7 Days Uganda gorillas and Akagera NP safari

Overview

Dive into a thrilling 7 days Uganda gorillas and Akagera National Park safari to have some of the best experiences ever. The safari includes the Big Five in Akagera National Park and the gentle mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Additional activities include a boat cruise, a golden monkey trek, and a Batwa Community tour. You will also have plenty to learn about mountain gorilla conservation at the Dian Fossey Museum. The 7 days Uganda gorillas and Akagera National Park safari starts and ends in Kigali, Rwanda.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Pick up and transfer from Kigali to Akagera National Park. Boat cruise in the afternoon.

Our driver guide will pick you up from Kigali and transfer you to Akagera National Park to the west. This destination is teeming with the Big Five of Africa, which comprises elephants, rhinos, lions, leopards, and buffaloes. More big mammals include zebras, elands, giraffes, bushbucks, and roan antelopes, among others. In the park, you will check in at your accommodation and have lunch. Go for a boat cruise on Lake Ihema in the afternoon, so you need to be prepared.

Peacefully cruising on Lake Ihema offers views of birds like red-billed ducks, lesser moorhens, grey-crowned cranes, and saddle-billed storks, etc. With your camera, you will take several photos of the birds, Nile crocodiles, and hippos. Once you finish, you will step out of the boat to return to your lodge. Relax, enjoy a sundowner, and have dinner in the evening. Go to bed for a comfortable overnight stay.

Day 2: Game drive and drive back to Kigali

Have morning breakfast as the sun rises before heading for a thrilling game drive in Akagera NP. This is definitely a perfect opportunity to see the Big Five, antelopes, and primates like vervet monkeys and olive baboons, etc. Enjoy views of the rolling hills and the savannah vegetation that shelter hundreds of bird species. Return to Kigali city with enroute lunch offered. The drive back to Kigali covers over 138.1 kilometers to the southwest. Check in at your hotel. You will have dinner and stay overnight in the night.

Day 3: Drive to Bwindi NP, southwestern Uganda

Embark on a trip to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwestern Uganda. The scenic journey covers about 173 kilometers. You will make at least 2 pauses, first at the Gatuna border crossing to sort out immigration requirements, and second for enroute lunch. Continue to the lush Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. After arrival, kindly check in at your lodge and relax. This is where you will stay and have dinner.

Day 4: Gorilla trekking. Batwa Community tour

Treat yourself to a nice breakfast early in the morning. Your guide will drive you to the park for gorilla trekking. Tracking these apes is done after listening to the park personnel giving you the rules in a short briefing. While searching for them, you will follow gorilla trails identified by a seasoned park guide. Once found, you will be allowed to watch the gorillas for 1 hour in their original home. Return to the start and attend the debriefing.

Head for a Batwa Community tour in the villages surrounding the forest. Special guidance by a Mtwa will be offered. This offers the opportunity of learning some words in the local language. The experience is authentic, complete with energetic singing and dancing. They also demonstrate some unique hunting skills. These and more are some of the survival strategies they used while still living in the forest. Return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 5: Transfer to Volcanoes NP

On this fifth day, you will be transferred to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park southwards. Check out of the lodge after enjoying breakfast. Volcanoes National Park is just 82.4 kilometers away. Again, you will stop at the Cyanika border crossing to confirm your immigration issues. Enjoy lunch enroute and proceed to Volcanoes National Park. Arrive and check in at your lodge. Relax, have dinner, and stay here for the night.

Day 6: Golden monkey trekking and Dian Fossey Museum tour

This sixth day is similarly exciting because you will track the golden monkeys in the wild. So, start with morning breakfast and head to Volcanoes National Park. Meet the park guides/rangers. You will attend a short briefing to understand the golden monkey trekking rules. Proceed into the bamboo forest to track a habituated golden monkey group. Obviously, you will find them and view them for 1 hour. Return to your lodge, where lunch will be provided.

After lunch, head to the Dian Fossey Museum, also situated in Musanze. This site has a rich history, connected with gorilla conservation and Dian Fossey herself. There are exhibits for you to explore and gain knowledge from here. These include life-sized gorilla replicas and the academic works of Dian Fossey. You will strengthen your idea of conserving mountain gorillas and their habitats. Return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 7: Transfer back to Kigali

Start with a delightful breakfast in the morning. Once you have finished, check out of your lodge. Afterward, you will be driven to Kigali with enroute lunch. The journey covers just 103.7 kilometers towards the southeast. You will be dropped off either at your accommodation or at the airport for your departure from Rwanda. This marks the end of the 7 days Uganda gorillas and Akagera National Park safari.

Top Uganda Safari Packages 2026/2027

Uganda Safaris are highlights of all safaris in Africa. Being the pearl of Africa, the country has so much to satisfy almost all needs of adventurous and relaxed, old and young, plus solo and group tourists, there is nothing that Uganda cannot offer, ranging from gorilla trekking safaris, wildlife expeditions and cultural tours. See some of our top Uganda safari tours below.

Sándor Jakubinyi

14:31 22 Feb 24

2019 megigazulás

12:45 21 Feb 24

We went on a two-week trip with my family, organised by Coleb from Standard Safaris.I had my concerns about organised trips, but this one didn’t justify any of those. Everything went very smoothly, even when some problems arose with one of the cars it got fixed by next morning, the accomodations were clean and comfortable, the programs were exciting and well-balanced - everything was done to a truly high standard.If you plan to visit Uganda and are looking for a guide, I warmly recommend Coleb and his team. In case you have a choice of drivers, go for Godwin, his presence made this trip even more enjoyable - cheerful, helpful, good sense of humour, generally a great person. Just look for the guy with a big smile and big heart:)

Bert Simoens

09:38 08 Jan 24

We recently embarked on a safari adventure with Standard Safaris in Uganda, which was truly exceptional. Our guide, Yonah, was outstanding - his kindness, knowledge, and discretion significantly enhanced our experience. He was the heart of our trip.The local company's planning was offering a tailor-made journey that matched our interests. We saw an array of wildlife in Murchison, enjoyed rafting at Jinja, and experienced mountain biking at Sipi. A visit to Kidepo National Park was a highlight and comes highly recommended.The vehicle provided was comfortable and reliable. We highly recommend Standard Safaris for anyone seeking an unforgettable safari in Uganda. Their professionalism and the exceptional guidance of staff like Yonah make them an great choice.

Michał Kostrzewa

00:41 15 Nov 23

We are all extremely grateful Standard Safaris for an incredible East Africa experience. I recently booked a custom trip for group of 8 people, including an 8-year-old boy, from Kampala through Queen Elizabeth National Park and on to Rwanda and Burundi. Coleb delivered on everything that was discussed and agreed upon beforehand.The car provided was in great condition and our driver Meddy went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable, informed, and had the best possible time. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. All local services were inlcuded in (reasonable) price that we agreed, so there was no need to worry about payments during the 6 day trip. Also Standard Safaris agreed took care about safety and security by helping us organize armed ranger while in the park.The whole trip was hassle-free and smooth. We saw amazing wildlife in Queen Elizabeth NP, took in the sights of Rwanda and Burundi, and made lifelong memories.I would happily book with Standard Safaris again in a heartbeat and recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone looking for the best East Africa trip. They provide top-notch service while ensuring you have an incredible, customized experience. If you want a hassle-free, flawlessly organized African adventure, Standard Safaris is the tour operator to book with.

Ivan Nammanda

18:31 27 Oct 23

Very organized travel operator who chose awesome guide to make our trip wonderful.We booked a nine days trip with Standard Safaris and all was perfect from start to finish. Coleb was very prompt at replying and easy to liaise with ahead of the trip. We had done a lot of research and had an itinerary in mind and Coleb helped us to put everything together to make this happen for a very reasonable price.  On the trip we had a private vehicle for the whole tour which was exactly what we wanted. Bryan was our driver and an amazing guide - really friendly and knowledgable, working hard to find the things that we wanted to see and quickly understanding what was of interest to us/how much information to give.Would highly recommend a trip to Uganda with Standard Safaris. We are definitely coming back soon!

MUGAIGA KENNETH

18:01 27 Oct 23

The company has very courteous tour guides with wide knowledge of fauna and frola in the whole of East Africa.The choice of safari Lodges is good with first class treatment.Game drive security is assured.Almost The whole of September I was traversing through DRC, Uganda,and Rwanda on a gorilla tour and wildlife expedition.Everything was arranged and booked perfectly by Standard Safaris.The owner, Coleb was always helpful whenever we needed to ask questions about this gorilla safari in Uganda and beyond.It was a complex expedition but Standard safaris and Coleb made it look amazingly easy.I’ll recommend Standard safaris 200%, for all gorilla safaris in Uganda, Rwanda and wildlife tours in east africa.

travel uganda

16:35 27 Oct 23

This is so far the best gorilla trekking company in Uganda, and africa, by far. I had a wonderful time with Standard Safaris as a solo traveler.My guide was excellent and our safari planner, Coleb was quick with responses and the prices were very friendly.I’ll definitely book with Standard safaris on my next gorilla tour in Rwanda and Uganda.