Gorilla Tracking & Sabyinyo Volcano Hike - 4 Days

Day 1: Start your Uganda Gorilla trek tour by driving to Bwindi impenetrable N. Park (the mountain gorillas' home)

Meet and greet with our local guide in Kampala/Entebbe/Kigali at 07:00 hours before starting the gorilla trek tour on your drive heading to southwestern Uganda to the home of the mountain gorillas, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

En route, there is a local community popular for making local drums and crafts and a fruit market. Stopover, admire and buy yourself souvenirs. Proceed to the Equator line taken as one beautiful scenery in Africa - the pathway of the sun and take photographs.

Pass by mountains, tropical rainforest, and bamboo forest during the nine-hour journey.

The drive to the mountain gorilla sanctuary is over 7 hours from Entebbe or Kampala, most of the time on the smooth-surfaced road with about 45 minutes of dusty murram. You could choose to fly to Bwindi if you don't feel like driving. One-way flights range from 280$-360$ pp.

Uganda Gorilla Trek Accommodation options (all on full board basis)

Up-market: Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge Bwindi or Chameleon Hill Lodge

Moderate: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge

Low Budget: Gorilla Haven Lodge Rushaga

Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Today enjoy gorilla trekking in Bwindi.

After breakfast, proceed for the morning briefing before enjoying the highlight of the trip - gorilla trekking, which may last the entire day. We trek the gorillas through the rainforest and bamboo-covered slopes, accompanied by a guide and gorilla trackers, in search of a mountain gorilla family. The walking can sometimes be tough and long, but when you catch a glimpse of the magnificent silverback, any discomforts will be quickly forgotten. When the gorillas are sighted, visitors will be guided to within 6 meters from the gorillas, sit around them for a whole hour while gazing into their big round eyes.

Gorilla trekking is unpredictable. It's difficult to foresee how many hours you will hike. The gorilla tracking excursion can take from 2 up to 8 hours. Expect to walk a long distance in steep and muddy conditions, sometimes with rain overhead, before you encounter any gorillas. A good physical condition is recommended. For conservation purposes, time spent with the gorillas is limited to one hour. A ranger will brief you on how to behave with the gorillas.

While most of today's forests are no more than 12,000 years old, Bwindi's vegetation has been weaving itself into tangles over at least 25,000 years, in the process of accumulating a lengthy species list. This includes 310 species of butterfly, 51 reptiles, 200 trees, 88 moths, and an exceptional 120 types of mammals including 10 primates. The latter includes chimpanzee, L'Hoest's, red-tailed and blue monkey, black and white colobus, baboon, and Bwindi's most famous resident, the mountain gorilla.

Bwindi is a prime destination for birdwatchers. Its 350 species include seven which are IUCN red data listed and 90% of all Albertine rift endemics, species which are difficult or impossible to see in any other part of East Africa.

Uganda Gorilla Trek Accommodation options available (all on full board basis)

Up-market: Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge Bwindi or Chameleon Hill Lodge

Moderate: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge

Low Budget: Gorilla Haven Lodge Rushaga

Day 3: Hike Sabyinyo Volcano, Muhavura, Gahinga Volcano, or Sabinyo Gorge in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Climbing the Sabyinyo extinct volcano is done in southwestern Uganda, and this consists of climbing 3 peaks.

The hike to Sabyinyo takes you through muddy trails often on wooden ladders with expectations of patchy/partial rain and clearing clouds as you get to the beautiful view of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. At this time, the view is at times reduced to 10 ft, reach the summit view and from here you will be able to see and stand in all three countries; Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo.

This hike sometimes involves walking straight high up the mountain without going round it. The views and challenges of hiking Mt. Sabyinyo make it an amazing experience for adventurers.

After early breakfast for the hikers will depend on the choice of the following:

Climbing Muhavura Volcano (± 8 hrs; distance 12 km; height 4,127 m; elevation gain 1,700 m).
Climbing Gahinga Volcano (± 6 hrs; distance 8 km; height 3,474 m; elevation gain 1,100m).
Visit Sabinyo Gorge (± 4 hrs; distance 6 km, no elevation gain).
Climbing Sabinyo Volcano (Sabinyo has three peaks, you can climb all three in the same walk, but you need to be fit!! ± 8 hrs; distance 14 km; height 3,669 m, elevation gain 1,300 m).

On hiking safety, Mt. Sabyinyo has walking trails and occasionally maintained wooden ladders which make it safer for hikers.