6 Day Rwanda Uganda Safari
6 Day Rwanda & Gorillas of Uganda Safari
Safari Overview
6 Day Rwanda & Gorillas of Uganda Safari
This 6-day safari takes you through Rwanda and Uganda, two of the most beautiful countries in East Africa. Your journey begins in Kigali, a clean and lively city full of history and culture. Travel north to Musanze, where the Virunga Mountains rise from the mist. Walk through Volcanoes National Park to see playful golden monkeys jumping through the bamboo forest.
Cross into Uganda and explore the thick green jungle of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home to the rare and gentle mountain gorillas. Continue your safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park, where wide savannah plains, rivers, and wetlands are filled with elephants, buffalo, antelope, lions, and many other animals. Take a peaceful boat ride on the Kazinga Channel and watch hippos, crocodiles, and birds at close range. End your adventure with a walk through Kalinzu Forest in search of lively chimpanzees and listen to their calls echoing through the trees. This trip combines wildlife, culture, and beautiful landscapes, giving you a complete East African safari in just six unforgettable days.
Itinerary Highlights
- Trek to see mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
- Watch rare golden monkeys in Volcanoes National Park
- Go on a classic safari drive and boat ride in Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Track wild chimpanzees in Kalinzu Forest Reserve
- Visit the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Campus in Musanze
- Walk 10 km through Bwindi Forest to the Buhoma Sector
Itinerary in Brief
- Day 1: Kigali to Musanze & Dian Fossey Visit
- Day 2: Golden Monkey Trek & Travel to Bwindi Forest
- Day 3: Gorilla Trekking & Afternoon Leisure
- Day 4: Nature Walk to Buhoma & Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Day 5: Game Drive & Kazinga Channel Boat Safari
- Day 6: Chimpanzee Tracking & Return to Kigali
Itinerary In Detail
Day 1: Kigali to Musanze & Dian Fossey Visit
Your safari starts in Kigali, where your driver-guide meets you and gives a short welcome briefing. Begin your journey with a scenic drive north toward Musanze, a town surrounded by the volcanic peaks of the Virunga Mountains. The drive takes you past rolling hills, green farmland, and friendly rural villages, giving you your first look at the beauty of Rwanda.
On arrival in Musanze, check in to your lodge and enjoy some time to relax. In the afternoon, visit the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Campus, an important center for gorilla research and protection. Learn about Dian Fossey’s life, her groundbreaking work with mountain gorillas, and how her efforts continue to save these endangered animals today. Return to your lodge for dinner and spend the night in Musanze, with the mountains in view.
Accommodation Options:
Middle class: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Full Board)
Luxury: Sambora Kinigi Lodge (Full board with drinks)
Day 2: Golden Monkey Trek & Travel to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
After an early breakfast, drive to Volcanoes National Park headquarters for your golden monkey trek briefing. Your guide will explain how the trek works and what to expect. Enter the park and follow forest trails through tall bamboo and mossy trees as birds sing around you. Soon, you will meet a troop of golden monkeys. Watch them as they leap from branch to branch, chase one another, and pick bamboo shoots to eat.
After an hour with the monkeys, return to your lodge for lunch and check out. Begin your drive across the border into Uganda. The journey is full of stunning scenery — you will pass terraced hillsides, crater lakes, and colorful villages. Once you arrive near Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, check in at Nkuringo Bwindi Lodge. Enjoy dinner and settle in for the night as you prepare for tomorrow’s gorilla trek.
Accommodation Options:
Luxury: Nkuringo Bwindi Lodge (Full Board)
Exclusive: Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge (Full Board)
Day 3: Gorilla Trekking & Afternoon Leisure
Wake up very early and have a good breakfast to prepare for one of the most memorable days of your life. Head to the Bwindi National Park headquarters for a detailed briefing about the gorillas and trekking rules. After that, set off into the thick forest with your ranger-guide and a small group of trekkers. The path can be steep and muddy at times, but the scenery is magical with thick vines, giant trees, and birds overhead.
When you finally find your assigned gorilla family, you will spend one special hour quietly watching them. See the silverback leader keeping watch, mothers caring for babies, and juveniles playing nearby. It is a powerful and emotional moment that many people call life-changing.
Return to the lodge for lunch and a well-deserved rest. You can spend the afternoon relaxing on your veranda, taking in the forest views, or visiting a local Batwa community to learn about their traditional way of life.
Accommodation Options:
Luxury: Nkuringo Bwindi Lodge (Full Board)
Exclusive: Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge (Full Board)
Day 4: Nature Walk to Buhoma & Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Enjoy an early breakfast, then set out on a guided 10 km nature walk through Bwindi Forest toward Buhoma Sector. This walk is full of forest sights and sounds — listen to birds singing, watch butterflies flutter past, and notice the thick vegetation that makes this place feel truly wild.
Once you reach Buhoma, meet your driver and begin the scenic road trip to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The drive takes you past rolling tea plantations, banana gardens, and open countryside. Arrive in the park later in the day, check in to your lodge, and spend the evening relaxing. Look out for animals like elephants or antelope that sometimes wander near the lodges.
Accommodation Options:
Simple: Bush Lodge – Banda (Full Board)
Middle class: Engazi Game Lodge (Full Board)
Semi-luxury: Katara Lodge (Full Board)
Luxury: Kyambura Gorge Lodge (Full Board)
Day 5: Game Drive & Kazinga Channel Boat Safari
Wake up early for a game drive across the Kasenyi Plains. This is the best time to see animals as they are most active in the cool morning. Look out for elephants walking in family groups, buffalo grazing, antelope leaping, and lions resting in the grass or hunting nearby. Your guide will help spot wildlife and explain their behavior.
Return to the lodge for lunch, then head to the Kazinga Channel for a boat safari. This calm channel connects Lake George and Lake Edward and is famous for its large numbers of hippos and crocodiles. Watch them from the boat as they lie in the sun or slip into the water. The channel is also home to many birds — you may see kingfishers, pelicans, and African fish eagles. After the cruise, return to the lodge for dinner and another night in the park.
Accommodation Options:
Simple: Bush Lodge – Banda (Full Board)
Middle class: Engazi Game Lodge (Full Board)
Semi-luxury: Katara Lodge (Full Board)
Luxury: Kyambura Gorge Lodge (Full Board)
Day 6: Chimpanzee Tracking & Return to Kigali
After breakfast, drive to Kalinzu Forest Reserve for chimpanzee tracking. Walk with a ranger through the beautiful forest while listening for the calls of the chimps. When you find them, watch them play, groom, and swing through the branches. Chimpanzees are very social, and it is fascinating to see them interact with one another.
After your trek, begin your drive back to Kigali, enjoying the views of Uganda’s and Rwanda’s hills and farms one last time. Arrive in Kigali in the evening and continue to the airport for your flight home — ending a safari full of wildlife, adventure, and memories that will last forever.
What is included?
- Pick-up and drop-off at Kigali International Airport
- Travel in a comfortable 4x4 safari vehicle
- English-speaking driver-guide
- Visit the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Campus
- Golden Monkey tracking permit (Volcanoes National Park)
- Gorilla trekking permit (Bwindi Impenetrable National Park)
- Chimpanzee trekking in Kalinzu Forest
- Park entry fees for Volcanoes & Bwindi Parks
- Accommodation as per plan (full board)
- All meals listed (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
What's not?
- Flights and visas (Rwanda & Uganda)
- Travel insurance (highly recommended)
- Optional porter fees for gorilla trekking
- Optional activities
- Tips and gratuities
- Personal costs (tips, souvenirs, calls, laundry)
- Extra meals and drinks not listed
- Optional activities not mentioned
Related Tours
Talk To a friendly team
Gorilla Safaris
Contact
- +256 (704) 630 390
- +256 (394) 860 595
- info@trekwildgorillas.com
- wildfriendsug@gmail.com
