5 days Bwindi Gorilla and Lake Mburo trip gives you an opportunity to enjoy the unique endangered mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable national park with the smallest savannah park in Uganda Lake Mburo which is known for its diverse ecosystems, including rolling hills, grassy plains, acacia woodlands, and swampy areas, making it an ideal habitat for a variety of wildlife. Expect to see primates like mountain gorillas, red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons, L’Hoest’s monkeys, blue monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys and chimpanzees; animals like elephants, buffaloes, oribis, zebras, hippos, giant forest hogs, warthogs, antelopes, crocodiles, hyenas, impalas, topis and birds like the fish eagles, king fishers, red-faced barbet, black-bellied bustard, black bee-eater, regal sunbird, Rwenzori nightjar, Rwenzori turaco, papyrus gonolek, speckled mousebirds, dwarf honeyguide, handsome spur fowl and many more. The trip starts in Kampala to Bwindi then Lake Mburo and back to Kampala.
Day 1: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
You will get to your agreed point and will be met by a driver guide from Glory Summit Tours who will also brief you on how your trip will be after which you will set off for Bwindi which will take 8-9 hours. During the journey you will make one stop at the Igongo Cultural Center for lunch and also learn a little bit about the Ankole culture after which you will continue to Bwindi and arrive in time for dinner and check in the lodge for the night.
Day 2: Gorilla trekking and Batwa cultural tour
You will wake up early and have breakfast and head to the briefing spot by 7:30am where you shall be given the guidelines and safety precautions to be followed by a guide to ensure a smooth trek before you head into the forest to experience it. Depending on the targeted Gorilla families given to you to trek, the trekking will take between 30 minutes-6hours, it’s in this time that you shall get to see the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat, how they live, care for each other, care for their young, how and when they eat, all this will be done with a guide and armed ranger on route with you. During the trek you will be given water and a snack for when you need it. When done with the trekking, you will go back to your lodge and freshen up then have lunch. There after you will visit the Batwa people for a community tour. With the help of a local guide, you will be involved in different community activities like music, dance and drama, crafting and honey harvesting. Story telling will also be key as a way to learn the Batwa people’s history and what makes them an interesting group people. You will the return to the lodge, have dinner and end the day.
Day 3: Transfer to Lake Mburo
You will wake up, have breakfast and check out of your lodging and you will exit the forest for Lake Mburo and this will take about 6-7hours. As you travel towards Lake Mburo National Park, you’ll pass through rolling hills, cultivated farmlands, and rural villages. Keep an eye out for panoramic views of the countryside, including terraced hillsides and distant mountains. You will have a stopover in Mbarara for a late lunch before you proceed to Lake Mburo, on arrival you will check into your lodging for the next 2 nights. Relax after checking in, have dinner then retire at will for the night.
Day 4: Game drive and Boat cruise
You will wake up to a beautiful breakfast, after which you will be picked by the driver guide to head out into Lake Mburo national park to enjoy a morning game driver which will take about 3hours and will see animals like zebras, elands, antelopes, impalas, warthogs, buffaloes, topis and keep any eye out for predators like leopards, hyenas and jackals much as they are more elusive during the day, and birds like fish eagles, malachite kingfishers, herons and the rare shoebill stork. Once done you will head back to your lodging for lunch before you go for the boat cruise. For the boat cruise at Lake Mburo where you will see animals like hippos, buffaloes, antelopes, waterbucks, bushbucks and crocodiles; birds like African fish eagle, shoebill stork, pied kingfisher, egrets, herons, ross’s turaco, narina trogon and the African finfoot. After the boat cruise, you will return to your lodging for dinner and then retire at will
Day 5: Checkout and departure
With breakfast done, you will check out of the hotel and exit the park for Kampala which will take about 5-6hours. On your way to Kampala you will enjoy the beautiful scenic views of the countryside and also have a chance to take some pictures while at it. A stopover in Mbarara for lunch and another at the Equator for more pictures and exploring the craft world will be done. Then continue to Kampala at an agreed point for drop off which will mark the end of 5 day trip.
