3 Days Gorilla Trekking and Lake Bunyonyi Tour

Day 1: Pickup and Transfer to Bwindi National park

Day 2:  Gorilla trekking – Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

Day 3:  Canoeing, Island hoping and nature walks – Transfer back to Kampala or Entebbe

Day 1: Pickup from Kampala or Entebbe – Transfer to Bwindi

The Guide/Driver will show up at a pick point in Kampala or Entebbe at 7:00 am. After briefing you about the tour, he/she will start the journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. There will be stopovers along the way including at the equator crossing for photography. Lunch will be in Mbarara preferably at the Igongo Cultural Centre. The journey will be long but if you love nature and observing new places, you will be deeply impressed by the landscape. The Western part of Uganda has incredible scenery, national parks, mountains and remnants of volcanic activity. Expect to drive past beautiful lakes, rivers and the local people tending to their gardens. Look out for the Long-horned Ankole cattle and request to stop at some of the markets along the way to taste some of the fresh local fruits. Remain awake while passing past the beautiful hills of Kabale and Kisoro.

Dinner and Overnight at Rushaga Gorilla Camp (Budget and Mid-range) and Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge (Luxury).

Day 2:  Gorilla trekking at Bwindi – Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for evening relaxation

Wake up early and take your breakfast as you wait for the Guide to take you to the park headquarters for the mandatory briefing at 7:30am. The briefing covers everything you need to know about the park, the wildlife and of course the mountain gorillas. You will be assigned a gorilla family based on your overall fitness. After the briefing, you will head out to different points depending on the gorilla family you are allocated. If you have heavy equipment, you can hire the services of a porter for about $15. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi forest can take between 30 minutes to 5 hours depending on the gorilla group you are assigned. During the trek, you will encounter rich tropical forest with amazing biodiversity Watch out for the bird, smaller primates and plant life.

You are only allowed one hour with the gorillas. Take the time to observe and study their behavior. Ensure that you follow the gorilla trekking rules including keeping a distance of 7 meters from the nearest primate. Do not be attempted to touch a gorilla – especially a baby gorilla to avoid alerting the massive Silverback. Remain calm at all times. After your time with the primates has elapsed, you will be led back to the starting point and offered a certificate of participation. The driver will take you back to your lodge for relaxation, lunch and checkout. After packing all your belongings, you will be transferred to Lake Bunyonyi for evening relaxation.

Dinner and Overnight at Bunyonyi Overland Camp (Budget), Arcadia Cottages (Mid-range) and
Bunyonyi Birdnest Lodge (Luxury).

Day 3:  Nature Walks, Swimming, Canoeing and Island Hopping at lake Bunyonyi – Drive back to Kampala.

If you were unfortunate to arrive late in the evening, you will wake up to amazing scenery, beautiful sunrise, birds and breathtaking views of the lake. Ask for your breakfast to be served outside so that you can enjoy the lake views. Lake Bunyonyi is one of the top tourist destinations in Uganda simply because of the scenery alone. There are countless activities you can choose to do including, birding, nature walks, cave exploration, mountain biking, visiting the local communities, visiting the nearby forests and primates viewing.

The most popular activities are canoeing, visiting the various islands and simple relaxation on the lake shores. If you choose to go for canoeing and island hopping, don’t forget to visit the punishment island. About 80 years ago, girls who got pregnant before marriage where abandoned there to die. Most where quietly rescued eventually by their boyfriends or bachelors who could not afford bride price. Once you are done with the activities, you will be led back to the lodge for checkout before starting the journey back to Kampala.

The tour package and price includes;

1. Gorilla permits
2. All activities in Lake Bunyonyi
3. A Standard Tour Van with an experienced Guide/Driver
4. Airport transfers
5. 2 Days accommodation with meals
6. All meals during the safari and bottled drinking water
7. Park entrance fees

The tour Excludes;

1. Air tickets and visas
2. Alcoholic drinks and Cigars
3. Tips to the driver, hotel staff, park Rangers and Porters
4. Any expenses that are clearly personal in nature
5. Accommodation before and after the trip

Bunyonyi Overland Resort: Built on the shores of Lake Bunyonyi, this budget resort is an excellent choice for travelers who to explore the beautiful lake and its highlands. The rooms come in form of cottages and permanent safari tents. The hotel also offers mobile tents for backpackers. If you have your own tent, you can camp at a designated site but at a small fee. How are the rooms? All rooms have breathtaking views of the lake and islands. They are built with local material and engineers within the country. Each room is self-contained with a bathroom, shower, working table, chair, a Television set and free Wi-Fi. The resort also has a restaurant, credit card facilities and parking space. The cottages each have a fireplace. Bunyonyi Overland Resort trains and employs people around the lake in hospitality management and as Guides to take tourists around the area.

Birdnest Resort Lake Bunyonyi: Birdnest is a luxury Resort built on the shores of lake Bunyonyi in 2009. It stands out because of the quality of services, beautiful setting and great views of Lake Bunyonyi. All rooms are self-contained with amazing views and cool breezes coming from the Lake. Expect comfortable furniture, a television set and free Wi-Fi in your room. The Resort now has a separate extension on one of the islands where guests can go for camping, community and nature walks. The resort has a bar with wines and spirits from around the world. Each Guest is given maximum attention to ensure that they leave with a great impression of the place. Other amenities at Birdnest Resort Lake Bunyonyi include a large swimming pool for those who cannot swim in the deep Lake.

Rushaga Gorilla Camp: Rushaga Gorilla Camp offers both budget and mid-range facilities in Bwindi Impenetrable forest. The camp has 20 permanent tents, 6 cabins and 2 family cottages. All are self-contained and built with local timber, stones and with cool views of the forest. each room has satellite TV and free W-Fi. The higher end rooms have an indoor fireplace. Other amenities include credit card facilities, laundry service, room service, a restaurant and a bar. The lodge is located in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi and close to the starting point for gorilla trekking.