The 7 Days Uganda Gorilla safari includes a visit to the mountain gorillas, chimpanzees and the big mammals in the savannah grasslands of Uganda. The community walk is another opportunity to appreciate the unique culture and practices of the local community.
The safari covers mainly the western part of the country known for its great wildlife habitats and captivating scenery. The journey through the terraced hills of Kigezi sub region offers great scenic views as you traverse this picturesque country side with Gorilla Trek Africa
Trip Summary – 7 Days Uganda Gorilla Safari
Day 1: Transfer to Kibale Forest National park and nature walk. (5 hours drive)
Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP and boat cruise (2 – 3 hours drive)
Day 4: Game Drive and Transfer to Bwindi national park. (4 – 5 hours drive)
Day 5: Gorilla tracking and community visit.
Day 6: Transfer to L. Mburo NP (4-5 hrs drive)
Day 7: Game viewing and Transfer back to Entebbe (4 hours drive)
Detailed Itinerary – 7 Days Uganda Gorilla Safari
Day 1: Transfer to Kibale Forest National park and nature walk. (5hrs drive)
On this day, the approximately 5 hours drive to Kibale commences at 8:00 am following the Mubende – Mityana road to Fort Portal. You may make a stop-over in Fort Portal for lunch and thence proceed to the lodge earlier booked for you. If you feel less exhausted by the long drive, an evening walk in the Bigodi wetland for birding and primates watch is highly rewarding.
Dinner and overnight at Chimpanzee guest house(Budget)/Turacco Tree tops(deluxe)/Primate Lodge(Luxury).
Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking
In the morning transfer to the Kanyanchu park headquarters for briefing
as you prepare for Chimpanzee tracking in this tropical forest. This forest walk may be a great opportunity to encounter primates such as Vervet Monkeys, L’ Hoest’s Monkeys, Black and white colobus Monkeys among others.
Return to the lodge for Lunch and spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure. An afternoon visit to the ‘Amabeere ga Nyinamwiru’ caves near the town of Fort portal is an option you can venture into with your guide. Dinner and overnight at Chimpanzee guest house(Budget)/Turacco Tree tops / Isunga lodge (deluxe)/Crater Safari Lodge/ Papaya Lake lodge/ Kyaninga lodge (Luxury).
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP and boat cruise (2-3hrs drive)
After breakfast, you will set off for Queen Elizabeth NP afternoon boat cruise along Kazinga Channel. The Cnanel that joins lakes George and Edward is a wildlife haven. Mammal species including buffaloes, elephants, topis, and kobs among thers are seen marauding the river banks .
Day 4: Game Drive and Transfer to Bwindi national park. (4-5hrs drive)
A morning game drive on this day as you exit the park through Ishasha Wildlife reserve is a big opportunity for you to encounter tree-climbing lions. You may need to have lunch at Savannah Hotel in Kihihi before proceeding to Bwindi. The trip from Queen Elizabeth including a game drive in Ishasha is estimated to take 6 hours.
Dinner and overnight at Trekker’s Tavern cottage (budget)/Bakiga lodge / L. Mulehe Safari lodge(deluxe)/ Mahogany Springs/ Four Gorillas lodge (luxury).
Day 5: Gorilla tracking and community visit.
With packed lunch, transfer to the park headquarters for briefing from the senior warden. This normally starts at 7:30 am to 8:00 am. Here you will organized in groups of 8 each and then penetrate the tropical forest in search for the mountain gorillas. Sometimes, it takes an hour or more to meet them. You are allowed at least an hour to interact them before returning to your lodge.
Dinner and overnight at Trekker’s Tavern cottage (budget)/Bakiga lodge / L. Mulehe Safari lodge(deluxe)/ Mahogany Springs/ Four Gorillas lodge (luxury).
Day 6: Transfer to L. Mburo NP (4-5hrs drive)
In the morning, you will be transferred to L. Mburo NP. Upon arrival, you will go for a game drive for wildlife viewing opportunities, expecting to see zebras, impalas, elands, buffaloes, giraffes among other animals that are resident in this park. Overnight stay at Mpogo lodge (budget/deluxe)/ Rwakobo Rock lodge (deluxe)/ Mihingo lodge (luxury)
Day 7: Game viewing and Transfer back to Entebbe (4hrs drive)
A morning game drive in Lake Mburo national park including a nature walk to the salt lick is highly rewarding as you anticipate giraffes, zebras, elands, impalas and buffaloes among others.
You may also take-off time for a boat cruise on Lake Mburo before transferring to Kampala or Entebbe as you prepare for your scheduled flight to the next destination.
Inclusions – 7 Days Uganda Gorilla Safari
• Gorilla Permits
• Chimpanzee permits
• Park Entrance Fees
• Relevant Government Taxes
• Full Board Accommodation
• Full-time English speaking Driver/Guide
• Ground Transportation by a 4×4 safari vehicle
• Airport transfer, as long as your flight is on the same day on which the safari ends.
Tour Exclusions:
• Airfares
• Visa Fees
• Personal Insurance
• Expenses of personal nature such as; drinks, tips, laundry, telephone, cigarettes, accommodation & meals not indicated in the itinerary and optional activities.
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Alternatively, one can choose to embark on a Rwanda primates and wildlife safari and still enjoy an experience similar to a Ugandan one.
The 7 day Rwanda Gorilla Tour and Wildlife Safari is a six-day adventure that begins and ends in Kigali. This tour is a perfect package to explore Rwanda’s treasures, covering three national parks: Nyungwe Forest, Volcanoes, and Akagera National Park, providing a memorable wildlife experience with Gorilla Trek Africa. Highlights include chimpanzee tracking, gorilla trekking, canopy walks, wildlife viewing, a tour of Kigali city, and a visit to the Genocide Memorial.
Start your safari in Nyungwe Forest National Park, an untouched natural rainforest home to 13 primate species, constituting 25% of Africa’s total, including over 500 chimpanzees. Continue to the famous Volcanoes National Park for an exhilarating mountain gorilla trek. Move on to Akagera National Park, one of the most scenic savannah reserves in East Africa and home to the Big Five.
Conclude your 7-day Rwanda primate safari with a tour in Kigali and a visit to the Genocide Memorial, the final resting place for over 25,000 victims of the genocide against the Tutsi.
7 day Rwanda Gorilla Tour and Wildlife Safari ( Summary)
Day 1: Meet at the Airport and transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Day 2: Chimpanzee Tracking and Canopy Walk
Day 3: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park (PNV)
Day 4: Gorilla Tracking in Volcanoes National Park (PNV)
Day 5: Transfer to Akagera national park
Day 6: Game drive in Akagera
Day 7: Drive to kigali, visit the genocide memorial and depart
Detailed itinerary – 7 day Rwanda Gorilla Tour and Wildlife Safari
Day 1: Transfer to Nyungwe National park
In the morning, after breakfast, your tour guide will pick you up from your hotel in Kigali, and you’ll embark on a scenic drive to Nyungwe National Park. On the way, there will be a stopover at King’s Palace Nyanza, a traditional seat for the Rwandan king. Here, you’ll delve into the history of ancient Rwandan royals, their styles, and the authority of pre-colonial Rwanda kings. Get to meet the royal cows and their herders who sing for them. Additionally, you’ll witness the walls of the simple modern home of the country’s last king.
Continue the journey with another stop in Butare town to visit the Ethnographic Museum. Explore its seven galleries showcasing textiles, architecture, hunting weapons, and designs created by the people. After lunch, proceed to Nyungwe Forest National Park in the late afternoon. Nyungwe National Park is home to 13 primate species, including over 500 wild chimpanzees. Enjoy dinner and an overnight stay at Gisakura Guest House (budget), Emeraude Kivu Resort (deluxe/mid-luxury), or One and Only Nyungwe House (high-end).
Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking and afternoon Forest Canopy walk
After breakfast, you will head to the park head office for a briefing before venturing into the forest for an exciting chimpanzee tracking adventure. The trek typically takes 2-3 hours, guided by a ranger through the lush tropical surroundings. Once you catch up with the chimpanzees, you will have the opportunity to observe them and also search for other primates such as l’hoest, blue, mona, red-tailed, and owl-faced monkeys, as well as black and white colobus, olive baboons, bush babies, along with diverse bird species and unique plants.
Throughout the trek, your guide will provide insights into the behavior of these apes and share information about ongoing conservation efforts. Upon reaching the chimpanzees, you will be allowed to stay and interact with them for a maximum of 1 hour, capturing photos to your heart’s content. Later, you will return to your lodge for a well-deserved lunch.
In the afternoon, you will transfer to the Uwinka Visitor Center for a forest canopy walk adventure in Nyungwe Forest. The canopy walkway provides breathtaking views across the forest, offering an eye-level perspective of monkeys and birds that may not be easily spotted from the ground. After the adventure, return to your lodge for a delightful dinner and a peaceful overnight stay.
Day 3: Transfer to Volcanoes national park
After enjoying a morning breakfast, you will proceed to transfer to Volcanoes National Park in Kinigi via Gisenyi in Ruhengeri. Along the way, you will pass through tea plantations, offering spectacular views of the neighboring communities and beautiful sceneries. The journey will take approximately 3-4 hours, and you are expected to reach your destination in the evening.
For your accommodation, you will have the option of staying at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Gorilla Solution Lodge, Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge, or Kinigi Guest House. Dinner and overnight stay will be arranged at your chosen lodging.
Day 4: Gorilla trekking and cultural visit
In the early morning, after breakfast, you will embark on a briefing at the park headquarters. At 8 am, a ranger will guide you into the jungle through the volcano forest in search of the mountain gorillas. Gorilla tracking may take 1 to 7 hours, as some gorilla families are elusive, and the tracking process can extend to a full day, especially in wet and muddy conditions. The activity is relatively tiresome and challenging.
In the afternoon, you will have the opportunity to visit the Iby’iwachu cultural village. Here, you can engage with local people and discover their home and heritage treasures, including lifestyles, activities, artifacts, and ways of living. The Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village is dedicated to showcasing traditional ways of living, cultural practices, and dances to tourists.
Day 5: Transfer to Akageera national park
Depart for Akagera National Park with en-route lunch in Kigali. Drive east to Akagera National Park, passing through amazing countryside landscapes, including the areas of Rwamagana, where you may encounter the long-horned cattle known as Inyambo. The journey takes 2 hours and 30 minutes. Upon arrival, check into your accommodation for relaxation. Enjoy dinner and spend the night at Akagera Safari Lodge.
If interested, you can opt for a sunset boat cruise or a night game drive. Akagera National Park is the only savannah reserve in Rwanda, where you can observe large mammals such as elephants, hippos, giraffes, rhinos, and lions.
Day 6: Akagera National Park Game drive
Wake up early at 6:30 am for a cup of coffee and start a morning game drive in Akagera savannah that lasts 3-4 hours. This time is excellent for spotting predators, and the unforgettable sight of the sun rising over the plains awaits you. Look out for elephants, zebras, black rhinos, giraffes, lions, leopards, warthogs, waterbucks, roan antelopes, elands, impalas, and Topis.
Return to the lodge for relaxation and lunch. In the afternoon, enjoy a boat ride along Lake Ihema, where you can see huge crocodiles, hippos, and spot buffaloes and elephants gathering at the lakeshores to drink water. Keep an eye out for a variety of birds; there are almost 500 bird species around the lake and the surrounding wetlands.
Finish your day with dinner and an overnight stay at Akagera Safari Lodge.
Day 7: Drive back to kigali and visit Kigali genocide memorial
After breakfast, begin your drive back to Kigali. Upon arrival, visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial, an incredible site built on the burial grounds of over 250,000 victims of the 1994 Rwanda genocide against the Tutsi tribe.
Learn about the events that led to the tragic 100 days, during which nearly a million Rwandese were brutally attacked by their neighbors. The center is profoundly moving, challenging, educational, and ultimately inspiring. It’s a great place to understand the causes, tragedies, and the remarkable progress and reconciliation the nation has achieved to date.
If time allows, you can also take a city drive and explore local markets, art galleries, craft centers, and other fascinating places. From there, head to the airport for your flight.