Go To Africa Safaris
This 7 day trip is for people who love gorillas and want to trek in two countries, not just one. First you trek gorillas in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, the same place where Dian Fossey did her famous research. Then you trek gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda, home to half of the world’s mountain gorillas. You get two very different gorilla treks on one trip.
Go to Africa Safaris works in both Rwanda and Uganda. We know the gorilla families, the best guides, and the easiest routes across the border. This trip moves smoothly between both countries, so you get the best of both without any travel stress.
For official travel information about Rwanda, visit the Rwanda Tourism Board website.
This trip runs seven days and six nights. You start and end in Kigali, Rwanda.
This plan gives your body time to rest between the two treks. You get a rest day after the first trek, and a full day by the lake after the second. This way, you enjoy both treks fully instead of feeling rushed.
This package includes two gorilla treks, one in Rwanda and one in Uganda. Both permits are included in the price.
Your guide picks you up at Kigali International Airport, no matter what time your flight lands. From there, you drive north to Volcanoes National Park. The roads are good and paved, so the drive takes about two hours.
You reach your lodge near the park in the late afternoon. Check in, rest, and enjoy dinner. Your guide explains what to expect on tomorrow’s trek, so you can pack your daypack ready for the morning.
Most lodges near the park in Rwanda are luxury or mid range. It is best to book early, since rooms fill up fast.
Today is your first gorilla trek. After breakfast, you drive to park headquarters for registration and a briefing by 7:00 AM. You are then placed with a gorilla family. Trekking in Rwanda is usually easier than in Uganda, since the bamboo forest is more open and the paths are better kept.
The hike can take anywhere from thirty minutes to three hours. Once you find the gorillas, you get one full hour with them. You watch them feed, play, and rest, while the silverback keeps a calm eye on the group. It is a magical hour.
After your hour is up, you hike back to the trailhead and your driver takes you to your lodge to rest and enjoy dinner. You also get a certificate for your trek.
After breakfast, you visit the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village. This is a community project that supports former poachers who now share their culture with visitors. You learn about traditional Rwandan life, try banana beer, and watch Intore dancers perform.
From there, you drive south toward the border, crossing into Uganda at Cyanika or Gatuna. A new guide meets you on the Uganda side, and you continue on to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, about two hours from the border.
You reach your lodge near Bwindi in the late afternoon. Check in, rest, and enjoy dinner.
This day is for rest, since your second gorilla trek is tomorrow. You can simply relax at your lodge, swim, read, or enjoy the view. If you want something gentle to do, you can join a nature walk on the waterfall trail instead.
The waterfall trail in Buhoma takes about two hours. You walk through lovely forest to a waterfall thirty meters high, and you can swim in the pool at the bottom. It is a calm and easy way to spend a rest day.
You return to your lodge for dinner and an early night, since tomorrow starts early again.
This is your second gorilla trek. After breakfast, you drive to park headquarters for registration and a briefing by 7:00 AM, then you are placed with a gorilla family. Bwindi’s land is steeper and muddier than Rwanda’s, so this trip lets you feel the difference between the two countries.
The hike can take anywhere from thirty minutes to four hours. Once you find the gorillas, you get another full hour with them, watching them feed, play, groom, and rest. It feels different from Rwanda, since Bwindi’s forest is thicker, but the gorillas are just as amazing.
After your hour, you hike back to the trailhead and your driver takes you to your lodge to rest and enjoy dinner. You get a second certificate for this trek.
After breakfast, you drive about two hours to Lake Bunyonyi, the deepest lake in Africa. It is safe for swimming, with no hippos or crocodiles. You check into your lakeside lodge, and the rest of the day is free.
You can swim, paddle a canoe, or simply relax on the dock. The hills around the lake are covered in terraces, with small islands dotted across the water. This is your time to slow down after two gorilla treks.
Dinner is at the lodge. You can watch the sun set over the lake and look back on an amazing trip.
On your last day, you have breakfast at the lodge before your guide drives you back to Kigali, a trip of about four hours. You arrive in the early afternoon and are dropped at the airport for your flight home.
If your flight is later in the day, you can visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial. This is a moving museum that teaches visitors about Rwanda’s history and its path to healing. Your guide is happy to help with other reasonable requests too.
What is not included: international flights, visa fees, travel insurance, tips for guides and porters, alcoholic drinks, laundry, and personal items.
We recommend buying full travel insurance before your trip.
Price depends on your choice of lodge and the size of your group. The Rwanda permit costs more than the Uganda permit, so this is reflected in the total price. Get in touch for a quote based on your dates and preferences.
Both permits are included in the price, charged at the official rate with no extra markup.
To book, we need your full name as it appears on your passport, your passport number, your nationality, and your preferred travel dates. A deposit is needed to hold your permits, so book early, since Rwanda’s permits are limited.
This trip suits anyone who loves gorillas and wants to see them in both countries. You get to compare the two experiences firsthand: Rwanda’s easier access and open bamboo forest against Uganda’s wilder terrain and lower prices.
Go to Africa Safaris specializes in trips that cross the Rwanda and Uganda border. We take care of the logistics so you can spend your time watching gorillas, not planning routes.
Two countries. Two treks. One trip you will never forget.
