5-Day Uganda & Rwanda Gorilla Tour – Why limit your trip to just one country? Combine a gorilla trek in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park with another gorilla tour in Uganda’s famous Bwindi Impenetrable National Park with this 5 Days Uganda Rwanda Gorilla Safari.
Two highlights of a safari in East Africa have to be gorilla trekking and epic wildlife, and this route combines both in two unique countries.
5-Day Uganda Rwanda Tour Highlights
- Day 1: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
- Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park
- Day 3: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda
- Day 4: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi
- Day 5: Return to Kigali
Detailed 5-Day Uganda Rwanda Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
Upon arrival at Kigali Airport for your 5-Day Uganda & Rwanda Gorilla Tour, clear customs and collect your baggage. Our company representative will be waiting to welcome you and brief you on your safari. Shortly after, drive to a nearby restaurant for a cup of coffee. Enjoy a city tour in Kigali and visit the genocide museum, monuments, African craft market, presidential palace, and more.
Have lunch in Kigali, then depart on a scenic drive northwest through the beautiful terraced hillsides that showcase Rwanda’s landscape. Arrive in Musanze, a historical town at the base for Gorilla trekking near Parc National des Volcans.
The town is located only 25km from the Uganda border and is relatively small with a population of approximately 70,000 people. Musanze offers a wide array of accommodation facilities, all with great views overlooking the surrounding Virunga volcanoes.
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park
After breakfast, head to the park headquarters for a briefing from park officials about the dos and don’ts while with the gorillas, and get allocated to the ranger guide and gorilla family you’ll track. Enter the jungle to start the search for mountain gorillas. It’s a unique experience limited to a small group of eight allowed to visit a specific gorilla family.
Once your allocated gorilla family is sighted, you will be allowed a maximum of one hour with them. Coming face-to-face with a mountain gorilla is typically a humbling and sensational experience. This is an opportune moment to get up close and personal with Rwanda’s own ‘Gorillas in the Mist’.
Day 3: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda
After breakfast, cross into Uganda via the Cyanika border to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Enjoy a boat cruise on Lake Bunyonyi en route to explore the lake’s numerous 29 islands and the communities inhabiting its shores. Overnight stay at a lodge in the Rushaga sector.
Day 4: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi
Early breakfast, then venture to the park headquarters in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to begin your trek. Your guide and tracker will lead you deep into the forest in search of your allocated gorilla family. The trek can last between 30 minutes to 8 hours, depending on the movement of the specific gorilla family you’re tracking.
When you meet the gorillas, you’ll have the chance to spend up to one magical hour quietly observing them. Get an up-close encounter with mountain gorillas just a few meters away from you as you watch them feed and interact with each other under the protective gaze of the giant Silverback.
In the afternoon, after this incredible experience, transfer back to the starting point, meet your guide, and return to your accommodation to reflect on your encounter with Uganda’s mountain gorillas.
Day 5: Return to Kigali
Wake up early, have breakfast at your lodge, and transfer to Kigali city where you can be dropped off at your preferred hotel or the airport for your onward flight. If you return to Kigali early, you’ll have time for another city tour. This concludes your 5-Day Uganda & Rwanda Gorilla Tour.
