12-Day East Africa Primate Circuit
The full primate sweep across two countries: chimps at Kibale, a Queen Elizabeth game day, gorillas in Bwindi, golden monkeys at Mgahinga, gorillas again in Rwanda, and Big Five at Akagera to finish.
Twelve days, three gorilla-family hours across two countries, and every East African primate habitat worth the name.
- Duration
- 12 days / 11 nights
- From
- USD 5,960 pp
- Effort
- Moderate to strenuous · three trek days
- Permits
- Chimpanzee + Uganda gorilla + Rwanda gorilla + golden monkey permits; Akagera park fees
- Best months
- Jun–Sep, Dec–Feb
- Entebbe → Kibale
West to the Fort Portal tea country and Kibale forest.
- Chimp trek & Bigodi
A habituated chimp community, then the Bigodi swamp.
- Kibale → Queen Elizabeth
Crater viewpoints on the way to the Kazinga plains.
- Game drive & Kazinga cruise
Kasenyi plains and the channel launch, then down towards Ishasha.
- Ishasha → Bwindi
Tree-climbing lions, then up into the Bwindi highlands.
- Bwindi gorilla trek
Uganda’s rainforest trek with a habituated family.
- Bwindi → Mgahinga → Musanze
A bamboo-zone golden-monkey walk at Mgahinga, then the Cyanika border to Musanze at the foot of the Virungas.
- Rwanda gorilla trek
A second gorilla family, this time on Rwanda’s open volcanic slopes.
- Musanze → Akagera NP
East to the lakes and acacia of Akagera on the Tanzanian border — a complete change of scene.
- Akagera game drive
Big Five country: lion and rhino were both reintroduced here, alongside elephant, buffalo and huge herds of plains game.
- Akagera boat & game drive
Hippo, crocodile and shoebill on the water, then a last afternoon in the park.
- Akagera → Kigali
Back to Kigali for your flight, with time for the city or the memorial.
- Permits
- Chimpanzee + Uganda gorilla + Rwanda gorilla + golden monkey permits; Akagera park fees
- Guide
- Private English-speaking driver-guide throughout
- Vehicle
- 4×4 safari Land Cruiser, fuel & all park entry fees
- Activities
- Every trek, game drive, boat cruise & walk in the day-by-day
- Lodging
- 11 nights · Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi, Mgahinga, Musanze & Akagera, full board on safari
- Meals
- All meals from lunch on day 1 to breakfast on the final day
- Transfers
- Airport pickup & drop-off, bottled water in the vehicle
- Flights
- International flights; optional local hops (Kihihi / Kisoro)
- Visas
- East Africa Tourist Visa (USD 100) covers Uganda & Rwanda
- Personal
- Tips, porters (~USD 20 per trek), drinks, laundry, curios
- Insurance
- Comprehensive travel insurance (required to travel)
Three trek days over twelve is manageable with the rest built in — but tell us if you’d rather drop the Rwanda trek and slow the rest down.
Price by group size
| Travellers | Per person (twin) | Single supp. |
|---|---|---|
| 1 traveller | USD 8,640 | — |
| 2–3 travellers | USD 5,960 | USD 770 |
| 4–6 travellers | USD 5,360 | USD 770 |
| 7–8 travellers | USD 5,010 | USD 770 |
Keep looking
The direct route: forest-edge lodge, one dawn trek, out again. For tight windows done right.
The quieter park. One gorilla family, plus a troop of golden monkeys in the bamboo.
Four hours with a semi-habituated group and the research team. Limited permits, USD 1,500.