7 Days Uganda Rwanda gorilla trekking and habituation experience
7 Days Uganda Rwanda gorilla trekking and habituation experience
The 7 days Uganda Rwanda gorilla trekking and habituation experience is an exceptional holiday that starts and ends from Kigali Rwanda. The safari will take you to different destinations in Uganda and Rwanda including Volcanoes national park, Bwindi impenetrable national park and Queen Elizabeth national park. During the 7 days Uganda Rwanda gorilla trekking and habituation experience you will be able to spend time with the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural environments and also view different animals including elephants, waterbucks, lions, leopards, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, Nile crocodiles, hippos, warthogs, oribi, bushbucks among others during the game drives and boat cruise on Kazinga channel.
Highlights of the 7 days Uganda Rwanda gorilla trekking and habituation experience
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Volcanoes national park
Day 2: Gorilla trekking and Ibyi’wacu cultural tour
Day 3: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 4: Gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi national park
Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 6: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 7: Departure to Kigali
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Volcanoes national park
Depending on your location on day 1 of the 7 days Uganda Rwanda gorilla trekking and habituation experience, you will be welcomed by our driver guide from Achieve Global Safaris who will brief you about the safari and then go for a short city tour in Kigali where you will visit the art centers, Kimironko market, Kigali genocide memorial Centre among others. After the city tour, you will have lunch and later start the journey to Volcanoes national park with great views of the rolling hills, beautiful scenery, landscape, traditional homesteads among others on the way. Upon arrival, you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Gorilla trekking and Ibyi’wacu cultural tour
After an early breakfast on the second day of the 7 days Uganda Rwanda gorilla trekking and habituation experience, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge with your packed lunch to go for a gorilla trekking briefing at the park headquarters. After the briefing, you will start trekking in the jungle which takes about 2 to 6 hours depending on where the gorillas are located. During trekking, you will be able to view other wildlife species and once the mountain gorillas are located, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their habitat.
After the one hour with the mountain gorillas, you will return to the starting where you will meet up with your driver guide and go for an optional Ibyi’wacu cultural tour where you will be able to interact with the local people, learn about their culture, history, lifestyle, way of living, visit their homesteads, enjoy their traditional performances among others. After the cultural tour, you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
After breakfast on the third day of the 7 days Uganda Rwanda gorilla trekking and habituation experience, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with our driver guide to start the journey to Bwindi impenetrable national park which is located in south western part of Uganda. On the way you will have a stopover for en-route lunch and then proceed to Bwindi national park. Upon arrival, you will connect to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Gorilla experience,
After an early breakfast on the fourth day of the 7 days Uganda Rwanda gorilla trekking and habituation experience, you will carry packed lunch and your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules, regulations and expectations of gorilla habituation. After the briefing, you will start trekking in the jungle which takes a whole day and during trekking, you will have views of mammals, other primates, different bird species among others. Once the gorillas are found you will be allowed to spend four hours with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, breastfeeding, playing, grooming young ones, observe their behaviours, take photos and record the breath-taking moments.
After the encounter with the gentle giants you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will be awarded a certificate for participating in gorilla habituation, meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
After breakfast on the fifth day of the 7 days Uganda Rwanda gorilla trekking and habituation experience, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park. On the way, you will have a stopover for en-route lunch and then proceed to Queen Elizabeth national park, upon arrival you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Morning game drive/ lion tracking experience and afternoon boat cruise
Morning game drive,
After an early breakfast on the sixth day of the 7 days Uganda Rwanda gorilla trekking and habituation experience, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for a morning game drive/ lion tracking experience in Kasenyi plains. During the game drive you will have great views of the sunrise, big four mammals which are lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, other animals like waterbucks, bushbucks, Uganda kobs, views of different bird species among others. After the game drive you will return to the lodge for lunch.
Afternoon boat cruise, after lunch you will go for an amazing boat cruise along Kazinga channel a 40km long channel that connects Lake George and Lake Edward. During the boat cruise, you will be able to view large concentrations of hippos and Nile crocodiles in water, view buffaloes, elephants, warthogs drinking water along the banks, view water birds among others. You will also be able to see the fishermen along the shores preparing their fishing gears for night fishing, take beautiful pictures among others. After the boat cruise you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Departure to Kigali
On the last day of the 7 days Uganda Rwanda gorilla trekking and habituation experience, you will have a relaxed breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kigali. On the way, you will have en-route lunch and stunning views of the rolling hills, landscape, scenery among others.
Upon arrival in Kigali, you will proceed to Kigali International airport where you will be dropped off or drop off at any place of advice.
End of 7 days Uganda Rwanda gorilla trekking and habituation experience.
Tour includes
- Gorilla trekking permits
- Gorilla habituation permit
- Lion tracking experience
- Park entrance fees/ game drives
- Boat cruise fees
- Professional English speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Ground transfers (in a 4WD vehicle)
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled drinking water
Tour excludes
- International air flight tickets
- Visas
- Optional activities not included on the itinerary
- Life insurance
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.
