Premium Rwanda & Gorillas of Uganda
Uganda
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This deal expires on
5 May 2025
5
Days
9
Hrs
29
Mins
Come face to face with heartbreaking history and incredible wildlife on a six-day Premium journey through Rwanda and Uganda. See sombre reminders of Kigali’s devastating past, watch local life play out on the streets and witness a beautiful country that's continuously striving to move forward. Enter the world of rare mountain gorillas in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and spend a day tracking and observing these creatures, overlooked by a rare silverback gorilla. Stay in memorable accommodation, including your Feature Stay surrounded by forest canopy, and sit down for amazing Exclusive Experiences like a fireside chat a field veterinarian from The Gorilla Doctors.
Availability
From 01/06/2025 to 31/12/2027
Departure dates & prices
Dates
Availability
Price
What's included
Spend a day trekking (and perhaps 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.
Take a closer look at Rwanda’s history and the resilience of its people during a two-night stay at Kigali’s Hotel des Mille Collines, which famously sheltered more than 1000 people during the Genocide.
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.
Breakfasts Included: 5.
Lunches Included: 4.
Dinners Included: 4.
Hotel (2 night),Feature Stay Eco-Lodge (3 nights).
4WD vehicle,Private Vehicle.
Age: min 15.
Group Size: 1 - 12.
Kigali - Welcome Dinner.
Kigali - Genocide Memorial Centre.
Kigali - City Tour.
Kigali - Local Food Lunch.
Kigali - Kimironko Market Visit.
Kigali - Ntarama Church Guided Tour.
Bwindi - Gorilla Doctors Veterinarian Educational Talk.
Bwindi National Park - Mountain Gorilla Permit & Trek.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest - Buniga Batwa Cultural Trail.
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Itinerary
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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 tonight. Your accommodation for the next two nights is no ordinary hotel - the Hotel des Mille Collines is famous for sheltering and consequently saving more than 1000 people during the Rwandan genocide of 1994. 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.
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2 - Kigali This morning, head out of the city for a sobering visit to the Ntarama Church. The local guide will explain how this memorial marks the spot where 5000 people were tragically slaughtered during the genocide. Reminders of lives lost remain in the church, including clothes and even bones. Continue to the Nyamata Genocide Memorial Centre - a former church where an incomprehensible 50,000 people were murdered. Your leader will discuss how the Tutsis sought refuge in churches, only for them to turn into death traps. Then, visit the Genocide Museum - a powerful yet confronting experience and important in understanding the tragedy and the resilience of the Rwandan people. This afternoon, re-energize with a local lunch and try traditional Rwandan and Ugandan dishes before taking a tour of the city and Kimironko market with your leader. The evening is then free for you to explore at your own pace.
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3 - Bwindi Impenetrable Forest After breakfast, depart Kigali and head across the border to the Bwindi National Park in Uganda. Arrive at the Gorilla Heights Lodge - your Feature Stay accommodation for the next three nights. Sitting high on the Nteko Ridge, the lodge offers great views of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, which is home to half of the world's 800 mountain gorillas. Gaze out across the jagged Virunga Mountains that straddle Uganda's border with Congo and Rwanda. Each cottage has a private balcony overlooking the forest canopy and is solar-powered. This evening, a field veterinarian from the Gorilla Doctors will join you at your lodge for a behind-the-scenes look at their work. This organization is dedicated to saving the mountain and eastern lowland (Grauer's) gorilla species using veterinary medicine and science. They provide medical interventions to protect the animals from human-induced or life-threatening trauma or disease. You'll learn more about their fascinating work during this exclusive experience.
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4 - Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Rise early and take a short walk to the park headquarters where you'll be briefed on today's gorilla trek by the Uganda Wildlife Authorities. The trek 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 makes 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 trek. Not only does it make for a more comfortable trek, but it also provides valuable employment opportunities to locals. Gorilla trekking is highly controlled, with only 24 gorilla trekking permits available each day. 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.
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5 - Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Enjoy a leisurely breakfast on the terrace overlooking the forest. This morning, you are free to do as little or as much as you like. For those seeking another encounter with the mountain gorillas, there's the option for a second day of trekking. Later this afternoon, experience The Buniga Batwa Cultural Trail. The indigenous Batwa tribes, once forest-dwelling hunter-gatherers, were displaced in 1991 when the forests became protected national parks, leaving them conservation refugees. The Buniga Batwa Cultural Trail offers a glimpse into their traditional way of life. With your local guide and translator, you'll walk through the forest 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. Afterwards, join your group and leader for dinner in the terraced restaurant surrounded by mountain views.
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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.
- The following product terms and conditions apply in addition to our Booking Terms and Conditions (available on our website) and terms and conditions of the relevant travel service provider.
- Prices quoted valid for sale until 05 May 2025 for travel during the period specified (if applicable) unless otherwise stated or sold out prior.
- All prices are per person (unless otherwise stated), subject to availability and may be withdrawn or varied without notice. Accommodation (if included) is based on twin share unless otherwise stated.
- Advertised price includes bonus nights and/or stated saving (if applicable).
- Additional supplier conditions and travel restrictions may apply. Please enquire for further details.
- Airfare (including internal flights) is not included unless otherwise stated and, if included, is economy class unless otherwise stated.
- Components of the total price including local payments, "resort fees", "national park fees", "trip kitties" and food funds (if applicable) may be payable direct to the supplier on arrival or to your travel consultant prior to your departure. Where applicable, these payments are included in the total price quoted.
- Gratuities are not included unless otherwise stated.
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