Fly in and out of Rwanda – Trek Gorillas in Uganda save a lot of Money
Value+ Plus Midrange 3-Day Gorilla Trekking Safari in Rushaga-Bwindi Impenetrable Forest with
This is a Mid-Range Value plus-Priced 3-Day Gorilla Trekking Safari in Uganda’s Southern area of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. You fly into Rwanda and Trek Gorillas in the Rushaga area of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
In 2019 CNN Travel picked Bwindi Impenetrable Forest as the Most Beautiful Place in the World and named it one of the Best Hiking Trails.
There are 10 Habituated Gorilla Groups in the Rushaga area and three in the nearby Nkuringo area of the Park, which is only a 4-hour drive from Kigali, depending on the border crossing.
You save 7 hours of drive time by flying in and out of Kigali for this Safari, and there is the added plus of keeping $800 on each gorilla permit when compared to Rwanda’s $1,500 Permit Price.
Most Gorilla Trekkers choose the Fly into Kigali and trekking in Uganda option, and Rushaga is the closest Gorilla Trekking Location to Rwanda in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
The quickest option is to make this a fly-in Gorilla Safari from Entebbe International Airport. It is a short 90-minute flight that will give you more time in the park.
What is a Value+ Midrange Safari?
Our Value+ Safaris are private, full-service Safari using quality, midrange lodges with ensuite rooms or cottages. Our Value+ Hakuna Matata Safaris come with a full-board meal plan, a private safari vehicle with your experienced driver guide, who will introduce you to Uganda, its primate, wildlife, and Ugandan culture.
Value+ Midrange 3-Day Gorilla Trekking Safari Highlights:
- Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
- Gorilla Permits are included – we take the hassle out of getting Gorilla Permits.
- Optional – Golden Monkey Trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla Park +$100 per person on third on last day in Southwest Uganda.
- Stay at Quality, Mid-Range Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge – view the Virunga Volcanoes.
- Full-Board Lodging is included in this Safari.
- Optional Birding, Canoe Boat Rides on Lake Mulehe before or after Gorilla Trekking. Batwa Cultural Encounters
- Convenient Scenic 4-Hour Drive from and to Kigali, Rwanda or a 90-minute flight from Entebbe
- Toyota Super Custom Safari Van – Land Cruiser is available at a higher cost
- Experienced Driver-Guide with years of experience as a tour guide.
- Our Exclusive Price Guarantee: Find out about our exclusive Safari price guarantee here.
You can do the Gorilla Habituation Experience, which means spending more time with a gorilla Family instead of regular gorilla Trekking depending on permit availability. Read more here:
Your Value+ Midrange 3-Day Gorilla Trekking Safari in Detail
Arrival Day in Kigali, Rwanda
Arrival Day in Kigali, Rwanda for your Private 3-Day Gorilla Trekking Safari: Many flights from Europe arrive during the evening, others at night at Kigali International Airport, the Gateway not only to Rwanda but also to Southwest Uganda. We will pick you up at the airport and take you to the Value Plus Moderately price Heaven Boutique Hotel in a residential setting with a lovely garden and small swimming pool. Their excellent restaurant serves
Alternative Arrival in Entebbe:
Fly into Entebbe International Airport in Uganda, where your driver guide will meet you and take you to your hotel in Entebbe. The following day you take the early morning flight to Kisoro in Southwest Uganda with AeroLink Safari Airline. This is the quickest and most convenient way chosen by an increasing number of our clients, and the convenience outweighs the extra cost and will give you more time in and around Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
Arrival and Departure Day Lodging in Kigali, Rwanda, or Entebbe, Uganda:
We will arrange Arrival Day lodging for your safari, including meals, activities such as a Kigali City Tour, and a visit to the Genocide Memorial. In Entebbe, we will arrange for lodging along Lake Victoria with meals. We can arrange a sunset cruise in Entebbe, traditional Safari Sundowner drinks and snacks, or a visit to the famous Entebbe Botanical Gardens.
Depending on your Departure time, we can add a dayroom where you can freshen up and have dinner for your flight back home.
Day 1 – Drive or Fly to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest – Rushaga Region:
Drive to Rushaga from Kigali-Rwanda:
Your 3-Day Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari begins as we leave your hotel in Kigali at 6:30 am or the Kigali Airport for your moderately priced Safari. The drive time to Rushaga is about 4 hours, depending on the Border Crossing.
Visa for Uganda is $50, or the East African Visa is $100 and covers entry to Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya. Both visas must be obtained online. In addition, you will need a Yellow Fever certificate for entry into Uganda.
Usually, the border crossing is about 30 to 45 minutes, and you are in Uganda heading for the ancient Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Officials on both sides will try to ease the border crossing for Tourists.
Any inconvenience fade in the light of the shorter drive time you have before you. Please note that it takes nine to ten hours from Entebbe or Kampala to reach the Rushaga area.
The Route you are on from Kigali to Bwindi is one of the most scenic drives in East Africa through the rolling, terraced hills of Rwanda and Uganda.
Fly from Entebbe International Airport to Kisoro – 90-minute scenic flight:
We will pick you up at your hotel in Entebbe at around 6:15 am for your 7:00 am departure with AeroLink Airline to Kisoro. Your flight time is 90 minutes, with a brief stopover at the Kihihi Airstrip.
In Kisoro, you are met by your driver-guide, who will take you to your Lodge. This is the quickest and most convenient way to reach the Rushaga area of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The Drive-Time from Kisoro to the Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge is 45 minutes.
There is a 15 kg weight restriction for your flight. Excess baggage costs $6 additional payment, and you can leave extra luggage with us. To save on the weight of your bag, we suggest that you wear your gorilla wear for your flight, including the rain jacket and hiking boots.
The benefit of a fly-In Safari is that you can spend a few nights in Queen Elizabeth Park and/or include Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale Forest on the return flight.
We arrive in Rushaga, the Southern area of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, and check into Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge, overlooking Lake Mulehe.
Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge is an excellent, moderately priced lodge with splendid views of the Virunga Volcanoes located above scenic Lake Mulehe.
The food is one of the European-Ugandan Fusion’s fantastic services. The stone cottages are perfect for your stay while doing Gorilla Trekking or the Gorilla Habituation Experience in the Rushaga Area Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
This Lodge gives you Value+ for your Dollar and value in terms of its setting, quality of rooms, and service on the Lake. We have used the Lodge for our Clients and have had no complaints during that time.
The Lodge is owned by a woman which years of experience in providing quality accommodations to International and Domestic Tourists alike.
Afternoon Optional Activities at Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge:
There are two kinds of Gorilla Trekkers on Safari. One likes to settle in at the Lodge and read one of our Gorilla Safari Books while resting in a hammock along Lake Mulehe, while others want one activity after another and not miss anything. The good news is that we can fulfill either request from you,
The activities below can be chosen at Bwindi Jungle Lodge and paid for by the Lodge
- Dugout Canoe on Lake Mulehe
- Village Visit
- Batwa Cultural Encounters
- Birding on Lake Mulehe
Meal Plan: Lunch – Dinner
Lodge: Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge
Day 2 – Gorilla Trekking – Rushaga – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest:
What Should I wear tracking Gorillas?
Here is practical advice about what to wear while Gorilla Trekking in Uganda. Often Trekkers are not dressed right for the occasion, which can spoil your day, and your focus might not be the Gorillas but personal discomfort and misery. Wearing suitable clothing and footwear is about protection.
Gorilla Wear and Gear you will need:
- Daypack: Preferably a waterproof daypack, you can use it as a carry-on flying to Uganda. Pack all essentials inside of the daypack.
- Hiking Boots: Make sure that they have good treads on them. You will need ankle support, something boots give you and give you reactions on muddy trails. Have a good pair of merino wool socks.
- Long Trouser: They will protect you from nettles and thorns. Tuck the trousers into your socks for added protection from ants.
- Long-Sleeved Shirt: Neutral in color. Again, this is for your comfort and protection.
- Rain Jacket or Poncho: Pack into your daypack. You never know when it will train. You are in an Afro-montane Rainforest.
- Tough Gardening Gloves: This is to protect your hands from thorns, nettles, and sharp branches.
- Wide Brimmed Hat: It gives you protection from the Sun.
- Camera Equipment – Binoculars: Ensure extra batteries and storage devices. Put them into Ziploc bags. Binoculars are not needed if you are not a birder.
- Packed Lunch and Bottled Water: You will need your packed lunch from the Lodge and two liters of bottled water.
- Insect Repellent – Sun Lotion – Sunglasses: We recommend the effective Australian RID Insect Repellent. Good Sun blocker cream and sunglasses.
- You will need a Porter and Walking Stick: The services of a porter free you on the often-difficult trail, and a local walking stick helps you and steadies you on the often-challenging path. We supply our clients with both.
Read more about Gorilla Gear and Wear here.
Early Breakfast and take your packed lunch from the Lodge. For Gorilla Trekking Gear. Having the right gear and wearing the right clothes and boots make a difference in the quality of a Trek that you will have.
The Gorilla Trekking Orientation:
Here you receive instructions about the Gorilla Trek. You are assigned your Gorilla Family based on your input, and your age and fitness level are also considered.
You often track the Gorilla Groups you like, and we will help you with the Park Staff. Trekking times vary between three and six hours depending on the gorilla group you will be trekking on your day. We strongly suggest you read the Rules and Guidelines before going on a Trek.
If you have physical limitations, you can still visit a gorilla family. Let us know, and we will make the necessary arrangements, such as a sedan chair carried by a team of porters.
A Gorilla Trek is unpredictable. It is not a staged event on an itinerary. We set up the Encounter. The rangers take you to the spot where the Gorilla
Family is. The actual meeting with the Gorilla Family is up to the Gorillas. 99% plus of the time, it is beyond your wildest dreams.
The actual Encounter with a Gorilla Family, one of our closest cousins in the Animal Kindom, is incredible, and some describe it as an almost spiritual experience. That once-in-a-lifetime Encounter will give you lasting memories and great photo opportunities.
The Encounter with the Gentle Giants of the Forest is a profound and moving experience that cannot be replicated anywhere else in the World since Mountain Gorillas do not survive in a zoo activity.
At the end of the Trek, you return to the trailhead, where you are met by your driver-guide and return to the Lodge.
We will take you back to the Lodge after your Trek.
Meal Plan: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
Day 3- Return to Kigali or fly back to Entebbe:
Breakfast and we return to Kigali – If you have time, you can include Golden Monkey Trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla Park. The Park is just three houses from Kigali Airport. We can arrange for a hotel if your flight is in during the following day.
The Flight to Entebbe is in the morning. You arrive at Entebbe International Airport at 11:30 in the morning. You can add more days in Queen Elizabeth par for wildlife and Kibale Forest for Chimpanzee Trekking.
Optional Golden Monkey Trekking – $100 per person:
Before crossing the border into Rwanda, we stop at Mgahinga Gorilla Park to Trek the Golden Monkeys found here. There are over three thousand Golden Monkeys on the Ugandan side of the Virunga Volcanoes, and this morning you will trek them in the Bamboo Forests at the bottom of the Volcanoes in the Park.
You will encounter a habituated group of about 100 monkeys that will make the forest come alive with activity as they flit all around you, over you, and are ever active. It would be best if you were quick with picture taking this morning, and it is best to take many photos and keep the best.
This is a 3-hour Trek, and afterward, we cross the border into Rwanda and head for Kigali.
We will drop you off at the airport 3-hours before your flight and the end of your moderately priced 3-Day Gorilla Trekking Safari. Rwanda is on Central African Time, and we gain one hour when we cross from Uganda into Rwanda.
Meal Plan: Breakfast
What is included in this Value+ Midranhge3-Day Gorilla Trekking Safari?
- Experienced Ugandan Driver-Guide: A Safari becomes more enjoyable when you go with a knowledgeable and professional Local Driver-Guide.
- Greet and Meet at Airport upon arrival: We provide meet and greet services, including a welcome gift and Safari Informational Packet.
- Full-Board Lodging: All meals are included except alcoholic drinks, sodas, and snacks that you might order apart from meals. Some luxury Lodges have non-premium alcoholic beverages and sodas.
- Private Safari Vehicle with pop-Up Roof: The vehicle has a car fridge, WiFi, and bottled Water.
- Gorilla Trekking: Gorilla Permits are included in your Safari. Additionally, we provide porter services, a walking stick for support, and bottled water. Read our Practical Gorilla Trekking Advice:
- WiFi Internet Access: Most Lodges only provide a WiFi Internet Connection in the main lodge. We offer you a MiFi Router that gives you and your party access to the internet in your cottage or room, depending on nearby transmission towers. Read Staying in touch with home.
- Spanish, French, Italian, German, Russian, Mandarin, Arabic Speaking Driver-Guides: At an extra cost.
- Your Dietary Needs can be met: Notify us if you are a vegan, vegetarian, or need a gluten-free diet. Halala dietary requirements can be met in most instances. Strictly kosher nutritional requirements cannot be met on safari. a.
- AMREF-Flying Doctors Air-Medivac Insurance coverage: Our clients have covered in the case of a rare need for medical evacuation to a hospital that meets international standards.
Not included: Visas, Travel Insurance, Laundry, Tips, drinks at lodges such as Alcoholic drinks and sodas, and optional listed activities.
For over a Decade since 2008, we have offered Hakuna Matata – No-Worries Safaris:
Our private Hakuna Matata – No Worries Safaris are full-service Value+ Midrange and Luxury Safaris that come with all needed for a successful Safari in Uganda. You have your own Safari Vehicle with an experienced driver. You stay at a quality midrange or luxury Lodge, and all the activities listed are included. The outcome of your safari is more important to us than income.
If you are interested in this moderately priced 3-Day Gorilla Trekking Safari – please use the contact form below.
