4 Days Bwindi Gorilla Tracking

This 4-day gorilla tracking trip is designed for those travelers who have only a short time to spend in Uganda and don’t want to miss the chance to observe our gorillas. Highly endangered, mountain gorillas are found in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo and nowhere else. During your brief visit, you will track the gorillas, meet some of the Batwa people of Uganda and finish with an adventurous and/or relaxing visit to Lake Bunyonyi.

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Transfer to Bwindi

Your guide will pick you up at your hotel after an early breakfast and you will travel westward to Mbarara and then continue southwestward to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. This is a journey of approximately 7 hours.

In approximately 1 to 2 hours (depending on traffic), you will cross the equator and take a break at the Equatorial Café for refreshments and a look at the many handicrafts on sale. After a few more hours, you will reach Mbarara where you will have lunch at the Igongo Cultural Center. Following lunch, you will continue through the beautiful hills of Kigezi and arrive in Bwindi later that evening and check in at your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Agandi Lodge (luxury) / Trekker’s Tavern (midrange) / Ruhija Community Rest Camp (budget)

Day 2: Mountain Gorilla Tracking

After an early breakfast and check out from the lodge as you will not be returning to the lodge (your lodge will provide you with a packed lunch), your safari guide will be drive you to the park briefing point for check in no later than 8:00 am. Following a briefing on proper behavior in the forest, along with your ranger guide and small group, you will begin your trek into the Impenetrable Forest in search of the gorillas. Depending upon where the gorillas slept the previous night, this trek can take 4 hours or more. Once you locate your gorilla family, you will have one hour to photograph and observe their behavior, after which you will hike back to the ranger station for your graduation ceremony and receive your gorilla tracking certificate. Your safari guide will then drive you to Lake Bunyonyi for an afternoon of relaxation.

Accommodation: Arcadia Lodges Bunyonyi (luxury) / Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort (midrange) / Crater Bay Cottages (budget)

Day 3: Lake Bunyonyi

Wake up when you please and enjoy a leisurely breakfast. You may then continue your morning with a boat trip on Uganda’s deepest lake. There are numerous activities on offer at Lake Bunyonyi including zipling over the tranquil waters of the lake, a boat trip to Kyahugye Island and its wildlife reserve, nature walks, hikes and mountain biking that afford unforgettable views of the islands, or a visit to the Batwa community on one of the islands. And don’t forget Lake Bunyonyi is a fresh water lake, so a cool swim after an active day is ideal.

Day 4: Transfer to Entebbe/Kampala

Following an early breakfast, your safari guide will drive you back to Entebbe or Kampala, in accordance with your plans. Depending upon your departure time from Bwindi, you will have lunch en route either in Mbarara or Masaka. You will have a visit at Mpambire village, known for its drum making, after which you will make one brief stop at the equator before continuing on to Entebbe or Kampala.

End of trip.

Trip includes:

• Accommodation and meals as per the itinerary

• Safari 4x4 vehicle

• Drinking water

• Airport or hotel transfer on the first and last day

• Driver/Tour guide

• fuel for the entire trip

• All park entrance fees

• Hand sanitizer

Trip excludes:

• International and/or internal flights

• Visa

• Tips

• Food and beverages not otherwise indicated

• Laundry

• Face masks

• Gorilla tracking permit (to be booked and paid for in advance; preparation upon request)