Countries: Rwanda, and Uganda
Destinations: Kigali, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park
Itinerary at Glance
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali
Day 2: Kigali city tour and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 3: Gorilla Trekking at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 4: Trek from Buhoma to Kisoro through Bwindi Forest and Nkuringo
Day 5: Mount Muhabura hiking at Mgahinga National Park
Day 7: Mount Sabyinyo hiking at Mgahinga National Park
Day 7: Golden Monkey trekking and transfer to Kigali
Day 8: Departure
Overview
The 8 Days Uganda Primate Trek, Buhoma Nkuringo Walk and Volcano Hiking Adventure takes you to the hearts of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park, which are well known for the famous endangered mountain gorillas and massive Volcanoes hiking adventure, though this time, you will be heading strictly for Volcano hiking, and primate trekking. You will land through Kigali – Rwanda, visit Kigali city, with a visit to Kigali genocide memorial before commerce by road transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for gorilla trekking in Buhoma, followed by a trek from Buhoma, to Nkuringo to Kisoro, through forest walking safari, which rewards you with a great understanding of the park and its community. You will wind this with a Volcanoes hiking adventure at Mgahinga National Park in Uganda, to hike both Mount Muhabura and Mount Sabyinyo, later golden monkey hiking before you return to Kigali for your departure. An East African visa upon arrival can be obtained upon arrival in Kigali, for this great massive wildlife experience.
Trip Highlights
- Gorilla trekking in Uganda
- Golden monkey trek in Uganda
- Buhoma – Nkuringo – Kisoro walking safari
- Community encounter
- Mount Muhabura hike
- Mount Sabyinyo hike
- Kigali city tour
- Kigali genocide memorial visit
- Border crossing
Day 1: Welcome to Kigali – Rwanda!
Day Itinerary
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.
Overnight stay at: Heaven Boutique Hotel & Restaurant
Meal Plan: Bed and breakfast
Day 2: Transfer from Kigali to Bwindi. Travel time + 5hrs
Day Itinerary
After having a relaxed breakfast at your hotel, you will be met by your guide, share a short briefing, you can have a short brief Kigali city tour, with a visit to Kigali genocide memorial, learn more about the Rwanda 1994, genocide incidence, before you hit the road, to find your way to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, via Rwanda – Uganda border post, which is roughly a 5 hour’s drive with an en route lunch, to your booked accommodation, for dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight at: Buhoma Haven Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 3: Gorilla trekking Experience at Bwind Impenetrable National Park
Day Itinerary
Early morning cup of coffee, then prepare for the briefing from the Uganda’s officials and thereafter drive to the trekking starting point, have a short briefing before entering into the jungle to search for the shy mountain gorilla, for your gorilla trekking experience. After meeting the gorillas, you can sit around these great apes for a whole hour gazing into their big round eyes. On a gorilla safari, a reasonable degree of fitness is required as well as walking shoes, packed food and mineral water, insect repellent, sunscreen and hut. The gorilla tracking experience takes half or whole day depending on the movement of these primates. After this gorilla tracking experience in Uganda, you will have an informative memorable experience in life.
You will return, meet your guide and drive to your lodge for lunch. After lunch, spend the afternoon at leisure. You can opt for a batwa community experience.
Overnight at: Buhoma Haven Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 4: Buhoma to Nkuringo Hiking Excursion
Day Itinerary
You will meet up with your assigned local guide at your lodge, share a short introductory briefing, grab your packed picnic lunch and snacks, head off to the park headquarter by foot walking for registration and briefing. At 8:30 am, you kick off your hike from Buhoma to Nkuringo then to Kisoro.
0 Km: Start the trek from Buhoma at about 1483m ASL 500m, which is a relatively low altitude, in a company of ranger guides, and porters, cross River Munyaga. After around 3km, you will arrive after a gentle climb to 1580m ASL at a trail junction where you may branch off to go see the cascading falls 700m off trail. As you approach 6.6km, you will cross the River. Ivi at 1460m ASL after a gentle descent. At about 10.6km, you will reach the forest boundary after an undulating but mostly gentle rise to 1580m ASL, you will now emerge from the Bwindi forest. After 14.6km, you will arrive at Nkuringo after a steep climb to 2133m ASL. This last portion of the hike is more demanding, as you ascend the last part of your hike. The gentle sections until River Ivi have very good solid ground. After crossing the river, you get through a number of very shallow pools on stepping stones. The water level depends on the rainy season. Once you begin the steep climb, pray that the rain has not made parts of the track slippery. But it is a generally solid trail underfoot.
Difficulty level is moderate. I would grade it easy but for that steep finish up to Nkuringo, later descent, and proceed with your walk to cross Lake Mutanda, to Kisoro, to your booked lodge.
The views are magnificent, a detour to Buhoma falls is an added bonus if you have energy and off the record we met a family of Gorillas and some chimpanzees. But that’s all down to luck
Overnight stay at: Ichumbi Hotel Kisoro (Mid – range) or Mucha Lodge (Standard)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Hike Mount Muhabura at Mgahinga National Park
Day Itinerary
Meet your guide at your hotel after an early morning breakfast, share a short briefing, and later proceed with your drive to Mgahinga National Park, where you will get ready for a challenging hike, as you meet your park hiking guide with your packed lunch, where you will undertake Mount Muhabura hiking. The mountain is 4127 m above sea level and it takes 5 – 6 hours of hiking. You will enjoy the beautiful view that this mountain rewards with great flowers along the way. The hiking is a bit challenging and you need to be in good shape, but the scenery along the way is rewarding. You will later return to your booked accommodation for dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight stay at: Ichumbi Hotel Kisoro (Mid – range) or Mucha Lodge (Standard)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Hike Mountain Sabyinyo at Mgahinga National Park
Day Itinerary
Today, we head for another amazing hiking challenge, to take on Sabyinyo, which rewards you with a great experience, of viewing the 3 countries, from one stand. Due to the extremely rugged nature of the terrain along the Sabyinyo’s slopes that has many craters with sharp ridges, the mountain cannot be trekked in the other two countries except in Uganda where they have managed to work out a safe trekking route to the summit, though with a very challenging trails that includes improvising handmade ladders to assist climbers at very steep sections. Standing at 3645 m, Mount Sabyinyo, is one of the most exciting volcanoes, which offers a great hiking adventure. Peak 3 is reached by a steep and muddy scramble. The borders of three countries converge on this summit and you will find yourself simultaneously in Rwanda, Congo and Uganda. The 14km round trip takes about 8 hours. You will later return in the evening, and retire at your lodge, refresh and later dinner and overnight stay
Overnight stay at: Ichumbi Hotel Kisoro (Mid – range) or Mucha Lodge (Standard)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: Golden monkey trekking and return to Kigali. Travel time + 4 hours
Day Itinerary
Have an early morning breakfast at your lodge, meet your driver guide, and drive to the park headquarters for the golden monkey trekking briefing, before heading to the forest to sight the golden monkeys. Same rules for gorilla trekking will apply for golden monkey trekking, as an hour will be allocated for you upon seeing the golden monkeys. You will later return and have lunch, before finding your way to Kigali, reach and you can opt for a Kigali city tour, with a visit to the Kigali art galleries and the local market. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 8: Departure
Day Itinerary
Have a relaxed breakfast and you will later be transferred to the airport for your morning flight back home. End of service!
Meal Plan: Breakfast.
This safari package includes.
- Transportation in a 4×4 safari vehicle
- Accommodations and meals as per itinerary
- En-route lunches
- 1 gorilla permit (700$) per person
- Golden monkey permit
- Buhoma – Nkuringo – Kisoro walking safari
- Community encounter
- Bird watching
- Mount Sabyinyo hike
- Mount Muhabura hike
- Kigali city tour
- Visit to Kigali genocide memorial ground
- Services of English speaking driver/guide
- Unlimited bottles of mineral water during safari
- Other activities as per the itinerary
The Package Excludes:
- Tips & gratitude’s
- Drinks while at the tented camps & lodges
- Laundry at the tented camps & lodges
- International Flights
- East African Visa
- Travel Insurance
- Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
- All items of personal nature
- Covid test fees, where need be
- International health requirements
- Optional activities under the programme
- Photography equipment
- Additional sightseeing or deviation from the itinerary
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, as well as arrange multi – days / destination combined safaris. Write to us with more details about your safari.