7 Days Gorillas and Birding in Bwindi National Park
7 Days Gorillas and birding in Bwindi National Park
The 7 days gorillas and birding in Bwindi national park is an interesting primate and birding safari that will take you to Mabamba swamp where you will be able to spot the prehistoric shoebill stork and Bwindi impenetrable national park located in the southwestern part of Uganda where you will engage in an adventurous gorilla trekking experience which gives you an opportunity to spend time with the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. You will also be able to engage in an interesting nature walk, birding and cultural tour where you will interact with the local people
Highlights of the 7 days gorillas and birding in Bwindi National Park
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 3: Birding in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 4: Birding in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 5: Guided nature walk and cultural tour
Day 6: Transfer to Entebbe
Day 7: Birding in Mabamba swamp and departure to Entebbe airport
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Depending on your location in Entebbe on the first day of the 7 days gorillas and birding in Bwindi national park, you will be welcomed by a representative from Achieve Global Safaris who will brief you about the safari and then start the journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. On the way, you will have a stopover at the Equator where you will be able to take photos and buy souvenirs. From the Equator, you will proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park with en-route lunch and great views of the terraced farmlands, rolling hills, landscape among others. Upon arrival, you will check into your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Gorilla trekking,
After an early breakfast on the second day of the 7 days gorillas and birding in Bwindi national park, you will carry packed lunch and your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules, regulations and expectations of gorilla trekking. After the briefing you will be allocated a gorilla family to trek and a park guide who is knowledgeable about the gorillas and well conversant with trails in the jungle. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park takes about 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on where the gorillas are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking you will have views of animals, other primates species, different bird species among others. Once the gorillas are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their habitat which gives you an opportunity to watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, breastfeeding, playing, observe their behaviours, take great photos and record the breath taking moments to show people back home.
After the one-hour encounter with the gentle giants you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will be awarded a certificate for participating in gorilla trekking, meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Birding experience in Bwindi National Park
On the third day of the 7 days gorillas and birding in Bwindi national park, you will have breakfast, carry packed lunch and later meet up with your driver guide to go for birding experience in the forest where you will be able to spot different bird species like African Paradise Flycatcher, Shelley’s Greenbul, Cinnamon-chested bee-eater, Helmeted Guinea Fowl, Red-tailed Greenbul, Purple-breasted sunbird, Brown-capped weaver, African Sooty Flycatcher, Rwenzori Batis, Kivu Ground Thrush, Handsome Francolin, Rwenzori Turaco, African Pygmy Kingfisher among others. After birding, you will drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Birding in Bwindi National Park
After an early breakfast on the fourth day of the 7 days gorillas and birding in Bwindi national park, you will meet up with your driver guide to go for another birding experience in the park where you will be able to view bird species that you might have missed during the previous birding experience. After bird watching, you will return to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Guided nature walk and Cultural tour
On the fifth day of the 7 days gorillas and birding in Bwindi national park, you will have a relaxed breakfast and later meet up with your driver guide to go for an interesting guided nature walk in the park where you will be able to enjoy views of the scenery, birds, primates, waterfalls among others. After the nature walk, you will return to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, you will go for a Batwa cultural tour where you will interact with the Batwa people, learn about their culture, history, way of living, visit their homestead, engage in their traditional entertainment among others. After the culture tour, you will drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Transfer to Entebbe
After breakfast on the sixth day of the 7 days gorillas and birding in Bwindi national park, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey back to Kampala. On the way, you will have a stopover for en-route lunch and then proceed to Kampala arriving early evening and upon arrival, your driver guide will drop you off at the hotel in Entebbe for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Birding in Mabamba swamp and departure to Entebbe
After an early breakfast on the last day of the 7 days gorillas and birding in Bwindi national park, you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Mabamba swamp for birding experience where you will be able to spot the illusive Shoebill stork and other bird species like African Jacana, Long-tailed Cormorant, Yellow-billed duck, Goliath Heron, African Cuckoo Hawk, African Fish-eagle, Little Egret, Great Blue Turaco, Red-eyed Dove, Pied Kingfisher, Ross’s Turaco among others. After birding, you will return to the lodge for lunch where after you will transfer to Entebbe international airport for your departure flight or drop of at any place of advise.
End of 7 days gorillas and birding in Bwindi national park.
Tour includes
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Birding in Mabamba swamp
- Birding in Bwindi forest
- Nature walk
- Cultural tour
- All activities included in the itinerary
- Services of a professional English speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Pick up and drop off in Entebbe
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled drinking water
Tour excludes
- Air flight tickets
- Visas
- Life insurance
- Optional activities not included on the itinerary
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, cigarettes, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.
