Countries: Rwanda and Uganda
Destinations: Kigali, Volcanoes National Park & Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Itinerary at Glance
Day 1: Arrive Kigali
Day 2: City tour & transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Day 3: Golden monkey trek & transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 4: Gorilla Trekking & transfer to Kigali
Day 5: Departure
Overview
This 5 days Rwanda Uganda Gorilla trekking adventure safari will wrap up the best of Rwanda and Uganda attractions, blending you, all way through from the city suburbs, to all the major Rwandans’ parks, discovering and exploring the hidden secrets within these parks, with golden monkey trekking at Volcanoes National Park before driving to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park for a gorilla trekking experience. This is a round trip starting and ending in Kigali.
Trip Highlights.
- Gorilla trekking experience in Uganda
- Golden monkey trekking in Rwanda
- 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: The Retreat Hotel (luxury) or Heaven Boutique Hotel & Restaurant (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Bed and breakfast
Day 2: Transfer from Kigali to Volcanoes NP. Travel time +2hrs
Day Itinerary
Upon getting done with your hotel breakfast in Kigali, you will be met by our company representative, who will introduce you to your safari driver guide, who will brief you shortly and later transfer you to the booked accommodation in Musanze which is roughly a 2 hours’ drive. If time allows, you can have a short brief Kigali city tour, with a visit to Kigali genocide memorial, learn more about the Rwanda 1994, genocide incidence, and later have lunch, before you hit up on the road, to find your way to you booked in Musanze. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.
Volcanoes National park
Bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda in Rwanda, the Volcanoes National Park is best known as a sanctuary for the region’s rare mountain gorillas. Visitors flock here to experience a face to face encounter with these intriguing creatures, making it the most famous park in Rwanda. The park is set high on the jungle-covered slopes of the volcanic Virunga Mountains. Highly regulated treks through the reserve allow visitors to spend an hour at a time with these incredible primates in their natural habitat.
While the gorillas are without a doubt the main drawcard, visitors can also look forward to exploring a network of scenic hiking trails, visiting the tomb of the world-famous Dian Fossey and the Karisoke Research Centre, and enjoying a beautiful day hike to the Crater Lake on Mount Bisoke. You can as well as opt for trekking the shy golden monkeys or head for a canoe ride on the twin lakes. The beautiful Buhanga Eco Park, still remains virgin and open to visitors, where you get more cultural insight in regards to leadership and kingship of Rwanda.
Overnight stay at: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (luxury) or Ingagi Parkview Lodge (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 3: Golden Monkey trekking and transfer to Bwindi. Travel time +3hrs
Day Itinerary
This morning, head for a Golden monkeys trekking experience that takes place in Volcanoes national park at 7:00 am. The golden monkey trekking, takes the same procedure as the gorilla trekking, however less, strenuous compared to gorilla trekking. These rare species are also listed as endangered – and Volcanoes national park currently has two habituated golden monkeys’ troops that are available for visiting by tourists in the park, both of which make about 50 members.
Golden monkeys in Rwanda live in the bamboo vegetation towards the base of the volcanoes and habituation has helped them to overcome their initial shyness to accept their daily visit by researchers and tourists.
Trekking golden monkeys and gorillas is a similar experience – in a small group of no more than eight people, and you can spend one hour with the monkeys once you find them. The endangered species are very active creatures, and jump from tree to tree which is really interesting and a little difficult to photograph!
Afterwards, we will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before driving to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, via Cyanika border post, which is roughly a 3 hour’s drive to your booked accommodation, for dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight stay at: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge (luxury) or Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 4: Uganda Gorilla trekking Experience and transfer back to Kigali
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 you hit the road back to Kigali, arrive and check in to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight stay at: The Retreat Hotel (luxury) or Heaven Boutique Hotel & Restaurant (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 5: Departure
Day Itinerary
Have your early morning breakfast and, depending on your flight time, you will be transferred to the airport to catch up with your evening flight. 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 permits ($ 700), per person
- Kigali genocide memorial visit
- 1 golden monkey per person
- En-route lunches
- Community walk experience
- Kigali city tour
- Services of English speaking driver/guide
- Bottles of mineral water during the trip
- Fun and other excursions as mentioned in the itinerary.
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.