5-Day Luxury Fly-In Twice Gorilla Trekking Safari in two Parks in Uganda

Twice Gorilla Trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla Park & Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

5-Day Luxury Fly-In Twice Gorilla Trekking Safari in two Parks in Uganda in the Virunga Volcanoes & Bwindi Impenetrable

Our 5-Day Luxury Fly-In Twice Gorilla Trekking Safari in two Parks in Uganda takes you tracking the Mountain Gorillas in two distinctly different habitats in Mgahinga Gorilla Park and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. 

Track the gentle giants on the sides of the Virunga Volcanoes just as you would in Rwanda or DR Congo and in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest with its scenic ridges and valleys.

Stay at two of Uganda’s best Gorilla Lodges, the exclusive Mount Gahinga Lodge in Mgahinga Gorilla Park and the exclusive Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge in the southern area of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

There are many twice Gorilla Trekking Safaris that are offered but very few offerings of trekking the Mountain Gorillas in two different Parks with different Habitats. Only in Uganda can you track the gentle giants of the forest in two different parks. 

Highlights of your 5-Day Luxury Fly-In Twice Gorilla Trekking Safari in two Parks in Uganda

• 70-Minute flight: Fly from Entebbe to Kisoro-from there; it is a 45-minute Drive to Mgahinga Gorilla Park.

• Two Gorilla Treks: In two Gorilla Sanctuary Parks – Mgahinga Gorilla Park and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. 

• Golden Monkey Trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla Park: Trek Golden Monkeys in the Bamboo Forest of Mgahinga Gorilla Park.

• Batwa Cultural Visits: Authentic Cultural Encounters with the first people of the Forest, the indigenous Batwa People. Go on the Batwa Heritage Trail that Mount Gahinga Lodge offers

• 4×4 Land-Cruiser with personal Driver-Guide: You have an experienced and knowledgeable driver-guide that will meet you when you fly into Kisoro,

• Services of a Porter: We provide you with the assistance of a porter, walking sticks, and bottled water for Gorilla and Golden Monkey Treks.

• Stay at two exclusive Luxury Lodges: Mount Gahinga Lodge and Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge.

Your 5-Day Luxury Fly-In Twice Gorilla Trekking Safari in two Parks in Uganda in Detail

Arrival Day in Entebbe – Welcome to Uganda:

Your 5-Day-Luxury Twice Gorilla Trekking Safari in two Parks in Uganda Safari Begins: Arrive at Entebbe International Airport. Current Arrival and Departure information can be found here. Your Driver-guide will welcome you at the tourist arrivals and take you to the 2-Friends Beach Hotel, where you have a deluxe Lake View Room with air conditioning.

There are more luxurious hotels, but they do not share the idyllic, romantic setting on Lake Victoria with its private, sandy beach, treehouse bar, and splendid views of Lake Victoria and the Ssese Islands.

The service and meals are excellent. You have a swimming pool to enjoy while you are here. In addition, they have an extensive Wine List. 

The boutique hotel is perfect for your first night in Africa. It is just ten minutes from the airport and the ideal place to stay on your arrival or departure day in Uganda.

Additionally, a recent local survey showed it was the preferred hotel by women because of the views, sandy, private beach, and romantic ambiance.   Luxury hotels, such as the closest to the airport, Marriot’s Protea Hotel, or the thirty-minute away Serena Lake Victoria Resort, can be included for your time in Entebbe.

Activities at or near 2-Friends Beach Hotel:

• Swimming Pool: Take a dip in the pool.
• 
• Wine and Cheese Sunset Cruise: Take a Sunset Cruise on Africa’s largest fresh-water Lake, Lake Victoria.

• Golfing: Golf on the African Continent.

• Entebbe Botanical Gardens: Take a guided tour of the over 100-year-old Botanical Gardens. Local legend states that one of the first Tarzan movies was filmed here.

• Shop at a nearby Victoria Mall: Here, you will find the items you might need for your Safari.

• Read a Book: Curl up in a beachside hammock and read a book about Uganda.

Meal Plan: Lunch – Dinner depending on your arrival time.

Day 1: Fly from Entebbe International Airport to Kisoro – a 70-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 70 minutes, with a brief stop at the Kihihi Airstrip. In Kisoro, you are met by your driver-guide, who will take you to your Lodge. T

This is the quickest and most convenient way to reach Mgahinga Gorilla Park. The Drive-Time from Kisoro to your Lodge is forty-five 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 or include Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale Forest on the return flight. We arrive at Mgahinga Gorilla Park and check into Mount Gahinga Gorilla Lodge.

Stay at the Luxury Mount Gahinga Lodge:

Arrive at the luxury Mount Gahinga Gorilla Lodge in the foothills of the Virunga Volcanoes, locally referred to as the Mufumbiro Mountains, the mountains that cook.

The Lodge opened in 1997 when Gorilla Tourism was still developing. The Lodge is the perfect base for Gorilla Trekkers, and it even has a private footpath directly to Park Headquarters. It is the only luxury gorilla lodge close to Mgahinga Gorilla Park.

There is a short, private trail from the Lodge to Park Headquarters, where you go for gorilla trekking orientation.

The Lodge was refreshed and updated in 2019. Now there are eight luxury bandas or cottages and two deluxe bandas. The lounge area, the dining room, and the gardens reflect the recent updates. 

The luxury Bandas reflect the magic of the aesthetic traditions of the Bufimbira people with their distinct colors. Each Banda has an ensuite luxury shower room, fireplace, and private porch.

 Guests have a personal butler who attends to their well-being during their stay there. Regarding meals, our clients rave about the culinary delights served at the Lodge. WiFi access and charging stations are located in the main Lodge. Non-Premium Beverages, including local Beers, Sodas, Spirits, and House Wines, are included. You are also offered a one-half-hour complimentary massage.

Afternoon Activities are with Mount Gahinga Lodge:  

Choose one of the following Activities

• Kisozi Caldera Hike: 
• Batwa Heritage trail: This is the trail that we suggest along with a visit to the Gahinga Village
• Gahinga Batwa Village Visit: About 130 people live in this village, built by Mount Gahinga Lodge.
• Complimentary Massage: You can have a 30-minute complimentary massage.
• Read a book from the Lodge Library: 

Meal Plan: Lunch -Dinner

Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla Park:

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 on 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 the daypack. Don’t forget your packed lunch from the lodge.

• 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 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 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.

The Gorilla Trek

After orientation, you are off on your Gorilla Trek up the volcanoes. You are trekking at an elevation above 2,200 meters, which is not problematic for most. Though the Trek is upward, it is not grueling and poses no problems for those with a moderate fitness level. The bamboo walking stick and the porter assist you in traversing the not-so-tricky trail.

You are off on your Safe and Secure Gorilla Trek with Rangers and a secure escort to visit the Nyakagezi Family 10 members with five Silverbacks, which is highly unusual. The blackbacks have matured into Silverbacks, or the boys have grown into men.

Mark is the leader of the family. He is assisted by his brother Mafia and their father, Bugingo, who used to be the leader and has passed the leadership to his son and plays the role of grandpa. They are followed by the now Silverbacks Ndungutse and Rukundo. Females, Toddlers make up the rest of the family. Keeping up with Gorilla Families is not always easy. A respiratory ailment beset the family in 2019.

Intervention by the Gorilla Doctors saved the day, and they all recovered from what could have been a fatal ailment. Gorilla Trekkers need to go by the rules for Gorilla Trekking.

The length of the Trek is between four to five hours, including one hour with the Nyakagezi Gorilla Family, which is, for most, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Usually, you are back at Mount Gahinga Lodge by about 1:00 pm.

Presently, two gorilla families can be tracked here—the Nyakagezi Family and the Hirwa Family, which are visiting from Rwanda.

Afternoon:  You might want to relax, reflect, and enjoy the Drink of Choice in Uganda, Uganda Waragi. We suggest mixing it with Krest Bitter Lemon Soda. Others might want to take advantage of the activities offered by the Lodge.

Meal Plan: Breakfast -Lunch – Dinner

Day 3: Golden Monkey Trekking 

Golden Monkey Trekking:  You embark on your Golden Trek with Uganda Wildlife Authority Rangers. This is a hike up on the sides of the Virunga Volcanoes in Mgahinga Gorilla Park to the Bamboo Forest. There are several thousand endangered Golden Monkeys found in the park. They are beautiful and colorful monkeys, weigh about 30 pounds when mature, and are some of the liveliest monkeys you have ever seen.

You will need bottled water and a packed lunch from the lodge, like for Gorilla Trekking, and we will supply a porter and walking sticks.

The group you are trekking will be about 100 in size, but you do not have time to count them since they are always on the move.

The Trek is about 4 hours long, after which you return to Mount Gahinga Lodge, the only luxury lodge near the park where you can enjoy views of Mount Gahinga and even Lake Mutanda.

After the Golden Monkey Trek, we drive to the Rushaga area of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, and you can check into Gorilla Safari Lodge or the Exclusive Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge. Drive-Time is 1 1/2 hours, depending on road conditions. The road from Mout Gahinga Lodge is a gravel road where one has to drive slowly.

Lodging in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Exclusive Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge:

This exclusive Luxury Lodge overlooks Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and the Virunga Volcanoes in the distance. It ranks as one of the Best Lodges in Uganda and the southern area of Bwindi Forest. From here, it is a short walk to the Trailhead in Nkuringo.

The Lodge exudes class throughout, including in your private River Stone Cottage. 24/7 Butler and Maid Services are available to you.

The views from your bedroom balcony are uplifting, and the patio is the perfect setting for the early morning Ugandan Arabica Coffee grown in some of the nearby fields.

Authentic African Art is found throughout the Lodge, including g in your cottage, and the Meals are delightful. Many of our Clients have loved their stay at Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge.

Clouds Mountain Gorilla is the top Lodge in the southern area of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. No other lodge can top what the exclusive Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge offers.

Afternoon Activity Choices for you:

• Batwa Cultural Encounter: See the Forest through the Eyes of its first people, the Batwa.

• Village Walk: Go on a guided walk and experience Ugandan village life.

• Nature Walk: Take a nature or birding walk with a guide.

• Hands-on Cultural Experience: Learn a new skill such as African drumming, dance, basket weaving, carving, cooking, etc. 

• Relax and read a Book: Read a book about Uganda.

Meal Plan:  Breakfast -Lunch – Dinner.

Day 4: Forest Gorilla Trekking – Rushaga or Nkuringo area:

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.

The Gorilla Family you will trek with is determined at the orientation with your input, and your fitness level and age are part of the Gorilla Family determination equation.

The location of the gorilla family determines the length and difficulty of the Trek. Pre-Trackers are out at dawn, placing the diverse groups and calling in the GPS locations of the various groups.

The length of the Trek is between three and five hours, and at the time, it may be longer than that. Up to eight trekkers in your group, and add to the rangers and porters.

Some rules and guidelines govern the Trek. It is good to know the rules ahead of time. The main one is that you have no cold or flu, intestinal disorder, or other infectious illness on the day of your Trek.

In the presence of the Gorilla Family:

The encounter with a Gorilla Family is an almost spiritual experience for many; nothing is spending an hour with the Gentle Giants of the Forest.

Optional Depending on Permit availability: the Gorilla Habituation Experience – four hours with a gorilla family with only four participants. Instead of the Normal Gorilla Trek, where 8 participants are in The Group – Consider the exclusive All-Day Gorilla Trek, where you are with the gentle giants of the Forest on a Gorilla Habituation Experience for four hours. The Permit cost for the Gorilla Habituation is 1,500 USD, and there are only four permits available, and you need to book early to get tickets for this activity.

Meal Plan:  Breakfast -Lunch – Dinner

Lodge:  Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge

Day 5: Fly back to Entebbe International Airport:

Fly Back to Entebbe International Airport:

Take the morning Aerolink flight to Entebbe and arrive there at 11:25. We will meet you at the airport and take you to a hotel or make arrangements for a dayroom if your flight is during the evening.

 Option: You can add a day or two and include Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale Forest. Your return flight briefly stops in Kasese, from where it is a one-hour drive to Kibale Forest.

  The above Private Safari includes all activities and permits needed, as described. It is an entire board, water in the vehicle, and it does not have tips, drinks at lodges, or laundry.

Is this 5-Day Luxury Fly-In Twice Gorilla Trekking Safari in two Parks in Uganda suitable for you?

• Trekking in two Distinctly different Habitats: You cannot do that in any other Mountain Gorilla Country.

• Save Money: This luxury safari can cost you half its price in Rwanda. Exclusive lodges such as Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge and Mount Gahinga Lodge are nearly half the price in Rwanda. Affordability is what has made Uganda the premier Gorilla trekking destination.

• Safety – Security: Uganda is the only country with no Guerrilla activities in or around its Gorilla Parks.

• More Gorillas: Nearly half of the remaining endangered Mountain Gorillas are in Uganda. More habituated families are available for visitation, and more Gorilla Permits are available in Uganda.

• More Gorilla Trekking Choices: In addition to Gorilla trekking, Uganda offers the Gorilla Habituation Experience, where you are for four hours with a gorilla family, and there are only four participants.

The above Safari includes all activities listed; it is a full-board safari with your driver-guide. It does not have visas, tips, or alcoholic drinks included at your Lodge, nor does it include gratuities or laundry.

Contact us about this 5-Day Luxury Fly-In Twice Gorilla Trekking Safari in two Parks in Uganda.

Be aware of our Flexible Booking Policy and our Price Guarantee.