12 Days Kenya Uganda Safari via Kigali City
Experience the very best of East Africa on this unforgettable 12 Days Kenya Uganda Safari via Kigali City/ East Africa Safari tour that combines iconic wildlife destinations, dramatic landscapes, and life-changing encounters. The 12 Days Kenya Uganda Safari via Kigali City is designed for travelers seeking both comfort and efficiency, this journey takes you through Kenya’s legendary game reserves like Masai Mara, and Uganda’s misty rainforests in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for memorable gorilla trekking in Uganda. Unlike most safari that start from the destination countries, this safari starts in Rwanda’s Kigali.
The 12 Days Kenya Uganda Safari via Kigali City allows for spectacular scenery as you explore Kenya’s renowned National Parks and Reserves. From the distant, snow-capped peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro to the breathtaking panorama of the Great Rift Valley, the landscapes in East Africa are worth witnessing.
On this 12 Days Kenya Uganda Safari via Kigali City, you’ll visit the world-famous Masai Mara National Reserve, a vast wilderness where Africa’s most celebrated wildlife roams freely. Enjoy guided game drives across endless golden plains, searching for the iconic African Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino) cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, and vast herds of wildebeest. The Masai Mara delivers raw, authentic safari experiences that define Africa.
The journey continues with a carefully planned transfer via Kigali, offering a shorter and more scenic route into Uganda. This safari includes a 2-day Uganda gorilla trekking experience, ideal for travelers who wish to avoid the long 9-hour drive from Entebbe Airport. Instead, enjoy a more comfortable and time-efficient journey to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home to the endangered mountain gorillas.
Tracking gorillas through the dense rainforest and encountering them in their natural habitat is a superb safari experience. Book this 12 Days Kenya Uganda Safari via Kigali City and grab a chance to combine dramatic landscapes, and iconic wildlife.
Safari Highlights for 12 Days Kenya Uganda Safari via Kigali City
- Day 1: Nairobi to Amboseli
- Day 2: Explore Amboseli national park
- Day 3: Amboseli to Sweetwaters
- Day 4: Sweetwater to Lake Nakuru
- Day 5: Lake Nakuru to Mara
- Day 6: Explore Maasai Mara
- Day 7: Morning and evening game for different experience
- Day 8: Maasai mara to Nairobi
- Day 9: Nairobi to kigali
- Day 10: Kigali to Bwindi
- Day 11: Trackking in Bwindi
- Day 12: Kigali to Nairobi
Detailed 12 Days Kenya Uganda Safari via Kigali City Itinerary
Day 1: Nairobi to Amboseli
Upon arrival in Nairobi, you will be met by our representative. Depending on your arrival time, you will either be transferred to a hotel in Nairobi or continue directly to Amboseli National Park. After breakfast, we will depart Nairobi for Amboseli. Renowned for its breathtaking views of Africa’s highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro, the park provides exceptional opportunities for photography, with elephants, lions, zebras, and giraffes often seen against this iconic backdrop.
You will enjoy lunch at your lodge upon arrival, followed by an afternoon game drive in the park.
Day 2: Explore Amboseli National Park
Wake up early morning for a sunrise game drive in the park and opportunities to catch a sight of the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro which is always visible during the morning hours. The morning hours are also the best time to spot predators such as leopards, lions, and cheetahs as they hunt in the cool morning temperatures.
After the game drive and a late breakfast, spend some time relaxing at the lodge before returning to the park in the afternoon. Since wildlife is generally less active during the heat of the day, this break allows you to rest before heading out again to observe animals as they become more active in the cooler afternoon hours.
Day 3: Amboseli to Sweetwaters
With a picnic lunch in hand, you’ll depart from Amboseli after an early breakfast for the drive to Sweetwater Conservancy, sometimes known as Sweet Waters.
Your drive not only takes you back through bustling Nairobi and then through the beautiful farm country of Kiyuku, but brings you to the very foothills of Mt. Kenya – Kenya’s highest mountain.
After arriving at Ol Pejeta, you’ll pay a visit to the park’s famous chimpanzee sanctuary to meet its adopted residents and then head out into the park proper for an evening game drive.
Day 4: Sweetwater to Lake Nakuru
After breakfast, you will set off for Lake Nakuru. The park is famous for its vast flocks of vibrant pink flamingos and is a paradise for bird lovers, with over 400 bird species found here. Beyond birdlife, the park is also home to elephants, black and white rhinos, hippos, lions, leopards, and many other animals.
During your afternoon game drive, you will have the chance to observe all of these species and more within the park.
Day 5: Lake Nakuru to Mara
After an early breakfast, you will check out and depart Lake Nakuru for the Maasai Mara, traveling through Narok Town, a well-known Maasai settlement, along the way. You will arrive in time to check in at Sarova Game Camp and enjoy lunch. In the afternoon, you will head out on a game drive in search of lions, cheetahs, elephants, buffaloes, and other members of the “Big Five,” as well as a wide variety of additional wildlife. Later in the evening, you will return to the camp for dinner and an overnight stay.
The Maasai Mara is considered the crown jewel of Kenya’s wildlife destinations. Its famous annual wildebeest migration sees more than 1.5 million animals enter the reserve from July to November. The reserve is home to approximately 95 species of mammals, amphibians, and reptiles, along with over 400 recorded bird species. Wildlife is exceptionally abundant here, making it one of the best places in Africa to reliably spot the Big Five: buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion, and rhino.
Day 6: Explore Maasai Mara
Full-day game drives begin at 7:00 a.m., with your fully equipped 4×4 vehicle ready to traverse the Mara plains in search of wildlife. At an elevation of 1,800 meters, early mornings can be quite chilly before the sun rises, so blankets and hot water bottles are provided for your comfort. By midday, temperatures often rise significantly, so wearing hats and applying sunscreen is recommended. Lunch is enjoyed either beneath the shade of an acacia tree or near the Mara River, where hippos can often be seen basking in the water.
As the afternoon turns to evening and the air cools, the landscape transforms once again with lengthening shadows. Rhino sightings are not unusual during the return drive to camp. In the Mara, even a quiet day offers rewarding experiences, with stunning scenery, diverse plant life, and abundant wildlife to remember as you relax later in the comfort of your tent’s hot tub.
Day 7: Morning and evening game for a different experience
If you start first thing in the morning, you are likely to find the Mara at its most active. With the sun rising at around 6.00 am, this means an early start to your day. The reward is likely to be the sight of predators who avoid the heat: additional attractions include subtle light on the landscape and the joyous sounds of awakening birds, you return for a hearty breakfast at the camp after 9.00 am.
At around 4.30 pm, we like to explore our own Conservancy, as the cooling temperature brings out the predators. Lion-kills are often fought over by packs of hyenas, jackals, and other scavengers. Yet these life and death scenes are juxtaposed with the impossible beauties of the African sunset, as nature’s ever-changing palette streaks the sky with orange, red, and gold.
Anticipating sunset, your guide will have stopped to prepare sundowners, with a wide choice of drinks. Clasp your favorite, ease back in your chair, and watch light shift to dark, heat gives way to the chill.
Day 8: Maasai Mara to Nairobi
At the break of dawn, you embark on your concluding game drive in the Mara followed by a relaxed breakfast and onward departure for Nairobi.
Arrive in Nairobi by early afternoon Drop off at your hotel, or free onward transfer to the airport for your final leg of the tour in Rwanda and Uganda.
Day 9: Nairobi to Kigali
You will be transferred to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to connect your flight from Nairobi to Kigali. Upon arrival in Kigali, you may visit several key historical and cultural sites. The Kigali Genocide Memorial honors the victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, with more than 250,000 victims laid to rest at the site. The memorial also features a visitor center aimed at educating students and visitors about the events that led to the tragedy of 1994.
You may also visit the Kandt House Museum of Natural History, located in Kigali and managed by the Institute of National Museums of Rwanda. The museum is housed in the former residence of German explorer Richard Kandt on Nyarugenge Hill. Another significant site is the Nyamata Genocide Memorial, situated about 30 kilometers south of Kigali. Built around a former church, it commemorates the 1994 genocide and serves as the burial place for approximately 50,000 victims.
Day 10: Kigali to Bwindi
A professional guide will meet you at Kigali International Airport or at your hotel and provide a briefing about your tour. Before continuing to Uganda, you will have the chance to explore Kigali city and visit significant sites, including the genocide memorial centers.
After the city tour, you will begin a scenic drive of approximately four hours to Bwindi via the Katuna border crossing between Rwanda and Uganda. From Katuna, you will proceed to the Ruhija sector of Bwindi. Along the way, you will enjoy views of the picturesque countryside and landscapes of both countries, with Rwanda’s rolling hills and plantations contrasting with Uganda’s lush, dense forests around Bwindi. Dinner and your overnight stay will be at Gorilla Mist Camp.
Day 11: Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Following an early morning breakfast at your lodge, depart for the park headquarters. Join other visitors for a gorilla trekking briefing, you’ll be given all the necessary information about gorilla trekking; the dos and don’ts regarding your gorilla trekking. After briefing session, you’ll be allocated a gorilla family to trek.
Its time to delve into the jungle to search for the endangered gorillas in their natural habitat. Although the trek is really challenging, you are guaranteed of finally locating the gorillas in their natural habitat and this will simply make you forget the hustle you went through to get to them. After locating the gorillas, you will spend about one full hour thrilled and observing the gorillas, there are plenty of opportunities to take photos and film for memories.
Later after trekking, return to the park headquarters from where you proceed to your lodge for relaxation and if you wish you can go for a community visit or cultural tour to find out how the locals live and to enjoy cultural performances.
Day 12: Transfer back to Kigali for your onwards flight
Wake up and enjoy breakfast at the lodge. After breakfast, depart the lodge and drive to Kigali in Rwanda. You’ll be dropped of at Kigali International Airport for your flight back home.
End of tour 12 Days Kenya Uganda Safari via Kigali City