7-Day Luxury Twice-Gorilla Trekking -Hiking Safari in Bwindi Forest

Luxury Gorilla Trekking – Adventure Hiking Safari for the Fit

7-Day Luxury  Twice-Gorilla Trekking -Hiking Safari in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest-Mgahinga Gorilla Park from Kigali

Twice-Gorilla Trekking -Hiking Safari is a one-of-a-kind Safari in Bwindi Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla Park. Visiting the Mountain Gorillas of Uganda is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most – on this Luxury Gorilla Safari, you trek Gorillas twice, and you have the best of Bwindi’s Impenetrable Forest.

You track the Mountain Gorillas twice on both ends of the Forest and take a 5 to eight-hour hike through Bwindi Impenetrable Forest with Incredible Views and wildlife and bird sightings.

Add a forest walk with the original people of the Forest, the Batwa Pygmies, and learn how they lived in the woods, hunting and gathering for thousands of years, leaving a low ecological footprint.

If you are a Hiker, This 7-day Twice-Gorilla Trekking -Hiking Safari is just for you; two Gorilla Treks, one in northern Bwindi, a Hike through Bwindi’s Impenetrable Forest, a second Gorilla Trek in Southern Bwindi, a hike down to Lake Mutanda and a canoe. Ride across Lake Mutanda plus Golden Monkey Trekking or Volcano Climbing in Mgahinga Gorilla Park is for you.

Please Note: This safari can be done as a Value+ Midrqange Safari.

Highlights of the 7-Day Luxury Twice-Gorilla Trekking -Hiking Safari in Bwindi Forest

• Two Gorilla Treks: Trek Gorillas both in the Buhoma region and Rushaga.

• Hike through Bwindi Impenetrable Forest: Hike from the Buhoma area to Nkuringo.

• Hike from Nkuringo to Lake Mutanda: Take the scenic hike from Nkuringo down to Lake Mutanda.

• Dugout Canoe: Paddle in a Dugout Canoe across Lake Mutanda.

• Volcano Climb: Climb one of the tree Volcanoes in Mgahinga Gorilla Park.

• Optional – Batwa Cultural Encounter: See the Forest through its first people’s eyes.

• Golden Monkey Trekking: Visit the endangered Golden Monkeys in Mgahinga Gorilla Park.

• Safari Vehicle: Private Toyota Landcruiser vehicle with your driver-guide.

• Luxury Lodges: Stay at quality luxury Lodges.

The 7-Day Luxury Twice-Gorilla Trekking -Hiking Safari in Detail:

Arrival Day in Kigali, Rwanda

Arrival Day in Kigali, Rwanda for your Private: 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 priced Heaven Boutique Hotel in a residential setting with a lovely garden and a small swimming pool. Their excellent restaurant serves meals that will please you.

At the exact location is their unique 20-room Boutique Luxury Hotel called Retreat, a 20-room luxury wellness boutique hotel. There are many other hotels that you can choose for your arrival.

Other luxury hotels include the Radisson, Marriott, Serena, and Hotel des Mille Collines, or Hotel Rwanda.

There are many things to do and see while In Kigali, the Singapore of Africa, that you can see on a city tour, including the Genocide Memorial.

Day 1 –Kigali -Rwanda to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest – Buhoma Are

Your 7-Day Twice-Gorilla Trekking -Hiking Safari in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest begins. Depart your lodging in Kigali for  Bwindi Impenetrable Forest at 6:30 am and take the scenic route through the rolling terraced Rwandan Hills into the Ugandan Gorilla Highlands toward Buhoma Village in northern Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

Please Note: You will lose one hour as you cross the border since Uganda is in the East African Time Zone.

Border /crossing: You will need an East African Visa, Yellow Fever Certificate, and COVID Vaccination Certificate. The border crossing is normally about 40 minutes long.

The Drive Time to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest – Buhoma area is 5 hours plus and depends in part on the road conditions of that day.

You arrive at Lunchtime in Buhoma and check into Bwindi Lodge, where you receive a typical Ugandan welcome.

Bwindi Lodge:

Bwindi Lodge is an exclusive lodge with an upmarket price tag during the low seasons of the year. This Lodge is one of the authentic all-around Pearls in the Pearl of Africa. Owned by the esteemed Volcanoes lodges, you can not go wrong with this beautiful Lodge in a class of its own.

The Lodge and cottage blend in with its surroundings, both the Forest and the local building style. The service, like in the other Volcanoes lodges, is super. One likes giving back to the local community by training disadvantaged young people in the Bwindi Bar in the hospitality field.

The Lodge is a short walk from Park Headquarters, and clients can walk there on the morning of their Trek.

Volcanoes Lodges in Uganda and Rwanda are known for world-class Safari Lodge standards, and Bwindi Lodge fits right into that.

Afternoon Optional Activities:

Afternoon Activity Choices – Relax and Chill out at your Lodge. Take a walk down the main street to the Bwindi Bar, the best place for a Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Cassava Chips with Salsa or Guacamole Sauce, some freshly squeezed juice, or a cappuccino.

Visit the award-winning Bwindi Community Hospital, one of the best rural hospitals in the country. Take a guided village walk (it is a created for the Tourist activity – a learning experience – the quality of the training depends on the knowledge and delivery of the local guide).

Explore the Forest with the Batwa, the first people of the Forest, on the Batwa Experience. The Batwa Experience’s last starting time is 2 pm. This is an authentic, interactive cultural encounter where you see how the first people of the Forest lived in harmony with nature and the Mountain Gorillas. We recommend anticipating this activity today or tomorrow after the first Gorilla Trek.

Take a bike ride from Ride-4-a-Woman with a guide and a Nature walk on the Waterfall Trail inside Bwindi Forest. None of the activities are included in the price of the safari, but they can be.

Meal Plan:  Lunch – Dinner

Day 2 – Gorilla Trekking:

Breakfast and pick up your packed lunch and two liters of water. You will need we provide a light backpack, 2 liters of water, waterproof hiking boots, jeans or long trousers, a long-sleeved shirt to avoid scratches from branches, a hat, and garden gloves made of cotton come in handy in pulling yourself up on components, which walking sticks – buy a carved one. You can take it back home in memory of this day. We provide Porter services and bottled water that you will need on your Trek.

After some instructions, you venture out with your group with guides and military escorts into the Forest, and a gorilla trek can take two to five hours. The difficulty level depends on the group you are tracking and the terrain you cover.

The hour you spend with the gorillas is the experience of a lifetime – you are just within a few meters of the gorilla family, watching them go about with their daily business – it is like taking a glimpse into someone’s house as you watch these gentle giants of the Forest.

Meal Plan: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

Day 3 – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Hike from Buhoma to Nkuringo:

Breakfast and a packed lunch from the Lodge and you are off on a 7 to 8-hour walking safari; and You have a porter to help you with your backpack, there are guides and, escorts, porters to lighten your load and enhance your time during this walking safari and nature hike. It is best to have two liters of water with you and some juice from a few individual containers bought in Uganda. A few energy bars or granola bars also just might come in handy.

Wear long trousers, long-sleeved shirts that will help prevent you from getting scratched by branches, a hat – wide-brimmed is best, light hiking boots, a day pa, CK, and a walking stick for support.

What will you see on your walking Safari through Bwindi Impenetrable Forest?

Bwindi Rainforest is home to over 350 species of birds, many endemic to the region. Your hike through the Forest will allow you to spot many a bird; there are over 300 kinds of butterflies, and you will surely see some of them up close, and you will have the opportunity for some great photos. Ten species of primates are in the park, including chimpanzees, L Hosts Monkey, Red Tailed and Blue Monkey, Black & White Colobus Monkeys, and Baboons.

You will encounter primates on your Trek through the ancient Rainforest. You will see some primates along the way since Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is not only home to Gorillas, Primates, Birds, and butterflies but to 120 mammal species, including Forest Elephants, Duikers, Bush Pigs, the Giant Forest Hog, cat species, and much more. You might also see some colorful lizards along the way – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is one of the critical pearls in the Pearl of Africa, and a walking safari through it unfolds like a tapestry of sounds, sights, and smells as you have never experienced before including scenic wonders that are simply a delight to the eyes.

Choose your Lodge

Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge – Nkuringo:

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 distance to Gorilla Trekking in the Nkuringo Area or a 45-minute drive to the Rushaga area Trailhead.

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 or the early morning Ugandan Arabica Coffee grown in some of the nearby fields.

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

Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge – more than a lodge, but an experience. Read more about Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge

Four Gorillas Lodge

Stay at the Luxury Four Gorillas Lodge – the Affordable Luxury Lodge for your Gorilla Trek or Gorilla Habituation Experience in the Rushaga area of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The Lodge overlooks the primeval Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. You can see primates, birds, and wildlife right from the balcony of your cottage as you have your morning cup of Ugandan coffee or a sundowner at sunset.

The newer Rushaga Luxury Four Gorillas Lodge is a welcomed upmarket addition providing trekkers with an away-from-it feel adjacent to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest with scenic views of the lush rainforest from both the main-loge area where you will find the restaurant and bar to the cottages.

The Lodge is a blend of modernity with traditional architecture and decor, providing a comfortable setting where you are surrounded by subdued elegance with Bwindi Impenetrable Forest so near you.

A stay here is an immersion into Africa, from the Ugandan welcome and hospitality to the Lodge accentuating African decor and style. Even the meals come with an African twist, reflecting what comes from local gardens and the spices used. Read more here.

Meal Plan: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

Day 4 – 2nd Gorilla Trek:

It is time for your second Mountain Gorilla Trek, and four mountain gorilla families can be tracked from here. Twice gorilla tracking and a hike through the ancient Forest is the adventure of a lifetime.

Be sure to have your two liters of water, your packed lunch, and the other items you used and wore on the first gorilla trek in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

Enjoy your visit with the mountain gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable Forestall, a part of your Mountain Gorilla Experience in the Pearl of Africa – Uganda.

Option- Gorilla Habituation Experience: 

Here you are on an all-day trek; you can spend 4 hours with a Gorilla Family in the southern park area. Permit prices are 1,500 USD, and there are only 4 participants in the group instead of 8. Read more here.

Mgahinga Gorilla Park Option: Do the second gorilla Trek in Mgahinga Gorilla Park instead of Bwindi Forest. Read more here and compare gorilla trekking in both parks.

Meal Plan: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

Day 5 – Hike to Lake Mutanda – Paddle across it in Dugout Canoe:

Breakfast and the very scenic hike to Lake Mutanda start – you will need to wear hiking clothes, and we recommend protective clothing such as Hiking Boots, long trousers, and a long-sleeved shirt.

Today the hike is downhill through villages and hamlets.   The Virunga Volcanoes are always before you as well as the glimmering lake.

At Mutanda Lake Resort, you cross the lake in a dugout, carved as they have been for centuries; the only new addition is life-jackets.

Your Driver-Guide will pick you up at the end of the hike and Canoe Boat ride and take you to Mgahinga Gorilla Park.

The drive from the lake to the park is about 40-minutes long.  Chek into Mount Gahinga Gorilla Lodge.

Mount Gahinga Lodge – Exclusive:

This is an exclusive lodge with one hitch and comes with an upmarket price – a real bargain for luxury lodges. Here you stay in a private cottage in the shadows of the Virunga Volcanoes, and there is also a great view of Lake Mutanda.

The Lodge is owned by Volcanoes Lodges, known for its world-class service, quality, and creativity of meals served.

As your fireplace warms the room at night, you will be delighted with the choice that you have made to stay at this jewel of a lodge. At the time of booking, please let us know the preferences you have when it comes to clubs and the choice that you have made.

Mount Gahinga Lodge has added a new exclusive cottage that you can choose at a higher cost. Read more about the lodge.

Meal Plan: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

Day 6 – Mgahinga Gorilla Park

Breakfast

Today is the choice day – you can choose from several activities such as Volcano Climbing, Golden Monkey Habituation or Trekking,  the Batwa Trail with the First People of the Forest, or the Sabinyo Gorge Hiking Trail.

Volcano Climbing:  The climbs take from 5 to 8 hours. It would be best if you are pretty fit to do this activity. It involves steep hiking and climbing up ladders in sections as porters; rangers assist you. This is an off-the-beaten-path activity, and there are few others on this Trek.

Batwa Trail:  The Batwa Pygmies lived here for thousands of years, and on this interactive walk, you can learn their ways as practiced for thousands of years in the Forest. They hunted and gathered in the woods, not taking more than needed. Today, this Forest Walk is one of the only remaining links to their beloved Forest.

Golden Monkey Trekking or Habituation Experience:  The Golden Monkey Trek is 3 hours long, while the Habituation Experience is an all-day Trek.

Meal Plan:  Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

Day 7 – Kigali Rwanda – Departure:

Breakfast, and we depart for Kigali, where you can visit the Genocide Memorial before flying out.

Meal Plan:  Breakfast

This is a private safari, and you can adjust the itinerary; it includes all listed activities except when it says optional, lodging and food, covered, 4 x 4 Safari Vehicle modified for Safaris. It does not he beer, wine, alcohol, or sodas at lodges, does not add bottled water to the vehicle or does not include laundry, tips, or travelers’ insurance.

7-Day Twice-Gorilla Trekking -Hiking Safari – if you are interested in this safari, please use the form below.