4-Day Rwanda Uganda Double Gorilla Trekking Safari

Departure from Kigali and Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

Upon your arrival in Kigali, Rwanda’s clean and welcoming capital, you will be received by our professional English-speaking driver-guide from Terenga Safaris. After a warm welcome, you will begin your drive through the city for a brief yet powerful stop at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre. This emotional and educational visit offers insight into Rwanda’s past and its resilience, recovery, and unity. It serves as an essential beginning to your cultural and conservation-oriented journey.

Following the city tour, you’ll embark on a scenic drive to Volcanoes National Park, located in the Virunga Mountains on Rwanda’s northern border. En route, you’ll enjoy stunning landscapes of terraced hills, plantations, and traditional homesteads. Upon arrival at your lodge near the park, check in and take some time to relax and prepare for the thrilling adventure ahead. Dinner will be served at your accommodation, and you’ll spend your first night in the foothills of the forested volcanoes.

• Main Destination: Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
• Accommodation: Le Bamboo Gorilla Lodge
• Meals & Drinks: Lunch and dinner included. Drinking water provided (other drinks not included).

Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park and Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Your day starts early with a hearty breakfast at your lodge before heading to the Kinigi Park Headquarters for a detailed gorilla trekking briefing. Here, you’ll be assigned to one of the habituated gorilla families and given the rules and safety tips for trekking. You’ll be accompanied by park rangers and guides who are skilled trackers and conservationists.

The trek takes you through bamboo forests and hilly terrain, often at high altitudes, so a reasonable level of fitness is necessary. Depending on the gorillas’ location, the trek can last anywhere from 2 to 6 hours. The moment you find the gorilla family, you will be allowed one unforgettable hour to observe their behavior, interactions, feeding habits, and even playful gestures.

After the trek, you’ll have lunch and begin your cross-border journey through Katuna Border Post into southwestern Uganda, heading toward the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Bwindi is famous for hosting nearly half the world’s remaining mountain gorilla population and offers a different trekking terrain—thicker rainforest and steeper valleys.

Check into your lodge near Bwindi and enjoy a well-deserved dinner and overnight rest in preparation for your second trekking experience.

• Main Destination: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda
• Accommodation: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
• Meals & Drinks: All meals included. Drinking water provided (other drinks not included).

Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi and Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

Rise early for a fulfilling breakfast and make your way to the Uganda Wildlife Authority’s ranger station for a second gorilla trekking briefing. The terrain in Bwindi is challenging, consisting of dense jungle, high altitudes, and narrow animal trails, which makes the trek both physically demanding and spiritually rewarding.

With your second gorilla permit, you’ll trek into this UNESCO World Heritage Site alongside professional rangers and porters who carry your gear and assist where necessary. You’ll navigate deep forest trails and undulating hills in search of your assigned gorilla family. Each trek is unique, and spotting the gorillas is never guaranteed, but with expert trackers and a bit of patience, the moment you set eyes on a silverback or watch a young one swing from the vines, it becomes a memory etched forever.

After spending your precious hour with the gorillas, you’ll descend from the forest, have a picnic-style lunch, and then drive through the rolling terraced hills to the magical Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda’s second-deepest lake and arguably its most scenic. Here, you can unwind and reflect on your extraordinary encounters.

Optional activities at Lake Bunyonyi include canoe rides, swimming in bilharzia-free waters, island hikes, or cultural walks with local communities. Dinner and overnight stay will be at a lakefront lodge.

Main Destination: Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda

Accommodation: Lake Bunyonyi Eco Resort

Meals & Drinks: All meals included. Drinking water provided (other drinks not included).

Canoe Ride on Lake Bunyonyi and Transfer Back to Kigali

On your 4-Day Rwanda Uganda Double Gorilla Trekking Safari  final day, wake up to the tranquil sunrise over Lake Bunyonyi and enjoy a relaxing breakfast on the terrace. Before departure, embark on a peaceful guided canoe ride across the lake. Paddle between the 29 unique islands, visit the infamous Punishment Island, and enjoy stories from your guide about the local culture and the Bakiga traditions.

After this peaceful experience, pack your bags and begin the scenic drive back toward Kigali, Rwanda. You’ll retrace your steps through the Katuna border post, stopping along the way for lunch and to capture panoramic photos of the Virunga Mountain ranges.

Arrive in Kigali in the evening, and your driver-guide will drop you off at the airport or your preferred hotel depending on your onward travel plans. With your heart full of memories, your safari with Terenga Safaris officially comes to a close.

• Main Destination: Kigali, Rwanda
• Accommodation: None (End of tour)
• Meals & Drinks: Breakfast and lunch included (Dinner not included). Drinking water provided (other drinks at own cost).