RWANDA offers the easiest access to gorilla trekking which is the main reason to visit the area. Volcanoes National Park and its habituated but still wild gorilla families offer small groups of privileged visitors a chance to experience one of the most memorable wildlife encounters on earth – gorilla trekking. Rarely experienced in isolation, a Rwandan gorilla safari combines well with other East African destinations in Uganda, Kenya or Tanzania.
In the southwest of the country is Nyungwe National Park, with primate-filled ancient montane rainforest where there are chimpanzees and fantastic bird-watching opportunities.
Interesting Reading: Deciding between Rwanda & Uganda
UGANDA is a lush green paradise, surrounded by mountains, lakes and dark forests. It is filled with friendly people, wildlife, over a thousand species of birds and of course home to the Mountain Gorilla! Uganda has many national parks that boast wonderful safari and primate opportunities and can easily be combined with a visit to Kenya or Tanzania.
Bwindi National Park is located on the edge of the Great Rift Valley, and is considered the most diverse forest in Uganda. The park contains almost one half of the world’s population of the endangered Mountain Gorilla, making it an extremely valuable conservation site. It is here that visitors can enjoy a bucket-list Gorilla trekking experience getting within meters of these magnificent apes.
Queen Elizabeth National Park in the western arm of the Great Rift Valley is home to a wide variety of wildlife. The southern park is known for its famous tree climbing lions, while the northern area is dominated by the scenery of mountain ranges and crater lakes occupied by large flocks of flamingos.
Kibale National Park is one of Uganda’s enchanting forested parks, rich in wildlife. It is most noted for its varied primate population where visitors can embark on a Chimpanzee trek and may also encounter red-tailed monkeys, diademed monkeys, olive baboons and black and white colobus monkeys.
Murchison Falls is incredibly beautiful with the Nile River dominating the area and the spectacular Falls exploding through a narrow gap in the waterway. The park offers visitors a wonderful wildlife experience with both safari and primate highlights.
Suggested Itineraries
10 days Best of Uganda Primates & Safari
This ten day off the beaten track safari will appeal to the more adventurous traveler who does not mind a few rough roads and simpler accommodation. Exploring the best of Uganda, the adventure includes a thrilling visit to the Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Chimpanzee trekking in both Kibale and Kyambura Gorge and multiple game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park with its wide array of wildlife.
1 night Entebbe, 3 nights Buhoma Lodge, 2 nights Ishasha wilderness camp, 1 night Mweya lodge, 2 nights Primate lodge.
8 Nights Kenyan Safari and Gorilla Trekking
Ideal for those wanting to combine big game with big gorillas in a short time frame. With a couple nights on the shores of Lake Naivasha with its big game and pink flamingos, to the iconic Masai Mara Game Reserve teeming with wildlife, before moving on to a gorilla trekking opportunity in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. Consider adding an idyllic beach stay to the trip.
2 nights Lake Naivasha, 3 nights Masai Mara, 3 nights Volcanoes National Park.
Hi Joan - We have arrived home safely - with just a little jet lag. Your guidance and expertise in planning this trip was invaluable. The trip exceeded all of my expectations!! I would not have changed anything. It would be difficult to pick out the best part of the trip - in that each day was so special. Rob and Heath were exceptional and a great part in making the trip so special. Londolozi was amazing. I'm not sure who we have to thank for our special Anniversary treat of lunch in the tree house; but thank you, thank you, thank you!! It still brings tears to my eyes thinking of the it!! We started the trip by saying "if" we go back to Africa only for it to be quickly changed to "when" we go back to Africa. So until next time, I thank you again for making this such a special experience!!
We were a group of three couples traveling to South Africa for the first time. We have traveled to Italy, Cuba, Mexico and other locations together and had arranged to stay in a house outside of Cape Town on our own. Redfoot Safaris was introduced to us by a friend in Phoenix that had a great experience in 2017. We communicated with Rex by email and phone and were impressed by his patience as none of us had ever been on a Safari and we had lots of questions. Rex arranged for us to have two full day tours of Cape Town and the surrounding area and we were so impressed with our guide that we engaged him for another full day. Upon arrival at Rattray on Mala Mala we could not believe how comfortable and luxurious the facilities were and the staff and their service was impeccable. Our guide, Garrett, was fantastic and a wealth of knowledge. We were exposed to a great number of animals and learned so much about their lives and their environment. It was both an educational and relaxing break and our photos and memories will be enjoyed for years to come. We highly recommend letting Redfoot make the arrangements so that the total experience can be enjoyed even though it is far from home. We would love to return and repeat the entire experience.
Our trip was just perfect - spent three days touring Cape Town and surroundings with our guide, George Meyer, who was fantastic. Other than our pick-up time, nothing was set in stone, and George allowed each day to unfold as it happened. We got to see everything on our list - and then some. From there we headed to MalaMala for a couple days safari, which were amazing - the accommodations at Rattray's were beautiful, and we saw more wildlife than we were expecting. Our safari guide was knowledgeable, friendly, and perfectly suited for our group. All details were taken care of by Redfoot/Rex, including being met at the Johannesburg airport, which was a huge help on our way home! Can't say enough about Rex, George, and MalaMala. Loved the trip!!