Join this exclusive five-day private tour to discover the gentle giants that live in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Uganda is lucky to be the home of the famous endangered mountain gorillas, and it has the highest population of mountain gorillas in the world.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park: located in south-western Uganda, at the junction of the plain and mountain forests, Bwindi Park covers 32,000 ha and is known for its exceptional biodiversity, with more than 160 species of trees and over 100 species of ferns. Many types of birds and butterflies can also be found there, as well as many endangered species, including the mountain gorilla.
Day 1: ARRIVAL ENTEBBE
Upon arrival at Entebbe Airport, you will clear customs and immigration and then you will be met by our representative outside the baggage hall area and transferred to your hotel.
Overnight in Entebbe.
Day 2: ENTEBBE – BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST (500km – 9/10hrs)
After an early breakfast, you drive to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The drive is a full day taking approximately 9 - 10 hours. Leaving the Lake Victoria basin, you pass through Ugandan villages and beautiful agricultural countryside where you see people tending their traditional crops of millet, sorghum, beans and maize. Upon reaching Kyanjojo, in the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains (Mountains of the Moon), you drive through a sea of green tea plantations. After check-in and a chance to freshen up, there will be dinner.
Overnight in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
Day 3: BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST
After breakfast, you will be taken on a short drive to the park headquarters where you will begin your gorilla trekking experience. Well-trained guides lead you to the site where the gorillas were encountered the day before and from here the tracking begins. The gorillas, whose continuous search for food requires a nomadic lifestyle, determine the duration of the hike. The trek can take between one and six hours, sometimes more, at elevations in excess of 7,500 feet and over rough terrain. Although the hike can be physically demanding, the anticipation of the exciting experience ahead is invigorating, and the beauty of the forest and its inhabitants are fascinating. When the gorillas are encountered, any fatigue is quickly forgotten. Observing a wild gorilla family in its natural habitat and on its terms is considered by many naturalists to be the most profound natural history experience in the world. Few who have had this rare privilege would disagree. It is important to recognize that these gorillas have only recently been habituated to tourists. Their curiosity is obvious, but they have only begun to grow accustomed to humans. Each strictly regulated 60-minute visit passes all too quickly, and you depart leaving the gorillas to their fragile existence. After time with the gorillas and a picnic lunch, you return to camp with hopefully a few unforgettable memories of a rare and wondrous experience. If the gorilla groups are relatively close, you’ll also have the chance to hike nearby forest trails to obtain a better understanding of the forest and its other inhabitants. These hikes provide the opportunity to observe smaller primate species and regional, endemic birds. Dinner will be provided at the camp/lodge.
Overnight in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
Day 4: BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST – ENTEBBE (500km – 9/10hrs)
After breakfast you will be transferred back to Entebbe, Again this will be a full day drive arriving back at your hotel in the evening.
Overnight in Entebbe.
Day 5: DEPARTURE ENTEBBE
After breakfast you will be transferred to Entebbe to connect to your departure flight.
Passengers should bring only soft sided bags on safaris. All the passengers must have valid Identification Card/Passport with them for internal flights. Travellers’ cheques generally are not accepted in East Africa. US bank notes cannot be older than 2008 and must have the most current security markings (large portrait of the presidents). Sun protection, sunglasses, a hat and mosquito repellent can be very useful during your stay.
