challenging
4 days (gorilla trek up to 8 hours)
Requires good physical fitness to manage long, steep, and uneven trekking in high humidity and variable weather.
Step into Uganda’s Bwindi forest with Kent Safari Tours for a private 4-day encounter with mountain gorillas and rich local cultures. This immersive safari balances adventure with expert guidance in one of Africa’s wildest landscapes.
4 Day in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest!
OVERVIEW Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in the South-western part of Uganda on the edge of the Albertine rift valley. This World Heritage Park is one of East Africa’s most famous national parks, offering a variety of attractions to tourists. The National Park is covered in a series of verdant rolling hills with incredibly thick rain forests containing over 400 species of plants. The National park is also popular for being home to almost half of the worlds endangered Mountain Gorillas, 350 bird species, 200 butterfly species, 27 frog species, 120 mammals such as baboons, chimpanzees, and more than 30 elephants. Kent Safaris is therefore on handy to take you through an exciting four days experience of Gorilla trekking and tracking, bird watching, and an unprecedented view of the park’s diverse plant and animal species, an expedition that also will bring you into close interaction with the communities of the Batwa as you get to learn about the local culture through workshops and performances.
Our representatives will aid your transfer to the hotel or charter a domestic flight to Kihihi. Upon arrival to Kihihi, you will be welcomed by our guide who will provide the necessary briefing to ensure that your tour is smooth and to assist you through your period of stay in Bwindi. From Kihihi, you will be transferred to Bwindi lodge for lunch / dinner. Here, you will be seated on the balcony overlooking the Impenetrable Forest, to accord you a life time enjoyment of the sights and sounds of the more than 200 bird species echoing in the near distance.
Overnight: Bwindi Lodge or Standard
Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner
After an early breakfast and briefing from the wildlife authority or guides, we set off through the steep densely forested hills, an expedition that will take us into close interaction with the gorilla families in the thick vegetation, an inspiring moment. Gorilla tracking in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest requires energy and can take more than 8 hours. Therefore water bottles, snacks, jungle boots, raincoat/jackets are a necessity.
Overnight: Bwindi Lodge or Standard
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Take a guided walk in the forest (Bwindi Impenetrable Forest).Visit local villages, schools, hospitals, or clinic centers and learn about the amazing ways of life of the local community. Visit Bwindi Community hospital that provides vital medical and educational services to more than 6500 members of the community, and where donations of any kind to help the community are appreciated by community leaders. Touring the local tea processing corporation that is the community job platform from where the locals earn a living is also a very rewarding experience. This walk is also the surest way of experiencing the amazing cultures and traditions, plus interacting with the Batwa and pygmy communities inhabiting the area. Overnight: Bwindi Lodge or Standard Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
After breakfast, you will be transferred by our guide/driver from Bwindi Lodge to Kihihi airstrip for a flight to Entebbe International Airport. You can possibly charter the morning or afternoon flight to Entebbe and connect to your next flight back home or other destinations. Flight from Entebbe to Kihihi airstrip is 1-2 hours By road from Entebbe to Bwindi is 7 hour
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and National Park is located in a series of verdant rolling hills with incredibly thick forests. When it comes to tracking the mountain gorillas, it often involves steep up and down hill climbs and sometimes uneven and wet terrain. We therefore advise our visitors to wear hiking boots, rain coats and carry walking sticks for balancing your feet as we embark on the journey. The altitude in the forest is varied, with the highest point being 2607m above sea level. With this in mind, you might find hiking through that rather steep terrain a bit challenging. Your tour guides and Game rangers will be in handy to take you through the safety measures and important key notes to consider, before departure for planned activities, and also prior to getting close to the mountain gorillas. As a visitor, your time with the gorillas is restricted to one or two hours only by the Wildlife Authority. This is to safeguard the gorillas and avoid excessive contact with human beings. You will have some photo opportunities during the trek, so make sure your camera batteries are fully charged. Once the authorized time winds up, with your tour guides, you will retreat from the forest to your respective vehicles waiting to transport you to the hotel or to your next scheduled activity. Gorilla Trekking is an unforgettable experience especially when you have close ups with these gentle and incredible animals, an intense and life time encounter. Kent Safari Team is committed to executing the tour activities as detailed in the itinerary provided. We only request our clients to be understanding, remain calm and flexible on a few isolated occasions where local events may inconvenience the activities on the itinerary. Our clients should also note that the first day of the trip is simply for the drive or flight to the destination as shown on the itinerary and has a few activities planned. We advise that you be conversant with our Kent Safari representative who will take you through the Pre-departure briefings. NOTE: Entebbe international airport is your gateway to and from Uganda. To avoid inconveniences that are occasioned by rushing at the time of departure, we advise that you book international flights departing from Entebbe after 8pm. We will need you to furnish us with the following information:
A deposit of 10% is required to confirm the tour. The remaining balance will be due and charged 45 days before departure. Prices however may be subjected to changes until a full payment is received.
Each individual traveler is responsible for obtaining the required visa, as visa requirements vary per country. For visa information, we advise our clients to consult the US State Department and local Embassies for non-US citizens.
It is crucial to note that in many countries, some local Forex bureaus place much emphasis on quality of the dollar and other foreign currency notes frequently used by most visitors. It is our humble view therefore that you carry new and undamaged bills / notes especially in the dominations of $50 and $100 bills. Major credit cards like Visa and Master card are acceptable in towns.
Please remember to get your yellow fever vaccination as it is a crucial requirement especially if you are travelling to Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda. Please be sure to visit the Centers for Disease Control at http://www.cdc.gov/travel. Or check with a physician for more information.
Leave a copy of your itinerary, travel insurance, smart waiver and passport to a family member, for reference purposes, in case of an emergency. Travel insurance is also compulsory on all trips.
Amendments made on the booking 25 days before departure attracts a surcharge of $25 per amendment. Less than 25 days no amendments or fees will be applied. A changed reservation will be confirmed within 24 hours. Fees Apply:
Some of our tours have strict age limit. Children 13 years and below are not allowed to visit the gorillas or participate in certain activities like canoeing and, for adults above 65 years of age, a medical report may be required or its advisable you visit your Physician before travel.
We prioritize safety of our tours, however travels are susceptible to risks. So, it is important to be prepared and approach all arrangements with utmost caution. It’s advisable to do some research about your destination to equip yourself with some tips to ensure safety. Register your trip and also avail a copy of your emergency contact details to your government travel advisory service (or diplomatic mission) in a country that you are visiting so that they can contact you in case of emergency. This process can be done online and it is also advisable to get contacts of the American Embassy in Uganda, your final destination. Depending on the itinerary you have booked, some activities may carry greater risks or personal injury, we therefore advise that you take great care and strictly adhere to the established pre-cautions before participating. These activities include white water rafting, canoe and boat rides, Gorilla trekking and Chimpanzee tracking, mountaineering, bungee jumping, culture walk or community visit and game drive. For safety, the following must also be accorded due consideration;
Prices for a twin/double shared room are per person, and, rates for single or triple travelers are available on request.
This tour requires that a traveler should have adequate and valid travel insurance covering medical and personal accidents, including repatriation costs and emergency evacuation. We therefore recommend “Travel Guard” or Allianz travel Insurance” for all your insurance necessities.
We understand and respect the value and importance of your privacy. Be assured therefore that protection of privacy is given the highest priority. All personal information that you avail to us is strictly used for purposes of Safari tour booking. We will endeavor to take all reasonable steps to keep secure any personal information which we hold about the guest. However, cognizant of the rampant cases of hacking into data on the internet, it becomes a bit tricky to guarantee 100% security to data shared through online sources. We therefore will not be held culpable if the breach or hacking into your personal information is by international unauthorized individuals.
It is with regret that our office cannot compensate where an impediment to proper performance of duty is as a result of an event above and beyond our own making, control and anticipation nor is it due to the supplier of the service in question. Such events may include unexpected government quarantines, travel bans, riots, civil strife, natural disaster, terrorist acts, border closure, fire, road closures, industrial disputes, extreme weather conditions and other incidents beyond our control. NOTE: In some unfortunate circumstances, getting a park or Gorilla permit may not be guarantee to seeing wildlife in their habitats as unfavorable local conditions may sometimes hinder access to the wildlife. This can happen without prior notice or it can be at short notice. We therefore accept no liabilities in circumstances where Gorilla or wildlife viewing is due to cancellation by the authorities. Where the loss is due to the absence of Gorillas, closure of boarders, national park or security changes, refunding is at the discretion of the responsible offices. However, Kent Tour Safaris shall use all means necessary to obtain the monies / refunds and pass it on to the client.
Customers will receive a full refund, less the cost of the non- refundable gorilla permit ($600), with 45 days’ notice of cancellation. Customers will receive a full refund in case of operator’s cancellation due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances, as indicated below; - 10% deposit - No refund - 30 – 44 days - 55% refund - Less than 30 days - No refund Please note that cancellation fees are calculated based on the date we receive your cancellation request. Also note: Sale of Gorilla permits is a preserve of the government (Uganda wildlife Authority), hence, fees for these permits is non – refundable. Thank you, have an ultimate fascinating experience.
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Sales & Operations office SilverArcade Annex Suite#C.08 Second Floor Plot 62 P.O. Box 22000 Bombo Rd Opp. YMCA Kampala Uganda Office:+256393228997 Cell:+256752010111/256772537793 E-mail:info@kentsafaris.com
Wear sturdy hiking boots with good grip and consider using trekking poles to navigate slippery slopes.
The gorilla trek can last up to 8 hours, so stay hydrated and energized during the hike.
Visitors are allowed only one hour with the gorillas to minimize human impact on their habitat.
Mosquitoes and other insects are common in the rainforest, especially during the wet season.
Bwindi was designated a National Park in 1991 to protect its exceptional biodiversity and endangered mountain gorilla populations.
Strict gorilla viewing limits and eco-friendly tourism practices aim to protect habitat integrity and support local livelihoods.
Provides traction and ankle support for uneven rainforest terrain.
Protects against frequent rain and keeps you dry during forest treks.
spring|summer|fall|winter specific
Keeps mosquitoes and biting insects at bay in the rainforest environment.
Enhances wildlife and bird viewing beyond the immediate trail.