Bwindi Gorilla Tracking Experience
Bwindi Gorilla Tracking Experience: Travellers should get ready to experience a close and memorable encounter with mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. It is located on the western side of Uganda along the Democratic Republic of Congo border. Tracking mountain gorillas in Bwindi is an intriguing experience in the misty jungle, a sanctuary to over 52% of the remaining mountain gorillas in the wild. During your gorilla trekking safari in Bwindi, you will also learn about the conservation efforts to safeguard the future of the shy giants and the communities that host them. Below is a 4-day crafted itinerary for the Bwindi gorilla trekking experience.
4 Days Bwindi Gorilla Tracking Experience
This 4-day Bwindi gorilla trekking adventure begins and ends at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda. This gorilla trekking experience will offer you the best of the African jungle experiences that are made of intriguing wildlife diversity, ranging from the rare magical mountain gorillas to several other primate species like blue monkey, l’hoest monkey, red-tailed monkey, and black and white colobus monkeys, among others. You will explore one of Africa’s unique, dense, and ancient jungles, a misty, isolated forest located in southwestern Uganda on highland ranges, terraced hills, and rolling volcanic slopes.
You will traverse through the thick vegetation to meet the endangered mountain gorillas that call Bwindi home. The park harbours half of the world’s surviving mountain gorillas, which share 98% DNA with humans, making it a day’s highlight. During your gorilla trekking safari in Bwindi, expert guides will ensure you have a memorable experience. This adventure offers you a great opportunity to encounter the huge mountain gorillas beneath the lush canopies of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Safari Highlights of Bwindi Gorilla Tracking Experience
Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe International Airport—Meet and greet—Drive to your booked hotel in Entebbe.
Day 2: Entebbe Town—Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 3: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – Mountain Gorilla Trekking Experience
Day 4: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park—Return to Entebbe International Airport/Hotel
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe International Airport—Meet and greet—Drive to your booked hotel in Entebbe.
Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will receive a warm welcome from our company representative/English-speaking safari driver guide, who will later transfer you to your booked hotel, a 10–15-minute drive in Entebbe town. Depending on your time of arrival, if time allows, visit the scenic Entebbe Botanical Gardens for a nature walk, which are located along the shores of Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest freshwater lake. These gardens are home to some primates, like Vervet monkeys, and several bird species.
This nature walk will take you along the lake shores, where you will have a chance to spot water birds such as the vibrant African Fish Eagle, Yellow-billed Duck, White-winged Tern, African Jacana, Lesser Jacana, African Spoonbill, Kingfishers, and Herons, among others. Later, return for dinner and an overstay at Cycad Guest House
Accommodation: Cycad Guest House
Meal Plan: Dinner
Day 2: Entebbe Town—Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
On this day, wake up early, prepare and have your breakfast, and get prepared for pick-up by your assigned safari guide to start your journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, located in southwestern Uganda, about a 9-10-hour drive from Kampala. On your way, you will have a stopover at the Kayabwe Equator landmark, which is at zero degrees latitude on the planet. The equator divides the planet into the southern and northern hemispheres. It is a major stopover to experience the water experiment, which is done to show how forces move on each side of the planet.
The equator divides the planet into the southern and northern hemispheres. You will have a chance to prove this to be right or wrong as you also take memorable photos. Proceed with your journey and have lunch at Igongo Cultural Centre in Mbarara. After embarking on your journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you will arrive in the evening and check into your booked hotel at Bakiga Lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Accommodation: Bakiga Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
Day 3: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – Mountain Gorilla Trekking Experience
This day being the top highlight of the safari, wake up very early in the morning to have your backpack ready. Dress up in the recommended style for the best mountain gorilla experience with all the necessary equipment, such as waterproof hiking shoes, drinking water, mosquito repellent, energy-giving snacks, long-sleeved shirts and pants (possibly in khaki), a brimmed hat, gloves, and a waterproof jacket since it can rain at any particular time of the day, and many others.
Have your heavy breakfast and a box of your picnic lunch, meet your safari guide, and drive to the park information center for a pre-gorilla trekking briefing about the rules, safety measures, and expectations during mountain gorilla trekking. You will be divided into groups of 8 people per gorilla family under the guidance of ranger guides. Since these mountain gorillas keep on changing locations in search of food, the trekking time may stretch between 45 minutes and 6 hours, depending on the location and movements of your allocated gorilla family.
Therefore, you need to be physically and mentally fit and prepared for multiple hours of forest walking over uneven and sometimes steep terrain. To those who are not fit to manage multiple hours in the jungle, it is advisable to request and get assigned a nearer gorilla family. However, if you consider yourself fit, choosing a challenging family is more fun and exciting because you will have the chance to come across several wildlife species, such as forest elephants, chimpanzees, bush pigs, forest hogs, duikers, and other primates, such as blue, red-tailed, black and white colobus monkeys, and several bird species, such as the 23 Albertine Rift endemics, for example, the Handsome Spurfowl (Francolin), Rwenzori Nightjar, Red-throated Alethe, Yellow-eyed Flycatcher, Dwarf Honeyguide, Rwenzori Turaco, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Mountain Masked (Black-faced Apalis), Neuman’s Warbler, among others.
Upon seeing your assigned gorilla family, you will spend an hour interacting with mountain gorillas, a family that is headed by the alpha male known as “silverback,” who is responsible for the movements and safety of the entire family. You will also study their behaviors and social lifestyle, like seeing mothers nursing their young ones, as the juveniles entertain the family, not forgetting to take as many memorable photos as possible – a very amazing experience.
Retire, and return to the trekking start point to receive your gorilla trekking certificate in appreciation of your tremendous contribution to the conservation of the endangered mountain gorillas. After, relax, have your picnic lunch, and then return to your lodge for relaxation as you share stories of the experience, have your leisure time until dinner, and then overstay.
Day 4: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park—Return to Entebbe International Airport/Hotel
Wake up early in the morning to have breakfast, have all your luggage packed in the safari vehicle, and embark on your journey back to Entebbe International Airport to mark the end of your 4-day Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Adventure. You will have a stopover at Igongo Cultural Centre for lunch and also have a visit the museum, where you will explore more about the culture and traditions of the Ankole people in southwestern Uganda. Proceed with your journey and take another stopover at the Kayabwe Equator landmark; visit the craft shops for souvenirs and gifts, among others. Embark on your journey to Entebbe International Airport to meet your return flight or at your hotel.
End of the safari/trip
Meal plan: Breakfast/lunch
The 4-Day Bwindi Gorilla Tracking experience package price includes:
All airport transfers (pick up and drop-off)
All ground transport
Private transport for 4 days
A professional English-speaking guide
Fuel for 4 days
Government taxes
1 gorilla trekking permit per person
All accommodation on full board (breakfast/lunch, and dinner)
Drinking water
All en route meals
Kayabwe Equator experiment fee
Igongo Cultural Museum fee
The 4-Day Bwindi Gorilla Tracking Experience package price excludes:
Travel Insurance
Air ticket
Visa
Extra activities and meals
Personal items like gifts, souvenirs, phone bills, laundry, etc.
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