Description
Gorilla fly in Safari, Scheduled group safaris Uganda, 4 Days ex Entebbe
Day one: Start the Uganda gorilla fly in safari with an arrival at the airport in Entebbe, then drive to the overnight accommodation. The guide meets at the arrivals with a placard with your names and will transfer to the Lake Victoria Hotel.
Optional Ngamba Island tour
If time allows, as an option, take a Lake Victoria Safari to Ngamba Island at an extra cost. You eventually take a speedboat to the Ngamba Island where you may be able to have a swim in Lake Victoria. Visit the equator or visit one of the Islands of the local fishing community. See the chimpanzees on Ngamba Island at supplementary food time.
They emerge out of the forests to have a fruit diet provided by the Ngamba support staff. View the 48 orphaned chimpanzees and photograph them from a raised wooden platform separated by an electric fence. Otherwise, have the evening enjoying this refurbished colonial Hotel set in private manicured gardens of royal palms and lush gardens. Spend time either at the health club/spa for facials or massages. Probably spend the evening at the swimming pool bar enjoying the evening live band over the weekends. Overnight at the standard air-conditioned executive room. Meal plan: Bed and breakfast basis.
Day two: Fly in from Entebbe to Kihiihi Airfield
Breakfast as early as possible and later, board the Hotel Transfer vehicle to the airport. Check in, together with other travelers for a one hour flight over the Lake Victoria and the beautiful Ssese Islands. Aero link operates daily scheduled flights using Cessna and Caravan twin engine aircraft. These depart Entebbe at 07:30 in the morning for a flight time of over an hour through Western Uganda.
Sights of the Rwenzori Mountains, Great Lakes of Albert, Edward and George as well as the Volcanoes in Rwanda standout on clear days. Your flight finally touches down at the airfield in Kihiihi where you will board the comfortable 4×4 safari vehicles. The drive from Kihiihi to the national park involves an hour of driving through the banana farmlands. The drive into the Mountains journeys past oxbow lakes, as well as the meandering river Munyaga.
Transfer from Kihiihi – Bwindi National Park.
The final section of the trip dissects through tea plantations of Kayonza and a border town of Butogota before arriving at your overnight accommodation at Bwindi. On arrival, guests receive a welcome with hot or cold towels and a welcome fresh fruit juice at the lodge. After assisted check-in and freshening up, lunch is served from the restaurant with fantastic views of the forest. Meals are based on fresh vegetables, meats and agricultural supplies sourced locally from the community. The afternoon may involve bird watching from the comfort of the balcony looking at forest birds, butterflies or listening to the raucous colobus monkeys. Guests are encouraged to have an evening stroll through the self-guided trails to acclimatize for the next day’s gorilla trek. A couple of comfortable resting benches are located along the trail, overlooking the river Munyaga.
In the evening, return to the camp to hot teas and coffees or spend time at the bar area, taking in the beauty of the surroundings. After some time at the bonfire, have a candlelit dinner then transfer to the rooms for overnight.
Day Three: Gorilla trek experience at Bwindi
06:00am
Wake up time to freshen up and prepare for the day’s gorilla trek. If a wakeup call is required, this would have to have been requested for the evening before. If laundry is required, this can be left in the rooms.
07:00am:
Transfer to the restaurant for breakfast which comprises of toast, eggs of choice, tea, coffee, fruit and a selection of meats. Thereafter, test your camera gear and transfer to the safari vehicle for a short drive to the park headquarters for registration.
Gorilla briefing and group allocation:
The Uganda wildlife Authority ranger guide, as well as other support staff goes through a list of gorilla trekking etiquette about the conduct while with the gorillas. Trekkers get to ask questions and those not feeling well on the day of the gorilla trek may opt out for a partial refund. A group of 8 visitors is then allocated a wildlife guide, trackers and those in need of porters can select one.
08:30 – 09:00am: Gorilla Hike commencement
Gorilla trekking commences either with a walk from the briefing point or departure to the closest access to the forest site by car. With a picnic lunch and bottled water, commence the day’s gorilla trekking with a group of other tourists. Along the Mountain side and through valleys, the trackers pick up the trail and follow the Gorilla family. To help save on time and to minimize long walking distances, the trackers coordinate the closest positions by two-way radio. After a couple of minutes of hours, begin the gorilla viewing.
Gorilla viewing:
The gorillas live in a family headed by the dominant Silver back, a couple of females, juveniles and sub adults. They mostly feed on the ground but occasionally climb trees to pick up their favorite berries. Mountain gorillas feed from the morning after exiting their overnight nests, spend some part of the day taking a nap and eventually make new nests before dusk. After an hour of viewing the Mountain gorillas elapses, head to a safe distance for a lunch break in the jungle. Later on, proceed to your waiting vehicle and travel to the park and receive the gorilla trekking certificates. In the evening, proceed to the overnight accommodations for dinner and overnight.
Day Three: Second gorilla trek
Morning breakfast and return to the Mountain gorilla park for an additional gorilla trek. Gorilla trekking is a strenuous experience and it is advisable to select a gorilla group based on how one feels. Begin the gorilla trekking and take pictures with natural light paying attention to avoid using flash photography. Curious baby gorillas may be tempted to get close but guests are advised to keep a distance in such occurrences. Gorilla watching will last an hour, and after another lunch serving in the wilderness, head back to camp. Optional evening tours after the gorilla trek include a walk in the nearby communities to see Batwa communities, water falls walk on River Munyaga. Alternatively, spend time at the orphanage to enjoy the kids sing to the visitors.
Day Four: Return flight to Entebbe.
Morning assistance with luggage and later, have breakfast. Later, the Lodge vehicle transfers from Buhoma to the nearby Kihiihi airfield. Check in for the morning aero link aircraft at 08:00am for the return flight to Entebbe. On arrival at around noon, connect to the outbound flight out of Uganda.
Should it be necessitate spending an extra night in Uganda, transfer to Entebbe for overnight based on bed and breakfast.
Price per person for the gorilla flying safari includes:
- Airport transfers to Hotel accommodations in Entebbe.
- Flights on Aerolink to Kihiihi, as well as return flights out of Bwindi.
- Three nights’ accommodation at Bwindi Gorilla Camp or Lodge.
- Park entrances fees for Bwindi Impenetrable National park
- Ranger guides and also gorilla trackers on the trek
- Gorilla permits priced separately
- Private 4×4 safari vehicle for transfers, as well as access to the park boundary.
- Meals and picnic lunches, as well as bottled water on the trek.
- Services of an English speaking guide in vehicle.
Gorilla trek packing list:
The following is a simple list to assist with planning for the gorilla trek either in Uganda’s Bwindi or Mgahinga National gorilla parks
- Warm clothing for the evenings at camp and early mornings during gorilla briefing. A long sleeved cotton shirt with worn over a vest and long pants. Apart from keeping one war, they are also very important in keeping away the thorns and stinging nettles.
- Heavy duty gloves are helpful during the occasional falls and holding onto rough vegetation on the gorilla hike. Gardening gloves will do just fine for the gorilla trekking climb.
- A sun hat or cap will not only keep the hiker warm, but will also protect from the harsh weather conditions on the gorilla trek. Most of the water loss through perspiration during the climb is through the head. This in a way controls and keeps the electrolyte balance on the walk.
- Good hiking shoes with good treads will make the gorilla hike easier. Heavy duty socks tacked into pants keeps away the crawling insects. These are useful in warding off safari ants or other crawling insects on the forest floor.
Other gorilla safari treks to consider:
