2 Day Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Safari from Kigali
Leave Kigali for Uganda's forested highlands, spend a night near your trekking sector and walk into Bwindi with ranger guides in search of mountain gorillas.
Plan This Safari2 Days / 1 Night / Kigali Return / Private Transfers
Kigali to Bwindi, with the gorillas at the heart of your trip.
Travel into Uganda on Day 1, trek the following morning and return to Kigali after leaving the forest.
Kigali Departure
Private pickup and a cross-border journey into southwestern Uganda.
Bwindi
Stay near the briefing point for your confirmed trekking sector.
Trek and Return
Ranger-guided gorilla trekking, followed by the road transfer to Kigali.
A forest encounter within reach of Kigali.
Kigali is a convenient starting point for a short gorilla safari in southwestern Uganda. Cross the border on your first day, settle into a lodge near Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and keep the next morning for the forest. Your private driver guide handles the road journey while park rangers lead the trekking experience.
The permit determines where you trek and where you stay. Bwindi has separate trekking sectors, so we arrange your lodge and border route around the confirmed allocation. Buhoma Community Haven Lodge is an option for a Buhoma permit. A different sector needs accommodation near its own briefing point.
On the trekking morning, walk with Uganda Wildlife Authority guides through the rainforest. The search may involve steep slopes, muddy trails and several hours on foot. Once the family is located, standard gorilla trekking in Uganda allows up to 1 hour in their presence.
The return drive starts after your trek, making Day 2 a full travel day. Plan a Kigali overnight before flying home. For more time in Uganda, browse our Uganda safari packages . The route can also fit before or after a longer holiday from our Rwanda safari collection .
Safari Highlights
Start and finish in Kigali with your own safari driver guide.
Travel through Rwanda's hills into Uganda's Kigezi highlands.
Spend 1 night near your confirmed gorilla trekking sector.
Explore Bwindi's rainforest with experienced ranger guides.
Observe a habituated gorilla family for up to 1 permitted hour.
Keep the trip focused on gorilla trekking without extra destinations.
Bwindi from Kigali, day by day.
1 lodge night and 1 gorilla trek, with private road transfers from Kigali. Meals follow your confirmed quotation.
Kigali to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Meet your BLS Safaris driver guide at your agreed Kigali pickup point. Leave the city and travel towards the Rwanda and Uganda border, passing cultivated hills and small settlements along the way.
Your route uses the crossing best suited to the confirmed trekking sector, through Cyanika or Gatuna and Katuna. Keep your passport and required travel documents within reach. Your driver will help you find the correct counters and continue the journey after clearance.
Travel through the Kigezi highlands towards Bwindi Impenetrable National Park . Some southern and eastern routes can take around 4 to 5 hours from Kigali in favourable conditions. Buhoma requires a longer transfer. Your final schedule allows for the sector, border formalities and road conditions.
Check into accommodation near tomorrow's briefing point. For a Buhoma permit, stay at Buhoma Community Haven Lodge, subject to availability. If your permit is for another sector, we confirm a lodge near that sector before booking.
Spend the evening resting and preparing your trekking bag. Pack walking boots, long trousers, a rain jacket and drinking water. A short community visit can be arranged separately if arrival time allows.
Gorilla Trekking and Return to Kigali
Have an early breakfast and transfer to your sector's park headquarters. Complete registration and listen to the ranger briefing before joining your trekking group. Carry your packed lunch if arranged, water and rain protection.
Enter the forest with your ranger guides and follow the trail towards the gorillas. Trekking commonly takes around 2 to 7 hours, although the day's length depends on the family's movements and the terrain. Take steady steps and tell your guide if you need a pause.
When the family is found, spend up to one permitted hour watching them. Look beyond the camera and notice the smaller moments, from feeding and resting to interactions between family members. Follow the ranger's directions, keep the required distance and leave your flash switched off.
Walk back to the meeting point and rejoin your driver. Have your packed or post-trek lunch as arranged, then begin the return journey through the appropriate border crossing.
Continue to Kigali for your agreed hotel drop-off. Arrival time depends on when you leave the forest, your trekking sector, border clearance and road conditions. Keep the evening free and fly onward the following day.
Safari Inclusions and Exclusions
What's Included
- 1 standard Bwindi gorilla trekking permit per traveller.
- 1 night of accommodation near the confirmed trekking sector.
- Meals stated in your confirmed quotation.
- Private 4x4 safari vehicle for the scheduled journey.
- Professional English-speaking driver guide.
- Agreed Kigali pickup and drop-off.
- Driver assistance during the border crossing.
- Park ranger guiding and tracking services for the trek.
- Park charges associated with the included gorilla trek.
- Bottled drinking water during road transfers.
- Packed lunch or post-trek lunch as arranged.
What's Not Included
- International flights.
- Rwanda and Uganda visa or entry costs where applicable.
- Travel and medical insurance.
- Optional community or cultural visits.
- Gorilla trekking porter fees.
- Tips for guides, rangers, trackers and lodge staff.
- Alcoholic drinks and premium beverages.
- Laundry, shopping and personal expenses.
- Meals not listed in your confirmed quotation.
- Accommodation in Kigali before or after the safari.
- Additional activities not included in the agreed programme.
Frequently Asked Questions
Plan your border journey, lodge stay and trekking day before booking flights.
Can I trek Uganda's gorillas from Kigali?
Yes. The safari begins in Rwanda, crosses into Uganda and returns to Kigali after the Bwindi trek. Your gorilla permit is for Uganda. The road journey and overnight stay are arranged around its trekking sector.
How long is the drive from Kigali to Bwindi?
It depends on the sector. Allow around 4 to 5 hours for some southern and eastern routes in favourable conditions, with longer journeys to Buhoma. Border queues, stops and road conditions can add time. We confirm the transfer plan once the permit location is settled.
Which trekking sector and lodge will we use?
We confirm these together after checking permit availability. Buhoma Community Haven Lodge is an option for a Buhoma trek. For another sector, we arrange accommodation near its own briefing point. Our Bwindi National Park guide introduces the park and its sectors.
Is the gorilla permit included?
Yes. The package includes 1 standard gorilla trekking permit per traveller, subject to availability. The permit is booked for a specific date and sector. Read our gorilla permit booking guide for more about arranging your trek.
How difficult is the trek, and how long is the gorilla visit?
Expect uneven forest ground, muddy sections and possible steep climbs. Treks commonly last around 2 to 7 hours, with variation from day to day. Once the gorilla family is found, the standard viewing period is up to one hour. Porter assistance can be arranged at an additional cost.
What should I prepare for the border crossing?
Carry your passport and confirm the entry requirements for Uganda and your return to Rwanda before travelling. Requirements depend on your nationality and travel documents. Our team can help you identify what needs checking. Visa and entry charges are paid separately.
Can children join the gorilla trek?
Gorilla trekking has a minimum age of 15 years. Share the ages of everyone travelling when you enquire so the permit arrangements and any plans for younger family members can be discussed in advance.
Can I fly out of Kigali after the trek on Day 2?
We recommend staying in Kigali that night and flying the next day. The trek has no fixed finishing time, and the return journey includes a border crossing. A same-evening flight leaves little room for a long trek or road delays.
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