This 18 Days Discover East Africa Adventure is crafted for you to explore top destinations like Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Kenya. It is a combined safari taking you through an unforgettable Big 5 game viewing experience, gorilla trekking, and golden monkey tracking.
The 18 days East Africa safari tour also covers the Great Migration in Kenya and Tanzania. Your adventure in East Africa for 18 days begins from Entebbe, Uganda, and ends in Nairobi, Kenya.
See detailed itinerary for this 18 Days Discover East Africa Adventure below.
18 Days East Africa Safari Highlights
- Day 1: Welcome to Uganda
- Day 2: Kampala City to Murchison Falls NP via Luweero Town
- Day 3: Game drive and Launch cruise
- Day 4: Depart to Kibale Forest from Murchison Falls National park via Hoima
- Day 5: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi Sanctuary visit
- Day 6: Kibale forest – Queen Elizabeth via Fort Portal, 3 hrs drive
- Day 7: Game drive and boat trip on Kazinga Channel
- Day 8: Game drive in Ishasha, drive to Bwindi forest
- Day 9: Gorilla trekking & Batwa visit in Bwindi Impenetrable NP
- Day 10: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park via Chanika/Katuna Border
- Day 11: Golden monkey tracking, visit Iby’Iwacu Village – Volcanoes National Park
- Day 12: Dian Fossey trek. Twin Lakes tour in Rwanda
- Day 13: Musanze Cave exploration, drive to Kigali. Fly to Tanzania
- Day 14: Arusha to Serengeti – Sunset game driving experience
- Day 15: Full-day game driving experience Serengeti National Park
- Day 16: Depart Serengeti for Masai Mara/Mara National Reserve
- Day 17: Mara Reserve – Full-day game viewing
- Day 18: Masai Mara to Nairobi. Departure flight
Detailed 18 Days East Africa Safari Itinerary
Day 1: Welcome to Uganda
Day one of the 18 days East Africa safari will be for you to arrive at Entebbe International Airport (EBB) and get a warm welcome from your safari leader. Afterward, drive to your booked hotel in Kampala Capital.
Undertake a short tour in Kampala; visit nearby historic monuments, craft markets, the national museum, and transfer to the hotel/lodge for overnight stay.
Day 2: Kampala City to Murchison Falls NP via Luweero Town
Have breakfast early morning, after which day 2 of your 18 days East Africa safari will involve visiting Murchison Falls National Park. Drive for about 6 hours along Gulu Highway, connect to Masindi, and reach the park through Kichumbanyobo gate.
Specific areas of interest for stop visits include Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, about 3 hours’ drive off Kampala, and approximately 1 hr 30 minutes’ drive to Murchison Falls N/P.
Track rhinos for about 2 hrs with a chance to spot other species of animals like bush bucks, leopard, Oribis, Kobs, birds, etc.
Settle for lunch at Amuka Lodge/Kabalega diners and proceed to the park.
Day 3: Game drive and Launch cruise
Wake early, enjoy a heavy breakfast, and set off for an early sunrise game drive in Murchison savanna landscapes.
Expect to see lots of astonishing animals, including Rothschild giraffes, warthogs, elephants, jackals, buffaloes, waterbucks, and the big cats, especially lions and leopards.
For bird-loving visitors, you won’t be left out as there is a range of interesting birds to see flying and singing in their hideouts.
Retreat for a leisurely lunch, after which a 3-4 hour afternoon launch cruise follows, setting off from Paraa side via the Victoria Nile to the base of the powerful falls.
On a boat trip, you can spot different bird species, including fish eagles, kingfishers, bee-eaters, and animals like Nile crocodiles, hippos.
Leave for a 45-minute walk to the top of the falls for an excellent photo shoot, then descend to catch up with the returning boat or board your vehicle back to the lodge.
Day 4: Depart to Kibale Forest from Murchison Falls National park via Hoima
Have an early breakfast, check out of the accommodation, and start the 4th day of the 18 days East Africa safari to Kibale Forest National Park, a 795 sq. km forest park sitting in Western Uganda.
From Murchison Falls to the capital of primates ‘Kibale’ is approximately 7-8 hours, traversing the breathtaking landscapes of the countryside, and have the best of Albertine escarpment views.
Settle for a delicious lunch in Fort Portal city, and later dine and retire for the night at a lodge in the Kibale area.
Day 5: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi Sanctuary visit
Have breakfast early, attend a briefing at Kanyanchu, and at 8:00 am, set off on a magical forest trek to look for chimps for about 2-4 hours with the park guide.
Also, enjoy the melodies and sight of forest birds, encounter 12 more primates including Vervet monkeys, red-tailed, baboons, grey-cheeked mangabeys, etc., butterflies, and other mammals.
Trek back from Kibale Forest after spending 1 hour with a community of chimps, settle for a leisurely lunch, and then visit Bigodi Sanctuary.
For eco-lovers, a Bigodi Sanctuary walk will reward you with great sights and sounds of birds like Great blue turacos, primates, and a visit to the local community for cultural interaction.
Day 6: Kibale forest – Queen Elizabeth via Fort Portal, 3 hrs drive
Leave for Queen Elizabeth National Park at leisure after a cup of tea/coffee, a 3-hour drive from Kibale via Fort Portal.
Enjoy the Rwenzori towering mountain ranges, vast tea plantations, etc., and settle for lunch at a pre-booked lodge before setting off for the afternoon game driving experience at Queen Elizabeth NP.
Day 7: Game drive and boat trip on Kazinga Channel
Have a hefty breakfast; the 7th day of the 18 days East Africa safari takes you through a magical game driving experience early morning on Queen Elizabeth National Park plains.
Look out for the big and small mammals, which make up a total of 95 in this park alone, birds which sum up to 620 species, and a lot more.
Get back to settle for a leisurely lunch, then enjoy a boat trip on Kazinga Channel for a mesmerizing experience—see lots of hippos, crocodiles, water birds.
Day 8: Game drive in Ishasha, drive to Bwindi forest
Enjoy a deserving breakfast, and after, exit Queen Elizabeth N/Park via the Southern sector of Ishasha, where a brief game viewing will be done.
Here, the prime attractions not to miss spotting are the tree-climbing lions.
Connect to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, 4 to 5 hours, though this depends on the region you plan to explore mountain gorillas from.
Day 9: Gorilla trekking & Batwa visit in Bwindi Impenetrable NP
The 9th day being a long-awaited day, rise up, have breakfast, carry some snacks and bottled water, then get to the briefing point to learn about gorilla trekking regulations.
The 30-minute briefing session also covers the assignment of gorilla families and park guides to visitors. Then at 8:00 am, set off via Bwindi Forest to search for mountain gorillas for 2-6 hours. Settle in to have a close interaction with gorillas for only 1 hour, take photos, etc.
In the afternoon/evening, tour the Batwa communities in nearby Bwindi, learn unique cultural traditions, lifestyles, hunting and gathering techniques that they used during 50,000 years of their stay in the jungles, etc.
Walk back to settle for evening dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Day 10: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park via Chanika/Katuna Border
Have an early breakfast and exit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for Volcanoes National Park in Ruhengeri, Southwestern Rwanda.
Driving for 3-4 hours through Chanika border or Katuna border. You may have a short nature walk at Volcanoes NP upon early arrival.
Day 11: Golden monkey tracking, visit Iby’Iwacu Village – Volcanoes National Park
Enjoy a cup of tea/coffee, leave the lodge for a briefing on golden monkey tracking regulations at Kinigi. At 8:00 am, hit the Bamboo forest for a search for golden monkeys – 2-5 hours, inclusive of 1 hour which you will spend face to face with them.
Also, expect to meet lots of colobus monkeys, Vervet monkeys, olive baboons, red-tailed and walk back for a relaxed lunch. In the evening, a community trip to Iby’Iwacu village for great cultural encounters.
Day 12: Dian Fossey trek. Twin Lakes tour in Rwanda
Have breakfast early, and after, connect to Kinigi for a briefing, then start the walk to the Dian Fossey graveyard. Have an in-depth experience about Dian Fossey gorilla conservation story at Karisoke Research Centre and return to settle for lunch.
In the afternoon, set off for a twin lakes trip – explore Burera and Ruhondo lakes set at Mt. Muhabura foothills.
Day 13: Musanze Cave exploration, drive to Kigali. Fly to Tanzania
Have a heavy breakfast early, embark on the Musanze cave expedition, and afterward, proceed to Kigali Airport. From Kigali Airport, fly to Arusha Airport in Tanzania, your next East Africa safari destination.
Day 14: Arusha to Serengeti – Sunset game driving experience
Wake up early to enjoy breakfast, leave Arusha thereafter for Serengeti National Park, a 5-hour road trip. Travel with some packed lunch to be enjoyed en-route and get to the lodge in Serengeti NP early.
Later in the evening, embark on a sunset game driving experience in the Serengeti Plains to catch up with big game and other small mammals.
Day 15: Full-day game driving experience Serengeti National Park
The 15th day of the 18 days East Africa safari starts with an early sunrise breakfast and after, go for a long day game drive.
Your game viewing tour today exposes you to Serengeti’s Big 5 game, elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, cheetahs, birds, and the wildebeest migration, clearly watched between July and September.
Day 16: Depart Serengeti for Masai Mara/Mara National Reserve
Early morning breakfast, after which exit Serengeti National Park and set off to the Masai Mara Reserve Southwest of Kenya. Drive via Isebania border and check into the lodge; later, enjoy a short evening game viewing experience.
Day 17: Mara Reserve – Full-day game viewing
Rise up for an early morning breakfast and after, get ready for a long day game viewing experience at the Masai Mara National Reserve.
Head off to Mara River for an astonishing view of the wildebeest migration and other savanna grazers.
Later in the afternoon, enjoy a hot air balloon experience for an excellent 360-degree view of the savanna plains and wildlife of Masai Mara.
Day 18: Masai Mara to Nairobi. Departure flight
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast early, and after, exit Masai Mara National Reserve on a 6-hour drive to Nairobi. Drop off at the airport for departure, marking the end of this interesting 18 Days African Wild Camping Safari Tour in East Africa.
