9 Days Rwanda & Gorillas Uganda

9 Days Rwanda & Gorillas Uganda

Rwanda and Uganda are among the best travel destinations on the continent, and this 9-day Rwanda & Uganda Safari will take you through their wild landscapes, which are rich in history and wildlife. Explore Rwanda and learn about the devastating events that occurred in this country that is constantly striving for progress. Combine this enriching experience with Uganda’s incredible scenery and diverse animal life, as well as unforgettable adventures searching for our closest relatives, the endangered mountain gorillas, to experience the full range of emotions and physical challenges.

Highlights of 9 Days Rwanda & Gorillas Uganda

Day 1: Kigali

Day 2: Musanze

Day 3: Musanze.

Day 4: Queen Elizabeth National Park

Day 5: Queen Elizabeth National Park

Day 6: Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Day 7: Kisoro.

Day 8: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Gorilla Trek).

Day 9: Kigali

Detailed itinerary for 10 days Rwanda and Uganda Gorillas

Day 1 : Kigali

Welcome to Kigali, Rwanda’s capital since its independence in 1962. Most people associate Rwanda with the horrific genocide that occurred in 1994, but this is a country that has been working hard to rebuild its economy for years and has a lot to offer visitors. And, while the past cannot and should not be forgotten, Rwanda’s tourism future looks promising thanks to its friendly people, abundance of lakes, and the stunning Virunga Mountains.

Your adventure begins with a meeting with your guide – our representative – at Kigali International Airport, followed by a transfer to your hotel for an evening of relaxation, dinner, and an overnight stay.

Accommodation: Kigali Serena Hotel.

Meal Plan: Dinner

Day 2: Musanze

After breakfast, you will meet your guide and be taken to the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre, which opened in 2004 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the genocide against the Tutsi people. The Centre is a museum that chronicles the history and consequences of Rwanda’s genocide, as well as a place for people to mourn the loss of loved ones.

In the afternoon, you’ll drive to Musanze, the gateway to Volcanoes National Park, which is home to gorillas and golden monkeys. Later in the day, you will visit The Gorilla Doctors headquarters, which is the only organisation in the world dedicated to saving the mountain and eastern lowland gorillas (Grauer’s) gorilla species one gorilla patient at a time through veterinary medicine and science. They monitor gorilla groups’ health to ensure early detection of disease and injury, and they plan medical interventions when gorillas suffer from human-caused or life-threatening trauma or illness.

Accommodation: Bisate Lodge.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 3: Musanze.

Today you will visit the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund’s Ellen DeGeneres Campus. This research centre is at the forefront of gorilla conservation and research, while also assisting communities in developing their own conservation capabilities. Learn about Dian Fossey’s life and the conservation of Rwanda’s endangered mountain gorillas.

Musanze offers a variety of optional activities, including golden monkey trekking in the Virunga Mountains, the Mount Bisoke Trek, and a relaxing canoe ride on the Mukungwa River. You can also go to Redrocks Rwanda, where you’ll learn about local banana beer production and watch dancing, drumming, and basket-weaving demonstrations.

Accommodation: Bisate Lodge.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 4 : Queen Elizabeth National Park

Today, we leave Rwanda and cross the border into Uganda, heading to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The most popular wildlife park in Uganda, with 618 bird species, 10 primates (including chimps), and 95 different types of mammals. As you drive to your lodge, keep an eye out for African elephants, buffaloes, hippos, warthogs, Nile crocodiles, leopards, spotted hyenas, lions, and chimpanzees.

Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 5 :  Queen Elizabeth National Park

Wake up to another exciting day in Queen Elizabeth National Park with a 4×4 Game Drive. Keep an eye out for any sightings you missed yesterday, and if you’re lucky, you might even see leopards or lions.

In the afternoon, you can see the park from a different perspective by taking an optional cruise on Kazinga Channel, which connects Lake Edward to Lake George. You will be joined by local guides who will tell you everything you need to know about the landscape and the animals that live there. Keep an eye out for hippos basking on the shore, crocodiles, elephant herds, and an abundance of birdlife.

Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 6: Queen Elizabeth National Park.

This morning, we travel to Ishasha Sector, the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park known for its tree-climbing lions. Here, you will meet some locals and learn more about rural life in Uganda. Visit a local organic farm, medicine garden, or homestead to learn how the owner uses anti-crop raiding techniques to address human-wildlife conflicts. In addition, you will meet a local Mukiga woman who will tell you her story while showing you how to sort, pound, and grind millet to make porridge and other Bakiga dishes.

Accommodation: Ishasha Wilderness Lodge.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 7: Kisoro.

Today, leave Queen Elizabeth National Park and head to Uganda’s southwest tip, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This journey is like a game drive in itself, with opportunities to see zebras, antelopes, baboons, and monkeys.

When you arrive at the Ugandan border crossing with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. When you arrive in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, check into your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Accommodation: Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 8: Gorilla Trek in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After an early breakfast, accompany a local guide and trackers to the park headquarters for a briefing before ascending through the rugged, mountainous terrains of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in search of mountain gorillas. A quick lock of eyes with these creatures is a truly primal experience, and visitors are strictly supervised to minimise disruption. Make no mistake: tracking mountain gorillas is no easy task; the forest is named Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for a reason. It can be wet, muddy, strenuous, and uncomfortable, but the indescribable thrill of discovering a group of gorillas is well worth the effort.

Spend an enthralling hour with the gorillas as they eat, sleep, groom, and play while the male silverback watches over them, then return to the lodge for dinner and to reflect on this unforgettable experience.

Accommodation: Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 9: Kigali

After breakfast, you’ll head back to Kigali. When you arrive, you will be dropped off at the airport to catch your flight back home or to your next stop.

End of 9 Days Rwanda and Uganda Gorillas.