This 15-Day East Africa Safari combines gorilla trekking, chimpanzee tracking, golden monkey trekking, Big Five game drives, and cultural visits across Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Kenya.
It is a multi-country safari that lets you see primates such as mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, and golden monkeys, as well as lions, elephants, buffaloes, rhinos, and leopards in the wild.
15-Day East Africa Safari Highlights
- Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Uganda)
- Golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda)
- Big Five safaris in Ngorongoro, Serengeti, and Masai Mara
- Cultural experiences in Isunga and Masai villages
- See the Great Wildebeest Migration (seasonal)
The safari starts in Entebbe, Uganda, and ends in Nairobi, Kenya, covering the wildlife and cultural attractions of East Africa.
15-Day East Africa Safari Itinerary Overview
- Day 1: Arrive in Entebbe and Visit Uganda Wildlife Education Center
- Day 2: Travel to Kibale National Park and Visit Isunga Community
- Day 3: Chimpanzee Tracking and Hike to the Top of the World
- Day 4: Drive to Bwindi National Park via Ishasha Sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Day 5: Gorilla Trekking Adventure
- Day 6: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
- Day 7: Golden Monkey Trekking, Fly to Kilimanjaro, and Stay in Arusha
- Day 8: Drive to Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Evening Game Drive
- Day 9: Morning Game Drive and Transfer to Serengeti National Park
- Days 10 to 11: Explore Serengeti National Park with Game Drives
- Day 12: Drive to Masai Mara National Reserve
- Days 13 to 14: Masai Mara Game Drives and Community Visit
- Day 15: Transfer to Nairobi and Fly Home
Detailed 15-Day East Africa Safari Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Entebbe & Visit Uganda Wildlife Education Center
On your first day in Uganda, visit the Uganda Wildlife Education Center. Here, you will see wild animals kept in captivity, including chimpanzees, giraffes, lions, crocodiles, buffaloes, rhinos, baboons, and elephants. After the visit, transfer to your hotel to rest.
Day 2: Travel to Kibale National Park and Visit Isunga Community
Travel to Kibale National Park in western Uganda, which covers about 750 square kilometers. The drive takes about 5 to 6 hours through tea plantations, banana farms, and crater lakes. On arrival, have lunch.
Meet a local guide from the Isunga Cultural Community Association for a walk through coffee and tea farms. Enjoy a cup of freshly made coffee and learn about local life before checking in at your lodge.
Day 3: Chimpanzee Tracking and Hike to the Top of the World
After breakfast, go to the Kanyanchu Visitors Center for a briefing on chimpanzee tracking. The guide will explain rules like not making noise, not eating near the chimps, keeping distance, and avoiding littering.
The trek takes about 5 hours, including one hour with the chimpanzees. After lunch, hike to the “Top of the World,” a 4-hour walk that rewards you with views of crater lakes such as Nyabikere, Nyinabulitwa, and Nyamirima. Return to your lodge for dinner.
Day 4: Drive to Bwindi National Park via Ishasha Sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast, drive to Bwindi National Park. Pass through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, where you can see lions, cheetahs, warthogs, and antelopes like bushbucks and Uganda kobs. You may also see tree-climbing lions. On arrival in Bwindi, enjoy a welcome drink at your lodge and relax.
Day 5: Gorilla Trekking Adventure
After breakfast, attend a briefing about gorilla trekking rules, such as not feeding wild animals, not using flash cameras, and keeping calm if gorillas approach.
The trek can last up to 8 hours, but you will spend one hour with the gorillas. After this experience, return to your lodge for rest.
Day 6: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
After breakfast, drive to Volcanoes National Park, home to golden monkeys and gorillas. The 6-hour journey passes through Kigali city, with views of hills and green landscapes. Check in at your hotel when you arrive.
Day 7: Golden Monkey Trekking, Fly to Kilimanjaro, and Stay in Arusha
After breakfast, attend a short briefing, then start your golden monkey trek. These playful monkeys are found in bamboo forests, and the trek is easy. You will spend one hour with them and can take photos, even with flash.
After lunch, transfer to Kigali International Airport for your flight to Kilimanjaro Airport in Tanzania. A representative will meet you and take you to your hotel in Arusha.
Day 8: Drive to Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Evening Game Drive
After breakfast, drive to Ngorongoro Conservation Area, known for the Big Five. Enjoy views of crater lakes and open landscapes. In the evening, go for a game drive to see zebras, elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos, wildebeests, and other animals. Return to your lodge for dinner.
Day 9: Morning Game Drive and Transfer to Serengeti National Park
After a morning game drive in Ngorongoro, continue to Serengeti National Park. Serengeti is known for the wildebeest migration and large numbers of predators. On arrival, check in at your lodge and relax.
Days 10 to 11: Explore Serengeti National Park with Game Drives
Spend two full days exploring Serengeti. You will see lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, hyenas, wildebeests, zebras, buffaloes, and hippos. You may also see birds, butterflies, and crocodiles along the Mara River.
Day 12: Drive to Masai Mara National Reserve
After breakfast, drive to Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. It is one of East Africa’s well-known wildlife areas and home to the Big Five and the wildebeest migration. The Masai people also live here, known for their colorful clothes and pastoral lifestyle. On arrival, check in and relax at your lodge.
Days 13 to 14: Masai Mara Game Drives and Community Visit
Enjoy two full days exploring Masai Mara. Take morning and afternoon game drives to see lions, elephants, leopards, rhinos, buffaloes, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, and hippos. Have a picnic lunch in the wild.
Visit a Masai community to experience traditional music and dance, taste local food, visit Manyattas (Masai homes), and learn about their culture.
Day 15: Transfer to Nairobi and Fly Home
After breakfast, drive to Nairobi, Kenya’s capital. On arrival, you will be dropped off at the airport for your flight home. This marks the end of your 15-day gorilla trekking and wildebeest migration safari in East Africa.
