7 Days Uganda Double Gorilla Trekking Safari
7 Days Uganda Double Gorilla Trekking Safari is an adventurous gorilla safari which will give you an opportunity to trek the mountain gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable national park twice. The national park offers gorilla trekking safaris in four sectors that is Rushaga sector, Nkuringo sector, Buhoma sector and Ruhija sector therefore during your safari you will be able to trek gorillas in the Rushaga sector in the southern part of the park and Buhoma sector in the northern part of the park. You will also engage in an interesting Batwa cultural tour where you will be able to interact with the Batwa/pygmies who used to stay in the forest before it was gazetted as a national park.
Highlights of the 7 days Uganda double gorilla trekking safari
- Day 1: Pick up from Entebbe international airport and transfer to a hotel in Kampala
- Day 2: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
- Day 3: Gorilla trekking in Rushaga sector
- Day 4: Transfer from Rushaga sector to Buhoma sector and cultural tour
- Day 5: Gorilla trekking in Buhoma sector
- Day 6: Batwa cultural tour
- Day 7: Departure to Kampala
Detailed itinerary
Day 1 of the 7 days Uganda double gorilla trekking safari
Arrival and transfer to a hotel in Kampala, depending on your arrival time on day 1 of the 7 days Uganda double gorilla trekking safari, you will be welcomed by our representative who will drive you to a hotel in Kampala for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
After an early breakfast on day 2 of the 7 days Uganda double gorilla trekking safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the hotel, brief you about your Ugandan safari and then start the journey to Bwindi impenetrable national park which is located in southwestern part of Uganda. On the way you will have a stopover at the Equator where you will take photos, buy some craft items and then proceed with another stopover at Igongo Cultural Centre for lunch. After lunch you will continue the journey which will be filled with great views of the rolling hills, traditional homesteads, local people among others and upon arrival you will check into the lodge, have dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Gorilla trekking in Rushaga sector southern part of the park
Gorilla trekking, after an early breakfast on day 3 of the 7 days double gorilla trekking safari you will carry packed lunch and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking. After the briefing you will be grouped into 8 people because each habituated gorilla family in the park is only visited by 8 people daily, allocated a park guide who is well conversant with trails in the jungle and a habituated gorilla family to trek. Allocation of gorilla families is however done according to personal preferences, age and physical fitness because trekking is strenuous therefore in case you are not physically fit you are advised to communicate with your driver guide so that they allocate you a gorilla family that is near to trek. Trekking of the mountain gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable national park starts at around 8:00am and takes about 30 minutes to 8 hours depending on where the gorillas are located.
During trekking you will have stunning views of other wildlife species such as birds, forest elephants and bushbucks, other primates like red tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys among others. Once the gorillas are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat where you will be able to watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, breastfeeding, playing, learn more about their behaviors, lifestyle, habits, take photos and record the moments. After spending one hour with the mountain gorillas you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will meet up with your driver guide to return back to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Transfer from Rushaga sector to Buhoma sector
Transfer to Buhoma sector, after breakfast on day 4 of the 7 days Uganda double gorilla trekking safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Buhoma sector in the northern part of Bwindi impenetrable national park. Upon arrival you will check into the lodge and prepare yourself for a community tour or afternoon nature walk where you will be able to explore the forest with great views of wildlife species including primates like monkeys, animals like duikers, different bird species like Rwenzori batis, short tailed warbler, African emerald cuckoo, red headed bluebill, dark caped bulbul, white tailed blue flycatcher, colourful butterflies, view different plant and tree species among others. After the nature walk you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Gorilla trekking in Buhoma sector
Gorilla trekking, after an early breakfast on day 5 of the 7 days Uganda double gorilla trekking safari, you will carry your lunch box, and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for another gorilla trekking briefing . After the briefing you will be grouped into 8 people, allocated a habituated gorilla family to trek and a park guide who will lead you in the forest to trek the mountain gorillas. Gorilla trekking starts at around 8:00am and takes about 30 minutes to 8 hours depending on where the gorilla family is located because the gorillas like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking you will be able to view other primate species like red tailed monkeys, different plant species, birds like blue headed sunbird, bar tailed trogon, yellow eyed flycatcher, Kivu ground thrush among others. Once the gorillas are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to watch the gorillas interacting, feeding, breastfeeding, learn more about their lifestyle, behaviors, take pictures among others. After the one hour face to face encounter with the gentle giants, you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will meet up with your driver and drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Batwa trail cultural tour
Batwa trail cultural tour, on day 6 of the 7 days Uganda double gorilla trekking safari your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for an exciting cultural tour where you will visit the Batwa/pygmies who used to live in Bwindi forest before it was gazetted into a national park. During the Batwa cultural tour you will be accompanied by a Batwa/pygmy guides who will take you the forest where they used to live, teach you how they used to hunt with a bow and arrow, see different plants which were used to cure different illness, visit their traditional homesteads, farmlands, visit the medicine men who use plants to cure sicknesses, learn how to prepare local dishes from the Batwa women, taste different dishes, listen to ancient stories, enjoy traditional songs, dance and drama from Batwa women and men, learn about their lifestyle, way of living among others. After the Batwa cultural experiences you will return back to the lodge for an evening relaxation dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Departure to Kampala
Departure to Kampala, on day 7 of the 7 days Uganda double gorilla trekking safari, you will have a relaxed breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kampala. On the way you will have a stopover in Mbarara town for lunch and then proceed to Kampala where you will arrival early evening, your driver guide will drop you off at Entebbe international airport for your departure flight or drop off at any place of convenience.
End of 7 days Uganda double gorilla trekking safari
Uganda double gorilla trekking safari includes
- Gorilla trekking permits
- Park entrance fee
- Cultural tour
- Community tour
- Nature walk
- An English speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Pick up and drop off
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled water
Uganda double gorilla trekking safari excludes
- Air flight tickets
- Visas
- Life insurance
- Optional activities not included on the itinerary
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.
