The 8 days Uganda double gorilla trekking safari from Kigali is an amazing safari that starts and ends in Kigali Rwanda. The safari will take you to Kibale Forest National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where you will be able to view animals like lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, warthogs, hippos, Nile crocodiles among others. During the 8 days Uganda double gorilla trekking safari from Kigali, you will also be able to spend time with the endangered mountain gorillas and chimpanzees in their natural environment.
Highlights of the 8 days Uganda double gorilla trekking safari from Kigali
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park-afternoon game drive
Day 4: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 5: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 6: First gorilla trek in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 7: Second gorilla trek in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 8: Departure to Kigali
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
Depending on your location in Kigali on the first day of the 8 days Uganda double gorilla trekking safari from Kigali, you will be welcomed by our driver guide who will brief you about the safari and then start the journey to Kibale national park. It’s a whole day journey and on the way you will have en-route lunch and enjoy stunning views of the farmlands, Rwenzori Mountains, tea plantations, Lake Gorge, crater lakes among others. Upon arrival in Kibale national park you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk
Chimpanzee trekking,
After an early breakfast on the second day of the safari, you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kanyachu Visitors Centre for a chimpanzee trekking briefing. After the briefing you will be divided into a group of 6 people where each group will be allocated a chimpanzee family to trek and a park guide who is well conversant with trails in the forest. Trekking of chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park takes about 30 minutes to 5 hours depending on where the chimpanzees are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking you will be able to spot other primates such as grey cheeked mangabey, black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, some bird species, plants among others. Once the chimpanzees are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which helps you to learn more about their behaviors, watch them feed, breastfeed, fight, hunt, enjoy the juveniles playing up in the trees, take photos and record the moments. After the face to face encounter with the chimpanzees you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will meet up with your driver guide to return to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, you will go for an interesting Bigodi swamp walk where you will be able to spot different bird species, primates, plant and tree species among others. After the swamp walk, you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park-evening game drive
On the third day of the safari, you will have breakfast at leisure, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park with great views on the way. Upon arrival in the park, you will connect to your lodge for lunch and relaxation. Later, you will go for an evening game drive where you will be able to view different animals like Uganda kobs, buffaloes, waterbucks, elephants, warthogs among others. After the game drive, you will drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
After an early breakfast on the fourth day of the safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for a morning game drive/lion tracking experience where you will be able to spot different animals including elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, waterbucks, Uganda kobs, bushbucks, topi, warthogs, hyenas among others. After the game drive, you will drive back to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, you will go for an amazing boat cruise on Kazinga channel where you will be able to view large concentrations of hippos in water, view Nile crocodiles basking on the water banks, buffaloes, elephants, antelopes among others drinking water along the shores, view water birds among others. After the boat cruise, you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
After breakfast on the fifth day of the safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park. On the way you will have a stopover in Ishasha sector where you will be able to view the tree climbing lions lying on acacia/fig tree branches if you are lucky. After the game drive in Ishasha sector, you will have en-route lunch and then continue the journey to Bwindi impenetrable national park and upon arrival you will check in at the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 6: First gorilla trek in Buhoma sector-Bwindi national park
Gorilla trekking,
After an early breakfast on the sixth day of the safari, you will carry your lunch box and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules, regulations, and expectations of gorilla trekking. After the briefing, you will be divided into groups of 8 people where each group will be allocated a gorilla family to trek and a park guide who is knowledgeable about the mountain gorillas. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park takes about 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on their location and during trekking you will be able to view forest birds, other primates, plant and tree species among others. Once the mountain gorillas are found you will be able to spend one hour with them which gives you an opportunity to learn more about their lifestyle, behaviors, and habits, take photos, watch them carry out their daily activities and record the fascinating memories to show people back home.
After a breath-taking encounter with the gentle giants, you will trek back to the starting point where you will be awarded a certificate for participating in gorilla trekking and then meet up with your guide and then meet up with your guide to return to the lodge for an evening relaxation dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Second gorilla trekking and Optional Batwa cultural tour
After an early breakfast on the seventh day of the 8 days Uganda double gorilla trekking safari from Kigali, you will carry your packed food and transfer to the park headquarters for a gorilla trekking briefing trekking where you will start trekking in the forest in search of the mountain gorillas which takes about 2 to 6 hours depending on where the gorillas are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. Once the golden monkeys are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat.
After the one-hour encounter with the mountain gorillas, you will trek back to the starting point where you will meet up with your driver guide and go for an optional Batwa cultural tour where you will be able to learn about their culture, lifestyle, way of living, visit their homesteads, learn about their hunting and gathering skills, enjoy their local dishes, traditional entertainments among others. After the Batwa cultural tour, you will transfer back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Departure to Kigali
On the last day of the 8 days Uganda double gorilla trekking safari from Kigali, you will have breakfast at leisure, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kigali with en-route lunch on the way. Upon arrival, your driver guide will drop you off at Kigali International airport for your flight or drop off at any place of advice.
End of 8 days Uganda double gorilla trekking safari from Kigali
Tour includes
- Gorilla trekking permits
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Boat cruise
- Park entrance fees/ game drives
- All activities included in the itinerary
- Services of a professional English-speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Pick up from Arusha and drop off in Kampala/ Entebbe
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled drinking water in the safari vehicle
Tour excludes
- Air flight tickets
- Entry Visas
- Life &travel insurance
- Tips and gratuities
- Optional activities not included on the itinerary
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, cigarettes, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.
