This 5 days Bwindi Gorilla Safari takes you to Uganda’s premier safari destination; Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for mountain gorilla tracking. Tracking some of these remaining World giants one of the best adventure activities one should not miss. Gorilla tracking will take place in one of the four gorilla groups within Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Bwindi has 18 habituated families and the gorillas there live in thicker moist tropical forest. These include Habinyanja, Rushegura, Nkuringo and Mubare group. Gorilla tracking is a challenging activity which may involve you trekking over the steep hillsides in search of these World’s few remaining forest giants. On the safari you will not only see gorillas. Other primates living in the forest may also be seen as well as birds.
DEPARTURE/RETURN LOCATION
Kampala City (Google Map)
DEPARTURE TIME
Set Off time is usually very early in the morning.
INCLUDED
IMPORTANT TO KNOW
Depending on where you will will be traveling from, our professional drivers and tour guide shall pick you up from Entebbe International Airport, the largest airport in Uganda. From there, we will drive you to your hotel for the night, ensuring a comfortable stay before the safari adventure begins the next day. Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.
Our safari guide will pick you up from your safari lodge very early in the morning after breakfast then proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in South Western Uganda. You will have a stop at the Equator for an informative talk as well as some photography. Continue to Mbarara where were you will stop for lunch and then proceed through rural countryside of Uganda. Keep an eye out on the beautiful scenery where you can see the triangular peaks. Later, you’ll be transferred to Queen Elizabeth National Park. It is roughly a 3 hours drive from Mbarara to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Accommodation: The Bush Lodge (Banda)
Mid-range lodge located just outside Queen Elizabeth NP
In the morning, embark on a game drive to the northern sector of the park, the Kasenyi plains, in search of leopards and lions. While driving along the Kasenyi tracks, you will likely encounter large herds of elephants, buffalos, Uganda kobs, warthogs, Defassa waterbucks, bush bucks, and giant forest hogs, among others. Return to the lodge for a hot lunch, then at 2:00 pm, enjoy a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel. This cruise will bring you close to large herds of elephants, hippos, and a variety of both migratory and endemic birds. At 6:00 pm, return to the lodge for dinner and relaxation.
Accommodation: The Bush Lodge (Banda)
Mid-range lodge located just outside Queen Elizabeth NP
After breakfast at 8:00 am, transfer to Ishasha, the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, to search for the famous tree-climbing lions. The drive from Mweya to Ishasha Gate takes approximately an hour. Around 10:00 am, witness lions climbing fig trees to escape the scorching sun and rest after their night and morning feasts on antelopes.
NOTE: On this day, you have the option to go chimpanzee tracking at Kalinzu Forest early in the morning before continuing to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Kalinzu Central Forest Reserve is located in southwestern Uganda in the Bushenyi district, near Maramagambo Forest and Queen Elizabeth National Park. The reserve is home to abundant wildlife, including over 379 bird species and six primate species. At 1:00 pm, head to Savannah Hotel for a hot lunch. Afterward, proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for an evening Batwa (Pygmies) community walk.
Accommodation: Silverback Lodge
Mid-range lodge located just outside Bwindi National Park (Gorillas)
Wake up very early for breakfast, before 8:00 am report to the ranger station for a brief talk about the gorilla tracking safari by one of the rangers and register too. The safari guides will then take you to track the endangered world giants – Mountain gorillas through the bush pushing your way through the undergrowth and parting thick creepers. On a gorilla safari, a reasonable degree of fitness is required as well as a sturdy pair of walking shoes. The gorilla trek takes from half an hour to 6 hours depending on the movement of these primates in the jungle. After tracking the gorillas, you will have your packed lunch and then relax abit. e time it takes to encounter these apes can range from an hour to several hours, depending on their movement in the jungle.
Accommodation: Silverback Lodge
Mid-range lodge located just outside Bwindi National Park (Gorillas)
Wake up very early for breakfast. After breakfast, transfer back to the airport either Entebbe or Kigali. It is more than 8 hours drive to Entebbe from Bwindi; whereas it is a 4 to 5 hours drive to Kigali International Airport.
END OF THE 5 DAY BWINDI GORILLA SAFARI
NB : Ugandan Gorilla trekking permits are purchased from Uganda wildlife authority head offices in Kampala and they cost $700 for visitors from outside the East African Community and Uganda Shillings 300,000/- for E.A. citizens (i.e. Ugandans, Kenyans, Tanzanians, South Sudanese, Rwandans, Burundi and Congolese. After this Bwindi Gorilla Safari, you can extend your trip to Uganda or Rwanda. For an extended gorilla safari please inquire through [email protected]
