Rwanda and Uganda Gorilla Trekking and Wildlife Safari
This 4-day Rwanda–Uganda safari begins in Kigali and heads to Akagera National Park, Rwanda’s only savannah park, where you’ll enjoy game drives and a scenic boat safari on Lake Ihema. Expect sightings of elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, hippos, crocodiles, and a wide variety of birdlife, offering a classic African wildlife experience in a unique landscape of lakes and rolling plains.
The adventure continues to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for an unforgettable gorilla trekking experience, where you’ll spend time observing mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. After this once-in-a-lifetime encounter, relax at the scenic Lake Bunyonyi, known for its beautiful islands and peaceful surroundings, before returning to Kigali for departure.
Included
- Shared transport while on safari
- Full board accommodation as indicated above
- 3 Meals per day while on safari- vegetarian & non vegetarian
- English speaking professional driver guides
- Park entrance fee to the park / reserve
Itinerary Plan
Explore your safari journey with a detailed, day by day itinerary breakdown. Discover each day’s activities, highlights, and experiences to make the most of your adventure.
Day 1: Transfer to Akagera National Park
After breakfast, you will be picked up by our safari guide who will transfer you to Akagera National Park in the eastern part of Rwanda. The drive is approximately 2½ hours. On arrival, you will go for a nature walk after which you will have lunch at Akagera Rhino Lodge. In the afternoon you will go for a canoe ride on Lake Ihema to see aquatic animals such as Hippos, Crocodiles as well as water birds like the papyrus Gonolek, shoebill stork, and African fish eagle. You will be returned to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Game drive and Boat Safari at Akagera National Park
After breakfast (preferably at 6 am), you will drive with your packed snacks to Akagera National Park’s reception to arrive around 9 am. Check in, and start you game safari through the scenic areas where you will see lakes and hippo beaches. Animals you can expect to see include elephants, giraffes, herds of antelopes, rhinos, hippos, crocodiles, cats, and buffalos. If you are a birdwatcher, this is also a great birding spot. At around 1 pm, you will head to border for clearance to transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in Uganda where we will do our gorilla trekking.
Day 3: Mountain Gorilla trekking and tranfer to Lake Bunyonyi
After early morning breakfast, walk to the park headquarters for a briefing on the dos and don’ts during gorilla tracking. Thereafter, you will proceed to the gorilla trail. Gorilla tracking normally lasts between 2 to 8 hours or even a day to encounter the gorillas. However, you’ll be allowed to stay in the presence of these awesome apes for at least an hour. It is advisable that you carry packed lunch, which will be provided, as one cannot determine how long it may take to encounter the mountain gorillas. Later, transfer to Lake Bunyonyi. It is the second deepest lake in Africa [900 meters deep] and also one of the few places in the country where it is considered safe to swim as it is bilharzia free. Dinner and overnight will be at your lodge.
Day 4: Lake Bunyonyi activities and transfer back to Kigali
After breakfast, you will take a boat ride on this lake to tour different islands. Then we will head to another border, this time the Katuna border to cross to Rwanda. Upon reaching, we will do a Kigali city tour starting off with the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre visit. We will check different city landmarks and craft markets. Thereafter, be transferred to Kigali Airport to catch your departure flight back home.
