3 Day Gorilla Trekking and Batwa Trails in Bwindi

3 Day Gorilla Trekking and Batwa Trails in Bwindi

The 3-Day Gorilla Trekking and Batwa Trails in Bwindi is an exciting 3-day adventure starting and ending in Kampala, taking you on an unforgettable journey to track gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, southwestern Uganda. It takes approximately 8 hours from Kampala to Bwindi while driving through different changing scenery of Uganda up to the heart of the Pearl of Africa. This safari offers an opportunity to see the grandeur of gorilla trekking, steeped in Batwa cultural heritage.

Itinerary Highlights:

Gorilla Trekking: Bwindi inhabits almost half of the worldwide population of mountain gorillas, about 300, in its dense forests. In this amazing landscape, you will have an opportunity once in a lifetime to come meters from those incredible creatures and observe their daily life and behaviors in the wild on trekking. Considering there are only an estimated 880 mountain gorillas left in the wild, this rare experience will leave a mark in one’s life and further create a deep connection with one of the most threatened species in the world.

Batwa Cultural Experience: The Batwa are the indigenous forest dwellers of Bwindi, Mgahinga, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and Virunga in Congo. Their traditional habitats took them without compensation or help in adapting to modern life. They still have an interesting culture closely associated with the forests. Such a cultural encounter would include the Batwa trail, where one gets to learn about their rich traditions, survival skills, and spiritual attachments to the forests they once called home. Best Gorilla Trekking Safari

Lake Bunyonyi Exploration: Framed by the green terraced hills rising between 2,200 and 2,478 meters, the spectacular Lake Bunyonyi is an incomparable scene. The magical atmosphere, with 29 islands of various shapes and sizes sprinkled on the pristine waters, presents an excellent place to enjoy the beauty of nature and relax. You will feel great spending the day enjoying the view and reflecting on your unforgettable experiences in Uganda.

Detailed Itinerary:

Day 1: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

The adventure will start with our guide-driver from Arcadia Safaris picking you up from your hotel in Kampala or Entebbe at 7:00 a.m. and heading southwest through a scenic drive to Bwindi National Park. It will involve a stopover at the equator for an exciting experiment and photo opportunity, then lunch in Mbarara. You continue later through Uganda’s beautiful sceneries to an early arrival in Bwindi, where you shall check into your accommodation for dinner and a restful overnight while gearing up for this exciting adventure.

Destination: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Accommodation Options:

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi and Transfer to Bunyonyi

Today is a very remarkable day, so make sure to wake up by 6:00 a.m., have breakfast, and then ask them to have the hotel prepare a packed lunch in case the trekking of the gorillas goes beyond noon. Your driver will now take you to the park offices to ensure that you are on time for the 7:30 a.m. There will be a briefing from the park ranger-guide; this briefing will highlight important issues concerning gorilla trekking, like information about your sector’s gorilla groups, history of the forest, and what to expect. In this briefing, you will be allocated to a gorilla family alongside other travelers, but not more than 8 in a group. Park guides will give you a hiking stick, as well as offer the service of hiring porters for any heavy luggage or camera equipment. Best Gorilla Trekking Safari

Once gathered together, you’re off into the trek. This can take anything between 30 minutes to 6 hours depending on the location of the gorilla family, hence you are always advised to take packed lunch. Spend an hour with these mountain giants once you reach them, and you will capture all the tender moments. Do not miss it out, though no sighting is guaranteed, but the success rate is over 90%; After your gorilla encounter, head back to the starting point for your certificate of participation. Your guide will be waiting to drive you back to the hotel for a well-deserved lunch and rest.

Batwa Cultural Trail: Afternoon- You will be visiting the Batwa pygmies who were the initial inhabitants of the forests in Bwindi, Mgahinga, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and Virunga in Congo. Their cultural heritage is quite fascinating and very sad at the same time without compensation, or able to properly adapt to modern life. The nature walk shall give an insight into their ways of life and adaptation struggles.

Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi.

After visiting the Batwa trails, you will be taken to Lake Bunyonyi, a magical retreat nestled in lush, green-terraced hills that rise between 2,200 and 2,478 meters. The magical backdrop of its 29 islands, with their particular shape and character, offers idyllic settings for relaxing and reflecting. Take in the breathtaking scenery and let the serenity of the environment envelop you for a perfect close to the day.

Destination: Lake Bunyonyi
Accommodation Options:

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

Day 3: Transfer Back to Kampala -3 Day Gorilla Trekking and Batwa Trails in Bwindi.

Breakfast this morning will be leisurely, right in front of bewitching views of the charming islands of Lake Bunyonyi. Later, after having feasted on the meal amidst serene scenery, get yourself ready for the journey to Kampala.

Think about the remarkable three-day experiences as you drive through the scenic landscapes. Once you arrive in Kampala, drop-off will be done at the airport for onward travel or taken to your hotel. This is where your tour ends on this 3 Day Gorilla Trekking and Batwa Trails in Bwindi Safari. We trust your experiences were as tremendous as they were adventurous!

Destination: Kampala – Entebbe International Airport
Accommodation Option: No (Unless on request)

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

PRICE INCLUDES

• Round Trip Airport Transfers (pick up and drop off)
• Private Transportation in  4×4 Safari Cars
• Meals specified on a Full Board basis
• Accommodation with ensuite facility
• Applicable Park Entrance & Activities Fees
• English speaking professional Driver-Guide
• Gorilla Trekking Permit Fees
• All hotel/lodge pickups and drop off
• All Taxes
• Bottled drinking water and Fruits while on safari
• Activities as stipulated in the itinerary (except those stated as “optional”

PRICE EXCLUDES

• Activities not mentioned in the itinerary
• International Flight Fares (unless requested)
• Country entry Visa
• Personal/Travel insurance
• Telephone charges
• Laundry
• Bar bills and all other kinds of drinks except water
• Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
• Souvenirs, gifts and Tips
• Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
• Covid-19 and other related tests and vaccinations

RATES PER PERSON: (Tour Rates/Prices are Per Person and exclude International Flight from or to your home Country).

We appreciate you choosing us. Let’s explore the wild together!