Two Primate Treks in Two Countries in Three Days
This 3-day private tour pairs Rwanda’s golden monkeys with a mountain gorilla trek across the border in Uganda, starting and ending in Kigali. You spend the first night near Volcanoes National Park, track golden monkeys in the bamboo forest the next morning and cross into Uganda that afternoon.
On the last day, you trek to a habituated gorilla family in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park or Bwindi’s Rushaga sector, depending on permits and your preference, then drive back to Kigali. Uganda’s $800 gorilla permit costs less than Rwanda’s $1,500 permit, which keeps the price of this short trip down. It suits travelers who want both primates without adding extra days.
Why You’ll Love This Safari
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Trip Details
Trip Details
Price
1 Solo: $2,618
2 Pax Sharing: $2,240
3 Pax Sharing: $2,109
4 Pax Sharing: $2,007
5 Pax Sharing: $1,963
6 Pax Sharing: $1,870
Meeting point
Kigali
Availability
Year-round, 7 days a week
Duration
3 days
Group size
Min. 1 person
Included
- Park fees (for non-residents)
- Uganda gorilla permit (one per person, non-resident)
- Golden monkey permit for Volcanoes National Park (one per person, non-resident)
- All activities (unless labeled as optional)
- All accommodations (unless listed as upgrade)
- A professional driver/guide
- Private safari vehicle: a 4×4 Land Cruiser, Toyota Prado or safari van, depending on group size
- All transportation (unless labeled as optional)
- All taxes/VAT
- Roundtrip airport transfer
- Meals (as specified in the day-by-day section)
- Drinking water (on all days)
Not included
- International flights (from/to home)
- Additional accommodations before and at the end of the tour
- Tips
- Porter fees
- Personal items (souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
- Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
- Some meals (as specified in the day-by-day section)
What to bring
- Waterproof jacket
- Warm jacket (early mornings can be cold)
- Neutral-colored clothing (avoid bright colors)
- Long-sleeved shirt
- Long pants
- Good hiking shoes
- Gaiters (for muddy forest trails)
- Hat
- Gloves
- Light backpack
- Sunscreen
- Snacks
- Light face mask
- Passport for the Uganda border crossing
Participation requirements
Min. age of 15 years old required to participate in this tour
About your guide
Your safari will be led by an experienced local guide who will share facts about the wildlife, landscapes, and culture. Your guide is dedicated to ensuring your safari is safe, informative, and tailored to your interests.
What You’ll See & Do
Day 1: Kigali to Volcanoes National Park
Your driver-guide meets you at Kigali International Airport or your hotel, and you set off north for Volcanoes National Park in Musanze. The drive takes about two and a half hours through Rwanda’s green, terraced hill country, with stops for photos along the way.
You reach the park area in the late afternoon. If you want to stretch your legs after the drive, your guide can take you on an easy walk through a nearby village to see daily life in the foothills of the volcanoes. Then settle into your lodge for dinner and an early night before the golden monkey trek.
Meals included: Dinner
Day 2: Golden Monkey Trek and Transfer to Uganda
Have breakfast early and report to the park headquarters at Kinigi, where the rangers give a short briefing. From there, you walk into the bamboo forest to find a habituated troop of golden monkeys. Most golden monkey treks take two to four hours in total, including your time with the troop.
On the way back, stop at the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund to see how scientists study and protect mountain gorillas. Lunch is back at your lodge, and in the afternoon you drive to the border and into Uganda for a night close to the gorilla park.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Gorilla Trek in Uganda and Return to Kigali
After an early breakfast, your guide drives you to the park headquarters for the gorilla trekking briefing. Rangers assign your group to a habituated family, and you head into the forest with them. The trek can take two to six hours, depending on where the gorillas are, and once you find them, you have one hour to watch them up close.
After lunch at the lodge, start the long drive back across the border to Kigali. The tour ends with a drop-off at your hotel or at Kigali International Airport for your flight home.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Frequently Asked Questions
Both tours combine a golden monkey trek in Rwanda with one gorilla trek in Uganda. This 3-day version drives back to Kigali straight after the gorilla trek, so it is shorter and costs less. The 4-day safari adds a Batwa cultural performance, a night at Lake Mulehe and a canoe ride before the return.
Expect a moderate to challenging hike. The trek can take two to six hours, depending on where your assigned family is, over steep and sometimes muddy ground. A reasonable level of fitness helps, and you can hire a porter at the start to carry your bag. Porter fees are not included in the tour price. Not sure whether to trek in Rwanda or Uganda? Our Rwanda vs Uganda gorilla trekking guide compares permits, trails and drive times.
The tour is from $1,870 per person, depending on group size. It covers one Uganda gorilla permit, a golden monkey permit for Volcanoes National Park, park fees, two nights of accommodation, meals as listed, your driver-guide, transport and airport transfers. Uganda’s permit is $800, or $600 in April, May and November, when permits cannot be rescheduled. For how gorilla permits are priced and booked, see our gorilla trekking permit cost guide and our guide to the full cost of a gorilla trek.
For July and August, book about six months ahead to get your preferred dates. Permits are limited every day of the year, so booking early gives you more choice of dates. A 50% deposit confirms your booking. Because Day 3 ends with a long drive, check your flight time with us before you book it.
Yes. You can add a night in Kigali with a city tour and the Genocide Memorial, a game drive day in Akagera National Park, or a second gorilla trek. If you would rather slow down in Uganda, our 4-day version adds a Batwa performance and a canoe ride on Lake Mulehe.
