After early morning breakfast, drive to the park headquarters for briefing about the endangered golden monkeys that starts at 7 am and be allocated a group. 

Connect to the tracking starting point and enter the forest to search for the rare golden monkey. This activity can take about 1-5 hours and is done at closer view of the other primates in the park like the red-tailed monkeys, Vervet monkeys among other. After viewing the rare golden monkeys for an hour while taking pictures and studying their behaviors, return to the base and meet your driver.

Embark on your journey to cross to Uganda via Cyanika border to connect to Bwindi impenetrable national park. Upon crossing to Uganda after clearing with the immigration, proceed to your booked lodge in Bwindi forest for check-in, dinner and overnight stay at Mahogany Springs Lodge.

Overnight stay at Mahogany Springs Lodge.

Enjoy an early morning breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters with your packed lunch for a briefing by the ranger guides, and later, head into the forest for your trek. 

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi takes 2 to 8 hours, depending on the movement of the gorillas. These primates roam the park freely, and there is no way of telling where they will be for a particular day.

On finding them, you will be allowed 1 hour to view and take photos of these gentle primates, enjoy your lunch packs, and meet your driver/guide for transfer back to your lodge.

You may have the opportunity to connect and visit with the Batwa community that stays close to the park. The Batwa people are the indigenous people of Uganda who remained in the Park Forest before it was gazetted as a national park. Learn more about the Batwa, from their way of life to enjoying the songs and dances of the Batwa. Later in the evening, drive back to the lodge for relaxation.

Dinner and overnight stay at Mahogany Springs Lodge.

Breakfast at the hotel at your leisure. 

After breakfast, transfer to Lake Bunyonyi, about 2-3 hours' drive. This is the place to relax after all the hiking experience. Lake Bunyonyi is the second deepest lake in Africa, with about 29 islands such as the punishment island, Bushara, Bwama, and Njuyeera islands, to mention a few. Steep terraced hillsides surround the lake,; unlike other lakes, Lake Bunyonyi is Bilharzia, hippo, and crocodile with crystal clear waters good for swimming. Upon arrival, connect for a boat trip to the lake and visit some islands.

Connect to your booked hotel for check-in, have lunch, and spend your afternoon relaxing at the lodge and enjoying views of the lake. Alternatively, take the option of going for Zip-lining at your own cost or doing any other exciting activity of your choice.

Dinner and overnight stay at Bunyonyi Arcadia Cottages lodge.

For Sandra and Michelle:

Day 4: 30th/July/2024; Drive back to Kigali – Departure (SANDRA AND MICHELLE)

After breakfast, meet the driver who will take you back to Kigali - Rwanda. It's a 5-6 hours' drive. Depending on your flight schedule on this day, the driver will drop you off at Kigali airport for your flight back home. Marking the end of the safari

Breakfast at the hotel at your leisure.

After breakfast, we will transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park. It’s about a 5-6 hours drive, arriving in the Ishasha sector early afternoon.

Once we arrive, we will enjoy a game drive for chances to spot the tree-climbing lions and other animals. 

After our game drive, we will enjoy an en-route lunch, then connect for an afternoon/evening boat cruise on the Kazinga channel. This channel connects Lake Edward to Lake George and has one of Africa's highest concentrations of hippos. It offers an opportunity to observe park animals like hippos, crocodiles and a fantastic collection of birds (African fish eagles, Great White Pelicans, Great cormorants, and African spoonbills. 

Later in the evening, you will have an opportunity to go for a night game drive. 

Dinner and overnight at Elephant Plains Lodge.

You will wake up early and head out for a lion-tracking excursion where we will spot lions and sometimes leopards. ( Packed breakfast)

After, we will explore the Kasenyi sector - a known mating ground for kobs and a hunting ground for lions. While on the game drive, expect to see some of the Big 5, including lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, different species of antelopes, warthogs, and white Colobus monkeys.

Return to the lodge, have lunch then embark on your journey to Kibale National Park, which is about 3 hours drive with an en-route crater lake visit.

Proceed to your lodge for relaxation, dinner, and overnight stay Chimpundu Lodge.

Wake up early and drive to Kibale Forest to search for the exuberant chimpanzee groups in the Kibale forest. Tracking chimpanzees in their natural habitat as they swing from the branches in the canopy high above the forest floor is a thrilling experience. 

Though they can be difficult to spot, you will be in no doubt of their presence as the forest is alive with their noisy calls. Spend an hour in their presence. 

After trekking, we will go for a swamp walk in the Bigodi swamp - one of the richest swamps with birds and primates like Baboons, red-tailed monkeys, and Black and white monkeys. 

Dinner and overnight at Chimpundu Lodge.

6:30 AM: Early morning departure from the hotel to make the 6-7 hour drive to Entebbe.  Breakfast boxes can be arranged from the hotel and we will stop for lunch on our way. Today concludes our retreat. Please plan your departure flight to leave after 4 PM this day.

Thank you for joining Walker Wellness Retreats for your Gorilla Trekking Adventure to Rwanda and Uganda! We hope to see you on a future Walker Wellness Retreats adventure soon!