3 Days Gorilla Trekking and Lake Bunyonyi Safari
Duration
Overview
Our 3 Days Gorilla trekking and Lake Bunyonyi tour package is designed to offer travelers an amazing and relaxing experience while tracking gorillas in Uganda. The tour involves an encounter with the famous mountain gorillas before going to Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation, canoeing, island hopping, nature and community walks. Bwindi Impenetrable National park is found 512 miles away from Kampala city. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site because of its incredible biodiversity including hosting the highest population of mountain gorillas in the world – over half of the remaining population of mountain gorillas on earth.
14 gorilla groups are habituated and open to tourism. Another two groups are open to what is known as the gorilla habituation experience. An Encounter with mountain gorillas is arguably one of the most memorable wildlife experiences. Apart from seeing the gorillas, the interesting thing about gorilla tracking is the opportunity to explore vast tropical forest allowing you to discover amazing landscape, beautiful scenery and unique creatures. Bwindi forest has over 200 species of trees, 310 of butterflies, 120 of mammals and 51 of reptiles. Over 10 primate species call the forest home among which include baboons, chimpanzee, blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, Colobus monkeys and L’Hoest’s monkeys. Bwindi Impenetrable forest is a birders paradise with over 350 species recorded.
After gorilla trekking in Bwindi, you will head for one of the most beautiful lakes in Uganda. Lake Bunyonyi (Place of many little birds in the local language) is dotted with 29 Islands. It is surrounded on all sides by steep hills and forest. Lake Bunyonyi is the second deepest in Africa and is excellent for relaxation, swimming, canoeing and nature walks. One can also visit the local Batwa people or go biking. Lake Bunyonyi is a very popular destination for relaxation after visiting Bwindi or as a stopping point for resting during long safaris in Uganda.
Highlights
Day 1: Pickup and Transfer to Bwindi National park
Day 2: Gorilla trekking – Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
Day 3: Canoeing, Island hoping and nature walks – Transfer back to Kampala or Entebbe
NOTE:
- The minimum age required for gorilla tracking is 15+ years whereas for the Chimps, the minimum age required is 12+ years; in case of flu or of any other airborne disease, the visitor will be not allowed to meet with the gorillas or the chimps.
- Travel by
- These rates are subject to change if not booked on time.
Included/Exclude
- Gorilla permits
- All activities in Lake Bunyonyi
- A Standard Tour Van with an experienced Guide/Driver
- Airport transfers
- 2 Days accommodation with meals
- All meals during the safari and bottled drinking water
- Park entrance fees
- All drinks, including the drinks for the sundowner
- Uganda Entry Visa fee
- International air flights
- Any optional activity not indicated in above program
- Laundry Services
- Gratuities and Tips
Tour Itinerary
The Guide/Driver will show up at a pick point in Kampala or Entebbe at 7:00 am. After briefing you about the tour, he/she will start the journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. There will be stopovers along the way including at the equator crossing for photography. Lunch will be in Mbarara preferably at the Igongo Cultural Centre. The journey will be long but if you love nature and observing new places, you will be deeply impressed by the landscape. The Western part of Uganda has incredible scenery, national parks, mountains and remnants of volcanic activity. Expect to drive past beautiful lakes, rivers and the local people tending to their gardens. Look out for the Long-horned Ankole cattle and request to stop at some of the markets along the way to taste some of the fresh local fruits. Remain awake while passing past the beautiful hills of Kabale and Kisoro.
Dinner and Overnight at Wagtail Forest Lodge, the Haven Lodge or Mahogany springs/ Buhoma lodge
Meal Plan: Full board
Wake up early and take your breakfast as you wait for the Guide to take you to the park headquarters for the mandatory briefing at 7:30am. The briefing covers everything you need to know about the park, the wildlife and of course the mountain gorillas. You will be assigned a gorilla family based on your overall fitness. After the briefing, you will head out to different points depending on the gorilla family you are allocated. If you have heavy equipment, you can hire the services of a porter for about $15. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi forest can take between 30 minutes to 5 hours depending on the gorilla group you are assigned. During the trek, you will encounter rich tropical forest with amazing biodiversity Watch out for the bird, smaller primates and plant life.
You are only allowed one hour with the gorillas once you finally encounter them. Take the time to observe and study their behavior. Ensure that you follow the gorilla trekking rules including keeping a distance of 7 meters from the nearest primate. Do not be attempted to touch a gorilla – especially a baby gorilla to avoid alerting the massive Silverback. Remain calm at all times. After your time with the primates has elapsed, you will be led back to the starting point and offered a certificate of participation. The driver will take you back to your lodge for relaxation, lunch and checkout. After packing all your belongings, you will be transferred to Lake Bunyonyi for evening relaxation.
Dinner and Overnight at Bunyonyi Overland Camp, Arcadia Cottages or
Birdnest Lodge
Meal Plan: Full board
If you were unfortunate to arrive late in the evening, you will wake up to amazing scenery, beautiful sunrise, birds and breathtaking views of the lake. Ask for your breakfast to be served outside so that you can enjoy the lake views. Lake Bunyonyi is one of the top tourist destinations in Uganda simply because of the scenery alone. There are countless activities you can choose to do including birding, nature walks, cave exploration, mountain biking, visiting the local communities, visiting the nearby forests and primates viewing.
The most popular activities are canoeing, visiting the various islands and simple relaxation on the lake shores. If you choose to go for canoeing and island hopping, don’t forget to visit the punishment island. About 80 years ago, girls who got pregnant before marriage were abandoned there to die. Most were quietly rescued eventually by their boyfriends or bachelors who could not afford bride price. Once you are done with the activities, you will be led back to the lodge for checkout before starting the journey back to Kampala/ Entebbe for your flight.
End of Safari
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