13 Day Gorilla, Chimp and Wildlife Safari

We’re calling this the trip of a lifetime, and we don’t say that lightly. Sitting with gorillas in the Bwindi rainforest is certainly a highlight, but this is a multi-faceted trip: savanna game drives, a boat cruise toward one of Africa’s great waterfalls, wetlands thick with birdlife, mountains that shift the view every few hours. Every day looks different from the one before it.

At NextTribe, we believe this stage of life — 45 and beyond — is exactly the moment to say yes to more of it: real connection, unfamiliar ground, a version of adventure most women only dream about. We’ll sit with Batwa community members as they demonstrate centuries-old forest skills, visit a cooperative supporting single mothers, and spend an afternoon with women who run a farm from planting to harvest. You come for the animals, but it’s the people who will really capture your heart.

You’ll travel with two guides: a NextTribe host who makes sure everyone feels welcome and looked after, and a local guide whose knowledge of the land and its people opens doors most visitors never find. And every mile you travel helps fund the conservation that keeps these gorillas — and the communities around them — thriving.

NextTribe members receive a $100 discount on this trip. We also have easy, interest-free payment options.

~ Small groups — women 45+ ~ Solo travelers welcome

~ Guided by local expertise ~ Aging boldly since 2017

To learn more about this trip, you can watch a recording of our Trip Preview Here.

An adventure this big can feel like a lot to take on alone. With the right group beside you, it’s exactly the opposite.

You won’t be the only one. A good number of the women on this trip travel solo. You’ll land among women in exactly the same boat, by design.

Two people looking out for you. Your NextTribe host makes sure you’re never left out of a conversation or sitting alone at dinner. Your local guide makes sure you don’t miss a thing this region has to offer. Between the two of them, you’re covered.

Togetherness, with room to breathe. Shared lodges, shared game drives, shared gasps at your first glimpse of a silverback bring the group close fast — but there’s downtime built in too, so a quiet afternoon on your own is always an option, not an inconvenience.

Rooming made simple. Travel solo with your own room for a single supplement, or let us know and we’ll match you with a roommate from the group.

1. The comfort and care provided by our local partners, who make sure that everyone gets a chance to see, experience, and photograph whatever interests them most.
2. The number of “pinch myself” moments that happen almost every day on this trip, from our encounters with the animals (particularly the gorillas!) to our conversations with fascinating local women.
3. How incredibly beautiful Rwanda and Uganda are: not only the landscape but the people, too.
4. Surprisingly mild weather on most of the trip (at least that’s how it was in 2025). And so few mosquitos. We were expecting hordes of them!
5. The ability to have an extreme adventure while traveling in affordable luxury and ease. Yes, some of the roads are rough but the drivers are professionals who know how to navigate them, and how to spot wildlife from a mile away!

This trip fulfilled my childhood dreams of seeing the amazing animals of Africa. I couldn’t believe how close we were. The trip was so well planned that I never worried about a thing.

–Tania T.

We thought the gorilla viewing would be the highlight of the trip, but the thrills kept coming. Standing up through the roof of a Nkuringo Safaris truck, we learned about and observed hordes of graceful giraffes, elusive chimpanzees, playful L’Hoest monkeys, black and white colobus, friendly bush hogs, skittish antelope, countless elephants, lions in a tree,  lumbering horned water buffalos, soaking hippopotamus, exotic birds, and open-mouthed crocodiles.

–Karen K.

Do I need to come with someone? Not at all. Plenty of NextTribe travelers come solo, and this group bonds fast.

Will I know anyone? At the start, probably not. By day two, for sure.

How physically demanding is this trip? We rate it a 4. The gorilla and chimp treks are the most challenging days — length is unpredictable and depends on where the animals are that day — but the terrain itself isn’t extreme, and porters are available to help.

Do I need a visa? Yes, for Uganda. We’ll walk you through the process before you go.

What about travel insurance? Required for this trip, including medical evacuation coverage, given how remote parts of the route are. We can point you toward options.

What’s included? Lodging, most meals, gorilla and chimpanzee tracking permits, domestic flights in Africa, a private guided 4×4, airport transfers, and a NextTribe representative throughout. International airfare is not included.

What if I need to cancel? Full refund up to 90 days out, except for your deposit, which can be applied to a future trip. We highly recommend travel protection insurance, and can point you toward options.

This will be Jeannie Ralston’s first trip to Rwanda and Uganda–though she went on safari in Tanzania and Kenya several years ago (with her sons, as pictured above)–and had a surprising reaction to her experience. “I knew I would love seeing the wildlife. But on the day we were leaving I sobbed because I would miss the people so much–all the wonderful, warm, open-hearted people I met.”

Visiting the gorillas is on her bucket list and she would have gone on our Gorilla trip in June 2025 but her son’s wedding occurred at the same time. (Girl’s got priorities straight.) So she’s beyond excited to have this chance in 2026 with a group of fun, adventurous women–and is sure that she’ll fall in love with the locals all over again.

Nkuringo Safaris, a licensed tour operator, offers unforgettable, safe, intimate, and authentic Uganda & Rwanda wildlife experiences. The company specializes in custom gorilla trekking tours, honeymoon holidays, cultural encounters, and private and group adventures to suit your travel preferences.

Nkuringo Safaris has been offering sustainable and innovative private gorilla tours and wildlife safaris in Uganda and Rwanda since 2007. Our team of experienced travelers is always ready to push themselves out of their comfort zones to better understand the fascinating world around us. We aim to provide active experiences so transformative that our guests will never want to have an African adventure in any other way.

Experience the thrill of exploring Africa’s amazing wildlife on holiday with a knowledgeable and trusted tour operator. Venture off-the-beaten-path into ancient rainforests where gorillas and chimpanzees live in harmony. With Nkuringo Safaris, you immerse yourself in the rich diversity of a region, meet its people and cultures, and collect new experiences that will transform your life.

For this trip, we require all of our travelers to purchase travel insurance including evacuation coverage

Travel insurance can be a helpful and valuable resource to pack! It can protect the investment of your trip and you while traveling.

We partner with Wanderwell, a Certified B Corporation travel insurance provider that makes it as simple as possible by not overwhelming you with options. They offer just a few modern, benefit-packed trip protection plans that can cover the most common travel perils related to trip cancellation, trip interruption, trip delay, travel Medical Expenses, baggage & personal effects, Emergency Medical Evacuation, and more.

Click here to create quotes and purchase a plan through Wanderwell from our partner page. To set up a phone call, email support@gowanderwell.com 

While most travel insurance policies cover evacuation, you may want to consider extra coverage for this trip. Our partners at Global Rescue can help you with this!

The deposit for this trip is non-refundable. After February 5th, 2026 Next Tribe will be unable to refund your payments for this trip. We strongly urge you to consider this when purchasing your travel insurance.

YOUR DEPOSIT:
Your initial deposit in non-refundable and reserves your spot on a trip.

YOUR BALANCE:
Full payment for your retreat is due 3 months prior to the start of the trip. (March 5, 2027) At 3 months prior to your trip, there are no refunds for any reason. If you must cancel within this 3 month period, you will need to contact your travel insurance company for reimbursement.

CHANGES TO TRAVEL:
We will make every effort to operate all trips as advertised, however all itineraries are subject to change. We reserve the right to alter or make reasonable substitutions as deemed necessary.