About Bwindi Gorilla National Park - Uganda
A 4 day mountain gorilla adventure in Uganda is a short trip which offers you opportunity to double track the rare mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. The trip goes through the extreme southwestern side of the country about 527 kilometers and approximately 9-10 hours’ drive off Kampala. From Kigali city of Rwanda, Bwindi National Park can be reached in 4hour drive via Gatuna or Cyanika boarders. The park extends up to 321 square kilometers and stands at altitude 1160 to 2607 meters above sea level.
Bwindi Gorilla National Park was established in 1991 and it featured as a world heritage site in 1994 offering refuge to 480 individuals of rare mountain gorillas. Your 4 days double gorilla trek in Uganda offers you opportunity to track two of the ten (14) habituated gorilla families. Your double gorilla trek also takes you through cultural experiences in the Batwa and Bakiga community, boat cruise and incredible sightseeing along Lake Bunyonyi and Kigezi Highlands.
4 Day Uganda Tour Highlights (Track Gorillas Twice)
Day 1: Departure from Kampala / Kigali to Mgahinga or Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Day 2: Gorilla tracking in Bwindi National Park and evening performances from the Batwa and Bakiga at lodge
Day 3: Second gorilla tracking and after, drive to Lake Bunyonyi
Day 4: Return to Kampala or Kigali
Detailed itinerary
Departure from Kampala to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Early in the morning, you will have breakfast in your respective lodge and after you will set off to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, southwestern Uganda about 527 kilometers to track some of the 480 mountain gorillas that thrive within this park’s jungles. You will take off from Kampala through Masaka on a tarmac road for about 77 kilometers where you will have a stop over at Uganda Equator. You will carryout some water experiments to justify the geographical divide between the north and the southern hemispheres.
While at Equator, you will have a chance to take as many photos as you can and after a cup of coffee, you embark on your journey to Bwindi. You will have a traditional lunch at Igongo Cultural Center which is located about 12 kilometers from Mbarara town. After, you will proceed through Kigezi highlands to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park where you will have dinner and a night over at Chameleon Hill Lodge, Mahogany Springs Lodge, Broadbill Forest Camp, Gift of Nature Lodge, Rushaga gorilla Camp and Gorilla Mist Camp among others.
Day 2: Gorilla tracking in Bwindi National Park and Batwa/Bakiga experience in the evening
After breakfast at your respective lodge, you will set off for your awaited mountain gorilla trek in the respective trailhead. You will gather at your respective tracking area for briefing early in the morning where you will be briefed by the park wardens about how you will behave in the forest. You will be assigned one habituated group to track in a group of eight people and o2 park guides, rangers and porters. Your gorilla trek will take you for about 1 to 7 hours but this depends on your speed and location of gorilla family.
Once you get your gorilla family, you will have only one hour with the apes and while exploring their behavior, you have to maintain a distance of about 7 (seven) meters away from the gorillas. After, you will retreat to where you started and then to your respective lodge for a rest and in the evening, you will have cultural experience from the local Batwa or Bakiga. After, you will have a night over at your lodge as on DAY 1.
Day 3: Second gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and drive to Lake Bunyonyi
You will have breakfast early in the morning and after you will set off for yet another tremendous gorilla trekking adventure in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. You may choose another gorilla group to track so as to get another unique experience altogether. This second gorilla trek provides you a chance to explore the behavior of these Great apes in depth. After, you will return to your lodge for refreshment and drive to Lake Bunyonyi for your evening launch cruise to one of the 29 magical islands that are scattered around the Lake. After that exciting boat cruise you will return to your respective lodge for relaxation, dinner and night over at Birdnest @ Lake Bunyonyi Resort, Lake Bunyonyi Eco Resort, and Byoona Amagara Island Resort.
Day 4: Return to Kampala Or Kigali
You will have breakfast early in the morning in your respective lodge and after, you will embark on a 437 kilometers’ drive back to Kampala which will mark the end of your 4 days double gorilla trekking adventure in Uganda.
Safari inclusions
- Gorilla trekking permit (US$600)
- Full board accommodation for 3 nights and meals
- Private Transportation in a 4wheel safari land cruiser
- Professional English speaking driver guide
- Park entrance fees for the activities listed
- Bottled water Boat cruise4x
Safari exclusion
- Tips for driver guides, site guides, service providers at the lodge
- Laundry services
- Other beverages
- International flights
- Visa
- Domestic flights
- Any additional activities not included in the itinerary
- Airport transfers
