7 days Uganda Congo Rwanda gorilla trekking safari takes you to three out of for national parks in Africa that harbor endangered mountain gorillas. These are Bwindi impenetrable forest national park in Uganda, Virunga national park in DR Congo and volcanoes national park in Rwanda the land of a thousand hills. This is one of the best safaris in East Africa since it combines all the three countries where mountain gorillas live. This safari will start in Uganda and end in Rwanda.

7 Days Uganda Congo Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari highlights

Day 1: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park

Day 2: Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park

Day 3: Transfer to Virunga national park DR Congo.

Day 4: Mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga national park Rwanda

Day 5: Transfer to volcanoes national park

Day 6: Mountain gorillas trekking in volcanoes national park

Day 7: Transfer to Kigali

Detailed itinerary 

Day 1: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park

On day one of your safari, you will be met by a driver guide from Africa adventure vacations who will pick you up from your place in Kampala or Entebbe and start on your journey to the southwestern part of Uganda. You will have a stopover at the equator for photos then head to Mbarara where you will have lunch from. After lunch, you will continue the journey direct to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park via the rolling hills of Kigezi. Upon arrival at the park, you will proceed to your booked lodge, relax have dinner, and have an overnight stay.

Meal plan: Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Buhoma Lodge – luxury, Buhoma Haven Lodge – mid-range, Buhoma Community Rest Camp – budget

Day 2: Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park

After early morning breakfast, you will need to have your packed lunch and drinking water and get ready for our driver guide to transfer you to the park headquarters for briefing. During the briefing, you will be taught about the dos and don’ts during gorilla trekking. You will hire a porter at a small fee in case of heavy luggage. After the briefing, you will be given a gorilla family to trek and a ranger guide will lead you to the forest t search for these giant apes. Depending on their location, mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi takes you a few minutes to 7 hours. After finding the mountain gorillas, you will be given a maximum of one hour to stay with them, watching them do their daily activities as you take photos and record videos. After spending an hour with them, you will get back to the park headquarters to pick your gorilla trekking certificate and return to your lodge for relaxation, dinner, and an overnight stay. 

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Buhoma Lodge – luxury, Buhoma Haven Lodge – mid-range and Buhoma Community Rest Camp – budget

Day 3: Transfer to Virunga national park DR Congo.

After enjoying your morning breakfast at your lodge, you will check out and start on your journey to Virunga national park in DR Congo. You will get to DR Congo via Queen Elizabeth national park and proceed to Virunga national park through Mpondwe border for clearance to get a Congo Visa and a gorilla trekking permit. After getting all these, you will be escorted to your lodge for check-in, relaxation, dinner, and an overnight.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Mount Kahuzi Hotel – luxury, Lulimbi Tented Camp – mid-range, Bukima Tented Camp – budget

Day 4: Mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga national park

After morning breakfast, you will be driven to Bukima police by your driver guide for a briefing about gorilla trekking. You can hire a porter in case of heavy luggage and start your journey into the forest to search for the habituated gorillas. The trekking time will be about 2 to 5 hours and after finding them you will be given a maximum of one hour to learn about their behavior, watch them do their daily activities as you take photos, and record videos with flash-less cameras. After spending an hour with them you will get back to the park headquarters, get your gorilla trekking certificate and drive back to the lodge for lunch. After lunch, you can visit a nearby community or stay at your lodge relaxing.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Mount Kahuzi Hotel – luxury, Lulimbi Tented Camp – mid-range, Bukima Tented Camp – budget

Day 5: Transfer to volcanoes national park

Wake up for a morning breakfast then check out of the lodge and be driven to Rwanda Congo obtain where you will need a Rwanda visa to cross to Gisenyi Rwanda and then be driven to Ruhengeri with a stopover for lunch. You will pass at the headquarters to get a gorilla trekking permit then proceed to your booked lodge for relaxation, dinner, and an overnight stay.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Five Volcanoes Boutique hotel – luxury, Le bamboo gorilla lodge – mid-range, Villa gorilla – budget

Day 6: Mountain gorillas trekking in volcanoes national park Rwanda

After morning breakfast, your driver will transfer you to the park headquarters for a briefing about gorilla trekking. After gorilla trekking briefing you will head to the forest to look for them. Gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park can take you 30 mins to 5 hours depending on the location of gorillas and speed of trackers/ when you meet the mountain gorillas you will be given a maximum of one hour to learn their behaviors, watch them go about their daily activities as you take photos and record videos to go and share with family and friends. You will have a picnic lunch after which return to the park headquarters for your gorilla trekking certificate. You will then return to your lodge for relaxation. You may later spend your evening walking around your lodge or walk to twin lakes of Ruhondo and Burera or even opt for a cultural tour around the park.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Five Volcanoes Boutique hotel – luxury, Le bamboo gorilla lodge – mid-range, Villa gorilla – budget

Day 7: Transfer to Kigali

After a relaxed morning breakfast, you’ll check out of your lodge and start on your journey back to Kigali international airport. When you reach Kigali city you will enjoy a Kigali city tour where you will visit places like Kimironko market, art galleries, and the Kigali genocide memorial. Enjoy your lunch and be dropped off at the airport to end you 7 Days Uganda Congo Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari