Welcome to Uganda!
Arrive at Entebbe airport on your international flight. After completing the immigration and airport procedures, meet your private safari Guide at the terminal and drive to your hotel for an overnight stay.
In the afternoon engage in the Batwa experience organised by the Lodge, during which we meet Pygmies to discover a bit about their culture, how they used to live and how their lives have changed in present day.
Early this morning, we will be transferred to the park headquarters for our start of Gorilla tracking adventure.
The 331 square kilometre (128 square mile) Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and comprises both montane and lowland forest.
The forest is one of the richest ecosystems in Africa, with some 120 species of mammals, 348 species of birds, 220 species of butterflies and over 27 species of reptiles and amphibians. There are 1 000 flowering plant species, including 163 species of trees and 104 species of ferns.
Along with the numerous primate species and endangered Chimpanzees, the most notable inhabitants of the park have to be the critically endangered mountain Gorillas, which live in family groups of between 8 and 25 individuals.
Only 880 of these gentle giants remain in the wild today, and a number of these families have been habituated over a period of years to tolerate limited human presence for a brief period each day. Only eight visitors per day are allowed to track a Gorilla family.
In this southern part of Bwindi we find the Nkuringo, Nshongi, Mishaya, Kahungye and Bweza families.
Tracking can be strenuous because of the steep slopes and the high altitude. Initially, we will walk along established paths, our Ranger coordinating with the advance trackers by radio to guide us in to the Gorillas’ last known location. As we get to where the Gorillas are, we will leave the paths and begin hacking our way through the slippery underbrush. Our Porters will stay back because only our privileged party of 8 and our Ranger may approach the Gorillas to spend our magical hour with them. This hour always passes too quickly before it’s time to reluctantly make our way back to our waiting vehicles.
This afternoon, we will relax at the lodge.
Today, we will have a leisurely breakfast at the Lodge and later transfer to the northern part of Rwanda and Volcanoes National Park where we will check in at the Wilderness Sabyinyo Lodge.
We will be transferred this morning to the park headquarters for our second gorilla tracking activity to one of the 10 Gorilla families that have been habituated to the presence of humans.
Optional activity this afternoon includes a cultural tour of the Iby'Iwacyu at an extra cost.
Located at the edge of Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, Iby’Iwacu cultural village grants visitors the opportunity to meet with the local people in their local environment and have a taste of their culture.
The tour focuses on a variety of the local community activities and practices that you can watch and engage in during your visit.
Today morning, we will drive back to Kigali and transfer to the Airport for your flight back home.
If time permits while in Kigali you can have a brief city tour and also visit the Genocide Memorial.
