Solo Safaris in Uganda & Rwanda

Solo Travel, Expertly Hosted

Arriving alone in a new country should feel exciting, not overwhelming. Nkuringo plans and hosts solo safaris in Uganda and Rwanda—gorilla trekking in Bwindi or Volcanoes National Park, chimp walks in Kibale, unhurried game drives in Queen Elizabeth and beyond—so you always have a trusted driver-guide at your side and a local team watching the details in the background.

Whether this is your first solo safari in Uganda, your next Africa journey after Kenya or Botswana, or you’re a solo female traveller who wants to feel completely safe and seen, we shape the journey around you: how social or private you’d like your days, the level of comfort you want, and how adventurous you feel on the trails. If you’d like to add classic game in the Masai Mara or Serengeti, we simply extend your route across the border and keep every handover seamless.

With Nkuringo, a solo safari typically includes:

• A tailor-made route in Uganda and/or Rwanda, built around your dates and interests
  
• A private driver-guide, airport meet-and-greet, and hosted moments so you never feel stranded
• Handpicked lodges that welcome solo guests and balance privacy with easy, natural company

Why solo travellers choose Nkuringo

You want a safari that feels personal, safe and carefully planned by people who actually live here. From our base in Uganda, we design and host solo safaris in Uganda and Rwanda with the kind of attention that matters when you’re travelling on your own.

Primate and walking specialists

Since 2007 we’ve been building safaris around gorilla and chimpanzee encounters in Uganda and Rwanda. Our team lives and works close to the trailheads, knows the seasons, and understands how to pace a solo itinerary so you have time to breathe between big days in the forest.

Local, Uganda-based support

From the moment you land, you’re in the care of a dedicated driver-guide and our operations team in Entebbe and Bwindi. Airport meet-and-greet, road transfers, check-ins along the way—we handle the logistics quietly in the background so you’re never left wondering what happens next.

Owner-run lodges that are easy to settle into

Many solo guests stay at our own small lodges—Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, Mirima Kibale Lodge, and Papyrus Guesthouse—where teams are long-tenured, spaces are intimate, and it’s easy to slip between unhurried time to yourself and relaxed company at the bar or dinner table.

Travel that benefits the places you visit

Through community partnerships and the Gorilla Junction Foundation, your safari supports local jobs, skills and conservation work around the parks you explore. For many solo travellers, that sense of travelling with purpose is as important as the photographs they take home.

How your solo safari works

From the first message you send us to the day you fly home, we keep the plan clear and the support close, so a solo safari in Uganda and Rwanda feels organised rather than overwhelming.

1. Share your plans

Tell us when you’d like to travel, how long you have, a rough budget band, and how you like to move—more social or more private, slower or faster. You can send this in a quick enquiry form or start with a short chat with a planner.

2. We design your solo route

Your planner sketches one or two route options built for solo travel in Uganda and/or Rwanda: focused gorillas, primates plus savannah, or a combo with Kenya or Tanzania. We choose solo-friendly lodges, smart routing and a private driver-guide, and we’ll show you where single supplements apply and where we’ve negotiated better solo value.

3. Confirm, then we secure permits and lodges

Once you’re happy with the plan and confirm, we lock in your gorilla and chimpanzee permits, reserve lodges and internal flights, and finalise transfers. You’ll receive a clear, day-by-day itinerary and a pre-departure briefing by email, plus the option of a call with your planner if you’d like to talk it through.

4. Hosted from your first landing

When you land in Entebbe or Kigali, a member of our team meets you and introduces you to your driver-guide. From there, we handle the roads, park formalities, trek briefings and timing, while our operations team checks in behind the scenes so you’re never left guessing what comes next.

5. Check-in after you’re home

After your safari, we check in to hear how it felt to travel solo in Uganda and Rwanda and what you might like to do differently next time. Your feedback shapes how we design future solo safaris—and often sparks ideas for your next visit.

Is it safe to go on a solo safari in Uganda & Rwanda?

Yes—when your safari is properly planned and hosted, travelling solo in Uganda and Rwanda is very safe. You’re not moving around on your own: from arrival to departure you’re with a professional driver-guide, staying in vetted lodges, and entering the forests and parks with authorised rangers and clear safety protocols designed for visitors.

At-a-glance safety for solo travellers

• Always-guided airport transfers and road journeys
  
• Professional driver-guides with well-maintained vehicles
  
• Gorilla and chimp treks led by trained park rangers
  
• Lodges checked for safety, location and hosting style
  
• 24/7 operations support while you’re on safari
  
• Emergency medical support and evacuation cover included in your safari plan

Safety on the road and at lodges

We meet you at the airport, introduce you to your driver-guide, and handle every transfer on your itinerary. Journeys are planned around daylight hours and good road conditions. Lodges are selected for their setting, service and how they look after solo guests, with secure rooms, attentive teams and staff on site day and night. If you’re arriving late or leaving early, we shape the plan around those timings so you always have someone expecting you.

Safety on treks and in the parks

Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking in Uganda and Rwanda is carefully managed. You join a small guided group, with park rangers leading the way, clear briefings before you set off, and defined distances around the animals. Game drives, boat trips and walks follow agreed routes and timings, with guides in constant radio contact. We pace your days so you’re rested, well briefed and back at the lodge when you should be.

Extra care for solo female travellers

If you’re a solo female traveller, we pay particular attention to how and where you move. We can prioritise certain lodges and room types, brief you on local customs and dress, and schedule more frequent check-ins from our operations team if you’d find that reassuring. Share how you prefer to travel—how much interaction you enjoy, how much privacy you like—and we’ll brief your guides and hosts so you feel comfortable and in control of your own space throughout the journey.

Ask us anything about solo safari safety

How much does a solo safari cost – and what about single supplements?

Solo safaris do cost more per person than sharing a room, because you’re carrying the full cost of the space and guiding. Most of our solo guests in Uganda and Rwanda travel in the mid-range to premium space, choosing comfortable, characterful lodges and private guiding, then using smart routing and shared activities to keep the overall budget under control.

A quick sense of solo safari costs

There’s no single price for “a solo safari in Uganda”, but a few patterns can help you set expectations:

• Gorilla-focused trips feel higher on a per-day basis because of permit costs
  
• Longer routes that combine primates and savannah often smooth out the daily rate
  
• Off-peak months can bring better lodge value and sometimes lower or waived single supplements

When you enquire, we start with your budget band and travel style, then show you what’s realistic as a solo traveller and where we can adjust to bring the price in line.

Understanding single supplements

Single supplements are an extra amount some lodges charge when one person occupies a room designed and priced for two. They’re standard across safaris in Africa, and Uganda and Rwanda are no exception.

For your itinerary we will:

• Flag exactly where single supplements apply and what they amount to
  
• Suggest alternative lodges or room types where the solo premium is lower
  
• Highlight any “no single supplement” periods we’ve agreed with partners

You see where the extra cost comes from and which levers we can pull together.

Keeping your solo safari good value

There are several ways to keep a solo safari in Uganda and Rwanda in a comfortable range without compromising safety or experience:

• Choosing well-located lodges to reduce long transfer days and extra nights
  
• Using shared activities where it fits naturally (scheduled lodge boat launches, community walks, gorilla and chimp treks)
  
• Avoiding internal flights that don’t add value when a scenic road transfer works well
  
• Balancing a couple of high-end nights with solid, mid-range properties elsewhere

Tell us your budget and priorities and we’ll design from there, rather than pushing you into a template.

Joining shared activities as a solo traveller

Travelling solo doesn’t mean spending the whole safari by yourself. You have a private driver-guide who handles your road journeys and game drives, and you’ll join small mixed groups for gorilla and chimp treks inside the parks. On the water, we can book you onto a scheduled boat launch if you’d like company, or arrange a private boat if you prefer more space. Around the lodges, shared meals, firesides and bar spaces make it easy to dip into conversation and step back when you’re ready for quiet.

Request a solo safari quote

Best solo safari routes in Uganda & Rwanda

There isn’t one set way to build a solo safari. It depends how long you have, how many treks you’d like to do, and whether you want to add classic big game after your time in the forests. These are the shapes most solo travellers choose for their safaris in Uganda and Rwanda, and they match the solo-friendly itineraries you’ll see above.

4–6 days: Focused gorilla trek

Ideal if you’re short on time or adding gorillas onto a longer journey. Fly into Entebbe or Kigali, travel with your own driver-guide to Bwindi or Volcanoes National Park, spend two or three nights at a comfortable lodge, and trek once or twice before heading home or continuing elsewhere in East Africa.

Best for: Solo travellers who want a concentrated gorilla experience with minimal moving around.

8–12 days: Gorillas, chimps & savannah

With eight to twelve days, you can link the forests with the open plains at an easy pace. A typical solo route might connect Entebbe, Kibale Forest for chimps, Queen Elizabeth National Park for game viewing and boat trips, and Bwindi for gorillas, with a rhythm of travel days and time to settle into each lodge.

Best for: Solo guests who want primates, wildlife and varied landscapes in one thoughtfully paced Uganda safari.

12–16 days: Gorillas plus Kenya or Tanzania

If you’ve always pictured both gorillas and the great savannah scenes, this longer route combines them in one journey. Start with gorilla trekking in Uganda or Rwanda, then fly on to the Masai Mara or Serengeti for several days of big-game viewing and wide horizons, with flights and handovers coordinated by one team.

Best for: Experienced solo travellers keen to make the most of a long-haul trip to East Africa with time in both forests and open plains.

Longer stays & walking-rich journeys

If you have more time, we can fold in extra nights at favourite lodges, crater lakes or community stays, volcano hikes, or days focused on walking and canoeing rather than vehicles. Many solo guests choose to slow the pace as they go—staying an extra night where the forest, views or people feel especially right.

Ask a planner which route would suit you best