3 to 5 Days Gorilla Tracking, Kigali to Kigali

These thrilling Gorilla Tour Options focus on tracking Gorillas 1 or 2 times in Uganda. Can be booked as well as combined Gorilla- and Golden Monkey Tracking.

The tour can start at any date of your choice and includes transfer from Kigali to Kigali and Gorilla Tracking(s) and optional Golden Monkey Tracking.

In the months April, May and November the Primate Permits are reduced.

Highlights

• Gorilla Tracking in Mgahinga or Bwindi
• Optional Second Gorilla Tracking or Golden Monkey Tracking

Day by Day Program

Day 1 – Kigali

Kigali, nestled in Rwanda's green hills, offers a clean and easy-to-navigate experience. At the heart of the country, it's a half-day drive from major attractions. The center buzzes with modern African life, and markets sell colorful fabrics and crafts. Quieter leafy suburbs have garden restaurants with global cuisine. Museums and memorials share Rwanda's story with honesty and hope. The arts scene is growing, showcasing contemporary African creativity. Kigali's hills offer views of green valleys and ridges stretching to the horizon.

If you arrive before 2 pm, you might even skip the first night in Kigali. In this case, we pick you at the airport and transfer you directly to your Gorilla Tracking Area in Uganda.

• After arrival: Transfer by Road, Kigali International Airport to The Manor Hotel Transfer time; about 20 Minutes
• Kigali City Tour, Kigali Depending on your departure time, there might be time enough for a Kigali City Tour. Your Hotel can organise this for you. If you arrive before 2 pm, you might even skip the first night in Kigali. In this case, we pick you at the airport and transfer you directly to your Gorilla Tracking Area in Uganda.
• Visit Kigali Convention Center, Kigali If you have time enough on your first or last evening we recommend to visit the Kigali Convention Center and enjoy the illumination.
• Genocide Memorial, Kigali Genocide Memorial The Genocide memorial opens from 9 am to 4 pm. If you have time enough in Kigali you might consider to visit it. You should start latest at 2pm.

Accommodation: The Manor Hotel — Breakfast & Dinner

Day 2 – Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Supporting almost half the world's mountain gorillas, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is arguably the best place anywhere in the world to track these charismatic gentle giants through their misty forest home. But there is far more to this Unesco World Heritage Site than just gorillas. The lush forest interior is also home to a diversity of other mammals, ranging from L’Hoest’s monkey and chimpanzee to elephant and the yellow-backed duiker. A total of 350 bird species, 23 of which are unique to the Albertine Rift Valley, ensure that Bwindi ranks among East Africa's most rewarding bird-watching destinations. The fees for gorilla tracking are largely used to preserve the mountain gorillas' habitat - to finance the staff, the gorilla doctors, research projects, and support for the local population to prevent further forest clearing for their needs. A small portion goes to wildlife conservation in other national parks that receive few visitors and therefore hardly any income.

NOTE: This tour offers one or two Gorilla Trackings. If you only want one, it can be done either in Bwindi or Mgahinga, depending where we get the permits. The one Gorilla Tracking option can be done as 3 or 4 day trip depending on your flight schedule.

• TBD: Transfer by Road, Kigali to Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge Transfer time; about 4-5 hours
• OPTIONAL View Point Lake Bunyonyi A short detour to the best Lake Bunyonyi View Point is recommendable. The access is only possible inside Arcadia Lodge. Enjoy a coffee or a soda on their terrace and get the best impressions and pictures of the most beautiful lake in East Africa. If your transfer Kigali to Uganda starts in the morning, we can make a detour to this view point with a break for a refreshment or coffee.
• Optional Birdnest Lunch, BirdNest Resort Only possible if your transfer Kigali to Uganda starts in the morning. You can as well decide to buy snacks on the road or have a local lunch.

Accommodation: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge — Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 3 & 4 – Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park sits on Uganda's southwestern border, where three volcanic peaks rise dramatically from the landscape. The park protects part of the Virunga Mountains, a range that reaches 4,127m at its highest point and stretches across Uganda, Rwanda, and the Congo. This is one of only four places in the world where mountain gorillas roam through dense bamboo forests and rainforest. We might also encounter golden monkeys, a rare primate found only in this region. The park covers just 33 square kilometers, making it Uganda's smallest national park, but the terrain varies significantly from the entrance to the volcanic summits. Buffalo and bushbuck live here too, along with colorful high-altitude birds like the Rwenzori turaco. The views are striking, with volcanic cones visible from miles away and lakes Mutanda and Mulehe below the approach road. NOTE If you opt for only one Gorilla Tracking it can be in Bwindi or Mgahinga, depending on the permit availability. If you opt for 2 Gorilla Trackings we recommend to do one in Bwindi and one in Mgahinga, to get a different experience.

Important for gorilla tracking whether you do it in Bwindi or Mgahinga or both: good waterproof hiking boots, gaiters if necessary, muted colors, long pants and sleeves, gardening gloves, sunscreen, and rain gear. A briefing by the rangers begins at 7:30 a.m. and includes a cultural performance. Afterwards, visitors are divided into groups of up to eight people, each visiting a gorilla family. Our clients are usually back at the lodge between 1 and 3 p.m. at the latest. The ranger trackers go into the forest early in the morning in groups of three people and begin searching for the gorillas, starting from the sleeping areas where the apes were abandoned the previous evening. A ranger and two security guards set out with their group of visitors after the briefing. There will be frequent breaks along the way, as the trail includes steep uphill and downhill sections, often on the elephant trails, which can be slippery depending on the weather. To ensure a safe and relaxed arrival at the gorillas, we recommend booking a porter/supporter. Young women and men from the surrounding, very poor communities accompany the visitors, carry their backpacks, and provide support in difficult areas. A helping hand on steep, slippery terrain, when balancing over streams, and in muddy areas can be very helpful. Once you reach "your" gorillas, your magic hour begins. These mighty animals are unbothered by us humans. It is incredibly fascinating to observe the mighty gorillas so closely and in their natural habitat. Their mostly leisurely but powerful movements, their interactions, their facial expressions. You almost feel like you can read their emotions on their faces. What an experience! After an hour, you must bid a heavy hearted farewell to these impressive great apes.

• Morning to possibly afternoon: GORILLA TRACKING OPTIONS Your first or your only gorilla tracking: This can either be here in Bwindi, staying at Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge after the tracking for a second night or in Mgahinga staying for 2 nights at Imbogo or Ikaze Lodge. For those who want 2 Gorilla Trackings: We recommend to start in Bwindi and do the second in Mgahinga. In this case you stay only one night at Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge and move after the tracking to Mgahinga. 2-3 hours transfer time.
• Transfer by Road, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park This applies to those who do 2 Gorilla Trackings or 1 Gorilla Tracking and 1 Golden Monkey Tracking. Transfer time; about 2-3 hours
• Optional: This will be your second gorilla tracking day. But you can choose as well to do Golden Monkey Tracking or leave this day completely to shorten the trip.
• Golden Monkey Tracking, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park Instead of a second Gorilla Tracking, you might opt for a Golden Monkey tracking. This is far cheaper than Gorilla Tracking. The tracking begins with an early morning briefing. Then, as with gorilla or chimpanzee tracking, you'll head off with a ranger guide and security rangers to the Bamboo Zone of the Volcanoes, home to the golden monkeys. Here, too, porters (or support porters) can be booked. Given the terrain, this isn't quite as necessary as in Bwindi, but one porter for every two or four visitors is recommended.

Accommodation: Imbogo Safari Lodge — Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 5 – Transfer back to Kigali

Early morning we transfer you back to Kigali. NOTE Depending on your flight schedule this can contain several optional activities or just a direct transfer to reach the airport earlier. In case of a morning flight we can as well transfer you to Kigali directly after your Gorilla Tracking. In this case you arrive there late evening and spend the night at Manor Hotel in Kigali or one of the more luxurious hotels.

• After Breakfast: Transfer by Road, Mgahinga or Bwindi to Kigali International Airport from Bwindi via Gatuna Border and the option to visit the Lake Bunyonyi view point – from Mgahinga via Cyanika Border and the options to visit the Gorilla Museum and the visitor center. Transfer time; about 4-5 hours
• Visit Volcanoes NP Visitor Center, Gorilla naming place (Kwita izina - KinigiKong) Optional when time is sufficient and you come from Mgahinga.
• Visit Diane Fossey Gorilla Museum, Rwanda Optional when time is sufficient and you come from Mgahinga. The entrance is free, but they ask for donations.
• View Point Lake Bunyonyi Optional when time is sufficient and you come from Bwindi. A short detour to the best Lake Bunyonyi View Point is recommendable. The access is only possible inside Arcadia Lodge. Enjoy a coffee or a soda on their terrace and get the best impressions and pictures of the most beautiful lake in East Africa.

Fully customisable

This trip is fully customisable to your preferences and can be booked as a private trip as well as a group trip. We offer accommodation packages from budget midrange to superior midrange; luxury and high-end lodges are available on request.