Custom-made 10 Days African Gorilla Trekking Circuit to Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo is a perfect package to meet, satisfy and even exceed your travel expectations. The safari takes you to explore three different countries to enjoy the beauty and attractions in each country.
The 10 days trip gives you chance to take part in various travel experiences such as game viewing, chimpanzee trekking, Nyiragongo Volcano climbing, cultural tours and mountain gorilla trekking which together make a complete safari package. The tours starts in Kampala Uganda ending in Kigali, Rwanda.
10 Days African Gorilla Trekking Circuit detailed itinerary.
Day 1: To Kibale Forest from Entebbe / Kampala.
Following a delicious African breakfast, join your safari guide to leave Kampala or Entebbe and begin a 6 hour journey towards the west region. Just before set off, the guide will brief you about the entire safari and your tour package! Depart for Kibale Forest National park with a brief stop at Nakayima spiritual tree where you will find the Baganda natives praying and offering sacrifices to their gods.
Proceed to Fort portal for lunch and have a quick exploration of this beautiful tourism city. From there, drive to your lodge near Kibale Forest National park, the primate capital of Africa for evening relaxation and overnight stay.
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking & Bigodi wetland walk
Rise up very early, have breakfast, get your packed lunch and transfer to Kanyanchu Visitor Information Centre for registration and pre trekking briefing. At 8:00am, begin a hike into the jungle in search of the endangered chimpanzees. The loud shouts and laughs of chimpanzees from a distance notify you on which direction to take for easy access.
You will see other primates such as Vervet monkeys, red tailed monkeys, white and black tailed monkeys and blue monkeys among others. Spend an hour with the chimpanzee community, see how each member performs a different duty just like in a human family. In the evening, you will go for a guided nature walk to explore this natural swamp on foot. Bigodi swamp houses several reptiles, birds and primates.
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth Park – Evening boat cruise.
Wakeup early, have a hot cup of coffee, check out and depart for Queen Elizabeth National Park. Enjoy this scenic drive via tea farms, banana plantations and local trading centers which give you chance to interact with local people. Have lunch at your lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park and embark on the afternoon boat cruise at Kazinga Channel. The cruise is a great chance to see numerous birds and water animals on the riverbanks.
Day 4: Ishasha sector – Transfer to Bwindi Forest.
Have an early morning breakfast, checkout and go a morning game drive via Ishasha sector, home for famous and rare tree climbing lions. Look up in the fig trees to see the kings of the jungle resting lazily above you.
The game drive will offer you great views of other wild animals in Queen Elizabeth national park such as Elephants, Buffalos, Hippos, Uganda kobs, Topis and waterbucks among others. Have lunch enroute and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National park via Kihihi – Buhoma road.
Day 5: Mountain gorilla trekking & transfer to PNV.
This is a great day to trek the endangered mountain gorillas of Uganda in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National park. Wakeup very early, have heavy delicious breakfast, and with your packed lunch transfer to the respective park headquarters from regulations and briefing on the dos and don’ts of gorilla trekking.
You will be organized within small manageable groups of eight and each assigned a gorilla family to visit. The trek to see gorillas starts at 8:00am lasting for between 30 minutes to over 7 hours. After meeting the endangered species, you will be allowed to spend an hour in their company. Take pictures, learn their social behaviors, capture videos, and see how mothers nurse babies as well as silverback guarding the family just like in a normal home.
Trek back to the trailhead after this adventure, meet your driver guide and cross to Rwanda driving straight to Volcanoes National Park
Day 6: Golden Monkey trekking / Dian Fossey graveyard hike.
Today you have two travel experiences to choose from. You can either trek golden monkeys of hike to graveyard of Dina Fossey, an American Primatologist who lost her life to save the endangered gorillas that w ere at the verge of extinction. Both experiences are enjoyable and worth the efforts. On either experiences, you have high chances of meeting other primates, birds and other animals that live in Volcanoes National park.
Day 7: Iby’iwacu cultural village & transfer to Goma.
After relaxed morning breakfast, check out of the lodge and drive to Ibyiwacu cultural village. There you will experience Rwanda’s traditions, norms and beliefs. Dances, songs and stories are all performed to introduce you to Rwanda and tell you more about this small land of a thousand hills.
From there, proceed on your journey to Goma Rwanda’s border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Day 8: Nyiragongo Volcano hiking.
Wakeup up very early and transfer to Kibatsi patrol village for registration and briefing on the safety precautions of Nyiragongo Volcano climbing. Hiking starts at 10:00am and all travelers must be there by that time.
Along with your porter and other climbers, start off the hike upon to the summit of the active Nyiragongo Volcano. The hiking time to the summit is between 5-7 hours depending on the hiking speed of the slowest person in your group. At night, you will observe the boiling lava lake, which glows at night. Overnight on the slopes of the Volcano.
Day 9: Descend and transfer back to Kigali.
Enjoy sunrise breakfast on the summit of Nyiragongo Volcano and enjoy the last moments of this natural wonder. You will then check out of your bandas, hike down and find your driver guide waiting for you at the base of the volcano. From there, drive back to Kigali to prepare for your next day’s departure.
Day 10: City tour and departure.
What to do and see today depend on your flight departure time. You can have a city tour in Kigali to visit genocide memorial museum, Inema art gallery as well as Kigali Convention Centre. Drive to the airport for your connecting flight. This will mark the end of your 10 Days African Gorilla Trekking Circuit.
End of safari.
