4-Day Uganda Safari Experience from Kigali

Pick-Up from Kigali and Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Your 4-Day Uganda Safari Experience adventure begins with a warm welcome from your professional English-speaking safari guide at Kigali International Airport or your preferred hotel within the city. After introductions and a short pre-safari briefing, you’ll set off for the Uganda-Rwanda border. As you journey through Rwanda‘s lush hills and scenic highlands, enjoy the stunning views of rolling green plantations, rural settlements, and the iconic Virunga Volcanoes.

Border crossing formalities are conducted at the Katuna or Cyanika border post depending on the route, followed by an entry into southwestern Uganda. From here, the road leads you to Queen Elizabeth National Park—Uganda’s most visited and ecologically diverse protected area.

Upon arrival, you’ll check into your accommodation at Pumba Safari Cottages, set just outside the park boundaries with scenic views of the savannah and distant mountain backdrops. Later in the afternoon, you’ll embark on an evening game drive in the Kasenyi Plains or Mweya Peninsula. This is the perfect time to see wildlife activity as the heat of the day begins to cool. Spot elephants, Uganda kobs, warthogs, waterbucks, and even elusive predators like lions and leopards.

After a productive wildlife viewing session, you’ll return to your lodge for a hearty dinner and a relaxing overnight stay.

• Main Destination: Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Accommodation: Aardvark Safari Lodge
• Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner included
• Drinks: Drinking water provided; other drinks at own expense

Morning Game Drive and Chimpanzee Tracking in Kalinzu Forest

After an early breakfast, you’ll head out for a thrilling morning game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The drive begins at dawn, which offers the best chance of witnessing predators in action before they retreat for the day. Traverse through the park’s open grasslands, woodlands, and crater lakes region as you search for the “Big Four” present in the park—elephants, lions, buffaloes, and leopards—as well as hyenas, antelope species, and hundreds of bird varieties.

After the game drive, you’ll transfer to Kalinzu Forest Reserve, one of the top chimpanzee tracking destinations in Uganda. Upon arrival, you’ll receive a briefing from Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers about the behavior, ecology, and tracking protocol for chimpanzees. Kalinzu is home to over 300 chimpanzees, and about 70 of them have been habituated for tourism. The trek can take 2 to 6 hours depending on the location of the chimpanzee family.

While tracking, you’ll also encounter other primate species such as olive baboons, L’Hoest monkeys, and black-and-white colobus monkeys. The forest itself is an ecologist’s dream, filled with towering trees, vibrant butterflies, and numerous bird species.

Once you locate the chimpanzees, you’ll spend up to one hour observing them as they feed, groom, communicate, and play. It’s a deeply educational and emotional experience that brings you face-to-face with our closest living relatives.

In the evening, you’ll transfer to Broadbill Forest Camp, located just outside Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, to rest in preparation for the gorilla trek.

• Main Destination: Kalinzu Forest / Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
• Accommodation: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included
• Drinks: Drinking water provided

Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi and Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

The day begins with an early breakfast before heading to the park headquarters for a pre-trekking briefing conducted by Uganda Wildlife Authority staff. Here, you’ll be assigned a gorilla family to track, based on your physical ability and preferences. The guides will explain the dos and don’ts of gorilla trekking, including proper behavior in the forest and how to respectfully interact with the gorillas.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is home to over 460 mountain gorillas, nearly half of the world’s population, making it the ultimate destination for gorilla trekking. The trek through the dense, ancient rainforest can be demanding, involving steep climbs and slippery paths, but the reward is well worth the effort.

Tracking can take anywhere between 2 to 6 hours. Once the gorilla family is located, you’ll spend one awe-inspiring hour in their presence. Watch as the family feeds, plays, and rests—sometimes just meters away. The sight of a silverback leading his troop is one that leaves a lasting impression on every visitor.

After this life-changing encounter, you’ll return to the briefing point for certification and then transfer to Lake Bunyonyi, the second deepest lake in Africa and arguably the most beautiful in Uganda. Dotted with 29 islands and surrounded by terraced hills, Lake Bunyonyi is a peaceful retreat where you can reflect on your unforgettable wildlife experiences.

• Main Destination: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest / Lake Bunyonyi
• Accommodation: Bunyonyi Rock Resort
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included
• Drinks: Drinking water provided

Canoeing on Lake Bunyonyi and Transfer Back to Kigali

After a relaxed breakfast by the lakeside, you’ll embark on a guided canoe ride on Lake Bunyonyi. The canoeing experience is peaceful and educational, offering the chance to explore some of the lake’s famous islands such as Punishment Island, Bushara Island, and Kyahugye Island. Your guide will narrate local legends and stories associated with each of the islands, adding cultural depth to the natural scenery.

This 4-Day Uganda Safari Experience from Kigali activity is suitable for all travelers and provides wonderful opportunities for birdwatching and photography. As the morning sun glistens over the water, it’s the perfect setting to unwind and reflect on your 4-day journey through Uganda.

After the canoe ride, you’ll check out from your lodge and begin the return drive to Kigali. There will be a stop for lunch en route, and you’ll have an opportunity to take photographs at scenic viewpoints. You’ll arrive in Kigali in the late afternoon or early evening, where you’ll be dropped off at your hotel or Kigali International Airport, marking the end of your East African adventure.

• Main Destination: Kigali (Rwanda)
• Accommodation: None (End of Tour)
• Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch included
• Drinks: Drinking water provided