Countries: Rwanda and Uganda
Destinations: Kigali, Volcanoes National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Itinerary at Glance
Day 1: Arrive Kigali
Day 2: City tour & transfer to Volcanoes
Day 3: Golden monkey trek & transfer to Bwindi
Day 4: 1st Gorilla Trekking
Day 5: Community walk
Day 6: 2nd Gorilla trek and return to Kigali
Day 5: Departure
Overview
This 7 Days Rwanda Uganda Double Gorilla 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, from the only savannah park of Volcanoes fueled by golden monkey trekking at Volcanoes National Park before driving to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for a double gorilla trekking experience, alongside a wonderful community walk. This is a round trip starting and ending in Kigali.
You will as well, get a great chance, to come face to face with the gentle gorillas twice!!!!
Trip Highlights
- 2 times Gorilla trekking in Uganda
- Golden monkey trekking in Rwanda
- Kigali city tour
- Community walking 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 at: Heaven Boutique Hotel & Restaurant
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 at: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel
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 at: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 4: 1st Gorilla trekking Experience at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day Itinerary
Today, we are going for real business with the gorillas
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 1st 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. Have a relaxed afternoon at your lodge, going through the beautiful photos of the great gorilla encounter, as you wait for dinner and overnight.
Overnight at: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 5: Community nature walk
Day Itinerary
Today after a relaxed breakfast, you will meet your local community guide, and head off, for a wonderful local community walk experience, to discover the hidden treasure of the amazing community, who live close to Bwindi forest, as well as visiting the waterfalls. The walk can take 3 – 4 hours, later return to the lodge for lunch, and spend the afternoon at leisure.
Day 6: 2nd Gorilla Trekking at Bwindi and transfer to Kigali
Day Itinerary
Today after your early morning breakfast, at 6.30 am, you will be transferred to the park’s headquarters with your packed lunch, for your 2nd gorilla trekking adventure in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, though, this time, you will trek another family different from the previous family you trekked a day before. You will enjoy a wonderful time trekking another gorilla family, and same procedures and guidelines, just as the first trekking, will be followed. 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 at: Heave Boutique Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 7: Departure
Day Itinerary
Have your early morning breakfast and, depending on your flight, you may undertake more Kigali city tour or be transferred to the airport to catch up with your flight. End of service! Meal Plan: Breakfast
This safari package includes.
- Transportation in a 4×4 safari vehicle
- Accommodation and meals as per itinerary
- 2 Gorilla permits ($ 1400), per person
- Museums 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.