15 Days Uganda Rwanda Gorillas and Wildebeest Migration in Kenya

Great Migration in the Masai Mara. Photo: Vikram Sathyanathan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Overview

Experience three of East Africa’s most rewarding safari countries on this 15 Days Uganda Rwanda Gorillas and Wildebeest Migration in Kenya journey with Wagatil Safaris. The adventure begins in Kigali, continues to the mountain gorillas of Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, crosses into southwestern Uganda for Lake Bunyonyi and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, then explores the wildlife of Queen Elizabeth National Park and the chimpanzees of Kibale Forest National Park. From Uganda, the journey continues by regional flight to Nairobi before exploring Amboseli, Lake Nakuru and the world-famous Masai Mara.

This itinerary is designed for travelers who want to combine primate trekking, classic African game viewing, beautiful landscapes and cultural encounters in one multi-country safari. Highlights include two separate mountain gorilla trekking experiences, a Lake Bunyonyi boat experience, the Ishasha sector, a Kazinga Channel boat cruise, chimpanzee trekking, elephant viewing below Mount Kilimanjaro, rhinos around Lake Nakuru and extended game drives in the Masai Mara. It is an excellent example of Wagatil Safaris’ East African safari packages.

Travel Plan

• 01

  Day 1: Arrival in Kigali, City Experience & Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

  Your 15-day East African safari begins in Kigali, where a Wagatil Safaris representative will meet you at Kigali International Airport or your hotel. After introductions and a safari briefing, enjoy a guided exploration of Rwanda’s capital depending on your arrival schedule. The city experience can include the Kigali Genocide Memorial for an important introduction to Rwanda’s modern history, local markets, craft centers and selected art galleries.

  Later, leave Kigali and travel through Rwanda’s beautiful countryside toward the Virunga highlands and Volcanoes National Park. The drive introduces you to the rolling landscapes that have made Rwanda famous as the Land of a Thousand Hills. Arrive at your lodge, settle in and prepare for the following day’s mountain gorilla adventure.

  Accommodation: Selected lodge near Volcanoes National Park.

  Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner, depending on arrival schedule.

• 02

  Day 2: Rwanda Gorilla Trekking & Iby’Iwacu Cultural Experience

  After breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters for registration and a ranger briefing before beginning your first mountain gorilla trekking experience. The trek takes you into the forested slopes of Volcanoes National Park with experienced guides and trackers. The length and difficulty of the walk vary according to the location of the assigned gorilla family, weather and trail conditions.

  When the gorillas are located, enjoy the permitted observation period watching their social behavior, feeding, communication and family interactions. The experience provides extraordinary opportunities for photography while also introducing you to the conservation work protecting these endangered primates.

  

  Mountain gorilla in Volcanoes National Park. Photo: Maxime Ishmax, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

  After returning from the forest and having lunch, continue with a cultural experience in the Volcanoes area. Visit the community commonly known through the Iby’Iwacu/Gorilla Guardians cultural program to learn about traditional Rwandan music, dance, crafts and community-based conservation. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

  Accommodation: Selected lodge near Volcanoes National Park.

  Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

• 03

  Day 3: Cross into Uganda & Lake Bunyonyi Boat Experience

  After breakfast, leave the Volcanoes region and travel toward the Rwanda–Uganda border. Your Wagatil Safaris guide will assist with the cross-border travel process before continuing into the green hills of southwestern Uganda. The journey ends at Lake Bunyonyi, a scenic highland lake surrounded by terraced hills and numerous islands.

  After checking in and having lunch, enjoy a relaxing boat or canoe experience across the lake. Your local guide will introduce you to stories connected with the islands, traditional communities and the history of the area. The calm setting offers a welcome change of pace after the previous day’s gorilla trek.

  

  Lake Bunyonyi, southwestern Uganda. Photo: Dylan Walters, Wikimedia Commons/Flickr, CC BY 2.0.

  Return to your lakeside accommodation and enjoy the evening overlooking the hills and water.

  Accommodation: Selected lodge or resort at Lake Bunyonyi.

  Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

• 04

  Day 4: Lake Bunyonyi to Bwindi & Batwa Cultural Experience

  Enjoy breakfast beside Lake Bunyonyi before continuing to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, one of Uganda’s most important rainforest destinations and the heart of the country’s mountain gorilla trekking experiences. The scenic transfer passes through steep cultivated hills, small towns and forested landscapes.

  After arriving and checking in, spend the later part of the day on a community and cultural experience in the Bwindi area. A guided Batwa experience can introduce you to aspects of traditional forest knowledge, storytelling, music, dance and historic ways of life. Wagatil Safaris approaches cultural encounters respectfully and works with local providers so the visit contributes directly to the host community.

  You may also read more about Bwindi beyond the gorillas when preparing for the cultural and nature experiences around the forest.

  Accommodation: Selected lodge near Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

  Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

• 05

  Day 5: Uganda Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi & Transfer via Ishasha

  After breakfast, report to the Bwindi park briefing point for your second mountain gorilla trekking experience, this time in Uganda. Rangers explain forest guidelines and assign visitors to gorilla families before you enter the rainforest with guides and trackers. Bwindi’s terrain can be steep and the vegetation dense, making the trek a genuine forest adventure.

  Once the gorilla family is located, spend the regulated viewing period observing the group in its natural habitat. This second trek gives you a valuable opportunity to compare the landscapes and gorilla experiences of Rwanda and Uganda.

  After returning from the forest, have lunch and begin the journey toward Queen Elizabeth National Park. Travel through the Ishasha sector, where your guide will search for the area’s famous tree-climbing lions as well as elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs and other wildlife. Continue to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

  Accommodation: Selected safari lodge in or near Queen Elizabeth National Park.

  Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

• 06

  Day 6: Queen Elizabeth Game Drive, Kazinga Channel Cruise & Transfer to Kibale

  Begin the day with a guided game drive across one of Queen Elizabeth National Park’s productive wildlife areas, such as the Kasenyi Plains. Search for lions, elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, warthogs, hyenas and other savannah species while enjoying views across the park’s varied landscapes.

  Later, take a boat safari on the Kazinga Channel, the natural waterway connecting Lake George and Lake Edward. The cruise is one of Uganda’s classic wildlife experiences and provides excellent opportunities to see hippos, crocodiles, waterbirds and mammals coming to the shoreline.

  

  Elephants near the Kazinga Channel. Photo: Yakov Fedorov, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

  After the boat experience, continue north toward Kibale Forest National Park through western Uganda’s beautiful crater-lake and tea-growing countryside. Check in at your lodge and rest before the following day’s chimpanzee trek.

  Accommodation: Selected lodge near Kibale Forest National Park.

  Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

• 07

  Day 7: Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale & Isunga Community Experience

  After breakfast, proceed to the designated Kibale briefing point for your chimpanzee tracking experience. Walk through the tropical forest with an experienced ranger while listening for chimpanzee calls and watching for other primates, birds and forest wildlife.

  When a habituated chimpanzee community is located, observe the animals during the allowed viewing period. Their vocal communication, feeding behavior and social interactions make chimpanzee trekking very different from mountain gorilla trekking and an important part of this multi-primate itinerary.

  

  Chimpanzee in Kibale National Park. Photo: Charles J. Sharp, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

  After lunch, visit a community initiative in the Kibale region. Depending on the arrangements, the experience can include crater-lake scenery, village walks, traditional music, local agriculture, coffee or tea experiences and introductions to the cultures living around the forest. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

  Accommodation: Selected lodge near Kibale Forest National Park.

  Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

• 08

  Day 8: Kibale to Entebbe & Regional Flight to Nairobi

  Leave Kibale after breakfast and begin the road journey toward Kampala and Entebbe. Travel through western and central Uganda with suitable rest and refreshment stops along the way. Depending on the confirmed flight schedule, Wagatil Safaris will coordinate the transfer to Entebbe International Airport for your regional flight to Nairobi.

  On arrival in Kenya, meet the Kenyan safari representative and transfer to your Nairobi hotel. The evening is kept relaxed so you can rest before beginning the Kenya wildlife section of the safari.

  This transition connects the primate-rich forests of Uganda and Rwanda with the classic savannah destinations featured in our Uganda and Kenya safaris.

  Accommodation: Selected hotel in Nairobi.

  Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch; dinner according to hotel arrangement.

• 09

  Day 9: Nairobi to Amboseli National Park

  After breakfast, leave Nairobi and travel south toward Amboseli National Park. The landscape gradually opens into dry plains with Mount Kilimanjaro dominating the horizon when weather conditions are clear. Amboseli is particularly famous for its elephants and is one of East Africa’s most recognizable wildlife photography destinations.

  After arriving and checking in, enjoy an afternoon or evening game drive. Search for elephants, buffaloes, zebras, giraffes, antelopes, lions, cheetahs and other species around the open plains, marshes and woodland areas.

  

  Elephants in Amboseli with Mount Kilimanjaro. Photo: Amoghavarsha JS, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

  Return to your lodge for dinner and your first night in a Kenyan national park.

  Accommodation: Selected safari lodge or camp in Amboseli.

  Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

• 10

  Day 10: Full-Day Wildlife Safari in Amboseli

  Spend a full day exploring Amboseli National Park with your safari guide. The park’s mixture of dusty plains, seasonal wetlands and permanent swamps creates productive wildlife-viewing areas, especially for elephants. Your guide will adjust the route according to wildlife movements and local conditions, allowing plenty of time for photography and observation.

  The day can include morning and afternoon game drives with a lunch break at the lodge or a picnic arrangement depending on your safari style. When Kilimanjaro is visible, your guide will also look for viewpoints where wildlife can be photographed against the mountain backdrop.

  Amboseli provides an excellent transition from the forest experiences earlier in the itinerary to Kenya’s open savannahs. Return to your lodge for dinner and another peaceful night in the park.

  Accommodation: Selected safari lodge or camp in Amboseli.

  Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

• 11

  Day 11: Amboseli to Lake Nakuru National Park

  After breakfast, leave Amboseli and travel toward Kenya’s Great Rift Valley and Lake Nakuru National Park. The journey reveals another dramatic change in scenery as you approach the Rift Valley highlands and the lake basin.

  After arrival, enjoy a game drive in the park. Lake Nakuru is known for rhino conservation and can offer sightings of both black and white rhinos, while other possible wildlife includes buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, waterbucks, lions and leopards. Birdlife around the lake can include flamingos and pelicans, although numbers vary with water levels and ecological conditions.

  

  Rhino at Lake Nakuru with flamingos in the background. Photo: Robbert van der Steeg, Wikimedia Commons/Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.

  Continue exploring until later in the day before proceeding to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

  Accommodation: Selected lodge in or near Lake Nakuru National Park.

  Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

• 12

  Day 12: Lake Nakuru to Masai Mara & Maasai Cultural Visit

  Enjoy breakfast and, depending on the previous day’s wildlife sightings and the day’s travel plan, take a final game drive before leaving Lake Nakuru. Continue across the Great Rift Valley countryside toward the Masai Mara National Reserve, one of the signature destinations in Wagatil Safaris’ East African safari destinations.

  As you approach the Mara ecosystem, the landscape opens into expansive grasslands associated with large herbivore herds and predators. Check in at your lodge or tented camp and settle into the reserve area.

  Later, visit a Maasai community where the experience can include introductions to traditional homesteads, cattle culture, beadwork, songs, dances and stories about life around the Mara. Return to your accommodation for dinner and prepare for two full days of wildlife exploration.

  Accommodation: Selected lodge or tented camp in the Masai Mara area.

  Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

• 13

  Day 13: Masai Mara Game Drives & Great Migration Search

  Set out after breakfast for an extensive day of game viewing in the Masai Mara. The reserve supports an extraordinary variety of wildlife, and your guide will search for lions, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, hippos, cheetahs and, with luck, leopards and rhinos.

  During the seasonal migration period, special attention is given to areas where wildebeest and zebra herds are moving through the Mara ecosystem. When conditions are suitable, your guide may explore the Mara River region in search of gathering herds or possible crossings. Because migration movements depend on rainfall, grazing and the animals themselves, every day in the Mara is approached flexibly.

  Enjoy lunch according to the day’s plan and continue with game viewing through the afternoon. The open plains provide excellent conditions for photographing both large herds and predators.

  Accommodation: Selected lodge or tented camp in the Masai Mara area.

  Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

• 14

  Day 14: Full-Day Masai Mara Wildlife & Migration Exploration

  Enjoy a second full day in the Masai Mara, allowing your guide to explore different sections of the reserve rather than rushing through the destination. This additional day greatly improves the opportunity to locate predator activity, large herbivore concentrations and seasonal migration movements.

  Your safari guide will plan the route around current wildlife reports and conditions. Some areas may be productive for lions and cheetahs on the open plains, while riverine habitat can offer elephants, hippos, crocodiles and leopard possibilities. During the Great Migration season, the day can again focus on wildebeest and zebra movements if the herds are within accessible sections of the ecosystem.

  This is also an ideal day for serious wildlife photography because there is no need to transfer to another destination. Enjoy the changing light, open landscapes and final full day of the safari before returning to your lodge or camp.

  Accommodation: Selected lodge or tented camp in the Masai Mara area.

  Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

• 15

  Day 15: Final Masai Mara Experience & Transfer to Nairobi

  Wake for your final morning in the Masai Mara. Depending on your onward flight arrangements, you may enjoy a final game drive before breakfast or begin the journey after breakfast. This last safari drive gives you another opportunity to look for favorite species and enjoy the Mara landscape before leaving the reserve.

  After checking out, travel back toward Nairobi with appropriate rest stops along the way. On arrival, Wagatil Safaris will transfer you to your hotel or the international airport according to your onward arrangements.

  Your 15 Days Uganda Rwanda Gorillas and Wildebeest Migration in Kenya journey ends after experiencing three countries, two mountain gorilla treks, chimpanzees, lakes, cultural encounters and several of East Africa’s most celebrated wildlife areas.

  Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch, depending on departure arrangements.

  END OF SAFARI.