Start Location: Kigali, Rwanda; End Location: Entebbe, Uganda
Duration: 8 Days
Travel Season: Year round (Best: June to September)
Accommodation: Volcanoes Safaris - Virunga Lodge / Kibale Lodge
Gorillas and chimpanzees in one journey. Rwanda's Virunga volcanoes for the mountain gorillas and golden monkeys, then across to Uganda's Kibale forest - one of the densest chimpanzee populations on earth - for chimp trekking and the Bigodi wetland.
Highlights at a Glance
• Mountain gorilla: The Rwanda leg as AFR-02a - one hour with a habituated family in the Virungas.
• Chimpanzee: Two treks in Kibale, which holds one of the highest chimpanzee densities in Africa.
• Golden monkey: Bamboo-zone tracking in Rwanda, endangered and endemic.
Itinerary
2°S1°S0°N1°N29°E30°E31°E32°E33°EMwanzaBukavuKiraButemboMbararaNjeruKibale, UgandaKaseseEntebbeParc des VolcansVirunga LodgeKigali1234·567100 km
1 Kigali · 2 Virunga Lodge · 3 Parc des Volcans · 4 Kibale, Uganda · 5 Bigodi Wetland · 6 Kasese · 7 Entebbe
Day 1Arrive Kigali
Arrive in Rwanda at Kigali International Airport, where you are welcomed by your expert Volcanoes Safaris guide. The afternoon is spent on a city tour of Kigali. Overnight at The Retreat in Kigali, with breakfast included.
Day 2Kigali to Virunga Lodge
Complete the city tour with a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial, then drive north through Rwanda's terraced landscape to Virunga Lodge, set on a ridge between Lakes Bulera and Ruhondo. Settle into your banda with the Virunga volcanoes across the valley. The evening brings a fireside chat with Volcanoes Safaris' conservation partners. Overnight Virunga Lodge, all meals included.
Day 3Gorilla Tracking in Parc National des Volcans
Wake up early and have breakfast before setting off for gorilla tracking in Parc National des Volcans, hiking through bamboo forest to spend an hour with a habituated mountain gorilla family. Afterwards visit the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund to understand the science behind the conservation story. Spa treatments at the lodge are available on your return. Overnight Virunga Lodge, all meals included.
Day 4Golden Monkey Trekking
After enjoying an early breakfast, set off to track the rare golden monkeys through the bamboo forests on the flanks of the Virungas. The remainder of the day is free to enjoy the lodge, the Ikirunga Spa and the views over the twin lakes. Overnight Virunga Lodge, all meals included.
Day 5Rwanda to Kibale, Uganda
Fly to Kasese in western Uganda, stopping en route at the Rwenzori Sculpture Foundation. Continue to Kibale Lodge, set on a ridge above the Kibale Forest with the Rwenzori Mountains in the distance. The afternoon includes a visit to a local school, and the evening a fireside chat with a primatologist. Overnight Kibale Lodge, all meals included.
Day 6Bigodi Wetland and Chimpanzee Tracking
Spend the morning birding on the boardwalks of the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, one of the richest birding sites in the region. In the afternoon, head into Kibale Forest National Park to track chimpanzees with a park ranger. Overnight Kibale Lodge, all meals included.
Day 7Second Chimpanzee Trek and Sadhguru School
Head back into Kibale Forest for a second chimpanzee trek, giving you a further chance to spend time with the habituated communities. In the afternoon, visit the Sadhguru School, part of Volcanoes Safaris' community work around the forest. Overnight Kibale Lodge, all meals included.
Day 8Kasese to Entebbe and Departure
After breakfast, transfer to Kasese Airstrip for an early morning flight to Entebbe. On arrival you connect with your onward international flight.
Accommodation
Volcanoes Safaris - Virunga Lodge / Kibale Lodge. Virunga Lodge - 10 hand-built bandas; Virunga Lodge Deluxe Banda (4, with private suites); Virunga Lodge Standard Banda (6); Ikirunga Spa & Sauna at Virunga Lodge - Rungu massage; The Dian Fossey Map Room, Virunga Lodge; Virunga Lodge dining room, bar and fireside viewing terraces; Kibale Lodge - 8 hand-built bandas in the Volcanoes handmade style; Kibale Lodge Deluxe Banda (4); Kibale Lodge Standard Banda (4); Kibale Lodge Spa - two double massage rooms, sauna and swimming pool; Kibale Lodge swimming pool and 23 acres of landscaped indigenous gardens; Kibale Lodge dining room, bar and Rwenzori-facing deck; The Retreat by Heaven, Kigali; Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
All-Inclusive Benefits
• Gathering city: Kigali, Rwanda; dismissal city: Entebbe, Uganda
• All road transfers and transport with an expert Volcanoes Safaris safari guide
• Internal flights Rwanda-Kasese and Kasese-Entebbe as scheduled in the itinerary
• 1 night The Retreat Kigali, 3 nights Virunga Lodge, 3 nights Kibale Lodge
• All meals throughout (breakfast in Kigali and on the final morning; breakfast, lunch and dinner at both lodges)
• Soft drinks, standard and premium alcoholic drinks, signature cocktails and cellar collection wines (French champagne excluded)
• Single malt whiskeys included
• Laundry service at the lodges
• All lodge activities and all massages, subject to booking and availability
• Guided gorilla tracking, golden monkey trekking and two chimpanzee treks in Kibale Forest
• Bigodi Wetland birding walk, Rwenzori Sculpture Foundation, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund campus, school visits and fireside conservation talks
• Priced per person sharing, 2026 low season
Not Included
• Rwanda gorilla trekking permits - NOT included, US$1,500 per person
• Uganda chimpanzee permits - NOT included, US$250-300 per person
• International flights, Rwandan and Ugandan visas
• Kigali Genocide Memorial entrance fee or donation, paid directly
• Travel insurance, tips and gratuities, and items of a personal nature
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