African Safari in Uganda Rwanda and Burundi: The perfect Great Lakes safari circuit.
The countries surrounding the Great Rift Valley lakes, Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi, present one of Africa’s most enriching and diverse safari circuits. Often bypassed for larger, more traditional safari locations like Kenya and Tanzania, the Great Lakes Safari Circuit presents an unparalleled combination of primate trekking, Big Five game viewing, rich cultural history, and beautiful and lush landscapes.
Visiting these three countries offers a visitor the ability to experience the amazing diversity of the Albertine Rift ecosystem. One minute you are trekking high to the volcanoes of Rwanda, and the next you are walking through the chimpanzee forests in Uganda or relaxing on the shores of Lake Tanganyika in the tranquil charms of Burundi.
Primate Trekking: The Focus of the Circuit.
The primary reason to combine these three countries is the incredible opportunity to see several endangered primate species that we built around a “primate pilgrimage” that is specific to this region.
Rwanda: The Luxury Gorilla Entryway.
Rwanda is the perfect entryway for the gorilla experience with the most accessible and luxurious path. Volcanoes National Park (VNP) is only a short three-hour drive from Kigali and is known for its high-end lodging and relatively shorter trekking times on the slopes of the Virunga volcanoes. The $1,500 USD permit price offers an exclusive experience that is regularly chosen by travelers who prefer convenience and luxury. Rwanda is also the best place to add a trek to see the playful golden monkeys in the same park.
Uganda: Diverse Primate Power.
Uganda is the powerhouse for primate diversity. It offers the more affordable mountain gorilla permit at $800 USD in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a trek that is infamous for its dense and challenging jungle environment.
Most importantly, Uganda allows travelers to easily combine this with the world-class chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park, the park with the richest concentration of primates in East Africa. For the dedicated primate enthusiast, Uganda introduces the important second chapter to the gorilla story.
Safari Diversity: From Savannah to Sanctuary.
The circuit is a fascinating contrast in landscape as you will move from the forested mountains into the classic African plains, completing the wildlife experience that spans far beyond primates.
Uganda: Big Game and Waterways.
Uganda’s parks offer terrific traditional safari experiences. Queen Elizabeth National Park is famous for the tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector and the amazing boat safaris on the Kazinga Channel, where hippos, crocodiles, and elephants congregate. Farther north, Murchison Falls National Park offers stunning landscapes where the Nile River is forced through a gorge, creating a classic Big Five experience along its northern banks, which assures that the Uganda portion of the trip is a full-palette safari.
Rwanda and Burundi: Beautiful Backdrops.
Although Rwanda’s emphasis is on primates, its eastern park, Akagera National Park offers an easy Big Five experience and therefore a complete juxtaposition to the dense forests.
While smaller, Burundi offers interesting landscapes of hills that roll into the quiet waters of Lake Tanganyika, the longest freshwater lake in the world. The small Rusizi National Park, just outside the capital of Bujumbura, is a great spot for casual hippo and bird watching, providing a leisurely and easy-going water safari experience with the circuit.
Logistics and Planning.
The combination of these three landlocked countries definitely requires some planning, but travel and access to the region are simple to accomplish.
The Kigali Hub.
The best-laid plan for the circuit is usually just to circle back to Kigali International Airport (KGL) in Rwanda as the main hub.
It has a great central location, with good flight connections. One can easily trek gorillas in Rwanda from Kigali, then drive just four to five hours to the southern sectors of Bwindi in Uganda across the border. Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi, is also reachable by a short flight from Kigali or more slowly but beautifully by road. This option saves you a lot of internal travel time when you compare it to using the Entebbe airport in Uganda to connect between countries.
Cultural and Historical Significance.
Traveling between these countries adds depth with historical and cultural experiences. Traveling in Rwanda, you can experience remembrance and resilience at the deeply moving Kigali Genocide Memorial. Uganda has many historical sites, such as the Buganda Kingdom sites and Jinja, the adventure capital and the source of the river Nile.
Traveling into Burundi provides a softer, more traditional cultural sense, with its famous Royal Drumming and views of the surroundings, especially from around the visit to the source of the Nile in Rutovu. The Great Lakes Safari Circuit is an incredibly intense and rewarding experience. It truly has the ultimate primate experience, an amazing cross-section of African landscapes, and the notion of the central core of history and conservation.
