3 Days Gorilla Trekking Safari

On the morning of this day, our driver/guide will pick you up from your hotel in Entebbe or Kampala and drive you to Mgahinga. He will give you a tour and itinerary briefing. It is the moment to enquire about the trip and what to expect from the guide. If you forgot anything, he may take you to a reputable store in Kampala or Entebbe so you can buy it. The trip to Mgahinga will take a while, but the scenery is beautiful the entire way. Prepare to be in awe with Southwestern Uganda’s stunning natural surroundings.

You will drive by mountains, rolling hills, national parks, and locals conducting business alongside the road. When you get closer to Mbarara, keep an eye out for the long-horned Ankole cattle that are grazing next to the road. You will make a stop at the Mpambire royal drum makers to observe the process of making enormous traditional drums. After that, you will travel and pause for pictures and relaxation at the equator crossing. The equator divides the northern and southern hemispheres of the planet. You can spread your legs and simultaneously be in two hemispheres. You will travel to Mbarara town for lunch after spending some time near the Equator. The trip up to the Kisoro district continues after lunch.

Dinner and overnight stay at Mount Gahinga Lodge and the mid-range Kisoro Travelers Rest Hotel (Luxury).

As you wait for the driver to take you to the park headquarters for the briefing by the park warden or rangers, you will get up extremely early and eat breakfast. The briefing covers a wide range of topics, such as information about the gorilla groups in Mgahinga, what to anticipate, what to bring, and how to behave around the gorillas. You’ll need sturdy boots, bottled water, and energy snacks packed in case the journey goes longer than anticipated for the finest gorilla trekking experience. You will need to show your passports when you arrive at the Ntebeko Center for Visitors to prove that you are older than 13 and eligible for the activity. There is only one gorilla group that is habituated in Mgahinga National Park. The Nyakagezi group is the sole gorilla group in Mgahinga. The group used to frequently relocate to Rwanda and even the Congo, but it is now permanently stationed in Uganda.

Expect to encounter birds and other primates along the route as you start your search for the gorillas. In areas with higher altitudes than usual, you will go through dense bamboo forests. Depending on where a gorilla group is, gorilla trekking in Mgahinga requires a lot of physical exertion, but the stunning views of the Virunga Mountains and untouched African forest will make the physical exertion worthwhile. The enormous Silverback will make you forget about any fatigue you may have. Mountain gorillas are gentle and dramatic primates. You’ll see that everyone in the group is either working on something or just relaxing. The mothers will be caring for the children or nursing them. Young animals are livelier and more likely to climb trees. Keep at least 6 meters away from the Silverback since it is keenly aware of its surroundings and constantly on the lookout for threats to the family. Only one hour can be spent with the gorillas. Take advantage of the opportunity to capture memorable images while keeping an eye out for the group’s behavior.

It is challenging to plan when you will be in the jungle searching for gorillas. If you’re fortunate enough to locate them early, you’ll be taken back to the park headquarters to pick up your completion certificate for the gorilla trek. If you returned early enough, the driver would take you back to the hotel for lunch and refreshment before taking you to see a local tribe. You could also decide to take a nature walk and view some of the local crater lakes. It’s wonderful to see Lake Mutanda.

Dinner and overnight stay at Mount Gahinga Lodge and the mid-range Kisoro Travelers Rest Hotel (Luxury).

Wake up whenever you choose, then eat breakfast while you wait for the guide or driver to pick you up to begin the trip back to Entebbe. The stunning grass plains, hills, mountains, valleys, and overall panoramic vistas of western Uganda will keep you interested during the long ride. Then there are the locals going about their daily lives in their gardens or by the roadside. In case you missed them on day 1, there will be stops at the equator and the Igongo Culture Center. By 6 o’clock at night, you should be in Kampala, ready to catch your aircraft back home or to your accommodation in Entebbe.