4 Days Uganda Rwanda Gorilla Safari

4 Days Uganda Rwanda Gorilla Safari : A 4 day gorilla safari from Uganda to Rwanda deals with the less tame and more elusive gorillas in the wild, starting and ending in Kigali. We will be participating in a gorilla trekking activity during the safari in two national parks. These are Volcanoes national park in the north western part of Rwanda and Bwindi Impenetrable national park in the south western part of Uganda.

In order to gain a better understanding of how the endangered mountain gorillas live, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them during your gorilla trek in order to get to know them better.

Highlights of the 4 days Uganda Rwanda gorilla safari

Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park

Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi and transfer to Volcanoes national park

Day 3: Gorilla trekking

Day 4: Rwanda Cultural tour and departure to Kigali

Detailed itinerary

Day 1 of the 4 days Uganda Rwanda gorilla safari

As soon as you arrive for your 4 days Uganda Rwanda gorilla safari on the first day, our driver guide will pick you up for a short briefing about the safari before we depart for the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, where you can see the rare mountain gorillas.

The journey takes about 3 to 4 hours drive passing via Cyanika border in Kisoro district or Katuna border in Kabale district and on your way you will have en-route lunch and great views of the rolling hills in Rwanda, beautiful scenery, landscapes, traditional homesteads, terraced farmlands, roadside markets among others.

Upon arrival in the park you will check into lodge, have dinner and overnight.

Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park and transfer to Volcanoes N.P

As part of the program for the four-day Uganda Rwanda gorilla safari, you will have an early breakfast, carry a packed lunch, and meet up with the driver guide to transfer to the headquarters of the park for a briefing about the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking on the second day.

It is customary to trek with eight people in the park, and each group is assigned a gorilla family to trek with, accompanied by a park guide who is well versed in the trails in the jungle and knows the best places to hike.

Uganda Gorilla Trekking

There are, however, various factors that are taken into consideration in grouping individuals such as age, physical fitness, and personal preferences; for this reason, in case you are not physically fit, it is advised that you speak with your guide so that they can allocate you to a gorilla family that is nearby to your trekking destination.

You can visit the Bwindi forest national park for gorilla trekking for about 30 minutes to 7 hours, depending on where the gorillas are located, and during the trek you will be able to see a variety of colorful bird species such as the African green pigeon, the black bee-eater, the black-billed turaco, the handsome francolin, the Rwenzori apalis, the purple breasted sunbird, plant and tree species, mammals, and other primates like the chimpanzees, the l’hoest monkey, the vervet monkey, and olive baboon. As soon as the mountain gorillas have been found, you will have the opportunity to spend one hour with them in their natural environment, allowing you to learn about their habits, behaviors, take photos and record videos among other things.

In the end, after spending an hour with the gentle giants, you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will receive your certificate for taking part in the gorilla trekking program, meet up with your driver guide, and then transfer to the lodge for a late lunch.

After lunch you will check out of the lodge and your driver guide will pick you up to start the journey to Volcanoes national park passing via Cyanika border in Kisoro district. Upon arrival you will check into the lodge, have dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park

You will have an early breakfast on the third day of the 4 day Uganda Rwanda gorilla safari, carry a packed lunch, and be picked up by your driver guide for a transfer to Kinigi park headquarters for a briefing about the rules, regulations, and expectations of your gorilla trekking.

In the following session you will be grouped into 8 people and assigned a gorilla family to trek with the help of a park guide who will share a lot of information about the mountain gorillas and also be very familiar with the gorilla trails you will be trekking on.

In Volcanoes national park, trekking the mountain gorillas takes between 30 minutes and 6 hours, and during that time, you will also be able to view other wildlife species such as birds, mammals, primates and a variety of different plants.

As soon as the gorillas are found, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat. During this time, you will be able to compare gorilla experiences, learn about their lifestyle, observe how they live their lives, take photos and record the moments for the people back home to share. After spending an hour with the endangered mountain gorillas, you will trek back to the park headquarters for a brief rest, meet your driver guide and transfer back to the lodge for an evening of relaxation, dinner and overnight accommodation.

Day 4: Cultural tour and departure to Kigali

During the last day of your 4 days Uganda Rwanda gorilla safari, you will have breakfast in your hotel and then meet up with your driver guide for a cultural tour of Ibyi’wacu cultural village, which is one of the neighboring communities that surround the park.

A cultural tour is an opportunity for you to interact with the local people, allowing you to gain a greater understanding of their lifestyle, culture, traditions, way of life, and taste different foods as well as hear interesting stories about traditional medicine from local traditional healers, learn how local beer is made from bananas, and enjoy traditional dances, songs, and dramas performed by women from around the country. After the cultural tour you will meet up with your driver guide and transfer to the lodge for lunch.

Once you have finished lunch, you will check out of the lodge and your driver guide will pick you up for a transfer to Kigali international airport for your next flight or to any other place of your convenience.

End of 4 days Uganda Rwanda gorilla safari       

Inclusions of the 4 days Uganda Rwanda gorilla safari   

• Gorilla trekking permits
• cultural tour
• An English speaking driver guide
• Full board accommodation
• Pick up and drop off
• Vehicle and fuel
• Bottled water

Exclusions of the 4 days Uganda Rwanda gorilla safari  

• Air flight tickets
• Visas
• Optional activities not included on the itinerary
• Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.

Tips for gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda

• Hiking shoes
• Garden gloves
• Long sleeved shirt and trouser
• Insect repellent
• Water proof rain jacket
• Warm sweaters
• Long cotton stockings
• Water proof back pack to carry your equipment’s
• Camera
• Drinking water and packed lunch from the lodge
• Walking stick
• Hiring a Porter who will help you carry your equipment’s and gives you a pull or a push in steep and slippery areas.