This is an active adventure holiday that involves Gorilla trekking, Mountain Hiking, Golden monkey trekking, great lakes Canoe ride and rainforest cultural experience in Uganda’s Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
This one of its kind adventures starts and ends in Kigali-Rwanda where you will also visit Genocide memorial Center as you pay tribute to life lost during the 1994 genocide.
Day 1 – Kigali Arrival and Kigali City Tour:
Arrive in Kigali where you are met by your driver guide and transfer you to a hotel of your choice in Kigali, if time allows you will have a short Kigali city tour.
Arrival tip include; You must have an East African Tourism Visa which you can be applied for online in advance from the first East African you are visiting. Cost 100 USD. You must have a Yellow Fever Immunization Certificate.
Dinner and overnight can be chosen depending on your demand and preferences. Meal Plan: Bed and Breakfast
Day 2 – Transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla Park:
This is a 3-hour surface drive; however, you lose one hour as you enter Uganda since you have to change your watch from Central African Time to East African Time. Arrive at the lodge of your choice – all lodges below have rooms, cottages, bandas with bath.
In the evening, visit to the Batwa Pygmies who have lived in this area for over 1000 years leaving a low ecological footprint, only taking what they needed to live on. They gather medicinal herbs, roots, berries, and fruit, hunted to survive and lived in small shelters.
You will learn of their ancient ways as they lead you into the forest and show you as to how they once lived before they were evicted from the forests in 1991
Or We will arrange with a Uganda Wildlife Authority Ranger for the Sabyinyo Gorge Trail and a version that fits into the afternoon. This is a six-kilometer hike along a scenic mountain stream that meanders through dense vegetation with African-Montane vegetation mixed in as you head through the gorge.
At the end of the trail on a clear day, you have a beautiful of the ragged peaks of Mount Sabyinyo above you which is quite a sight. This 4-hour trail is moderate in difficulty, you might encounter Golden Monkeys, Duikers, and other Mammals. It is also a favorite with birders and many species are sighted along with the Rwenzori Turaco.
Dinner and Lodging: Travellers Rest Hotel – Budget – Mutanda Lake Resort – moderate – Chameleon Hill Lodge or Mount Gahinga Lodge – upmarket. Meal Plan: Breakfast Lunch -Dinner
Day 3 – Gorilla Trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National park part of the Virungas
There are three Mt, Gorillas family groups in Mgahinga Gorilla Park but only one group; The Nyakagezi Gorilla Family Group is habituated and can be tracked by visitors in the park.
What you will need – a waterproof daypack, 2 liters of water, packed lunch, snacks. What to wear – waterproof hiking boots, light rain jacket, long trousers, long-sleeved shirt, hat. Most of those things are for your protection from brush, nettles, thorns, mosquitoes.
The trek may take you between 1 to 5 hours in length and you have one hour with the Gorilla Family. The trek means some uphill hiking which you might welcome and great views through different vegetation zones.
Dinner and Overnight at Travellers Rest Hotel – Budget – Mutanda Lake Resort – moderate – Chameleon Hill Lodge or Mount Gahinga Lodge– upmarket, Meal Plan: Breakfast Lunch -Dinner
Day- 4 – Golden Monkey Tracking:
Today after your early breakfast, dress like you dressed for gorilla trek and report to the park headquarters for briefing about golden monkey trek in the forest. Golden monkeys are also among the endangered species and can only be found in the virungas. You will enjoy watching their naughty behavior in tree
In the afternoon we will drive to lake Mutanda for your sunset Canoe ride. Lake Mutanda is a bilharzia free waters as you ride to different highlands around the lake and beautiful views of three volcano corn. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Dinner and Overnight at Travelers’ Rest Hotel – Budget – Mutanda Lake Resort – moderate – Chameleon Hill Lodge or Mount Gahinga Lodge – upmarket, Meal Plan: Breakfast Lunch -Dinner
Day 5 – Volcano Climb
Breakfast and you will need to have a packed lunch, a day pack, snacks, two liters of bottled water.
Here the three volcanoes you can climb in Mgahinga Gorilla Park on a day-climb:
Mount-Gahinga (3,474 meters)
Gahinga means a pile of stones and you will find piles of stones in the gardens and farms below Mount Gahinga that the people clear from their fields and put into piles at the edge of their fields.
Mount Gahinga is not a little stone but being a neighbor to Mount Muhavura it is a little brother.
To climb Mount Gahinga takes about 6 hours round trip and that is the beautiful thing about all the volcanoes located in Mgahinga Gorilla Park. – they are one-day climb-hikes
Mount-Muhavura (4,127 meters)
Mount Muhavura also called Mount Muhabura which means the guide because it is seen from far and wide and stands like a beacon, a point reference for, simply the Guide.
This cone-shaped Volcano rising above the other two in Uganda gives those who take the 8 hour climb – hike up and back some of the best views around – taking in the Virunga Volcanoes, Lake Edward and Lake George in Queen Elizabeth Park, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, the Rwenzori Mountains – simply amazing views for the tallest of the Mufumbiro Mountains, the Virunga Volcanoes.
Mount-Sabinyo (3,669 meters)
Mount Sabinyo also called “Old Man’s Teeth” since like an old man might lose teeth, so the top of Mount Sabinyo’s top has become jagged, eroded by time and elements. There are three challenging peaks – the views are well worth it – simply amazing.
You need to be in reasonable shape, there is some ladder climbing as you venture up and are able to step into the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and back into Uganda all without your passport being stamped.
Dinner and Overnight at Travelers’ Rest Hotel – Budget – Mutanda Lake Resort – moderate – Chameleon Hill Lodge or Mount Gahinga Lodge – upmarket, Meal Plan: Breakfast Lunch -Dinner
Day 6 – Return to Kigali for Flight Home:
Breakfast and we drive to Kigali as windup the 6-Day Mgahinga Gorilla Park Trekking – Hiking – Climbing Safari however, the memories will long remain with you.
Lunch – be sure to eat the National Dish – Meat Brochettes
Afternoon Visit to the Genocide Memorial if you missed out on the first day
Depending on flight time – depart for airport 3 hours prior to your departure.
Meal Plan: Breakfast Lunch
Included in Safari Package:
Lodging and Food, 4 Wheel Drive Safari Vehicle, Fuel, English Speaking Driver, Bottled Drinking Water on all Drives, Park Entrance fees and cultural site entrance fees, Permits as applicable, Guide for Tracking and Game Drives.
Not included in Safari price:
Air Travel, Visa Costs, Laundry, Tips, Drinks, except those included in lodging meal price.
Hiking Tips and Advice:
Hiking and Nature Walk in Mgahinga Gorilla Park takes some preparation, wearing the right clothing, boots, shoes more.
Preparing for a hike or nature walk will make it a lot more rewarding for you. We can also help you if you have any questions and we would also love to assist you in creating an itinerary that not only includes gorilla tracking but other activities such as outlined above and a hike in or through the forest just might be right for you.
Hiking in Uganda is simply different from what you may be used to – many hikes are in various rainforest – the altitude is higher and, in many cases, it will not be hot due to the elevation.