This 5-night Gorilla Trek tour takes place in both Rwanda and Uganda. The tour begins with a night in Kigali, Rwanda, where visitors can enjoy the friendly and safe city. The next day, visitors will explore Kigali’s history before heading to Musanze and the Volcanoes National Park for the first gorilla trek. After spending time with the gorillas, visitors will transfer to Uganda’s Bwindi National Park for another gorilla trek the following day. The tour includes a Batwa trail walk and a visit to local villages, providing insights into the lives of the people living in the area. The tour ends with a transfer back to Kigali for the final night.
Kigali
7:00am
Itinerary at a glance:
| Day | Location | Accommodation | Meals | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | KIGALI | Mille Collines Hotel | D | Trsf |
| 2 | Volcanoes N. Park | Ingagi Park View Lodge | FB | City Tour, Trsf |
| 3 | Volcanoes N. Park | Ingagi Park View Lodge | FB | Gorilla Trek |
| 4 | Bwindi National Park | Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge | FB | Trsf |
| 5 | Bwindi National Park | Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge | FB | Boat Cruise |
| 6 | Kigali City | Check out | B | Trsf |
| L-Lunch, D-Dinner, BB-Bed and breakfast, FB-Full Board, B-Breakfast, Flt-Flight, Trsf-Transfer | ||||
Below are the key tour highlights of the tour:
Upon arrival at Kigali International airport, disembark from the aircraft; all arrivals will be proceeded to the migration for visa process, collect luggage and exit into arrivals area where you will be welcomed by our driver-guide who will shortly brief you about your tour then immediate transfer to your Hotel in Kigali City.
Hotel Des Milles Collines is a 4*- star property located in the natural business hub and in the suburb area of the city – KIGALI. This Hotel has been extensively famous known for the Movie Hotel Rwanda. The drive from the airport to your Hotel will take approximately 15 minutes.
Kigali was founded in 1907 as small colonial outpost by Dr. Richard Kant, the first German colonial resident of Rwanda. The city has made tremendous progress since 1994 genocide. Considered one of the safest and friendliest of African capitals, Kigali is blessed with a moderate high altitude climate. It is inhabited by approximately 1 million people who now enjoy the benefits of peace. You will be pleasantly surprised at how comfortable it feels to be among the gentle people of Rwanda who will be delighted to welcome you to their beautiful, exceptionally friendly country.
Upon arrival to your Hotel you will immediately check in to your room for dinner and overnight.
Meals Plan: Hotel Des Mille Collines – https://www.millecollines.rw/, Meals Plan: Breakfast.
After your breakfast in the morning, you will start the city cite seeing and after all visit the Kigali genocide memorial site; a grim reminder of the senseless massacre of innocent’s lives in 1994. Learn about Rwanda’s history from pre-colonial times to 1994 genocide and how Rwanda has dealt with that past. We continue with our tour and visit Dr. Richard Kandt House Museum, the Kimironko Giant market, have lunch and visit the Hotel des Milles collines famous for the Genocide Movie Hotel Rwanda. Later proceed to the north in Musanze near the Volcanoes National Park.
The drive is through beautiful rolling hills, awesome landscape, bypassing coffee and banana plantations on a comfortable paved road. Arriving in Musanze City check in to your Hotel for Dinner and Overnight.
Overnight: Ingagi Park View Lodge, Meals Plan: Full Board
Wake up for an early morning breakfast and at around 6:30AM, we head to the Kinigi park Head quarter.
Today, your gorilla trek is sure to be the highlight of your tour. We will be at the Kinigi ranger station by 7am, where we are allocated guides and briefed before heading into the forest. We will track one of the eight habituated Gorilla groups in Rwanda. Move in a company of experienced ranger guides through the forest while searching for mountain gorillas. Only eight people are able to track each habituated group. Time taken while searching for these great apes, rangers between 2 to 6 hours depending on the movement of the gorilla groups as their territory can range up to 40km. The park rangers and guides will clear the way and assist you through the forest. Once the gorilla group is located you will spend an hour with them as they feed, rest and play.
Return your camp after the trek to refreshing a bit, have lunch and the reminder of your day at leisure.
Overnight: Ingagi Park View Lodge, Meals Plan: Full Board
After a late morning breakfast at around 9:00 am, Transfer to Uganda/Bwindi National Park in the south western part of Uganda. Cross through Kyanika Boarder points which is a 30 minutes’ drive from Ruhengeri. You will need an East African Visa that you will have obtained at the Kigali International airport for a fee of $100. After the boarder clearance you will proceed through the hills of Kisoro. You will witness spectacular views of the terraces and lake Mutanda. The journey to Bwindi from Musanze takes around 3 Hours.
Arriving in Bwindi you will check in to your Hotel, have lunch and after lunch in the afternoon at around 3:00 pm you will take a short walk to the Batwa trail. The Batwa Experience begins with a nature-walk, hike through the forest seeing the forest in a new way, through the eyes of the original people of the Forest. Local community visits through local villages provide insights into the lives of the Bakiga and Batwa pygmy people living beside the Bwindi Forest.
Overnight: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, Meals plan: Dinner
Wake up for an early morning breakfast and at around 7:00 am, we head to the BWINDI National Park Head quarter for the briefing from the park rangers about the dos and don’ts while with the Gorillas.
You will then enter the juggle to meet the silverback. Move in a company of experienced ranger guides through the forest while searching for mountain gorillas. Only eight people are able to track each habituated group. Time taken while searching for these great apes, rangers between 2 to 6 hours depending on the movement of the gorilla groups as their territory can range up to 40km. The park rangers and guides will clear the way and assist you through the forest. Once the gorilla group is located you will spend an hour with them as they feed, rest and play.
Habituation of a gorilla group takes a minimum of two years, with daily visits to allow the gorilla group to tolerate human presence. It is only when the gorillas are completely comfortable with human presence that tourists are allowed to share the daily hour of contact with them.
Sitting with the mountain gorilla is one of the most amazing wildlife experiences you will ever have. A dominant male silverback can weigh over 200 kilos and is the largest living primate. He will control our meeting as well as deciding when his group will eat, sleep and move on. His females care for their young with affection and playfulness but also with discipline. They are very curious, and are capable of making over 25 different vocalizations, including chuckling and purring. Communication also includes posturing, chest beating and if all else fails – the charge! The privilege of spending an hour with this family group is an experience that will never leave you. After your hour is up, you wind your way slowly out of the forest and back to the camp to swap stories about your amazing experience.
After the Gorilla trekking, you will return to your Hotel refresh a bit and the reminder of your day at leisure.
Overnight: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, Meals plan: Full Board
Today is your day for packing and getting ready to transfer to Kigali airport for your outbound flight. The road Transfer journey takes around 3 hours’ drive. You will visit some curio shops and the market for shopping before we proceed to the airport for departure.
End of the Tour – Welcome back
