Bwindi’s Gorillas And Walking Safari: A Guided Itinerary
Take in the breathtaking views of the terraced slopes, rocky terrain, and Virunga volcanoes as you soar between Entebbe and Bwindi in southern Uganda.
Located on a hilltop in the hilly rift valley region, with breathtaking views of the steamy Bwindi, the entire Virunga Volcano chain, and charming gardens, the idyllic Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge is the perfect place to spend three nights with the gorillas. Guests at the wilderness lodge can enjoy delectable gourmet meals and first-rate service.
Gorilla trekking begins just a short five-minute stroll away, so you can easily join the adventure. Join a professional tracker guide for a rare opportunity to spend an hour learning about the social lives and basic behaviours of mountain gorillas.
For a real, off-the-beaten-path forest walking safari, join a guide as you traverse terraced gardens, quaint villages, and the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a UNESCO Heritage Site.
Detailed Bwindi’s Gorillas And Walking Safari Itinerary
The Uganda gorillas and walking safari is for explorers who desire the off-the-beaten-path experience throughout the world-renowned Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The Uganda gorillas and walking safari is a wonderful tailor-made package for travelers who prefer woodland hiking and distant rural travel.
The trip departs from Entebbe and flies via a Tuscan-like scenery in southwestern Uganda to a tranquil woodland resort on the border of Bwindi Impenetrable woodland. Your home for the next three nights is a rustic cabin in the woods, where you may relax in the shade while taking in breathtaking views of the rolling hills of the Rift Valley.
On day two, you’ll go on the gorilla trekking adventure alongside professional trackers. Following your discovery of the big apes, you will have the thrilling opportunity to spend an hour watching the mountain gorillas in their native habitat.
On the fifth day, you will be escorted by a local walking safari along the charming Bwindi Forest’s historic trails. Become one with the untamed forest with wild inhabitants occasionally crossing your pathways, such chimpanzees, forest elephants, and hundreds of birds. Return to Entebbe the following day after spending the night in yet another charming forest cabin on the opposite side of the woods.
Day 1: Entebbe — Shoebill tracking
After a short (15-minute) ride, our driver will get you from Entebbe International Airport and drop you off at your hotel in the city. Your tour consultant will meet with you for a briefing right before supper.
If you’d rather be active, there are optional activities near Entebbe that you can participate in if you arrive early. Birdwatchers, for instance, can encounter the extinct shoebill in the Mabamba marshes or in the world-famous botanical gardens. The local markets and shopping malls are both great places to go for a peaceful stroll.
You’ll stay at: Boutique Hotel Number 5 (Luxury) or Papyrus Guesthouse (Comfortable)
Day 2: Fly Entebbe to Kisoro – Canoeing
You will take an early morning flight from Entebbe to Kisoro. After arriving in Kisoro, you and your guide will go on a stroll through the hamlet, past the terraced gardens, and finally to the serene shores of Lake Mutanda.
Canoeing across the volcanic lake in traditional dug-out boats is an adventure you may share with the fisherman at Lake Mutanda. After a leisurely ride, you’ll be dropped off for another stroll through the garden to meet your driver higher up.
Staying at: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.
Day 3: Gorilla Trekking Excursion
By 7:00 am, your butler will make sure you have a packed lunch, the appropriate hiking equipment, drinking water, and a walking stick. At the visitor Centre, the trekking expedition briefing begins at 7:30 am.
8:00 am: You and six other visitors will be led into the rainforest by your gorilla tracking guide and two armed rangers in search of a habituated gorilla troop. After locating the mountain gorilla family, you will spend almost an hour observing them from a distance of ten meters. Alternatively, if you purchase a gorilla habituation pass, you can spend roughly four hours observing the gorillas.
Since every day is different, it is impossible to plan how long you will spend in the forest. But by 2:00 pm, most hikers have left the bush with a contented smile.
We suggest a restful evening and a treatment at the lodge spa upon your return.
Staying at: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch (packed), and Dinner.
Day 4: Optional Activities
There are extra activities to keep you active on the fourth day of this Uganda gorilla and walking safari vacation. If not, you can spend a restful day in your forest cottage.
Remain at the lodge and unwind by reading a book, taking a cooking lesson, or going for a stroll and chatting with locals.
Return to the enigmatic jungle to have another encounter with the gorillas. Perhaps go with the rangers to spend more time with the gorillas habituation. However, keep in mind that you need to have reserved your trekking permit in advance.
Take a short woodland journey to see the Batwa forest people, who display their traditional dance, drama, and remedies.
Enjoy breathtaking 360-degree views of the hilly landscapes while having a sundowner picnic on top of the world. The lodge is a short stroll away.
Staying at: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.
Day 5: Walk Across Bwindi
Starting from the lodge (Kashasha Trail) or a few kilometres away (Ivy River Trail), you will accompany the walking safari guide on the trail at 8:00 am.
Along this journey, you may encounter giant ferns, trees, chimps, birds, millions of butterflies, forest elephants, monkeys, bush pigs, and even leopards. The slowest person’s speed will be maintained by your guide, enabling you to fully immerse yourself in the vast countryside.
One of the continent’s oldest human trails is the forest trail you will be on. They provided a trade link between Buhoma village in the lower north of the ancient rainforest and Nkuringo-Nteko communities on the raised south of Bwindi. While travelling to the opposite side, you can run into some locals. To defend you against hostile creatures and other unknowns, you have two rangers with guns.
Before continuing on to Buhoma, you locate a resting hut in the forest where you may relax and eat your packed lunch.
You will arrive at a beautiful forest cabin in Buhoma, just 800 meters from the exit gate. There, you will enjoy a delicious dinner, a cosy fireplace, and breathtaking views of the rainforest you have just conquered. The next day, take a flight back to Entebbe after spending the night here.
Accommodation: Mahogany Springs Lodge
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch (packed), Dinner.
Day 6: Fly from Kihihi to Entebbe
From Kihihi Airport, which is located an hour away from Buhoma, you will take a domestic flight at 8:00 in the morning to Entebbe International Airport, which is located on the edge of Lake Victoria. Over the course of the hour-long trip, you will pass over some of the most breathtaking scenery in Uganda, as well as Lake Victoria.
Accommodation (Optional): Papyrus Guesthouse Entebbe
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch (packed)
End of the Bwindi’s Gorillas And Walking Safari
Inclusions
- Trekking permit and park fess
- Accommodation and meals as indicated in the itinerary
- Domestic flights between Entebbe & Bwindi
- Airport transfers and land transport with an English speaking driver/guide
- All activities and excursions as indicated in the itinerary
- AMREF evacuation cover, and government taxes
Exclusions
- Travel insurance
- International flights
- Visa fees and processing
- Extra activities and meals not indicated in the itinerary
- Extra luggage on domestic flights
- Service tips, gratuities, souvenirs, and snacks
