9 Days Rwanda & Uganda Primate Odyssey – Double Gorilla Experience

Safari Overview: Double Gorilla Trekking Safari

For the true primate enthusiast, one gorilla trek is never enough. This 9 Day Rwanda & Uganda Primate Odyssey offers the rare and extraordinary opportunity to track mountain gorillas in two different countries, each with its own distinct landscape, culture, and conservation story. You will begin in Rwanda, trekking through the bamboo forests of Volcanoes National Park to spend an hour with a gorilla family in the shadow of the Virunga peaks. Then you will cross into Uganda, descending into the dense, ancient rainforest of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for a second, completely different gorilla encounter. Between these life changing experiences, you will track wild chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest or Kibale, search for golden monkeys, and explore the serene beauty of Lake Bunyonyi. Africa Exotic Safaris has designed this itinerary for travelers who want to maximize their primate encounters while enjoying comfortable eco lodges, expert guiding, and seamless cross border transfers. This is the ultimate odyssey for those who wish to come face to face with our closest relatives, not once, but twice.

Quick Tour Specifics: Double Gorilla Trekking Safari

• Rwanda & Uganda Primate Odyssey – Double Gorilla Experience
• Number of People: Tailored (private safari)
• Start/End: Kigali, Rwanda / Entebbe, Uganda (or Kigali)
• Availability: All year throughout; best during dry seasons June to September and December to February
• Activities: Mountain gorilla trekking in Rwanda, mountain gorilla trekking in Uganda, chimpanzee tracking, golden monkey tracking, nature walks, cultural village visits, Lake Bunyonyi canoeing
• Destinations: Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda), Nyungwe Forest National Park (Rwanda), Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Uganda), Lake Bunyonyi (Uganda)
• Price: Request a Quote for this Trip

Safari Highlights: Double Gorilla Trekking Safari

• Trek mountain gorillas twice: once in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and again in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, comparing two unique habitats.

• Spend an hour with a gorilla family in Rwanda, where permits are more expensive but trekking distances are often shorter.

• Cross into Uganda for a second gorilla trek in Bwindi, home to nearly half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas.

• Track habituated chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest, one of Africa’s oldest rainforests, famous for its primate diversity.

• Search for the endangered golden monkeys in the bamboo zones of Volcanoes National Park, watching them leap and play.

• Relax on the tranquil shores of Lake Bunyonyi, a stunning crater lake dotted with 29 islands, free from bilharzia.

• Visit the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village in Rwanda or the Batwa community in Uganda to learn about ancient forest traditions.

• Enjoy scenic drives through the Virunga highlands and the Kigezi hills, often called the Switzerland of Africa.

Detailed Day by Day Safari Activities: Double Gorilla Trekking Safari

Day 1: Arrival in Kigali – Welcome to Rwanda

Your double gorilla odyssey begins at Kigali International Airport. An Africa Exotic Safaris representative will greet you and transfer you to your comfortable hotel in the city. Kigali is a vibrant, clean, and safe capital known for its rolling hills and welcoming people. After checking in and freshening up, you will enjoy a welcome lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, you have the option to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial, a moving and beautifully curated museum that tells the story of Rwanda’s tragic past and inspiring recovery. Alternatively, you can explore local craft markets to purchase handmade baskets, textiles, and wood carvings. Your guide will conduct a detailed safari briefing over dinner, explaining gorilla trekking protocols, packing tips, and the schedule for the coming days. Rest well, for tomorrow you enter the misty volcanoes.

Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation Options: Luxury: Kigali Serena Hotel | Mid Range: The Manor Hotel | Budget: Hotel des Mille Collines

Day 2: Kigali to Volcanoes National Park – Golden Monkeys and Cultural Immersion

After an early breakfast, you will drive north for approximately two and a half hours to Volcanoes National Park. The road winds through lush tea plantations and eucalyptus forests, with the volcanic peaks of the Virungas growing larger on the horizon. You will arrive at your lodge near the park headquarters in time for lunch. In the afternoon, you will enjoy a gentle golden monkey trek. These striking primates, with their bright orange fur, are found only in the Virunga region. The trek is relatively easy, often taking one to two hours through bamboo forest. You will have one hour to observe them as they leap between bamboo stalks, feed on fruits, and groom each other. Return to the lodge for a relaxing evening. Alternatively, you may choose to visit the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village, where former poachers now share their traditions through dance, song, and storytelling. Dinner is served at the lodge, with views of the volcanoes.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation Options: Luxury: Bisate Lodge | Mid Range: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel | Budget: Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge

Day 3: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park – Rwanda’s Gentle Giants

This is the first of your two gorilla trekking days. Wake before dawn to a hearty breakfast. Pack your day pack with water, snacks, rain gear, and gloves. Your guide will drive you to the park headquarters for the 7:00 AM gathering. You will join a small group of no more than eight trekkers and be assigned to a specific gorilla family. After a cultural blessing from a local elder, you will drive to the trailhead. The trek begins. Your expert guide and armed rangers lead you into the dense, misty bamboo and hagenia forest. The terrain can be steep and muddy. After anywhere from one to five hours, the radio crackles. You push through the last thicket. Then, you see them. A massive silverback rests against a tree, his fur glistening with dew. A mother nurses her tiny infant. Juveniles tumble and play. You are given exactly one hour in their presence. After the trek, you will return to the lodge for a well earned lunch and a hot shower. In the afternoon, you may rest or take a gentle walk to a nearby lake. Dinner is a celebratory affair, sharing stories of your first gorilla encounter.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation Options: Same as Day 2

Day 4: Volcanoes National Park to Nyungwe Forest – Chimpanzee Territory

After breakfast, you will drive south through Rwanda’s stunning mountainous landscape towards Nyungwe Forest National Park. The journey takes approximately five to six hours, with breathtaking views of terraced hills and deep valleys. You will stop for lunch en route. Nyungwe is one of Africa’s oldest rainforests and home to 13 primate species, including a large population of habituated chimpanzees. You will arrive at your lodge on the edge of the forest in the late afternoon. Take time to relax and absorb the sounds of the jungle. Your guide will brief you on tomorrow’s chimpanzee tracking. Dinner is served at the lodge, with the forest providing a symphony of nocturnal calls.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation Options: Luxury: One&Only Nyungwe House | Mid Range: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel | Budget: Gisakura Guesthouse

Day 5: Chimpanzee Trekking in Nyungwe Forest – Canopy Calls

Wake early for breakfast, then drive to the park headquarters for a briefing. You will join a small group and a skilled ranger guide to track one of Nyungwe’s habituated chimpanzee communities. The trek can take two to four hours depending on where the chimps spent the night. You will hike through dense, ancient rainforest, listening for their distinctive pant hoot calls. Once located, you will have one hour to observe them. Watch as they swing through the canopy, groom each other, and feed on fruits. Mothers carry their infants while juveniles play. After the trek, return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, you have the option to walk the famous Canopy Walkway, a suspended bridge 50 meters above the forest floor, offering spectacular views of the forest and the chance to see monkeys and birds from above. Alternatively, take a nature walk to a waterfall. Return to the lodge for dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation Options: Same as Day 4

Day 6: Nyungwe to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (Uganda) – Crossing Borders

After breakfast, you will drive to the Rwanda Uganda border at Cyanika or Katuna. The journey takes approximately three to four hours. You will complete border formalities and cross into Uganda, where a new Africa Exotic Safaris guide will welcome you. Continue to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to nearly half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. The drive through the Kigezi Highlands is stunning, with terraced hills and winding roads. You will arrive at your lodge near the park in time for lunch. The afternoon is free to relax or take a short walk to a nearby village. Your guide will conduct a pre trek briefing, explaining the differences between gorilla trekking in Uganda versus Rwanda. Dinner is served as the forest darkens around you, with the distant call of a silverback echoing through the mist.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation Options: Luxury: Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp | Mid Range: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge | Budget: Broadbill Forest Camp

Day 7: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi – Your Second Gorilla Encounter

This is the second highlight of your odyssey. Wake before dawn and eat a hearty breakfast. Pack your day pack. You will drive to the park headquarters for registration and allocation to a specific gorilla family. Bwindi has over 20 habituated families, each with unique behaviors. After a briefing, you will join a group of no more than eight trekkers and drive to the trailhead. The trek in Bwindi is different from Rwanda: the forest is denser, the terrain steeper, and the vegetation more impenetrable. After one to six hours of hiking, you will find your gorilla family. The experience is intimate and raw. You may see a silverback beating his chest, or a newborn clinging to its mother. You have exactly one hour. After the trek, return to the lodge for lunch and a hot shower. In the afternoon, you may choose to visit the Batwa community, the original forest dwellers who were displaced when the park was established. They will share their ancient hunting and gathering traditions through dance and storytelling. Dinner is a celebration of your second gorilla trek.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation Options: Same as Day 6

Day 8: Bwindi to Lake Bunyonyi – Relaxation Among the Islands

After breakfast, you will drive approximately two hours to Lake Bunyonyi, one of the most beautiful lakes in Africa. This deep, bilharzia free lake is dotted with 29 lush islands, surrounded by terraced green hills. You will arrive at your lake side lodge in time for lunch. In the afternoon, you can take a traditional dugout canoe ride to explore the islands. Visit Punishment Island, where unmarried pregnant girls were abandoned in the old days, or simply drift past papyrus banks watching herons and kingfishers. You can also swim in the safe, clear waters. Alternatively, relax on the deck of your lodge with a book and a drink. As the sun sets behind the hills, enjoy a farewell dinner overlooking the lake.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation Options: Luxury: Arcadia Cottages Lake Bunyonyi | Mid Range: BirdNest Resort | Budget: Bunyonyi Overland Resort

Day 9: Lake Bunyonyi to Kigali or Entebbe – Departure

Enjoy a final leisurely breakfast with views over the mist rising from Lake Bunyonyi. Depending on your departure airport, you will drive either to Kigali (approximately four hours) or to Entebbe via Kabale and Mbarara (approximately eight hours). If flying from Kigali, your guide will transfer you to Kigali International Airport. If flying from Entebbe, you will continue through Uganda’s countryside, stopping for lunch en route, and arrive at Entebbe International Airport in the late afternoon. As you check in for your flight, you will carry with you the profound memory of two gorilla encounters, the chatter of chimpanzees, the golden monkeys’ acrobatics, and the peace of Lake Bunyonyi. This 9 Day Rwanda & Uganda Primate Odyssey has delivered the ultimate double gorilla experience. Africa Exotic Safaris thanks you for choosing us and looks forward to welcoming you back to the heart of African primatology.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Inclusions: Double Gorilla Trekking Safari

• All airport transfers in Kigali and Entebbe.

• Private, air conditioned 4×4 vehicle for all ground transportation in Rwanda and Uganda.

• Professional English speaking safari guides in each country, with seamless border handover.

• Accommodation for 8 nights as per the itinerary in your chosen category.

• All meals as indicated (breakfast, lunch, dinner).

• One gorilla trekking permit for Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda (USD 1,500 at time of writing).

• One gorilla trekking permit for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda (USD 800 at time of writing).

• One golden monkey trekking permit in Rwanda.

• One chimpanzee trekking permit in Nyungwe Forest National Park.

• Guided nature walks and cultural visits as described (Iby’Iwacu or Batwa community).

• Canoe ride on Lake Bunyonyi.

• All park entry fees, ranger fees, and conservation levies.

• Bottled drinking water throughout the safari.

• Government taxes and service charges.

Exclusions: Double Gorilla Trekking Safari

• International flights to and from Kigali or Entebbe.

• Visa fees for Rwanda and Uganda (both available online or on arrival for most nationalities).

• Travel and medical insurance covering emergency evacuation, trip cancellation, and baggage loss (mandatory).

• Tips and gratuities for guides, rangers, drivers, and lodge staff.

• Alcoholic and soft drinks except for water.

• Personal expenses such as laundry, souvenirs, phone calls, and spa treatments.

• Optional activities not listed in the itinerary including the Nyungwe Canopy Walkway (approximately USD 60 per person).

• Any item not explicitly mentioned in the inclusions.