Countries: Rwanda and Uganda
Destinations: Kigali, Kibale National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Itinerary at Glance
Day 1: Arrive Kigali
Day 2: Kigali City tour and transfer to Kibale National Park
Day 3: Chimpanzee Habituation at Kibale National Park
Day 4: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 5: Gorilla Habituation at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 6: Transfer to Kigali
Day 7: Departure.
Trip Overview
Your 7 day’s Uganda gorilla and chimpanzee habituation adventure safari will give a total wild primate habituation experience in Kibale National park for the chimpanzee habituation experience, which is the world’s primate capital and the thick impenetrable forest of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for gorilla habituation experience, which is one of the hot spot to trek the gorillas, known for harboring half of the word famous mountain gorillas. This is the only place in the world where gorilla habituation exercise is done. The safari will also rewards you with an opportunity to visit the Kigali genocide memorial grounds were over 250000 Rwandese who suffered the genocide incidence were buried, as well as an opportunity, to visit Ellen DeGeneres campus of Dian Fossey. This is a round trip, starting and ending in Kigali – Rwanda.
Trip Highlights
- Gorilla habituation in Uganda
- Chimpanzee habituation in Uganda
- Visit to Ellen DeGeneres campus of Dian Fossey
- Kigali genocide memorial visit
- Kigali city tour
- Border crossing
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali
Day Itinerary
Welcome to Kigali – Rwanda!
Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport and passing through the immigration process, you will be welcomed by our safari driver who will brief you shortly and transfer you to the booked accommodation for dinner and overnight stay
Overnight stay at: Kigali Marriott Hotel (Luxury) or Heave Boutique Hotel & Restaurant (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Bed & Breakfast
Day 2: Visit Kigali genocide memorial and transfer to Kibale National Park: Travel time +6 hrs
Day Itinerary
Today after taking your warm early morning breakfast, you will checkout of the lodge and drive to visit the Kigali genocide memorial grounds, which honors the memory of the more than one million Rwandans killed in 1994 through education and peace-building. You will be able to watch and listen to some video clips from some of the survivors’ of the incident. Later you will proceed with a drive to Kibale National Park, which is roughly a 6 hours’ drive from Kigali. You will enjoy an en route lunch in one of the local restaurants along the way as you drive to Kibale. You will reach in the evening at your lodge and check in for dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight stay at: Kyaninga Lodge (Luxury) or Tulaco Treetop Lodge (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 3: Chimpanzee Habituation Experience at Kibale National Park.
Day Itinerary
Have an early breakfast by 5:30 am, grab your picnic lunch boxes and drive to the park tourism headquarters’ at Kanyanchu visitor’s center, where you will meet the ranger guides and researchers, who will be joining you for the chimpanzee habituation experience exercise. You will later head to the forest, and on a lucky day, spot a number of other primates and bird species along the way. You have a full day with the chimpanzee, following them up as you know more about their behaviors and reactions towards human presence. You will enjoy an informative time under the company of the ranger guides and the researchers who are trying to habituate the chimpanzees. Later in the evening, you will return from the jungle and drive to your lodge, for refreshment, dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight stay at: Kyaninga Lodge (luxury) or Turaco Treetop Lodge (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Travel time +5 hrs
Day Itinerary
Have a relaxed breakfast and drive off to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, through Queen Elizabeth Nation Park, the magnificent route to your booked accommodation to catch up with an en route lunch and later reach at the lodge spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing and preparing for the next day’s gorilla habituation exercise. Your driver guide will brief you, before you about the next day programme, before he lets you at your own leisure.
Overnight stay at: Gorilla Leisure Lodge (Luxury) or Rushaga Gorilla Camp (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 5: Gorilla Habituation Experience at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day Itinerary
Early morning breakfast at your lodge, have your packed picnic lunch and by 6:30 am, set off for the gorilla habituation briefing from the Uganda wildlife officials at the park head office and thereafter enter your jeep and drive to the trekking starting point and later head into the jungle led with a group of researchers and rangers to start of your gorilla habituation experience exercise and enjoy their life style in their real home. The gorilla habituation is only done in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and this is the only place in the world where gorilla habituation experience is done.
Unlike the gorilla trekking experience, where the clients are only allowed a maximum of an hour with the gorillas, the gorilla habituation experience the clients go with both the trekkers and researchers, and the guests will be allowed a maximum of up to 4 hours with the gorillas. The researchers, and ranger guides, will be able to explain to you the entire process of gorilla habituation, learn more about the gorillas, and get to experience some of the methods used. You will later return in the late afternoon and drive back to your lodge, for refreshment and later dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight stay at: Gorilla Leisure Lodge (Luxury) or Rushaga Gorilla Camp (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 6: Transfer to Kigali via Musanze
Day Itinerary
After your relaxed morning breakfast, you will jump into your jeep, and drive off to Kigali, via Cyanika border, undergo immigration clearance and proceed to Musanze, visit Ellen DeGeneres Campus of Dian Fossey, where research and studies about the gorillas is conducted. The research center has a lot of educational materials, from the time of Dian Fossey life with the gorillas in the mist. You will later head for lunch, before driving to Kigali, reach and proceed to your booked hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight stay at: Kigali Marriott Hotel (Luxury) or Heave Boutique Hotel & Restaurant (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 7: Departure.
Day Itinerary
Your gorilla and chimpanzee habituation experience tour comes to an end!
Early morning breakfast and depending on your flight time, you will be transferred to Kigali airport to catch up with your flight back home (in case of evening flight, it is possible to do Kigali city tour at the end of the tour). End of service!
Meal Plan: Breakfast
This safari package includes.
- Transportation in a 4×4 safari vehicle
- Accommodation and meals as per itinerary
- 1 Gorilla Habituation Permit ($ 1500), per person
- En-route lunches
- Visit to Kigali genocide memorial ground
- Kigali city tour
- Chimpanzee habituation experience
- Visit o Ellen DeGeneres Campus of Dian Fossey
- Services of an English speaking driver/ guide.
- Bottles of mineral water
The package excludes expenses of personal nature like:
- Visa Fees & flights
- Optional activities
- Tips for guides
- Laundry
- Alcoholic drinks
- International vaccinations & tests
- Health test requirements
- Personal travel Insurance
- Personal shopping bills
- Phone call bills
- Extras while at the hotel
- Items of personal nature
Please contact us for a free detailed quote on the option of your choice. We can tailor a request that suits your interests, and budget, as well as we can change or upgrade the lodge options. Write to us with more details about your safari.