6 Days Rwanda Tour and Uganda Budget Wildlife Safari
This 6 Days Rwanda Tour and Uganda Budget Wildlife Safari provides an opportunity to encounter golden monkeys in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda before traveling to Uganda for gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Other major highlights of the 6-day tour are wildlife game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park and chimpanzee trekking at Kalinzu Forest Reserve. The 6-day tour can start and end in Kigali, Rwanda, but it can also start and end in Kampala or Entebbe, Uganda.
The Rwanda Tour continues across borders into Queen Elizabeth National Park, where vast savannah plains meet the impressive Kazinga Channel, creating diverse ecosystems teeming with wildlife. From the culturally rich experiences in Rwanda to tracking chimpanzees in Uganda's Kalinzu Forest, this Rwanda Tour delivers an authentic East African wildlife adventure without breaking your budget.
Your comprehensive Rwanda Tour experience includes expert guidance, comfortable accommodations, and all the necessary permits, allowing you to focus entirely on the magnificent landscapes and extraordinary wildlife encounters. This cross-border journey showcases the natural treasures of both Rwanda and Uganda while providing meaningful insights into conservation efforts and local cultures.
Tour highlights
Day 1: Transfer from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park with genocide memorial visit
Day 2: Golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park and cross-border transfer to Bwindi
Day 3: Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 4: Scenic drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park with afternoon game drive
Day 5: Morning game drive in Kasenyi Plains and afternoon Kazinga Channel boat cruise
Day 6: Chimpanzee trekking in Kalinzu Forest Reserve and return to Kigali
Price Includes:
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Golden monkey trekking permit
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- All national park entrance fees
- Ground transportation in a 4x4 custom safari vehicle
- Bottled water during drives and treks
- Full board accommodation as specified in the itinerary
- Professional English-speaking driver-guide
- Driver allowances and park fees
- Kazinga Channel boat cruise
- Game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park
- All activities mentioned in the itinerary
Price Excludes:
- Rwanda and Uganda visas
- International and internal flights
- Personal expenses and gratuities
- Optional activities not mentioned in the itinerary
- Laundry services
- Travel insurance
- Tips for guides and staff
- Life insurance
- Alcoholic beverages and drinks other than water
Itinary in details
- Day1Transfer from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park
Your Rwanda Tour begins with a pickup from your Kigali accommodation by an experienced guide who will drive you approximately 116 km (3 hours) northwest to Volcanoes National Park. This Rwanda Tour includes a profound visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial, offering important historical context about the country's tragic past and remarkable recovery. The afternoon of your Rwanda Tour features the vibrant Ibyi'wacu Cultural Centre near Kinigi, where traditional dances, crafts, and customs provide insight into Rwanda's rich cultural heritage before settling into your budget accommodation in Musanze town.
- Day2Golden Monkey Trek in Volcanoes NP and Transfer to Bwindi National Park
Today your Rwanda Tour features an early morning golden monkey trekking adventure in the bamboo forests of Volcanoes National Park, where troops of these playful primates reside at elevations of 2,500-3,200 meters. The Rwanda Tour continues with a cross-border journey to Uganda, traveling approximately 134 km (4 hours) via the Cyanika border crossing into the misty highlands of southwestern Uganda. Your Rwanda Tour transitions to Uganda's wilderness as you arrive at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, known locally as "Ishamba rya Nyinamukari" (Forest of the mother of Forests), where you'll overnight at the welcoming Karungi Camp near Rushaga sector.
- Day3Gorilla Trekking at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
The highlight of your Rwanda Tour and Uganda safari awaits as you embark on mountain gorilla trekking in the ancient rainforest of Bwindi, home to nearly half of the world's remaining mountain gorillas. Your Rwanda Tour includes comprehensive pre-trek briefings at the Rushaga sector headquarters, where rangers assign you to one of several habituated gorilla families like Mishaya, Busingye, or Bweza groups. During this extraordinary Rwanda Tour experience, you'll trek between 1-6 hours through dense forest before spending a precious hour observing these magnificent great apes in their natural habitat, a truly life-changing wildlife encounter, before returning to Karungi Camp.
- Day4Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park for Game Drives
Your Rwanda Tour adventure continues with a scenic 170 km (5-hour) journey north from Bwindi through the picturesque landscapes of western Uganda to Queen Elizabeth National Park, known locally as "Amagara amangyanju" (Good Life). This Rwanda Tour Day features dramatic changes in scenery as you travel from misty mountains to open savannah, arriving in time for an afternoon game drive in the wildlife-rich Kasenyi Plains. The Rwanda Tour provides excellent opportunities to spot Uganda kobs, cape buffalos, and elephants against the backdrop of the Rwenzori Mountains, before settling into your budget accommodation near the park.
- Day5Kasenyi Plains Game Drive and Kazinga Channel Boat Trip
Dawn breaks over your Rwanda Tour with an early morning game drive in the Kasenyi Plains, the prime territory for spotting lion prides that hunt the abundant Uganda kobs in this section of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Your Rwanda Tour continues with a return to the lodge for lunch before embarking on the famous 2-hour Kazinga Channel boat cruise, where large congregations of hippos, Nile crocodiles, and elephants can be observed. This Rwanda Tour highlight offers exceptional photographic opportunities as you cruise the 40 km natural channel connecting Lakes Edward and George, with the evening spent recounting the day's adventures at your accommodation.
- Day6Chimpanzee Trekking at Kalinzu Forest Reserve and Drive to Kigali
The final day of your Rwanda Tour begins with an early departure to Kalinzu Forest Reserve, traveling approximately 40 km (1 hour) for a chimpanzee trekking experience amid this 147 square kilometer tropical forest where over 300 chimps reside. Your Rwanda Tour includes 2-3 hours tracking and observing these intelligent primates in their natural habitat, possibly encountering other primate species like black-and-white colobus monkeys. The Rwanda Tour concludes with a 280 km (6-7 hour) return journey to Kigali, crossing back into Rwanda at the Kagitumba/Mirama Hills border post, with drop-off at your Kigali accommodation or the airport for your onward journey.