4 Days Karisimbi Hike & Uganda Gorillas
Enjoy this tailored 4 Days Mt Karisimbi and Uganda gorilla trekking safari for a lifetime adventure experience. The safari takes you to hike the tallest volcano in the Virunga Conservation area and also trek the endangered mountain gorillas of Uganda in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Located in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda’s border with Democratic Republic of Congo, Mount Karisimbi stands at 4,507 meters above the sea level overlooking other volcanoes in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo. A 2 Days Karisimbi hike entails an overnight on the slopes of this extinct volcano. The summit of the volcano is at times covered by snow locally translated as “Amasimbi”. More so, go gorilla trekking in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in Kabale and Rubanda districts. Get chance to trek one of the 17 habituated gorilla families in Bwindi on this 4 Days safari. Trekking Uganda gorillas is quite cheaper and affordable at $700 compared to Rwanda where trekking costs $1500. Bwindi Forest is also listed by UNESCO as a world heritage site given its rich diversity. Over 500 mountain gorillas that make half of the world’s total gorilla population live in Bwindi Forest which make it a premier gorilla trekking destination in Africa and the whole world. Also, Bwindi is a Centre of gorilla habituation experience in which wild gorillas are trained to make them familiar to people. Physical fitness and mental preparedness is key on this 4 Days Mount Karisimbi and Uganda gorilla trekking safari since both experiences are strenuous and quite challenging. The trip starts and ends in Kigali Rwanda
Trip summary
Day 1: Pick up & Karisimbi Hiking
Day 2: Reach the summit, descend & transfer to Bwindi Forest
Day 3: Mountain gorilla trekking & cultural tour
Day 4: Departure
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Pick up & Karisimbi Hiking
The fiver guide from our company will pick you up from your hotel in Kigali or the airport and transfer you to Volcanoes National Park head quarters in Kinigi. After registration with park rangers, you will also be briefed on what to do and expect when hiking mount Karisimbi. You will the transfer to the hiking starting point and start off the adventure in the company of your porters and armed park rangers. Ensure to have a walking stick for easy hiking on slippery lose rocks. The hike to the summit is roughly 6-7 hours with various stopovers along the way. The lower areas of Mount Karisimbi shelter some primates including Karisimbi gorilla family. You will spend an overnight at a camp near the summit of the volcano
Day 2: Reach the summit, descend & transfer to Bwindi Forest
Early in the morning, rise up and hike to reach the summit of this iconic volcano where you will have breakfast. Enjoy scenic views of beautiful Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park and other Virunga volcanoes plus attractions in the neighboring Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Therefore, descend, join your driver guide and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park to the endangered gorillas. The nearest Rwanda Uganda land border is Cyanika in Kisoro district from where you easily connect to Rushaga sector south of Bwindi Forest Park
Day 3: Mountain gorilla trekking & cultural tour
Wakeup very early, have heavy breakfast and transfer to the park head quarters. Your lodge will give you packed lunch since the actual time to spend in the jungle is not certain. While at the park head quarters, rangers will brief you about the regulations and rules of gorilla trekking to ensure safety of both you and the endangered primates. At 8:00am start up a hike into the impenetrable forest searching for the gentle giants. The walk through dense bushes is challenging but worth it. Do not litter in the park or pluck any vegetation from the forest! Your ranger will notify you when gorillas are sensed somewhere close. Walk gently towards the gentle giants, keep calm at a distance of seven meters and enjoy this magical encounter. You will be allowed to spend an hour with gorillas, to take pictures, film and embrace the human like characters of gorillas, which make them our close relatives. Incase a gorilla comes very close to you, gently walk away and let it be. In addition to gorillas, Bwindi forest is home to other wild animals such as Bushbucks, colobus monkeys, baboons, and forest elephants among others. If you are lucky, you might see some of these other animals in this jungle. In the evening, you may visit batwa communities to learn and experience traditions, norms and customs of these traditional forest people
Day 4: Departure
Have a cozy breakfast at the lodge as you watch morning fog clear off the forest, check out and drive back to Kigali for your connecting flight. If you have time, you can do a city tour to explore this small and beautiful capital of Rwanda
Tour Inclusions
- Mount Karisimbi 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