Premium Rwanda & Gorillas of Uganda

Intrepid Travel · 6 days

4.2

20 Reviews

Duration

6 days

Tour Type

Small Group

Accommodations

Unknown

Physical Rating

Average

Guide Language

English

Experience Overview

Come face to face with heartbreaking history and incredible wildlife on a six-day Premium journey through Rwanda and Uganda.

Includes

Meals: Breakfasts (5), Lunch (4), Dinner (4)
Accommodation: Hotel (2 night), Feature Stay Eco-Lodge (3 nights)

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

Duration

6 days

Transportation

4WD vehicle, Private Vehicle

Guide Language

English

Starts

Kigali, Rwanda

Finishes

Kigali, Rwanda

Accommodations

Unknown

Travel Style

Budget

Physical Rating

Average

Itinerary

Day 1: Kigali

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)

Day 2: Kigali

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)

Day 3: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

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)

Day 4: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

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)

Day 5: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

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)

Day 6: Kigali

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.

Exclusions

Flights to and from origin and destinations
Airport transfers (unless otherwise stated)
Anything else not explicitly listed in tour inclusions
Recommended gratuities/tipping
Optional activities/tours
Personal expenses
Travel insurance
Visas, meals and beverages not stated in the list of inclusions.

Important Information

Meals

When meals are not included, your tour leader (where available) will be happy to help with restaurant recommendations, bookings, and directions. Please let us know if you have any dietary needs or preferences. We will do our best to accommodate these, though we cannot guarantee that every request can be met.

Luggage

You are responsible for your personal belongings throughout the tour. You will need to carry your own bags between the vehicle and your hotel room. Drivers will assist with loading and unloading luggage from the vehicle.

Mobility

Travellers requiring wheelchair access should contact our sales and service team, who can make enquiries on your behalf.

Fitness Level

This tour requires an average level of fitness. Activities are paced gently and include leisure time. You may be expected to join guided walks of up to one hour, navigate short stairways and mild inclines, and manage your own luggage. You should also be able to board and exit all transport without assistance.

Travellers are expected to be self-sufficient and capable of handling all aspects of their journey. Please discuss your circumstances and support needs with your booking agent to confirm this trip is suitable.

If you are unsure, we recommend consulting your doctor before booking or travelling.

Sightseeing

If a planned site visit is unavailable due to changes in operating hours or holiday closures, the itinerary may be altered, or a comparable activity will be substituted where possible and subject to availability.

Visas

Visa conditions can change. Once you receive your travel documents, check with the relevant embassy, consulate, or immigration office of your destination for the latest information.

It is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct and valid travel documents and to comply with all entry requirements.
Non-Australian citizens must also confirm visa and identification requirements with the appropriate consulate or visa agency.
Certain occupations (for example, journalists, government officials, or those working in charities) may face additional restrictions when applying for visas, which could affect the type of application required.

Departure Dates & Surcharges: See checkout for live dates and availability.

AUD $9,995

(Tour only)

Per Person Twin Share

Duration: 6 days

Trip Type: Small Group

Activity Level: Average

Come face to face with heartbreaking history and incredible wildlife on a six-day Premium journey through Rwanda and Uganda.

Check Availability Brochure

Price based on per person in Double Room for departure 31 Jan 2027

View Map

Customer Reviews

Overall Rating

Excellent

4.5

Guide

Excellent

4.5

Itinerary

Excellent

4.5

Accommodations

Excellent

4.5

Transportation

Excellent

4.5

Tour Operator

Excellent

4.5

Food

Excellent

4.5

Michael

Traveled, January 2024

01/13/2024

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!

4.5

Lisa/susan

Traveled, October 2023

10/28/2023

Great tour with local guides. Food and excursions and hotels are all great.

Tour Operator

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

Book Now