Uganda to Rwanda: Gorilla Treks & Safari Drives
8 days, Kampala to Kigali
When arranging your transportation, such as flights, please take into consideration the below time restrictions for joining and departing from your group. With these times, we have taken into account travel time to/from the airport in the given destination and required time for check-in or baggage collection/immigration.
Itinerary
Day 1Kampala
Arrive at anytime.
Arriving early? Pre-book Nile River Whitewater Rafting in Jinja on Day 1, and be back in time for your evening welcome meeting. We strongly advise arriving one night earlier to facilitate the activity's early start.
Please note that if you choose to participate in the Jinja Rafting excursion, the pick-up will depart from The Canary Hotel in Kampala at approx 7:30am. If you have booked alternative pre-tour accommodations, please be sure to contact Nile River Explorers the day before to arrange a convenient pick-up point. See the Optional Activities section of the Tour Details page for more information.
Welcome Meeting
Meet your CEO and fellow group members and learn more about the upcoming itinerary. Fill out some paperwork and get ready for the adventure.
Optional Activities - Day 1 HideShow
Jinja River Rafting from Kampala
140USD per personLooking for a change from wildlife to simply something wild? Wake up early and head out on the Nile River for a full-day navigating the whitewater. Enjoy an exciting day testing your paddling skills in the rapids while waves crash over into your eight-person raft. This activity is suitable for rafters of all experience levels. Enjoy a BBQ and drinks with your group after conquering the rapids. Trip includes approx 4 hours round-trip transportation to and from Jinja from the start hotel in Kampala.
Accommodation
Below is an example of the hotel we may use in this city. For the actual hotel your specific departure will be using, please check your voucher.
Canary Hotel (or similar)
Day 2Kampala/Fort Portal
Take the scenic route to Fort Portal at the edge of Kibale National Park. Spend the night on a guest farm listening to the sounds of monkeys and birds.
Accommodation in Fort Portal is on a farm in simple furnished tents with shared bathroom facilities.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Accommodation
Kluges Guest Farm (or similar)
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 3Kibale National Park
Explore the evergreen rainforest and trek to spot chimps in the morning or afternoon. Enjoy a traditional lunch in the Bigodi Community.
Opt to venture deep into the wetlands to spot more wildlife on a guided walk through the Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary.
Chimpanzee Trek
Embark on a chimp trek with a park ranger/guide. See more than just chimpanzees in their natural environment. Learn about the ecosystem and keep an eye out for other animals. Although chimp sightings are not guaranteed, visitors stand a good chance of hearing and seeing our distant cousins as they are not bothered by humans watching their daily behaviour.
Bigodi Community Lunch
Sit down to a traditional buffet-style lunch prepared with fresh, organic local ingredients. Guests dine in a grass thatched hut and learn about Bigodi dining etiquette. Your local hosts describes how the ingredients used in the dishes are grown, harvested and prepared.
Optional Activities - Day 3 HideShow
Bigodi Swamp Walk
20USD per personTake a guided walk through the Bigodi wetlands. On your tour, you will likely see several kinds of monkeys including black and white colobus, red colobus, mangabey, red tail, vervet, and L’Hoest. Other wetlands mammals include baboons, sitatunga (an increasingly endangered swamp antelope), bush pigs, civet cats, mongooses, bush bucks and an occasional chimpanzee. The area also boasts an incredible bird population. Walking poles are provided, subject to availability. If you require poles, we suggest bringing your own.
Accommodation
Kluges Guest Farm (or similar)
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 4Kibale NP/Queen Elizabeth NP
Continue on to Queen Elizabeth NP, stopping at the equator. Head out on a wildlife safari drive in the afternoon. Keep your eyes peeled for warthogs, elephants, buffalo, five different species of primates, and hippos.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is characterized by open savannah, large areas of swamp around Lake George, the extensive Maramagambo Forest in the southeast, and the forested Kyambura Gorge along the border with Kyambura Game Reserve.
Tonight's accommodation is located on a hill, on the border of Queen Elizabeth National Park. It offers spectacular views of Lake George and the savannah plains.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Queen Elizabeth National Park Wildlife Safari Drive
Enjoy a wildlife safari drive inside Queen Elizabeth National Park. The park is home to Uganda's largest wildlife populations. Keep an eye out for buffalo, elephants, hippos, hyenas, lions, warthogs, and the elusive leopards.
Accommodation
Simba Safari Camp (or similar)
Meals included:
Breakfast | DinnerDay 5Queen Elizabeth National Park
Take an early morning wildlife safari drive and enjoy lunch inside the park. Opt for an evening cruise along the Kazinga Channel.
Enjoy a wildlife safari drive with possible sightings of buffaloes, waterbucks, warthogs, lions, leopards, hyenas, giant forest hogs, and elephants.
Queen Elizabeth National Park Wildlife Safari Drive
Enjoy a wildlife safari drive inside Queen Elizabeth National Park. The park is home to Uganda's largest wildlife populations. Keep an eye out for buffalo, elephants, hippos, hyenas, lions, warthogs, and the elusive leopards.
Free Time
Don't waste a minute— start exploring.
Optional Activities - Day 5 HideShow
Kazinga Channel Cruise
30USD per personTake a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, a waterway inside Queen Elizabeth National Park that connects Lake George and Lake Edward. Look out for a variety of wildlife who are drawn to the channel shores. Spot birds, crocodiles, hippos, and reptiles.
Accommodation
Simba Safari Camp (or similar)
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 6Queen Elizabeth NP/Bwindi Impenetrable NP
Enjoy the scenic drive south, with views of forests, volcanoes and lakes. Spend the night on the edge of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Accommodation at Bwindi Impenetrable NP is in simple furnished tents/rooms with ensuite bathroom facilities.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Accommodation
Rushaga Gorilla Camp (or similar)
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 7Gorilla Trekking
Rise early for the tour's main highlight – gorilla trekking!
Head into Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to meet the park ranger/guide for orientation. Embark on the trek, which can vary in length and difficulty, depending on the location of the gorilla family that's being visited. Spend 1 hr (max) observing these beautiful and endangered creatures, a truly privileged experience. Trek back and return to town. Enjoy free time in the afternoon.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has four areas; Rushaga, Buhoma, Nkuringo, Ruhija. Depending on permit availability your group could be tracking gorillas from different areas of the park, it is all still part of Bwindi.
Mountain Gorilla Trek
Take an unforgettable guided trek (1-6 hrs) deep into volcano forests of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for a wildlife encounter of a lifetime, and meet a family of mountain gorillas. One of Africa's major highlights, a close encounter with these amazing animals is simply breathtaking.
Get prepared before heading out: bring plenty of water and waterproof clothing (it can rain on only a few minutes’ notice), and be sure to bring protective bags for cameras and film. Dress in layers with long sleeves and long pants to protect against stinging nettles found in the forests. The trek’s often chilly, at first, until you start trekking.
Note: Ugandan authorities are fiercely protective of this natural treasure, and currently permit only a maximum of eight people, per day, to visit a given gorilla family. The group will be split into different sub-groups for the trek, and depending on the number of travellers, different sub-groups may do their trek on different days.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has four areas; Rushaga, Buhoma, Nkuringo, and Ruhija. Depending on permit availability your group could be tracking gorillas from different areas of the park, it is all still part of Bwindi.
Free Time
Depending on when you get back from your gorilla trek, you may have some time to explore more of the area.
Optional Activities - Day 7 HideShow
Porter Hire
20USD per personHire a local porter to carry your day pack throughout the trek, giving you more ease on your journey.
Accommodation
Rushaga Gorilla Camp (or similar)
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 8Bwindi/Kigali
Cross the border into Rwanda, then head to the capital city, Kigali. Visit the genocide museum to learn more about the dark history of this fascinating country. Enjoy lunch at the G Adventures supported Nyamirambo Women's Centre.
The tour ends following lunch at Nyamirambo Women's Centre. Please book onward flights no earlier than 6pm.
Border Crossing (Uganda - Rwanda)
Ready for a little more ink in your passport? Grab your bags and get ready to check another country off your bucket list.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Kigali Genocide Memorial Visit
Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre, which serves as a permanent memorial to those who fell victim to the genocide in 1994. The centre opened on the tenth anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide, in April 2004, and was built on a site where more than 250,000 people are buried.
Please note that content at the Memorial Centre shows the harsh reality of the genocide.
Your G for Good Moment: Nyamirambo Women's Centre, Local Lunch
Located in Nyamirambo, the largest and most vibrant township in Rwanda, the centre provides women and girls from a diverse range of backgrounds, the opportunity to support each other and succeed, through education and training programs. Enjoy lunch prepared by women employed at the centre, allowing us to try local foods and popular dishes. After lunch, take some time to browse the centre's shop, which features handmade, high-quality crafts and clothes, made by some of the women at the shop, as well as other women's cooperatives throughout Rwanda. Proceeds from the meal and shop help support the centre’s education and training programs, including a community library.
Departure Day
Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.