Most of the Rwanda Uganda Gorilla Safaris start from Kigali and expect to have gorilla trekking experience in two national parks (Volcanoes National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park). On this gorilla safari, you can also go for a golden monkey trekking experience, visit the community people, city tour among others.
On this kind of safari, depending on your arrival time at Kigali International Airport, you will be welcomed by our driver guide who will brief you about the safari and then go for a city tour around Kigali city where you will be to visit some places such as genocide memorial center, Kimironko market, Nyamirambo Women’s Center, Inema Arts Center among others. After the city tour, you will have lunch and later start your journey to Volcanoes National Park. Upon arrival, you will check-in at the lodge for dinner and overnight stay. Accommodation options in Volcanoes National Park include; Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel, Best View Hotel, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Mountain Gorillas’ Nest lodge, One&Only Gorilla’s Nest among others.
After an early morning breakfast, you will carry your packed lunch and meet up with your driver guide to go for a gorilla briefing at the park headquarters. After briefing, you will be led by an expert into the jungle to start trekking and the length of time to spend in the forest depends on where the gorillas are located. During trekking you will be able to spot other primates such as monkeys and once the gorillas are found, you will be able to spend 1 hour with them in their natural habitat giving you an opportunity to watch them feed, play, rest, breastfeed, groom young ones and you can also take photos and record videos for remembrance. After the gorilla trekking experience, you will return to your lodge for relaxation as your waiting for dinner. Gorilla trekking permits in Rwanda cost USD1500 per person and these can be obtained through a trusted tour operator.
Arise up early for breakfast, meet up with your driver and go for a golden monkey trekking briefing at the park headquarters. After briefing, you will head into the forest to start searching for the golden monkeys and once found, you will take some photographs and then return to the lodge for lunch and relaxation. Golden monkey trekking costs USD100 per person.
After lunch, you will go for an interesting cultural tour in the Iby’Iwacu cultural village. Here, you will learn about the local culture of the Iby’Iwacu people, their way of living, tradition, staple food, enjoy their traditional performances among others. After the cultural tour, you will meet your driver and take you back to the lodge for dinner and sleepovers.
The following morning after having breakfast, you check-out of the lodge and meet your driver and to transfer you to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park passing through Cyanika border in Kisoro or Katuna border in Kabale district. On your way, you will enjoy great views of the rolling hills, countryside, terraced farmlands among others. Lunch maybe enroute. Upon arrival in the park, you will check-in at your booked lodge for dinner and overnight stay. Accommodation options in Bwindi include; Buhoma lodge, Volcanoes Bwindi lodge, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, Four Gorillas Lodge, Mahogany Springs, Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, Gorilla Leisure Lodge, Silverback Lodge among others.
Wake up for an incredible experience. Have breakfast, get your packed lunch ready and meet up with your driver to head to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park’s headquarters for a briefing about the do’s and don’ts of gorilla trekking experience. In briefing, every group of 8 members is assigned to a certain gorilla family to trek. Gorilla trekking sometimes take long hours depending on where gorillas were last seen when searching for food. Once they are found, spend some minutes in the jungle while analyzing their behaviors and characters. Trek back to the headquarters for a successful gorilla trekking certificate and later return to the lodge for refreshments.
After having a relaxed breakfast on your last day, you will check-out of the lodge and then meet the driver to start off your journey back to Kigali International Airport to catch up with your flight to the next destination.
