The 3 days gorilla tracking Bwindi offers an opportunity see the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. In Bwindi impenetrable national park, a UNESCO world heritage, there are 459 gorillas of the 1,063 individuals, which is almost half of the world’s mountain gorillas. At least 23 gorilla families have been habituated, making for one of the best gorilla trekking destination. In addition to gorillas, the other activity to do is a village walk to visit the Batwa pygmy’s community. We add this activity to support local businesses because we know that the more money locals make from tourism, the more likely it is that they will wish to protect the endangered mountain gorillas and their habitat. This makes for a sustainable wildlife encounters.
The name Bwindi means dark and it’s undoubtedly an impenetrable Afromontane tropical forest spreading 33 sq.km at the edge of the Albertine rift valley. Having survived the last ice age, Bwindi is an ancient forest with rich biodiversity including 160 tree species of which 10 are not fund elsewhere in Uganda, 120 mammal species including forest elephants, and over 350 bird species of which 24 are Albertine Rift Endemics.
Highlights for 3 days gorilla tracking Bwindi
- Gorilla trekking
- Village walk with visit to Batwa pygmies
Detailed 3 days gorilla tracking Bwindi itinerary
Day 1: Kampala to Bwindi
After breakfast in the early morning, your guide will pick you up at the hotel in Entebbe town or Kampala city and take you to Bwindi. The journey is 512 km and takes about 9 hour drive through the countryside. Along the way, make stopovers at Equator monument in Kayabwe and at Igongo restaurant for lunch en route in Mbarara city. From there, the road winds through the picturesque Kigezi highlands to one of the four sector of Bwindi depending on where your gorilla permit was booked. Arrive and check in at the lodge for dinner and overnight and make sure to prepare all the gears and items for tomorrow’s gorilla trek.
Day 2: Gorilla trekking and Batwa community walk
At 7:30 am, make your way from the lodge to the park visitor center, where you will meet the park rangers and head guide. They will give you an overview of the gorilla trekking rules and regulations. You will be put into a group with other 8 tourists, and go on the hike into the jungle to find the gorillas. The trek may take 1 to 5 hours depending on the movement and location of the gorillas. It can also be challenging due to the nature of terrain. You like to hire a porter to carry your backpacks and give you a hand. Once they’re found, spend 1 hour observing the gorilla family members including the silverback, infants, adult females, and the playful juveniles.
Thereafter, return to the center and settle for lunch at the lodge. In the afternoon, take a walk through the local community and visit the Batwa homestead outside the park. The Batwa pygmies were originally hunter gatherers who lived in the forest for 50,000 years, however. They were evicted in 1991 when Bwindi-Mgahinga Conservation Area was gazetted to conserve gorillas. Rather than hunting animals and destroying the gorilla habitat, the Batwa people are able to demonstrate their traditional forest survival skills and earn a living.
If you’re Buhoma sector, you can also stop by the Ride 4 Woman offices to peruse the handcrafted goods created in the area before heading back to the lodge for the dinner and the overnight.
Day 3: Departure
Leave Bwindi in the morning after breakfast and return to Kampala or Entebbe airport in time for your departure flight. Alternatively, you may choose to depart through Kigali and it will be simpler to drive to Kigali city from Bwindi. End of 3 days gorilla trekking Bwindi tour.