Combining a Uganda and Rwanda gorilla safari just became considerably simpler. Uganda Airlines has confirmed Uganda Airlines Kigali flights will begin daily direct service between Entebbe and Kigali from 18 November 2026, operated on Bombardier CRJ-900 regional jets. The new route ends years of RwandAir holding the route largely to itself, and it gives travellers a genuine second carrier option for the short hop between Uganda’s and Rwanda’s two premier gorilla trekking destinations.
For anyone planning to trek both Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park on a single trip, this new route removes one of the more fiddly pieces of cross-border logistics. Here is what the new flights mean for your itinerary.
What’s Changing
From 18 November 2026, Uganda Airlines will fly daily between Entebbe International Airport and Kigali International Airport, adding to a regional expansion that also includes new Entebbe to Accra service starting in late October 2026. The airline’s growing network now covers 19 destinations, and the daily Kigali frequency means far more flexibility on departure times compared to relying on a single carrier’s limited schedule.
Flight time between Entebbe and Kigali is short, generally under two hours in the air, which makes a same-day connection between a Uganda gorilla trek and a Rwanda gorilla trek genuinely feasible for travellers with tight schedules, though we typically recommend building in at least one buffer night either side.
Why This Matters for a Combined Gorilla Safari
Uganda and Rwanda are frequently compared as either-or choices, but a growing number of our clients choose to do both, trekking a different gorilla family in each country and experiencing the contrast between Bwindi’s dense rainforest terrain and the more open volcanic slopes of Volcanoes National Park. Until now, that combination meant relying almost entirely on RwandAir’s schedule or a considerably longer road transfer via the Cyanika or Katuna border posts.
With a second daily flight option, itineraries become easier to build around permit availability rather than flight timetables. If you have not yet decided which country suits you better, our detailed Rwanda vs Uganda gorilla trekking comparison for 2026 breaks down cost, terrain, and permit availability side by side, and our guide to Rwanda gorilla trekking logistics from Kigali covers everything you need once you land.
Flying vs the Road Route Between Uganda and Rwanda
Overland transfers between Bwindi and Volcanoes National Park take roughly four to five hours by road, including the border crossing, and remain a scenic, popular option, particularly for travellers who want to see the Ugandan and Rwandan countryside along the way. But for travellers on a tighter timeframe, or those who have already spent a full day trekking and simply want to reach their next lodge with minimal fuss, a direct flight via Entebbe and Kigali is now a genuinely competitive alternative.
| Route Option | Typical Duration | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Direct flight (Entebbe – Kigali) | Under 2 hours | Time-limited itineraries, same-trip combinations |
| Road transfer (Bwindi – Volcanoes NP) | 4–5 hours | Scenic overland travellers with more time |
Booking Considerations for the New Route
Since this is a newly launched route, seat availability and fares may fluctuate more than on established services in the first few months. If your itinerary depends on a specific flight day, we recommend confirming your Uganda and Rwanda gorilla permits first, since permit dates are the fixed point of any gorilla safari, and building your flight or road transfer plan around them, not the other way round.
It is also worth checking your visa arrangements before booking connecting flights. The East Africa Tourist Visa, covering Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya on a single $100 permit, is the most convenient option for most travellers doing a multi-country trip and pairs naturally with this new flight route.
Sample Itinerary Using the New Route
- Day 1–2: Arrive Entebbe, transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
- Day 3: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi.
- Day 4: Transfer to Entebbe, connect on the new Uganda Airlines Kigali flight.
- Day 5: Transfer from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park.
- Day 6: Gorilla trekking in Rwanda, two different families in two countries in under a week.
Explore our Volcanoes National Park Rwanda gorilla tours and Bwindi gorilla tour packages to see how each leg of a combined itinerary is built.
About the New Route: Aircraft, Frequency and Network Context
The new Entebbe to Kigali service operates on Uganda Airlines’ Bombardier CRJ-900 regional jets, aircraft well suited to the relatively short hop between the two capitals. Daily frequency, starting 18 November 2026, is a significant step up from the more limited scheduling travellers have historically had to work around on this route. The launch sits alongside a broader expansion for the airline, including a new four-times-weekly Entebbe to Accra service beginning in late October 2026, taking Uganda Airlines’ total network to 19 destinations and reinforcing Entebbe’s role as a genuine regional hub connecting East and West Africa.
For gorilla trekking travellers specifically, the practical upshot is more departure time options, better ability to build same-week Uganda and Rwanda itineraries, and, over time, likely more competitive fares as two carriers compete directly on the route rather than one operating with limited competition.
Other Ways to Travel Between Uganda and Rwanda
Flying is not the only option, and for some travellers it is not even the best one. The overland route between Bwindi and Volcanoes National Park via the Cyanika or Katuna border crossings takes around four to five hours and passes through genuinely scenic terraced hillside countryside on both sides of the border. Some travellers build this drive into their itinerary deliberately, treating it as part of the experience rather than simply a transfer to endure. Others, particularly those on a tighter schedule or travelling with young children, will find the new direct flight option considerably more convenient. Whichever you choose, remember that your visa arrangements need to account for the crossing; our guide to the East Africa Tourist Visa’s new 2026 rules explains what is required.
Frequently Asked Questions About the New Kigali Route
How long does the Entebbe to Kigali flight take?
The flight is short, generally under two hours in the air, making it entirely feasible to fly between the two capitals within a single morning or afternoon.
Will fares be competitive when the route launches?
As a newly launched service competing directly with RwandAir’s existing route, we expect Uganda Airlines to price competitively, though as with any new route, fares and availability may fluctuate more in the first months of operation than on a long-established service.
Can I book this flight as part of a package with Monumental Gorilla Tours?
Yes. We can include the Entebbe to Kigali flight as part of a combined Uganda and Rwanda itinerary, coordinated around your gorilla trekking permit dates in both countries.
Is the road transfer still a good option after this flight launches?
Absolutely. The overland route remains a popular, scenic choice, particularly for travellers who are not pressed for time and want to see more of the Uganda-Rwanda border region along the way.
Does this route affect Rwanda-side domestic transfers to Volcanoes National Park?
No, once you land in Kigali you will still need a road transfer of roughly two to three hours to reach Volcanoes National Park in Musanze, regardless of whether you arrived by air or by road from Uganda.
Uganda Airlines’ Broader 2026 Expansion and What It Signals
The new Kigali route is one piece of a wider expansion strategy for Uganda’s national carrier, which has been steadily rebuilding its international network since resuming operations. Alongside the new daily Kigali service and the four-times-weekly Accra route launching in October 2026, Uganda Airlines has been adding frequency and destinations across the continent, positioning Entebbe as a credible connecting hub between East and West Africa rather than a purely regional airport.
For the tourism sector specifically, and for gorilla trekking in particular, this expansion matters because flight connectivity has historically been one of the quieter constraints on regional itinerary building. A route that previously relied on a single carrier’s schedule now has genuine competition, and a national airline actively investing in regional routes tends to be a reliable signal of broader confidence in cross-border tourism demand, mirroring the same growth story we cover in our piece on Uganda’s record 2026 tourism growth.
What to Watch For as the Route Beds In
New airline routes typically go through an adjustment period in their first several months, during which schedules, aircraft assignment, and fares can shift as the airline calibrates to actual demand. Travellers booking flights for the route’s early weeks after its 18 November 2026 launch should build in slightly more schedule flexibility than they might for a long-established service, and it is worth confirming your specific flight details closer to your travel date rather than locking in non-changeable fares many months in advance. Once the route has been operating for a full season, we expect scheduling to stabilise considerably, and we will update our guidance accordingly as more operating history becomes available.
Why Route Competition Benefits Travellers Long Term
Airline competition on a route tends to benefit travellers in ways that go beyond the immediate fare, including improved on-time performance, better customer service standards, and greater resilience if one carrier experiences a schedule disruption, since a second option exists to fall back on. For a route as important to regional tourism as Entebbe to Kigali, having two carriers actively competing rather than one operating with limited pressure to improve is a meaningfully positive development for anyone planning a Uganda and Rwanda combination trip over the coming years, not just for the initial launch period.
Connecting Onward From Kigali
Once in Kigali, travellers heading straight to Volcanoes National Park face a further road transfer of roughly two to three hours to Musanze, the town nearest the park, along one of Rwanda’s better-maintained highways. Some travellers choose to overnight in Kigali first, using the time to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial or explore the city’s restaurant scene, rather than pushing straight through to Musanze on arrival day. Either approach works well with the new flight schedule, since a daily service means you are not locked into a single onward connection window the way a less frequent route might have forced in the past.
A Note for Business and Conference Travellers
Kampala and Kigali have both grown as regional business and conference hubs, and the new daily service gives corporate travellers a same-day return option between the two cities for the first time on this carrier, alongside the leisure and safari demand this guide focuses on. It is a small but telling sign of how tightly Uganda and Rwanda’s economies, not just their tourism sectors, are becoming linked.
Let Us Build Your Combined Uganda-Rwanda Itinerary
Coordinating permits, flights, and lodge bookings across two countries takes careful sequencing, and it is exactly the kind of planning our team handles daily. Contact Monumental Gorilla Tours by phone or WhatsApp at +256 781 099683, or email info@monumentalgorillatours.com, and we will design a seamless Uganda and Rwanda gorilla safari around the new direct flight route.
