Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is home to over 370 gorillas, accommodating almost a half of the world’s population of mountain gorillas. A tour to this park enables you get up close and personal with the rare species. This safari will give you an opportunity to see these rare and threatened gorillas.

Lake Bunyonyi on the other hand has a name that translates to the ‘place of little birds’ and it is indeed blessed with some 200 bird species including several varieties of weavers that nest by the lakeshore and on the many islands. It is also probably the best place in Uganda to spot otters.

Trip Highlights

Itinerary

Cost

Overview

Gorilla tracking
Nature Walk
Sceneries
Stopover at the Equator
Igongo Cultural Visit
Lake Bunyonyi

Day 1 :

KAMPALA – BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK (Travel time: +8hrs)

A very early rise today and together with your guide you will transfer by private vehicle south-West to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. You will stop over at the Uganda Equator for some photo shoots and a visit to the Craft Village. You will then head towards the western part of Uganda to the town of Mbarara where you will take your lunch and visit the Igongo cultural center.

After lunch you will go for a museum tour where you will get an insight into cultures of people in western Uganda then proceed to Bwindi impenetrable forest. Dine at your place of accommodation and relax the rest of the evening as you prepare for a thrilling experience of Mountain Gorilla Tracking the following day, the reality is that tonight you actually are sleeping within an African Rainforest which is habitat to half the population of the world’s endangered Mountain Gorillas. Dinner and overnight at Buhoma Lodge (High end), or Engagi Lodge (Midrange) or Buhoma Community Bandas (Budget end) Meal Plan (Dinner)

Day 2 :

BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK (Gorilla Tracking)

After an early breakfast, head to the Headquarters of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park for an orientation plus meeting the guides as well as separation into the groups basing on which gorilla group you are to be tracking. From there you will set off for your thrill experience of the Gorillas in the Mist. Hiking within this mysterious and wonderful forest offers quite a lot to see as you make your way to see the Mountain Gorillas. The wildlife including additional primates, butterflies, mammals and birds, will certainly be very beautiful and really enhance this extremely special experience.

The tracking / trekking can entail some thorough climbing as well as hiking although when you come face to face with the tranquil yet potent Mountain Gorillas, watching them only a few meters away from you observing the group, the baby with the mothers, the gorillas partaking their everyday routine just right in front of you is all very overwhelming. You can never find any mountain gorillas living in the zoo, save for just in this not large area of Africa where a number of the remnant mountain gorillas can be seen. Luckily because of too many efforts, this population is thriving and well surviving within the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and visitors get the opportunity of observing them at close proximity. Time permitting; thereafter visit the famous batwa community for a community and cultural experience. You will learn about the traditional lifestyle of the Batwa, from brewing of the local beer to medicines made from this very forest.

Dinner and overnight at Buhoma Lodge (High end), or Engagi Lodge (Midrange) or Buhoma Community Bandas (Budget end) Meal Plan (Full Board)

Day 3 :

BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK - LAKE BUNYONYI (Travel Time: +4hrs)

After a healthy breakfast, you will drive to Lake Bunyonyi. Lake Bunyonyi surface is a fresh with 25 degrees Celsius thus bilhazia free and safe for swimming. With 29 islands in it, the lake is surrounded by terraced hillsides and is a visitation darling of many foreign and domestic tourists. About 200 bird species have been recorded at the lake area since "Bunyonyi" also means "the place of many little birds".

The bird species include the White tailed Blue Monard, grey crowned cranes, the African Harrier Hawk, Herons and egrets, the Levillant cuckoo, the Cardinal Woodpecker and the Rufous-breasted wryneck. Weavers nesting on the Island, include the large golden, slender-billed Baglafetch, as well as the yellow-backed and spectacled weavers.

Because of the tiring experience in Bwindi, you will take pleasure in some time to relax on the shores of this beautiful lake. There are various activities for the guest to enjoy here such as swimming, bird watching, sun bathing including a boat trip around the islands as well as cycling. After a healthy lunch you will have a nature walk around the lake to spot these beautiful birds and also enjoy the scenery. Dinner and overnight at Arcadia Lodge (High End) or Bunyonyi Bird’s Nest (Midrange) or Bunyonyi Overland Resort (Budget end) Meal Plan (Full Board)

Day 4 :

LAKE BUNYONYI – KAMPALA (Travel Time: +8hrs)

An early nature walk around the environs of your lodge. This offers an excellent opportunity for bird viewing and appreciating the African sunrise and beauty of sceneries. Return to the lodge for breakfast. After breakfast take a boat ride on the lake to visit neighboring pygmy tribes with their unique culture. While on the boat, birding is one fascinating attraction and the view of the overland is breathtaking. After an early lunch you will set off for Kampala, driving through Mbarara and arriving late in the evening. Meal plan (B & L).