Day-by-day itinerary

What the operator has planned, day by day, across 3 days.

1. Day 1

   Kigali to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

   The trip opens in Kigali with the road transfer to the Rwanda-Uganda border, where you cross into Uganda and carry on to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. The route runs across rolling hills and past small-scale farms, and the operator allows roughly four to five hours of driving. On arrival there is time to settle at the lodge, followed by some sightseeing and a visit to the resident Batwa, who perform their traditional dances. Accommodation is offered at three levels: Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge or Mahogany Springs at the top end, Gorilla Mist Camp or Silver Back Lodge in the middle, and Wagtail Eco Lodge or Buhoma Community Bandas as the basic option, all on full board.

2. Day 2

   Gorilla Tracking and Cultural Entertainment

   After an early breakfast your guide briefs you, and the group sets out into the Bwindi forest to track the gorillas. The terrain is demanding and the tracking can be tiring, so the operator asks you to carry a packed lunch and drinking water and to bring comfortable hiking boots or strong shoes and a light rain jacket, since Bwindi weather changes quickly; walking sticks are supplied by the park rangers. Time with the gorillas is held to one hour for conservation reasons, the rangers explain in advance how to behave around the animals, and once the family is found you should see the silverbacks, though how long the tracking takes cannot be predicted. In the evening there is a cultural walk to meet local people and watch traditional performances by women's groups or one of the orphan-children groups, with the fees paid going directly towards the welfare of families living around the park. Lodging is the same set of options as the first night, on full board.

3. Day 3

   Crossing Back to Rwanda and a Kigali City Tour

   Breakfast comes first, then the scenic drive back towards Rwanda across terraced green hills. The winding road brings you into Kisoro town for lunch before you continue to the Uganda-Rwanda border and cross into Rwanda. In Kigali there is a city tour that takes in the Genocide Memorial Grounds. Driving time is around four to five hours, and the meal plan for the day covers breakfast and lunch.