Overview of Uganda Rwanda Tanzania Zanzibar
This 24-day Uganda Rwanda Tanzania Zanzibar journey blends the very best of primate trekking, Big Five safaris, and tropical beach relaxation. Track rhinos at Ziwa Sanctuary, cruise the Nile at Murchison Falls, trek chimpanzees in Kibale, meet mountain gorillas in Bwindi and Volcanoes National Park, then continue to Tanzania’s iconic parks — Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro Crater. End your adventure unwinding on the white-sand beaches of Zanzibar. A perfect mix of wildlife, culture, scenery, and rest.
Tour Highlights (By Day)
Day 1: Transfer to Murchison Falls via Ziwa Rhino tracking
Day 2: Game drive & Nile boat cruise
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale Forest
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking & Bigodi wetland walk
Day 5: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Day 6: Gorilla trekking & Batwa cultural visit
Day 7: Lake Bunyonyi boat ride & relaxation
Day 8: Leisure morning & transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Day 9: Optional gorilla or golden monkey trek & transfer to Kigali
Day 10: Kigali city tour
Day 11: Fly to Kilimanjaro & transfer to Arusha
Day 12: Tarangire National Park game drive
Day 13: Lake Manyara game viewing
Days 14–16: Serengeti full-day game drives
Day 17: Transfer to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Day 18: Ngorongoro Crater safari & return to Arusha
Day 19: Flight to Zanzibar
Days 20–23: Zanzibar beach relaxation & optional excursions
Day 24: Departure
Detailed Itinerary of Uganda Rwanda Tanzania Zanzibar
Day 1 : Transfer to Murchison Falls via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
After breakfast, depart Entebbe/Kampala and drive north to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for guided rhino tracking on foot. Continue to Murchison Falls National Park, stopping at the top of the falls to witness the Nile forcefully squeezing through a narrow gorge. Check in and relax at your lodge.
Overnight: Murchison Falls
Meals: Lunch & Dinner
Day 2 : Game Drive & Nile Boat Cruise
Day 2 of Uganda Rwanda Tanzania Zanzibar safari, Enjoy an early morning game drive across the savannah, spotting lions, elephants, giraffes, buffalo, and antelope. In the afternoon, take a boat cruise on the Nile to the base of the falls, viewing hippos, crocodiles, and abundant birdlife.
Overnight: Murchison Falls
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 3 : Transfer to Kibale Forest
Drive south through scenic countryside, tea plantations, and crater lakes to Kibale Forest National Park, the primate capital of East Africa.
Overnight: Kibale
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 4 : Chimpanzee Trekking & Bigodi Wetland Walk
After an early breakfast, head to Kibale Forest National Park headquarters for a briefing before setting out on your chimpanzee trekking adventure. Walk through the lush tropical rainforest with experienced ranger guides as you track one of the habituated chimpanzee communities. Along the way, listen for their calls and watch for other wildlife such as red colobus monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, forest birds, and butterflies. Once located, spend time observing the chimps as they feed, groom, and swing through the trees.
Return to the lodge for lunch and relaxation. In the afternoon, enjoy a guided Bigodi Wetland community walk, a rich eco-tourism area known for diverse birdlife, monkeys, and cultural encounters with the local community.
Overnight: Kibale
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 5 : Kibale → Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
After breakfast, depart Kibale and journey south through the scenic countryside of western Uganda, passing tea plantations, rolling hills, crater lakes, and rural villages. Enjoy lunch en route as you continue toward Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the endangered mountain gorillas.
Arrive at your forest lodge in the afternoon, check in, and spend the rest of the day relaxing and preparing for the next day’s gorilla trekking experience.
Overnight: Bwindi
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 6 : Gorilla Trekking & Batwa Cultural Experience
Rise early for breakfast before transferring to Bwindi Park headquarters for registration and a detailed ranger briefing. After being assigned a gorilla family, set off on foot into the dense rainforest, trekking through hills, vines, and thick vegetation in search of the gorillas. The trek can take a few hours depending on their movements, but the experience is incredibly rewarding.
Once you locate the family, spend one unforgettable hour observing them up close as they feed, groom, play, and interact in their natural habitat — a truly once-in-a-lifetime wildlife encounter.
Return to the lodge for lunch and some time to relax. In the afternoon, visit the Batwa community, the original forest inhabitants, and learn about their traditional hunting, gathering, music, dance, and storytelling, offering insight into their unique culture and history.
Overnight: Bwindi
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 7 : Lake Bunyonyi Boat Ride & Relaxation
After breakfast, depart Bwindi and drive through the scenic Kigezi Highlands to Lake Bunyonyi, often called one of Africa’s most beautiful lakes, surrounded by terraced hills and dotted with small islands.
Upon arrival, check in and enjoy a leisurely canoe or boat ride, exploring the lake’s islands and learning about their local history and legends. Spend the rest of the day swimming, birdwatching, or simply relaxing by the lakeside and soaking in the peaceful atmosphere after your trekking adventures.
Overnight: Lake Bunyonyi
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 8 : Relaxation → Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Enjoy a leisurely morning at Lake Bunyonyi, taking in the serene scenery of the terraced hills and calm waters. You may choose to go for a short walk along the lakeshore, relax on the lodge terrace, or take a final boat ride before departing.
After breakfast, cross the border into Rwanda, driving through rolling hills, lush farmland, and scenic countryside. Arrive in the afternoon at Volcanoes National Park, home of Rwanda’s mountain gorillas and golden monkeys. Check in at your lodge, unwind, and enjoy dinner as you prepare for the next day’s trekking adventures.
Overnight: Volcanoes National Park
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 9 : Optional Gorilla Trek or Golden Monkey Trek → Transfer to Kigali
Wake up early for an optional second gorilla trekking experience, or choose to track golden monkeys, a smaller but equally fascinating primate species found in the park’s bamboo forests. Spend the morning exploring the park’s rich biodiversity with your guide.
After your morning adventure, return to your lodge for a hearty lunch and check-out. Begin the scenic drive back to Kigali, passing Rwanda’s rolling hills, small villages, and coffee plantations. Arrive in the city in the late afternoon or early evening, check in at your hotel, and enjoy dinner while reflecting on your gorilla experiences.
Overnight: Kigali
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 10 of 24 Days Uganda Rwanda Tanzania Zanzibar : Kigali City Tour
After breakfast, embark on a guided Kigali city tour, starting with the Kigali Genocide Memorial, a sobering but important site that honors the victims and educates visitors about Rwanda’s history. Continue to local markets and craft centers, where you can browse traditional Rwandan crafts, textiles, and souvenirs while experiencing the city’s vibrant culture.
In the afternoon, enjoy some leisure time to relax at your hotel, stroll around the city, or explore cafés and local shops at your own pace. Dinner is served at your hotel or a local restaurant, providing a chance to reflect on your Rwandan experiences before your Tanzania journey.
Overnight: Kigali
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 11 : Fly to Kilimanjaro → Transfer to Arusha
After breakfast, transfer to Kigali Airport for your flight to Kilimanjaro International Airport in Tanzania. Upon arrival, meet your driver-guide and drive to Arusha, the safari gateway town.
Check in at your hotel and relax after the flight. Depending on your arrival time, you may take a short walk around Arusha or enjoy hotel amenities such as the pool or gardens. Dinner at your hotel provides an opportunity to prepare for the start of your Tanzanian safari adventures.
Overnight: Arusha
Meals: Breakfast
Day 12 : Arusha → Tarangire National Park
After breakfast at your hotel in Arusha, depart for Tarangire National Park, a landscape renowned for its large elephant herds, iconic baobab trees, and diverse wildlife. Upon arrival, embark on an afternoon game drive, where you may spot lions, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, and a variety of antelope species. Tarangire is also a birdwatcher’s paradise, with over 500 species recorded, including the colorful lilac-breasted roller and the martial eagle.
As the sun sets over the savannah, check in at your lodge or safari camp, enjoy dinner, and relax under the stars, listening to the sounds of the African wilderness.
Overnight: Tarangire
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 13 : Tarangire → Lake Manyara National Park
After an early breakfast, depart Tarangire and drive to Lake Manyara National Park, famous for its flamingo-studded soda lake, lush forests, and tree-climbing lions. On arrival, enjoy a game drive exploring the park’s rich diversity of wildlife, including elephants, hippos, baboons, giraffes, and a variety of birdlife. Keep your camera ready for breathtaking scenery along the lake shores and forested areas.
In the afternoon, check in at your lodge or camp and enjoy some leisure time to relax and soak in the views. Dinner at the lodge rounds off your day, preparing you for the Serengeti adventure ahead.
Overnight: Lake Manyara
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Days 14–16 : Serengeti National Park
After breakfast, depart for the Serengeti National Park, the iconic savannah known for its vast plains and incredible wildlife diversity. Over the next three days, embark on extensive morning and afternoon game drives, with your guide helping you track the Big Five — lions, elephants, buffalo, leopards, and rhinos — as well as cheetahs, wildebeest, zebras, and a multitude of bird species.
Experience the park’s stunning landscapes, from rolling grasslands to kopjes (rocky outcrops), perfect for wildlife spotting and photography. Optional activities may include a hot air balloon safari at sunrise, offering breathtaking aerial views of the plains, followed by a champagne breakfast. Each evening, return to your lodge or camp to enjoy dinner and reflect on the day’s sightings under the African sky.
Overnight: Serengeti (3 nights)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 17 : Serengeti → Ngorongoro Conservation Area
After breakfast, depart the Serengeti and drive towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Along the way, stop at Olduvai Gorge, a significant archaeological site where some of the earliest human fossils were discovered. Your guide will share insights into the region’s geological and anthropological history.
Arrive in the afternoon at your lodge on the Ngorongoro Crater rim, offering panoramic views of the crater floor. Relax at the lodge, enjoy dinner, and soak in the scenery as you prepare for the next day’s crater adventure.
Overnight: Ngorongoro
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 18 : Ngorongoro Crater Game Drive → Arusha
Wake up early for a descent into the Ngorongoro Crater, often called the “Garden of Eden” of Africa. Spend the morning and early afternoon on a game drive in the crater floor, home to rhinos, lions, elephants, buffalo, hippos, zebras, and flamingos. Learn about the crater’s unique ecology and the Maasai communities living along its rim.
After the game drive, ascend the crater rim and drive back to Arusha, arriving in the late afternoon. Check in at your hotel and enjoy dinner while reflecting on your incredible safari experiences.
Overnight: Arusha
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 19 : Fly to Zanzibar
After breakfast at your Arusha hotel, transfer to Kilimanjaro or Arusha Airport for your flight to Zanzibar Island, Tanzania’s tropical paradise. Upon arrival, meet your driver and transfer to your beach resort.
Spend the afternoon settling in, exploring the resort, strolling along the white sandy beaches, or taking a refreshing swim in the warm Indian Ocean. Enjoy your first evening with a relaxed dinner at the resort, listening to the gentle ocean waves and soaking in the tropical atmosphere.
Overnight: Zanzibar
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Days 20–23 : Zanzibar Beach Leisure & Optional Activities
Enjoy four full days of leisure to unwind after your safari adventures. Your days can be as relaxed or as active as you wish:
Relaxation: Lounge on pristine beaches, swim in the turquoise waters, or enjoy your resort’s pool and spa facilities.
Optional Activities:
Snorkeling or diving at Mnemba Atoll or nearby reefs
Stone Town tour, exploring its winding streets, spice markets, and historic architecture
Spice plantation visit, learning about Zanzibar’s famous cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon
Dhow cruise at sunset, a traditional sailing experience with stunning views
Dolphin tours or island hopping, exploring local marine life and small islands
Each evening, return to your resort for dinner with ocean views, enjoying the calm, tropical ambiance. These days are perfect for rest, photography, and soaking up the last moments of your East African adventure.
Overnight: Zanzibar (4 nights)
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 24 : Departure
After a final breakfast at your resort, check out and transfer to Zanzibar Airport for your onward flight home or connection to your next destination. Reflect on your 24-day journey through Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zanzibar, from gorilla trekking and Big Five safaris to pristine beaches and cultural experiences — an unforgettable East African adventure.
Meals: Breakfast
End of Uganda Rwanda Tanzania Zanzibar Safari