Uganda Rwanda Safari Packages: Plan the Perfect Trip
Uganda and Rwanda sit right next to each other, share a land border you can cross in under an hour, and together hold the largest population of mountain gorillas left on Earth. That makes combining them one of the most popular ways to safari in East Africa — you get two countries, two gorilla trekking parks, and often chimpanzees, golden monkeys, and savannah game drives all in a single trip.
Below is a practical breakdown of how Uganda Rwanda safari packages work, what they cost, how the border crossing fits into your itinerary, and four Rwanda-based packages you can book online right now to pair with a Uganda leg.
Why Combine Uganda and Rwanda
Each country brings something slightly different to the table:
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- Uganda has the more affordable gorilla permit, more permits available per day across two parks (Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga), and a wider spread of wildlife experiences — chimpanzee tracking in Kibale, the Nile at Murchison Falls, tree-climbing lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
- Rwanda offers shorter, less strenuous treks, polished infrastructure, a very short drive from Kigali International Airport to Volcanoes National Park, and easy add-ons like golden monkey tracking and the Nyungwe canopy walk.
Because Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda) and Bwindi/Mgahinga (Uganda) sit close to the shared border near Kisoro, many travelers trek gorillas in one country and cross overland to explore the other — turning what could be two separate trips into one well-paced circuit.
Gorilla Permit Costs: The Number That Shapes Your Budget
The permit is the single biggest line item in any Uganda Rwanda safari package, so it’s worth knowing the numbers before you start comparing itineraries:
| Uganda (Bwindi/Mgahinga) | Rwanda (Volcanoes NP) | |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign non-resident | $800 (as low as $600 in low season: April, May, November) | $1,500 |
| Foreign resident | Around $700 | Around $500 |
| East African citizen | Heavily discounted | Around $200 |
A Uganda permit buys one hour with a habituated gorilla family, and Uganda also offers a longer four-hour gorilla habituation experience for a higher fee. Rwanda’s higher price reflects a deliberate high-value, low-volume tourism model, plus the shorter, easier trekking terrain and closer proximity to Kigali. Permits in both countries are capped daily and sell out well ahead of peak months (June–September, December–February), so booking six or more months in advance is standard advice from most operators.
How the Border Crossing Works
The most common overland route between the two countries’ gorilla parks is via the Cyanika or Katuna/Gatuna border posts, both reachable within one to two hours’ drive from either Kisoro (Uganda) or Musanze (Rwanda) — the towns closest to the parks. Most tour operators handle the paperwork as part of the package: you’ll need a valid passport, any required visa (many nationalities can get a Rwanda or Uganda visa on arrival, or use the East Africa Tourist Visa which covers both countries plus Kenya), and your gorilla permit confirmation.
Because the parks are so close to the border, a typical combined itinerary doesn’t waste days in transit — it’s realistic to trek gorillas in Uganda one morning and be checked into a Rwanda lodge by evening.
What a Typical Combined Itinerary Looks Like
Most Uganda Rwanda safari packages run somewhere between 7 and 12 days. A common structure looks like this:
- Days 1–3: Arrive in Kigali or Entebbe, transfer to Bwindi or Mgahinga, gorilla trek in Uganda
- Days 4–5: Cross the border to Musanze, gorilla trek or golden monkey trek in Volcanoes National Park
- Days 6–7: Kigali city tour, including the Kigali Genocide Memorial, before departure
- Optional extensions: Add Queen Elizabeth or Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda for game drives, or Nyungwe Forest and Akagera National Park in Rwanda for chimpanzees and Big Five viewing
Shorter versions (5–6 days) focus purely on one gorilla trek per country, while longer versions (10+ days) weave in savannah wildlife, primates, and cultural stops on both sides of the border.
4 Uganda Rwanda Safari Packages You Can Book Online
Rather than booking Uganda and Rwanda separately, most travelers find it simpler to book a single combined itinerary that already includes the border crossing, both parks, and ground transport. Here are four common combined package types offered by established Uganda and Rwanda-based tour operators:
1. 4-Day Double Gorilla Trek: Kisoro to Musanze Starts in Kisoro, Uganda — the closest town to both Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and the Rwandan border — with a gorilla trek on day one, an overland crossing to Musanze on day two, and a second gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park on day three before flying out of Kigali. Because Kisoro sits only about an hour from the Cyanika border post, this is the fastest way to trek gorillas in both countries without long transfer days, and it works well if you’re already touring southwestern Uganda.
2. 7-Day Uganda Rwanda Gorilla & Wildlife Safari: Entebbe to Kigali A fuller circuit starting at Entebbe: Kampala, Lake Mburo or Queen Elizabeth for game drives, gorilla trekking in Bwindi, an overland crossing to Rwanda, a second gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park, and a closing Kigali city tour before departure. This is the most popular structure for first-time visitors who want savannah wildlife, forest primates, and both gorilla parks in one trip.
3. 6-Day Gorilla Trekking Safari: Kigali to Bwindi and Back Starts and ends in Kigali, making it the easiest option if you’re flying into Rwanda rather than Uganda. It opens with a gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park, crosses into Uganda via Cyanika or Katuna for a second trek in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, then returns to Kigali for departure. A good fit for travelers whose only international flight is into Kigali International Airport.
4. 10-Day Primates & Big Five Safari: Kigali, Bwindi, Queen Elizabeth, Akagera A longer combined circuit for travelers who want more than gorillas: golden monkey tracking and a gorilla trek in Rwanda, an overland crossing to Uganda for a second gorilla trek and game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park, then back across the border to close with Big Five game drives in Akagera. This is the package to choose if you want the full primate-and-savannah experience across both countries rather than a gorilla-only focus.
Each of these can start from either side of the border — Kisoro or Kigali are the two most practical starting points, since both sit close to a border crossing and an international or regional airport. Which one to pick usually comes down to where your flight lands: fly into Kigali if Rwanda is your entry point, or into Entebbe and overland to Kisoro if you’re starting in Uganda.
Best Time to Go
Gorilla trekking happens year-round in both countries, but the driest months — June to September and December to February — are considered the easiest for hiking and offer the clearest mountain views. The rainy seasons (March–May and October–November) bring lower prices and fewer crowds, though trails can be muddier and more physically demanding, especially in Uganda’s Bwindi.
Booking Tips
- Lock in your gorilla permit dates first. Everything else in the itinerary — lodges, drivers, border logistics — gets built around the permit date, not the other way around.
- Book through an operator who handles both countries. Cross-border logistics, park fees, and visa requirements are easier to manage through one company than by piecing together separate Uganda and Rwanda bookings.
- Budget beyond the permit. Transport, lodging, park entry fees, meals, guide and porter tips, and visas all add to the total — a realistic combined trip typically runs from around $2,500 to well over $5,000 per person depending on lodge standard and trip length.
- Confirm what’s included. Some packages bundle permits, park fees, and ground transport into one price; others quote them separately. Always ask before comparing prices between operators.
Final Thought
Uganda and Rwanda were made for a combined safari — two countries, two national parks, one short border crossing, and one of the most extraordinary wildlife encounters on the planet. Whether you’re building a tight 6-day gorilla-focused trip or a two-week circuit through savannah, rainforest, and volcano country, the key is locking in your gorilla permits early and letting the rest of the itinerary follow from there.
Planning to visit Uganda and Rwanda on a combined safari- simply contact us now by sending an email to [email protected] or call us on +256-700135510.
