Thanks to the creation of stretcher beds and sedan chairs supported by four handles, it is possible for Persons With Disabilities to track gorillas too. Upon these beds, you will be ferried into the forest by four able-bodied men.

As you take in the beauty of the park, the ranger guide accompanying you will explain the fascinating adaptations of wildlife species that are unique to this gem. You will also discover the surrounds in search of forest elephants, buffaloes and other forest species and learn of their incredible struggle against the elements of Africa’s harsh wilderness.

You will get up close and personal with lots of birds especially fish eagles that soar over rivers in search for food. In the end, you will see how these absolutely social, superbly adapted gorillas interact with each other to spot out rival gorillas spying on them.

A few things to bear in mind:

Ensure to purchase your trek permits in advance, there is a limited number available for each day.

As you enter the rain forest, the temperature drops and it gets cooler. So carry warm clothing and rain jackets.

For birdwatching enthusiasts and nature photographers, a day in Bwindi is worth a week in paradise. It is that good considering that Bwindi is highly rated as one of the most ecologically diverse areas in the world. It has 350 recorded bird species, 20 of which come across as the most sought in Uganda. This includes afro montane-forest residents such as Bar-tailed Trogon, African Green Broadbill, Doherty’s Bushshrike, Shelley’s Crimsonwing and Short-tailed Warbler.

Inside this lost world, you will find roaring rivers that are fed by cascades of crystal clear waterfalls. You won’t get views of sorrounding farms as the trees are so high, but there is a lot to see within the forest. This includes 23 Albertine endemics like Blue-headed sunbird and Neumann’s warbler. They are the easiest to spot because they love flaunting their beautiful feathers for all to see. They are mostly found in Mubwindi, a swampy section in Buhoma after which the park was named.

If seeing the Yellow-streaked greenbul, Western green tinkerbird and Black-billed turaco has been pending on your checklist, You Should Be Here (Bwindi). As you search for them, you will be astonished by the sense of peace and calm in this world beneath the canopy.

Mgahinga has lots of beautiful trails where you can wander around as you discover a checklist of over 180 species. 12 of these are among the 24 species endemic to the Albertine Rift mountains. This includes Rwenzori nightjar, Archer’s robin-chat, Rwenzori turaco, Dusky crimsonwing and Rwenzori batis among others.

If you have limited time but wish to see as many species as possible, concentrate on the Gorge Trail between Gahinga and Sabinyo. Here, you will be charmed the beauty and songs of African olive pigeon, Cape Robin chat, Moorland chat, Speckled Mousebird, Scarlet-tufted malachite sunbird, Olive woodpecker, Moorland chat, Alpine swift,  Kivu ground thrush and  Africcan paradise flycatcher  among other species.

Mgahinga prides in having 39 of the 88 species of Afro-tropical highlands biome that occur in Uganda. The guides who will accompany you go above and beyond for all the hikers. If you have weak knees, they will give you a push whenever you need it. You won’t feel rushed to go quick, which is good as some stretches of the climb are a little nerve wracking.

Best time to go birdwatching here

Birdwatching in Mgahinga is great year-round. However, if you wish to register maximum sightings, opt for the breeding months from April to mid-May and from October to November. On the other hand, migratory birds can best be seen from November to April.

No matter the time of year of your visit, carry warm clothing and rain gear. Being a tropical park, Mgahinga experiences sudden rains.

This is a unique activity in Uganda. Here you get an opportunity to experience wilderness and wildlife by exploring forests and Savannah grasslands conducted by trained guides. The walks take place in the national parks or wild game reserves or communities neighboring the parks.

Trails have been created and routes are made where there is danger of encountering predators. The trained guides are sometimes armed but some will not be armed. The guides have a lot of knowledge on different aspects of wildlife, plants and birds. They are very familiar with the behavior of animals like the chimpanzees and gorilla trekking as well as bush walks like those at Lake Mburo Park.

Nature walks take place in communities neighboring the game parks in some eco tourist sites. The communities have trained guides from within. This creates work for them and improves livelihoods. It also provides an incentive to defend and protect important ecosystem on which they and tourism activities depend.

The participation of the community and tourists also minimizes the conflict between them and national parks which controls poaching and other illegal activities. Some guided nature walks are organized by local communities in some eco-tourist sites. They provide well trained local people as well. It’s an opportunity to exchange some interesting views and to support them. It’s one of the ways they can share from the benefits of tourism.

The Guided nature walks are integrated in most of itineraries. For specific interests in nature walks always mention it and we will plan an experience of a life time. A tourist buying of locally made crafts contribute directly to the well-being of the community and encourages them to support conservation.

Nature walks are a major component in the itineraries Travel House offers. The most popular nature walks include: Lake Mburo park ,Lake Bunyonyi – Kabale ,The Buhoma walk – Bwindi gorilla Park, The Maramagambo walk – at Queen Elizabeth park, The kasese walk along the foot of the Rwenzori mountain range, The Bogodi walk – a community project on the edge of Kibale national park, The kidepo nature walk , The top of the falls walk – Murchison falls park and The Mgahinga golden monkey walk

It is important to note that Uganda, Rwanda and the D.R. Congo share the Virunga range which is the home to the gorillas. Some of the gorilla families do cross boarders from time to time as they move in search of food. Our company conducts gorilla tracking packages in Uganda and Rwanda and occasionally to The D.R.Congo. The ‘Land of a Thousand Hills’, Rwanda is a small and impressively mountainous country in the heart of Africa. Lying between the ecosystems of the Congo Basin and the Great Rift Valley, it shares the natural riches of both – resulting in a country of exquisite beauty and unsurpassed biodiversity. Rwanda’s captivating natural features offer some great experiences of the mountain gorillas in the Parc National des Volcans. So gorilla tracking may be done in Uganda or Rwanda or both to maximize ones experience.

Tracking in Rwanda was hence forth described “In the heart of Central Africa, so high up that you shiver more than you sweat,” wrote the eminent primatologist Dian Fossey, “are great, old volcanoes towering up almost 15,000 feet, and nearly covered with rich, green rainforest – the Virungas”. Situated in the far northwest of Rwanda, the Parc des Volcans protects the steep slopes of this magnificent mountain range – home of the rare mountain gorilla – and the rich mosaic of montane ecosystems, which embrace evergreen and bamboo forest, open grassland, swamp and heath. An exhilarating trek through the cultivated foothills of the Virungas offers stirring views in all directions.
Then, abruptly, the trail enters the national park, immersing trekkers in the mysterious intimacy of the rainforest, alive with the calls of colourful birds and chattering of the rare golden monkey, and littered with fresh spoor of the mountains’ elusive populations of buffalo and elephant.  Through gaps in the forest canopy, the magnificent peaks are glimpsed, easily accessible and among the highest in Africa, beckoning an ascent.

Parc De Volcano has five groups : Sabinyo Group : 10 individuals, 2 silverbacks; Amahoro A Group : 15 individuals, 2 silverback; Amahoro B Group : 7 individuals, 1 silverback; Susa Group : 37 individuals, 4 silverbacks; Group Treize : 10 individuals, 2 silverbacks. The choice of the group to track is allocated the morning of the tracking depending on whether one wants a longer walk or a nearer walk.

If you are looking for a great way to stay fit while on a gorilla tour in Uganda, this cycling tour is absolutely fulfilling. It takes place at village neighboring our lodge. There is a wide selection of routes to choose from, some befitting for leisurely rides, others offer an adventurous way for one to shade off some weight, you could burn up to 80 calories, the faster the pace, the more excessive calories you will lose. The two hour activity unfolds at a slow but steady pace along the shores of Lake Mulehe and murrum road snaking through the village. You will have extensive chats with locals along the way, this will give you a local understanding of many things.

The village bears the characteristics of many different historical eras–as reflected in the diverse architectural designs of its huts and homesteads. Our guide will happily weave these together with background stories either from personal experience or through the stories of the locals who lived in and helped shape this peaceful countryside. Along the way, you will have a stopover at one of the homes along the route–to sample local brew and learn about how it is made, you won’t have trouble finding local markets full of locals.

Prepare to spend half a day immersing in pure cultures and ancient ways of life of the Batwa, a forest tribe of pygmies. They lived in Mgahinga National Park for over three centuries, a time during which they became a part of the forest and it became a part of them. This came to an end in 1991 when Government evicted them from the park in an effort to conserve it’s critically endangered mountain gorillas. During this tour, they will treat you to various survival adaptions they embraced while still residents in the forest–in an effort to outlive extinction.

You will be amazed by their energetic dances and hunting skills as complimented using handmade weapons like spears. They will teach you how they used to build traditional tree houses using eco-friendly materials. This was usually done with the intent of avoiding  beastly mammals that roamed the floor of the forest. Such include like forest buffaloes, mountain leopards and forest elephants.

This isn’t one of those tours where tourists just sit back. On the contrary, you will be engaged in everything. Your participation in making the local brew is much welcome. You are also free to join these cheerful hosts in harvesting fruits like wild berries. If you wish to know what goes on behind the scenes of back cloth making, they will wow with a demonstration that showcases the A-Z about this prestigious traditional cloth of Ugandan kingdoms.

At the end of the trail there’s a vantage point you can go to for sweeping panoramic views of kisoro’s villages and rolling hills. It is within walking distance from Garama, a spacious underground cave that used to serve as a palace for the Batwa royal family.

All said, this is a family friendly experience. The kids will enjoy every minute of the day as they learnt about life in the prehistoric times. There are wide open spaces for them to run around in, and all very safe.

Bwindi, a UNESCO World Heritage site with the highest number of habituated Mountain Gorilla groups in the world. Lying at an elevation of 1,160m- 2607m above sea-level. It is an awe-inspiring, misty & lush tropical rain forest. It has lots of beautiful autumn colors due to its diversity of both montane vegetation and native trees.

Being a forest walk, the pursuit to most animals here entails trekking on well- maintained trails as opposed as opposed to having a game drive. This offers you a more intimate & personal ecounter with nature.

Bwindi is a truly extraordinary therapeutic and relaxing haven with 400 species of Plants and 350 species of birds inclusive of 23 Albertine endemics. However, what really draws most people here is its 120 mammals species, including gorillas, forest Elephants, baboons, chimpanzees and antelopes. There are 220 magnificent species of butterflies to see and admire, inclusive of those found nowhere else on earth like Graphium gudenusi, Charades fournierae and Papilio leutaenia. This, coupled with very pretty display of daisy flowers creates a scene that will effortlessly make your six senses excel.

Gazatted in 1991, Bwindi as per the 2010 census has over 440 gorilla individuals, a mix of both habituated gorillas that are open to tourists and those that are extremely wild and out of bounds for tourism. Considering there are less than 1,010 left in the world, this makes Bwindi home to over 40% of the world’s last surviving population of Mountain Gorillas. The rest live in Congo & Virunga National Park and Rwanda Volcanoes National Park. Simply put, no matter the time you visit Bwindi, you have a 90% chance of encountering the gorillas.

Better still, in case you do not register luck in finding them on the first day, you will have a second chance the next day free of charge. If you have difficulties in walking, the rangers will organize for you a visit to one of the families that love dwelling in the easily accessible lower part of the forest. Better still, you can hire a porter for $10 to carry your bag for the whole day as you trek. This not only makes your hike easier because you do not have anything weighing you down, it directly supports the local community and inspires them to protect gorillas from poachers.

This will give u a chance to have a taste of the Ugandan lifestyle. You will meet with locals of many different generations and see the way of life in this developing country. The highlights of this cultural include visit to traditional healers or medicine man. A visit to homes for a demonstration of a variety of food making skills such as how bananas are used for a children’s drink, to make beer and also the local spirit. Get the chance to interact with the local community, they will show you how they incorporate every day activities into dance.

This sightseeing Village tour showcases how life unfolds in a typical Ugandan village. The highlight is experiencing ancient and new traditions that the Bafumbira tribe is embracing. This follows inter-tribal marriages with neighboring tribes such as Bakiga and Banyankole. Get ready to mingle with locals as you discover their rich cultural heritage. You will be amazed by how they build their houses using eco-friendly materials like larva ash. If time allows, you will visit their terrace farms and join in harvesting Irish potatoes using local tools.

Most of these subsistence farms you will come across lie upon gentle slopes of rolling hills. They feature lots of organic fruits especially bananas, pine apples and passion fruits. You are free to have as much as you want.

The guide who will lead this tour is full of life and passionate about the village. He and his family have lived in the area for decades. He draws on this background to provide a very personal walking tour during which he describes some of the characters he has encountered, some of which are famous, others not, the tour lasts about two hours.

Our lodge overlooks, a crater lake with a stunning beauty that nature has been beautifying for over 10,000 years now for you to enjoy. During this sightseeing tour, you will indulge, recharge and renew your positive energy. Best of all, you will discover the lake’s full beauty and its best kept secrets like thriving populations of Uganda’s national emblem, the grey crown crested crane.

It flows with freshwater from a river system that is fed by lakes atop the 8 volcanoes that beautifully dot the border of Rwanda, Uganda and Congo.

The lake owes its beauty to a warm friendly weather and geologic luck of the draw. When most guests look at it, their jaws drop in awe of how it showcases some of water’s most captivating qualities, from scenic ripples to crystalline clarity. One a sunny day, it beautifully reflects the beauty of the clear blue skies and the three hour-glass shaped mountains of Mgahinga National Park.

The dug out canoe in which you will ride is a traditional transport means that is unique to this South Western part of the country.

Hiking through the forest to meet the one of the many habituated golden monkey groups is an incredible and soulful experience.These subtle primates are worth every level of difficulty you will endure during the bushwalk. Most groups have at least 30 members. They are full of character and very curious.

During your visit, you will interface monkeys of every size from the mega-huge alpha males to the smallest infants and everything in between. The one hour you will spend with them makes you quickly forget whatever the hike throws at you. You will feel welcome in their circles as you compare and contrast aspects that differentiate them from the other monkey species like blue monkeys and vervets.

Don’t worry, the AK47s rifles that the rangers here carry is for scaring off rebellous buffaloes that hang around the forest zone. In case any threatens to attack you, he will shoot in the air to spark a thunderous sound that leaves animals in a panic mode.

It’s an understatement to describe the gorilla adventure here as a tremendous experience, it is phenomenal and intimate because the park isn’t crowded with tourists. This is partly because it has only one gorilla family, Nyakagezi group(comprising of 11 members belonging to different age brackets). It is pretty special to see them in the wild, sitting in the sunshine, happily munching leaves with high nutritional value. Having been habituated, they might not mind your presence. On the contrary, they will continue to eat and might even roll over on their back and take a brief nap as the food into stomach breaks down. Their babies play like minors of humans, always chasing each other and rolling down the hills. Watching the silverback snooze is like watching your best friend having a light scratch and roll around in the sheets. For much of the time, the elderly females are sleepy yet never fall from the trees. They always have a strong grip of branches.

Nyakagezi group loves to hangout in the forest zone as it has wild fruits in abundance. You will see all these as close as an arms reach away.

The porters are God sent, using their vast knowledge of the park, they will suggest alternative trails you can use to get past the slippery stretches. Where need be, they will give you a push as you penetrate broken treetops and vines. They have lots of intriguing stories and will show you how to approach the gorillas without making them restless.