7-Day Rwanda-Uganda Double Gorilla Trekking and Game Safari

The 7-Day Rwanda-Uganda Double Gorilla Trekking and Game Safari starts from $4,180 per person sharing. The net cost depends on your group size, travel season, and whether you choose mid-range or luxury lodges, and solo travellers should expect a single supplement. The price covers private 4×4 transport with a driver-guide, fuel, meals and accommodation as listed in the itinerary, park entrance fees, both gorilla trekking permits, the Lake Ihema boat cruise, bottled drinking water, and government taxes. International flights, nights before or after the trip, the optional Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village visit, souvenirs, tips, and porter hire are not included. Your final quotation confirms exactly what applies to your group.

Permits and park fees make up a large share of the price. A Rwanda gorilla permit costs $1,500 per person and a Uganda gorilla permit costs $800 per person, so the two permits alone come to $2,300 per person. Akagera National Park charges $100 per person per day at the foreign non-resident rate. These fees are already built into your trip cost, and your quotation shows the breakdown for your group so there are no surprises later.

Day one starts at Kigali airport with a drive to Akagera National Park and a late afternoon game drive. Day two combines a morning game drive with an afternoon boat cruise on Lake Ihema. On day three you drive to Volcanoes National Park via Kigali, and day four is your first gorilla trek in Rwanda. Day five takes you across the border into Uganda and on to Bwindi, day six is your second gorilla trek, and day seven is the drive back to Kigali for your departure.

You cross at Cyanika on day five, heading from Rwanda into Uganda, and return through Katuna on day seven. The crossing is straightforward, and your driver-guide helps you through the formalities. From the border it takes about two to three hours to reach Bwindi. Keep your passport, visa documents, and vaccination certificate easy to reach, and expect some waiting time at immigration, which varies with the day and the queue.

Entry rules depend on your nationality, so check the current requirements before you travel. Many visitors can apply for a Rwandan visa online or on arrival, and some nationalities are exempt. For a trip that crosses from Rwanda into Uganda, the East Africa Tourist Visa may suit you, since it covers more than one country in the region, but confirm its current availability for your passport. Make sure your passport is valid for at least six months, carry proof of yellow fever vaccination, and ask your doctor about other recommended vaccinations. We can guide you through the process.

Akagera National Park is Rwanda’s savanna park and is home to the Big Five, along with giraffes, zebras, topis, waterbucks, impalas, and kobs. You have a late afternoon game drive on day one and an early morning game drive around 6:00 a.m. on day two. In the afternoon, the boat cruise on Lake Ihema brings you close to hippos, crocodiles, and many water birds. These are wild animals, so sightings vary, but the two drives give you a good chance of a rewarding wildlife experience.

The two treks feel quite different. In Volcanoes National Park, you hike through bamboo forest and volcanic slopes, and the trek can last from 1 to 5 hours. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has steeper, denser rainforest, and the families can range further, so expect a hike of 2 to 6 hours. In both parks you start with a 7:30 a.m. briefing and spend one hour with the gorillas once you find them. Doing both lets you compare the habitats and meet different gorilla families.

Once the trackers locate your gorilla family, you are allowed one hour with them on each trek. Visitors are grouped in small numbers, with a maximum of eight people per gorilla family each day, which keeps the encounter calm and protects the animals. You can watch the silverback, mothers, and playful juveniles while taking photographs without flash. The time spent finding the family varies from day to day, so the overall trek can be shorter or longer than you expect.

Gorilla families are assigned by park rangers at the morning briefing rather than chosen in advance, in both Volcanoes and Bwindi. Rangers consider the fitness levels and preferences of the group, so travellers who prefer a gentler hike can request an easier family and those who want a longer trek can ask for a more distant one. Assignments depend on the day and on where each family is located. Mention any mobility or fitness concerns to your driver-guide early so they can raise them with the rangers.

It is moderately demanding. The game drives and boat cruise need no special fitness, but the two gorilla treks involve hiking through forest and volcanic terrain at altitudes of up to 2,500 metres or higher. Trails can be steep, muddy, and slippery, especially in Bwindi. A reasonable level of fitness helps, and porters are available in both parks to carry your daypack and assist on steeper sections. Tell us about any health or mobility concerns before booking so we can plan around them.

Yes. Visitors must be at least 15 years old to track mountain gorillas in both Rwanda and Uganda, and park authorities enforce this strictly. Younger children cannot join the treks, even with a parent. If you are travelling as a family, tell us the ages of everyone in your group before booking so we can discuss alternatives for younger members, such as lodge time, community visits, or the Akagera game drives while the rest of the group trekks.

Follow your ranger’s instructions at all times. Keep the distance the rangers specify, speak quietly, and avoid sudden movements. Do not use flash photography, and never touch or feed the gorillas. Do not eat, drink, or smoke near them. If a gorilla comes close, stay calm and let it pass. Gorillas are vulnerable to human illnesses, so visitors also follow hygiene and health guidance given during the briefing, including wearing a face mask when instructed.

Tell your driver-guide and park staff straight away if you have a cold, flu symptoms, diarrhoea, or any other contagious illness. Mountain gorillas can catch human diseases, so rangers may stop visitors who are unwell from trekking. With two treks in two countries, refunds or rescheduling depend on the permit conditions set by the Rwanda Development Board and the Uganda Wildlife Authority. We recommend travel insurance that covers medical issues and trip interruption, and we encourage you to rest and stay hydrated before each trek day.

Permits are limited and issued separately by the Rwanda Development Board and the Uganda Wildlife Authority. We first check availability for both dates before confirming your booking, and once we purchase the permits on your behalf, your trekking spots are secured. Sightings of habituated gorilla families are highly likely, but these are wild animals, so no operator can offer an absolute guarantee. Because demand is high, book 4 to 6 months ahead, especially for the dry seasons and holiday periods.

In Akagera, mid-range guests stay at Akagera Game Lodge and luxury guests at Ruzizi Tented Lodge. Near Volcanoes National Park, the options are Ingagi Lodge (mid-range) and Amakoro Songa Lodge (luxury). In Bwindi, you stay at Gorilla Leisure Lodge (mid-range) or Gorilla Safari Lodge (luxury). Lodges are subject to availability at the time of booking, and we may suggest comparable alternatives if your first choice is full. Your final quotation lists the confirmed lodges before you pay.

After the Rwanda trek, you can choose between the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village, with traditional dance, drumming, and storytelling, or the Karisoke Research Centre, which explores Dian Fossey’s work and gorilla conservation. After the Bwindi trek, you can visit the Batwa community for performances and forest heritage stories, or browse local artisan stalls. On day five you can also stop at Lake Mutanda for a canoe paddle, birdwatching, or a lakeside community visit. The Iby’Iwacu visit is not included in the starting price, so tell us if you want it added.

On the final day, you leave Bwindi after an early breakfast and reach Kigali around midday, after crossing at Katuna. Border and road conditions can add time, so we recommend a departure flight in the late afternoon or evening. If your schedule allows, you can have lunch in Kigali and visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial before your transfer to the airport or hotel. Share your flight details early so your driver-guide can time the drive around them.

You travel in a customized 4×4 Safari Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof for wildlife viewing and photography, stocked with bottled drinking water, and every passenger gets a window seat. The itinerary can also be adjusted to your dates, pace, group size, and budget. We can swap lodges, add chimpanzee trekking or a Lake Kivu extension, or rearrange activities. Tell us what you would like and we will adapt the plan.

The dry seasons, from June to September and from December to February, are best because trails are drier and easier to hike. Gorilla trekking runs all year, and the wetter months, March to May and October to November, bring lush scenery and fewer crowds, with muddier trails. Pack sturdy waterproof hiking boots, gardening-style gloves, long sleeves and trousers in neutral colours, a rain jacket, sun protection, insect repellent, a face mask, binoculars, and a camera. Rwanda and Uganda both restrict single-use plastic bags, so leave them at home.

Tips are not included, but they are a customary way to thank your driver-guide, rangers, trackers, and porters. Porter hire is optional, carries its own fee, and supports families living around the parks. There is no fixed amount, so tip according to the service you receive. We strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance covering medical care, emergency evacuation, cancellation, and interruption. Carry recent, undamaged US dollar notes, and bring a card for lodge extras where accepted.

Send us your preferred travel dates, number of travellers, and accommodation level. We first check gorilla permit availability in both Rwanda and Uganda, then prepare a detailed quotation with your lodges, inclusions, and total cost. Once you approve the itinerary and agree the payment terms, we purchase your permits and confirm the lodge and transport reservations. Because permits are limited, booking several months ahead is wise.