5 Days Bwindi Gorillas & White water Rafting.
5 Days Bwindi Gorillas & White water Rafting: This is an unusual tour package that you won’t see anywhere else. The 5 days Uganda Safari takes you to Jinja city and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The main highlight of the 5 days Bwindi gorillas and white water rafting safari will be trekking mountain gorillas in Bwindi and white water rafting in Jinja. This tour package is specifically designed for tourists who are adventurous and love water sport activities. Your 5 days Bwindi gorillas and white water rafting safari in Uganda will start and end in Kampala.
Summary for the 5 Days Bwindi Gorillas & White water rafting Safari.
Day 1: Pickup from Kampala & Transfer to Bwindi.
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi.
Day 3: Transfer back to Kampala
Day 4: Transfer to Jinja and Sunset Boat Cruise.
Day 5: White water rafting and Transfer back to Kampala.
Detailed Itinerary for the 5 Days Bwindi Gorillas & White water rafting Safari.
Day 1: Pickup from Kampala & Transfer to Bwindi.
Pickup & Transfer to Bwindi: Welcome to Uganda! Today marks the start of your 5 Days Bwindi Gorillas and Whitewater rafting safari in Uganda. Your guide will pick you from your hotel and then embark on a 5 hour drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via Mbarara- Masaka Highway. You will have a stopover at the equator monuments in Kayabwe, Mpigi district. These two equator monuments mark the point where the equator runs through Uganda.
Visit Igongo Cultural Center: You will the Proceed to Igongo Cultural Centre for lunch. This epic cultural center is a good stop for many travelers on route to western Uganda and it is just 12 km from Mbarara Town. Igongo Cultural Centre was opened to the general public in 2010. While here, take a short tour of the center’s museum which has a lot to tell about western cultural history. You can also visit the Nkwanzi crafts and bookshop where you can purchase a few souvenirs for yourself.
After having a hearty meal, proceed to Bwindi where you will check into your accommodation, have dinner and your overnight stay at Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge/Buhoma Haven Lodge/Silverback Lodge.
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi.
Gorilla Trekking: Have breakfast very early at you lodge as your guide will pick you up at 6am. You will embark on a short journey to the Parks headquarters in Buhoma. You are supposed to be at Buhoma at exactly 7am for a briefing by the park’s head ranger which will begin at 8am and then you will be put in groups of 8 individuals per group depending on the gorilla group you are going to track. Tracking begins at exactly 8:30 am hence endeavor to always keep time.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has a total of 15 habituated gorilla groups that are tracked from four trailheads. Of these 15 habituated gorilla groups, 3 are found in Buhoma area in the northwest part of the park; while 4 gorilla groups are situated in Ruhija in the eastern part of Bwindi and 8 gorilla groups in Nkuringo and Rushaga respectively, located south of Bwindi.
Each tracking group consists of strictly eight individuals with each group having a park guide and ranger. Tracking can take about 1- 6 hours depending how easily and quick the gorillas are spotted. Once you have located a gorilla group, you will be given exactly an hour with them. After your gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi Forest, head back to the park headquarters to receive your gorilla trekking certificate and meet your guide, who will drive you back to your lodge. Have your dinner and a good night’s rest.
Day 3: Transfer back to Kampala.
Transfer to Kampala: Have breakfast at your lodge early in the morning and check out of your lodge. Your guide will pick you up from your lodge and you will then proceed with your drive back to Kampala city. You will have lunch enroute and a stopover at the equator monuments in Kayabwe for some pictures. Proceed with your drive to Kampala and your guide will drop you off at your hotel, where you will rest for the rest of the evening. Dinner and an overnight at City Blue Hotel/ Sheraton Hotel/ Kampala Serena Hotel.
Day 4: Transfer to Jinja and Sunset Boat Cruise.
Transfer to Jinja: Have a relaxed breakfast at your hotel. You guide will pick you up from the hotel where you will then proceed with your transfer to Jinja city. It takes about 2 hours to drive from Kampala to Jinja. Upon your arrival in Jinja, you will have a stopover at the Source of the Nile where you will embark on a boat ride on the Nile using one of the traditional boats or canoes. The boat ride takes approximately 2hours to and from the point where the source of the Nile is believed to begin. After your road ride on the Nile, you will visit some of the craft shops in the area and then proceed with your transfer to Nile River Explorers for your lunch.
Horseback riding (Optional): After having a heartfelt meal, you can relax for the rest of the afternoon or embark on a horseback riding safari which is optional. Nile River Explorers offer guests horseback riding tours depending on one’s riding experience. Horseback tour packages take between 1-3 hours, and you can choose a package that suits you. Adding this activity to your itinerary will cost you a few extra bucks, so make sure to inform your guide in case you want to include this activity to your itinerary for the day.
Sunset Boat Cruise: You will then embark on a sunset boat cruise on River Nile. The sunset boat cruise takes 2 hours and starts from 5pm till 7pm. While on the boat cruise, you will have an opportunity to view a variety of bird species in the vicinity, so make sure you have your camera and binoculars within arm’s reach. After the boat cruise, head back to your lodge for dinner and accommodation at Nile River Explorers.
Day 5: White water rafting and Transfer back to Kampala.
Whitewater Rafting: Today is the last day of your 5 days Bwindi gorillas and Whitewater rafting safari in Uganda. Have breakfast in the morning from your lodge and then head out for your whitewater rafting activity. This exciting and adventurous water sport activity will be done from Nile River Explorers. You will embark on a 4-5 hour whitewater rafting expedition on the Nile River depending on rafting experience. This activity is totally safe and you will be provided with a very experienced guide or instructor who will accompany you throughout the rafting course. The white water rafting adventure makes an ideal activity to do with friends and family. After your whitewater rafting experience, proceed to your lodge for lunch and later transfer back to Kampala city. You guide will drop you off at your preferred hotel in Kampala or at Entebbe International Airport. End of Tour.
