You will visit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the home of the gentle giants known as mountain gorillas, during this 6 Days Gorilla Trekking Tour in Uganda. Following your date with the gentle giants, you will proceed by Lake Bunyonyi to Mgahinga for a cultural experience with the Batwa “pygmies.” The trip culminates with a visit to the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, which is located offshore at Entebbe.
Detailed Itinerary.
Day 1: Arrival in Uganda
When you land at Entebbe Airport, which is situated on a peninsula that juts out into Africa’s largest freshwater lake, our tour guide or company representative will greet you and take you to a hotel that has been reserved.
Meals: (Dinner).
Day 2: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
You relish your breakfast after rising early. Your driver/guide will pick you up from your Kampala hotel or lodge after breakfast at 6:00 am to start your 11-hour travel to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. You can stop at Kayabwe’s Equator Crossing for some entertaining photos and refreshments, or you can put that off until you get back. You will go on your journey and stop at the Igongo Cultural Centre/Agip Motel in Mbarara for a quick lunch. You will proceed via Kabale to Kisoro after lunch. After arriving in Kisoro, you will proceed to the Rushaga region.
Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner).
Day 3: Gorilla Trekking Experience
Wake up around six in the morning, have a short breakfast, and then travel the 25 kilometres (about an hour) to the Rushaga gate of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Your guide will drop you off to the Rushaga tracking station around 8:00 am, where you may register and receive an orientation before starting your tracking. Make sure to pack a packed lunch for the trip. After that, the guides will lead you into the bush where you will have to force your way through dense foliage and split thick vines in order to track the gorillas. (Tracking might take anywhere from 30 minutes to 5 hours; a good level of physical condition and supportive walking shoes are needed).
When you eventually find the family you are tracking, sit among the gorillas in the forest and observe them bickering while you are astounded by the enormous size of the dominant male, the silverback. Being in the presence of the last remaining mountain gorillas in the wild while sitting in a lush rainforest is an incredible experience. The rangers and guides will lead you back to the starting place once the allotted one hour is up, where your guide will be ready to take you back to the lodge. Enjoy the remainder of the day by yourself.
For gorilla tracking or trekking, you should pack light hiking boots, a light rain jacket, a daypack, two litres of water, gardening gloves, binoculars, a camera, long pants (khakis or jeans), a long-sleeved shirt, a wide-brimmed hat, sun glasses, insect repellent and an energy bar.
Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner).
Day 4: Transfer to Mgahinga National Park – Batwa Trail Experience – Lake Bunyonyi
After breakfast this morning, start your journey to Mgahinga National Park to witness the Batwa “Pygmies” path. Among the oldest populations in Africa are the Batwa. They hunted with bows and trained dogs, and they wandered the woodlands in search of fruits and honey. The population of Batwa people decreased when the Bantu people cleared the forests. By taking nature hikes and learning about the cultural legacy of the indigenous people, visitors to the Batwa Trail can experience the magic of their ancestral home.
In this engaging cultural exchange tour, the Batwa show off their hunting skills, collect honey, identify medicinal plants, and make bamboo cups. Finally, visitors are taken to the hallowed Ngarama Cave, which was formerly the residence of the Batwa King. There, the ladies of the tribe sing a melancholy song that reverberates hauntingly throughout the dim cave, leaving visitors with a profound and poignant impression of the richness of this dying civilization. For guests interested in learning about the traditional culture of the indigenous people, this is a genuinely unique opportunity. There will be a trip to Lake Bunyonyi following this activity.
Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner).
Day 5: Lake Bunyonyi Tour – Transfer to Entebbe
Following breakfast, you have the choice of starting your drive to Entebbe via Kampala with a lunch stop in Mbarara town, or you can take a quick tour of some of the stunning islands in Lake Bunyonyi. Following lunch, you go on to Kampala, making a second stop at the Equator crossing to enjoy some enjoyable photo ops and a tour of the crafts village.
Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner).
Day 6: Visit Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary – Departure
Following an early breakfast, you’ll be driven to Entebbe’s Water Front, from where you’ll catch a boat to Ngamba Island, a 23-kilometer chimpanzee sanctuary. The chimpanzees’ duty carer will greet you when you arrive at Ngamba Island. Daily 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. prearranged supplemental feeding periods bring the chimpanzees to within metres of the elevated walkway, which is especially made for comfortable viewing and offers fantastic photo opportunities. You’ll take a boat ride back to Entebbe after lunch. In order for you to make it to your flight to your next location, your guide will drop you off at the airport.
Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch).
End of the 6 Days Gorilla Trekking Tour in Uganda.
The 6 Days Gorilla Trekking Tour in Uganda includes;
- 1 Gorilla Permit per person.
- Batwa Cultural experience.
- Accommodation and meals as per the itinerary.
- Transportation in a 4×4 safari vehicle.
- Lake Bunyonyi visit.
- Services of an English-speaking tour guide.
- Park Entrance fees.
- Bottled Water in the vehicle.
- Tour guide allowances.
- Airport Transfer.
- Government Taxes.
However, the tour cost excludes; Visa fees, international airfare, personal travel insurance, personal shopping bills, telephone bills, tips to local guides, items of personal nature such as cigarettes, laundry, souvenirs and items not listed as included in the cost.