3 Day Gorilla Trekking Uganda Safari – SAFARI DETAIL

Day 1: Drive to Bwindi National Park & enjoy a Batwa’s village community walk

You will be picked up by your Prime safaris guide from the Kigali International Airport or Hotel/place of previous stay and embark on a 140km or 3-4 hours’ drive to Bwindi National Park. During this scenic drive, you will enjoy views of incredible landscapes including the Virunga massif, which is composed of a chain of eight volcanic mountains straddling from Uganda through Rwanda to the Democratic Republic of Congo. You will catch sight of the native people in their villages as they go on with their day to day life activities including gardening, animal rearing, market vending ,children heading to school to mention but a few as you drive through the colorful towns and villages.

You will cross the Katuna or Chanika border post and proceed to your lodge in the afternoon. Upon arrival here, the lodge staff that will help you settle into your pre booked room will welcome you. You will later enjoy your lunch after which in the afternoon, embark on a relaxed community walk where you will visit a Batwa pygmy’s village.

This walk provides you an opportunity to have an up close and personal encounter with these amazing local people belonging to one of Uganda’s endemic tribes that once resided in the forest  over 1000 years ago. From their cooking experiences, home setup, herbal medicine lifestyle and dress code etc. you will draw a comparison between the two different worlds i.e. your world and theirs. After this exclusive encounter, you will return to your lodge for dinner and relaxation. We will ask the Hotel to set us a wakeup call and early breakfast. Tomorrow’s unforgettable adventure awaits us!

Highlight of the day: An encounter with the indigenous Batwa people

Accommodation

• Top Notch / Exclusive: Clouds Mount Gorilla Lodge/ Gorilla Forest Camp
• Luxury/ Up market: Chameleon Hill Lodge/ Haven Lodge Buhoma
• Mid-range/ Moderate: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge – Cottage

• Budget/ Basic: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge – Standard Rooms/ Buhoma community rest camp/ Trekkers Tavern Lodge

Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner

Drive distance &time: Approx. 140- 220 or 4-5 hours

Activities & Services

• Transfer to Bwindi National Park
• Indigenous Batwa pygmies local community walk

Day 2: Gorilla Trekking & transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

This day will mark your re-union with your long lost cousins – the mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable forest! You will wake up early for breakfast, have your African coffee and breakfast, carry your packed lunch, and then drive to the tracking point at the Bwindi regional park headquarters where your gorilla permit takes you. Once you gather at the respective park headquarters with other tourists for briefing in the morning at 8 am, you will be entertained by the local traditional dancers-usually the Bakiga/Batwa people, and after the head, the ranger will carry out the much-needed 1-hour Gorilla trekking in Bwindi forest briefing to prepare you for the Gorilla trek. The briefing among other issues tackles the history of Gorillas and gorilla tracking in Bwindi Uganda, Gorilla behavior, Gorilla tracking rules and regulations, about Gorilla conservation and the benefits of gorilla tracking to the communities around Bwindi and to the Gorilla conservations efforts.

Once the briefing is done, you will be divided into groups of 8 people per gorilla family by a group of UWA (Uganda Wildlife Association) rangers depending on your physical fitness, interests and age, which your guide will assist, ensure you get into the rightful group.

Under the guidance of a lead ranger guide,you will be ushered  deep in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest as you trek in search of the largest Great Apes-the mountain gorillas. The Gorilla trek walk is beyond the ordinary as it involves traversing the dense jungles of Bwindi forest whose thickness would at some points necessitate using a machete to make a path by the rangers, hiking the challenging landscapes some of which are steep and slippery at times under the canopy of the mature forest which forms darkness even during the day. You will see amazing gigantic tropical equatorial tree species, beautiful flowers, impressive bird, other primates like the L`ohest Monkeys, Black and White Colobus Monkey, Black Faced Vervet Monkeys, Patas Monkeys, hundreds of Butterflies, amazing landscapes, etc. The Bwindi Gorilla trekking exercise takes 2 – 8 hours depending on the Gorilla movements and once you find them, you will spend one (1) hour to interact with them, observe, photograph, and enjoy their presence, usually from a 3-meter distance away from them. Upon approaching gorillas, their reaction is not predictable as they may give you a courteous welcome, minding less about you, move away and keep moving or even charge at you when irritated.

However, because of habituation, Mountain gorillas in Bwindi are always welcoming with the Silverback hitting his chest a little to demonstrate his might but also welcoming to you to their home. The young gorillas are very playful and are at times not aware of the 7m rule thus can try to draw closer to even touching on your body – save it by taking some steps away to observe the distance. You are not limited in any way to ask as many questions about gorillas and their habitats along with taking pictures so long as you have the opportunity to do so but remember to keep your camera flash off!

After your one hour with the gorillas, you will be led back by the rangers to return to the starting point for the graduation ceremony where you will receive a certificate for those who successfully track the Gorillas, then drive back to the lodge for relaxation.

You will settle for picnic lunch and later transfer to the amazingly beautiful Lake Bunyonyi. Lake Bunyonyi is locally translated as “place of many small birds” and has become yet another tourist hotspot due to its stunning beauty. It is the second dippiest lake in Africa and is dotted with 29Islands that make its beauty breath taking. We opt for you to spend the night after Gorilla tracking at this spot so that you get an opportunity to explore another attraction and to relax off after the unforgettable Gorilla trekking experience.

Highlight of the day: Coming face to face with the beautiful Mountain gorillas

Accommodation

• Luxury/ Up market: Bird nest at Lake Bunyonyi
• Mid-range/ Moderate: Bunyonyi Rock Resort

Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch

Drive distance & time: Approx. 52km or 2hours

Activities and Services: –

• Gorilla trekking
• Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

Day 3: Enjoy boat ride on Lake Bunyonyi and transfer to Kigali

After breakfast, you will enjoy a boat ride across the lake in a community tour of the prominent Islands. You will be showed the upside down Island, Sharp’s Island ,the punishment Island and also visit the some of the local schools here where you get to meet the local students. If it is fine with you, you can donate a few scholastic items to the school to enable these students to have a comfortable stay in school. After the school visit, you will return to the lodge for checkout. Transfer to Kigali driving through the fascinating landscapes of Kigezi Highlands dubbed the Switzerland of Africa and Rwanda hills that have earned her a dub as the land of a thousand hills! If time allows, you can have an optional Kigali City drive tour viewing the prominent buildings like the Amahoro sports stadium, the Kigali sports Arena, the parliament and if time allows you can visit the Kimironko market as well as the Inema Art Gallery. After the Kigali city tour you will transfer to your hotel or Kigali Airport depending on your travel plans.

Highlight of the day: Boat ride and Lake Bunyonyi community tour

Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch

Drive distance & time: Approx. 140km or 4-5 hours

Activities and Services: –

• Transfer and tour of Kigali city
• Meeting the local people
• Lake Bunyonyi Community Tour

End of 3 Day Gorilla Trekking Uganda Safari From Kigali – Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Lake Bunyonyi & Community Tour.

3 Day Gorilla Trekking Uganda Safari – SAFARI INCLUSIONS

  Full time English professional registered safari driver guide

  4×4 safari van/ 4×4 Safari land cruiser with poop up roof for game viewing with functional A/C

  Full board accommodation

  Gorilla trekking permit fees

  Wi-Fi Internet on board the safari vehicle

  Bottled water

3 Day Gorilla Trekking Uganda Safari – SAFARI EXCLUSIONS

  International & domestic flight fees

  Visa fees

  Laundry services

  Items of personal nature

  Gratuities and tips

  Other beverages/ drinks

Other extras not mentioned in the itinerary above

3 Day Gorilla Trekking Uganda Safari – PRICE PER PERSON

Number of people against price per person

2 – $na pp

3 – $na pp

4 – $na pp

5 – $na pp

6 – $na pp

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3 Day Uganda Gorilla Trekking – WHAT YOU WILL NEED FOR YOUR GORILLA TREKKING

A rain poncho

Waterproof walking shoes or hiking boots are essential.

Gardening gloves

Long trousers and long sleeved sweaters or shirts while in the forest to avoid insect stings.

Photography Camera

Use services of a porters to carry your day pack for a small charge

Please do some exercises so that you prepare your body for gorilla trekking as it requires some physical fitness.

Sunscreen lotion to keep your skin safe from the tropical heat & sun rays

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Important Notes:

This safari requires some physical fitness as Gorilla tracking can at times be strenuous

Pre and Post safari accommodation can be booked for you at an additional fee

The age limit is 15years and above

We shall observe the COVID SOPs and government directives

For more information about gorilla trekking tips please follow these links to read more about gorilla trekking tips and advice.

Note that this itinerary is suggestion and can be further customized to suite your desire. Whatever your preference is, please let us know and we shall advise /adjust accordingly.

Post safari accommodation for the last night after the tour can be arranged at an extra fee upon request during the booking process.

 

• Visa information

East African visa.

Can be applied prior to arrival through your nearest Rwanda/ Uganda Embassy or through the online portal. Also available on arrival at Kigali International Airport, subject to long queues (We do not recommend this method)