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Book Luxury Gorilla Trekking Tours in Uganda

While planning for this luxury Ugandan tour, you can think of doing the experience 2 treks or more depending on your budget and interest for this safari and also staying in luxury lodges and exclusive camps. You will be picked up from your hotel then leave Kampala and head to the southwest of Uganda via Kampala – Masaka – Mbarara road. Stopover at the equator at Kayabwe trading centre, take some photos and continue to Mbarara at Agip Motel where you will have lunch. From there head to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

Welcome to Bwindi where gorillas are the centre of attraction, a distinct feature for Uganda’s tourism. Dinner and overnight at Gorilla Forest Camp, Buhoma Lodge /Mahogany Springs Lodge/Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge among others.

On day two, take an early morning breakfast, head to the park headquarters with packed lunch for an inevitable briefing ready to trek for the gorillas in the thick and impenetrable forests. You get to spend an hour with the gorillas after having trekked for about 3-8 hours. If you are not so worn out in the evening, head for a brief nature walk to the Batwa community. Also available are curio shops, drinking joints, a children’s school among others. You can try the other option being Munyanga river trail, where you can see the waterfalls and an array of bird life or the Muzabajiro/Ruhija trails which offer forest and grassland bird species plus more primates. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

On day three, Breakfast at your lodge, followed by another gorilla trek in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park but to a different family. Retire for lunch, relax at your lodge, then in the evening, we start a 90 minutes’ drive to Ruhija side of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Dinner and overnight at Ruhija Gorilla Safari Lodge or Gorilla Mist Camp or Bakiga Lodge and more so if you want to take this safari but staying in affordable lodge still we can customized for you this holiday at our best experience.

Visit Oruzogo gorilla family. The trek here is quite strenuous compared to Buhoma side. However, porters are available to help you throughout the trek. Do not forget carrying enough water and packed lunch. After lunch, we can choose to take a forest walk around, or relax at your lodge while enjoying the beautiful view of the forest, or we can drive for 2 hours to the beautiful Lava dammed Crater Lake of wonders; Lake Bunyonyi in Kabale, dinner and overnight at Bird Nest Resort, Arcadia Cottages or Bunyonyi Overland Resort, all with clear scenic view of Lake Bunyonyi.

Gorilla and Wildlife Photo Safaris in Uganda and Rwanda

Nature Adventure Africa Safaris Ltd, Uganda offers customized Private Photo Safaris within Uganda and Rwanda with only your schedule to honour! We design gorilla safaris basing on your personal preferences and desires. The Wildlife, Primates like Gorillas and Chimpanzees, Birds, the beautiful Scenery, the Ugandan and Rwandan People are all part of what you will photograph giving you a wide range of shoots. Both countries are the best destinations to have Amateur or even Professional Photography safaris as they offer the finest shots ranging from Tree Climbing Lions in Uganda, Mountain Gorillas in bamboo of Rwanda, the impressive Ugandan children as well as the diverse scenery of this African country.

Our photo safaris are guaranteed by a 4X4 WD vehicle with a pop-up-roof and wide non-tinted windows that nicely open up. All your equipment will be packed in the vehicle so there is no need to worry that you may loss it to someone else’s property. Since this is your private Photo-Safari in Uganda and Rwanda the vehicle will solely be yours so you don’t have to worry about other people joining you in the vehicle. Using a bean bag / a window mount you can rest your camera on for clear as well as steady shots of whatever will be in front of you whether it is the beautiful scenery, a Lion or a giraffe.

Nature Walks: We organize private walks in several instances. In this instance a visit to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to see the impressive Mountain gorillas and volcanoes national park as well. Most times this safari with a private walk accompanied by a knowledgeable guide conversant with the area, the wildlife as well as can be able to highlight some other things you could have missed out. He will be very knowledgeable about the needs of any photographer and his only agenda will be to ensure that you acquire the finest Photo opportunities through this safari. He will basically be Sensitive to your preferences and will drive the vehicle following your instructions to enable you have great pictures.

There is no rush to go over the next bend or particular emphasis on only the emphasis on the “Big Five” game of Africa, however whichever animal or stunning scene you may want to photograph. In case you rather spend an hour or so at a particular spot, it will happen. In order to get the finest shots of any animal you see, one of the fundamental requirements is patience. Dissimilar to the usual safaris this is not based on how many wild animals you see on a single game drive but rather getting the best photo shoots particular for animals like antelopes and lions. You have utmost Independence: in case you don’t complete everything in a day, adjustments can be made if needed to ensure that all your preferences are met. Frequently this is not needed, but because we aim at making sure that you acquire the photographic shoots you want, adjustments are possible.

Comparing Gorilla Safaris in Volcanoes & Bwindi Forest National Park

Uganda and Rwanda are gifted with counts of the critically endangered mountain gorillas in their respective parks of Bwindi Impenetrable and Volcanoes National Park presenting an ideal ground for gorilla trekking safaris and tours in Uganda and Rwanda. Undertaking gorilla safaris in Bwindi and Volcanoes is a life time adventure that will stick with you for years of your life. Encountering the maiden Apes thriving in the lush of their habitats after traversing hilly forested landscapes is a wonder that cannot be listed as ordinary. Comparing the gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda and Rwanda covers a range of aspects.

One of the aspects is the price of a gorilla trekking permit. Uganda offers a gorilla permit at $600 while Rwanda offers a gorilla permit at $750 thus creating a gap of $150. Additionally to note is that Uganda also offers discounted gorilla permits during the low season months of April, May and November to $350 something that is not in Rwanda.

The second aspect is transportation and travel distance. It can be noted that Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is at a good distance from Kampala about 527km. These journeys take not less than 10 hours whereas the Volcanoes National Park in the destination Rwanda is 116km from Kigali a journey that cannot exceed 3 hours holding other factors constant.

Uganda presents a scenic country side and a range of features that offer impressive en route stops that make the long day transfer rewarding contributing to the memories of gorilla safari in Uganda. Ranging from the Equator site at Kayabwe where the world’s main latitude crosses the country to the traditional range lands of Ankole where Lake Mburo National Park is located with myriad wildlife like Rothschild Giraffes, the Topis, the Cape Buffaloes, the Impala, the Burchell’s Zebra, the warthogs, the Deffasa Water bucks, the leopards, the Bush buck along with aquatics in Lake Mburo like the Nile Crocodiles the second largest in all the world’s reptiles and the gigantic Hippos not forgetting the close to water birds like African fin foot and the African Fish eagle, Uganda is a myriad of wonders. There is also Igongo Cultural Center that features a cultural museum with collections of all the tribes of south western Uganda, a traditional restaurant, cultural village and lush gardens, the Mbarara town which is the largest in the sub region and eventually the magical Kigezi Highlands after which you arrive in Bwindi. It is a whole day of transfer but a day tour of itself. In Rwanda, one can be mesmerized by the hills and the settlement which are short-lived as he / she soon arrives in Volcanoes.

Regarding the roads, Uganda features smooth tarmac to the nearby towns that are close to the park and the travelers would drive through challenging sections on their last connecting roads to the park negotiating through rolling hills which is an experience of its own but Rwanda offers a smooth transfer throughout making accessibility easier for those on gorilla safaris in Rwanda.

The third aspect is the gorilla trekking experience itself. Uganda features a mountainous terrain in the gorilla habitats that is Bwindi. In Bwindi, the forest is thick with dense undergrowth, tall trees with canopy and is perched on rugged terrain which at times makes it challenging and ideal for the adventurous travelers. The gorillas can be seen in this destination but at times, the duration tends to be extended as the trekkers hike the slopes up and down in search of the mighty apes enjoying the bird sounds and sights since Bwindi is Africa’s number one birding site and enjoying lush flora which gives more value for money compared to Volcanoes Rwanda where at times the trekkers have been able to come to sight with gorillas in 30 minutes of their trek.

Where to Go on Your Uganda Gorilla Trek & Wildlife Safari

I and my wife in January 2017, we booked gorilla and wildlife camping safari in Uganda and we had 19 Day Uganda Tour and Safari visiting the gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable national park and wildlife in Queen Elizabeth National Park among other parks. We did our gorilla trekking tour at the Rushaga side, and we were allocated to the Nshongi gorilla family and it took us like 4 hours walking in the mountain terrains looking for the mountain gorillas in their territory. When we met the mountain gorillas it was 1 hour we stayed with them taking the photographs and videos and later we moved back to the park headquarters for our gorilla trekking certificate!

Then the following day we had our stay at the Lake Mutanda enjoying the environs of the Lake and after we returned to our camping place, Bwindi Jungle Lodge, for our lunch and then in the evening we had to retire at the camp! Then the following we took second the gorilla tour visiting the second gorilla family and we visited the Nkuringo gorilla family and the experience was as amazing as the first experience, though this trek took us more time in the forest searching for the primate in their territory.

Thereafter, being filled with this experience 2 times, we embarked our safari vehicle and transferred to Queen Elizabeth National Park via the Ishasha southern sector where we spotted a big number of African tree climbing lions and from this point we camped at the River Ishasha Camp, and at this point fire is set. Then in the morning we took a dawn game drive and more wildlife species were spotted.

Later, we transferred to the Mweya peninsula and we stayed at the Bush Lodge where we camped for the nights we spent in this park, and the following day we took early morning game drive searching for the wildlife like lions, elephants, buffaloes, water and bush bucks, and warthogs among others. After the 3-4 hours’ drive, moved to the Kazinga Channel for the boat cruise along the channel and over this cruise variety of wildlife and bird species can be spotted and more too like the elephants can be spotted after the boat ride to your way back to the lodge.

From this park you will have an amazing nature walk in the Maramagambo Forest and the Kyambura gorge and you will have chances of spotting more eco-tourism products like the primates, birds, butterflies, plants and other insects. And after you can spend the evening visiting the crater lakes and take the scenic photographs as the sun is setting off! Plus also visiting the Katwe salting point and here you can watch the flamingos in big number as the sun is setting off! Therefore I highly recommend camping safaris in Uganda with such reliable tours and travel company.

Buhoma Community Walk in Bwindi

Over 90% of the people who visit Uganda go to Bwindi Impenatrable national park for gorilla safaris. Although gorillas are the leading tourist attraction in Bwindi and Uganda at large, there are other things to do such as Batwa trail, community walks, Natural walks and other primates watch such as chimpanzees, golden monkeys, vervat monkeys to others. In this article is mainly talking about the Buhoma community walk. What you need to know?

How long does the walk take?

For the first time visitors, this walk will take you three hours. It is a village walk that unveils tourists to the local community living near the impenetrable forest. The local community can present to you there culture and dance. They will also avail you with their traditional cooking and brewing as well as their herbal medicines. When you’re in Buhoma village it will give you a chance to observe the people who are just adjacent to the Bwindi Impenetrable forest as it is also the best way to direct and support these local communities around the park.

Where does the walk start?

This interesting walk starts at Buhoma Community rest camp. You will be required to be in the company of your guide which is very rewarding. During this walk, you will be astonished at how the resourceful local residents do observe and learn their life style. On your first stop, you will see a group of women making handicrafts and the others weaving the baskets at the community crafts center. You can also buy a or your self

Which attractions will be seen during this nature walk?

Along the nature walk in Buhoma, you will come across a waterfall. This waterfall is located along the farmland. You will see very hardworking women in the nurture of their crops with the basic equipment used for digging which is a hoe and their leaves which are carefully picked by the skillful pickers. There is also tea plantation which has been cultivated and definitely you can carry some back home to enjoy in your country with your friends and families and you will have a reason to remember your experience within and around the Bwindi Impenetrable National park

Which stop overs will you come across during this nature walk?

During this walk, you will come across River Muyaga and while here, you will observe women locally washing their clothes in the customary way and here, they do use their hands to wash. In this village, there are no washing machines which are used to wash. A long the adjacent rocks in this area, you will enjoy a breathtaking sight of several multi-colored butterflies. You will also stop in the center of the Banana plantation with a traditional brewing demonstration that uses bananas.

What else will you come across during this nature walk?

Within this area, you will come across a traditional healer. This healer is not a witch doctor though he keenly knows the resources in the forest uses the forest in the forest. As a tourist, you will certainly be stunned by great knowledge and informative exhibition. The walk will also lead you community Mukono Primary School where you will meet the students with their teachers. In this school, students study without any computer. There is also no electricity and lights though there are marvelous thing in the amazing spirit of the children.

Visiting the batwa people during this nature walk.

Very interesting during this nature walk as you will visit the Batwa people also known as the pygmies. These originally people where originally inhabitants of the forest though they lost their home when Bwindi Forest National park was established. You will be entertained with this tribe which will present you a traditional dance. This dance will take you three hours of a very rewarding and informative pleasurable walk which offers you an opportunity to directly support the batwa people.

Gorilla Habituation Experience in Uganda

Mountain gorilla habituation experience is a newly tourism activity in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and also the only gorilla destination offering this unique activity, gorilla habituation allows visitors to take part in the gorilla habituation or training experience. Mountain gorilla habituation experience takes place in the Rushaga area of Bwindi impenetrable forest with four participants being allowed per group the cost for permit is 1,500 USD per person.

There are two gorilla groups being habituated in the Rushaga area by researchers at the present time namely;

Bushaho gorilla family

Bushaho is one of the two gorilla families undergoing the habituation experience in Rushaga area. The family is led by a dominant silver back Bahati and is situated in the Nkuringo sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. Bushaho family separated from Nkuringo family and is now composed of 8 members. These include I silver back Bahati, 3 adult females, 1 black back, I infant and I sub adult. The family is named after the site (Bushaho) at which the family was first sited and is still under the habituation experience.

Bikingi gorilla family

This is another gorilla family under habituation experience in Rushaga area. It is located in Rushaga sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park comprising of 22 with a newborn baby on 10th/9/2016 members led by a dominant silver back. The members include 9 infants, 9 adult females, 1 silver back, and two sub adults. The family was named after Bikingi area where it was first sited before its habituation process was started. Bikingi is the dominant silver back that leads the family.

The two families are not yet open to formal gorilla safaris but still undergoing habituation, travelers interested in interacting with these families must pay 1500 USD for four hours to gain this memorable experience. Please book your permit in time to avid disappointments because the number of gorilla habituation permits are limited to 4 permits per day for a family of gorillas being habituated in the Rushaga area Bwindi Forest, it is the only Country where one can find the Gorilla Habituation Experience in the whole world which is Uganda.

You will have to wake up very early at about 6:00am to start your trek in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. You will be guided by researchers who have been trained to habituate mountain gorillas. Once you find the gorillas under habituation, researchers will start conducting their day today activity as they explain to you all the details. This may involve learning about gorilla behaviors, naming of gorillas as well as photography.

It’s now very easy Fly into Rwanda and track Gorillas in Uganda’s Bwindi Forest. Because if you fly to Entebbe International Airport it will take you 8-9hours drive to get to Rushaga area in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park but there is a lot to along the way as you drive to Bwindi, for those who don’t want that long drive you can also fly from Entebbe airport to Kisoro town which is one hour drive to Rushaga, the flight to Kisoro town takes 1hour from Entebbe Airport this gives you chance to choose area to do your gorilla tracking and habituation experience.

You can include gorilla habituation into any safari that includes Bwindi impenetrable forest for your safari with us.