Take part in this 19-Day East Africa Safari where you visit the most renowned tourist attractions in the region. This journey takes you through the heart of Africa, visiting Murchison Falls, Kibale, and Mgahinga national parks in Uganda. You will also go to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Masai Mara in Kenya, and the Serengeti with the Ngorongoro Crater area in Tanzania. This tour involves primate watching, wildlife viewing, and local culture. You will visit local communities and famous cities like Kigali and Fort Portal.
Chimpanzees, gorillas, and golden monkeys will be the main primates you track. Game drives in the savannah parks allow you to watch wildlife and the great wildebeest migration that occurs in the Serengeti and Masai Mara. This 19-Day East Africa Safari is a complete package for nature lovers.
19-Day East Africa Safari Highlights
- Day 1: Arrive in Kigali, Rwanda and city tour
- Day 2: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park via the twin lakes
- Day 3: Trekking gorillas and visiting the cultural village
- Day 4: Transfer to Mgahinga National Park in Uganda
- Day 5: Golden monkey trekking
- Day 6: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Day 7: Game drive and boat cruise
- Day 8: Transfer to Kibale National Park and community visit
- Day 9: Chimpanzee trekking and Fort Portal city tour
- Day 10: Drive to Murchison Falls National Park
- Day 11: Game drive and boat cruise
- Day 12: Head to Kampala and fly to Nairobi, Kenya
- Day 13: Nairobi to Masai Mara
- Day 14: Full day game drives in Masai Mara
- Day 15: Masai Mara to Serengeti National Park in Tanzania
- Day 16 to 17: Massive game drives in the Serengeti
- Day 18: Head to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area
- Day 19: Head to Arusha and fly home
Detailed 19-Day East Africa Safari Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Kigali, Rwanda and city tour
Arrive and get picked up by the driver guide at Kigali International Airport. If time allows, you will take a short city tour. You will visit local markets like Kimironko market, art centres, and the Rwanda genocide memorial grounds. Later, you will head to your hotel for dinner and sleep.
Day 2: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park via the twin lakes
Leave Kigali and move to Volcanoes National Park. You will be accompanied by beautiful scenery of the mountains and green surroundings. This park is home to mountain gorillas and golden monkeys. You can also see butterflies, birds, and waterfalls. Visit the twin lakes of Ruhondo and Burera. You can choose to take a boat or go canoeing. Afterward, head to your lodge for the night.
Day 3: Trekking gorillas and visiting the Iby’iwachu cultural village
Begin the day with breakfast and head to the park offices. You will get a briefing about the forest and the gorillas. The guides will tell you the rules, such as not making noise and keeping your distance. The trek begins with a park ranger. You will spend one hour with the gorillas, but the walk can take up to 7 hours. After the trek, have lunch and visit the Iby’iwachu cultural village. You will learn about Rwanda culture through music, dance, and stories.
Day 4: Transfer to Mgahinga National Park in Uganda
Leave Volcanoes National Park early in the morning after breakfast. You will drive to Mgahinga National Park. This is the smallest park in Uganda but it is very special. It is home to golden monkeys and mountain gorillas. After crossing the border, head to your lodge to rest.
Day 5: Golden monkey trekking
Briefing begins after breakfast. The guides will teach you about golden monkey behaviors. You will start the search in the bamboo trees. These beautiful primates are fun to watch as they jump from tree to tree. The walk lasts about 5 hours, including one hour with the monkeys. If you are lucky, you might even see mountain gorillas here too.
Day 6: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Leave Mgahinga and head to Queen Elizabeth National Park. You will pass through the Bwindi forest area. This park is one of the largest in Uganda and is famous for tree climbing lions. On the way, you will see tea plantations and deep forests. Arrive and head to your lodge for dinner.
Day 7: Game drive and boat cruise
Start with an early morning game drive to spot lions, leopards, and hyenas. You will also see elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, and zebras. After the drive, have breakfast and lunch at the lodge. In the afternoon, enjoy a boat cruise on the Kazinga channel. You will see hippos, crocodiles, and many birds near the water.
Day 8: Transfer to Kibale National Park and visit the Isunga community
Leave Queen Elizabeth after breakfast. You will drive toward Kibale National Park, which is home to 13 types of primates. On the way, enjoy the views of the crater lakes. After lunch at the lodge, go for a community tour in Isunga. You will visit coffee farms, local homes, and tea plantations. Return to the lodge for dinner.
Day 10: Drive to Murchison Falls National Park
After breakfast, head to Murchison Falls National Park. This park has four of the Big Five animals. It is named after the most powerful waterfall in the world. You will enjoy the views of the banana plantations and hills during the drive. Arrive at the lodge for your stay.
Day 11: Game drive and boat cruise
Have a game drive to spot giraffes, buffaloes, elephants, and many types of antelopes. The drive takes you to a hippo pool where you can take a break and eat local fruit. In the afternoon, take a boat cruise on the Nile. You will see animals on the river banks and see the falls from the bottom. You can choose to hike to the top of the falls to see the rainbow in the mist.
Day 12: Head to Kampala and fly to Nairobi, Kenya
Leave Murchison Falls early and drive to Kampala. This journey takes about 7 hours. Afterward, fly to Nairobi. You will meet your next driver guide from our company. They will take you to your hotel to rest before the next part of your 19-Day East Africa Safari.
Day 13: Nairobi to Masai Mara
Have breakfast and transfer to Masai Mara National Reserve. This is the home of the Big Five and the famous wildebeest migration. You will see the Masai people with their cows near the park. Arrive and have an evening game drive to see the animals.
Day 14: Full day game drives in Masai Mara
Spend the whole day discovering the Mara plains. You will visit different corners of the reserve to find lions, elephants, leopards, and rhinos. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the wild. If you are there at the right time, you will see the massive migration of wildebeests and zebras.
Day 15: Masai Mara to Serengeti National Park in Tanzania
Leave the Mara in the morning and head to the Serengeti. This is the most famous park in Africa. Like the Mara, you can see all the big cats and the Big Five here. Head to your lodge for dinner and prepare for two big days of wildlife viewing.
Day 16 to 17: Massive game drives in the Serengeti
Take plenty of time to explore the endless plains. The Grumeti River is a great place to see animals because they come there for water. You will see lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants, and giraffes. You will also see thousands of wildebeests and zebras. These two days are a major part of your 19-Day East Africa Safari.
Day 18: Head to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Drive to the Ngorongoro area. This place has the largest volcanic caldera in the world. It is an amazing place for nature walks and game drives. You can see black rhinos, lions, and many antelopes inside the crater.
Day 19: Head to Arusha and fly home
This is the last day of your safari. After breakfast, you will have a short game drive. Later, you will head to Arusha to catch your flight home. This marks the end of your great adventure across East Africa.
