The 3 days gorilla trekking Bwindi is an exceptional Uganda budget gorilla safari set for you to strike your imaginations with a group of mountain gorillas in the lush jungles of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Depending on where your gorilla permit directs you to, gorilla trekking safaris in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park begin from anyone one of its four major trekking regions; Buhoma, Rushaga, Ruhija or Nkuringo sector. Each of these gorilla regions comprise of habituated families but only one will be allocated to you to trek in a group of 8 trekkers.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in southwestern Uganda, about 540kms approximately 8 to 10 hours’ drive from Entebbe or Kampala and from Kigali about 4 hours. This park expands up to 331sq.kms and its establishment in 1991 was primarily to offer refuge to a section of the endangered mountain gorillas that make up a total of 1004 individuals on earth today. Bwindi National Park has 20 habituated gorilla groups set for tourism purposes but on this 3-day gorilla trekking safari, only one will be assigned to you and you have an hour to have a face to face encounter with these massive creatures. Your journey to Bwindi will begin from Kampala or Kigali.
Highlight of your 3 days gorilla trekking Bwindi tour
- An hour of magical encounter with a group of mountain gorillas
- Photography at Uganda Equator
- Ground transportation in a 4×4 drive safari car
- Service of an English-speaking driver guide
- Bottled water
Brief itinerary of your 3 days gorilla trekking Bwindi safari
Day 1: Transfer from Entebbe/Kampala to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 2: Gorilla trekking and Batwa cultural experience
Day 3: Drive back to Kampala/Entebbe
Detailed itinerary of your 3 days gorilla trekking Bwindi
Day 1: Transfer from Entebbe/Kampala to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Start your day with a delicious breakfast at your hotel in Entebbe or Kampala and after, get some highlights on what your 3 days gorilla trekking safari covers. Later, begin your journey from via Masaka-Mbarara-Kabale route about 8 to 10 hours and along the way, you will make a stopover at Uganda Equator for relaxation and photography.
After exciting moments at the equator crossing, get to Igongo Cultural Center to have the best of Uganda’s tasty traditional meal. From Igongo Cultural Center, proceed to southwestern side via Ishaka-Bushenyi route while enjoying magnificent view of the vast tea plantations at Igara. At Ishasha area the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, do not miss to catch a glimpse at the tree climbing lions as they are relaxed on tree trunks. From Ishasha sector drive via Kihihi-Butogota then arrive at Buhoma.
Journey: 8 to 10 hours
Meal plan: Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation
Luxury: Buhoma Lodge/Chameleon Hill Lodge
Midrange: Gorilla Mist Camp/Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
Budget: Buhoma Community Rest Camp/Nshongi Camp
Day 2: Gorilla trekking and Batwa cultural experience
Expect to rise up early in the morning to start your day with a hot cup of tea or coffee and later, transfer to your respective trekking area for briefing on the gorilla trekking etiquette but do not forget to come with some packed lunch and bottled water. It is today that the park official will also assign you a habituated group to track in a group of 8 trekkers and at 8:00am, you will hit the jungles to search for these endangered creatures in the wild. Usually, this primate adventure takes about 2 to 6 hours depending on your speed of hiking, where the gorillas are found and nature of the habitat.
Once you come across a group assigned to you, you have only an hour of magical encounter, take pictures and explore more about their behaviors, body gestures as they will be interpreted to you by park ranger guide. Because this involves hiking through the lush rain-forest, expect to come across other primates, birds and unique plant species. Later, you will return to the lodge to have some rest.
In the afternoon/evening, pay a visit to the Batwa Community to enjoy the thrilling traditional dances, music performances, learn about their traditions and lifestyles. After, you will get back to the lodge to have rest, dinner and night stay.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation
Luxury: Buhoma Lodge/Chameleon Hill Lodge
Midrange: Gorilla Mist Camp/Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
Budget: Buhoma Community Rest Camp/Nshongi Camp
Day 3: Drive back to Kampala/Entebbe
Following an early morning breakfast, check out from your respective gorilla lodge in Bwindi National Park and your driver guide will drive you back to Kampala/Entebbe. You will have lunch in Mbarara and later, drive through Lake Mburo National Park for you to enjoy amazing sights at diverse savanna dwellers in this park including giraffes, zebras, birds. At the Equator, you will have the last memories, take photos and then drive to Kampala.
End of your 3 days gorilla trekking Bwindi safari
3 days gorilla trekking Bwindi safari includes
- Gorilla permit (each permit costs $600 although this rate is due to change to $700 in 2020)
- Ground transportation in a 4×4 drive safari car
- Service of an English speaking driver guide
- Bottled water
- Full board accommodation for 2 nights and meals
3 days gorilla trekking Bwindi safari excludes
- Airfares
- Uganda visa fees
- International flights
- Personal insurance
- Personal expenses such as drinks/alcohol, laundry services, telephone calls, hotel fees in Kampala/Entebbe.