A planner's guide to a Uganda Rwanda Tanzania safari: Entebbe or Kigali start, the border or flight between the forests, Kilimanjaro flights, visas and Tanzania's insurance.
A Uganda Rwanda Tanzania safari works best when you trek mountain gorillas in the two forests first and finish on the Tanzanian plains. That order keeps the permit dates, the visa rules and the flights in step. You can start in Entebbe or Kigali, cross the border by road or fly between the countries, then reach Tanzania through Kilimanjaro. This guide sets out each link, with official rules and schedules checked 11 October 2026.
Written by Paramount Gorilla Expeditions Team East Africa. Facts last checked 11 October 2026.
Uganda has the Bwindi forest and Mgahinga. Rwanda has the volcano slopes of Volcanoes National Park, covered in our Volcanoes National Park guide. Tanzania adds open country: elephants at Tarangire, the Ngorongoro crater and the Serengeti herds. A Uganda Rwanda Tanzania safari therefore pairs two forests with one plains experience, making it a three country gorilla and Serengeti safari that leaves out Kenya's Mara on purpose.
Dropping Kenya removes a border, a bush-flight chain and an entry authorisation. If you want the Mara as well, our four-country route guide covers it, and the East Africa multi-country safari hub compares every route. This guide covers the compact three-country version: a Uganda Tanzania Rwanda safari with both gorilla countries and the Serengeti.
On the Uganda to Tanzania route, Tanzania goes last for four reasons. The first two are rules rather than taste.
Yes, and on our reading it breaks no visa rule, because the regional visa would be used after the Tanzania leg instead of before it. Flights are harder, because the reverse nonstop links are less clear. The gorillas also move to the end, with no spare day if a trek goes badly. We plan a Tanzania-first Uganda Rwanda Tanzania safari only for guests who want the plains first.
For a Uganda Rwanda Tanzania tour, an Entebbe or Kigali start decides your road hours, your border direction and the airline that takes you to Kilimanjaro. The table shows what each one changes.
| What changes | Entebbe start | Kigali start |
|---|---|---|
| First forest | Bwindi or Mgahinga: 8 to 10 hours by road from Entebbe, or about 1 hour 15 by light aircraft | Volcanoes: 2 to 3 hours by road from Kigali |
| Border direction | Uganda into Rwanda | Rwanda into Uganda |
| Gorilla order | Uganda trek first, Rwanda second | Rwanda trek first, Uganda second |
| Where you leave for Tanzania | Kigali, with RwandAir | Entebbe, with Uganda Airlines |
| Calendar fixed by | RwandAir days (Wednesday, Friday and Sunday on published schedules) | Uganda Airlines days (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday on the airline page) |
All times are about, and schedules can change, so confirm them for your dates.
We usually place a first night in Entebbe, so the morning Aerolink flight to Kisoro is reachable. RwandAir's days then set the end of the forest leg, so the arrival date is counted forward from the Kigali departure. In the shape used by our 12 day Uganda Rwanda Tanzania safari, that departure falls on day 6. A Friday, Sunday or Tuesday arrival then lines up with a Wednesday, Friday or Sunday flight. This is our arithmetic, confirmed at booking.
The trek briefing at Kinigi is at about 7:00, so we place you near the park the night before, which needs a flight that lands by early afternoon. The cost is the way home: this Bwindi to Serengeti safari ends its forest leg in Entebbe and uses Uganda Airlines. One aggregator shows that service on Sundays only from 1 November, so we confirm days before holding a date.
On a Uganda Rwanda Tanzania safari the link between the two gorilla countries is short. There are three ways to make it, and the right one depends on the sector you trek.
| Link | Suits | Time | Check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyanika (Rwanda) and Kyanika (Uganda) | Mgahinga, Rushaga and Nkuringo, and the link to Volcanoes | Kigali to the border about 2 to 3 hours via Musanze | Opening hours conflict between sources: cross in daylight |
| Katuna (Uganda) and Gatuna (Rwanda) | Ruhija and Buhoma, and via Kabale Rushaga and Nkuringo | Kigali to the border about 2 hours; Kigali to Bwindi about 4 to 6 hours | Reported open 24 hours by two sources and daylight only by one: confirm |
| Flight through Entebbe | An all-air plan with the fewest road hours | Entebbe to Kigali about 1 hour 5 with RwandAir; Entebbe to Kisoro or Kihihi about 1 hour 15 with Aerolink | No flight found between Kigali and Kisoro |
Uganda Airlines announced a daily Entebbe to Kigali service from 18 November 2026. It was not operating on 11 October 2026.
People need about 30 to 60 minutes at the border, according to one operator guide. Reports describe a one-stop post with both countries' officers side by side, so the second country's visa must already be in hand. Uganda drives on the left and Rwanda on the right. A vehicle needs a COMESA Yellow Card, an owner letter, its logbook and a licence. We found no published rule on guide handover, so your operator confirms whether the vehicle crosses or you change vehicle at the border. Hours, documents and queues have their own page: our Uganda Rwanda border crossing guide.
Choosing between one or two gorilla treks comes down to days, fitness and the permit bill. Both choices work on a Uganda Rwanda Tanzania safari. The table lists the options with the official fees. The detail of combining the two countries sits in our guide to combining Uganda and Rwanda gorilla trekking.
| Option | Permits | Official fees | Fits when |
|---|---|---|---|
| One trek in Rwanda | One Rwanda Development Board permit | USD 1,500 | Days are short and you want the shortest road from the airport |
| One trek in Uganda | One Uganda Wildlife Authority permit, bought through a licensed operator | USD 800 on the published tariff | You prefer Uganda's forest and can take the longer road or the bush flight |
| One trek in each country | Two permits, on two different days | USD 2,300 at those rates | You have the days for a border crossing between the treks |
| Two treks in one country | Two permits, on consecutive days | Twice that country's fee | You want a second encounter without a border |
The USD 2,300 total is our addition of the two published rates. Confirm the Uganda rate for your trekking date.
The minimum age is 15 in both countries, so younger children cannot trek on this route. Rwanda allows groups of up to 8 and gives you up to one hour with the family. The briefing at Kinigi starts at about 7:00. Rwanda refunds nothing for late arrival or your own cancellation. It gives 75 percent back if you track all day without contact, and a retry or full refund if the family moves away and cannot be found. Uganda's tariff also fines tracking in a different location by 50 percent.
Operators report a USD 600 Uganda rate for April, May and November 2026, not reschedulable. We found nothing confirming which months apply in 2027. They also report full payment at booking since 1 March 2026. Our advice on one or two gorilla treks is short. Take one trek if the trip is brief, and make it Rwanda to save road hours. Take one in each country if you can spare the days. Bwindi is often described as steeper and less predictable than Volcanoes (an operator description, not an official comparison). Our Bwindi sector guide and Uganda vs Rwanda comparison help you choose. Peak dates sell out months ahead, so read how to book gorilla permits before fixing flights.
On a Uganda Rwanda Tanzania safari both gateways have a scheduled service to Kilimanjaro, so the forest leg ends with a short hop. Neither flies daily, so the flight days build the calendar. The wider picture is in our safari flight logistics guide.
| Leg | What flies | Published days and time | Planning note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kigali to Kilimanjaro | RwandAir | Wednesday, Friday and Sunday; 11:55 to 14:40; about 1 hour 45 | RwandAir's own page says it goes via Dar es Salaam: confirm whether it is nonstop |
| Entebbe to Kilimanjaro | Uganda Airlines | Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday on the airline page; about 1 hour 15 | One aggregator shows Sunday only from 1 November: confirm days |
| Entebbe to Kisoro or Kihihi | Aerolink | About 1 hour 15; confirm the schedule | About 15 kg soft bag, including hand luggage (confirm) |
| Kilimanjaro to Seronera | Coastal | 11:15 to 12:15 and 15:45 to 17:15 | The RwandAir arrival only fits the second one |
| Kigali to the Serengeti | Listed by Coastal | Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, four-seat minimum | Do not plan around it without written confirmation |
| Entebbe to the Serengeti, Kigali to Kisoro | No scheduled flight found | Not applicable | Fly through Entebbe or Kilimanjaro, or use the road |
All times are about and can change, so confirm the schedule for your date.
On published schedules RwandAir leaves Kigali at 11:55 and lands at 14:40. That is about 1 hour 45 in the air once the one-hour clock difference between Rwanda and Tanzania is allowed for, which is our arithmetic. RwandAir's own page names the flight WB442 and routes it through Dar es Salaam, which conflicts with those nonstop times. We check the booking engine before we sell it. Only three days a week are flown, so we keep a spare night in the plan.
Coastal's published timetable lists a Kigali to Serengeti service on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, with a four-seat minimum. Grumeti Air announced in June 2025 that its own Kigali service was being phased out. Do not plan around it without written confirmation for your dates.
On a Uganda Rwanda Tanzania safari the RwandAir flight lands at 14:40, and that fact shapes the first Tanzanian night. Coastal's 11:15 flight from Kilimanjaro to Seronera cannot be reached. The 15:45 leaves 65 minutes after landing, which is tight for immigration, baggage and a bag transfer. We plan an overnight in Arusha unless your operator confirms the connection in writing. Kilimanjaro to Arusha is about 1 hour by road. A drive on to Karatu adds roughly 4 hours on our estimate, so a same-day road transfer arrives late in the evening.
From Arusha the Bwindi to Serengeti safari settles into a simple pattern. The road from Arusha to Seronera takes about 7 to 7.5 hours, and Karatu to the central Serengeti about 4 hours. Coastal lists daily flights from Arusha to Seronera at 07:45 and 10:45 via Manyara. We plan three nights in the central Serengeti, because two nights leave only about one clear game-drive day after the transfer. Our Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater guides cover the parks.
The way out is a flight from Seronera to Arusha, then about 1 hour by road to Kilimanjaro. Coastal's timetable shows Seronera flights at 10:45 and 16:45, and the second lands at about 18:20. A same-night international departure is not realistic after that one. We choose the morning flight and an evening departure.
A Uganda Rwanda Tanzania safari means three entry systems, and the regional visa does not cover all of them. Passports need at least six months of validity from arrival, and we advise at least two blank pages to be safe.
| Country | What you need | Published fee | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uganda | A visa applied for online at visas.immigration.go.ug before you travel | USD 50 single entry | Apply online first; do not count on issue at the airport |
| Rwanda | A visa through Rwanda's Irembo portal, or on arrival according to Rwanda's pages | USD 50 single entry, 30 days, on a Rwandan mission page | UK FCDO says Commonwealth citizens get a free 30-day visa on arrival |
| Tanzania | An eVisa at eservices.immigration.go.tz, plus the government inbound insurance | USD 50 single entry for most nationalities, USD 100 for US citizens; insurance USD 44 per adult | Apply well ahead; a visa on arrival still exists at some points |
| Regional visa | The East Africa Tourist Visa, through the Uganda or Rwanda portal | USD 100, 90 days | Covers Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya, not Tanzania |
Several immigration pages carry no update date, so confirm each fee on the official portal before you pay.
On this route Uganda and Rwanda each publish a USD 50 single-entry visa. Together they cost USD 100, the same as the regional visa, so it saves nothing in cash. For Commonwealth citizens Rwanda is free, which makes the regional visa dearer. It may still help if your plan crosses the Uganda and Rwanda border more than once, because it is multiple entry within the three countries. That is our reading, so confirm with immigration. Tanzania sits outside it either way. The decision, with the hedges, is in our East Africa tourist visa guide.
The UK FCDO, in an update dated 9 October 2026, treats the inbound insurance rules as in force from 1 October 2026. Foreign visitors entering mainland Tanzania need the policy. Residents of EAC and SADC states are excluded. It costs USD 44 per adult, with children aged 3 to 17 reported at USD 22, and it runs up to 92 days. The insurer NIC sells it at inbound.nicinsurance.co.tz, before you travel or on arrival. Private cover does not replace it, and entry may be refused without it. We found no published penalties, no enforcement news since 1 October and nothing on airport checks, so carry a printed copy. Our Tanzania insurance guide has the detail, and we still advise private cover for cancellation and evacuation.
Yellow fever rules are tested at the country you enter, based on where you arrive from. Uganda dropping its own rule changes nothing for Rwanda or Tanzania. That makes this the part of a Uganda Rwanda and Tanzania trip that most guides get wrong.
| Entering | What the published notice says | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Uganda | An immigration notice posted 2 October 2026 says a certificate is no longer mandatory for entry. It gives no effective date or conditions. | Days old; several pages still say it is required |
| Rwanda, arriving from Uganda | A Rwanda Biomedical Centre note of 22 May 2026 says a certificate is mandatory for arrivals from listed countries, which include Uganda and Kenya. Without one you may be vaccinated on arrival at your own cost and kept in quarantine until the certificate is 10 days old. | Official, dated |
| Tanzania, arriving from Uganda or Rwanda | A Ministry of Health notice dated 31 July 2023 lists Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, and counts transit of 12 hours or more. | Medium: three years old, and lists can change |
Confirm before you travel.
So the certificate matters twice on a Uganda Rwanda Tanzania safari: at the Rwanda border if you come from Uganda, and again on the way into Tanzania. A certificate is valid for life from 10 days after the injection, and boosters cannot be required. Carry the card even though Uganda no longer asks, and read the Uganda notice yourself. Our yellow fever guide and vaccinations guide cover the rest, including malaria.
The WHO update of 8 October 2026 puts the Ebola outbreak in the DR Congo, with 8,728 confirmed cases to 6 October. Uganda declared its own outbreak over in late August 2026, according to WHO and the UK FCDO. The CDC table of 7 October lists no cases in Rwanda or Tanzania. WHO advises against travel restrictions. Rwanda's health notices, published in May and June 2026, refuse foreign nationals who were in the DR Congo in the previous 30 days, and we could not confirm their current status. Entry measures are forms and screening, not certificates.
Advisories differ by government and some pages lag. Read the live pages from WHO, the CDC and the UK FCDO pages for Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania.
A full calendar belongs to our best time for a four country safari guide. The short version for a Uganda Rwanda Tanzania tour is that gorillas can be trekked all year, so the plains decide the months.
| Months | Uganda and Rwanda forests | Northern Tanzania | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Late June to September | Rwanda's long dry season runs June to mid-September; Uganda is dry May or June to September | Grumeti around June and July; river crossings in the north about July to October, peaking in August and September | Strongest overlap |
| October to November | Short rains in both countries | Herds begin heading south | Possible, with more weather risk |
| December to February | Short dry season | Calving in the south from January to March | A different trip: no river crossings |
| March to May | Long rains, with April the wettest in Rwanda | Long rains; some camps close in April | Hardest to plan |
Timings vary by weeks from year to year, and the migration cannot be scheduled.
A Uganda Rwanda and Tanzania trip suits couples and small groups who want both gorilla countries and the Serengeti but not Kenya, and who accept early starts and small aircraft. It suits less well anyone under 15 who wants to trek, anyone who dislikes bush flights, and anyone who wants the Mara or a river crossing on a fixed day.
You gain two forests and the plains on a Uganda Rwanda and Tanzania trip, with three entry systems rather than four. You give up Kenya and the Mara, and you accept flight days that fix your calendar. If you would rather keep Kenya and drop Tanzania, our Uganda Rwanda Kenya safari guide fits better. If you would drop Uganda instead, see our Rwanda and Tanzania safari guide.
Guides often say the East Africa visa covers Tanzania, and it does not. A flight from Kigali to the Serengeti is described as routine, when the only listing we found is a timetable entry with a four-seat minimum. Some still say Uganda demands a yellow fever certificate for entry, and miss that Rwanda and Tanzania may ask on arrival from Uganda. Several leave the flight vague, as "via Arusha if applicable", and almost none mention Tanzania's new insurance.
Start with the permit dates, then the flight days, then the lodges. Our planners can price a Uganda Tanzania Rwanda safari in either direction. Our planners in Entebbe and Kakindu can confirm the Kilimanjaro flight days, the Arusha connection and the entry documents in writing. Day counts are covered in how many days a multi-country trip needs, and cost drivers in our East Africa safari cost guide. Pick the closest package, or ask us to adapt it:
Two gorilla permits, the East Africa tourist visa and Tanzania’s fees make up the fixed part of this route. Our four country safari cost guide adds them up for our 12 day route.
Tell us your dates, your group and how many gorilla permits you need. We will check the flights and the entry rules and send the route in writing.
Plan my tripWritten by Paramount Gorilla Expeditions Team East Africa. Facts last checked 11 October 2026.
Late July to September is the best time for a four country safari across Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania. See the month by month table, the second window and the 2026/27 rain caveat.
Read the guide →Trek gorillas in both countries on one trip: what two permits cost, which Bwindi sector links to Rwanda, which direction to travel and how to protect a rest day between treks.
Read the guide →What an East Africa safari really costs: the four price drivers, official permit and park fees in Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania, our from-prices and how to read a quote.
Read the guide →The East Africa tourist visa covers Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda for USD 100 and 90 days, but not Tanzania. Fees, first-entry rule, Kenya eTA question and the Tanzania eVisa, dated.
Read the guide →The fixed part of a four country safari cost: permits, park fees, visas and Tanzania insurance, added up for six routes, plus the ten lines to compare in any quote.
Read the guide →Should gorilla trekking come at the start or end of a long safari? Both sides, the tie-breakers, buffer nights and what to do if a trek is cancelled, with a five-step method to choose.
Read the guide →Work out how many days a Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania safari needs: a nights-per-stop ledger, the transfer days you cannot skip, and what 10 to 21 days really give you.
Read the guide →The Kenya eTA for safari guests: official USD 30 fee, about three working days to process, 90 days validity, who is exempt, transit rules and the open question for regional visa holders.
Read the guide →A planner's guide to a Rwanda Kenya Tanzania safari that starts in Kigali: route order, flights, the Mara to Serengeti link, entry rules and the gorilla permit.
Read the guide →A planner's guide to a Rwanda and Kenya safari: start in Kigali, trek once, fly to Nairobi, then the Mara. Flights, how to split your days and the entry rules for both countries.
Read the guide →A planner's guide to a Rwanda and Tanzania safari: one gorilla trek, RwandAir's three-day-a-week flight, the Serengeti by air or road, and Tanzania's eVisa and insurance rules.
Read the guide →How flights really work between safari countries: international routes, bush flights, the 15 kg baggage limit, the Mara to Serengeti link, overland times and a realistic transit day.
Read the guide →Safari luggage weight limits by carrier: the 15 kg soft bag rule, who allows 20 kg, excess and freight seat prices, storing luggage at the gateway and packing for the multi-country trap.
Read the guide →Tanzania now requires foreign visitors to hold government inbound travel insurance. See what is verified, reported and unknown: cost, exemptions, Zanzibar, buying and enforcement.
Read the guide →The route we recommend for a Uganda Kenya Tanzania safari: the best order, how many days it needs, the best months, how you move between countries and what to check before you book.
Read the guide →Two land posts link Rwanda and Uganda for gorilla trips. Learn which suits your sector, what to carry, how long to allow and why hours differ, checked 11 October 2026.
Read the guide →A Uganda Rwanda Kenya safari on one East Africa Tourist Visa: the order of the three countries, the Nairobi flights, the Mara, yellow fever rules and the open Kenya eTA question.
Read the guide →How to plan a Uganda Rwanda Kenya Tanzania safari: the four route directions compared, the flight chain, how the East Africa Tourist Visa interacts with the order, and what to check.
Read the guide →Visa rules for Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar and the Seychelles change often. Here is how to check them properly and what to prepare before you travel.
Read the guide →Not sure where to start? Choose by what matters most: the migration, gorillas, a beach, budget or a first African trip. Here is how.
Read the guide →Uganda dropped its yellow fever entry certificate on 2 October 2026, but Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania still ask. Journey table, 12 hour transit rule and border outcomes, dated.
Read the guide →Tell us your dates and interests — a destination specialist replies within 24 hours.
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