Day 1: Arrival in Kigali – Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Uganda)
Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, your guide will meet you and give a short briefing. Afterward, depart Kigali and begin your scenic drive southwest toward the Cyanika border, crossing into Uganda. Along the way, enjoy views of Rwanda’s terraced hills, traditional homesteads, and tea plantations. Cross into Uganda and continue to the southern sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Rushaga or Nkuringo area), arriving in the late afternoon or evening. Check in to your lodge nestled in the misty rainforest, home to nearly half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas.
Accommodation:
Rushaga Gorilla Camp-Moderate
Ichumbi Gorilla lodge-Mid-range
Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge-luxury
Meals: Lunch (if early arrival) & Dinner
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi – Community Visit
Today is the highlight of your safari. After an early breakfast, drive to the park headquarters for a briefing at 7:00 AM. You’ll be assigned to a habituated gorilla family and head into the forest with a ranger guide. The trek can last anywhere between 2 to 6 hours depending on the gorilla group’s location. Once found, you’ll have one unforgettable hour with the gorillas—watching them feed, play, and interact. This is one of the most emotional wildlife experiences in Africa. After the trek, return to your lodge for lunch and rest. In the afternoon, you may choose to visit the Batwa pygmies, the forest's original inhabitants, for a cultural experience involving storytelling, music, and traditional survival skills.
Accommodation:
Rushaga Gorilla Camp-Moderate
Ichumbi Gorilla lodge-Mid-range
Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge-luxury
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 3: Cross to Rwanda – Scenic Drive to Volcanoes National Park
After breakfast, depart Bwindi and head towards the Cyanika border (about 1.5 hours' drive). After border formalities, enter Rwanda and continue your drive through the foothills of the Virunga Mountains. Rwanda’s landscape is breathtaking—rolling hills, terraced farms, and mist-covered mountains. You’ll arrive at your lodge near Volcanoes National Park in the early afternoon. After lunch and check-in, relax or take a guided walk through nearby villages to learn about Rwandan rural life.
Accommodation: Lodge near Volcanoes National Park
Da vinci Gorilla Lodge-Moderate
Tiloreza Eco Lodge-Midrange
Mountain View Gorilla Lodge-Luxury
Meals: Breakfast , Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Golden Monkey Tracking
After an early breakfast, drive to Kinigi Park Headquarters for your Golden Monkey Trek. These endangered primates are active, playful, and fascinating to watch as they leap through the bamboo forests at the base of the volcanoes. The trek is relatively easy, lasting 2 to 3 hours, and allows for great photography and unique behavior observation.
Return to your lodge for brunch or a hot lunch, In the afternoon, you have the option to visit the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village for a rich, interactive experience of Rwandan traditions, music, and dance.
Accommodation:
Da vinci Gorilla Lodge-Moderate
Tiloreza Eco Lodge-Midrange
Mountain View Gorilla Lodge-Luxury
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Kigali City Tour – Departure
Depending on your flight time, enjoy a short city tour of Kigali. Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial, local craft markets, or the Kandt House Museum before transferring to the airport for your departure.
Optional activities: Coffee tasting, art galleries, cultural center visit
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
