This 4-Day Uganda Gorillas road trip leads you to southwestern Uganda to see the majestic Mountain Gorillas.
Upon arrival in Uganda at Entebbe International Airport, located on a peninsula that juts out into Lake Victoria, Africa’s biggest fresh water lake, you will be welcomed and greeted by your driver/guide. He will be standing at the Arrivals Hall holding a placard with your name so you cannot miss him. You will then be transferred to the hotel/ guest house you have chosen and check-in for dinner and overnight stay. Your driver/ guide will brief you about your safari at some stage (either before dinner or first thing after breakfast the next day).
For those that arrive early in the day – there are optional activities around Entebbe especially if you intend to stay active and not rest after long overseas flights. You can visit the Entebbe Botanical Gardens or head out to trawl Mabamba bay for a chance to see the prehistoric and mythical shoebill. Or, your guide will be on hand to take you to the local markets or one of the malls to shop for some essentials.
After breakfast, with all of your bags securely packaged in the car, you commence the 10-hour drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or its viscinity where you will base ahead of your Mountain Gorilla trek tomorrow. You will make a stop at the Equator point to stretch your legs, take some fun photos at the monument and refresh before continuing onto Bwindi with another lunch stop in Mbarara town at one of the popular tourist eateries. After lunch, you will continue onto Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or its viscinity – in the far south-western reaches of Uganda across rolling hills, commercial tea, and pineapple plantations. The landscape changes before your eyes every few hours. Closer to your destination, the gorilla highlands loom ever larger where views in some places are really to-die-for. On arrival, check-in and settle into the lodge you have chosen. To prepare best for the thrilling gorilla trekking experience tomorrow, it’s advisable to have an early dinner and rest.
After breakfast, with your packed lunch, lots of water in your rucksack, your guide will take you to the park HQ before 8:00am for registration and briefing by Uganda Wildlife Authority staff. Once the formalities of what to do and not to do while tracking the gentle giants are communicated, you will head to the trail-head of the gorilla family you have been allocated. At the trail-head, you will commence the trek, pushing your way through the undergrowth, to track the gorillas. (the trek can last from half an hour to 8 hours – a reasonable degree of fitness is required as well as a sturdy pair of walking shoes). When you finally locate the family that you are tracking, take in everything as you watch the gorillas go about their day – feeding on the green leaves, bamboo shoots, wild celery, stinging nettle and wild fruit. If there are juvenile gorillas, enjoy them play about and take it all in. Take lots of pictures (and a selfie if you happen to have a gorilla in your selfie frame) and video as the one-hour will be over before you know it. It is an extraordinary feeling being in the presence of these majestic apes, sitting/standing in the dense rainforest with the knowledge that you are in the presence of the few remaining wild mountain gorillas. After the mandatory one hour is up, the rangers will lead you back to the starting point/trail-head where you will find your driver/guide. Once back at the trail-head, your driver/guide will be waiting to take you back to the park HQ where you receive your tracking certificates (evidence of your contribution to the conservation of the majestic gorillas). From here, you will commence the short drive to the picturesque Lake Bunyonyi. On arrival in Lake Bunyonyi, check-in at the resort you have chosen for a hot lunch. After lunch, relax and can use the time to look back on your awe-inspiring encounter with the gorillas through the lens of your camera. Later, dinner and overnight at the resort.
What to bring for gorilla tracking/trekking: light but sturdy hiking shoes, light rain jacket, daypack, 2 litres of water, gardening gloves, long trousers either jeans/khakis, long-sleeved shirt/blouse, wide-brimmed hat, sun glasses, insect repellent and an energy bar
Optional Activities: Gorilla Habituation experience, Scenic boat/ canoe trip at Lake Bunyonyi
After breakfast, check-out and commence the 7-hour drive to Entebbe. You will make two stops including one for an early lunch. After lunch, continue with a stop at the Equator point. Here, you can purchase some crafts and souvenirs from your Uganda safari and take fun photos at the Equator monument. You should arrive in Entebbe in the late afternoon/ early evening where you are dropped-off at the airport for you to check-in for your onward flight home. If your flight is much later, you can use the facilities at one of our partner Guest Houses to freshen up ahead of check-in. At the appropriate time, you will be dropped off at the airport in time for you to check-in for your onward flight to bring to an end what we believe will have been an awe-inspiring Uganda Gorillas safari.
This 4-Day Uganda Gorillas road trip leads you to southwestern Uganda to see the majestic Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park/ Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. The safari takes you through the lush landscapes of Uganda, where central plains give way to highlands and dense forests – not to mention the tranquil lakes that await your discovery. On this safari, you traverse rugged terrain, encounter fascinating wildlife, and connect with vibrant local communities, creating memories that will live with you for a long time. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a verdant magnificent swathe of rain forest across the steep ridges of the Albertine Rift Valley. This treasure trove of flora and fauna is home to over 450 Mountain Gorillas – almost a half of the world’s population of Mountain Gorillas. A tour to this park enables you to get up close and personal with the majestic and gentle Mountain Gorillas. Mgahinga is part of a larger ecosystem, the Virunga Conservation Area, which includes two adjacent parks in Rwanda and DR Congo. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park sits high in the clouds. It was formed to protect the rare Mountain Gorillas that inhabit its dense forests, and it is also an important habitat for the endangered golden monkey. American zoologist George Schaller, one of the first people to study gorillas in the wild, once said: “No one who looks into the eyes of a Gorilla, gentle and vulnerable, can remain unchanged.” And so this trip will leave you with an indelible mark on your conscience and the satisfaction that you will have added to the legacy of Dian Fossey – the trailblazing primatologist who brought light to the plight of Africa’s largest apes – that they were endangered.
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