Experiences & Tours
Every itinerary starts with what you want to feel.
Primates, big game, mountains, culture, or a honeymoon built around all four — browse how we build each experience across Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania and DR Congo, then tell us your dates and we’ll shape a plan around them.
Choose Your Experience
Eight ways to see East Africa
Mix and match: most of our trips combine two or three of these.
Primate Safaris
Three primates, three permits, one region
Mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, and golden monkeys are the reason most people first look at this part of Africa. All three are trackable within the same general area — gorillas in Bwindi (Uganda) or Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda), chimps in Kibale (Uganda) or Nyungwe (Rwanda), and golden monkeys alongside the gorillas in Mgahinga (Uganda) or Volcanoes (Rwanda) — so a primate-focused trip rarely means long extra transfers.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Gorilla Trekking Safaris
Bwindi shelters roughly half the world’s remaining mountain gorillas across four trailhead sectors — Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo. We match your fitness level and travel dates to the right sector, arrange your UWA permit in advance, and pair you with a driver-guide who knows every trailhead personally. Permits are strictly limited to eight visitors per gorilla family, per day, so booking early matters.
- Trek duration: 2–8 hours round-trip, depending on where the family is that morning
- One hour with the gorilla family once located, at a respectful distance
- Porters available and encouraged — hiring one directly supports the local community
- Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park available as an add-on or alternative
- Golden monkey trekking available the same day in Mgahinga (Uganda) or Volcanoes (Rwanda)
Gorilla guides
Kibale Forest National Park
Chimpanzee Tracking
Kibale holds one of the highest primate densities in Africa and some of the best-habituated chimpanzee communities anywhere on the continent. Morning treks typically last 2–4 hours through lush rainforest, with a strong chance of hearing — and finding — a troop mid-display. For a deeper visit, we can arrange the four-hour Chimpanzee Habituation Experience, which puts you alongside researchers observing a troop still becoming used to human presence.
- Standard tracking: one hour with the troop, ~90% sighting success rate
- Habituation Experience: up to four hours, smaller groups
- Easily paired with a Kyambura Gorge or Bigodi wetland walk
Chimpanzee & forest guides
Primate Safaris
Golden Monkeys & Uganda’s Monkey Capital
Gorillas and chimps get the headlines, but East Africa’s forests are full of primates. The endangered golden monkey is the one people fall for, and some forests have a dozen species in one place.
Golden monkey tracking, Mgahinga
Bright golden-orange monkeys found only in the Virunga volcanoes, tracked through the bamboo zone. US$60, or US$100 for the longer habituation experience. See Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Golden monkeys, Volcanoes National Park
Easy to add on the day before or after gorilla trekking, from the same lodges around Kinigi. See Volcanoes National Park.
Kibale: 13 primate species
The primate capital of East Africa: chimpanzees, red colobus, black-and-white colobus, L’Hoest’s monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys and more, all in one forest. See Kibale National Park.
Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary
A community-run swamp walk on Kibale’s edge, often with several monkey species in a single morning. See Bigodi.
Kalinzu, Budongo & Mabira forests
Quieter forests with chimps, blue and red-tailed monkeys, and colobus, often with very few other visitors. See Kalinzu, Budongo and Mabira.
Nyungwe Forest
Thirteen primate species, including chimps and large troops of Angolan colobus, plus a canopy walkway. See Nyungwe National Park.
Big Game Country
Wildlife in National Parks & Reserves
Beyond the primates, big-game safaris are what most people picture when they think of East Africa. We run these across all five countries — see the full Destinations guides for a complete park-by-park breakdown; the highlights below are what travelers ask about most.
Uganda
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Famous for tree-climbing lions in Ishasha, Kazinga Channel boat cruises thick with hippos and elephants, and easy pairing with Kibale chimp tracking.
Murchison Falls National Park
Uganda’s largest park, where the Nile forces itself through a narrow gorge. Game drives on the northern bank, a launch cruise to the base of the falls, and strong birdlife including the rare shoebill stork.
Lake Mburo National Park
Uganda’s smallest savanna park and the closest to Kampala — zebra, eland, and impala on foot or by bike, with none of the long transfer days.
Kenya & Tanzania
Maasai Mara, Kenya
The northern stage of the Great Migration’s river crossings (roughly July-October), and Kenya’s best-known reserve for dense big-cat sightings. Full guide on our Kenya destination page.
Serengeti & Ngorongoro, Tanzania
Endless plains, the year-round migration circuit, and the Ngorongoro Crater’s dense wildlife concentration within a single caldera. Full guide on our Tanzania destination page.
Amboseli, Kenya
Large elephant herds walking beneath Mount Kilimanjaro, just across the Tanzanian border — one of the most reliable Kilimanjaro backdrops in East Africa.
Uganda’s wildlife reserves & sanctuaries
Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve
Savanna chimps, Uganda kob and shoebill boat trips on Lake Albert. See Toro-Semliki.
Pian Upe & Karamoja
Roan antelope and wild semi-arid plains, with very few visitors. See Pian Upe.
Kidepo Valley
Cheetah, ostrich and big buffalo herds in Uganda’s wildest park. See Kidepo.
Katonga & Kabwoya
Canoe safaris for the sitatunga, and a quiet reserve above Lake Albert. See Katonga and Kabwoya.
All parks & reserves
Explore all ten national parks and twelve wildlife reserves on our Uganda guide.
Combined Packages
Gorillas, chimps and game — in one loop
Our most-booked route links Bwindi, Queen Elizabeth and Kibale in a single western-Uganda circuit, so you get gorilla trekking, tree-climbing lions, a Kazinga Channel cruise, and chimp tracking without ever backtracking. We’ll size it to 6, 8, or 10 days depending on how much game-driving you want — or extend across the border into Rwanda or Kenya if you want more than one country in the same trip.
Big Game
Big Five Safaris
Lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino. In Uganda there are two ways to see all five: one park that now has them all, and one classic route that pairs a national park with a rhino sanctuary.
Kidepo Valley National Park
Lion, leopard, elephant and buffalo roam the Narus Valley, and in 2026 white rhinos returned to a protected sanctuary inside the park, the first rhinos here since 1983. See Kidepo Valley.
Murchison Falls + Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Track rhinos on foot at Ziwa on the drive north, then find lion, leopard, elephant and buffalo on Murchison’s northern bank. This is Uganda’s most popular Big Five route. See Murchison Falls and Ziwa.
Akagera National Park
Rwanda’s Big Five park, with lions and rhinos reintroduced, just 2.5 hours from Kigali. See Akagera.
Maasai Mara
Outstanding big-cat viewing and the Great Migration, with rhinos in some areas. See Maasai Mara.
Ngorongoro Crater
One of the most reliable places in East Africa to see all five in a single day. See Ngorongoro.
After Dark
Night Game Drives
When the sun goes down the predators come out. With a spotlight and an armed ranger, night drives reveal a different safari: leopards on the move, hyenas, lions hunting, genets, civets, bushbabies and owls.
Lake Mburo National Park
One of the best places in Uganda for a night drive: leopards, hyenas, bushbabies and hippos grazing on land.
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Night drives on the Kasenyi plains, where lions and leopards hunt Uganda kob.
Murchison Falls & Kidepo
Night drives are offered in both parks, with good chances of leopard, hyena and other nocturnal animals.
Akagera National Park
Guided night drives in Rwanda’s savanna park, often with leopards, hyenas and bushbabies.
Mara & Laikipia conservancies
Night drives aren’t allowed in the main Maasai Mara reserve, but they are in the private conservancies around it and in Laikipia.
Tarangire & Nyerere areas
Offered by selected camps and concessions outside the core park areas.
Night drives are run in selected parks and areas, usually for 2 to 3 hours after dark. Bring a warm layer, and remember that sightings are never guaranteed. We confirm availability for your dates.
On Foot, At Your Own Pace
Nature Walks, Hiking & Cycling
Not every experience needs a permit or a vehicle. These are the guided walks travelers add on — some as a half-day break between game drives, some as the main event.
Lake Mburo Walking & Cycling Safari
One of the only Ugandan parks where walking and cycling safaris are permitted — zebra, eland and impala on foot, with no big predators to worry about.
Bigodi Wetland Walk
A community-run walk on the edge of Kibale Forest, strong for birdlife and a natural pairing with a chimp tracking morning.
Nyungwe Canopy Walk, Rwanda
A suspended walkway above the forest floor in one of Africa’s oldest rainforests, alongside ground-level primate and birding trails.
Batwa Cultural Walk, Bwindi
A forest walk led by the Batwa, Bwindi’s original forest-dwelling community, sharing traditional forest knowledge alongside the trekking.
Sipi Falls Trail, Mount Elgon
A three-tiered waterfall walk on Mount Elgon’s lower slopes — a full day out without needing a multi-day mountaineering permit.
Kyambura Gorge, Queen Elizabeth NP
A steep descent into a riverine gorge known as the “Valley of the Apes”, distinct in feel from Kibale’s flatter forest.
Cycling
Lake Mburo cycling safari
Cycle among zebra, impala and eland, one of the few Ugandan parks where you can. See Lake Mburo.
Crater lakes by bike
Ride the lanes between the crater lakes, tea estates and villages near Fort Portal. See the crater lakes.
Mabira Forest trails
Mountain-bike trails through the forest between Kampala and Jinja. See Mabira.
Lake Bunyonyi & Sipi
Ridge-top rides above Lake Bunyonyi, and rides with views over the plains around Sipi Falls.
Congo-Nile Trail
A multi-day ride along the shores of Lake Kivu, through hills and coffee farms. See Rubavu.
For Multi-Day Trekkers
Mountaineering
Three mountains cover most of what travelers ask for, from a single strenuous day to a multi-day summit push. We arrange porters, park permits, and mountain huts or camping as each route requires.
- Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda — a UNESCO World Heritage Site with permanent snow and glaciers on the equator; multi-day treks to Margherita Peak (5,109m)
- Mount Elgon, Uganda — an extinct volcano with one of the world’s largest calderas, climbed from Mbale
- Kilimanjaro, Tanzania — Africa’s highest peak (5,895m) and the world’s tallest free-standing mountain, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with several official summit routes
Choosing a Mountain
Kilimanjaro is the highest and the most walked — no technical climbing, but full acclimatization matters over 5-9 days depending on route. The Rwenzoris are shorter but more technical, with glacier travel near the summit. Mount Elgon suits travelers who want a genuine multi-day trek without Kilimanjaro’s altitude or cost. Tell us your fitness level and timeframe and we’ll recommend the right one.
On the Water
Water-Based Adventures
Rivers, great lakes, crater lakes and islands: some of the best moments on a Uganda trip happen on the water, from white-water rafting on the Nile to a quiet sunset cruise.
White-water rafting & kayaking, Jinja
Raft or kayak the Nile below the point where it leaves Lake Victoria, with full-day and half-day trips, plus calmer family floats. See Jinja.
Boat trips on the Kazinga Channel
A two-hour launch trip in Queen Elizabeth National Park, past hippos, buffalo, elephants and huge numbers of water birds. See Queen Elizabeth.
Murchison Falls launch & delta cruise
Cruise upstream to the foot of the falls, or down to the papyrus delta to look for the shoebill. See Murchison Falls.
Sport fishing
Nile perch and tiger fish below Murchison Falls, and fishing on Lake Victoria and Lake Albert (permits needed, and catch-and-release where required).
Island visits
Island-hop on Lake Bunyonyi, relax on the Ssese Islands in Lake Victoria, or canoe on Lake Mutanda beneath the volcanoes. See Lake Bunyonyi, Ssese Islands and Lake Mutanda.
Crater lakes exploration
Walk, cycle and swim among the crater lakes near Fort Portal, or drive the explosion craters of Queen Elizabeth. See Ndali-Kasenda Crater Lakes.
Shoebill canoe trips
Paddle through the papyrus of Mabamba Bay, near Entebbe, for close views of the shoebill. See Mabamba.
Lake Kivu kayaking
Paddle between islands and fishing villages on one of Africa’s most beautiful lakes. See Rubavu.
Dhow sailing, Zanzibar
Sunset dhow trips from Stone Town, and snorkelling around the islands. See Stone Town.
Beyond the Wildlife
Communities, Culture & Food
History, heritage, living culture and local food, added onto a safari or booked as the main focus. Full detail on each site is in our country guides.
Kasubi Tombs
A UNESCO World Heritage Site in Kampala — the royal burial ground of the Buganda Kings.
King’s Palace Museum
The reconstructed royal palace at Nyanza, seat of the Rwandan monarchy for centuries.
Lamu Old Town & Fort Jesus
East Africa’s oldest Swahili settlement, and a 16th-century Portuguese fort in Mombasa — both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Stone Town & Olduvai Gorge
Zanzibar’s UNESCO-listed old town, and the “Cradle of Mankind” where the Leakeys reshaped the study of human origins.
Communities & food
Taste Uganda
Try a rolex (an egg-and-chapati roll, Uganda’s famous street food), luwombo (stew steamed in banana leaves) and matooke. Market and food tours can be arranged in Kampala.
Cooking with local families
Hands-on cooking and farm visits in villages near Bwindi, Kibale and Lake Bunyonyi, followed by a shared meal.
Coffee from farm to cup
Coffee tours with Bagisu farmers at Sipi Falls, from picking to roasting.
Community & Batwa experiences
The Batwa Experience at Bwindi, the Batwa Trail in Mgahinga, community walks at Bigodi, and Karamojong homestead visits near Kidepo.
Music & dance
An evening of traditional dance and drumming from across Uganda at the Ndere Cultural Centre.
Nyamirambo & village life
A community-led walking tour and cooking session in Kigali’s liveliest neighbourhood, and cultural villages near Musanze. See Kigali.
Maasai & Samburu communities
Community-run village visits around the Mara and Samburu, and Swahili cooking on the coast.
Spice tours & Chagga coffee
Zanzibar spice farms and the Forodhani night food market, and Chagga coffee and waterfall walks near Moshi.
Slow Down
Wellness, Escape & Reset
Not every day needs an early start. Build time into your trip to rest, whether that’s a lakeside hammock, a spa treatment after a trek, a sunset cruise, or a private dinner under the stars.
Beach and lakeside escapes
White sand on Zanzibar or Kenya’s coast, and lake beaches on the Ssese Islands, Lake Bunyonyi and Lake Kivu. See Ssese Islands and Zanzibar.
Nature retreats
Quiet lodges on crater rims, lakes and forest edges, such as the crater lakes near Fort Portal and Lake Mutanda beneath the volcanoes. See the crater lakes.
Sunset experiences
Sunset cruises on the Nile at Jinja and on the Kazinga Channel, sundowners over the savanna, and golden-hour dhow sails in Zanzibar.
Spa & massage
Many of our partner lodges have spas or in-room massages, which are perfect after gorilla trekking or a long drive. We’ll pick lodges that offer them.
Honeymoons & romantic dinners
Private bush dinners, candle-lit meals by the lake, room decorations and surprise celebrations, arranged with your lodges. See honeymoon safaris.
Rest days built in
We plan slower itineraries with fewer long drives and two-night stays, so you come home rested rather than tired.
A Shared First
Honeymoon Safaris
Gorilla trekking has a way of becoming the story couples tell for years — a genuinely shared, once-in-a-lifetime hour that neither of you could have had alone. We build honeymoon itineraries around that, at a slower pace than our standard routes, with private vehicles throughout and luxury-tier lodges as standard rather than optional.
- Private vehicle and driver-guide for the full trip, no shared game drives
- Luxury-tier lodges as the default, from our Accommodation guide
- A slower pace — fewer park switches, more time at each stop
- Private bush dinners, sunset sundowners, spa time and room surprises arranged with your lodges
- A Zanzibar or Lake Kivu finish, if you want gorillas or game first and a beach or lakeside close
Sample Itineraries
Five starting points — every one is adjustable
These are starting templates, not fixed packages. Swap parks, add days, or merge two routes — that’s the point of tailor-made.
3-Day Gorilla Express
Bwindi- 1
Kampala/Entebbe → Bwindi
Scenic drive southwest with a stop at the Equator crossing; evening at your lodge.
- 2
Gorilla trekking day
Briefing at 7:30am, trek into the forest, one hour with your gorilla family.
- 3
Bwindi → Kampala/Entebbe
Return drive, or optional flight transfer to save time.
5-Day Primates & Plains
Bwindi + QENP- 1
Entebbe → Bwindi
Drive via Lake Mburo with a short game stop.
- 2
Gorilla trekking
Full trekking day in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
- 3
Bwindi → Queen Elizabeth NP
Drive over the Ishasha plains, watching for tree-climbing lions en route.
- 4
Game drive & Kazinga Channel cruise
Morning game drive, afternoon boat cruise past hippos, buffalo and elephants.
- 5
Queen Elizabeth → Entebbe
Return drive or scenic flight back to Entebbe.
7-Day Western Circuit
Bwindi + QENP + Kibale- 1
Entebbe → Lake Mburo → Bwindi
Optional boat ride or short game walk at Lake Mburo en route.
- 2
Gorilla trekking
Full day in Bwindi with your gorilla family.
- 3
Bwindi → Queen Elizabeth NP
Ishasha sector game drive along the way.
- 4
Kazinga Channel & game drive
Boat cruise plus a Kasenyi plains game drive.
- 5
Queen Elizabeth → Kibale Forest
Transfer through the Crater Lakes region.
- 6
Chimpanzee tracking
Morning trek, afternoon Bigodi wetland walk.
- 7
Kibale → Entebbe
Return drive or flight back to Entebbe.
10-Day Grand Uganda
Murchison + Kibale + QENP + Bwindi- 1–2
Entebbe → Murchison Falls
Game drive on the northern bank, launch cruise to the base of the falls, top-of-the-falls walk.
- 3–4
Murchison → Kibale Forest
Scenic drive south; chimpanzee tracking and a Bigodi wetland walk.
- 5–6
Kibale → Queen Elizabeth NP
Kazinga Channel cruise, Kasenyi plains game drive, optional Ishasha tree-climbing lion detour.
- 7–8
Queen Elizabeth → Bwindi
Gorilla trekking day, plus a free afternoon for a community or Batwa cultural walk.
- 9–10
Bwindi → Lake Mburo → Entebbe
A relaxed final stop at Lake Mburo before the return drive to Entebbe.
8-Day Uganda + Rwanda Gorilla Combo
Bwindi + Volcanoes NP + KigaliOur most-requested multi-country route — two gorilla treks, two countries, one trip.
- 1–2
Entebbe → Bwindi
Drive southwest; gorilla trekking day in Bwindi.
- 3
Bwindi → Kisoro → Musanze
Cross into Rwanda at the Cyanika or Kagitumba border post.
- 4–5
Volcanoes National Park
A second gorilla trek with a different family, plus optional golden monkey tracking.
- 6–7
Musanze → Kigali
Roughly two hours by road; time in Kigali for the Genocide Memorial and Inema Arts Center.
- 8
Depart Kigali
Fly out via Kigali International Airport.
Pricing
Every trip is quoted, not templated
Costs depend on your group size, season, lodge category, and which permits you need — gorilla and chimp permit fees are set directly by each country’s wildlife authority (Uganda Wildlife Authority, Rwanda Development Board, Kenya Wildlife Service, TANAPA) and change from time to time. Rather than post numbers that go stale, we’ll send an itemized quote (permits, vehicle, guide, lodging tiers from budget to luxury) within a day of hearing your dates. See indicative accommodation pricing by country and tier on our Accommodation page.
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