Uganda Gorilla Tour from Kigali - 2 Days
2 Day Uganda Gorilla Tour from Kigali Rwanda (from $1140 p.p if you're two)
An affordable 2-day Uganda gorilla tour starting and ending from Kigali to track the Uganda gorillas of Bwindi or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Drive from Kigali to Bwindi, trek the gorillas and drive back to Kigali in 2 days. It is the most affordable gorilla trekking package for Uganda and we guarantee the lowest price for this Uganda gorilla safari starting in Kigali on any day between 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. On the last day of the tour, the journey is only about 4 hours to Kigali. We can drop you at the airport or your hotel in Kigali. The gorilla tour price includes your gorilla trekking permit, accommodation with all meals, and private transfers to the gorilla sanctuary for the two days. without compromising to the level of service.
Uganda Gorilla Trek Tour - 2 Days Gorilla Safari from Kigali
Save money as you get the best experience for your 2-day Uganda gorilla trek tour from Kigali!
On this Uganda 2-day gorilla trek tour, our teams will not only ensure you are allocated the most exciting mountain gorilla family, but we also book good accommodation for the tour. The tour starts in Kigali on any day and ends in Kigali trekking the Uganda mountain gorillas of Bwindi or Mgahinga.
Tour Brief for the 2 Day Uganda Gorilla Trek Tour from Kigli
- Day 1: Start your Uganda gorilla trek tour from Kigali (between 8 A.M. to 2 P.M.) with a road transfer to Uganda's gorilla sanctuary, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Bwindi, together with Mgahinga Gorilla National Park are the only two parks in Uganda where you can safely track the mountain gorillas. There are just about 1067 mountain gorillas still surviving on earth and Bwindi alone has slightly over 50% of all the gorilla families living in the wild.
Before your Bwindi gorilla trek experience, you need to have a comfortable night's rest and we ensure that the best hotel/ lodge or camp is reserved for you, just as per your budget preference.
- Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi/ Mgahinga, drive back to Kigali - Early morning breakfast at your accommodation before setting off, trekking into the deep jungles of Bwindi / Mgahinga. Enjoy a splendid and memorable day when you track in the footsteps of the surviving mountain gorillas; have a full 1 hour with them after finding them. We end the gorilla tour by driving back to the airport or to your hotel in Kigali.
Note:
For the 2 day Uganda Gorilla Safari from Kigali, the 2024 tour prices (including gorilla permit of $700) are $1500 for 1 person, or $1140 per person for 2 persons.
2 Days Uganda Gorilla trek tour from Kigali detailed itinerary
Day 1: Start your Uganda Gorilla trek tour by driving to Bwindi impenetrable N. Park (the mountain gorillas' home)
Your gorilla tour or safari guide will be making their way to meet with you at the place you shall have spent the previous night in Kigali. Our usual Uganda gorilla trek start time is between 8 am to 1 pm.
The guide will give a brief about the tour before setting off to drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The drive to Bwindi is marked by expanses of diverse landscapes, traditional farmlands, mountains, and valleys. There are several beautiful spots along the way and your tour guide shall not be hesitating to briefly stop over to allow you to enjoy and take photographs.
Your lodge/ camp for the night before the gorilla trek is located at the park boundary, convenient enough for you to reach the Bwindi/ Mgahinga Park headquarters in a few minutes on the day you do your gorilla tracking. Dinner will be served there as well.
The drive to the mountain gorilla sanctuary is over 7 hours from Entebbe or Kampala, most of the time on the smooth-surfaced road with about 45 minutes of dusty murram. You could choose to fly to Bwindi if you don't feel like driving. One-way flights range from 280$-360$ pp.
Uganda Gorilla Trek Accommodation options (all on full board basis): Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge |
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Drive back to Kigali
Today enjoy gorilla trekking in Bwindi. For most visitors, this is the highlight of the 2 day Uganda Gorilla Trek Tour.
It is recommended that you have your breakfast very early (before 7 am) so that we can make it to the Park headquarters in good time for the pre-gorilla trek briefing. Your tour guide shall of course be waiting for you as you have breakfast at the lodge. Most of the lodges we book are located quite close to the park offices and the tour guide shall be waiting to lead you there.
At the park office, you shall need to present your passport (or its copy) for accrediting. You shall then have the briefing which mostly highlights what to expect in the forest when you meet the mountain gorillas, the ecology of the gorilla and their conservation status, and the other wildlife in Bwindi/ Mgahinga. Normally, there is a cultural music performance for the guests by a women's group from the local community. Next, you will be allocated to a gorilla group that you will be tracking. Gorilla group allocation can depend on the location of the gorillas, the age and physical status of the guests, and also on request you could have your preferred gorilla group allocated to you.
In some cases, you might need to drive for a few minutes before hitting the trailhead to the gorillas but most tracks start from the park offices. We trek the gorillas through the rainforest and bamboo-covered slopes, accompanied by a guide and gorilla trackers, in search of our allocated mountain gorilla family. Many times, we trek along freshly made footpaths deep into the impenetrable jungles of Bwindi. Being an Afromontane rainforest, there are higher chances of rain during the day and it is important to prepare well.
Trekking to the gorillas might sometimes be tougher than expected and could often go on for as long as 6 hours. The park guides are very sensitive to accommodating all types of visitors and there are numerous stops along the trek. Also, they plan out the most comfortable routes for all guests so that even those who are physically challenged shall feel the list challenge when trekking the gorillas in Bwindi.
When you finally catch a glimpse of the magnificent silverback mountain gorillas, any discomforts will be quickly forgotten. To ensure safety for the mountain gorillas and yourself, the rangers will be guiding you to stand not less than 6 meters from the gorillas. It is also advisable that you wear a face mask in order to limit any disease transmission between humans and the mountain gorillas. Enjoy your one hour with the mountain gorillas, sit around them while gazing into their big round eyes, and take all the photos (and yes - selfies as well!).
After the gorilla viewing experience, you shall start trekking back. A few minutes along, the park guides shall locate a safe spot for you to have your packed lunch in the jungle. As you trek back, there will be time to take notice of the other wildlife in the forest. Keep a sharp eye out for the chimpanzees, L'Hoest's, red-tailed and blue monkeys, black and white colobus, and olive baboons.
After the trek, we drive back to Kigali. You will be traversing the grassed and terraced escarpments of southwestern Uganda while taking in the breathtaking sights of the hills of the region dubbed ‘the little Switzerland of Africa’.
This area is a highly fertile, mountainous region with steep-sided hills covered from top to bottom in neatly terraced cultivated rows.
Note:
For the 2-day Uganda Gorilla Safari from Kigali, the tour prices (including gorilla permit of $700) are $1500 for 1 person, or $1140 per person if you're 2 persons.
Start Planning Your 2 Day Uganda Gorilla Trek tour from Kigali
Testimonials about the Uganda Gorilla Trek Tour and other Safaris
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My sister organized an itinerary through Gorillas and Wildlife Safari. We love that it was Uganda-owned. She worked with Ivan to put together a fabulous itinerary through Rwanda and Uganda... read more 
31st August 2023Marissa W Amazing experience with Gorillas and Wildlife Safaris - We did a 7 night, 8 day gorilla and Safari tour. It was fantastic - we had such a great time. Ivan was quick to respond to all... read more
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19th August 2023
Other Memorable Uganda gorilla trek and prices
Photos from Uganda Gorilla Trek Tours
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- Chameleon Hill Lodge Bwindi
Uganda Gorilla Trek Tour - The Mountain Gorilla Trekking Experience
Trekking mountain gorillas is one dreamlike tour experience you will never forget. Trekking in the jungles of the impenetrable Bwindi along freshly made tracks, interfacing with the gentle giants, being surrounded by several giant primates in the quietest of the world's remote jungles are some of those memories many dearly crave for when they sign up for the Uganda gorilla trek tour.
Of course, because mountain gorillas are wild animals, sightings cannot be guaranteed. However, for the last 14 years, no one on this Uganda gorilla trek tours has trekked the gorillas and failed to see them in Uganda or Rwanda. Certainly, you won't be the one with bad luck! On the gorilla trek, once you find the gorillas, you will be allowed an hour with the gorillas and you can only go not more than 6 meters from them. As the gorilla tracking can sometimes take a full day, you will need to go with your packed lunch and lots of drinking water when trekking to the gorillas.
Gorilla trekking timings and conditions vary tremendously as the gorillas move continuously through the rain forest. It is good to be prepared and remember the weather can change with very little warning. The terrain is often steep and through areas where there are no marked paths.
Tips for the best trekking experience on your Uganda Gorilla Trek Tour
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Secure Gorilla Trekking permits early
Gorilla Trekking is the most popular foreign tourist activity for Uganda. On every single day, only 128 tourists can trek the gorillas in Bwindi. Uganda has the cheapest gorilla permits prices at USD700. This means the competition is quite high for the few gorilla permits in Uganda and it becomes hard to secure gorilla trekking permits a few days to your Uganda gorilla tour (although it is often possible with luck more so in the green season months of October, November, April and May). It is best to have your gorilla trek permit fully confirmed at least 4 months in advance.
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Assess your fitness levels before trekking the gorilla
There is a likelihood you could walk for 3-6 hours on a gorilla trek. Gorillas are located deep in Bwindi forest with thick undergrowth over several steep volcanic slopes. Gorilla groups keep roaming this forest looking for their favorite food. They are never stationed in the same place over days. Your gorilla trek will follow this same trend and it is quite unpredictable knowing how long or tough your gorilla trekking shall be. The longer trek is not necessarily a problem, just something to be prepared for. A bit of moderate physical fitness is needed for gorilla trekking in Uganda.
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Guides & Porters for the gorilla trek
You will be guided through the forest on your gorilla tracking by a Uganda Wildlife Authority guide whom you will meet at the departure point in the morning of your trek. Your guide can help you book a porter (or two!) so that you can track without having to carry the few essential items listed below in a day pack which you should bring with you. The porters are from the local community and very used to the local conditions and can assist in pushing, pulling and supporting you during your trek to the gorillas. They are usually an additional fee, over and above your safari cost, and you should budget on approximately USD15-20 per porter per day as a fee with additional tipping being optional.
As the porters do not have tracking permits they will be stopped a short distance from the point you will be viewing the mountain Gorillas. Please remember to take whatever you may need from your bag to view the gorillas and rather leave valuables at the lodge/camp.
You will be allowed up to one hour for viewing of the gorillas from when they are sighted by your group. This is to ensure that the wild animals are not overexposed to human presence. Whilst in their presence you will also be required to keep minimum distances from them – generally between 5-7 meters and your guides will ensure this is enforced.
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What to pack for your Uganda Gorilla Trek Tour when trekking into the jungle
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- Plenty of water – 1-2 liters per person (most lodges provide the water, but we also have it in the car). Please pack along a reusable travel water bottle if you can.
- High energy snacks in addition to your packed lunch provided by the lodge/camp
- Spare film and batteries for videos and cameras
- Gloves (gardening type are good)
- Waterproof bag to protect photographic equipment
- Hiking gaiters
- A hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, and band-aids might be useful
- A lightweight waterproof jacket/poncho
- Walking sticks are made available at the start of the trek for some of the steeper and more slippery tracks and may prove to be very handy.
Gorilla Trekking Age Limits
The age limit for gorilla trekking is 15 years and the authorities are very strict on this! With special written permission, however, a 14yr old might pass.
Note for the Uganda Camping Gorilla Safari version
This Uganda safari can be affordably done as a camping safari. We shall provide you with a nice safari tent, a camping mattress, and a sleeping bag or you can also bring your own. We book safe and secure camping grounds with good facilities in Bwindi for the best memories on this gorilla trekking adventure.
The 2024 Uganda gorilla camping tour prices (including gorilla permit of $700) are: $1470 for 1 person, $1130 per person if 2 persons, $1019 per person if 3 persons, $962 per person if 4 persons
For the cost-effective Uganda budget camping safari, we provide you with a free tent, sleeping mattress, and sleeping bag. Breakfast is included as well as all the transportation. Gorilla camping fees are included as well. You only think about your lunch and dinner for this affordable gorilla camping safari camping with a tent in Bwindi Uganda.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
We do this 3 days Uganda gorilla trek tour in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in southwestern Uganda, covering parts of Rukungiri, Kisoro, and Kabale Districts. It is situated in a hilly countryside that, together with some remnant lowland forest outside the boundary constitutes an important water catchment area for many rivers, supplying the agricultural land of the surrounding region.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is a true equatorial jungle, inhabited by four gorilla groups. Amongst the dense vegetation, the colobus monkey jumps from branch to branch, chattering its warning to its fellows hidden by the foliage. Chimpanzees, in families of 20 or 30, make the rounds, searching for fruit and edible plants.
It is situated in a hilly countryside that, together with some remnant lowland forest outside the boundary constitutes an important water catchment area for many rivers, supplying the agricultural land of the surrounding region.
The best time to visit Uganda is late December to late February, and from June to September, as the weather at this time of year is generally dry, and warm. Temperatures average at around 25 degrees Celsius.
Top 5 Tourist Things to Do In Bwindi
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Gorilla Trekking
The Uganda gorilla trek tour can only be done in Bwindi and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Bwindi alone has at least 480 mountain gorillas – roughly half of the world’s population, including several habituated groups, which can be tracked. In Bwindi, gorilla trekking is done at either Buhoma or Ruhija or Nkuringo or Rushaga area (also known as sectors). These sectors currently have 23 mountain gorilla families that have been habituated for gorilla trekking in Uganda. You will need a gorilla trekking permit to track the mountain gorillas in Bwindi. A gorilla permit costs $700 per person per visit.
You need to plan your gorilla tracking tour well in advance, at least 90 days in advance because the gorilla trek permits usually sell out faster. Also, be sure to have dull colored clothes for your gorilla trekking tour in Bwindi.
Bwindi is probably the best place to trek the mountain gorillas because the gorilla permit is cheaper at $700 and also the park is very safe for tourist activity.
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Mountain Gorilla Habituation Experience (with 4 hours with the gorillas)
Gorilla habituation experience is only done in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. It is conducted with the Bikingi mountain gorilla family in the Rushaga area of Bwindi. the gorilla habituation experience permit costs USD1500 per person and you have the chance to trek the gorillas and be in their presence for 4 hours. It gives you the chance to be with the gorillas longer and also learn about the gorilla habituation exercise in Bwindi. The maximum number of participants for this activity is 4 persons per day. The gorilla family has at least 25 gorilla members and you have lots of time to enjoy the gorillas and take photographs as you wish.
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Viewing the other 11 Primates, monkeys in Bwindi
Although Bwindi forest is largely known for gorilla trekking tours, it also provides shelter to a further 120 mammals, including several primate species such as baboons and chimpanzees, as well as elephants and antelopes, L’Hoest’s Monkeys, De Brazza Monkeys, Red-tailed Monkeys, Blue Monkeys as you trek through the forest.
While in Bwindi, you can visit the park office and arrange a guided forest walk into the park to spot any of these primates. You will need to pay a park entrance fee of USD40 per person as well as a nature walk fee of $30. A ranger guide/escort is a must for all those who intend to do a nature walk in the forest.
For security reasons, guided night walks in Bwindi haven't yet been implemented but there are nocturnal species like the Potto and the various Galago Species that are residents in Bwindi.
The Batwa are a pygmies tribe of Uganda who were originally living in Bwindi before it was gazetted as a park. The Batwa have lived their lives to current generations by hunting and gathering in the forest. The visit to the Batwa invariably involves songs and a dance demonstration, and once the music begins you can’t help but notice that they project a genuine pride in themselves.
The Batwa experience fee is USD80 for the full day or $30 for a 3 hours experience. In the Batwa experience, members of the Batwa Community lead tourists through the forest in the shadows and teach the visitors about their ancient ways of hunting and gathering and the Batwa Guides get to return to the Rainforest and keep their traditions alive, at least in spirit. The Batwa communities also receive half of the Batwa Trail Fees.
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Birdwatching in Bwindi
The varied habitats of Uganda’s oldest forest mean it is the ideal habitat for a variety of birds, with 350 species recorded, including 23 endemics (90% of all Albertine Rift endemics) such as the Short-tailed Warbler and Blue-headed Sunbird as well as seven IUCN red data listed species.
The varied habitats of Uganda’s oldest forest mean it is the ideal habitat for a variety of birds, with 350 species recorded, including 23 endemics (90% of all Albertine Rift endemics) such as the Short-tailed Warbler and Blue-headed Sunbird as well as seven IUCN red data listed species. Easy to see are the African Emerald Cuckoo, Common Bulbul, African Blue and White-tailed Blue Flycatchers, and Red-headed Bluebill.
Birding takes place along the main trail, the Buhoma Waterfall Trail, and along the bamboo zone and Mubwindi Swamp trail in Ruhija.