Notes:

This morning after an early breakfast, head out for lion tracking experience in the Kasenyi plains, joining researchers who use radio telemetry to locate collared lions and sharing fascinating insights into their behavior and conservation. Along the way, enjoy sightings of Uganda kobs, elephants, buffalo, and other wildlife that thrive in the grasslands.

Afterwards, continue with a scenic drive to Kibale Forest National Park, where you’ll check in at the lodge for lunch and spend the rest of the day at leisure, unwinding in preparation for the adventures ahead.

Transfer time: ~2-3 hours

  • Check-out from Elephant Plains Lodge

  • Lion tracking experience

  • Transfer from Elephant Plains Lodge to Mirima Lodge Kibale

  • Check-in to Mirima Lodge Kibale

  • Afternoon at leisure

Day 8

Day Notes:

This morning after breakfast, transfer to the visitor’s Information Centre for a briefing on the conduct while in the park. After the short briefing and group allocation, start off the trek in search of the chimpanzees accompanied by rangers and guides from Uganda wildlife Authority. The duration of the trek depends on the day’s location of the Chimps, but you are allowed 1 hour of viewing.

Afternoon excursion to the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, a great example of a community-based approach to natural resources management which can be of good economic benefit to the local residents living within the area and to the tourism industry. This sanctuary is a paradise for bird watchers - skilled birders can spot up to 50 new species on a bird list. At today 138 species of birds have been recognized within the sanctuary, among which the Great Blue Turaco. Bigodi is also regularly visited by a diverse number of primate species from the nearby national park.

Hike of 10-12 km on a flat terrain continue to the community to interact with locals, understand local coffee making, banana Gin cultural performances. Return to the lodge for dinner & overnight.

  • Chimpanzee tracking

  • Bigodi swamp walk

  • Banana man & coffee lady experience

Day 9

  • Check-out from Mirima Lodge Kibale

  • Transfer from Mirima Lodge Kibale to Kasese Airport [KSE]

  • Charter Flight from Kasese Airport [KSE] to Entebbe International Airport [EBB]

End of Itinerary

Destinations

Kigali
Rwanda
Day 1

Kigali

Perched at an elevation of approximately 1,850 metres, Rwanda's capital city sprawls across a series of verdant hills and valleys and is the country’s financial, commercial and cultural hub, .
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Uganda
Day 2-3

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Located in southwestern Uganda, the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is said to be Africa’s oldest rainforest.
Southern Queen Elizabeth National Park
Uganda
Day 4-5

Southern Queen Elizabeth National Park

Surrounded by other wonderful parks in the western region of Uganda, the Queen Elizabeth National Park is known for its rich biodiversity, wildlife and history.
Northern Queen Elizabeth National Park
Uganda
Day 6

Northern Queen Elizabeth National Park

One of the most popular parks in Uganda, the Queen Elizabeth National Park lies in the western region of the country.
Kibale Forest National Park
Uganda
Day 7-8

Kibale Forest National Park

Kibale Forest National Park, situated in Western Uganda, is famous for its high density of primates, breathtaking crater lakes, and thick, beautiful jungle.

Accommodations

Heaven Boutique Hotel
Kigali
Day 1-2

Heaven Boutique Hotel

Heaven Boutique Hotel is situated in Kigali, Rwanda, near the Kandt House Museum, the Kigali Prime Garden, the Inema Arts Centre, the Niyo Arts Gallery and the Cultural Green Square Park.
Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Day 2-4

Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge

Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge sits at a 7000-ft (2,161 meters) altitude on a magnificent ridge with stunning views across the rugged landscapes and beyond to the Virunga Volcanoes chain.
Ishasha Wilderness Camp
Southern Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 4-6

Ishasha Wilderness Camp

Ishasha Wilderness Camp is an idyllic retreat for people who truly enjoy the wilderness, coupled with superb accommodation and exceptional service..
Elephant Plains Lodge
Northern Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 6-7

Elephant Plains Lodge

Elephant Plains Lodge is situated in Katunguru, Uganda, near the Lake George Observation Deck, the Katwe Explosion Craters Trail, the Water Crater Viewpoint and Lake Nyamunuka.
No image
Kibale Forest National Park
Day 7-9

Mirima Lodge Kibale

Mirima Lodge Kibale is located on the edge of Lake Nyamirima, adjacent to Kibale Forest National Park in Uganda.

January, February, June - September & December 2026

  • Solo traveller: US$ 16,110
  • 2 travellers: US$ 11,580
  • 3 travellers: US$ 10,715
  • 4 travellers: US$ 10,280
  • 5 travellers: US$ 10,020
  • 6 travellers: US$ 9,850
  • Single traveller supplement: US$ 1,950

March - May & October - November 2026

  • Solo traveller: US$ 14,140
  • 2 travellers: US$ 10,130
  • 3 travellers: US$ 9,265
  • 4 travellers: US$ 8,830
  • 5 travellers: US$ 8,570
  • 6 travellers: US$ 8,400
  • Single traveller supplement: US$ 1,400

Uganda & Kenya – 13-day Tailor-made Uganda & Kenya Safari

Indigo Safaris provided us with an ideal itinerary for our travel to Uganda and Kenya. They were quick to respond to all our communications and were full of great options or ideas and very pleasant to deal with. Kerry Wyatt with Indigo Safaris was our main contact when we made our initial contact with that company to assist us with planning a once in a lifetime trip to East Africa for a gorilla trek and safari experience. She was terrific in setting up an ideal travel itinerary for the two of us, very pleasant and in spite of the time difference was very prompt in providing responses to us with very good input and ideas for our travel.

Ken Duggan
My son and I shared an outstanding East Africa travel experience