5 Days gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari from Kigali
The 5 days gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari will start and end in Kigali. During the safari you will visit the misty Bwindi impenetrable national park where you will have an encounter with the endangered mountain gorillas which gives you an opportunity to learn more about the gorilla’s lifestyle take photos and record the moments. You will also visit Kibale national park which is also known as the primate capital due to the fact that it harbors about 13 primates including the chimpanzees.
Highlight of the 5 days gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari from Kigali
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale national park
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi wetland walk
Day 5: Departure to Kigali
Detailed itinerary
Day 1 of the 5 days gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari from Kigali
Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park, depending on the time of arrival on the first day of your 5 days gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari you will be welcomed by our driver guide who will give you a short briefing about the safari and then start the journey to Bwindi impenetrable national park in southwestern Uganda. On your way you will have en-route lunch and great views of the rolling hills in Rwanda, landscape, homesteads among others. The journey takes about 3 to 4 hours drive passing via Cyanika border in Kisoro district and upon arrival you will continue to the lodge where you will check in, have dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Gorilla trekking, after an early breakfast on the second day of the 5 days gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari from Kigali you will carry packed lunch and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules, regulations and expectations of gorilla trekking. After the briefing you will be grouped into 8 people, allocated a gorilla group to trek and a park guide who is well conversant with gorillas and trails in the jungle. Grouping of individuals is done according to age, personal preference and physical fitness therefore in case you are not physically fit you are advised to communicate with your guide so that they allocate you a gorilla group that is easy to trek.
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park starts at around 8:00am and takes about 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on the location of the gorillas and once they are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural environment where you will get an opportunity of learning about their behaviors, habits, take photos and record the moments. After the one hour with the gorillas you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will be awarded a certificate for participating in gorilla trekking, meet up with your driver guide and transfer to the lodge for an evening relaxation dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale national park
On the third day of your 5 days gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari from Kigali you will have an early breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kibale national park. On your way you will pass via Ishasha sector which is located in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth national park the second largest national park in Uganda. Ishasha sector is famously known for harboring the tree climbing lions which will be viewed lying up in the fig, acacia tree branches staring at the antelopes. After the game drive in Ishasha sector you will have en-route lunch and then continue with the journey to Kibale national park with great views of the tea plantations. Upon arrival you will check into the lodge, have dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk
Chimpanzee trekking, after an early breakfast on the fourth day of your 5 days gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari from Kigali you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules and regulations of chimpanzee trekking. After the briefing you will be allocated a habituated chimpanzee family to trek and a park guide who is well conversant with the trails in the forest. Trekking of the chimpanzees in Kibale national park takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours depending on the location of the chimpanzees because they like to move deep into the forest in search of food especially during the dry season. Once the chimpanzees have been found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural environment which gives you an opportunity to learn more about their habits, behaviors, watch them playing up in the trees, breastfeeding, feeding as you take photos and record videos. After an interesting encounter with the chimpanzees you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the lodge for lunch.
Bigodi swamp walk, after lunch you will go for nature walk in Bigodi swamp. Nature walk in the sanctuary takes about 3 hours passing through the lush vegetation which gives you an opportunity to view various bird species like the great blue turaco, hornbills, kingfishers, primates like red tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, blue monkeys, grey checked mangabey and some animals like bushbucks, otters among others from the forest boardwalks, pathways and in a top tree house in the canopy. After the nature walk you will meet up with your driver guide and drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Departure to Kigali
On the last day of your 5 days gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari from Kigali you will have a relaxed breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kigali. You will pass via Katuna border in Kabale and upon arrival your driver guide will drop you off at Kigali international airport for your flight or at any place of convenience.
End of 5 days gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari from Kigali
Tour includes
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Nature walk in Bigodi swamp
- An English speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Park entrance fee
- Pick up and drop off
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled water
Tour excludes
- Air flight tickets
- Visas
- Optional activities not included on the itinerary
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.
