South Walking Safari Adventure

This morning after an early breakfast, we will break up camp and begin our trek north towards Kisoro. The trek of 18km takes us through an area of volcanic craters some of the slopes of which are being cultivated by the indigenous Bakiga farmers and home also to the Batwa pygmies. As we walk we will gain a fascinating insight into the daily lives of the local people. We will be greeted by lots of children and local people as they work their fields and livestock and collect water from the local springs. You will head to Sheebas camp located at shores of the beautiful Lake Mutanda. We will have a one hour ride in dug-out canoes, piloted by local tribesmen. You may see fishermen checking their nets, farmers taking produce to market by canoe and people tending to their lands. We disembark on the lakes’ northern shore at Rwanjenje.

This morning, after breakfast, we will start a six-hour trek to the Nteko ridge, above the forest canopy of Bwindi and settle in the village of Nkuringo at 2161m. The route takes us over and around many of the volcanic calderas that form this millennia-old landscape. You will marvel at the agricultural terraces that cover these steep hillsides. Our expert guides will take great pleasure in pointing out a wide variety of flora and fauna.

After breakfast, at around 7:45 am, with packed lunch and drinking water you will be transferred to the National Park Head Quarters for the briefing on the dos and the don’ts while you are with the gorillas. You then continue to the forest for the start of the actual gorilla tracking. The beauty of this rain forest is spectacular. The area offers a dramatic, steeply forested landscape and is incredibly dense, but crisscrossed by numerous animal trails allowing access to tourists. The time is taken to follow the movements of these great primates. The thrill of spending time observing these gentle and endangered giants is an awesome, exciting experience to be long savored. Many find it to be a rare and moving opportunity. The tracking can take place at Nkuringo or at Rushaga (1 hr drive from Nkuringo), as per the gorilla permits obtained. Upon return, you can relax at the lodge or stroll around the community centre. There is also the possibility to drive up to the “Top of the World” - the name given to the football field, high up in the village which offers amazing views over the peaks and forests around Nkuringo. A great way to stretch your legs after the gorilla tracking and to enjoy a sundowner.

After a hearty breakfast, enjoy birding in Nombe Pocket Forest – it was part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and it is still quite impenetrable, however it was cut off from it as people needed more land to live on and cultivate. It can be reached on foot (approx. 1 hour to go and 2 hours to come back) or by vehicle and the visit lasts approx. 2 hours, depending on the interest of guests. In the afternoon stroll down to the Buniga Forest Trail Walk, an informative project run by USAID and the local Batwa Community. The Batwa tribe was forced to leave their home in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in 1991 when it was declared a UNESCO Heritage site for gorillas only. They had been living in the forest as nomadic hunter-gatherers for millennia, in perfect balance with the flora and fauna around. Moving out and suddenly living in communities with a completely different way of life has proven to be a huge challenge. They now survive as best as they can and earn a living explaining their previous life in the forest and their rich heritage. Continuation of the walk through the community to visit the traditional herbalist and the blacksmith.

After an early breakfast, start your unforgettable hike (19km - 7-9 hours) directly from Nkuringo Lodge, following the Kashasha River Trail. This is a full day walk where there would also be the opportunity to visit the Munyaga River Falls, hidden in the forest. However, if clients prefer, they can also opt for the shorter trek and in this case, they will be taken by a vehicle along the Nteko Ridge till the junction of the Ivy River Trail with the forest (7 km) and they then start their hike from here (13km - 4-5 hours). Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is a vast unique natural reserve - monkeys, duikers, bush pigs and some of Bwindi's world-renowned bird species plus many butterflies can be sighted. If you are very lucky you may even encounter gorillas! Once part of a much larger forest that included the Virunga Volcanoes in neighboring Rwanda, the park is nowadays an ecological island within a sea of villages and farmland, its conservation importance is immense. The emphasis of this activity is for your walking guide to share his knowledge of the forest with you, it is not simply an A to B hike. The trail is also an important footpath for local people, particularly on market days, traveling from Nkuringo and Nteko to Buhoma, on the northern boundary of the park. There is no road through Bwindi so vehicles driving between the two locations have an incredible 170 km bone-jarring journey taking 6 to 8 hours. Upon arrival at the park headquarters in Buhoma, continue to your lodge in the outskirts of the national park for some relax and to enjoy the “other” side of Bwindi. If you are interested, we will arrange a community walk directly with the guide for later in the evening (optional and to be paid locally).

After a leisurely breakfast, departure to Kihihi Airstrip (60km – 1 hour) for your morning AeroLink flight to Entebbe. You will then be transferred to your guesthouse to wait for your outbound flight back home.