Overview
12 Days Rwanda gorilla trekking, Habituation & Wildlife Safari; The combination of these two countries has always presented a fantastic safari in Africa. The double gorilla search of trekking and habituation done in Rwanda and Uganda alternately makes your trip very amazing. The trip starts in Rwanda, goes to Nyungwe and Volcanos to track both chimpanzees and gorillas, crosses to Uganda and track golden monkeys, visit the Batwa, do gorilla habituation, visit Lake Bunyonyi, track tree climbing lions, do game drives and wild boat cruise and finally finishes in Kampala and Entebbe.
Trip summary
- Day 1: Arrive at Kigali, Rwanda
- Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park and Canopy walk
- Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking and Transfer to Volcanos National Park
- Day 4: Gorilla trekking and Transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
- Day 5: Golden Monkey tracking and Batwa community visit
- Day 6: Gorilla Habituation and Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
- Day 7: Stay and explore Lake Bunyonyi
- Day 8: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park via Ishasha
- Day 9: Wild Game drive and Kazinga boat cruise
- Day 10:Visit the Kasenyi community and Lake Katwe
- Day 11: Transfer to Kampala with an en-route at Igongo cultural center
- Day 12: Kampala city tour and transfer to Entebbe for your flight
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive at Kigali, Rwanda
Today you will arrive in Rwanda via Kigali International Airport. Upon reaching Kigali, Early Trail Expeditions Uganda representative will be ready to receive you. Note that this representative will be your driver guide your other days to spend in Rwanda. Then will transfer to your lodge hotel in Kigali and relax after such a long flight. Dinner and overnight will be at your hotel
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park and Canopy walk
This morning will take a scenic drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park. The forest is a super natural biodiversity that hosts greater African tropical dwellers. Reaching the park south of Kigali will take about 3 hours, and then will take an afternoon canopy walk. These hyped tropical canopy walk on a swinging suspension is a world class adventure. This is a world class canopy walk which leaves wanting more of the swings and walks overhead loftier trees. Then will check-in at your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation (Mid-range): Chimpanzee Lodge
Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking and Transfer to Volcanos National Park
This morning after energizing with breakfast, will rush to the tracking point. Consider trekking in the morning session, Chimpanzee tracking at Nyungwe forest leads into the tea leaves contours, thick forests, bamboos, according to the trip kind of chimpanzee group to track. Chimpanzees at Nyungwe are habituated and trackers have a chance for a close-up encounter. The track can last between 30 minutes to about 3 hours searching for apes into the deep of the forest. And finding them, you have a limit of one hour in their presence.
Then will take an afternoon drive with lunch en-route via Kigali to Volcanos National Park. This is about 5 hours’ drive and you will reach Volcanos in northern Rwanda by late evening hours. Check-in at your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation (Midrange): Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge
Day 4: Gorilla trekking and Transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
This is a special day, you will have to face your closest relatives. Following your energizing breakfast, will drive to the starting point at Volcanos National Park at least 30 minutes prior to the trekking time. Be briefed about trekking, be grouped and under the lead of an armed ranger guide embark into the jungle for the day’s hunt. The search for the gorillas can last for 30 minutes to 4 hours walking into the rush, unmade path, sometimes moist and slippery grounds until your find the gentle giants in the deep. At the sight of the gorillas you have strictly one hour of watching and be entertained.
After the trek with en-route refreshments (lunch) will drive to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park crossing Uganda Rwanda borders. Then will drive straight to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation (midrange): Mount Gahinga Safari Lodge
Day 5: Golden Monkey tracking and Batwa community visit
Today is a special day to enroll into the jungle, following your energizing breakfast, will hurry to go and track the endangered golden monkeys. The golden monkeys are only endemic to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. The beautiful and nice looking golden monkeys live in communities of over 30 individuals and more. These monkeys are habituated meaning tracker can have that close-up moment. The track in volcanic forests of Mgahinga can last for about 30 minutes to 3 hours and when found the brownish monkeys you have an hour in their presence.
After the track with lunch en-route, will afterwards take a drive to Kisoro and keep sometimes in the Batwa communities around Mgahinga forest. These are special people who have clutched to their primitive way of life. However, gorilla activities of tourism have done a lot to ensure a standardized life of these people. You will enjoy stories, tales, and even visit some of their caves they and hurts where they stay. Then, will continue to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park through Rushaga gate. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Midrange: Rushaga Gorilla Lodge
Day 6: Gorilla Habituation and Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
On your served breakfast your hurry with all your day backpacker. Have your packed lunch, enough drinking water and all tracking gears. At the trekking point you will be 4 people in the group and a team of researchers and rangers. Then, roll into the deep and launch a search for the gorilla. Gorilla habituation is a process which is aimed at letting the gorillas familiar to human presence, it’s a follow up activity which is done to each gorilla group before it’s ready for trekking until they’re ready to be trekked. You will start a search through the deep, and upon finding the gorillas this time you have 4 hours in their presence. This time you’re not only enjoying their sight, but also studying, and understanding each individual in the group. The adventure can last for about 6 to 8 hours, then your will return to the starting point, rest and drive back to your lodge to refresh. You will be exhausted and have to rest.
Accommodation (Midrange): Four Gorillas Lodge
Day 7: Stay and explore Lake Bunyonyi
This day spend it relaxed at the amazing Lake Bunyonyi. This lake is the 2nd deepest lake in Africa, and jeweled with a simple and unique landscape view. Reaching at the lake you will take a boat ride to one of the islands. Then will check-in at your lodge and relax under the melodies of many small birds like the name suggests. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Accommodation (midrange): Arcadia Cottages
Day 8: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park via Ishasha
This morning transfer to Ishasha sector Queen Elizabeth National Park, will take an afternoon game drive while tracking the possibility of watching the big five. The Ishasha sector in famous for hosting the amazing prides who always finds easy to have a warm day spend under tree branches. The tracking is accompanied by the wider view of wildlife. Then will take about two hour drive from Ishasha to Kasenyi Lodge.
Accommodation (midrange): Kasenyi Safari Camp
Day 9: Wild Game drive and Kazinga boat cruise
Today early morning with your packed breakfast will drive to Kasenyi section of Queen Elizabeth National Park for an incredible game drive. One of the rewarding game drive with variety of wildlife species including; elephants, Uganda kobs, bushbucks, buffalos, lions, warthogs among so many species to watch accompanied by several bird species.
In the afternoon hours with lunch en-route will drive to the Mweya peninsular, for a boat cruise on Kazinga channel. The wild boat cruise is an opening of watching more animals. Several animals are seen on the banks of the channel, hippos, and crocodiles are seem socking into the deep, and elephants, buffalos are seen lousily relaxed and drawing water from the river bank. Then, after will drive back to your lodge for dinner and overnight;
Accommodation (Midrange): Kasenyi Safari Camp
Day 10: Visit the Kasenyi community and Lake Katwe
Take your day and visit these communities in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Start your drive with Kasenyi community, and go through the community to understand how these people do are surviving living in the park. With lunch en-route will drive to Katwe Salt Lake, this is the only source of salt crystals in the East African region. Then will return to your lodge relax for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation (Midrange): Kasenyi Safari Camp
Day 11: Transfer to Kampala with an en-route at Igongo cultural center
Today will take a long day drive from Ishasha Queen Elizabeth National Park to Kampala. Along your exciting drive will en-route at Igongo cultural site in Mbarara the capital of western Uganda. Igongo is a tourist food hub, so you will enjoy your lunch here, then take a visit to the cultural museum that narrates all about western Uganda culture and history. Then will take a direct drive with a stopover for relaxing and refreshing and photographs at the Equator. Then after that drive to Kampala reaching by late evening hours and check-in for your dinner and overnight.
Accommodation (Midrange): Imperial Royal Hotel
Day 12: Kampala city tour and transfer to Entebbe for your flight
This morning initiates Uganda Museum for an insight about Uganda’s history. Then will also visit the Kasubi tombs where the last three Kings of Buganda are lied. The Tombs is the world biggest thatched and a UNESCO heritage site. Then with lunch en-route will drive to Entebbe International airport for your next flight back home.
On behalf of Early Trial Expedition Uganda, our driver guide will say goodbye to you. Then, take your flight back to your home. We believed after this trip you become our next ambassador for Early Trail Expeditions Uganda in your country and area. Thank you!
Trip inclusive;
- 4×4 safari vehicle
- All trip fuel
- All meals and soft drinks
- All Park entrances
- All trip activities
- Gorilla permits
- Canopy walks
- Chimpanzee permits
- Golden monkey permits
- Accommodation
- Driver guide
- Community visits
Exclusive;
- Visa and air ticket
- Laundry
- All hard drinks
- Souvenirs
- Tips
- All international flights
