5 Days Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Uganda

On arrival in Entebbe you will be met by your Guide/Driver and be transferred to your Hotel. After checking into your room, grab your binoculars because your guide will take you to the nearby Entebbe Botanical Gardens – a lakeside paradise of blooms, lush vegetation, gnarled old trees native to Uganda and troops of stunning pied colobus monkeys.
Dinner and Overnight at your Hotel

After breakfast you will drive to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest headquarters where you will meet with the park rangers, local gorilla-trekking guides and trackers who will lead you into Bwindi’s Mountains for your first trek with gorillas. Before departing, you will be given an informative talk on gorilla
trekking etiquette, and assigned to your gorilla family group.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a World Heritage Site. Considered the most diverse forest in Uganda, Bwindi is one of the richest ecosystems in East Africa and home to over 120 mammals, 345 species of birds, 200 species of butterflies and 160 species of trees. The park contains an estimated one half of
the world’s population of the endangered mountain gorilla, making it an extremely valuable conservation site.

The trekking can take between 1–6 hours and you could climb to altitudes above 7,500 feet / 2,300 metres. The terrain in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park can at times be muddy and slippery, but your experienced trackers, rangers and porters will ensure that the group progresses at a pace that is comfortable for everyone, with frequent stops and opportunities to experience the views and take photographs.
Although the gorilla-trekking experience can be physically demanding, the beauty of the forest and surrounding scenery always makes trekking a worthwhile experience. Once the gorillas are located all fatigue is forgotten – replaced by the joy and amazement of watching the gorillas go about their
daily routine. A debriefed about the following day’s trek. Return your Lodge for dinner.

Dinner and overnight in the Lodge

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has six main hiking trails that fan out from Buhoma Lodge. Nature walks offer a rewarding adventure that allow you to explore and discover Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. You will set off from your lodge with an armed park ranger to protect you and guide you through the
wealth of biodiversity that you will find every step of the way. Expect to get up close and personal with a wealth of birds, primates, orchids, majestic trees, epiphytic plants, shy ungulates, brightly coloured butterflies and enchantingwaterfalls. A choice of falls has been selected and there are various options
available to suit a wide range of fitness levels.

After lunch you will be taken to visit one of the coffee-growing farms that are supported by Gorilla Conservation Coffee, a social enterprise that buys coffee from farmers who live adjacent to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest – paying a premium price and giving a donation to sustain the critical health and
conservation work of Conservation Through Public Health.
Gorilla Conservation Coffee trains coffee farmers to improve their coffee quality and increase production yield, helping farmers protect the forests and thus conserve Uganda’s mountain gorillas. The coffee blend is named after Kanyonyi, the legendary silverback gorilla from the Mubare family.

Dinner and Overnight at Lodge

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest has been home to the indigenous Batwa people. you’ll set out to meet and learn about the Batwa people, their lifestyle, history, traditions and ancestral knowledge of Bwindi. The original dwellers of this ancient jungle, the Batwa are known as “the Keepers of the Forest.”
The Batwa lived in huts constructed of leaves and branches, moving frequently in search of fresh supplies of food hunting small game. The Batwa lived in harmony with the forest and its creatures, throughout Africa’s equatorial forests for 60,000 years or more.

In 1992, the lives of the Batwa changed forever. When Bwindi Impenetrable Forest became a national park and World Heritage Site to protect the 350 endangered mountain gorillas within its boundaries, the Batwa were evicted from the park. They had no title to land, nor compensation. The Batwa thus
became conservation refugees in an unfamiliar, unforested world. Many Batwa died during the early years of exile, and the tribe’s very existence was severely threatened.
In 2001, medical missionaries purchased land and established programs to improve conditions for the tribe. With the community, they set about building homes, schools, a hospital and clinics, and developing various projects around water and sanitation and income generation, in turn promoting indigenousrights. These activities are now being assumed by the Batwa and other localstaff through the Batwa Development Program.

After spending time with the Batwa, you will return to the lodge for lunch and an afternoon at your leisure. For those feeling energetic, head out on a mountain biking trail on Bwindi’s trails and tracks. Talk to us to arrange this activity.

Dinner and Overnight in the Lodge

After a lazy morning wake-up routine, you will enjoy breakfast and drive to Entebbe.