10-Day Uganda → Rwanda Adventure (2 people, mid-budget)

Trip flow (west circuit, minimal backtracking):
Entebbe → Kibale (chimps) → Queen Elizabeth NP (game + boat) → Ishasha → Bwindi (gorillas) → cross Cyanika → Volcanoes NP (golden monkeys / hike) → Lake Kivu → Kigali (fly out)

Day 1 — Entebbe ✈️ → Fort Portal/Kibale (5.5–6.5 hrs)

  • Meet your driver-guide, stock up, scenic drive to the crater-lake belt near Kibale.
  • Optional crater-lake walk at sunset.
  • Stay: Isunga Lodge or Turaco Treetops (great mid-range).

Day 2 — Kibale NP: Chimpanzees + Bigodi

  • AM: Chimpanzee trek (permit US$250 pp; guide included).
  • PM: Bigodi Wetland boardwalk (birds, colobus) or coffee tour.
  • Note: Park entry for Kibale is typically US$40 pp/day for foreign non-residents.

Day 3 — Kibale → Queen Elizabeth NP (2.5–3 hrs)

  • PM: Game drive (elephants, kob, lions) in Kasenyi plains.
  • Stay: Marafiki Safari Lodge or Parkview Safari Lodge (mid-range).

Day 4 — Queen Elizabeth NP: Game + Kazinga Channel

  • AM: Sunrise game drive.
  • Midday: Kazinga Channel boat cruise (typ. US$28–$50 pp).
  • PM: Transfer to Ishasha sector (2 hrs) for next day’s lions.
  • Stay: Ishasha Jungle Lodge / Enjojo Lodge.

Day 5 — Ishasha → Bwindi (2.5–4 hrs)

  • AM: Tree-climbing lion game drive in Ishasha.
  • PM: Drive into Bwindi (choose sector that matches next day’s permits).
  • Stay: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge (Rushaga), Ride 4 a Woman (Buhoma), or similar.

Day 6 — Bwindi: Gorilla Trekking (Uganda)

  • Gorilla permit: US$800 pp (from July 2024). Includes guide; park entry for tracking day is covered.
  • Optional afternoon: Batwa community walk / gentle forest walk.

Day 7 — Bwindi → Rwanda (Cyanika border) → Volcanoes NP (3–5 hrs incl. border)

  • Cross at Cyanika (usually 6:00–19:00; carry passport, yellow-fever card, & visa
  • Settle in Musanze (Ruhengeri).
  • Stay: Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge / Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (mid-range).

Day 8 — Volcanoes NP: Golden Monkeys or Bisoke Hike

  • Golden monkey permit: US$100 pp (1 hour with troop; fun & photogenic).
    Alt: Day hike Mt. Bisoke (permits commonly US$75 pp).

Day 9 — Volcanoes NP → Lake Kivu (Rubavu/Gisenyi) (1.5–2 hrs)

  • Kayak the lake, coffee island boat hop, or cycle a taste of the Congo-Nile Trail.
  • Stay: Inzu Lodge / Paradise Malahide (cosy mid-range).

Day 10 — Lake Kivu → Kigali (3–3.5 hrs) ✈️

  • City highlights or Kigali Genocide Memorial (somber but important) before your outbound flight.

Permits, fees & key costs (current typical rates)

  • Gorilla (Uganda): US$800 pp (effective July 2024–).
  • Chimp (Kibale): US$250 pp; Kibale entry usually US$40 pp/day.
  • Golden Monkey (Rwanda): US$100 pp.
  • Queen Elizabeth NP entry: typically US$40 pp/24h; activities extra (e.g., Kazinga cruise US$28–$50).
  • Distance/time Bwindi ↔ Volcanoes: ~3–5 hrs via Cyanika/Katuna depending on sector and roads.

Vehicle & driver-guide (private)

Expect US$150–$250 per day including driver-guide and vehicle (fuel often included; confirm)

Medium-budget price sketch (for 2 people)

  • 10 days 4×4 + driver-guide: ~US$1,500–$2,500 total.
  • Permits (2 pax): Gorillas $1,600 + Chimps $500 + Golden monkeys $200 = $2,300.
  • Park entries & activities (2 pax, est.): Kibale entry (1 day) $80, QE entry (2 days) $160, Kazinga cruise $60–$100 ⇒ ~$300–$340.
  • Lodging (9 nights, mid-range double, HB/FB): US$150–$250/room/night ⇒ $1,350–$2,250.
    Ballpark total for 2: ~US$5,450–$7,390 (international flights excluded).

Tip: If you’d rather do gorillas in Rwanda (US$1,500 pp) instead of Uganda, add US$1,400 to the total (difference for 2 people).

Visas, borders & practicals

  • East Africa Tourist Visa (EATV): Multiple entry US$100, valid 90 days across Uganda–Rwanda–Kenya (get it from your first entry country).
  • Yellow-fever vaccination required; carry the certificate.
  • Cyanika (or Gatuna/Katuna) is the usual crossing between Bwindi/Musanze (open roughly daytime hours; have documents handy).

When to go

Best wildlife/trekking conditions in the dry seasons: Jun–Sep and Dec–Feb. (High demand for gorilla/chimp permits—book early.)

What I’d pre-book now (in this order)

  1. Gorilla permits (Uganda) → fix the Bwindi sector + lodge nights.
  2. Chimp permits (Kibale).
  3. Golden monkey permits (Rwanda).
  4. Private 4×4 + driver-guide for cross-border routing.
  5. EATV from your first-entry country (here: Uganda).

Packing for treks & game drives

Broken-in boots, light gloves for nettles, gaiters, quick-dry layers, rain jacket, daypack with 2–3L water, snacks, insect repellent, sun hat, and a small dry bag for cameras.