5 Day Uganda & Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari

5 Day Uganda & Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari | 5 Days 4 Nights Rwanda Uganda Gorilla Trekking & Safari Tours | Uganda & Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Tours | Parc Nationale des Volcanoes Rwanda & Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park Uganda Safari | 5 Days 4 Nights Uganda Safaris

This exceptional 5-Day Uganda & Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari takes you mountain gorilla trekking in the Bwindi Forest National Park of Uganda and the Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda! You get to spend time with these endangered primates in the wild, experiencing one of the most incredible and unforgettable wildlife encounters on earth – twice!

Day one of your safari begins with a long drive to Bwindi National Park. Leaving Entebbe and Kampala behind we drive southwest via Masaka to Mbarara, about 283 km from Kampala. Our drive takes us across the equator, where we stop for snacks and photos.

Then we visit Igongo Cultural Village Centre and the interesting Ankole Museum, before having lunch at a motel in Mbarara. After lunch, we travel into the scenic highlands of Uganda, to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park for the night.

On day two, we embark on our first exhilarating mountain gorilla trek – an experience to be treasured! We transfer to the Bwindi Forest National Park headquarters for a short briefing then a UWA ranger guide takes you into the lush Bwindi Forest where almost half of the world’s remaining wild mountain gorillas are found.

We will be trekking through the jungle for two to six hours, and once we find our designated gorilla group, we stop and spend an hour watching them. Of the estimated 880 wild gorillas remaining on the planet, Bwindi is home to about half this population, living in four family groups.

In the afternoon when we return from our unforgettable gorilla encounter we visit Buhoma Village. Walking around the village gives you the chance to meet the local people living near Bwindi, see how they live, and support the community directly.

On day three, we leave Bwindi and its majestic gorillas behind, traveling from Uganda into neighboring Rwanda. This stunning drive takes us through the hilly countryside of Rwanda, dubbed the ‘Land of a Thousand Hills. Our destination for the day is the city of Ruhengeri, now called Musanze, which serves as the base for exploring Volcanoes National Park.

On day four, we head to the nearby Volcanoes National Park, one of the best places in the world for mountain gorilla trekking! Reaching the park headquarters our driver/ guide takes care of the formalities while the park rangers brief you on the gorilla trek. Then it is time for your second gorilla trekking experience. Once we find our gorillas we get to spend an hour with them in the forest.

We watch these massive primates go about their day – grooming, playing, sleeping, and feeding. It is an extraordinary experience to see how gentle and social the gorillas are, and how much their behavior resembles that of humans. After our unforgettable gorilla encounter, we trek back to the headquarters and return to the accommodation for dinner and leisure time.

On our final day, we depart for Kampala, Uganda with lunch en route, arriving in the evening.  Then you are transferred to the Entebbe International Airport for your onward flight.

Day 1: Kampala or Entebbe – Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable forest
Day 2: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Gorilla Trekking
Day 3: Bwindi – Drive to Rwanda Parc Nationale de volcanoes
Day 4: Gorilla tracking in Parc Nationale de volcanoes Rwanda
Day 5: Parc Nationale de volcanoes Rwanda – Drive to Kampala

Day 1: Kampala – Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Have an early breakfast and depart from Kampala and head to Western Uganda. A brief stop at the Equator provides an opportunity to photograph. Continue to the rolling hills and terraced landscapes of the Kabale District. Have lunch in Mbarara town and proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park for the night.

Travel Time: About 9 to11 Hours

Accommodation Options:

Luxury Accommodation: Gorilla Resort Lodge, Buhomma Lodge, Silverback Lodge
Super Luxury Accommodation: Mahogany Springs, Gorilla Forest Camp, Clouds Lodge
Mid-range Accommodation: Buhoma community Rest camp, Wagtail safari camp, Lake Kitandara
Budget Accommodation: Buhoma community Rest camp, Nshongi Gorilla Resort or Bwindi View Bandas

Meal Plan: {Lunch & Dinner}

Day 2: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Gorilla Trekking

After an early morning breakfast and guide briefing, set off for your gorilla tracking in the forests of Bwindi. Gorilla tracking can be strenuous because of Bwindi’s challenging terrain.

You will need to carry packed lunch and drinking water and wear comfortable boots or sturdy shoes, as well as carry a light rain jacket as Bwindi has unpredictable weather. Walking sticks will be available from the park rangers. A friendly encounter with these gentle giants will be your most exciting experience!

For conservation purposes, time spent with the gorillas is limited to one hour. The ranger guide always briefs you on how to behave with these gentle giants. After an encounter with a group of gorillas some with silverbacks, one can say “a sight of Gorillas has made my lifetime tour”.

In the evening, you will have a cultural walk to interact with the local people. Participate in captivating traditional performances presented by Women’s groups or orphan children groups. Note that the fees you pay for these performances go directly to improve the welfare of families around the park.

Travel Time: Unpredictable

Accommodation Options:

Luxury Accommodation: Gorilla Resort Lodge, Buhomma Lodge, Silverback Lodge
Super Luxury Accommodation: Mahogany Springs, Gorilla Forest Camp, Clouds Lodge
Mid-range Accommodation: Buhoma community Rest camp, Wagtail safari camp, Lake Kitandara
Budget Accommodation: Buhoma community Rest camp, Nshongi Gorilla Resort, or Bwindi View Bandas

Meal Plan: {Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner}

Day 3: Bwindi – Drive to Rwanda Parc Nationale de volcanoes (Volcanoes National Park)

Take breakfast before making a scenic journey to Rwanda through the beautiful terrain of the rolling hills with terraced landscapes. Drive through the winding road and terraced landscape and reach Kisoro for lunch and then drive to Uganda/ Rwanda border and cross to Rwanda.

You will cross the border via Kisoro and then clear customs and immigration at the border – Rwanda is 1 hour behind Uganda. Continue put to travel to Volcanoes National Park (Parc National des Volcans) for an overnight.

Travel time from Bwindi Uganda to Rwanda to Volcanoes National Park is about: 4 to 5 hours.

Accommodation Option:

Budget Accommodation: Kinigi Guest House
Mid-range Accommodation: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
Luxury Accommodation: High-end Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/ La Palme

Meal Plan: {Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner}

Day 4: Gorilla Tracking in Parc Nationale de volcanoes (Volcanoes National Park) Rwanda

After an early breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters for briefing at 0800 Hours. You will need to carry a packed breakfast and lunch as you will spend most of your time in the jungle. The time you will spend tracking the gorillas is unpredictable and it may take as few as only 2 hours on a good day yet it may even take you 8 hours before you meet these great apes.

This period taken depends on their movement on the previous day. When you finally find the gorillas, you will have to spend an hour watching them play and eat foliage as you take photographs. It is truly a thrilling experience of a lifetime.

In case you finish the gorilla tracking early you can choose to relax and have a drink at one of the executive hotels near the park or you can drive to Gisenyi to visit Ross Carr’s orphanage and Lake Kivu. You could also visit a local school, or community project or walk to Lake Bulera or take a cultural tour to have an opportunity to interact with the friendly local people.

Accommodation Option:

Budget Accommodation: Kinigi Guest House
Mid-range Accommodation: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
Luxury Accommodation: High-end Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/ La Palme

Meal Plan: {Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner}

Day 5: Parc Nationale de volcanoes Rwanda – Drive to Kampala

We will depart for Kampala, with lunch en route, arriving in the evening. Transfer to the airport if applicable.

Travel Time: About 9 to 10 Hours

Meal Plan: {Breakfast & Lunch}