27 Dec 2026
Twin share
£3,968pp
Escorted tour
Luxury Rwanda & the Gorillas of Uganda – 6 Days
Kigali's Hotel des Mille Collines and three nights at a Bwindi lodge with a mountain gorilla trek.
6 days
From £3,968
Tour overview
This 6-day premium journey combines a moving introduction to Rwanda's history with a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with mountain gorillas in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Groups have up to 12 travellers aged 15 and over, with a leader throughout and an arrival transfer included. You stay five nights: two at the historic Hotel des Mille Collines in Kigali and three at Gorilla Heights Lodge, a ridge-top lodge whose solar-powered cottages have private balconies overlooking the forest canopy. Five breakfasts, four lunches and four dinners are included, and you travel in 4WD safari vehicles.
Your journey begins in Kigali at the Hotel des Mille Collines, famous for sheltering more than a thousand people during the 1994 genocide, with a welcome dinner at an East African restaurant with live music. The next day you visit the Ntarama Church and the Nyamata Genocide Memorial, where thousands sought refuge, and the Kigali Genocide Memorial, a powerful place to understand both the tragedy and the resilience of the Rwandan people. A lunch of Rwandan and Ugandan dishes is followed by a city tour and the busy Kimironko market.
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Crossing into Uganda, you reach Gorilla Heights Lodge on the Nteko Ridge, with views over the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home to around half of the world's mountain gorillas, and the jagged Virunga volcanoes. In the evening a vet from Gorilla Doctors joins you to explain how the team uses veterinary medicine to protect mountain gorillas.
After a briefing from the Uganda Wildlife Authority, you trek into the forest with expert trackers. The walk can be steep, muddy and strenuous, but when you find a gorilla family you spend a magical hour watching them feed, groom and play under the eye of a silverback, before a picnic lunch in the forest. The next day you can relax, take an optional second trek or walk the Buniga Batwa Cultural Trail, where the Batwa people, once forest-dwelling hunter-gatherers, share their traditional skills. You return to Kigali around lunchtime on the final day.
The physical rating is medium; the gorilla trek can take up to four hours. This journey suits travellers who want a gorilla encounter in comfort, with meaningful cultural insight.
Trip highlights
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The Hotel des Mille Collines (Days 1–2)
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Kigali's genocide memorials (Day 2)
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A Gorilla Doctors talk (Day 3)
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An hour with mountain gorillas (Day 4)
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The Batwa Cultural Trail (Day 5)
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A ridge-top lodge above Bwindi (Days 3–5)
Your route
3 stops from Kigali to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
- Kigali Days 1–2 & 6
- Nyamata Genocide Memorial Day 2
- Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Days 3–5
Why choose this tour
A mountain gorilla trek with three nights at a ridge-top lodge. Gorilla permit and most meals included.
Best suited to
- Wildlife lovers
- Travellers short on time
- Travellers who value comfort
- Couples and solo travellers
Day-by-day itinerary
6 days from Kigali, Rwanda to Kigali, Rwanda
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Day 1 · Kigali Kigali
A welcome dinner with live music.
- Hotel
- Hotel des Mille Collines or similar
- Meals
- Dinner
-
Day 2 · Ntarama, Nyamata, Kimironko Market Kigali
The memorials and the city.
- Hotel
- Hotel des Mille Collines or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
-
Day 3 · Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Bwindi
Into Uganda; a Gorilla Doctors talk.
- Hotel
- Gorilla Heights Lodge or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 4 · Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Gorilla trek
An hour with mountain gorillas.
- Hotel
- Gorilla Heights Lodge or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 5 · Buniga Batwa Cultural Trail Bwindi
A free morning and the Batwa trail.
- Hotel
- Gorilla Heights Lodge or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 6 · Kigali Kigali
Back to Kigali by around 1pm.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Where you stay
- Kigali (2 nights) Hotel des Mille Collines or similar
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (3 nights) Gorilla Heights Lodge or similar
Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.
What's included
Included
- Accommodation 2 nights in a hotel and 3 at a forest lodge
- Meals 5 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 4 dinners
- 4WD safari vehicles and an arrival transfer
- Mountain gorilla permit and guided trek
- Gorilla Doctors talk and Batwa Cultural Trail
- Kigali Genocide Memorial, Ntarama and Nyamata
- Kigali city tour and Kimironko market
- Leader throughout
Not included
- Flights
- Meals not included 1 dinner
- A second gorilla permit
- Porters on the trek
- Visas, tips, travel insurance and personal spending
This trip might not be for you if…
Honest disclaimer — please read
- You can't manage a strenuous forest walk
- You want a long safari
- You are on a tight budget
- You want flights included — they are not
Good to know
Meals by day
Breakfast: Days 2–6 · Lunch: Days 2–5 · Dinner: Days 1 and 3–5
In pictures
Departures & prices
From £3,968 per person, twin share, tour only. 27 upcoming departures.
31 Jan 2027
Twin share
£4,645pp
30 May 2027
Twin share
£4,760pp
13 Jun 2027
Twin share
£4,760pp
20 Jun 2027
Twin share
£4,895pp
27 Jun 2027
Twin share
£4,895pp
11 Jul 2027
Twin share
£5,145pp
18 Jul 2027
Twin share
£5,240pp
01 Aug 2027
Twin share
£4,995pp
15 Aug 2027
Twin share
£4,995pp
05 Sep 2027
Twin share
£5,145pp
26 Sep 2027
Twin share
£5,145pp
10 Oct 2027
Twin share
£4,995pp
26 Dec 2027
Twin share
£4,995pp
30 Jan 2028
Twin share
£5,245pp
28 May 2028
Twin share
£5,245pp
11 Jun 2028
Twin share
£5,245pp
18 Jun 2028
Twin share
£5,400pp
25 Jun 2028
Twin share
£5,400pp
09 Jul 2028
Twin share
£5,400pp
16 Jul 2028
Twin share
£5,400pp
30 Jul 2028
Twin share
£5,245pp
13 Aug 2028
Twin share
£5,245pp
03 Sep 2028
Twin share
£5,400pp
24 Sep 2028
Twin share
£5,400pp
08 Oct 2028
Twin share
£5,245pp
24 Dec 2028
Twin share
£5,245pp
Frequently asked questions
How do I book this tour?
Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.
What financial protection do I get?
Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.
Is the gorilla permit included?
Yes, one gorilla trekking permit is included. A second trek is optional and extra.
How hard is the gorilla trek?
It can be steep, muddy and strenuous, taking up to four hours. Hiring a porter is recommended.
How long do we spend with the gorillas?
One hour, under strict park rules.
Do I need a visa?
UK visitors need visas for Rwanda and Uganda; an East Africa Tourist Visa covers both. Check the latest advice before travel.
What is the lodge like?
Solar-powered cottages with private balconies overlooking the forest.
How many people travel together?
Up to 12 travellers, with a leader.
Can you tailor the trip?
Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.
What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?
If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.
ATOL protected
100% financially protected in a Trust bank account
PTS 6035
4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option
Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.
If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.
Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary