Luxury Gorilla Trekking in Uganda

Travel to beautiful Uganda for an encounter with the Mgahinyas gentle giants, the rare Mountain Gorilla. In addition, we will take you to the Batwa cultural trail and introduce you to the fascinating history and customs of the “Pygmies” of the Mgahinga Forest. Then, onward to see the Golden Monkeys of the Virunga and the beautiful Queen Elizabeth National Park with Elephants, Leopards, and antelopes in abundance. Truly a highlight tour of Uganda.

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From Entebbe International airport by the shore of Lake Victoria via a small aircraft to the remote mountains of southern Uganda, famous for its Wildlife and its Mountain Gorillas in particular. Once there, visit the Batwa trail of the Mgahinga forest, the Golden Monkeys of the Virunga Massif, the Queen Elizabeth National park, and of course, The Mountain Gorillas. This Adventure Safari is 7 days and includes domestic flights, comfortable accommodation, and local transport.

We are very excited to offer this one-of-a-kind travel plan. It is important to remember that mountain gorillas are an endangered species. The high cost for this particular travel plan is due to the fact that a large amount goes towards the important park fees that protect this species, ensuring that they are not poached or lose their habitat. This trip is truly a chance for you to enrich your world.

Download Travel Plan as pdf

Day 1

ENTEBBE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT | THE BOMA HOTEL

Today you arrive in Uganda – the Pearl of East Africa! Perhaps you have already caught a first glimpse of the huge Lake Victoria from the plane. Once you are standing on its shores, you immediately feel enchanted and dazzled by the sun’s rays dancing across the lake’s surface. At the exit of the airport, your driver will already be waiting to take you to your accommodation. The drive only takes about 10 – 15 minutes. Here you check into your accommodation and can recover from the journey.

Visa has to be obtained before online: https://visas.immigration.go.ug/

The Page is sometimes not working, so please search in Google for “Visa Uganda Online” and choose the page mentioned above – then it works!

Yellow Fever vaccination is mandatory!

For further current entry requirements, please ask us!

Overnight at the Boma Hotel (Bed and Breakfast) or Similar

Day 2

KISORO | MEET THE PYGMIES | LAKE MULEHE SAFARI LODGE

07:00 am. you will be whisked away on a small aircraft into the remote mountainous regions of southern Uganda. Upon arrival, you will head out for the ‘Batwa’ (pygmies) Cultural Trail. Doing this trail will enable you to interact and learn about the interesting lifestyle of Uganda’s unique pygmies. The Batwa pygmies were originally the traditional inhabitants of Mgahinga Forest that is currently occupied by the National Park. The trail exposes you to the in-depth hidden history of the Batwa pygmies before the year 1990 when they evacuated the forest area that had become protected and conserved as a National park.

The Batwa Trail is unique in a way that it showcases the authentic culture of the original inhabitants of this tropical forest whose lives mainly depend on the natural habitat. While exploring the trail, you will experience the naturally endowed forest through a rare view of the local people. The experience comes along with different unique demonstrations on how the pygmies were used to extract local herbs that were used for healing different diseases, traditional ways of fetching water using locally made bamboo mugs, and the construction of grass huts.

The highly rewarding cultural tour ends with a staged, authentic cultural performance organized by the Batwa community at the gate of the Garama cave which was highly regarded as a ceremonial place for the cultural leaders of the Batwa community. After your cultural excursion, check into your lodge for relaxation as you get ready for your big day tomorrow

Overnight at Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge (Full Board) or Similar

Day 3

KISORO – MGAHINGA | GORILLA TREKKING | LAKE MULEHE SAFARI LODGE

Today is the big day… Prepare yourself for an encounter with Mgahinga’s gentle giant: the rare Mountain Gorilla. For most people, this is the absolute highlight of their tour in Uganda. You will be required to wake up early in the morning then be led to the visitor’s reception center for a briefing about the park. You are allocated guides before heading into the forest in search of Mountain Gorillas.

The Gorillas you will track belong to the habituated family group that can tolerate the presence of humans for a brief period every day. Your trek will be an exciting journey along forested slopes, entwined vines, bushes, and bamboo before you eventually reach the Gorillas’ habitat.

En route, your guide will point out signs of previous Gorilla activity, including dung, nests, and chewed bamboo shoots.

The time taken to track the Gorillas can take as little as 2 hours or more! Once the Gorillas have been located, your group will be allowed a maximum of one hour with them. Coming face-to-face with a Mountain Gorilla is a truly humbling and emotional experience. This is a fantastic and privileged opportunity to get up close and personal with Uganda’s very own ‘Gorillas in the Mist’.

Checklist for Gorilla Tracking

  • Long sleeve shirts and trousers (old clothes recommended as they can get very dirty and torn from the thorns and jungle foliage)
  • Insect repellent and sunscreen.
  • Hat and sunglasses (although once in the jungle you are in the shade)
  • Gardening gloves to protect your hand from the thorns and vines
  • Good, comfortable sturdy hiking boots with good ankle support.
  • Getters or Long socks to tuck your trousers into
  • Rain jacket
  • Camera
  • Waterproof rucksack (or plastic bags inside your rucksack)
  • Plenty of water (the camp provides a packed lunch and lots of water)
  • For evenings, it is worth taking a warm fleece as evenings can be chilly. For the daytime light, casual clothes generally suffice
  • On the starting point, please hire one porter, who will help to carry your backpack – this costs around 15 US per porter (plus a tipp) – this helps the surrounding communities to generate income and to profit from the tourism sector.

 Overnight at Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge (Full Board) or Similar

Day 4

KISORO | GOLDEN MONKEY TREKKING | LAKE MULEHE SAFARI LODGE

The Golden Monkey is an endangered and endemic primate species to the Virunga massif having a population estimated between 2,000 and 4,000 and sharing its home with the world’s famous Mountain Gorillas. Learn about this primate life in the canopy and their habitat and other forest-dwelling animals that share their home with the monkeys.

This experience will allow you to have an insight and a better understanding of what it means to research, conserve, and protect an endangered species in the 21st century and the many challenges faced every day by the team out in the field.

There are more than 100 monkeys in this forest and reproduce successfully. The work being carried out to research, conserve and protect this species is important to its survival and its habitat, and the many other animals and plants that live there.

You will witness how these tree-dwelling primates are the gymnasts of the forests, gain an insight into their daily lives, and the challenges that they have to overcome to survive. You will also gain an understanding of the forest, the plant life, and other species found there. If you are lucky, you are likely to spot wildlife such as Buffalo, Forest Elephant, Bushbuck, and Duiker

Overnight at Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge (Full Board) or Similar

Day 5

SOUTHERN QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK | ENJOJO LODGE

After breakfast, you will head out to the beautiful wilderness of Ishasha plains that are a part of Queen Elizabeth National Park – the oldest & second largest National Park in Uganda located at the base of the massive Rwenzori Mountains, adjacent to lakes Edward and George, covered by Savannah plains that provide an abundance of Game viewing like; Elephants that trumpet when you get too close, lazy Leopards laying in the sun, abundant Gazelle and buck, Lions, Buffaloes, Hippos and others.

Enjojo Lodge is situated just off the entrance to the Ishasha sector and is your accommodation for the night.

Overnight at Enjojo Lodge (Full board) or Similar

Day 6

SOUTHERN QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK | ENJOJO LODGE

Today you go in for a morning and evening game drive in the Ishasha plains. If you’re lucky, a game drive through the open savannah of Acacia on the edge of the Albertine Rift valley will enable you to view ‘Tree climbing Lions’ and other wild animals.

The Ishasha sector is located near the southwesternmost edge of the Queen Elizabeth National Park. The landscape in this section of the magnificent park is very different from that in other parts of the Queen Elizabeth National Park. The Ishasha sector within QENP is a habitat for the tree lions, which are unique to this location. The males of these extraordinary lions have black manes.

Overnight at Enjojo Lodge  (Full Board) or Similar 

Day 7

ENTEBBE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT | DEPART

Transfer back to Entebbe. En route, you will have a stopover at the Uganda equator crossing for a requisite snapshot and some souvenir shopping.

Upon arrival at Entebbe depending on how you feel you can choose to explore some craft shops for a final souvenir shopping or simply relax as you relive your safari highlights before departing to the airport from where you’ll catch your departure flight onwards.

This marks the end of what we hope will be an adventurous trip- Thank you very much!!!

Departure

We are waving goodbye and wishing you a safe flight back home! Kwa heri na karibu tena!

Uganda
Uganda, UG
1:02 am, October 14, 2023
21°C
overcast clouds
Wind: 5 mph
Pressure: 1011 mb
Visibility: 10 km
Sunrise: 6:31 am
Sunset: 6:36 pm

Queen Elizabeth National Park is a must-visit destination in Uganda for its stunning scenery, diverse wildlife, and various activities. And gorilla trekking in Uganda is a unique and unforgettable experience you won’t want to miss. Pick this travel plan because the:

  • Accommodation in Uganda can be extremely tricky. And we have found the best, most comfortable, and most reliable accommodation that will give you that authentic Ugandan feel that is comfortable and price worthy.
  • Visit the misty mountain gorillas. This is a once in a lifetime trip because the gorillas are only found in this region. Yes, the gorilla permits are expensive, but this is because the money is used to contribute to the important efforts of conserving this endangered species.
  • We have mixed in a safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park and visiting the golden monkeys. This travel plan is well balanced for you to see the highlight of Uganda, which is the gorillas, but we also show you other parts of this incredible country.

Gorilla trekking in Uganda is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that offers the opportunity to see one of the world’s most endangered animals in its natural habitat. Uganda is home to over half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas, making it one of the best places to go gorilla trekking. The trek itself is an adventure, as you will hike through the lush, dense forests of the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park to reach the gorilla families. Once you find them, you’ll spend up to an hour in their company, observing their behaviors and interactions with each other. After this incredible experience, you then visit Queen Elizabeth National Park, one of the most popular national parks in Uganda, with a diverse array of wildlife and landscapes to explore. The park is between Lake George and Lake Edward and features savannah grasslands, volcanic cones, and wetlands. The scenery is simply breathtaking. This area is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including lions, elephants, leopards, buffaloes, hyenas, and more. You can take game drives or boat safaris to see them up close. In addition to game drives and boat safaris, Queen Elizabeth National Park offers other activities such as chimpanzee trekking, birdwatching, nature walks, and cultural tours.

We’re convinced that our gorilla trekking in Uganda is an experience you’ll never forget!

What is gorilla trekking?

Gorilla trekking is a once-in-a-lifetime activity that involves hiking through the forest to observe and interact with wild mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.

Where can I go gorilla trekking in Uganda?

Gorilla trekking is conducted in two national parks in Uganda – Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. This travel plan takes you to Mgahinga National Park.

How many gorilla families can I visit in Uganda?

There are currently 18 gorilla families available for trekking in Uganda.

How difficult is gorilla trekking in Uganda?

Gorilla trekking in Uganda can be physically demanding, as it involves hiking through dense forests and steep terrain. The difficulty level of the trek can vary depending on the specific gorilla family visited, as some require longer hikes than others.

Can I get close to Gorillas?

You are required to keep a 7-meter distance from the gorillas.

How many hours can we spend with the Gorillas?

Visitors are required to spend a maximum of 1 hour in the presence of mountain gorillas while viewing to minimize disease transmission.

Is the mountain Gorillas dangerous?

Habituated Mountain Gorillas are not dangerous or prone to be angered by tourists if not disturbed because they have been trained to be in the presence of humans completely, but they’re a couple of rules that should be followed. One should not get between a mother and a baby or tease animals, use a flash, make distracting noises, or move quickly.

Is there any age limit to Gorilla trekking in Uganda?

The minimum age limit for gorilla trekking in Uganda is 15 years. Any person of this age and above can apply for a gorilla permit to visit Mountain Gorillas. The Mountain Gorillas in the wild reside only in the Bwindi forest and the volcanic mountain ranges along the borders of Uganda, Rwanda, and the Congo.

Am I guaranteed to see the gorillas?

There is a 99% chance of seeing mountain gorillas in their natural habitat in Uganda and Rwanda. Part of the gorilla permit fees is used to hire gorilla trackers who go into the forest to keep monitoring the movements of the mountain gorillas. These trackers keep track of where the gorillas laid their nests the day before and follow them the next day from there. The trackers provide information to the park guides about the location of the gorillas. Therefore, the visitors are guaranteed that they will see gorillas.

What are golden monkeys?

Golden monkeys are a species of Old World monkeys found in the Virunga Mountains of Central Africa. They are known for their distinctive bright orange fur.

Where can I go golden monkey trekking in Uganda?

Golden monkey trekking is conducted in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, which is located in southwestern Uganda.

How long does a golden monkey trek last?

Golden monkey treks in Uganda typically last between 2-4 hours, depending on the monkeys’ location and the trek’s pace.

What is Queen Elizabeth National Park?

Queen Elizabeth National Park is a national park located in southwestern Uganda. It is known for its diverse wildlife, including elephants, lions, hippos, and various bird species.

What are the highlights of a visit to Queen Elizabeth National Park?

The highlights of a Queen Elizabeth National Park visit include game drives to see elephants, lions, and other wildlife, boat safaris on the Kazinga Channel to see hippos and crocodiles, and birdwatching opportunities.

How long should I plan to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park?

The recommended duration of a visit to Queen Elizabeth National Park is 2-3 days, depending on the specific activities planned. This travel plan gives you 2 days in this amazing park.

What is the best time to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park?

The best time to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park is during the dry season from June to September and from December to January, when wildlife is more concentrated around water sources, and the weather is generally dry and sunny.

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The Highlight of Uganda with World Adventure Tours

Included in the price:

  • Arrival and Departure Airport transfers in Uganda.
  • Meals as highlighted on Safari Itinerary
  • Transportation in a 4×4 Safari Vehicle with an English Speaking Driver/Guide.
  • Accommodation in lodge/guesthouse while on safari
  • 1 Gorilla trekking permit in Uganda for each person
  • 1 Golden Monkey Trekking permit for each person in Uganda
  • All park entry fees
  • Bottled drinking water (1Liter per client each day)
  • Emergency Evacuation cover with AMREF flying Doctors
  • All activities described on the itinerary

Excluded from the price:

  • International Airfares to and from Uganda
  • Soft & alcoholic Drinks
  • Entry visas
  • International Travel Insurance
  • All personal expenditures such as tips, telephone calls
  • All activities NOT described on the itinerary
  • Any costs in connection with Covid 19
  • Driver-guide gratuities, drinks, restaurant tips, porterage

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