4 Day Gorilla Trekking and Lake Bunyonyi Safari

The 4 day gorilla trekking and Lake Bunyonyi wildlife safari starts and ends in Kampala. It will take you to the south-western region for a tour of Lake Bunyonyi-- considered to be the second deepest lake in Africa. It is located in South-western Uganda between the districts of Kisoro and Kabale. It takes approximately 7 hours by road from Kampala. Its neighboring towns include Kyevu and Muko and among its 29 islands, the most popular ones are the Punishment Island and Bushara Island. The activities carried out around this touristy haven include canoeing, hiking, birding, swimming, community walks, among others. On the other hand, Mgahinga National Park, also located in South-western Uganda, also offers refuge to Uganda’s dense forests, the golden monkeys, mountain gorillas plus a wide range of bird species. The latter include the cape robin chats, the black headed waxbills, seed eaters and the blue headed sunbirds. This park offers a once in a lifetime wildlife experience.

Tour Highlights

• Day 1: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

• Day 2: Canoe experience and transfer to mgahinga gorilla national park

• Day 3:Mountain Gorilla trekking experience

• Day 4: Transfer to Kampala

GETTING THERE

This tour starts and ends in Kampala or Entebbe

• Book your own international flights - Fly to/from Entebbe International Airport

• A transfer from and back to the airport can also be arranged

• Additional accommodation in Kampala or Entebbe before and at the end of the tour can be arranged for an extra cost.

The Equator

Uganda is one of only 13 countries in the world where the imaginary line that divides the earth into two halves can be crossed. This is of course the Equator, which lies equidistant from the North Pole and the South Pole and which is also the longest line of Latitude, just over 40,000 kilometers long.  On our trip to the Western Uganda destinations such as Queen Elizabeth National Park, Lake Mburo, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or Mgahinga, you will notice two cement circles marking the Equator line on the Kampala-Masaka road. Though these circles are not great aesthetic achievements, they certainly provide a tingling bout of excitement as those of us with two feet find ourselves lodged in the opposite hemispheres with a small step- with one foot in the northern hemisphere and the other in the south hemisphere- or so we are led to believe. As soon as we seek a scientific response, the romance of firmly being ensconced in both hemispheres loses some of its allure.  This is so because while a one-dimensional geometric locus (which is what a line is) has no width (hence we can straddle it easily), over time it has been calculated to cover an average of nine meters because of a variation known as the Chandler wobble.

But- as we live for today- we should all take a photographic evidence for posterity that at this moment in time, you can indeed be in both hemispheres! 

If you are also an amateur scientist or a wannabe in that field, then our trip along the Kampala-Masaka road could give you an opportunity to test the Coriolis effect: and as your friends from Stockholm and Sydney will attest, water flows in different directions in those households.  But be prepared for some bit of disappointment as this effect- referring to wind deflection in opposing directions in the hemispheres as a result of earth rotation- is so minimal that it will not make a great video memory post to your social media platform(s).

In spite of this, there is no need for despair as there are other tangible experiences at the Equator you could undertake with a bit of patience.  For example, if you remain there long enough, you will find that the daylight and nighttime are precisely the same duration.  Moreover, temperatures and humidity are fairly constant, thus making the guess-the-month from a photo-shoot a rather tricky undertaking.

It should thus not come as a surprise that the Kayabwe Equator stop is a truly unique opportunity to take photos, buy some local souvenirs and have a meal and a drink.   Twist Africa Safari recommends the AidChild’s Equator Café and Gallery in particular, not only because it has excellent coffee and snacks and an unparalleled selection of contemporary arts and crafts for sale, but as it is one of the two centers by AidChild, a foundation focusing on development and education for an HIV-free generation. The revenue of the café provides tutoring, leadership coaching, job-skills training, music education, nutrition and wellness support to dozens of interns who then pass on the knowledge gained in their local community.

Igongo Cultural Center

12 kilometers along the scenic Mbarara-Masaka highway is Igongo Cultural Centre and Country Hotel. It is an impressive recreational complex consisting of a captivating Eriijukiro (the museum of South-western Uganda), a traditional restaurant, a bar and other attractions around it. It is the ultimate destination for lovers of history, art, culture, and comfort. A staple of ultimate African luxury, Igongo merges comfort, relaxation and recreation in an environment offering a gorgeous scenery, beautiful gardens and a beautiful view of various art pieces and cultures exhibited at the entrance of the hotel's lobby and foyer. 

Apart from the breathtaking hotel, there are some exciting opportunities and attractions at Igongo, including a visit to the museum of South-western Uganda (Eriijukiro) that has a collection of art and crafts, photos, information panels, norms, customs, traditions and the history of the people of South-western Uganda and her neighboring kingdoms.

 A visit to Itamiro (a cultural village) gives you an experience of cultural village housing. Here you will find the traditional huts for cattle, the Bariisa, and Crop Farmers, the Abahiingi. The village also boasts of a large amphitheater and a venue for bonfires and story-telling sprees.

Nkwanzi Craft and Bookshop is the hub of South-western Uganda’s history containing a collection of various books on culture, growth, and development. There are also various handmade arts and crafts produced by the residents and traditional costumes such as mugamba, the cultural bridal wear, bracelets, and animal skins and hides.

Other possible activities at Igongo include the Ankole farm tour, pottery activities, traditional beer brewing, hiking the eclipse hill and eclipse monument of the 1520AD, milk processing and millet processing, fishing, and canoeing, visiting Ankole's royal tombs, visiting the former Ankole king's palace, among others.

For the ultimate cultural experience in western Uganda, Igongo Cultural Center and Hotel is the perfect place to go to with an opportunity to get memorabilia from the craft shop.

Lake Bunyonyi

The lake derives its name from a Runyakitara/Rukiga word obunyonyi which means “small birds”. Lake Bunyonyi is located in South-western Uganda within the districts of Kabale; the Switzerland of Africa and Kisoro, which is close to the border of Rwanda and Uganda. This beautiful Uganda destination is about 410 kilometers from Kampala, Uganda’s capital. It takes approximately six hours to get there by road.

Lake Bunyonyi harbors over 200 bird species which include the weaver birds, the grey-crowned cranes and the herons. Being a calm lake, it further attracts international migratory birds during winter, making it an ideal destination for Uganda birding safaris. This freshwater lake is 25 kilometers long and seven kilometers wide. It covers a surface area of about 46 square kilometers and is approximately 44 meters deep, which makes it the second deepest lake in Africa after Lake Tanganyika of Tanzania. 

The lake is well known for water sports and is a remarkable destination for both foreign and domestic travelers. The scenic view of its islands is one of a kind, especially with the picturesque background of a magnificent sunset. This sighting was featured in the famous movie- Black Panther- and it offers a breath-taking nature view of the lake. Some of the activities the lake has to offer include hiking the highlands around the lake, bird watching, canoeing, boat riding, swimming and a tour of the pygmy village.

The region of Lake Bunyonyi is occupied by both the Bakiga and the Batwa people. The Bakiga are Bantu people who have tilled the hills of Kigezi for centuries. They are known for their strength and for being hardworking. These inhabitants are responsible for the beautiful terrace cultivation on the slopes of the Kigezi hills which are clearly visible while at the lake.

 The Batwa, on the other hand, were just introduced to the place. They were initially forest people who lived in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest before it was gazetted into a national park. Their indigenous music and drama will leave you mesmerized, as they tell stories in the form of songs that will draw you into sorrowful imagination of their culture that is slowly fading away. The lake is enclosed within the terraced hills of Kigezi comprising 29 islands, each with a mythical story behind it. The main islands include the following.

    The Akampene Island (Punishment Island) legend has it that this is the island where the occupants, also known as the Bakiga, dumped all pregnant unmarried girls. This was done as a punishment so they could die of hunger or drown as they tried to swim back to the mainland. The punishment came as a deterrent measure to keep all girls away from early pregnancies. Even though the backward act is no longer in practice, this isolated island still holds the punishment name.

    Bushara Island is the most developed island. It is also the home of Lake Bunyonyi Development Company, an organization that handles various development projects around Lake Bunyonyi. The organization gets its funding from the tourism activities carried around Lake Bunyonyi. The island is outstanding with a forest, an appealing demonstration of eucalyptus trees that grow at a fast rate and it is an ideal place for hiking. The island also offers services like tents for hire as well as canoe and sailboat hire to allow tourists paddle to other islands.

    Kyahugye Island covers a surface area of about 74 acres with many tree species such as the eucalyptus, alnus, cuprous and pine species. It is surrounded by a wide strip of reeds interspersed with papyrus bordering the island to the shores of the lake. The vegetation on this island comprises of bushes, open fallows, tree plantations and other forms of natural vegetation. It is the nearest island from the mainland, being a five-minute distance from the mainland. It has a flat hilltop for tourists with campsites, chalets as well as accommodation. The spectacular view of the terraced hills from this point is also memorable. The tourist activities on this island include nature walks, birding, hiking, canoeing, and community visits. It is also the only island with wild animals that were introduced there. These include zebras, waterbucks, and the De Brazza monkeys.

     Bwama Island (Sharp's Island) got named after the English missionary, Dr. Leonard Sharp, who organized a safari to this island. He set up a leprosy treatment center, a church and quarters on the isolated island. The island for a long time was used as a segregation ground for leprosy patients.  The treatment center was later on transformed into a boarding school for teaching young children at the primary level.

    Bucuranuka Island (The Upside Down Island) got its name from a myth about an old woman who was bypassing the island. She met a group of occupants here, asked for help in the form of some beer to take, but was harshly denied it. She then asked for a boat ride to help her cross to the mainland but was again turned down. A young man out of the inhospitable crowd kindly offered to take the old woman and just as they reached the mainland together, a tragedy followed and thus the island they had just left capsized. The island was well known for brewing local sorghum before it got the name of the ‘Island that Killed People’- that is “Upside Down Island.”

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

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SAFARI INCLUSIONS

Safari includes:

Transportation in a Tour Van/Landcruiser.

Service of an English-speaking tour guide/Driver

One gorilla permit per person

Boat cruise/ Canoeing

Cultural village tour

Park admissions

Accommodation on full board

Entrance fees to all destinations as per the program.

Transfers to and from Entebbe Airport/Kampala

Safari excludes:

All activities not mentioned in the program

Phone call bills

Tips

International Transfers

Visas to Uganda

Gratitude to tour-guides

Personal insurance

Visas to Uganda

Personal effects of any nature

Hotel fees before and after the safari

3 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari