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Experience Overview
Come face to face with incredible wildlife on this six-day Premium journey through Rwanda and Uganda. Enter the world of rare mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and spend a day tracking and observing these creatures, hopefully seeing a silverback in his natural habitat. Take a walk and boat ride on Lake Ruhondo, then enjoy your forest-fringed Feature Stay. Sit down for amazing Signature Experiences like a fireside chat with The Gorilla Doctors. You’ll also trek to the ‘Top of the World,’ and walk the Buniga Batwa Cultural Trail with a local guide, gaining insight into the Batwa community’s forest-based way of life. In Kigali, take time to understand Rwanda’s recent troubling history and the country’s ongoing resilience.
Highlights
- Spend a day trekking (and a second day, if you choose) through the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to get close to Uganda’s rare mountain gorillas for an unforgettable hour – a one-day gorilla trekking permit is included in this trip.
- Wake up to spectacular views of the forest canopy during your three-night stay at your Feature Stay – the Gorilla Heights Lodge in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
- Get a behind-the-scenes look into the lives of gorillas with a field veterinarian from The Gorilla Doctors and discover how they are saving the species, one gorilla patient at a time.
- Go deep into lesser-visited landscapes, including a trek to the ‘Top of the World’ to overlook Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and a boat ride on serene Lake Ruhondo.
- Learn about the lives of the indigenous Batwa people on the Buniga Cultural Trail as they share their traditional survival skills, from foraging to fire-making, while supporting their community and preserving their heritage.
Trip Details
Product Code: 3143
Tour Type: Small Group
Accommodation: Unknown
Transport: 4WD vehicle, Private Vehicle
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Budget
Tour Operator:
Intrepid Travel
Supplier Code: YGPU
Starts: Kigali, Rwanda
Finishes: Kigali, Rwanda
Duration: 6 days
Departures: Not Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Average
Includes
Meals: Breakfasts (5), Lunch (4), Dinner (4)Accommodation: Hotel (2 night), Feature Stay Eco-Lodge (3 nights)
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $9255 ($1,542 /day)
Itinerary
Murakaza neza! Welcome to Kigali, Rwanda’s capital city. You’ll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel, where you’ll have a welcome meeting at 6 pm. If you arrive in Kigali early, maybe start exploring at your own pace. Head to Nyamirambo, the Muslim quarter, to try some giant grilled tilapia, or stop by a local cafe and discover why Rwandan coffee is considered some of the world’s best. Tonight, you’ll join your leader for dinner at an East African restaurant popular with the locals. Enjoy live music, cocktails, great views and an authentic shared dining experience full of regional flavour.
Included Activities:
- Kigali - Welcome Dinner
Accommodation:
- The Hideaway Boutique Hotel or similar (Number of Nights: 1)
This morning, take a tour of the city and Kimironko market with your trip leader, where you can try traditional Rwandan and Ugandan dishes for lunch. Then, head out of the city for a sobering visit to Ntarama Church. Your local guide will explain how this memorial marks the site of a significant event during the genocide and provides an important reminder of lives lost. Continue to the Nyamata Genocide Memorial Centre, where you’ll learn how the Tutsis sought refuge in churches during harrowing times. Then, visit the Genocide Museum – a powerful yet confronting experience and important in understanding the tragedy and the resilience of the Rwandan people. The evening is then free for you to explore at your own pace.
Included Activities:
- Kigali - Genocide Memorial Centre
- Kigali - City Tour
- Kigali - Local Food Lunch
- Kigali - Kimironko Market Visit
- Kigali - Ntarama Church Guided Tour
Accommodation:
- The Hideaway Boutique Hotel or similar (Number of Nights: 1)
After breakfast, depart Kigali and head across the border to Bwindi National Park in Uganda. Break up the journey with a guided, gentle 4 km (2.4 mi) walk along the shore of Lake Ruhondo, with great birdlife and scenic views. Then, take a calm boat ride before moving on to Bwindi. Arrive at the Gorilla Heights Lodge – your Feature Stay accommodation for the next three nights. Sitting high on the Nteko Ridge, the lodge offers excellent views of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, which is home to half of the world’s 800 mountain gorillas. Gaze out from your solar-powered cottage balcony across the jagged Virunga Mountains that straddle Uganda’s border with Congo and Rwanda. This evening, during a Signature Experience, a field veterinarian from the Gorilla Doctors will join you at the lodge for a behind-the-scenes look at their work. This organisation is dedicated to saving the mountain and eastern lowland (Grauer’s) gorilla species through medical interventions that protect the animals from human-induced or life-threatening trauma or disease.
Included Activities:
- Bwindi - Gorilla Doctors Veterinarian Educational Talk
- Lake Ruhondo – Guided Walk and Boat Ride
Accommodation:
- Gorilla Heights Lodge (Feature Stay) or Similar (Number of Nights: 1)
Rise early and head to the park headquarters where the Uganda Wildlife Authorities will brief you on today’s gorilla trek. The hike can be strenuous, wet and uncomfortable at times, but the incredible biodiversity of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and the chance to see rare mountain gorillas make it worthwhile. It’s recommended that you invest in the help of local porters who can carry your pack and provide expert, local, one-on-one assistance along the way. Not only does it make for a more comfortable trek, but it also provides valuable employment opportunities to locals. Gorilla trekking is highly controlled. When you encounter a group of gorillas, you’ll be able to stay with them for one hour – watch them swing from trees, groom each other and play, all under the watchful eye of a giant silverback. Have a picnic lunch in the wilderness of the rainforest, then return to your accommodation.
Included Activities:
- Bwindi National Park - Mountain Gorilla Permit & Trek
Accommodation:
- Gorilla Heights Lodge (Feature Stay) or Similar (Number of Nights: 1)
After breakfast today, you’ll experience the Buniga Batwa Cultural Trail. The indigenous Batwa tribes, once forest-dwelling hunter-gatherers, were displaced in 1991 when the forests were designated as protected national parks, leaving them conservation refugees. The trail offers a glimpse into their traditional way of life. Walk through the forest with your local guide and translator, as they teach you how they used to forage for food, trap animals with snares made from branches and make tools and medicines from nature. Watch as they demonstrate their traditional hunting and fire-making techniques and learn how they built their huts and ‘nests’ in trees to protect children from dangerous animals. This afternoon, take another memorable walk, this time to the ‘Top of the World’ viewpoint in the Nkuringo Sector. From here, you can look out over the dense canopy of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to the Virunga Mountains, the distant Rwenzori Mountains and even small towns across the border in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Enjoy a sundowner and light snacks as the sun sets over the forest.
Included Activities:
- Bwindi Impenetrable Forest - Buniga Batwa Cultural Trail
- Bwindi Impenetrable Forest – Top of the World Hike
Optional Activities:
- Bwindi Impenetrable Forest - Nombe Forest Pocket (5-6hrs) (120 USD)
- Bwindi Impenetrable Forest - Coffee Tour & Lake Mutanda Canoe (6-7hrs) (120 USD)
- Bwindi Impenetrable Forest - Gorilla Buffer Zone Walk (2-3hrs) (50 USD)
Accommodation:
- Gorilla Heights Lodge (Feature Stay) or Similar (Number of Nights: 1)
After breakfast today, depart the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and begin the journey back over the border into Kigali. After arriving at the capital, your adventure will come to an end at around 1 pm.
Similar Tours
Tour Operator
Intrepid Travel
Intrepid Travel is a global adventure travel company, dedicated to providing sustainable, experience-rich travel opportunities. They’ve been the leader in ethical, small-group travel since 1989 - taking people around the world for more than 30 years. They’re the world’s largest travel B Corporation - dedicated to being the best travel company for the world. In 2002, they established The Intrepid Foundation so their travellers could make a lasting impact on the communities they had visited. Although Intrepid Travel absorbs all administrative costs of The Intrepid Foundation, they are separate legal entities, allowing The Intrepid Foundation to grow independently. Intrepid Travel is made up of a collection of tour operator brands and 28 destination management companies all united by one vision: To change the way we all see the world.
In Business Since 1989
Reviews
Michael - Traveled, January 2024
What an incredible way to experience the gorillas, local culture and learn about the history of Rwanda and Uganda. The feature stay accomodation was absolutely amazing and our guides Vivian, Sam and Norbert made the trip so easy from start to finish. Thank you!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 01/13/2024
Lisa/susan - Traveled, October 2023
Great tour with local guides. Food and excursions and hotels are all great.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/28/2023
Barb - Traveled, September 2023
Even though I was a little nervous about my safety of this trip before leaving, I felt 100% safe and looked after throughout this trip. Seeing the gorillas in their habitant is a feeling that will stay with me for a long time. Accommodations were excellent. High on my list of “Favourite trips’
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/01/2023
Tracey - Traveled, August 2023
Fantastic! Seeing the mountain gorillas is an absolutely amazing experience and the friendliness of the locals made the trip that much more enjoyable.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/25/2023
Donna - Traveled, August 2023
Seeing the gorillas up close was amazing but also the trip from Kigali to Bwindi. The heights make it not for the faint hearted. . The genocide memorial in Kigali should not be missed. I also appreciated and the sobering visit to Ntarama church. This is a history lesson not to be missed. The gorilla trekking can be hard work but worth it
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/19/2023
Alisa - Traveled, July 2023
Amazing trip with an amazing group, tough and thrilling adventure
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/19/2023
James - Traveled, July 2023
The gorilla trek was a wonderful experience and the Intrepid group was very fun. We really enjoyed the Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge and the service there was very friendly. Very interesting to see a different part of Africa than what we experienced in Kenya and Tanzania.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/07/2023
Claire - Traveled, June 2023
Overall a good trip but would question the "Premium" categorisation having done other Intrepid trips. The Rwanda inclusions and guiding was poor and also there were issues with our pre and post night stays in Rwanda, they had not been paid for and our post night had been cancelled! The Rwanda city tour, street food experience and genocide memorial visits were not as the itinerary and a great amount of time was wasted, 4 hours driving around for a 1 hour visit to one genocide memorial. The Uganda and the Gorilla experience was fantastic. The lodge was lovely, and the service there exceptional, free laundry and muddy boots cleaned ! The food was great, be prepared for huge portions! Abdul our guide in Uganda and the other driver David were fantastic. Knowledgeable and helpful at every stage. Overall a good trip, the gorillas obviously the highlight. Be prepared for a long drive to and from Uganda and traveling on unpaved roads, and a slightly chaotic procedure at the border crossing!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/29/2023
Amanda - Traveled, June 2023
This trip provides both an amazing opportunity for Gorilla trekking in Uganda as well as staying at fabulous accommodation - The Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge. Both Rwanda (with it's recent history) and Uganda are two wonderful countries to visit with their own individual and unique characteristics. Highly recommended.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/23/2023
Joanne - Traveled, February 2023
I will write a review, but I will write it directly onto a website myself, meanwhile I will also email Intrepid directly about all the issues we had with this trip.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 02/24/2023
Crystal - Traveled, February 2023
Overall the trip was good due to the itinerary. I did not get the value of a premium experience at all and would not recommend. The most disappointing thing was lack of clear communication from our premium guides. This was my 4th Intrepid trip (1st premium) and I have had nothing put positive experiences. Unfortunately, that was not the case with this trip.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 02/19/2023
Marilynn - Traveled, October 2023
This was an amazing adventure and an excellent tour. I would highly recommend Intrepid Travel if anyone is considering a gorilla trek. Our guides were very knowledgeable and the accomodations were exceptional. Seeing the gorillas was an experience beyond words. A truly life changing moment.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/29/2023
Joanne - Traveled, October 2023
Wonderful once in a lifetime experience to spend an hour with the mountain gorillas. In addition you will see lots of other wildlife (Zebra, Hippos, giraffes etc). The accommodation is superb and all meals included. Felt very spoilt.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/29/2023
Daniel - Traveled, September 2022
The tour was a really unforgattable experience! We felt safe all the way, surrounded by friendly people everywhere. Abdul, our guide was like a father to our very diverse family of 7 travellers. All the hotels and lodges were the best available in the country with excellent lodging and food. Note: prepare yourself for long car trips and do hire a porter in Bwindi!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/24/2022
Tracy - Traveled, August 2022
We had a great trip everything was wonderful the gorilla trek was the highlight but I was amazed at the beauty of Uganda. I would highly recommend this tour
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/02/2022
Dan - Traveled, August 2023
An excellent introduction to Uganda and a brief glimpse of Rwanda and its history. A brilliant opportunity to see gorillas and other animals in outstanding settings.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/26/2023
David - Traveled, August 2023
Great trip! Learned a lot about Africa
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/26/2023
Katharina - Traveled, July 2023
Die 6-Tages-Tour von Kampala nach Kigali war ein unvergessliches Erlebnis! Die Reiseleitung, die Unterkünfte und die Verpflegung waren super. Wir haben Land und Leute kennen und lieben gelernt; die Begegnung mit den Gorillas krönte das Ganze!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/29/2023
Shawn - Traveled, July 2022
We traveled to Uganda/Rwanda with Intrepid and absolutely loved it. Group leaders were friendly and knowledgeable. The trip was simply amazing and as far as the Gorilla trekking ……..words can not describe it! It is not for the “faint of heart “ though. Some trekking can last all day and be very physically challenging. The hotels were wonderful and the staff was very attentive. Would highly recommend this premium trip.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/09/2022
James - Traveled, July 2024
Amazing trip all around - something I’ll remember for the rest of my life. Incredible experiences and people, felt safe and well taken care of. Thank you for everything Darlene and crew!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/27/2024
