Rwanda & Uganda: Journey Into the Wild

Journey into the heart of East Africa on an unforgettable adventure through Rwanda and Uganda, created for travelers who want to experience wildlife and better understand what it takes to protect it.

Over 10 days, we’ll trek through ancient rainforests in search of colobus monkeys, endangered golden monkeys, and mountain gorillas; explore Rwanda’s remarkable conservation story; cruise scenic lakes; and meet some of the people working to protect these extraordinary animals.

The journey culminates in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, where we’ll trek deep into the forest and spend one unforgettable hour with a mountain gorilla family in the wild.

This is more than a wildlife trip, it’s a chance to experience the connection between wildlife, conservation, local communities, and responsible tourism firsthand.

Trip Details

Trip Length

10 days / 9 nights

Accommodations

Hotels & Lodges

Group Size

max 16 people

Physical Activity

Moderate

Meals

9 breakfasts, 8 lunches, & 8 dinners are included

Trip Dates

June 29 – July 8, 2027

Wildlife adventure
10 days

Kigali

from $8,995 (USD)

Deadline to sign up is March 23, 2027

Book a Call Contact Us
a baby gorilla looking back at the camera while another gorilla moves in front of him
  • a golden monkey eating bamboo in volcanoes national park in rwanda
  • a colorful vegan salad bowl with a swirl of vegan dressing in kigal rwada
  • overhead view of the lush green fields and mountains in rwanda
  • a group of people hiking up a hill in the lush green forest in uganda

Tour Itinerary

Check out the daily activities for this exciting itinerary. Please note, the itinerary is subject to change. We always have to remain flexible for weather, closures, and more.

Check out essential travel details for this trip.

Meals Included: Welcome Dinner

Welcome to Rwanda! Your adventure begins in Kigali, the country’s vibrant capital and your home for the next two nights. After arriving and settling into the hotel, take some time to relax before meeting your fellow travelers and local leader at 6 PM. This evening, enjoy an onsite welcome dinner together and get to know the group before the journey begins.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Today, spend a full day exploring Kigali and getting to know the city through its history, culture, and local communities. Begin with a guided walking tour led by the Nyamirambo Women’s Centre, where you’ll explore the neighborhood while learning about daily life, local traditions, and the community projects supported by the center. Lunch is included as part of the experience.

Later, visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial, a deeply important site dedicated to remembering the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. An audio guide will help provide context as you explore the memorial. Continue your afternoon with more sightseeing around Kigali, including stops at local art galleries and shops, before returning to your hotel.

Included Activities:

  • Nyamirambo Women’s Centre Walking Tour.
  • Kigali Genocide Memorial Visit + Audio Guide
  • Kigali City Sightseeing Tour

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After an early breakfast, depart Kigali and begin the journey south to Nyungwe National Park. The drive takes you through Rwanda’s rolling countryside, passing tea plantations, rural villages, and the lush landscapes that have earned the country its nickname, the “Land of a Thousand Hills.”

This afternoon, visit the Gisakura Tea Estate for a hands-on look at one of Rwanda’s most important crops. Walk through the tea fields with local pickers, learn how the leaves are harvested and processed, and try your hand at picking before finishing with a tasting of locally produced tea.

Later, as night falls, head into Nyungwe National Park for a guided nocturnal wildlife walk. With an expert guide, explore the rainforest after dark and experience a completely different side of the forest while keeping watch for some of its nighttime residents.

Included Activities:

  • Gisakura Tea Tour
  • Nocturnal Wildlife Search

Special Information:
Today’s drive is approximately 5.5–6 hours (220–230 km).

Meals Included: Breakfast, Packed Lunch, Dinner

After an early breakfast, head into Nyungwe National Park for a guided colobus monkey trek. Nyungwe is home to one of Africa’s largest troops of Angolan colobus monkeys, sometimes numbering in the hundreds. As you move through the forest, your guide will also help you look for other primates, colorful birdlife, orchids, and the unique plant species that thrive in this ancient rainforest.

After the trek, enjoy a packed lunch before setting out on the Kamiranzovu Waterfall Trail. This guided hike winds through the forest beneath towering trees and across streams and wooden bridges, eventually leading to a hidden waterfall. Along the way, there are plenty of opportunities to take in the sounds of the forest, watch for birds, and enjoy the surrounding scenery before returning to the lodge later in the afternoon.

Included Activities:

  • Colobus Monkey Trek
  • Kamiranzovu Waterfall Trail Hike

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

After breakfast, depart Nyungwe National Park and travel to the shores of Lake Kivu, one of Africa’s Great Lakes. From here, set out by boat for Napoleon Island, named for its distinctive shape and known for its large colony of fruit bats. Along the way, take in views across the lake and surrounding hills while learning more about the area’s ecology and the local fishing communities that rely on it.

After the boat excursion, enjoy a private picnic lunch in a peaceful lakeside setting before returning to Kibuye. This afternoon, continue north through Rwanda’s scenic countryside to Musanze, the gateway to Volcanoes National Park. Once you arrive, check in and enjoy a relaxed evening at the lodge ahead of the next few days of trekking and conservation-focused experiences.

Included Activities:

  • Boat Excursion to Napoleon Island

Special Information:
Today’s drive is approximately 2.5 hours from Nyungwe National Park to Lake Kivu (Karongi), followed by another 3 hours to Musanze.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Today, set out on one of Volcanoes National Park’s most sought-after hikes, trekking through the forest to the Karisoke Research Camp and the gravesite of renowned primatologist Dian Fossey.

After a 30-minute drive from the park headquarters to the trailhead, start with a short walk to the park boundary, then continue through the forest to the research camp, where Dian Fossey is buried. The main portion of the hike takes approximately 1 to 1.5 hours each way, depending on conditions. Along the way, keep watch for forest hogs, forest elephants, primates, and a variety of bird species while taking in the dense mountain landscape that surrounds Volcanoes National Park. A packed lunch is provided during the experience.

Included Activities:

  • Dian Fossey Hike

Special Information:
The hike can be physically demanding and may involve steep, uneven terrain, so appropriate hiking footwear is recommended.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Rise early for a golden monkey trekking experience in Volcanoes National Park. After a briefing from park rangers, head into the bamboo forest in search of these playful and endangered primates. The trek typically finishes by mid-morning, leaving time to relax before the afternoon’s conservation-focused visits.

Later, visit the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, where interactive exhibits and stories from Dian Fossey’s pioneering work offer a deeper look at mountain gorilla research and conservation in Rwanda. Continue to the Gorilla Doctors Headquarters to learn about the veterinary teams working to protect wild gorillas through health monitoring, medical interventions, and conservation research.

Included Activities:

  • Golden Monkey Trekking
  • Visit to the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund
  • Visit to Gorilla Doctors Headquarters

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today, begin the journey toward Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, stopping along the way in Rwanda’s beautiful Twin Lakes region. Start with a guided walk along the shores of Lake Ruhondo, passing small local communities and taking in views of the surrounding Virunga Volcanoes reflected across the water.

Continue with a canoe excursion on Lake Ruhondo or Lake Burera, paddling across the calm waters while enjoying views of the volcanoes and keeping watch for birdlife along the shoreline. Afterward, continue onward to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, where you’ll settle in for the night ahead of tomorrow’s gorilla trekking experience.

Included Activities:

  • Guided Lake Ruhondo North Shore Walk
  • Twin Lakes Canoe Trip: Lake Ruhondo or Lake Burera

Special Information:
The drive from Musanze to the Twin Lakes region is approximately 45–75 minutes before continuing onward to Bwindi.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today is one of the most anticipated experiences of the trip: mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. After an early breakfast, travel to the park headquarters for a mandatory briefing with Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers. You’ll be assigned to a gorilla family group and review trekking guidelines, safety procedures, and conservation protocols before entering the forest.

From there, head deep into Bwindi’s dense rainforest, navigating steep slopes, thick vegetation, and winding forest trails in search of your assigned gorilla family. Trekking time varies depending on the gorillas’ movements and can take anywhere from 2 to 6 hours, sometimes longer, including the hike in and out of the forest. Once the gorillas are located, you’ll spend one unforgettable hour observing them in their natural habitat as they feed, play, groom, and interact with one another. After the trek, return to the lodge for some well-earned time to rest and relax.

Included Activities:

  • Mountain Gorilla Permit & Trek

Special Information:
Gorilla visits are strictly controlled to help protect their health and behavior, and a surgical face mask must be worn when in close proximity to the gorillas. Bring rain gear, your packed lunch, plenty of water, gloves, a hat, and a waterproof bag to protect your camera in case of rain.

A walking stick will be provided, and you’ll also have the option to hire a porter for $20 USD, plus an optional tip. A porter can carry your daypack and assist you along the trail, while also providing employment that supports local communities and gorilla conservation.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, begin the journey back to Kigali, taking in the rolling hills and countryside one last time along the way. Once you arrive in the city, enjoy lunch together before your Rwanda and Uganda adventure comes to an end. After ten days of primate trekking, forest walks, conservation experiences, and time spent exploring both countries, it’s time to head home with plenty of unforgettable memories.

Special Information:
Today’s drive is approximately 4 hours. Please do not book international flights departing from Kigali before 3 PM.

vegan gorilla trekking tour itinerary map

  •  I wholeheartedly recommend Veggies Abroad…

    This was my first group tour, and I was initially nervous about spending long game drives with people I had never met. Those concerns disappeared almost immediately. The group was wonderful, I felt safe and comfortable throughout the entire trip, and it was such a relief to simply show up at the airport knowing every detail had been thoughtfully planned.
    -Aleksandra, Kenya Traveler

  • My trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos was simply AMAZING!

    Rebecca planned everything perfectly, she was also such fun to be with. All of our guides were so knowledgeable and friendly! The airport pickup was seamless for someone who is not used to international travel. I don’t even know what to say because it was just the trip of a lifetime! Oh and of course the food! So good and loved not having to worry about finding vegan food!
    – Julie, Ecuador Traveler

Tour Highlights

  • Trek with mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, venturing deep into the rainforest before spending an unforgettable hour observing a habituated gorilla family in the wild.
  • Go beyond gorilla trekking with visits to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and Gorilla Doctors, learning about the research, veterinary care, and conservation efforts helping protect wild mountain gorillas.
  • Search for endangered golden monkeys while trekking through the bamboo forests of Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park.
  • Explore ancient Nyungwe National Park on a colobus monkey trek, guided night walk in search of nocturnal wildlife, and rainforest hike to a hidden waterfall.
  • Follow in Dian Fossey’s footsteps on a hike through Volcanoes National Park to her gravesite and the former Karisoke Research Center.
  • And, so much more!

Is this trip for you?

This is one of our more active and adventurous trips, designed for travelers who are comfortable trading a little luxury and predictability for extraordinary wildlife experiences. You don’t need to be an expert hiker, but you should be in good physical condition and comfortable with uneven terrain, changing weather, early mornings, and days that keep you on the move.

The gorilla trek is the most physically demanding part of the journey. We’ll be hiking through dense rainforest with steep slopes, thick vegetation, mud, and uneven trails. Because the gorillas move freely through the forest, there’s no way to know exactly how long it will take to find them. The trek typically lasts between two and six hours. Porters are available to carry your daypack and provide assistance along the trail.

And the gorillas aren’t our only adventure on foot. We’ll also trek in search of colobus monkeys and golden monkeys, hike through Nyungwe’s rainforest to a waterfall, and follow the trail to Dian Fossey’s gravesite and former Karisoke Research Center. Some trails may be steep, muddy, or uneven, so you should be comfortable spending several hours at a time on your feet.

You should also be prepared for early starts and time on the road. We’re covering a lot of ground in 10 days, including a few longer driving days as we travel between Rwanda’s national parks and cross into Uganda. The scenery along the way is part of the experience, but flexibility and patience are important.

Essential Trip Overview

Have questions about the trip? Our Essential Trip Overview covers all the important details, from accommodations and tipping to packing, arrival information, and more. We’ve put together everything you’re likely to want to know before booking, and everything you’ll want handy as departure gets closer.

Virunga mountains surrounded by puffy white clouds on a bright and sunny day in volcanoes national park
  • a black and white colobus monkey overhead in a tree
  • a skinny river flowing through the lush greener of bwindi national park
  • rebecca gade sawicki with veggies abroad tour leader in rwanda
  • an up close shot of a gorilla face looking at the sky in bwindi national park

Ready to Join the Adventure?

Secure your spot today with a $1,100 deposit, you don’t want to miss this unforgettable plant-powered journey. 

Trip FAQ’s

Yes, the single supplement is $1440. We can also try and room you with another single passenger if you’d like to save you some cash.

Veggies Abroad partners with Intrepid Travel to help operate many of our signature vegan tours around the world. While Veggies Abroad designs and curates the experience, from the itinerary and vegan focus to the ethical travel philosophy and community feel, Intrepid provides the on-the-ground logistics and operational support that help make each trip run smoothly.

Since 1989, Intrepid has specialized in locally led, small-group travel experiences and became a certified B Corp in 2018, reflecting a commitment to responsible tourism that closely aligns with our values around sustainability, community impact, and ethical travel.

Together, this partnership allows us to create thoughtfully designed vegan group trips that combine immersive local experiences with the support of an experienced global operator.
All Veggies Abroad tours are custom-created specifically for our community and are only available to book through Veggies Abroad.

Travel insurance is highly recommended for all of our trips, and we’re happy to provide you with a recommended company and/or quote. It’s essential to have a policy that provides cancellation, medical, and emergency repatriation coverage. It’s also best to get the policy after making the deposit, especially if you want to include coverage for a pre-existing health issue or cancel for any reason coverage. If you decide to forego travel insurance, you will be required to sign a travel insurance waiver that states you’re taking personal responsibility for any costs due to cancellation, trip delay, emergency medical, and repatriation should they arise.

We prioritize ensuring that vegan options are the focus for all included meals. Many places will have non-vegan options but those would be available to them at an additional cost. There are also a few meals that aren’t included and your friend could choose whatever they like then!

A non-refundable deposit of $1100 is due by March 23, 2027. Final payment for the trip is due April 5, 2027

Unfortunately, the deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable, regardless of the circumstances. The deposit for this trip is higher than for our other tours because we must secure your gorilla trekking permit well in advance—and unfortunately, the gorillas don’t offer refunds!

– Round-trip international airfare
– Airport ground transportation
– Additional activities that aren’t included
– Beer/wine/cocktails
– Gratuities
– Travel insurance

Unfortunately, this itinerary isn’t suited for young kids. The age requirement is 16 years old and up.

This will be a small group of only 16 passengers plus a guide(s) throughout the trip. Yes, there is a minimum, we must have at least 7 passengers for the trip to keep the pricing as is.

We do our best to ensure that all trips are confirmed; however, if we’re unable to meet the minimum number of travelers, you’ll have the following options:

  • Re-evaluation: If the group is close to the minimum, we’ll review the pricing and let everyone know of any changes. You’ll then have the choice to move forward or opt out.
  • Private Departure: Continue with a private trip for you and your travel companion(s). There may be adjustments to the itinerary or pricing, but we’ll do our best to keep it as close to the original experience as possible.
  • Transfer Your Deposit: Apply your deposit toward another Veggies Abroad trip.
  • Refund: If none of the above options work for you, we’ll happily refund your deposit.

Final Balance:
Final balance is due by April 5, 2027

Cancellation by the traveler:
Cancellation before April 5 will only incur the $1100 non-refundable deposit. If additional trip payments were made prior to April 5, they are refundable, less administrative fees.
Cancellation after April 5 the full trip is non-refundable.
No shows will be treated as a cancellation and are non-refundable.