A powerful waterfall cascading through a lush, forested landscape.

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Primates and Peaks: An Uganda and Rwanda Overland

An overland circuit from Murchison Falls through Uganda's primate parks to Rwanda's gorillas and golden monkeys.

Enquire about this trip See the day by day

Duration13 Days / 12 Nights

Group size2 – 6 travellers

Best monthsJune – September, December – February

From$8,480 per person sharing

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The Trip in Short

This is the deeper version of the Uganda-Rwanda pairing, run entirely overland and built to cover the primate range both countries are known for: chimps at Kibale, gorillas at Bwindi, then a border crossing into Rwanda for golden monkeys and a second gorilla trek at Volcanoes, plus the Big Five detour to Queen Elizabeth along the way.

Thirteen days keeps the driving reasonable – no single transfer exceeds about six hours – while still reaching Murchison Falls in the north, which shorter Uganda-Rwanda combinations usually have to skip.

Park fees and gorilla permits in Rwanda are set by the Rwanda Development Board.

Highlights

Murchison Falls boat cruise and game drives
Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest
Queen Elizabeth National Park and the Kazinga Channel
Gorilla trekking in both Bwindi and Volcanoes National Park
Golden monkey tracking in Rwanda
Overland border crossing through the Virunga foothills

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Where You Go, Stop by Stop

Day 1–3

Entebbe – Murchison Falls National Park

Day 4–5

Murchison Falls – Kibale Forest

Day 6–7

Kibale – Queen Elizabeth National Park

Day 8–9

Queen Elizabeth – Bwindi, gorilla trekking

Day 10

Overland border crossing to Musanze, Rwanda

Day 11

Gorilla and golden monkey trekking

Day 12–13

Kigali, departure

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Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1–3: Murchison Falls

A drive north to Uganda's largest national park for a boat cruise to the base of the falls and game drives across the northern circuit's savanna, tracking lion, elephant and giraffe.

Day 4–5: Kibale Forest

A transfer south to Kibale for chimpanzee trekking through forest with one of East Africa's most reliable chimp populations.

Day 6–7: Queen Elizabeth National Park

On to Queen Elizabeth for game drives on the Kasenyi plains and a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel.

Day 8–9: Bwindi

South to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for a full gorilla trekking day, the $800 permit securing an hour with a habituated family.

Day 10: Cross into Rwanda

An overland border crossing, three to four hours through terraced hill country, arriving in Musanze in the afternoon.

Day 11: Gorillas and golden monkeys

A second gorilla trek, this time in Volcanoes National Park at the $1,500 Rwanda permit rate, with golden monkey tracking as a possible addition on the same or following day.

Day 12–13: Kigali and departure

A transfer to Kigali for a city tour including the Genocide Memorial, before departure.

From

$8,480

Enquire about this trip

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What the Price Covers

Included

Uganda gorilla trekking permit ($800)
Rwanda gorilla trekking permit ($1,500)
Chimpanzee trekking permit
All national park entry fees
Overland border transfer between Bwindi and Musanze
All accommodation, 12 nights
All meals as noted in the itinerary
Private transport and driver-guide throughout

Not included

International flights into Entebbe and out of Kigali
Uganda and Rwanda entry visas
Golden monkey trekking permit (optional add-on)
Gratuities for guides, trackers and porters
Travel insurance

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Before You Book

Is thirteen days too much driving?

The longest single transfer is around six hours; most days are shorter, and driving is broken up with wildlife stops and scenic viewpoints rather than run as dead time.

Why include Murchison Falls if the focus is primates?

It's Uganda's flagship savanna park and a natural first stop from Entebbe, giving a Big Five and Nile-river dimension the rest of the itinerary doesn't otherwise cover.

Do the two gorilla treks feel repetitive?

Not usually – Bwindi's ancient rainforest and Volcanoes' bamboo-and-volcanic terrain are visually and physically distinct, and family compositions differ.

What visas are needed?

Uganda and Rwanda entry visas, or the East Africa Tourist Visa for eligible nationalities, which covers both countries plus Kenya on one visa.

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Where This Trip Goes

Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Uganda · Reserve

A dedicated sanctuary protecting Uganda's reintroduced southern white rhinos, tracked on foot after the species was wiped out nationally by the 1980s.

Kibale National Park

Uganda · National Park

A rainforest near Fort Portal holding thirteen primate species, including well over a thousand chimpanzees, in one of East Africa's densest wildlife concentrations.

Rwenzori Mountains National Park

Uganda · Mountain

A glaciated UNESCO World Heritage range on the DRC border, climbing through forest, bamboo and moorland to Margherita Peak, Africa's third-highest point.

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Primates and Peaks: An Uganda and Rwanda Overland