4 Days Mgahinga Gorillas and Golden Monkey Trekking Safari

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4 DAYS MGAHINGA GORILLAS AND GOLDEN MONKEY TREKKING SAFARI

This is an all-inclusive primate experience in Mgahinga gorilla national park. It is a vital tour you don’t need to miss, unless you must! Get to meet the two highlight attractions, mountain gorillas and golden monkeys that make this park so unique and popular.

Day 1: Kampala to Mgahinga gorilla national park

Leave Kampala after breakfast and start a journey southward to Kisoro district – home of Mgahinga national park. Mgahinga is located at the extreme border of Uganda, Rwanda and D.R. Congo, therefore this will be a very lengthy road trip of about 8-9 hours. But it will be graced with amazing scenic views along the road, sightings of the majestic Ankole long horned cows, a stopover at the equator, undulating terraced hills of Kigezi, and so much more.

You will arrive at the lodge late in the evening just in time for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 2: Golden monkey trekking and Batwa community walk

Wake up to an early cup of coffee to shake off the morning extreme coldness. Off to Ntebeko ranger station you go for pre-trekking exercise where the park rangers will explain to you rules and regulations and general etiquette that govern trekking these amazing apes.

Golden monkey trekking is an amazing and fun exercise as these small primates are fond of swiftly hopping from one tree to another as they make funny hoots and wiggling their little tails. They prefer dwelling in lowland bamboo plantations where they get food and shelter. Upon finding them, settle for an hour while studying them, taking photos and asking any question you may have, the ranger guide will be there to quench all your curiosity.
After trekking, return to the starting point or lodge, have lunch and later embark on a tour to experience the remote Batwa communities. These are forest ancient people that live on the fringes of Mgahinga national park, and downhill of Mount Gahinga and Mount Muhabura and so it would be quite unfair to leave without paying a visit to learn about them, interacting with them, watching their dances and admiring their vibrant cultural songs.
Return to your lodge for dinner and a possible camp fire to shake off the anxiety.

Day 3: Gorilla trekking.

Leave your forest lodge as early as 7am with your trekking gear, packed lunch, gorilla permit, bottled mineral water, etc. Go for pre-trekking briefing exercise where you join other visitors and get to learn general etiquette of gorilla trekking, allocation of gorilla families, what to do and what not do.

Feel free to get a porter (hired) to carry some of your luggage so you can better concentrate on gorilla trekking experience and admiring evergreen lush forest. Trekking may last for 2 to 7 hours but on a lucky day you can even find a gorilla family within 30 minutes.

Meet Nyakagezi gorilla family, the only family in this park, enjoy seeing the silverback pounce on its check to scare you away, see the juveniles, baby gorillas and black backs. Get to be in the midst of this gorilla family for only one hour while taking photos, videos and asking questions.

Track back to the starting point, have your packaged lunch for eating and relax in the whole evening.

Day 4: Return to Kampala

Depart from Mgahinga after the 4 days of great adventure and embark on a return transfer to Kampala or Entebbe international park for departure. Another option would be dropping off at Kigali airport which is quite near than Entebbe airport. This marks an end to the 4 days primates and gorilla trekking experience.