6-Day Rwanda And Uganda Gorilla, Golden Monkey, Hiking And Wildlife Safari

Meet your driver-guide in Kigali and begin the journey north to Volcanoes National Park. The drive takes around 3–5 hours, passing through Rwanda’s hilly countryside and local communities.

En route, stop at the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo. Depending on your arrival time, you can take an optional canoe ride on the lake, enjoy the views across the surrounding hills and look out for some of the area's birdlife.

Continue to your lodge near Volcanoes National Park and settle in for the evening. This gives you time to rest before tomorrow's Mount Bisoke hike.

After breakfast, drive to Kinigi Park Headquarters for a briefing before beginning your Mount Bisoke hike.

Mount Bisoke rises to 3,711 metres and forms part of the Virunga volcanic chain. The trail climbs through the forest before reaching higher vegetation and the crater near the summit. The hike is demanding, particularly on the steeper sections, so the pace will depend on your fitness and the conditions on the day.

At the top, spend some time around the crater lake before beginning the descent. On clear days, there are views towards the surrounding Virunga volcanoes and across the borders of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The hike generally takes several hours, including the ascent and descent. Return to the lodge in the afternoon and relax.

Later, you may choose to visit Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village for an optional cultural experience featuring traditional music, dance, storytelling and local crafts.

After breakfast, head to the park headquarters for your golden monkey trekking briefing. Enter the forest with your ranger and follow the trails in search of a habituated golden monkey group.

Golden monkeys are found in the Virunga region and are known for their active behaviour in the forest. Once the group is located, you will have time to observe them as they move through the vegetation, feed and interact with one another.

After the trek, cross into Uganda through the Cyanika border and continue towards Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The road passes through the highlands around Kisoro and towards the forested areas of Bwindi.

Arrive at your lodge later in the day and rest ahead of tomorrow's gorilla trekking experience.

After an early breakfast, head to the park headquarters for your gorilla trekking briefing. From there, enter Bwindi Impenetrable National Park with your ranger and begin the search for one of the habituated gorilla families.

The trek can take several hours depending on where the gorillas are located and the terrain you encounter. Once you find the family, spend the permitted viewing time observing their behaviour in the forest. You may see them feeding, resting, grooming and interacting with one another.

After the trek, leave Bwindi and drive south towards the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. This part of the park is known for its open grasslands, large fig trees and the possibility of seeing its famous tree-climbing lions.

Arrive at your lodge and enjoy a relaxed evening.

Start the morning with a game drive in the Ishasha sector. Explore the open plains and woodland areas while looking for elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, topis, antelopes and other wildlife. Keep watch for the area's tree-climbing lions, although sightings depend on their movements and the conditions on the day.

After the game drive, continue north through Queen Elizabeth National Park towards the Kazinga Channel.

After lunch, head to the channel for a boat cruise. From the water, you can observe hippos along the banks and in the channel, as well as crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes and a variety of waterbirds. The cruise also provides an opportunity to see parts of the park from a different perspective.

After the cruise, continue to your lodge and spend the evening at leisure.