Country: Uganda
Destination: Bwindi Forest Impenetrable National Park.
Day 1: Transfer to Buhoma
Day 2: Hike from Buhoma to Nkuringo
Day 3: Hike from Nkuringo to Rushaga
Day 4: Gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 5: Hike from Rushaga to Kisoro
Day 6: Departure
Trip Overview
The 6 Day Bwindi Gorilla Trekking and Walking Safaris, takes you through a majestic hike, across the Bwindi forest, the gorilla land, across the major gorilla trekking sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Each journey may begin with a single step, but some require a few more steps than others – Always a call for One More Adventure! Buhoma to Nkuringo Bwindi forest walking safari, followed by Nkuringo to Rushanga, and finally Rushaga to Kisoro. The walking safari will reward you with one of the most outstanding hikes you have ever encountered, with great birding and community experience. Hiking through Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda, is one of the best hiking adventures one will ever dream of undertaking cutting across Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, which is home to half of the world’s endangered Mountain gorillas. There is so much other than just gorilla in Bwindi forest, and Buhoma to Kisoro hiking trail, is just one of them, as it takes you through the other major gorilla trekking sector in between, thus Nkuringo and Rushaga. You will also be able to trek the gorillas in Rushaga, come face to face with the gentle giants. This is a special hiking adventure that blends culture, people, nature and the primates.
Trip highlights
- Gorilla trekking in Bwindi
- Waterfalls encounter
- Beautiful sceneries
- Opportunity to see primates
- Bird watching
- Bwindi forest hiking experience
- Community encounter
- Farm visit
- Nature walk
- Bird watching
Day 1: Transfer to Buhoma Bwindi
Day Itinerary
Following having breakfast at your hotel in Kampala/ Entebbe or Kigali, you will be met by our safari guide, who will brief you shortly and you embark on your long drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, for your gorilla trekking and on foot walking adventure across the Bwindi forest zone, home to the endangered gorilla, a world heritage site. You will enjoy an en route lunch, and arrive in the later afternoon at your lodge, for dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight stay at: Buhoma Heaven Lodge
Meal Plan: Lunch, Dinner
Day 2: Buhoma to Nkuringo walking safari (5 – 6 hours hike)
Day Itinerary
Start off your amazing hike, around the Bwindi forest region!
You will meet up with your assigned local guide at your lodge (either in Nkuringo or Buhoma), share a short introductory briefing, grab your packed picnic lunch and snacks, head off to the park headquarter by foot walking for registration and briefing. At 8:30 am, you kick off your hike from Buhoma to Nkuringo, which is roughly a 19km, and takes 6 – 7 hours to walk. (You can as well opt for Buhoma – Nteko route, 3 – 4 hours hike/ 14 km)
0 Km: Start the trek from Buhoma at about 1483m AS, in a company of ranger guides, and porters, cross River Munyaga. After around 3km, you will arrive after a gentle climb to 1580m ASL at a trail junction where you may branch off to go see the cascading falls 700m off trail. As you approach 6.6km, you will cross the River Ivy at 1460m ASL after a gentle descent. At about 10.6km, you will reach the forest boundary after an undulating but mostly gentle rise to 1580m ASL, you will now emerge from the Bwindi forest. After 14.6km, you will arrive at Nkuringo after a steep climb to 2133m ASL, with a sharp gradient of around 500 m. This last portion of the hike is more demanding, as you ascend the last part of your hike. The gentle sections until River Ivy have very good solid ground. After crossing the river, you get through a number of very shallow pools on stepping stones. The water level depends on the rainy season. Once you begin the steep climb, pray that the rain has not made parts of the track slippery. But it is a generally solid trail underfoot.
Difficulty level is moderate. I would grade it easy but for that steep finish up to Nkuringo.
The views are magnificent, a detour to Buhoma falls is an added bonus if you have energy and off the record we met a family of Gorillas and some chimpanzees. But that’s all down to luck. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Overnight stay at: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Nkuringo to Rushaga walking safari (6 -7 hours hike)
Day Itinerary
Here we go again for another day, of walking safari adventure around Bwindi forest. You will meet your guide, right after your breakfast, grab your snacks, drinks and picnic lunch and leave for Rushaga, with a great walking experience at the edge of Bwindi forest. This route rewards you with a greater community experience, meeting the locals as they go about with their daily life duties, waving to them as we proceed. You will have your rain coats, jacket and walking stick, under the company of a tourism police. The hike is roughly 6 – 7 hours. You will arrive in Rushaga in the evening, check in at your lodge for refreshment and later retire at your own leisure.
Overnight stay at: Rushaga Gorilla Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Gorilla Trekking at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Day Itinerary
Begin the day with breakfast ready for gorilla trekking experience, which begins at 8:00 am with a briefing from the UWA staff. Ensure to carry along with you rain jacket, drinking water, snacks, jungle boots together with packed lunch. You will later be transferred to the park headquarters’ where you will meet with other trekkers of the day. Group allocation depending on the guests’ fitness levels and interest, followed by briefing in your allocated groups, before you all get into your vehicles and drive to a common gorilla trekking starting point for the day. The assigned ranger guides will lead you inside the jungle to see the shy Primates for a group you have been booked for. Gorilla, perhaps one of the most exciting wildlife experiences on earth. The tracking may take between 2 and 6 hours but it is well worth the effort. An hour will be assigned to you, upon finding the gorillas, and you will have a whole full hour to take photos and video’s as you watch the gorillas go through their day life of feeding as the juvenile’s play about, rooming close to their mothers. Of course you will have the opportunity to spot the silverback, who tends to be seated cool, watching over his family. When time reaches, you will say goodbye to the gorillas, and when you return, find your driver guide waiting for you. Gratitude to the ranger guides, for the great work well done, jump into your jeep and find your way to your lodge for late lunch, and later retire at leisure. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.
Overnight stay at: Rushaga Gorilla Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Rushaga to Kisoro walking safari (6 -7 hours hike)
Day Itinerary
Here we go again, with our incredible walking safari experience!
Meet your guide right after your breakfast at your lodge, get your bags ready with all the needful, and we go off, for a superb walking adventure experience, heading towards Kisoro town along the village trails. The hike passes via Lake Mutanda, for a canoe experience as we proceed with the hike, rewarding you with a beautiful view of the great Virunga Mountains. You will reach your lodge in Kisoro and retire at your own leisure.
Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Overnight stay at: Ichumbi Hotel Kisoro
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 6: Departure
Day Itinerary
Have your breakfast at your lodge, depending on your preferred airport of departure, either Entebbe airport or Kigali airport, your guide will transfer you for your departure with an en route lunch, for your evening flight back home. End of the hiking tour!
Meal Plan: Breakfast, and Lunch
This safari package includes.
- Transportation on a 4×4 safari vehicle
- Accommodation and meals per the itinerary
- Gorilla trekking (700$) per person
- Local hiking guide
- Park fees
- Service of a park ranger guide
- Service of a professional English speaking driver guide
- Porter
- Bwindi forest hiking permit
- Community walk
- Bottles of mineral water
The package excludes expenses of personal nature like:
- Accommodation
- Meals
- Gorilla permits
- Visa Fees & flights
- Optional activities
- Tips & gratuities
- Laundry
- Alcoholic drinks
- International vaccinations
- Health test requirements
- Porter fees while trekking
- Personal travel Insurance
- Personal shopping bills
- Phone call bills
- Extras while at the hotel
- Items of personal nature
Please contact us for a free detailed quote on the option of your choice. We can tailor a request that suits your interests, and budget, as well as we can change or upgrade the lodge options. Write to us with more details about your Uganda safari.