A Detailed 10-Day Uganda And Rwanda Gorilla Discovery

Day 1: Join trip in Kampala

Get to Kampala, Uganda’s capital and a city on the banks of Lake Victoria.

If everyone gets here on time, our tour leader will meet you at the hotel lobby at 5 o’clock for a welcome meeting. Afterwards, you’ll have the chance to eat dinner at our lodge, which has a view of Lake Victoria. You are free to arrive in Kampala whenever you like because there are no other plans for today. Our property is located 45 minutes away from Entebbe International Airport (EBB), so if you’d like an airport shuttle today, that’s where you need to land. If for any reason you are unable to attend the welcoming gathering, rest assured that your Leader will apprise you of any pertinent information upon your return.

When your flight lands earlier in the day, you have the option to unwind by the pool or on the terrace that looks out over Lake Victoria. If you would like to visit Kampala city more thoroughly, our lodge can offer guidance and help you arrange a cab as it is on the outskirts of the city.

Day 2: Drive to Lake Mburo National Park. Afternoon game drive

We will leave Kampala after breakfast and travel west for around six hours to reach Uganda’s smallest game park, Lake Mburo. Lunch will be served along the route. Mburo is home to 68 different kinds of mammals, including buffalo, hyenas, and leopards, despite its limited size. Zebras are seen in this location, which is rare compared to other parts of Uganda. Our lodgings at Mburo offer breathtaking views of the plains, so we’ll be sure to check in as soon as we arrive.

Our first wildlife drive will take place in the late afternoon, and we’ll be looking for zebras, buffalo, impala, hyenas, and waterbuck. A large portion of Mburo National Park is wetlands, which are inhabited by crocodiles and hippos. We head back to the lodge for dinner, and afterward, you can choose to relax by the fire while gazing up at the breathtaking Ugandan night sky.

Day 3: Morning walking safari, afternoon boat safari on Lake Mburo. Evening game drive in search of leopard

Due to the lack of lions and elephants, Lake Mburo is the sole Ugandan national park that allows visitors to go on foot safaris. Our Uganda Wildlife Authority guide will accompany us as we set out onto the plains after breakfast. About two hours into our safari in Africa, we can expect to witness giraffe, zebra, impala, and a plethora of bird species, while also learning about the local vegetation, which includes acacia and papyrus.

We will go birdwatching on Lake Mburo after lunch, hoping to see more species including white-winged warblers, fishing eagles, and kingfishers. We are hoping to see buffalo, crocodiles, hippos, and birds.

We go on an exclusive game drive after dark in the hopes of spotting a leopard. Leopard sightings are somewhat uncommon in Uganda, but night game drives in Lake Mburo National Park are your best bet.While it’s impossible to promise that every group will see wildlife, 7 out of 10 groups do.

Day 4: Transfer to Bwindi National Park, home of the mountain gorillas

It will take about six hours to drive to Bwindi National Park, a picturesque route via small communities, banana and coffee fields, and rolling hills. Along the way, we’ll have lunch and take a break to stretch.

We are scheduled to reach Bwindi National Park, which is home to the critically endangered mountain gorillas, around midday. With its undulating hills and deep river gorges, the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is one of the largest primary forest belts in Africa. A wide variety of plants and animals, as well as an abundance of birds, call this diverse area home. Before dinner, you may take in the breathtaking views, and afterward, you can unwind at the bar or by the fire pit while gazing at the magnificent stars over Africa.

Day 5: Gorilla trek in Bwindi National Park

Meeting the gentle giants of Bwindi is an experience that some people call a life-changing event, and you’re about to have it today! Long stretches of steep, muddy terrain, occasionally with rain overhead, await you before you meet any gorillas. Although two to four hours of tracking is the norm, it can take as long as eight hours to locate the gorillas. However, the unique and unforgettable experience of carefully seeing them when they feed, play, and rest will more than make up for the effort! Almost half of the world’s mountain gorilla population—approximately 400 individuals—call this park home.

Mountain gorillas, in contrast to lowland gorillas, are among the most endangered species on Earth. Protected parks like Bwindi provide them with a fighting chance by collecting entrance and gorilla tracking fees from tourists. All vacation packages include the price of the gorilla permit.

Mountain gorillas, in contrast to their lowland forest and open-space-dwelling relatives in West Africa, inhabit ranges between 1,520 and 3,650 meters in elevation. Being vegetarians and gentle giants, they are often quiet unless threatened. The excitement of incredibly close encounters has been our reward.

Day 6: Nature walks in Bwindi

To learn more about Bwindi and its environs, you can sign up for a guided nature village walk today. The gorilla journey frequently requires us to divide the group in half because to the limited number of permits available. Today, those who were unable to join the gorilla trek on day five will have the opportunity to do so.

More than 360 bird species, including several native to the area, and 120 animal species call Bwindi home. While adventuring, you may see colobus monkeys or red-tailed monkeys. Black bee eaters, olive long-tailed cuckoos, brown-necked parrots, and the African green broad bill are some of the bird species that may be seen.

Day 7: Cross into Rwanda. Visit Volcanoes National Park, walking safari in search of the golden monkey

This morning, after saying goodbye to Bwindi, we crossed into Rwanda from Uganda. Our destination is Volcanoes National Park, which is located in the beautiful Virunga highlands. It usually takes around an hour to cross the Cyanika border crossing from Uganda into Rwanda on this excursion.

We will be concentrating on seeing the endangered golden monkey, but there is also a population of mountain gorillas. We will visit Volcanoes National Park in the afternoon on either day seven or day eight to see two groups of habituated golden monkeys. The lodge where we will be spending the next two nights is set in lush grounds, and each cabin has a fireplace to keep us warm at night. With its tall Virunga volcano range—the largest of which is above 4,500 meters—and its lush woods covering 160 squared kilometres, this park boasts breathtaking landscape.

The Ellen DeGeneres Campus is a premier research and education facility in Volcanoes National Park dedicated to the preservation of the endangered Mountain Gorilla. We will visit this facility upon our arrival. Opening in 2022, the exhibition centre comprises a variety of displays, movies, and artificial intelligence (AI) generated gorilla activities; it expands upon the remarkable conservation efforts of Dian Fossey, who became renowned thanks to National Geographic and the blockbuster film Gorillas in the Mist…

Day 8: Full day in Volcanoes National Park

Visit Volcanoes National Park during a whole day. This morning is when the majority of people will go on their walk to see the golden monkeys. We will be collected from our accommodation at an early hour and brought to the park headquarters to meet our ranger guide. Near the volcano’s base, in the bamboo thickets, you can find golden monkeys. It usually takes around an hour to go to the unit, but it could take more or less time depending on where they are. Because they avoid higher elevations, the trekking time is far less than the gorilla trip in Bwindi, where gorillas are found.

In groups of thirty to eighty people, the endangered golden monkey is usually the alpha male. The world’s remaining golden monkey population is estimated to be between 2,500 and 3,000. Their primary diet consists of lichens, leaves, and bamboo shoots. Photographing them might be a challenge due to their high level of activity, hopping from tree to tree. We walk in groups of no more than eight individuals, so if ours gets too big, we’ll have to break up. Before heading back to our Kinigi lodge, we will spend an hour interacting with these incredible primates.

You are free to spend the remainder of the day exploring the nearby villages or visiting The Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village, a local cooperative that promotes sustainability and showcases a diverse array of arts, crafts, and homewares created by the inhabitants. Alternatively, you can unwind at the lodge if you prefer a more sedate afternoon, or ask your guide for suggestions on local walks if you’d want to get some exercise.

Day 9: Drive to Kigali, capital of Rwanda. City tour

Our journey today begins with breakfast and continues with a drive south to Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. After lunch, we will go on a city tour that stops at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre, which opened in 2004 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the genocide against the Tutsi people, and Mt. Kigali, where you can see beautiful views of the city below. There, visitors can learn about the genocide in Rwanda and its aftereffects, and those who have lost loved ones can pay their respects. To really get a feel for what makes this lively capital city of Rwanda special, the tour will also stop by the Kimironko Market, the country’s biggest fresh food market. In addition to visiting one of the numerous local NGOs, today you will get the chance to visit the Nyamirambo Women’s centre. This institution trains, teaches, and supports local women, emphasising the importance of gender equality, entrepreneurship, and independence. During King Charles and Camilla’s most recent Commonwealth Dinner in Kigali three years ago, the ladies of this centre were given the important responsibility of creating traditional Rwandan table settings, including centrepieces, napkins, placemats, and woven accessories. Although it is not part of the tour, your guide can arrange for you to visit this location in the late afternoon if you would like.

Day 10: Trip ends in Kigali

After having breakfast at our accommodation in Kigali, the adventure comes to a close.

Since nothing is scheduled for today, you are free to leave Kigali whenever you like. Luggage storage is offered at our hotel in case your flight departs later in the day. Kigali International Airport (KGL) is around half an hour’s drive from the city centre, so if you want an airport transfer today, you need to depart from there.

End of the 10-Day Uganda And Rwanda Gorilla Discovery