Countries: Rwanda and Uganda
Destinations: Kigali, Nyungwe National Park, Lake Kivu and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Itinerary at Glance
Day 1: Arrive Kigali
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe National Park
Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk in Nyungwe
Day 4: Transfer to Karongi – Lake Kivu
Day 5: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 6: Gorilla trek in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 7: Transfer to Kigali for city tour
Day 8: Departure.
Trip Overview
Your 8 days magical Rwanda and Uganda Gorilla trek round trip will give you a great insight of Rwanda and Uganda attractions, as you are able to visit both countries exploring the available touristic resource they each have got. You will be able to visit the Nyungwe National Park for chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk experience, Lake Kivu and cultural village on Rwandan side, before you cross over to Uganda for gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and later return to Rwanda and wind up your tour with Kigali city tour to visit the Kigali genocide memorial and if time permits, we shall add in local market and art gallery visit. The trip will be rewarding and remarkable at the end, as it gives you an insight of both countries in just 8 days. This round trip, starts and ends in Kigali – Rwanda.
Trip Highlights
- Gorilla trekking in Uganda
- Chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda
- Canopy walk Experience
- Boat ride on Lake Kivu
- Kigali Genocide memorial
- Museum visits
- Kigali city tour
Day 1: Welcome to Kigali – Rwanda!
Day Itinerary
Upon arrival at Kigali international airport, you will go through custom and immigration, and you will be met by our hotel representative who will warmly welcome you to the Land of a thousand hills that Rwanda is know of, an later drive to your booked hotel accommodation for dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight at: Hotel des Mille Collines
Meal Plan: Bed and breakfast
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe National Park. Travel time +5 hours
Day Itinerary
Early morning enjoy your buffer breakfast and checkout of the hotel and drive heading to the western province, on your way visit the Royal Palace Museum and Ethnographic Museum in Southern Province, this will give you a great history of traditional ways of living among Rwandans and their past way of leadership of Kingship with an en route lunch. You will reach in the afternoon at Nyungwe national park and spend the afternoon at your leisure, as you wait for dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight stay at: Nyungwe Top View Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk at Nyungwe National Park
Day Itinerary
Today, after your early morning cup of African coffee, you will leave your hotel to experience the natural forest of Nyungwe, well known for having 13 species of primates, and transferred to the park for briefing and chimpanzee trekking experience. You will be entitled to one hour on finding the chimpanzees. After doing the chimpanzee trek, head for lunch before heading for a canopy walk. This 70 meters suspended metallic bridge will give you a great overview of Nyungwe forest and on a lucky day spot one or two more primates in the forest as you take a walk on this bridge and later return in the afternoon for dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight stay at: Nyungwe Top View Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 4: Transfer to Kibuye at Lake Kivu. Travel time +3hrs
Day Itinerary
After having a relaxed breakfast, you will be transferred to Kibuye, a lake showers town near Lake Kivu. Catch up with lunch at your hotel, before you head for an afternoon boat trip on Lake Kivu to explore this amazing lake. You will be able to visit Napoleon Island, take a hike over the Island, which rewards you with a beautiful view of the lake. Lots of birds can be sighted here. Later return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.
Overnight stay at: Cormoran Hotel Kivu
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 5: Transfer to Bwindi via Cyanika border. Travel time + 5 hrs
Day Itinerary
Enjoy relaxed morning breakfast by the lake, and later meet with your driver guide, share a short briefing and jump into your jeep, to find your way to Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park via Musanze, where you can opt for a cultural experience at Iby’ Iwacu cultural center or visit Ellen DeGeneres Campus of Dian Fossey, as you drive along to Cyanika border, with a beautiful view of Volcanoes National Park. The park is one of the best spots to see the endangered mountain gorillas, one of the leading activities in the park. You will catch up with your lunch at the lodge and later spend the evening at your leisure as you warm up for your next lifetime adventure. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Overnight stay at: Mutanda Lake Resort
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 6: Gorilla trekking Experience at Bwindi 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. 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 stay at: Mutanda Lake Resort
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 7: Transfer back to Kigali
Day Itinerary
Today after your early morning breakfast, you will meet your guide and you hit the road back to Kigali. Afterwards, we will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, before heading for Kigali city tour.
Founded in 1907 as a German settlement, Kigali did not become the capital until Rwanda’s independence in 1962 when it replaced the colonial seat of power in Butare. Since then, the city has seen major economic development resulting in what it is today; a vibrant African city of more than one million residents with wide boulevards, world-class hotels and restaurants, crafts & curio shops as well as a lively, cosmopolitan atmosphere.
Take a Kigali City Tour which includes visits to old Kigali and craft markets, the Kigali Genocide Memorial at Gisozi to learn about Rwanda’s history, the Genocide against the Tutsi as well as other mass atrocities around the world. Exploring further, it is inspiring to see how far the country has come in 28 years. The recovery has been referred to as a true testament to humankind’s resilience. We stop at a craft center where you can haggle for unique Rwandan crafts and curios, and if time permits, we visit the Kandt House Natural History Museum, which covers both natural ecosystems in Rwanda and the intertwined Rwandan and German colonial history. We may also have time to tour Old Kigali where the colonial buildings now form the heart of Rwanda’s small businesses.
Later check in to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight at: Hotel des Mille Collines
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 8: Airport transfer.
Day Itinerary
Today, our 8 days – 7 nights, Rwanda Uganda primate safari comes to an end.
Upon having your morning breakfast, depending on your flight time, your driver guide will be ready to transfer you to the airport, to catch up with your flight back home. End of service!
Meal Plan: Breakfast only
This safari package includes.
- Transportation in a 4×4 safari vehicle
- Accommodation and meals as per itinerary
- Gorilla permit ($800), per person
- 1 Chimpanzee permit per person
- En-route lunches
- Kigali genocide memorial visit
- Canopy walk experience
- Boat ride on Lake Kivu
- Park entrance fees
- Kigali city tour
- Services of English speaking driver/guide
- Bottles of mineral water during safari
- 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.