The 8-day adventure safari features gorilla trekking in Bwindi and walking off-the-beaten-track in Uganda's hilly region.
8 DAYS
USD 6,200 pp
Type
Tailor-made
Activity
Physical
Overview
- Fly across the intriguing rugged landscape to the Bwindi Impenetrable National and spend your nights in idyllic forest cottages with wow amenities.
- Venture into the Bwindi UNESCO World Heritage Site, to trek a family of mountain gorillas and observe their fascinating behaviors.
- Get off the beaten path and explore the exotic rural region on foot. Peddle across the volcano waters of Lake Mutanda with fishermen in traditional dugout canoes. Meet the Batwa forest people on a timelapse cultural forest trail.
- Hike across one of Africa's oldest rainforests, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, and appreciate its natural beauty and outstanding biodiversity.
Price includes/excludes
- Accommodation in mid-range-priced lodges and meals as indicated in itinerary
- 1 gorilla trekking permit ($800)
- 2 domestic flights; 1 from Entebbe to Kisoro Airport (Bwindi South) and another from Kihihi Airport (Bwindi North) to Entebbe
- All day excursions and activities as indicated in the itinerary under the supervision of a professional English-speaking local guide.
- On litter of drinking water during day activities (carry a reusable bottle)
- Ground transport and transfers in a 4x4 Custom Safari Landcruiser
- AMREF Evacuation Insurance cover
- Government taxes
- Travel insurance
- International flights
- Visa fees and processing
- Extra activities and meals not indicated in the itinerary
- Extra luggage on domestic flights
- Service tips, gratuities, souvenirs, and snacks
- Accommodation after the end of the trip
Detailed Itinerary
Adventure travelers like to get off the grid and traditionally explore unknown regions without really throwing away what is possible with modern civilization. We make it possible with this Uganda walking safari package.
Walking off the beaten path in southwestern Uganda on this 8-day safari expedition gives you an opportunity to explore the Pearl of Africa's gorgeous rural landscape on foot. On this trip, you get to meet unknown people and appreciate their ancient cultures and the ethereal mountain gorillas that occupy only this tiny part of the world. Since mountain gorillas are endangered, an opportunity for a gorilla trek could happen only once for you. Ever!
You fly to Kisoro from Entebbe on one of the available scheduled domestic flights and immediately get your boots some action on the first day. Take a two-hour walk through communities and garden slopes to a volcano lake for the dug-out canoe adventure. You spend a night at the base of the Virunga volcanos on the enchanting lake's shores.
And that's just the first day's action. We will immerse you in the rural region's charm throughout the following six days' off-the-beaten-path activities, including an enchanting hour with the whole gorilla family. Find more details in the day-by-day description below.
Day 1: Entebbe — Shoebill tracking
Our driver will pick you up from Entebbe International Airport (15 minutes) and check you in at your hotel within Entebbe. You'll meet with your trip specialist for a briefing just before dinner.
Otherwise, there are optional activities around Entebbe for those who arrive early and want to stay active. For example, bird-watchers can visit the world-renowned botanical gardens or Mabamba swamps to meet the prehistoric shoebill. You can take a quiet walk to the local markets or shop at the modern malls.
Stay at: Boutique Hotel Number 5 (Luxury) or Papyrus Guesthouse (Comfortable)
Day 2: Fly Entebbe to Kisoro - Canoeing
You'll be up early and catch a one-hour domestic flight from Entebbe to Kisoro Airport at 7:30 am. Kisoro Airport is just outside Bwindi Impenetrable National Park's south side. A driver will pick you up and transfer you to where the village walking experience starts.
The trail will take about 45 minutes between Kisoro Town and follows village footpaths through remarkable scenery with incredible views of cultivated mountain slopes, rainforests, and human settlements.
Along your hike through village paths, you meet fascinating people and learn powerful knowledge of local people's daily lives. Many children and local people will greet us as they tend their fields and livestock and collect water from local springs.
The path will take you to the edge of Lake Mutanda's calm waters, where you'll meet the fishermen and boat traditional dug-out canoes. You continue in a northerly direction in dug-out canoes with tales from your guide and the chants from fishermen. The 2.5-hour canoeing journey is not just a ride, but the healing calmness of the enchanting landscape, water, rowers, and sound is unmissable. The local lives around the lake will cross your boat trail with fishers checking their nets, people taking produce to market by canoe, and others cutting reeds for creativity and construction.
You'll disembark at Mutanda Lake Resort docs, where you'll check in, have lunch and freshen up for a dreamy evening. At the beach cottages, you can view a cross-section of the Virunga mountains with their dark blue sunset reflection off the lake.
This relaxed Dutch-owned resort has luxury chalets raise off a wooden platform with lovely porches and polished wooden floorboards plonking directly on the lake in a superb location.
Staying at: Mutanda Lake Resort
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.
Day 3: Mutanda - Nkuringo Walking Trail
There is 19 kilometers of walking trail between Mutanda Lake Resort and Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, your next destination.
You will walk the trail within 2-3 hours if you are thirsting for more rural landscape trekking. Twirling across terraced garden slopes, homes, dusty roads, and up and down hills, the trail leaves no mountainous landscape views to imagination. It is perfect for the adventurer in you.
If you're not up to another walk, your driver will pick you up in the later breakfast hours and drive up the mountains to Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge. He can also cut the trail shorter for some who prefer a less strenuous walk.
In the evening, a few hours before sundown, you will join the Batwa elders on a 2-mile forest trail as they showcase their ancient forest cultures, medicines, and entertainment. They used to live in the rainforest with the gorillas, and now all they can do is show you how they used to live as a way of keeping their cultures alive. It's quite entertaining.
Staying at: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge
Meals: Full Board.
Day 4: Stay in - Optional Activities
There are a couple of activities to hype you up for the gorilla trek the following morning.
Many travelers stay back at their cottage and hang out with others while marveling at the glamorous views across the mountainous rift valley region at a 7,000-ft (2400 meters) elevation. Drink some Cognac, Whisky, or South African wines at the bar, meet the chef for insider local recipes or make friends with locals for unguided indigenous storytelling.
Visit the local shaman, or traditional healer, who will take you through his nature lab and show you how humanity lived for more than 70,000 years without modern medicine.
Take the Suma waterfall village trail if you still have that off-the-beaten-track walking energy with you. It is about 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) through valley villages, ranches, and gardens on steep slopes. The 7-meter falls are located on the edge of Suma village and feed a river that snakes through the village into the rainforest jungle. You will be dazzled by the aerial view of the community from the entrance on a ridge.
There are other activities to keep you on your toes.
- Go to the ‘Top of the World’ – Experience a 360° view of the entire
- rural landscape on a sundowner picnic.
- Visit a local school or clinic
- Observe the making of local beer and gin
- Visit a homestead to sample some local foods
- See the local blacksmith at work
- Visit the women’s craft center
- Enjoy dances performed by the youth group
Staying at: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge
Meals: Full Board
Day 5: The Gorilla Trek
It will be an early start of another active day; you must be up by 7:00 am, have breakfast, get your lunch-pack, and check your gear. Your private driver will have you at the briefing point before 7:30 am. gorilla trekking starts at about 8:00 am, irrespective of the weather and group size.
You may take almost the better part of the day in the jungle, but definitely more time tracking the mountain gorillas than watching them. You have about one hour to watch the dark-fared giant beasts staying 10 meters away from them. But sometimes they come closer, and you must follow the rules of the jungle.
The time you spend with the great apes will greatly compensate for all the jungle hiking that challenges your body fitness. I recommend you work out for a few days before you come.
You'll be out of there relatively by 2:00 pm; you'll have lunch somewhere in the jungle and get back to your cottage for the evening. Take advantage of the after-dinner talk in the lounge.
Staying at: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge
Meals: Full Board.
Day 6: Hiking Across Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
You'll get on the trail at about 8:30 am after a short briefing with your walking safari guide at the lodge. You must hit the trails in the misty early morning hours so that the intense afternoon sunrays find you under the jungle canopy. You'll travel with a local guide and two gun-bearing rangers for security. Go light; just your backpack with lunch, a camera, and walking. It takes about 4-5 hours to walk the trail.
Two trails meet somewhere in the jungle and meander down to Buhoma town; you'll have to select one. The longer one takes about six plus meanders along the Kashasha river and over several ridges. The shorter one starts at Kashasha River, down Nteko valley, and meanders along Ivy River. You must drive about 15 kilometers to Nteko village to start the Ivy River Trail. However, both trails deliver the same jolt of adventure for intrepid travelers.
The richness of this UNESCO Worl Heritage site and the benefits of walking in an untamed rainforest to your health is just enough to lure you to this Uganda gorillas & wildlife safari package. The local walking guide will be your connection to this impenetrable jungle, with occasional sightings of prominent inhabitants like chimpanzees, forest elephants, birds, monkeys, and butterflies.
On the other side, you'll check in a forest cottage in Mahogany Springs Lodge, in the spring valley overlooking the Bwindi, now a penetrable forest.
Staying at: Mahogany Springs Lodge
Meals: Full Board.
Day 7: Mahogany Springs Lodge
You'll spend the day at Mahogany Springs Lodge with a few joyful activities, village walks, and a visit to the Ride4AWoman creative studio for local women.
Mahogany Springs lodge enjoys relaxing views across the forest canopy for a quiet stay at the cottage balcony.
Mahogany Springs Lodge promises its guests privacy and serenity blended with optimal comfort in a spectacular natural setting overlooking Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. It spreads on the banks of the Muyanja river, which flows through the jungle.
The exotic gardens and intricately designed stone pathways leading to the river invite you to explore every corner of this magical place, uncovering the various surprises along garden trails, such as the homegrown vegetable garden.
Meals: Full Board
Day 8: Fly Kihihi to Entebbe
You will catch an 8:00 am domestic flight from Kihihi Airport (an hour's drive from Buhoma) to Entebbe International Airport on the shores of Lake Victoria. The flight takes about an hour, flying over Uganda's most beautiful landscapes and Lake Victoria.
Optional Accommodation Papyrus Guesthouse
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch (Packed), Dinner
Moreen
Cathy
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EXCELLENT
255 reviewsPosted on Tripadvisor
Gabriel B3 unforgettable Weeks in Uganda We spent three weeks travelling around Uganda. It was a wonderful trip with so many incredible moments. A big shout-out to our fantastic driver and guide, Emanuell. We laughed, discussed, learned and enjoyed ourselves so much. Thank you so much, Emanuell, it was a real pleasure. We highly recommend Nkuringo. The people there take great care of their guests. We felt we were in the best of hands at all times and can highly recommend the company.Posted on Tripadvisor
Mary Carol WExceeded our expectations! We just returned from a customized fly-in safari and primate-trekking trip with Nkuringo Safaris. This trip was an A++ experience!! Our travel manager, Catherine, did a fantastic job of planning every detail. Our guide, Patrick Yiga, was superb. His knowledge, driving abilities (not easy roads!), and communication skills were all excellent. He paid attention to every detail. We already miss him a lot! Our experiences, accommodations, and food were all exceptional. Nkuringo Safaris showed us why Uganda is truly the Pearl of Africa.Posted on Tripadvisor
lisvelasco2001Amazing Custom Ugandan Trip How do I rate our 12 day trip through Uganda? AMAZING. My travel consultant who I use to put together our Africa trips worked in conjunction with Nkuringo to put together an amazing trip for us. There were 8 of us - my husband (active 72 year old) and I (62 years old), 4 travel friends (56-72) and our 2 nephews (30 years old). It was an active adventure with a primate focus. We took two internal flights to minimize our time on the bumpy roads. In putting the trip together, I had the opportunity to review all the accommodations and suggested activities. We did two hikes, two mountain bike rides, Chimp/Gorilla/Golden Monkey Tracking and some boating.It’s hard to say what the best/favorite thing was. Each was special in it’s own way. The unexpected PRIVATE boat ride on the Kazinga Channel was amazing in itself? Having a great guide for the Chimp tracking? Hike through the Bwindi Forest on the Ivy Trail?Accommodations were incredible - all staffed by very special people. None of us will ever forget Innocent (our butler) at the Primate Lodge. I will never forget Issac’s (Nkuringo Lodge) attention to our nephews who wanted to visit a local bar - who willingly took them and then hike to the Top of the World with them. It was really nice to have our laundry done and boots cleaned at some of the lodges.But the best part of the entire trip (besides traveling with friends and family) was our guides: Jack and Oscar. The two of them worked hand in hand for a seamless trip seeing to our every want and teaching us all about the country. My husband and I travel extensively and these two men rank up there as two of the best guides ever. I will never forget Oscar mountain biking with me as I slowly went downhill, gripping the brakes while my husband and nephews ripped ahead with the bike guide. For that I will be forever grateful. Or the day that the nephews wanted to go into town/Kisoro and see a bar and walk around. Jack and Oscar took them while Jack walked around with them. My husband and I never had to worry about their safety.The Land Cruisers were in top notch condition and spotless at the beginning of the trip. They were cleaned again when Jack and Oscar had a break from us. When available they even provided WIFI in the vehicles as well as water.Kudos to Lydia, the owner of the company, for running a top notch organization.Posted on Tripadvisor
Simone CGreat Uganda experience with a perfect guide! We had an amazing vacation full of everything you can dream about: Gorillas, Chimpanzees, Leopard, Rhinos,…and some hiking. We had the best guide you can have, driving perfectly through every terrain, always flexible, perfectly organised and always a smile on his face: Bob Magezi! We felt safe and in great hands all the time! Uganda is a very diversified country that exceeded our expectations, with awesome people, green nature and lots of animals.Posted on Tripadvisor
MLAn unforgettable Uganda Experience with Bob and Nkuringo Two weeks of an amazing Uganda experience are behind us. From Entebbe over Ziwa Rhino to Murchison Falls, Kibale (Chimps), Ruwenzori, QE National Park, Bwindi and Lake Mutanda.The trip was extremely well organized and full of great experiences.We thank our great Guide Bob for a tremendous job and guidance through beautiful Uganda.Thank you Bob and Nkuringo, Iris&MarvinPosted on Tripadvisor
Laura PAmazing tour Everything about this 5 day experience was top notch. Remmy was an incredible guide - great energy, good vibes, helpful, knowledgeable, & always kept us feeling safe. Lodges were beautiful with great service & of course the animals/wild life did not disappoint. Added some optional hikes/walks to keep us active. Incredible trip - definitely recommend Remmy & Nkuringo!!Posted on Tripadvisor
Devon GIncredible trip to Uganda The trip was unbelievable. The itinerary was thoughtfully packed with amazing activities and beautiful scenic drives that made travel time enjoyable. The gorilla and chimpanzee trekking experiences were truly once-in-a-lifetime moments that we will never forget. Our guide Remmy was the best tour guide we could have asked for during our trip to Uganda. He was always prompt, incredibly knowledgeable, and genuinely kind. He truly made the entire experience special. We felt comfortable with him right away, and by the end of the trip, it honestly felt like we were traveling with family. We can’t recommend Remmy highly enough!Posted on Tripadvisor
Joanna WA Memorable Safari Marked by Care, Presence, and Expertise This was an exceptional safari experience from start to finish, beautifully designed and flawlessly delivered. As a solo traveler, I felt supported, well looked after, and genuinely welcomed throughout the entire journey.Diana was a joy to work with from the very beginning. She was warm, friendly, and highly responsive, while at the same time extremely attentive to my individual needs. Her advice on the different elements of the safari was thoughtful and well-balanced, helping shape an itinerary that felt both exciting and perfectly suited to me. I truly appreciated her guidance, flexibility, and care at every stage of the planning process.Patrick is an outstanding guide and professional. His competence, calm presence, and deep knowledge made the journey feel effortless and safe at all times. He has a rare ability to read situations and respond intuitively, creating a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere while remaining discreet and respectful. His attentiveness, sense of humor, and genuine care made long days on the road and in the parks deeply enjoyable and memorable, adding a very special quality to this trip.I was fortunate to do my gorilla trek on my birthday, which made this already extraordinary experience even more meaningful. I was lucky to trek solo and spend precious time with a gorilla family — an unforgettable and deeply moving encounter. The guide Emos, together with the rangers and trackers, were kind, supportive, and incredibly professional, and most importantly made me feel safe and comfortable throughout the entire half-day experience.The game drives and the Kazinga Channel boat safari were exceptional. I was lucky to see the Big Four, with unforgettable sightings of elephants, lions, and a leopard I had especially hoped to observe. I was deeply impressed by Patrick’s knowledge of wildlife, nature, and local culture, and by his thoughtful responses to all my questions, which enriched every experience.At one point I felt uncomfortable with the initially booked boat experience, and both Patrick and Diana addressed this immediately by moving me to a larger, more comfortable boat. I truly appreciated this level of flexibility, responsiveness, and seamless logistics management.The chimpanzee trek in Kibale and the local community activities were equally rewarding. I was guided by Leo, whose warmth, hospitality, and excellent knowledge of local nature and culture helped me connect more deeply with the environment and the people, adding meaningful depth to the journey.The accommodations were impeccable. Nkuringo, Elephant Plains, and Turaco Treetops lodges were all very different in style, yet equally excellent in design, hospitality, quality of service, and delicious food. I was especially touched when Nkuringo Lodge organized a small birthday celebration with a cake — a thoughtful gesture that made me feel truly welcome.Overall, this safari exceeded my expectations in every way. My sincere thanks to Diana, Patrick, and the entire team for creating such a beautifully curated, professional, and memorable experience. I would wholeheartedly recommend this journey to anyone seeking something truly special.Posted on Tripadvisor
Clare NDream trip to Uganda! I cannot recommend Nkuringo Safari’s highly enough. From start to finish, my trip to Uganda exceeded every expectation - especially as I was a solo woman travelling on my first safari. Massively made by Moreen, who organised everything, and Remmy, my guide! From the beginning, Moreen was my first point of contact, and she was so great. Started with an enquiry about the 12 day safari & she helped turn it into an 18 day dream trip! She handled endless emails, questions, and changes — from where I wanted to stay, to adding extra nights and fine-tuning every detail. She made everything so easy & gave me complete confidence from the start and made the planning process stress-free. Each destination and lodge were so special. The settings were stunning, the accommodation perfect, and the hospitality at each place was so welcoming. Falling asleep to the sounds of nature, a lot of the time grumbling hippos and waking up to stunning sunrises & beautiful scenery doesn’t get old.Remmy - my guide, what a guy! Not just an outstanding safari guide — he is someone truly special. He has such a vast knowledge of wildlife, the land, and the Ugandan culture, I learnt so much from him. He knew spots where we could get great sightings of wildlife. He really looked after me, he was kind, caring and attentive. He made me feel completely safe & comfortable. By the end of the trip, Remmy felt more like a friend than a guide. And always making sure I had a cold beer in my hand after an activity. An absolute LEGEND!If you’re considering a safari in Uganda Nkuringo are the company to book with — and if you’re lucky enough to have Remmy as your guide, you’re in for a treat!Thank you Remmy, and thank you Moreen and Nkuringo Safaris for an unforgettable trip of a lifetime! Already thinking about my next adventure to Uganda.Posted on Tripadvisor
Alexandra GMountaingorillas and luxury It was a wonderful and amazing experience to see the mountaingorillas and everything went well, especially because my guide Remmy gave me good advices and answered to all my questions. I would highly recommend his guidance.Apart from that the stay in the Lodge near the Nationalpark was very luxurious.Load more
