7 Days Gorilla Safari in Uganda and Rwanda

7 Day Uganda Rwanda Wildlife & Gorilla Trek

Explore Uganda’s wildlife and primates like gorillas and chimpanzees on a 7-day gorilla safari adventure combining Uganda and Rwanda. Start with chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest; proceed to Queen Elizabeth National Park for a boat cruise and game drive, then Bwindi impenetrable forest for gorilla tracking. From here we cross to Volcanoes national park in Rwanda for another gorilla trek, and if interested, end with a visit to genocide memorial sites.

Detailed Itinerary; 7 Day / 6 night Uganda Rwanda Safari

Day One: Travel to Kibale National park, afternoon Boat cruise

Meet at your hotel in Kampala or Entebbe and transfer to Kibale National Park (5-7hours drive), this is home to 13 primate species that include chimpanzees, olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys, velvet monkeys, etc, lunch in Fort Portal town, dinner, and overnight at Kibale Forest Camp, Chimpanzee Guest House, Chimp Nest Lodge or Kyaninga Lodge.

Day Two: Chimpanzee Habituation Experience or Chimps Tracking

Today we either go for Chimpanzee habituation experience (Full day with Chimpanzees) or half-day chimps tracking in Kibale national park with an afternoon nature walk through Bigodi swamps or to the crater lakes region, dinner, and overnight as on Day One.

Day three: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park, afternoon boat cruise

Breakfast and transfer to Queen Elizabeth park following the foothills of the mystical Rwenzori Mountains arrive in time for an afternoon boat cruise along the Kazinga channel. This cruise is much awesome because it passes through the concentration of the wildlife animals with a clear scenic view of birds, animals along the shores. Hundreds of Hippopotamuses are seen while on the boat including huge Nile crocodiles, Elephants, and Buffaloes basking along the shores, dinner, and overnight at Mweya safari lodge, Enganzi lodge, Katara lodge, Simba safari camp.

Day Four: Game drive and Transfer to Bwindi National Park

Dawn game drive to spot quite a variety of wildlife like some of the big five that include the lions, elephants, buffalos, leopards other animals include warthogs, waterbucks, bushbucks, oribi, leopards, topi, heart beasts among others. Return to the lodge for early lunch and then take brave drive to Ishasha sector famously loved by its tree-climbing lions. Later drive to Bwindi national park a home to half of the world’s population of shy mountain gorillas. Dinner and overnight at Gorilla Valley Camp / Nshongi Gorilla Resort / Nkuringo Gorilla Camp / Gorilla safari lodge.

Day Five: Bwindi Gorilla tracking, Uganda

Early heavy breakfast, after, prepare for a briefing from the park officials. After, enter into the jungle to search the shy mountain gorillas in their real habitat, when you encounter the great apes relax and experience them for your one hour entitled to spend viewing their lifestyle. The trek takes between 2-7 hours depending on their movement in this tropical forest. Carry yourself hiking boots, hut, insect repellent, rain gears, bottled mineral water, snacks, and other requirements that may be needed once in the tropical rain forest. Return to the lodge for late lunch, and if interested, we can take a community walk around the park, have dinner, and overnight.

Day Six: Cross to Rwanda; Volcanoes National Park

A relaxed morning followed by breakfast and hit the road to Rwanda via Cyanika border. The journey goes through the Kigezi region, famously known as the “Switzerland of Africa”, characterized by beautiful rolling hills, deep valleys and winding roads, very great scenic view en route. Keep your cameras charged for photographing en-route, and if interested, we can visit the beautiful Twin Lakes of Burera ad Ruhondo on our way to Volcanoes National Park, check-in Mountain gorilla view lodge / Le Bambou gorilla lodge / Hotel Muhabura / Kinigi Guest House, for dinner and overnight.

Day Seven: Gorilla tracking, transfer to Kigali (90 Minutes)

Heavy breakfast and after drive to Kinigi park headquarters for a briefing about gorilla trekking in Rwanda, after, enter into the jungle to search the shy mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. You will be allowed to stay with these gentle giants for one-hour maximum, enjoy them feeding, playing and young ones swinging on trees. Return to the lodge for refreshment, lunch, and transfer back to Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda. Depending on your scheduled departure flight, we shall transfer to Kigali Airport, or drop you off at your hotel for dinner and overnight.

End of the tour

Possible Extensions

Genocide memorial museums; Spare a day to visit Gisozi genocide memorial museum in Kigali, Nyamata, and Ntarama Churches/genocide museums to learn more about what happened before, during, and after the genocide in 1994 in Rwanda.