Pricing
Price per person
Rates below are for this 1-day itinerary and scale with your group size. Every safari is private and tailor-made — final pricing is confirmed with your dates and chosen lodges.
How many travellers?
Your price
$1,380per person
$2,760 total for 2 travellers
Route map
Where you'll travel
Tap any stop to jump to that day in the itinerary.
Trip highlights
- Face to Face with the Mountain Gorillas
- Scenic countryside drive
- Cultural experience
- cross-border travel
Day 1
Uganda Gorillas Daytrip from Kigali →Morning: At about 3:00am, we take a drive of about 2.5hrs to the Rwanda/Uganda border of Cyanika. Arrive in time and assisted with customs, cross to Uganda and your driver on the other side will greet and brief you before transfer to the National Park headquarters at to meet your guides for the day. After completing our park formalities, we embark on a once in a life time experience of tracking mountain gorillas. Once you spot them you are allowed to spend an hour watching your closest long-lost cousin. This is perhaps one of the most breath-taking experiences on earth!!! You get so close to these awesome giant primates. You stare at each other blankly not knowing who to break the long silence first. Tracking the gorillas through the light mountain forest on the slopes of the Virunga is a magical experience. These massive primates are extremely rare, with less than 1000 living today. You will get within meters of the family, and be privileged to spend an hour amongst them. The trekking may be fairly strenuous; up to 3 hours or longer at a relatively high altitude. It is important to bring good hiking boots, long trousers, gloves for protection against stinging nettles, some snacks & sweets (for you, not the gorillas) as well as sufficient water as the rain forest gets hot and humid during the day. You will spend one hour with the gorillas, but it is an hour you will never forget. Depending on the length of our trek, groups will return by about 12pm. After the trek transferred back to the border, cross back to Rwanda and continue with your onward journey.
Full day details →MorningEarly morning departure 3am travel to the border - Gorilla trekking adventure
AfternoonLunch and travel back to Kigali
Good to know · Perfect for visitors with limited time, a one-day Uganda gorilla safari from Kigali combines convenience, incredible wildlife, stunning landscapes, and a truly once-in-a-lifetime adventure—all in a single unforgettable day.
From the trail
Moments from this safari
Before you book
What to know about travelling in Rwanda
Visas, permits, health requirements, seasons, money and tipping — everything specific to this destination.
Before you book · Rwanda
Travelling in Rwanda
- Visas & entry
- Visa on arrival for all nationalities (USD 50, 30 days) or apply via Irembo in advance; many African and Commonwealth passports enter visa-free. The East Africa Tourist Visa (USD 100) covers Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya. Yellow fever certificate required if arriving from an endemic country.
- Arrival gateway
- Kigali International Airport (KGL) — most parks are a 2–4 hour drive on excellent tarmac.
- Permits
- Rwanda gorilla permits are USD 1,500 per person (golden monkey USD 100, Nyungwe chimpanzee USD 150). Only 8 trekkers per gorilla family per day; permits are non-refundable and sell out for June–September, so book early.
- Best time to travel
- June–September (long dry season) and mid-December–February are best for trekking and game drives. March–May is the long rains — lush, atmospheric and quieter.
- Health & vaccinations
- Malaria prophylaxis recommended, particularly for Akagera and Lake Kivu. Rwanda has excellent private clinics in Kigali. Trekkers must be symptom-free of respiratory illness on the day of the trek.
- Money & payments
- Rwandan Franc (RWF). Cards and mobile money are widely used in Kigali; carry USD or RWF cash for rural markets, tips and community visits.
- Weather & climate
- Temperate 'land of a thousand hills' climate: 22–27°C by day in Kigali, 10–15°C nights at Volcanoes National Park (2,500 m+), regular afternoon showers in the green seasons.
- Connectivity
- One of the best-connected countries in Africa — fast 4G nationwide and Wi-Fi in nearly every lodge.
- Tipping guideline
- USD 15–20 per guest for the tracking team after a gorilla trek, USD 15–20 for a porter, USD 10–15 per day for your driver-guide, and 5–10% in Kigali restaurants.
- What to pack
- Waterproof hiking boots, long trousers and sleeves, gaiters, gloves, rain shell, warm layer for the volcano slopes, daypack, and 2 litres of water for trekking days.
- Local etiquette
- Plastic bags are banned nationwide. Rwanda is exceptionally clean and orderly — photography of government buildings, airports and military sites is not permitted. Genocide memorials require quiet, respectful dress.
Requirements and fees change. We reconfirm current visa, permit and health rules in writing before you pay any balance.