On this 10 Days Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda and Uganda, you will take part in tracking mountain gorillas in both Rwanda and Uganda.
10 Days Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda and Uganda Safari Highlights Enquire Now
- Kigali City tour + visit to the Genocide memorial.
- Lunch at Hotel Des Milles Collines famously known because of the movie Hotel Rwanda.
- Gorilla tracking in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.
- Visit to the endangered mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Forest (Uganda).
- Game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
- Game drive in Lake Mburo National Park.
Detailed Itinerary.
Day 1: Arrival – City Tour & Genocide Memorial – Musanze Visit
Arrival with a morning flight, after completion of customs and immigration formalities you will be met at the airport by a Lifetime African Expeditions representative who will brief you on the 10 Days Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda and Uganda and take you on a tour of Kigali City.
Lunch at Hotel Des Milles Collines, famously known for it’s role in the movie Hotel Rwanda.
Embark on a City Tour of Kigali including the Genocide Memorial site a grim reminder of a senseless massacre of innocent’s lives in 1994. Learn about Rwanda’s history from pre-colonial times to the 1994 genocide; learn about other genocides in the world and how this country has dealt with that past. Tour more and see the new developments in Rwanda; the recovery has been incredible, a testament to humankind’s resilience.
Thereafter, depart on a scenic drive North West ward through the beautiful terraced hillsides that display Rwanda’s landscape. Arrive in Ruhengeri, the base for Gorilla trekking at the Parc National des Volcans. The town itself, located only 25km from Uganda boarder, is relatively a small city of about 70,000 people. The constant flow of humanity is quite remarkable. The Town has great views of the surrounding volcanoes. People are very friendly here and although a former Belgian colony (and thus French-speaking), many people speak English here. Overnight at your lodge in Kinigi.
Day 2: Volcanoes National Park – Gorilla Trekking
Early breakfast at your lodge. Early transfer to the Volcanoes National Park HQs; 700 hrs; Registration where the park staff determines which group of gorillas you will visit. The park staff discusses your fitness level and advises you of the trekking times and conditions to the various groups based upon their location in the park the previous evening. There are a total of 80 gorilla permits available each day with a maximum of eight trekkers visiting any one group. Once the trekkers are put into groups, each group’s Lead Guide briefs the trekkers of the trekking procedures as well as the “do’s and don’ts” while in the presence of gorillas. After the briefing, trekkers return to their respective vehicles for the drive up the mountain to the starting point.
Porters may be hired for the trek to carry your backpack and gear; Cost, US$10 per person/per day. We advise that you utilize this service. Trekking can take from two to six or more hours if the gorillas move before the park rangers locate them the next morning. The guides stop frequently to allow trekkers a chance to rest and take photos along the way. After the trek, meet up with your guide and transfer back to your lodge for lunch. Optional activities can be done such as Canoeing, visit to Iby’Iwacu Cultural village both at an extra cost. Dinner and overnight at your lodge in Kinigi.
Day 3: Volcanoes National Park – Golden Monkeys Trekking
Early breakfast at your lodge. Early transfer to the Volcanoes National Park HQs. 0700 hrs: Registration at the Volcanoes National Park Offices followed by a transfer to your Trail head. Golden Monkeys are among the most endangered primates in Africa and is believed the only viable population of these monkeys is in the Virunga Volcanoes. The golden monkey is a distinct species of guenon – Cercopithecus Kandti and is endemic to the Albertine Rift. Two groups each with over 100 individuals are being habituated for visitors in the Virungas. The Kabatwa group, found in the east of the park on the flanks of the Sabinyo volcano and the Musongo group higher up on the flanks of the Karisimbi volcano at an altitude of about 2800-3000 metres. Have lunch at the lodge. After lunch, you can decide to visit the Iby’Iwacu Cultural village at an extra cost or you can visit the twin lakes at no extra cost. Dinner and overnight at your lodge in Kinigi.
Day 4: Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda) – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (Uganda).
Have breakfast at your lodge. Thereafter drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (Buhoma Sector) via Cyanika border (approximately 6 hours drive). Upon arrival have lunch at your lodge and enjoy the afternoon at leisure. Dinner and overnight at your lodge in Buhoma.
Day 5: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest – Gorilla Tracking.
Have early breakfast at your lodge. An early morning will see you off on a chance of- a-lifetime experience of tracking the mountain gorillas of Uganda in Buhoma area. A professional guide will lead you along, searching for these gentle giants, but be prepared for a long trek as they aren’t always easy to find. The trek will prove well worth it when you see these marvelous creatures in their natural habitat. There are no words to describe this visit to a “gorilla family home”. To sit in the forest close-up observing the family life of gorillas is mind blowing. Bwindi has 5 gorilla families residing in the wild. Return to the Lodge in the late afternoon for Lunch followed by Leisure the rest of your afternoon. In the afternoon if time permits, you can choose to visit the Abatwa Cultural community. Dinner and overnight at your lodge in Bwindi.
Day 6: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest – Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Have breakfast at your lodge. Thereafter depart with Picnic Lunch Boxes and head to Queen Elizabeth is the second largest national park in Uganda. 95 species of mammal and 547 species of bird has been recorded, it has one of the highest biodiversity ratings of any national park in the world. Altitude is as low as between 900m to 1,000m which makes it warmer than other areas. Go through the Ishasha Plains as you enjoy a short game drive to spot the plains’ well-known tree-climbing lions. Queen Elizabeth National Park covers an area of about 1978 km²; its position provides a magnificent view of the Rift Valley floor that occupies Lake Edward and George. Arrive at the Lodge and spend the rest of your afternoon at Leisure relaxing.
Dinner and overnight at your lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park (Ishasha Area).
Day 8: Queen Elizabeth National Park- Full Day Game Drive.
Enjoy breakfast at the Lodge. Morning at leisure, after lunch drive to the Northern part of Queen Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth National Park has one of the highest biodiversity ratings of any national park in the world, over 500 different bird species and about 100 mammal species. Queen Elizabeth National Park covers an area of about 1978 km²; its position provides a magnificent view of the Rift Valley floor that occupies Lake Edward and George. Arrive at the Lodge and spend the rest of your afternoon at Leisure relaxing.
Upon arrival, enjoy a game drive through the Uganda Kobs as you search for lions, elephants, and buffalo. Dinner and overnight at your lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Day 8: Full Day Game Drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Have breakfast at the lodge. Thereafter enjoy a full day game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Have lunch at the lodge. After lunch, you’ll head out on a boat cruise of the Kazinga Channel to search for more wildlife including hippo and elephants who cool off along the shore. Dinner and overnight at your lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Day 9: Queen Elizabeth National Park – Lake Mburo National Park.
Have a leisure morning at the lodge. After lunch drive to Lake Mburo National Park (approximately 03 hours drive). And enjoy the view of the lakes and the birds. Lake Mburo National Park is a compact gem, located conveniently close to the highway that connects Kampala to the parks of western Uganda. It is the smallest of Uganda’s savannah national parks and underlain by ancient Precambrian metamorphic rocks which date back more than 500 million years. It is home to 350 bird species as well as zebra, impala, eland, buffalo, oribi, Defassa waterbuck, leopard, hippo, hyena, topi and reedbuck. Together with 13 other lakes in the area, Lake Mburo forms part of a 50km-long wetland system linked by a swamp. Five of these lakes lie within the park’s borders. Once covered by open savanna, lake Mburo National Park now contains much woodland as there are no elephants to tame the
vegetation. In the western part of the park, the savanna is interspersed with rocky ridges and forested gorges while patches of papyrus swamp and narrow bands of lush riparian woodland line many lakes. Dinner and overnight at your lodge in Lake Mburo National Park.
Day 10: Departure.
Have breakfast. On this day you can choose to do a game drive while heading to the Airport (Depart with packed lunch) or enjoy your morning at leisure (Have lunch at the lodge).
In the afternoon drive to Entebbe International Airport for your night departure flight (approximately 5 hours drive), alternatively, you can choose to drive to Kigali International Airport for your departure flight (approximately 3-4 hours drive).
End of the 10 Days Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda and Uganda.