5 Days Gorilla Trekking and Wildlife Safari Uganda Rwanda

Trip Duration

5 Days/4 Nights

Trip type

Private Safari

Destinations

Uganda > Rwanda

From

$2,850

Per Person Sharing

Experience the ultimate East African adventure combining wildlife safaris, stunning landscapes, and a once-in-a-lifetime gorilla trekking encounter. This 5-day tour takes you from the equatorial city of Entebbe through Queen Elizabeth National Park and Bwindi/Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, ending in Kigali, Rwanda. Enjoy game drives, boat cruises, cultural experiences, and a chance to see tree-climbing lions and mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.

Trip Highlights

Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi: Trek into Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and spend one permitted hour with a habituated gorilla family, silverbacks, mothers, and playful young. One of the world’s rarest wildlife encounters.

Golden monkey tracking @ Volcanoes NP: Track the endangered golden monkey through the bamboo forest on the slopes of the Virunga volcanoes in Rwanda, a lively, acrobatic primate found only here.

Game drive at Lake Mburo National Park: Uganda’s only park with zebra, set around five lakes. Spot impala, hippo, topi, buffalo, and hundreds of waterbirds on an afternoon game drive or boat cruise.

Virunga volcanic landscape, Rwanda: Stand at the base of the towering Virunga chain, Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, shared by Rwanda, Uganda, and DRC. Dramatic scenery at every turn.

Batwa pygmy cultural experience: Meet the Batwa, the original custodians of Bwindi forest, and hear their history through storytelling, music, and a guided forest trail steeped in ancestral knowledge.

Kigali Genocide Memorial: A deeply moving and important visit. The memorial honours the 250,000 victims buried on site and chronicles the history of the 1994 genocide — essential context for understanding modern Rwanda.

Dian Fossey gorilla fund trail: Hike to the research site where Dian Fossey lived and worked for 18 years. Visit her grave and learn how her pioneering conservation work shaped the survival of mountain gorillas.

Scenic drive through the Kigezi Highlands: Wind through Uganda’s “Switzerland of Africa”, tea estates, terraced hillsides, and a string of ancient crater lakes framed by the Rwenzori foothills.

Trip Includes

Park fees
Gorilla permits
All activities
All accommodation
A professional driver/guide
All transportation
All Taxes/VAT
Meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)

Not Included

International flights
Roundtrip airport transfer
Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
Tips (Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)
Personal items
Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
Some meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)

Trip Itinerary

Day 1 Entebbe to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Start your journey with a hotel pick-up in Entebbe and drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park in a comfortable 4WD vehicle. Stop at the Uganda Equator Line in Kayabwe for photos and continue via Mbarara for lunch. Arrive in the late afternoon and check into your lodge. If time permits, enjoy a short evening game drive to catch your first glimpse of wildlife. Overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge or similar.

Day 2 Game Drives and Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise

After breakfast, embark on a morning game drive across the Kasenyi Plains. Spot predators, elephants, buffalo, kob, jackals, and forest hogs. In the afternoon, take a relaxing boat cruise along Kazinga Channel, famous for its dense wildlife and birdlife. Observe hippos, elephants, and birds coming to the water’s edge. Optional evening game drive before returning to the lodge. Overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge.

Day 3 Queen Elizabeth NP to Bwindi/Mgahinga via Ishasha

After breakfast, head to the Ishasha sector for a game drive and a chance to see tree-climbing lions. Continue to Bwindi or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, home to endangered mountain gorillas. The scenic drive takes you through rolling hills and local villages. Check into your lodge and relax before your gorilla trekking adventure the next day. Overnight at Bakiga Lodge or similar.

Day 4 Gorilla Trekking and Transfer to Kigali

Begin the day with a briefing at the ranger station before embarking on a gorilla trekking adventure. Hike through the forest and spend an hour observing gorillas from a safe distance. After trekking, transfer across the border to Kigali, Rwanda, enjoying scenic views along the way. Check into your hotel for the night. Overnight at Hotel Des Mille Collines or similar.

Day 5 Kigali City Tour and Departure

After breakfast, explore Kigali on a city tour. Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial to understand the history and pay respects, then shop for souvenirs at Caplaki Crafts Market. Transfer to the airport for your departure, concluding your unforgettable safari.