3 Days Bisoke & Bwindi Gorillas
The 3 Days Bisoke and Bwindi gorilla trekking safari is an adventure package taking you to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in Rwanda. The 3 Days trips offer you chance to hike mount Bisoke, one of the 8 volcanoes in the Virunga Conservation Area. You will also visit one of the gorilla families in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Park to have a face-to-face encounter with the endangered gorillas in their natural habitats. Both hiking and trekking experiences are strenuous but worthy it. Mount Bisoke is located in Rwanda’s border with the Democratic Republic of Congo standing at 3,711 meters above the sea level. Interestingly, travelers can hike up to the summit of this extinct volcano in one day. The summit of the volcano shelters a crater lake while the other lake called Ngezi is located on the slopes of the volcano. The lower slopes of mount Bisoke are covered by rain forests, which shelter birds and wild animals. Regarding gorilla trekking in Bwindi Forest, the experience is ranked the best in the whole world. Over 50% of all travelers to Bwindi come purposely to see the gorillas in their natural habitats. Bwindi Forest is home to 17 gorilla groups which guarantee availability of over 136 gorilla permits each day. Bwindi is therefore a prime gorilla destination in Africa. The 3 Days Bisoke & Bwindi gorilla trekking tour starts and ends in Kigali Rwanda
Trip summary
Day 1: Bisoke hiking & transfer to Bwindi Forest National Park
Day 2: Mountain gorilla trekking & cultural tour
Day 3: Return to Kigali for departure
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Bisoke hiking & transfer to Bwindi Forest National Park
You will be picked up from Kigali airport or your hotel in Kigali and transfer to Kinigi Park head quarters of Volcanoes National Park. After registration and briefing, transfer to the hiking starting pint along your porter and armed park rangers. The trek to the summit lasts for between 3-5 hours with stopovers to refresh. Enjoy scenic views of a wide Crater Lake at the summit of the Volcano and Rwanda’s rolling hills best for photography and filming. You will eat your packed lunch at the summit, take pictures, relax and cherish the natural beauty of God’s creations. Thereafter, slope down, meet your driver guide and embark on a drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park located in southwestern Uganda. Drive time from Kigali to Bwindi is roughly 5 hours via Cyanika border in Kisoro district. You will then arrive in the evening. Refresh and relax at your hotel in Bwindi for an overnight preparing for the next day’s gorilla trek.
Day 2: Mountain gorilla trekking & cultural tour
Wakeup very early for breakfast and transfer to the respective Bwindi park head quarters for registration and briefing on the guidelines of mountain gorilla trekking. You will then penetrate into the dense Bwindi forest looking for the gorilla family allocated to you. The allowed time to spend with gorillas is strictly an hour from the time you set your eyes on them. However, you can spend over 7 hours in the jungle before meeting the gentle giants. Besides gorillas, Bwindi Impenetrable forest is home to forest elephants, Buffalos, colobus monkeys, baboons, forest hogs and bush pigs among others. Look up in the tress for beautiful birds which sing sweetly just above you. Mountain gorillas are close relatives to human beings sharing over 90% of human genes. If time allows in the evening, you will visit local communities adjacent to the park for a cultural experience. Learn and enjoy local practices such as cooking local food, preparing local foods, dancing, singing and brewing local alcohol. Batwa pygmies and Bakiga are the most common tribes in Bwindi Forest National Park who offer you a rick cultural experience. If you can, take part in any of the local activities, which make you feel as part of the community. Buying local crafts and fresh foods help to improve the standards of living for local people some of whom are former poachers.
Day 3: Return to Kigali for departure
In the morning, have a relaxed breakfast, check out of the lodge and transfer to Kigali to catch up with your flight to your next destination. Depending on the time of your flight, you can do a city tour through Kigali to visit local markets, presidential market, genocide memorial centers and other interesting destinations in Kigali. This marks the end of our 3 Days Mt Bisoke and Bwindi gorilla trekking tour!
Tour Inclusions
- Mount Bisoke hiking permit
- Mountain gorilla permit
- Accommodation & meals
- Packed lunch
- Bottled drinking water
- Full time English speaking guide
- Ground Transport
- Government taxes
- Miscellaneous
Tour Exclusions
- Porter’s fee & tips
- Personal expenses (phone calls and shopping)
- Extra activities not included in the itinerary
- Alcoholic beverages
- Guide tips