Golden evening light spreads across an open Kenyan savanna as a vehicle crosses the plain.

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The Great East Africa Circuit: Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania

A full twenty-one day circuit of Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania, covering gorilla trekking, the Mara, the crater and the Serengeti.

Enquire about this trip See the day by day

Duration21 Days / 20 Nights

Group size2 – 6 travellers

Best monthsJune – September, December – February

From$13,480 per person sharing

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The Trip in Short

This is the trip for someone who has decided, reasonably, that they may only do East Africa once and would like to see most of it properly rather than a sliver of it well. Twenty-one days runs from Uganda’s forest parks through Rwanda’s volcanoes, across to Kenya’s Masai Mara, and on into Tanzania’s Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater.

It is a genuinely long trip and we don’t pretend otherwise – several long transfer days connect the four countries. What it buys is breadth without the itinerary feeling like a checklist: every major stop gets at least two nights, and the order is built around real flight and road logistics rather than a map that looks tidy on paper.

Fees and rules in Kenya's national parks are set by the Kenya Wildlife Service.

Highlights

Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest, Uganda
Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
A second gorilla trek and Kigali city tour in Rwanda
Masai Mara game drives for the Big Five
Ngorongoro Crater floor game drive
Serengeti National Park game drives across the northern plains

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Where You Go, Stop by Stop

Day 1–4

Entebbe – Kibale – Queen Elizabeth National Park

Day 5–6

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, gorilla trekking

Day 7–8

Overland to Musanze, Rwanda, gorilla trekking

Day 9–13

Kigali, fly to Nairobi, Masai Mara National Reserve

Day 14–18

Overland to Serengeti via Isebania, Serengeti National Park

Day 19–20

Ngorongoro Crater

Day 21

Fly to Kilimanjaro, departure

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Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1–4: Uganda's forest parks

A drive west from Entebbe to Kibale Forest for chimpanzee trekking, then on to Queen Elizabeth National Park for game drives and a Kazinga Channel boat cruise.

Day 5–6: Bwindi, gorilla trekking

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

Day 7–8: Into Rwanda

An overland border crossing to Musanze, followed by a second gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park at Rwanda's $1,500 permit rate.

Day 9–10: Kigali and flight to Kenya

A city tour of Kigali, including the Genocide Memorial, before a flight to Nairobi.

Day 11–13: Masai Mara

Three days of game drives across the Mara's open plains, with an optional sunrise hot-air balloon safari.

Day 14–15: Cross into Tanzania

An overland border crossing via Isebania, continuing into the Serengeti ecosystem's Tanzanian side.

Day 16–18: Serengeti National Park

Three full days of game drives across the central and northern plains.

Day 19–20: Ngorongoro Crater

A full day's game drive on the crater floor, among the highest wildlife densities in Africa, with a second day at leisure or for a Maasai cultural visit.

Day 21: Departure

A flight to Kilimanjaro International Airport for onward or international connections.

From

$13,480

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 and reserve entry fees across four countries
Flight Entebbe/Kigali – Nairobi
Overland border transfers at the Uganda-Rwanda and Kenya-Tanzania borders
All accommodation, 20 nights
All meals as noted in the itinerary
Private transport and driver-guides throughout

Not included

International flights into Entebbe and out of Kilimanjaro
Visas for Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania
Hot-air balloon safari (optional add-on)
Gratuities for guides, trackers and porters
Travel insurance

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Before You Book

Is twenty-one days realistic for most travellers?

It's a significant commitment, and we're upfront that this itinerary suits a genuine "trip of a lifetime" booking rather than a standard annual holiday. Shorter versions covering two or three of the four countries are available.

How many border crossings does this involve?

Two overland crossings – Uganda to Rwanda, and Kenya to Tanzania – plus one flight connection between Rwanda and Kenya.

What visas do we need?

Individual visas for Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania, though the East Africa Tourist Visa covers Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya together for eligible nationalities, leaving only Tanzania separate.

Can this itinerary be shortened?

Yes – dropping either the Uganda-Rwanda gorilla leg or the Kenya-Tanzania safari leg brings it down to a more typical two-week trip; ask about a shorter version covering your priority countries.

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Where This Trip Goes

Serengeti National Park

Tanzania · National Park

14,763 square kilometres of plain hosting the largest overland migration on Earth, with resident Big Five wildlife in the Seronera Valley year-round.

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.

Lake Nakuru National Park

Kenya · Lake

A fenced soda-lake sanctuary close to Nairobi, protecting both black and white rhino alongside large, shifting flocks of lesser and greater flamingo.

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The Great East Africa Circuit: Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania