This 7 days Rwanda and Uganda gorilla safari takes you to the world’s best gorilla trekking destinations of Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda which harbors to about 10 habituated gorilla families and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park a home to half of the world’s gorilla population. Therefore, be ready to enjoy a merged odyssey in the two neighboring countries as mentioned above as you have unforgettable wildlife encounters.
It’s with this safari that you will get exposed to the former occupants of these protected areas letting you know about their cultural norms and values as you appreciate their cultural performances. Magical boat cruises on Lakes Bunyonyi and Mutanda await you as you have scenic views of rolling and terraced hills with profusion of bird types.
Safari Highlights
You will be received by our professional driver guide upon arrival at Kigali international airport and later proceed for a city tour visiting historical sites and museums such as the Nyamata genocide church, Kigali genocide memorial site, presidential palace museum – Kanombe and many more that will give you an insight about Rwanda’s kingdoms, colonial and post-colonial times.
Have lunch in the city and then embark on your 2hours drive to Akagera National Park. Arrival will be in the evening to check-in at a lodge for dinner and a night stay.
Wake-up in the early morning for your breakfast to meet your ranger guide and start on your game viewing in Akagera national park. Game viewing will take up to five hours as you move through park trails while you spot early risers in search for their food and nocturnals as they rash bark to their hide-outs.
A variety of animals will be spotted for example Impalas, Elephants, Bushbucks, Giraffes, Rhinos and many more with bird types such as Shoebill stork around swamps, Egrets, African fish eagle, Lapwings, Hammerkops, weavers to mention but a few. Return to the lodge for lunch and check-out to embark on your 4 to 5 hours’ journey to Volcanoes National Park. Arrival will be in the evening to check-in at a pre-arranged lodge for dinner and an overnight.
After your morning breakfast, meet your driver and transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the gorilla trekking rules and regulations. You will be allocated the gorilla family to trek and immediately start on the search of the gentle giants with the help of a park ranger which may take you 1 to 6 hours depending their movement in search for food as you also spot various bird species and animals. Have a magical hour experience upon their location as you see them closely carrying on their routine activities which is breathtaking.
Get back to the lodge for lunch and later make a hike to the gorilla guardians’ village to engage with locals in activities like marriage ceremonies, cultural performances, local dish preparation and many more that are wondrous. Return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight.
Having had an early breakfast, meet your driver to embark on your 2 to 3 hours’ drive to Lake Bunyonyi in Uganda. Arrival will be in the early afternoon at a reserved lodge to check-in, have an early lunch and immediately proceed to have a relaxed cruise along the Bunyonyi waters.
You will be able to visit several islands as you get to know of their history for example the Punishment Island where the unmarried pregnant Bakiga girls were taken to die in isolation as you clearly capture a sunset and clear scenic view of the surroundings. You will then get back to the lodge for dinner and a night stay of your 7 Days Rwanda And Uganda Gorilla Safari
After your breakfast prepare to check-out and meet your driver to catch your 2 to 3 hours’ drive to Bwindi impenetrable National Park, a home to half of the world’s remaining gorilla population. Along the way, you will enjoy meandering roads through hill slopes and valleys arriving in the early afternoon to check-in at a lodge and have an early lunch.
After lunch, make a hike to communities of the former occupants of the Bwindi forests known as the Batwa where you will have amazing Batwa traditions and heritage shared to you by these former forest keepers. You will learn how they hunted, started fire, gathered wild fruits and honey, dressed in animal skins and enjoy their cultural performances. Later return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight.
After your hefty breakfast, you will meet your driver with packed lunch and transfer to the park headquarters for a gorilla trek briefing and gorilla family allocation. With the guidance a ranger guide, you will start on the hunt of these gentle giants as you encounter several bird species and animals that are rewarding to watch.
Trekking may take you 1 to 6 hours depending on the movement of these endangered giants and upon their location you will enjoy an hour with them and later return to the lodge for snacking and muscle stretch. You will then head to Lake Mutanda to have a relaxed two hours’ canoe cruise as you explore several islands like Bird island which is a breeding colony for birds, Kabaya island and many more. Return back to the lodge for dinner and another night.
You will wake up to have breakfast, check-out and meet your driver who will transfer you back to Kigali Rwanda. This is a 4 to 5 hours’ scenic drive as you enjoy the two countries’ geographical landscapes arriving in the afternoon to have your last lunch in Kigali city and later have a drop-off at Kigali international airport to catch your flight back home.
Thank you for choosing Big Apes African Safaris for your 7 Days Rwanda And Uganda Gorilla Safari
