4-Day Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi
Tour Overview
This 4-day journey takes you deep into Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with the mountain gorilla. With only around 1,063 left in the wild, meeting these gentle giants is a rare and unforgettable experience. The trip starts and ends in Kigali. Here, you enjoy a city tour, including a visit to the Genocide Memorial Centre and other highlights. Afterward, you take a scenic cross-border drive of about 4 to 5 hours into Uganda.
Along the way, you pass through beautiful countryside, small towns, and green hills before reaching the remote rainforest of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, where your adventure truly begins.
Your Itinerary In Details
Day 1 | Arrival at Kigali Airport, transfer to hotel
Upon arrival, you will be met by your tour guide, who will take you to your first accommodation in Kigali. The hotel where you will stay is a very special and famous one. Hotel des Mille Collines is known from the impressive film “Hotel Rwanda”. Here, you will enjoy a drink under the African starry sky and a well-deserved night’s rest.
Accommodation:
Semi-Luxury: Hotel des Mille Collines – Classic Room Panorama View
Meal Plan: Bed & Breakfast
Day 2 | City tour in Kigali, drive to Bwindi
After breakfast, you meet your local guide for a relaxed city tour of Kigali. You walk through the busy streets and get a real feel of the city’s daily life. The tour takes about 3 hours. You see the contrast between the lively city center and the quieter hillside neighborhoods. At Kandt House Museum, you learn about Rwanda’s colonial past and its path to independence. The visit continues to the powerful Kigali Genocide Memorial, opened in 2004. This important site tells the story of the 1994 genocide and serves as a place of remembrance and reflection.
After the visit, you enjoy lunch and then start your journey to Uganda. The drive takes about 4 to 5 hours and is very scenic. You cross borders, pass green hills, and enter the peaceful countryside of southwestern Uganda. By late afternoon, you arrive at the beautiful Lake Mutanda, the most beautiful lake in East Africa.
Lake Mutanda
Lake Mutanda is located in southwestern Uganda, at the base of the Virunga Volcanoes. This volcanic region connects Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The area is rich in rainforest and is close to the habitat of the mountain gorilla. The lake is a great base for gorilla trekking in nearby Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. The surroundings are full of life. You may see kingfishers, the grey crowned crane, otters, chameleons, frogs, and many types of lizards along the shores.
Water sports at Lake Mutanda – (optional)
From Mutanda Lake Resort, you can enjoy simple and fun water activities. Swim in the clear, bilharzia-free water or relax on the wooden jetties. For something more active, you can try kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, or sailing. You can also go canoeing in a traditional dugout canoe for a local experience. A motorboat ride is perfect for birdwatching or simply enjoying the peaceful views with a drink in hand. All activities can be booked directly at Mutanda Lake Resort.
Accommodation:
Semi-Luxury: Mutanda Lake Resort – Luxury Cottage or similar
Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner
Day 3 | Gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest!
You start very early today. After breakfast at 6:00 am, you drive to the offices of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for registration and briefing. Your lodge will give you a packed lunch to enjoy later in the forest. Make sure you carry at least 2 liters of water, strong hiking shoes, a rain jacket, a face mask for use near the gorillas, and your passport.
At the park office, you receive a clear briefing from a ranger of the Uganda Wildlife Authority. You are placed in a small group of up to 8 people. Then you are assigned a gorilla family based on your fitness level. Treks range from short and easier to longer and more challenging. You can ask for an easier or medium trek if you prefer. The trek can take between 1 and 7 hours. You walk slowly through thick forest, following signs like nests, dung, broken branches, and footprints. Step by step, you get closer. Then it happens. You meet the mountain gorilla. You watch a silverback sitting calmly, protecting his family.
Optional Gorilla Habituation Experience
If you want more time with the gorillas, you can choose the habituation experience. This special activity allows you to spend up to four hours with a gorilla family that is still getting used to people. The group size is very small, with only four visitors. It gives you a deeper look into gorilla behavior and conservation work.
Watersports at Lake Mutanda (Optional)
After your trek, you can relax at Lake Mutanda. From Mutanda Lake Resort, you can swim in clean, bilharzia-free water, sit on the jetty, or enjoy activities like kayaking and paddleboarding. You can also try a traditional dugout canoe or take a motorboat ride for birdwatching and beautiful views.
Accommodation:
Semi-Luxury: Mutanda Lake Resort – Luxury Cottage
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Day 4 | Transfer back to Kigali Airport
Savor your final morning in this tranquil corner of Uganda with a breakfast at the lodge. At around 10 am, your driver-guide will transfer you back across the border to Kigali, Rwanda, arriving in time for your departure flight. Please ensure your flight departs no earlier than 6:00 pm to allow for border crossing and drive time. For earlier flights, we recommend an overnight stay in Kigali, which we can happily arrange at an additional cost.
Meal Plan: Breakfast
What To carry for this 4 day gorilla Tour
- Good and comfortable walking/hiking shoes suitable for handling slippery slopes.
- Grab a walking stick at the start of your trek.
- Thin gloves can be a great addition, as you need to grab a lot of twigs and trees.
- Wear long-sleeved clothes to protect yourself from scratches and insect bites while walking through thick bushes.
- Pack a facemask as this is mandatory to wear once you are with the gorillas.
- To put in your bag: a raincoat, sunscreen, enough water (2L), and snacks or a packed lunch.
- Don’t forget to take your passport with you, plus a copy of your passport for each trek, as these will be handed in on the day of your trekking
Prices for this private trip
This tour is costed basing on semi-luxury accommodation and seasons. We would be happy to discuss in person whether the accommodations meet your needs. The price is per person and is in USD. The low season price apply for the months of April, May, and November.
High Season price
- 1 Pax: USD 2976
- 2 Pax: USD 2140 per person
- 3 Pax: USD 2015 per person
- 4 Pax: USD 1838 per person
- 5 Pax: USD 1823 Per Person
- 6 Pax: USD 1737 Per Person
Low Season Price
- 1 Pax: USD 2806
- 2 Pax: USD 1955 per person
- 3 Pax: USD 1828 per person
- 4 Pax: USD 1647 per person
- 5 Pax: USD 1632 Per Person
- 6 Pax: USD 1544 Per Person
Inclusions
- All transfers and transport in a comfortable 4×4 safari landcruiser
- Airport transfers
- Kigali city tour
- All park entrance and activity fees
- Gorilla trekking permit in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
- Professional English-speaking safari guides
- 2 nights accommodation at Bwindi
- 1 night accommodation in Kigali
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary
- Packed lunch for gorilla trekking
- Water in the vehicle during drives and safaris
- Assistance with border crossings
exclusions
- International flights to and from Rwanda.
- Uganda and Rwanda visa fees
- Travel insurance (highly recommended)
- Optional activities not listed as included
- Alcoholic drinks and soft drinks
- Personal expenses such as laundry, phone calls, and souvenirs
- Tips and gratuities for driver-guides, lodge staff, and park rangers
- Extra accommodation before or after the safari
- Any services not mentioned under safari inclusions
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