Red Dirt Uganda
Adventurous cycling and mountain bike tours in Uganda and Rwanda
Red Dirt Uganda is a Kampala-based cycling tour operator specialising in off-road cycling, mountain biking, gravel riding and bikepacking holidays across Uganda and Rwanda. They were founded in 2016 by Dutch cyclist Thies Timmermans, who still leads the business as CEO, and describe themselves as the first cycling tour operator in Uganda. With no existing cycling tourism infrastructure to draw on, they trained their own team of local guides, mechanics and drivers, several of whom have backgrounds in Ugandan competitive cycling.
Their catalogue covers multi-day gravel and mountain bike tours of 10 to 15 days, a bikepacking trip, an easier 11-day "Chill and Thrill" itinerary, and shorter rides around Lake Mburo and Lake Victoria. Routes take in national parks such as Queen Elizabeth and Lake Mburo, where riders cycle among zebras, antelopes and buffaloes, plus Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, crater lakes and the Rwenzori foothills, with optional gorilla and chimpanzee tracking. Tours run as scheduled group departures or private trips, with support vehicles, English-speaking guides, first aid trained staff and AMREF flying doctors emergency evacuation cover. They say every trail has been designed and tested by the team, and accommodation is handpicked. They also run hiking and multisport tours, custom itineraries and a bicycle guide training programme.
They position themselves around sustainability and community benefit, following a zero-waste approach that bans single-use plastic, supporting local nature programmes and favouring community-run lodges. They are listed in the Lonely Planet, Bradt and Petit Futé guides and on TripAdvisor, SafariBookings and GetYourGuide.
Gravel Adventure in Uganda
Tour Operator: Red Dirt Uganda
Uganda
10 days (Bike: 8 days)
466 km (~58km per day)
Active
Hilly, Off-road
Guided
Supported
Prices from
Guided
US$ 2900
Overview
Tour Operator Red Dirt Uganda
Explore a maze of excellent gravel roads through western Uganda's crater lakes, savanna, rainforest and national parks, with a cycling safari among zebras and antelopes.
This 10-day gravel bike adventure loops out of Entebbe through some of western Uganda's most striking scenery, with around 90% of the riding on dirt roads, fire roads and short, non-technical single track. The route starts beneath the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains near Fort Portal, then passes crater lakes before dropping onto the savanna of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Riders cross the equator and cycle straight through the park, with a support vehicle close behind.
The second half climbs from savanna to rainforest, past tea plantations to Buhoma and the edge of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home to half the world's mountain gorillas. The route then crosses the forest to island-dotted Lake Bunyonyi for a night in an island lodge, before finishing with a cycling safari among zebras, antelopes and giraffes in Lake Mburo National Park. Optional extras include gorilla and chimpanzee tracking and game drives.
Highlights:
- Gravel riding beneath the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains and overnighting on a crater lake rim
- Cycling through Queen Elizabeth National Park, with possible buffalo, elephant and tree-climbing lion sightings
- Climbing from savanna through tea plantations to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
- An island lodge on Lake Bunyonyi, reached by boat after a 20 km lakeside trail
- Cycling safari in Lake Mburo National Park among zebras, giraffes and antelopes
- Optional mountain gorilla tracking in Bwindi
Surface and terrain:
Around 90% off-road on wide gravel, dirt and fire roads, plus short non-technical single track and some tarmac. Varies from flat savanna to challenging rainforest climbs, peaking at 2,300 m near Bwindi, with several days exceeding 900 m of ascent.
Weather:
Days are tropical, but evenings at altitude near Bwindi (2,300 m) can be chilly, so a warm layer is recommended.
Suitable for:
Fit, adventurous gravel riders comfortable with long dirt-road days, sustained climbing and basic accommodation, who want wildlife, rainforest and local culture rather than a purely cycling-focused tour.
Gravel Bike Adventure in Rwanda
Tour Operator: Red Dirt Uganda
Rwanda
10 days (Bike: 6 days)
392 km (~65km per day)
Avid
Hilly, Off-road
Guided
Supported
Prices from
Guided
€ 3280
Overview
Tour Operator Red Dirt Uganda
Gravelling in Rwanda: volcanoes, lakes, jungle and 1,000 hills, riding the Congo Nile Trail and roads used for the 2025 UCI Road World Championships.
Rwanda, home of the annual Tour du Rwanda and host of the 2025 UCI Road World Championships, is explored on this 10-day gravel tour from Kigali. Known as the "Land of a Thousand Hills", the country has very few flat roads, offering instead endless climbs and thrilling descents on quiet gravel roads through villages that few tourists reach.
The route climbs Mount Jali out of Kigali to sleep among the Sorwathe tea plantations, then heads to the twin lakes of Ruhondo and Burera and on to Musanze, Rwanda's cycling capital, on the slopes of the Virunga volcanoes. A rest day allows time for gorilla trekking or a visit to the national team's training camp.
The final riding days follow the edge of Volcanoes National Park and a gravel variant of the Congo Nile Trail along Lake Kivu, before a return to Kigali and a visit to the Genocide Memorial.
Highlights:
- Riding the Congo Nile Trail along the shores of Lake Kivu
- Sleeping amid the Sorwathe tea plantations and drinking coffee straight from the plantations
- Twin lakes Ruhondo and Burera, with a boat crossing to a lakeside lodge
- Cycling the slopes of the Virunga volcanoes and the edge of Volcanoes National Park
- Meeting Rwanda's pro cyclists at the Africa Rising Cycling Centre
- The Kigali Genocide Memorial
Surface and terrain:
Around 85% off-road on dirt and gravel roads, with short single track, volcanic "cobbled" sections and some paved stretches. Relentlessly hilly, with constant climbs and descents averaging over 1,200 m of ascent per riding day.
Suitable for:
Fit, experienced gravel riders comfortable with very steep, sustained climbing every riding day, keen on local cycling culture, scenery and community encounters. E-MTB hire is available for those wanting assistance.