AFCON 2027 in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania will give football fans an unusual opportunity to experience much more than Africa’s biggest football tournament. From 19 June to 17 July 2027, the three East African countries will jointly host the Africa Cup of Nations under the PAMOJA project, bringing international football closer to some of the continent’s most famous wildlife destinations.
For visitors attending matches, the tournament can also become the starting point for an East African adventure combining football with gorilla trekking in Uganda, wildlife safaris in Kenya and Tanzania, cultural experiences, and some of Africa’s most remarkable landscapes.
The exact AFCON 2027 match schedule and venues are still to be announced by CAF, so travelers should treat their football itinerary as flexible until the official fixture and venue information is released.
But the larger opportunity is already clear: a trip to East Africa for AFCON 2027 does not have to end when the final whistle blows.
AFCON 2027 and the rise of sports tourism in East Africa
AFCON 2027 will be the first Africa Cup of Nations jointly hosted by Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. The three countries were officially confirmed as hosts by the Confederation of African Football in 2023.
The tournament is expected to place East Africa in front of an international audience of football supporters, media organizations and travelers.
For the tourism industry, this creates an important connection between sports tourism and wildlife tourism.
Uganda’s Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities has already identified AFCON 2027 as one of the opportunities within its tourism development strategy. The ministry has also highlighted sports tourism, destination branding, product development and improved visitor experiences as areas of focus.
This makes AFCON 2027 more than a football event for travelers interested in East Africa. It can be an opportunity to build a longer itinerary around the tournament and explore destinations that may otherwise require a separate trip.
Why combine AFCON 2027 with an African safari?
Many international visitors traveling to Africa for football will already be making a long-haul journey. Adding several days for wildlife or gorilla trekking can turn a football trip into a broader East African holiday.
Instead of spending the entire trip in the host cities, travelers can plan time before or after matches to explore national parks and conservation areas.
The three host countries offer very different wildlife experiences.
Uganda is particularly important for travelers interested in mountain gorillas and primates.
Kenya offers classic savannah wildlife experiences, including the Maasai Mara and other parks and reserves.
Tanzania provides access to internationally recognized destinations including the Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Kilimanjaro, as well as the Indian Ocean islands of Zanzibar.
The result is a potential itinerary that combines football, wildlife, primates, culture and nature across one region.
AFCON 2027 and gorilla trekking in Uganda
For many visitors, Uganda’s greatest tourism opportunity connected to AFCON 2027 is gorilla trekking.
Uganda is home to mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Uganda Wildlife Authority manages both parks as part of the country’s national protected-area system.
Gorilla trekking takes travelers away from the football atmosphere and into the forests of southwestern Uganda, where guided treks provide an opportunity to encounter habituated mountain gorilla families.
Bwindi is especially significant for mountain-gorilla conservation. Recent reports indicate that the park is home to approximately 450 gorillas, close to half of the world’s remaining mountain gorilla population. Tourism contributes to employment and local income while supporting conservation efforts around the park.
This makes AFCON 2027 and gorilla trekking a natural combination for visitors whose priority is experiencing something unique to Uganda.
A traveler could, for example, attend matches in Uganda and then continue west toward Bwindi for gorilla trekking or a gorilla habituation experience.
Uganda’s tourism authorities are also continuing to promote gorilla tourism and diversify the country’s wildlife and cultural products.
From Kampala to Bwindi: adding gorilla trekking to an AFCON trip
Kampala will be an important base for travelers visiting Uganda during AFCON 2027, but the country’s most famous wildlife experiences are outside the capital.
A safari extension can take visitors from Kampala toward western Uganda, with opportunities to combine several destinations.
One itinerary could include:
Kampala → Queen Elizabeth National Park → Bwindi Impenetrable National Park → Kampala
Queen Elizabeth National Park provides a classic wildlife experience before the journey continues to Bwindi for gorilla trekking. Uganda’s tourism ministry itself promotes itineraries combining Bwindi gorilla trekking with Queen Elizabeth, Kibale and other Ugandan attractions.
For travelers with more time, Kibale National Park can also be added for chimpanzee trekking and primate experiences.
This creates a very different holiday from a conventional football trip: AFCON matches, Ugandan culture, savannah wildlife, chimpanzees and mountain gorillas can all form part of the same journey.
AFCON 2027 and Kenya safari
Kenya gives football travelers another major safari option.
Visitors spending time in Kenya can combine the tournament with wildlife destinations such as the Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Tsavo and other protected areas depending on their match schedule and available travel time.
The Maasai Mara is particularly well known for large concentrations of African wildlife and the annual wildebeest migration, while Amboseli provides a different safari setting with views toward Mount Kilimanjaro.
Nairobi itself also offers an unusual combination of urban tourism and wildlife, with Nairobi National Park located close to the capital.
For an AFCON visitor, this means that a safari does not necessarily require a long extension. Travelers with limited time can build a short wildlife experience around their football itinerary, while those with more time can travel farther into Kenya.
The key is to plan the safari around the confirmed AFCON fixtures rather than assuming that match locations or dates will remain as currently anticipated.
AFCON 2027 and Tanzania safari
Tanzania offers some of East Africa’s most recognizable safari destinations and provides another major extension for AFCON 2027 travelers.
A Tanzania safari can include the Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Tarangire National Park, with Arusha serving as an important gateway to the northern safari circuit.
Tanzania’s government has already presented the country as a destination combining the AFCON opportunity with attractions such as Kilimanjaro, Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Zanzibar.
This creates several possibilities for football travelers.
A visitor attending AFCON matches in Tanzania could extend the trip into the northern safari circuit for game drives in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro.
Another traveler could combine football with Mount Kilimanjaro before relaxing in Zanzibar.
Those who have enough time can create a multi-country East African journey incorporating Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
AFCON 2027: Uganda, Kenya or Tanzania for a safari?
The three countries should not be viewed as offering the same safari experience.
They complement each other.
Uganda: gorillas, primates and diverse wildlife
Uganda is the standout destination for travelers who want to combine AFCON 2027 with mountain gorilla trekking.
Its tourism portfolio also includes chimpanzee trekking, savannah game drives, boat cruises and mountain landscapes. Uganda Wildlife Authority manages 10 national parks, including Bwindi, Mgahinga, Queen Elizabeth, Kibale, Murchison Falls and Kidepo Valley.
Kenya: classic East African savannah
Kenya is particularly suited to travelers looking for a traditional African safari experience involving large mammals, open savannah landscapes and destinations such as the Maasai Mara.
The country’s proximity between major urban centers and safari destinations also creates opportunities for shorter safari extensions.
Tanzania: Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Kilimanjaro
Tanzania provides a combination of major wildlife destinations and iconic landscapes.
The northern safari circuit makes it possible to combine destinations such as Serengeti and Ngorongoro, while Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar offer additional experiences beyond conventional game drives.
Tanzania’s official tourism administration continues to license a large network of safari operators, accommodation providers and other tourism businesses across destinations including Arusha, Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Kilimanjaro. Request for an itinerary
The ultimate AFCON 2027 East Africa safari
For travelers with sufficient time, AFCON 2027 can become the centerpiece of a much longer East African journey.
One possible concept is:
Kenya → Uganda → Tanzania
The journey could combine:
- AFCON 2027 football matches
- Nairobi and Kenyan cultural experiences
- Maasai Mara safari
- Kampala
- Bwindi gorilla trekking
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Serengeti National Park
- Ngorongoro Crater
- Zanzibar
The exact order should depend on the final AFCON fixtures, flight connections, border requirements, available safari time and the traveler’s preferred experiences.
A shorter itinerary could focus on one host country and its surrounding attractions, while a longer holiday could connect two or all three countries.
Why AFCON 2027 could be important for Uganda’s gorilla tourism
Uganda has a particularly distinctive tourism product that cannot be replicated by a football match or conventional city tour: mountain gorilla trekking.
The country’s tourism ministry is actively promoting gorilla tourism and broader wildlife experiences, while recent conservation work around Bwindi demonstrates the continuing relationship between tourism, communities and gorilla conservation.
AFCON 2027 can therefore serve as an additional reason for international travelers to discover Uganda.
Someone arriving in Uganda primarily for football may have little initial intention of visiting Bwindi. Once the trip is planned, however, the possibility of adding gorilla trekking creates an entirely different travel proposition.
The same principle applies to wildlife safaris in Kenya and Tanzania.
Plan your AFCON 2027 safari early
Travelers considering an AFCON 2027 safari should begin planning well before the tournament.
The first priority will be confirming the official match schedule and venues. CAF has confirmed the tournament dates but has stated that the detailed match schedule, venues and kick-off times will be announced later. Refer to the CAF Website here
Once fixtures are confirmed, travelers can build their safari around the football itinerary.
This is particularly important for gorilla trekking because trekking is a regulated activity with limited daily availability. Gorilla permits, accommodation and transport should be incorporated into the itinerary rather than treated as last-minute additions.
Safari accommodation can also become more complicated during periods of increased regional travel, particularly around popular wildlife destinations.
Early planning allows you to choose the appropriate safari length, accommodation category, transport arrangements and gorilla trekking date before finalizing the football component of the holiday.
AFCON 2027 can showcase East Africa beyond football
The significance of AFCON 2027 for tourism extends beyond the matches themselves.
Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania are already internationally recognized for wildlife, landscapes and cultural attractions. The tournament provides an additional platform through which international visitors can discover these destinations.
For travelers, the opportunity is practical: watch African football and then experience Africa’s wildlife firsthand.
In Uganda, that could mean following a match with gorilla trekking in Bwindi.
In Kenya, it could mean combining football with a Maasai Mara safari.
In Tanzania, it could mean traveling from the tournament into the Serengeti and Ngorongoro, climbing Kilimanjaro or continuing to Zanzibar.
And for travelers with more time, it could mean combining all three countries into one East African adventure.
Start planning your AFCON 2027 safari
AFCON 2027 will bring international football to Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania from 19 June to 17 July 2027 and it is essential that you plan your visit well ahead of time.
For visitors coming from outside East Africa, the tournament offers an opportunity to experience the region beyond the stadiums.
A well-planned itinerary can combine AFCON 2027, gorilla trekking in Uganda, wildlife safaris in Kenya and Tanzania, cultural experiences and some of East Africa’s most famous natural attractions.
The final AFCON match schedule will determine the most practical routing, but travelers who want to combine football with gorilla trekking or safari should start choosing their options early.
AFCON 2027 can be more than a football holiday. It can be your gateway to discovering East Africa. Get in touch and let us help you plan an unforgettable East African adventure.
Experienced webmaster and copywriter with 16 years of experience in the East African tourism industry. Jerome possess excellent knowledge about gorilla trekking, wildlife safaris, chimpanzee tracking, and accommodations across major destinations in East Africa.
