3-DAY GORILLA TRACKING.

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A 3-day gorilla tracking safari at merry 4×4 car hire takes place in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. The safari offers an intense, affordable, and unforgettable experience with endangered mountain gorillas. The itinerary involves a transfer to the park, a guided trek lasting 1–8 hours depending on where the gorilla group you are tracking is located that day. After locating them, you have one hour of viewing, and a return trip. Gorilla trekking may be a strenuous activity needing one to be physically fit but highly rewarding as you trek through the forest. Tour organizers always customize treks based on your fitness level. Gorilla trekking is an unmatched opportunity that you will always remember.

Key tips;

The best time to visit would be in June to August and December to February which are the driest months for trekking.
If you visit in rainy seasons (march to May and October to November), expect heavier rains, more challenging trekking conditions and dense vegetation. Rainy seasons come with an advantage of fewer tourists and lower prices on accommodation.
The minimum age for gorilla trekking is 15 years.
Note that in peak dry season, permits are limited and can sell out quickly, therefore it’s advisable to plan and book your trip in advance if you have a set date in mind.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Uganda

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site located in the south western part of Uganda at the border of the rift valley. This extensive rainforest National park is Uganda’s top accessible gorilla trekking destination. Other activities include nature walks and bird watching. There are also opportunities to visit the Batwa community, the first inhabitants of the forest.

Volcanoes National Park Rwanda

Volcanoes national park Rwanda is located in the northwestern Rwanda 104 Km away from Kigali and acts as a leading destination for primate tracking. road. It protects the Rwandan portion of the Virungas, a spectacular chain of volcanoes (Mount Karisimbi, Bisoke, Sabyinyo, Gahinga, and Muhabura). Enveloped in towering stands of bamboo and dense tropical rainforest, the Virungas are home to more than half the world’s mountain gorillas, most of which live within the Rwandan part of the range. Here, gorilla trekking trips allow nature enthusiasts to come up close with these impressive gentle giants that spend most of their time sitting on the forest floor nibbling contentedly on bamboo shoots. Volcanoes national park is also a home to Colobus monkeys, golden monkeys, forest elephants and many bird species among others.

What to expect on a 3-day gorilla tracking safari?

Tracking mountain gorillas
Community walk in Batwa or Iby’iwachu Cultural Village.
Stop over at the equator for photography
Bird watching
Hiking through the forest
Golden monkey tracking if interested.

Included in 3-day gorilla tracking safari

Gorilla trekking Permits
Park Entrance Fees
Relevant Government Taxes
Accommodation (2 nights)
Knowledgeable and fluent in English Driver-Guide
Transportation by a 4×4 sturdy safari vehicle
Airport transfers as long as your flight is on the same day the safari ends.

Excluded from the 3-day gorilla tracking safari

Airfares
Visa Fees
Personal Insurance
Optional activities and Individual Expenses for example drinks, tips, laundry, cigarettes, and so many others that are not indicated in the itinerary.

3-Day Gorilla Tracking in Rwanda

The 3-day gorilla tracking takes place in Volcanoes National Park, the incredible center of Primate tracking in Rwanda. In addition to trekking mountain gorillas, you may choose to either enjoy a cultural tour or track the endangered golden monkeys still within Volcanoes national park. Golden monkeys are beautiful gold and silver-clad little monkeys always found in the bamboo section of the forest feeding.

3-day Gorilla Tracking Rwanda overview

First Day: Pick up, city tour & transfer to Volcanoes national park

Second Day: Gorilla trekking

Third Day: Cultural visit & departure / Golden monkey tracking

Detailed 3-day Gorilla Tracking Rwanda

First Day: Pick up, city tour & transfer to Volcanoes national park

On arrival at the airport, our driver guide will pick you up and take you for a city tour before proceeding to the Parc National des Volcans. Upon arrival, we check in the lodge and then rest in preparation for the trek the next day.

Second Day: Gorilla Trekking

The day begins early with a delicious breakfast. The safari guide will drive you to the park headquarters for briefing and knowing the gorilla family you will be visiting. Gorilla groups for tracking on this particular day are allocated depending on the guests’ physical fitness and the trekking begins at the edge of the forest. The duration of trekking is determined by many factors which may include the gorilla movements as they search for food, but you are rest assured you will find them and spend quality time with them up close learning about their fascinating lives.

After an incredible encounter with the gorillas, you will return to the lodge with an option of visiting the cultural village in the evening. Take on a community walk to the Iby’iwachu Cultural Village. The customary dances, poems, and dressing codes in this place are quite catchy.

Third Day: Golden monkey tracking and Departure.

After breakfast, you may choose to return to the jungles of the park but this time to track the endangered and beautiful golden monkeys. As your guide does the registration, you can enjoy the Rwandan traditional dance. The ranger guide will lead you to track and spend an hour with the endangered primates. After golden monkey trekking, you will return to the lodge for a hot lunch and then transfer to Kigali for a scheduled return flight.

3-Day Gorilla Tracking Uganda

Gorilla trekking is one of the most exciting and rewarding wildlife experiences in Uganda. It’s the most stunning activity in Bwindi impenetrable forest that will leave you with a thrill of a lifetime.

3-Day Gorilla Tracking Uganda overview

1st Day: Pick up and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

2nd Day: Gorilla Trekking and Batwa community

3rd day: Return Trip

Detailed 3-day Gorilla Tracking Uganda

1st Day: Pick up and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Our guide will pick you from Kampala/Entebbe (8-9 hours) or Kigali (4-5 hours) and drive you through Uganda’s terrain to the park. You will have a stop-off at the equator for photography and craft shopping. Another stop will be Mbarara town for lunch and the proceed straight to the part arriving in the evening. Gorilla trekking starts very early in the morning like at 8:00am so we advise you to sleep early so that you wake up fresh for the adventure ahead.

2nd Day: Gorilla trekking and Batwa community.

Rise up early and have a nourishing breakfast at the lodge to fuel your energy for the anticipated adventure. Don’t forget to go with your packed lunch as the time spent trekking the impressive mountain gorillas is not known. Your guide will then drive you to the briefing point where you will receive a comprehensive briefing by the park rangers about the gorilla families, their behavior and the essential gorilla trekking guidelines to ensure a safe encounter. After the briefing, you will be divided into small groups led by experienced park rangers and gorilla trackers and be assigned to a specific gorilla family/group to track.

Commence on the exclusive hiking experience into the impenetrable forest accompanied by rangers following mountain gorilla trails. Gorilla trekking is unpredictable as it depends on the location and movement of the gorillas, but once tracked, you will appreciate the thrill watching the gorillas have their everyday routine just in front of you. While following the park rangers’ guides and rules shared earlier, you will have a full hour to see gorillas up close and personal in their natural habitat and learn about their unimaginable fascinating lives.

After that overwhelming experience, you will return to the safari headquarters and if interested can continue for a village walk in the Batwa community. You will come to appreciate the traditional lifestyle and performances of the traditional dances, plus other entertainment offered by the locals.

In the evening, return to the lodge and prepare for departure the next day.

3rd Day: Return trip

This day marks the end of your 3-day gorilla tracking experience. Following a pleasant breakfast and check-out at the lodge, our guide will transfer you back to Kampala, Entebbe, or Kigali for departure according to your individual itinerary. You can choose to stop-off at the equator or any other places during the journey for lunch or photography as you proceed to your drop-off.

Essentials needed:

Sturdy hiking water-proof boots which can come in handy in case it rains.
Water to re-fill your tank as the trek goes on.
Long-sleeved shirts and trousers are advised because the forest is covered with thick vegetation.
Socks to tuck in the trousers to avoid insects crawling inside.
Rain jacket in case it rains during the trek.
Insect repellants
Garden gloves to grab tree branches or leaves which might be thorny.
Camera with no flush to capture a great experience.
Binoculars
Energy giving snacks because Gorilla trekking is a strenuous activity.