6 Days Rwanda Uganda Primate Safari – Ultimate Trek

The 6 Days Rwanda Uganda Primate Safari is a private cross-border adventure combining three remarkable primate encounters which include chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National Park, golden monkey tracking in Volcanoes National Park and mountain gorilla trekking in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Starting and ending in Kigali, this six-day journey takes you through Rwanda’s ancient rainforests, the scenic Lake Kivu region and the mountainous landscapes of southwestern Uganda.

Your safari starts in Kigali Rwanda with chimp tracking and canopy walk in Nyungwe in the southwest. The second experience will be golden monkeys in Volcanoes in the northern Rwanda after which you will cross into Uganda for the final gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi Impenetrable forest, a UNESCO world heritage site and travel back to Kigali city.

Rwanda Uganda Primate Safari at a glance

Day 1: Transfer from Kigali to Nyungwe National Park

Day 2: Chimpanzee Trekking and Canopy Walk in Nyungwe

Day 3: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park via Lake Kivu

Day 4: Golden Monkey Trekking in Volcanoes National Park

Day 5: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park, southwestern Uganda

Day 6: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi and return to Kigali

Follow the 6 Days Rwanda Uganda Primate Safari itinerary below to discover how the journey connects Rwanda’s southern and northern national parks with southwestern Uganda.

Detailed Itinerary 6 Days Rwanda Uganda Primate Safari

Day 1: Kigali to Nyungwe National Park

Your 6-day Rwanda Uganda primate safari starts in Kigali, where your Firante Gorilla Treks driver guide will meet you at Kigali International Airport or your hotel.

After a brief safari briefing, leave Kigali and travel southwest via Nyanza to Nyungwe National Park. Nyanza was the former capital of the Kingdom of Rwanda. Its worth to make a stopover visit the King’s Palace Museum, interact with cultural guardians who will take you through the traditional aspects of a king including seeing the majestic long horned Inyambo cows.

Continue to arrive at your lodge, check in for evening relaxing in preparation for an adventure into Nyungwe, one of Africa’s ancient afro-montane forests famous for harboring 12 primate species including chimpanzees, Rwenzori colobus monkeys among others.

Accommodation: Selected lodge or hotel, confirmed in your quotation.

Meals: Confirmed in your personalised quotation.

Day 2: Chimpanzee Trekking & Canopy Walk

The day begins early with breakfast followed by a short drive to the designated briefing point for your chimpanzee trekking experience in Nyungwe National Park. Meet the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) rangers and trackers who will brief and lead you into the forest in search of a habituated chimpanzee community. Being highly active primates, chimps can feed both on ground and above in the tree canopy calling to one another using pant-hoot calls which you often hear before you actually see them. The ranger guides know how to follow signs of their movement and vocalizations.

Once located, spend the permitted viewing period observing their behaviour and interactions in their natural environment. Return from the trek and take time for lunch and a short rest. Later, go for a canopy walk which starts with a guided gentle nature walk along the 2 km Igishigishigi trail winding through a forest of giant tree ferns (Cyathea manniana). Suspended 70 meters high above a forest, the walkway stretches for 160 meters long and offers spectacular aerial views of the rainforest offering opportunities to spot birds, primates, and butterflies. After the canopy experience, return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Accommodation: Selected lodge or hotel, confirmed in your quotation.

Meals: Confirmed in your personalised quotation.

Day 3: Nyungwe to Volcanoes National Park Via Lake Kivu

After breakfast, begin the 5-hour drive on a smooth tarmac road to northern Rwanda. This route winds along the shores of Lake Kivu passing via lakeside towns including Rusizi, Karongi and Rubavu. Your driver guide can arrange suitable stops for refreshments and lunch in one of the towns. Arrive in Musanze town and continue to the village of Kinigi check in your lodge on the edge of Volcanoes National Park. On a clear day, the views of Virunga volcanoes dominate the surrounding landscape. Spend the evening relaxing and preparing for the following morning’s golden monkey trek.

Accommodation: Selected lodge or hotel, confirmed in your quotation.

Meals: Confirmed in your personalised quotation.

Day 4: Golden Monkey Trekking in Volcanoes

After breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing and golden monkey trekking experience. Golden monkeys live primarily in the bamboo forests on the higher volcano slopes and offer a very different primate encounter from the chimpanzees of Nyungwe and the mountain gorillas you will encounter later in Bwindi.

The trail from the briefing point at Kinigi is almost straightforward until you reach the bamboo forest to begin searching for a habituated troop. Golden monkeys are lively and highly mobile, often feeding and leaping between bamboo stems as they communicate within the group. Their energetic behaviour and striking golden-orange colouring make them exciting watch.

After the trek, return to your lodge for lunch. The rest of of the afternoon is deliberately kept at a relaxed pace. You may rest at the lodge and enjoy the mountain surroundings or, if desired, add an optional cultural tour at the Gorilla Guardian’s village outside the park. Slowing down this afternoon also provides a welcome break between the active primate trekking days and the following day’s cross-border journey into Uganda for gorilla trekking.

Accommodation: Selected lodge or hotel, confirmed in your quotation.

Meals: Confirmed in your personalised quotation.

Day 5: Volcanoes to Bwindi, Uganda

Enjoy breakfast at the lodge and depart Rwanda for Uganda. The drive is about 4-hour drive via the Cyanika Rwandan border town, where you will go through immigration formalities and then cross into southwestern Uganda. Continue through the town of Kisoro and the final stretch of about 35 km on dirt roads via the steep highlands to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The exact Bwindi sector will depend on the location of your confirmed gorilla trekking permit and selected accommodation. Arrive at your lodge near Bwindi and check in for your final night of the safari. Your driver guide will brief you on the trekking arrangements and the equipment you should carry.

Accommodation: Selected lodge or hotel, confirmed in your quotation.

Meals: Confirmed in your personalised quotation.

Day 6: Gorilla Trekking and Return to Kigali

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi is conducted under the supervision of the Uganda Wildlife Authority, which manages trekking regulations and conservation activities in Uganda’s gorilla parks.

 After an early breakfast, transfer to the appropriate park briefing point with your packed lunch and trekking gear. UWA rangers will explain the trekking procedures and appropriate behaviour around the gorillas before assigning you to a habituated gorilla family. Enter Bwindi in search through the dense rainforest. The length and difficulty of the trek vary according to the location and movement of the gorilla family.

When the gorillas are located, spend up to one hour quietly observing them in their natural habitat. Watch the family feed, rest, groom and interact while the dominant silverback watches over the group.

Following the trek, meet your driver-guide and begin the journey back to Kigali. As gorilla trekking times vary, travellers departing Rwanda on the same day should book a late-evening flight or, preferably, arrange an additional night in Kigali.

Your safari ends with drop-off at your Kigali hotel or Kigali International Airport. Given that gorilla trekking times vary, travelers flying out of Kigali on the same day should allow generous time before their departure flight. An additional night in Kigali can also be arranged and can be included in the quotation of this 6 days Rwanda Uganda primate safari upon request.

Meals: Confirmed in your personalised quotation.

What to Expect on Your Rwanda Uganda Primate Safari

The focuse of this 6 Days Rwanda Uganda Primate Safari is on three different primate experiences in two countries, combining guided rainforest trekking with scenic overland travel.

Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe can involve walking through steep forest terrain following active animals that move between the ground and canopy. Golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park generally takes place in bamboo forest on the volcanic slopes, with trekking conditions depending on the troop’s location.

Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi is often the most physically demanding activity. The experience involves hiking through dense rainforest and uneven terrain, with the duration determined by the location of the assigned gorilla family.

The itinerary also includes a canopy walkway experience in Nyungwe, scenic views around Lake Kivu and the Virunga Mountains, and a cross-border journey into southwestern Uganda.

Travellers should be comfortable with early departures, moderate to strenuous walking and some long road transfers. Accommodation and trekking arrangements can be tailored to individual preferences and permit availability.

Best Time for a Rwanda Uganda Primate Safari

The 6 Days Rwanda Uganda Primate Safari can be arranged throughout the year. However, June to September and December to February generally offer more favourable trekking conditions.

These relatively drier periods can make rainforest trails easier to navigate, particularly during chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe and mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi. However, rain remains possible throughout the year in both forest environments.

March to May and October to November are generally wetter periods. The forests are especially green, but trekking trails can become muddy and slippery.

Gorilla and chimpanzee permits should be arranged well in advance, particularly during popular travel periods. The best travel dates will depend on permit availability, your preferred accommodation and your tolerance for wet-weather trekking.

Your 6 Days Rwanda Uganda Primate Safari can be tailored to your preferred accommodation category, travel dates and group size, with trekking permits and cross-border arrangements coordinated in advance.

Quotation and booking details

Request a personalised quotation based on your dates, group size and accommodation preference. Your written quotation will confirm the lodges, meal plan, trekking permits, transport, included activities, optional extras and exclusions before booking. No fixed package price is currently advertised.

Trekking duration, wildlife sightings and travel times vary. Final arrangements depend on permit availability, lodge location and local conditions. Where a long transfer or trek falls on your departure day, an additional overnight stay before flying is recommended.

Request a quotation

Planning advice: Gorilla trekking · Chimpanzee experiences · Safari destinations