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This trip takes you south west of Uganda to Mgahinga Gorilla National park in between Volcanoes National park and Virunga National park, the perfect spot for hiking as you trek the mountain gorillas, golden monkeys and mountain climbing.
Enjoy the beautiful sightings of the Virunga ranges namely Mount Gahinga, Mount Muhavura and Mount Gahinga.
Meet your driver at the airport and transfer to Boma Guest House for an overnight. Boma Guest House is a private guesthouse on the outskirts of Entebbe town with only 11 rooms that are designed to provide an exclusive stay surrounded by the green trees that provide shade on the room balconies creating a lovely spot to enjoy the free Wi-Fi on your laptop as you sip on your refreshments. The rooms are all ensuite with running hot and cold water for 24hrs with large beds covered with mosquito nets for your health safety, a mini sitting room is set up in the room to enjoy a meal indoors if you choose to. You can also choose to grab some fresh air from the bar and restaurant with the perfect views of the Lake Victoria.
Your driver will meet you early in the morning to transfer you to the airport for your scheduled flight to Kisoro Airstrip. Upon arrival at the Kisoro Airstrip, meet your safari guide and drive for approximately 2 hours to Mgahinga National Park. Mgahinga National Park is Uganda’s smallest primate national park and the other location apart from Bwindi National Park where you can trek mountain gorillas in Uganda.
The park has only 1 gorilla family to trek called Nyakagezi family consisting of silver backs that are so rare to find, only a maximum of 8 people are allowed to trek per day. The park being located on one of the might volcanoes, it is more of a hike and a bit strenuous before you get to the gorillas.
Just like other trekkings, you will first be briefed from Uganda Wildlife Authority headquarters by a ranger guide before proceeding to the forest. Gorillas are wild so there location is not predictable which makes the trek range from 1 hour to 8 hours as sometimes you see them early and sometime you have to dive deep in the forest in search for the primate.
Upon arrival at Mount Gahinga Lodge, check in and relax. Mount Gahinga Lodge is one of the most luxury lodges for guests interested in an exclusive splendor during their visit at Mount Gahinga national park. The lodge that has been in existence since 2002 has gone through different renovations to provide the perfect grandeur for its guests. Each room is ensuite with a luxury shower, fireplace and an exclusive lobby. The lodge also has a private footpath for the direct start of the gorilla trek and after your trek, enjoy the complimentary massage from the lodge.
Your guide will pick you up in the afternoon for the Batwa cultural experience. Enjoy an amazing experience with the local Batwa community around Mgahinga. The Batwa were among the first indigenous of Mgahinga but ended up on the outskirts of Bwindi Forest because they were evicted from the forest. It is a 3 – 4 hour hike to the Batwa Village from the park gate.
Once at the Batwa Village, You will meet with the Batwa elders and their families to learn and experience their daily lives. You don’t have worry about the language barrier, there is always an interpreter available on site to help you relive the unique traditional lives and practices of Batwa.
The Batwa people are extremely attached to bush life and the forest and this is portrayed in their way of living, the food they eat, the way they hunt, their kind of entertainment, the style of their homes and their burial ground among others.
Visitors are even given the chance to learn how to light a fire with just a stick and how to shoot a target with traditional weapons.
Batwa people completely rely on the forest for survival, they get their food from the forest like honey and wild insects that they use as food and for so long they have managed to co-exist with the animals.
Dinner and overnight at Mount Gahinga Lodge.
After your breakfast, your guide will transfer you to Uganda wildlife Authority (UWA) Park headquarters. While at UWA park headquarters, you will be requested to register in the UWA book before proceeding for a briefing by the ranger guide about the dos and don’ts during you’re trekking like no taking flash photos when photographing gorillas and after you will match out with your ranger on your day’s excursion.
Get ready to face the gentle giants of Africa, dream come true right! You will set off from the park headquarters through the demarcated trails in the dense forests with your ranger to search out for the gorillas, the gorillas are wild animals that move from one location to another looking for food which makes the trek sometimes go on for 9 hours, however this could be different because you might find the gorillas a few hours after the start of your trek. Although the gorillas are always on the move, the chance of seeing the gorillas is at 95%.
After you have located the family, you are allowed to spend an hour with them, take photos of them, observe them go on with their daily activities, a very life changing moment and feeling that so many have expressed as exhilarating, enthralling and indeed humbling.
Although the trek mainly focuses on the gorillas trek, you will sight other primates like Golden monkeys, birds and rare tree species.
After the time with the gorillas, return to the Park headquarters for your certificate of participation and your guide will also be waiting for you to return to the lodge.
Tips for trekking
Golden monkeys are a very rare species in the world and are only found in Mgahinga national park therefore can only be trekked in Uganda and Rwanda that share the Mgahinga volcano.
The golden monkey trek is a 1 hour activity to differ from the gorillas, the golden monkeys tend to swing a lot from one tree to the other which makes it hard to get a perfect shot on camera though it doesn’t mean that is impossible.
Observe the monkeys as they feed, jump from one tree to the other, and play, nurse their babies among others.
After your one hour experience return to the headquarters for a certificate of participation.
Return to the lodge for a relaxation. Afternoon at leisure. Optional activities available.
End of service.
