This 3 Days Mgahinga gorilla safari and Batwa trail Pygmy culture safari starts and end in Kigali city or Kigali international airport. It will take you to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park the Uganda’s smallest but spectacular national park found in southwestern Uganda. Mgahinga gorilla national park is more remarkable for being a home to the endangered mountain gorillas, the beautiful golden monkeys, featuring three extinct and conical volcanoes and its indigenous Batwa pygmy people. This 3 days involves mountain gorilla trekking and Batwa pygmy cultural trail.

3 Days Mgahinga Gorilla Safari and Batwa Trail From Kigali highlights.

Day 1: Pickup from your place of residence / hotel in Kigali city or Kigali international airport – Transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Day 2: Mgahinga gorilla national park – Mountain gorilla trekking – Evening boat canoeing

Day 3:  Mgahinga gorilla national park – Batwa pygmy cultural trail – Retuen to Kigali city /airport

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Pickup from your hotel / place of residence in Kigali city or Kigali airport – Transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

On this day early morning (0700 am) after having breakfast, when all luggage is ready packed, meet your safari guide or on arrival at Kigali international airport, you will meet our company representative for meet and greet, be briefed you about your 3 Days Mgahinga gorilla safari and Batwa pygmy cultural trail. After the tour briefing, go for Kigali city tour which offers an authentic outlook of Kigali city, Rwandan culture and life style in general. The city tour will take you to visit the major historical and cultural sites of Rwanda such as the museum of natural history where Dr. Richard Kandt the first German colonial resident of Rwanda resided, Kigali Genocide-memorial museum and visiting the craft centers where you are able to purchase souvenirs. After the city tour, have lunch and then start your drive to Mgahinga gorilla national park found in Uganda. Mgahinga Gorilla national park is one of the only 4 national parks in the world and one of the Uganda’s two national parks where you can meet the endangered mountain gorillas. It is the only park in Uganda where you can see the beautiful golden monkeys. It is part of the Virunga conservation area which lies along the border region of Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo. On your arrival at Mgahinga gorilla national park, check in at your lodge to relax, dinner and an overnight.

Accommodation options: Lake Mutanda Resort (Luxury), Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge (Mid-range), Lake Chahafi Lodge (Standard)

Meal plan: Lunch / Dinner

Day 2: Mgahinga gorilla national park – Mountain gorilla trekking – Evening boat canoeing

Rise up very in the morning to have breakfast (0700am), have your packed lunch, meet your safari guide and go to the park information point to join other guests to be briefed on the dos and don’ts to follow when searching for the mountain gorillas, how to behave in the presence of the mountain gorillas, details about the gorilla family to track and what you need to have to have a great experience. After the pre-trekking experience, start the forest walk to look out for the miraculous mountain gorillas. While looking for the mountain gorillas, you may encounter other mammals such as the beautiful golden monkeys, forest Elephants, Bush pigs and other primates plus many bird species and your guide will be able to give you information about everything that you will encounter. The time spent when searching for the mountain gorillas is not known but can be between 2 to 6 hours depending on your walking pace, the location and movements of the gorilla family you are tracking and also Mgahinga gorilla national park is made of the thick bamboo forests and hills of higher altitude which sometimes may require a lot of physical. When you meet the mountain gorilla family, you will be excited by the actions of everyone member of the family like the juveniles playing around and climbing trees, mothers breastfeeding, taking care and playing with their youngsters and the Mr. Silverback busy overseeing the situation and ready to provide protection to its family. You will stay with the mountain gorillas for a maximum of one hour and you will be free to take as many photos as you would want to keep your beautiful memories while with the endangered mountain gorillas. After gorilla trekking, return to the park starting center to receive your certificate and drive back to your lodge to have lunch, freshen yourself, relax and later go for an evening boat canoeing depending on lodge, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation options: Lake Mutanda Resort (Luxury), Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge (Mid-range), Lake Chahafi Lodge (Standard)

Meal plan: Lunch / Dinner

Day 3:  Mgahinga gorilla national park – Batwa pygmy cultural tour – Return to Kigali city or Airport

Wake up very early in the morning to have breakfast, have all your luggage packed in the vehicle, check out of your lodge and drive to the Batwa pygmy settlement for cultural experience. The Batwa pygmies also known as “the forest keepers” are one of the few remaining African bush men who used to live in the forests of Mgahinga and Bwindi and their life entirely depended on the forests resources. The used to stay together with wildlife animals in harmony but later when both forests were gazette as national parks purposely to protect the mountain gorillas whose population was getting extinct, they were evicted out of the forests and given land outside forests such that they do not conflict with wildlife conservations a thing which extremely affected their life since their lifestyle was highly attached to the forests and wildlife. The Batwa cultural trail in Mgahinga gorilla national was introduced for the Batwa to keep their ancestral culture and expose it to the entire world and it is also one way of supporting the Batwa people financially. During your stay with the Batwa pygmy people, you will run much about their life and take you through their local life such as making fire, hunting skills, how they use plants and roots to treat themselves, cultural entertainments like local dances and singing. After your half day Batwa pygmy cultural tour, have lunch and later start your drive back to your residence / hotel in Kigali city or back to Kigali international airport to prepare for your return flight. This will be the end of your 3 days Mgahinga gorilla safari and Batwa trail from Kigali.

Meal plan: Breakfast /Lunch

3 Days Mgahinga gorilla trekking and Batwa cultural trail includes;

Return airport transfers (Pick up and drop off)

Private transport for 3 days in a well-modifies safari land-cruiser /van that is (4×4 WD, air-conditioned and pop up roof)

Fuel for 3 days

English speaking safari guide for 3 days

Accommodation for 2 nights on full board meal plan (Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner)

Bottled mineral waters and all en-route meals

All government applicable taxes

Kigali city tour

1 mountain gorilla trekking permit per person

Evening boat canoeing

Batwa pygmy cultural tour

A visit to Igongo cultural museum

Water experiment at Kayabwe equator landmark

3 Days Mgahinga gorilla trekking and Batwa cultural trail excludes;

Entry visas and flights

Items of personal nature/tips/laundry/telephone charges

Personal insurance

Extra meals and activities

Alcoholic and other soft drinks (Beer, Sodas, special juice and coffee orders and wines)