Walking Safari in Uganda, Off The Beaten Path Adventure

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, our driver will pick you up and take you to your hotel. You’ll meet your trip specialist for a briefing before dinner. For those arriving early and looking to stay active, optional activities include birdwatching at the famous botanical gardens or Mabamba swamps to see the shoebill, or a relaxing walk to local markets or modern malls.

Stay at: Boutique Hotel Number 5 (Luxury) or Papyrus Guesthouse (Comfortable)

You’ll start the day with a 7:30 am domestic flight from Entebbe to Kisoro Airport, near Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. From there, a driver will take you to begin a village walking tour, lasting about 45 minutes, with scenic views of mountain slopes, rainforests, and local settlements. Along the way, you’ll meet locals and learn about their daily lives. The walk leads to Lake Mutanda, where you’ll board traditional dug-out canoes for a 2.5-hour peaceful journey, surrounded by beautiful landscapes and local activities. You’ll then arrive at Mutanda Lake Resort, check into luxury chalets with stunning views of the Virunga mountains, and enjoy a relaxing evening.

Staying at: Mutanda Lake Resort

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

You can trek the 19-kilometer trail from Mutanda Lake Resort to Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge in 2-3 hours, enjoying rural landscapes, terraced gardens, homes, and stunning mountainous views. If you’d prefer not to walk, your driver can take you up the mountains after breakfast or shorten the hike for a less strenuous option. In the evening, you’ll join Batwa elders on a 2-mile forest trail, where they will share their ancient forest cultures, traditional medicines, and entertainment, providing insight into their past lives in the rainforest alongside the gorillas.

Staying at: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge

Meals: Full Board.

Before your gorilla trek the next morning, you can choose from several fun activities. Many guests relax in their cottage, enjoying beautiful views of the mountains while sipping drinks like Cognac, Whisky, or South African wines. You can also meet the chef to learn local recipes or share stories with the locals. For something different, you can visit a local healer who will explain traditional healing methods that have been used for over 70,000 years. If you want to be more active, you can hike the Suma waterfall village trail, which is a 7-kilometer walk through villages, ranches, and gardens that leads to a 7-meter waterfall. The trail offers stunning views of the area from the top.

There are other activities to keep you on your toes.

• Go to the ‘Top of the World’ – Experience a 360° view of the entire
• rural landscape on a sundowner picnic.
• Visit a local school or clinic
• Observe the making of local beer and gin
• Visit a homestead to sample some local foods
• See the local blacksmith at work
• Visit the women’s craft center
• Enjoy dances performed by the youth group

Staying at: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge

Meals: Full Board

Your busy day starts early at 7:00 am with breakfast, packing your lunch, and checking your gear. By 7:30 am, your private driver will take you to the meeting point for gorilla trekking, which begins at 8:00 am, no matter the weather or group size. You’ll spend most of the day in the jungle tracking mountain gorillas. You’ll have about an hour to watch them from 10 meters away, and sometimes they might come closer. Even though the hike can be tough, it’s worth it, so it’s a good idea to do some workouts before your trip. You’ll return around 2:00 pm for lunch in the jungle and then head back to your cottage for the evening, where you can enjoy chatting in the lounge after dinner.

Staying at: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge

Meals: Full Board.

You’ll start your walking safari at 8:30 am after a quick briefing with your guide at the lodge. It’s best to begin early to avoid the afternoon sun. You’ll have a local guide and two armed rangers for safety, so pack lightly with just a backpack, lunch, and a camera for the 4-5 hour hike. You can choose between two trails that lead to Buhoma town. The longer trail follows the Kashasha River and takes over six hours, while the shorter trail starts at the Kashasha River and follows the Ivy River, requiring a 15-kilometer drive to Nteko village. Both trails offer exciting adventures and opportunities to see wildlife like chimpanzees, forest elephants, and more. After your hike, you’ll check into a forest cottage at Mahogany Springs Lodge, which overlooks the beautiful Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

Staying at: Mahogany Springs Lodge

Meals: Full Board.

You’ll spend the day at Mahogany Springs Lodge, where you can enjoy village walks and visit the Ride4AWoman creative studio to support local women. The lodge has beautiful views of the forest from your cottage balcony, offering a peaceful and comfortable stay. It’s located by the Muyanja River, surrounded by lovely gardens and stone pathways. You can explore the gardens and discover things like a vegetable garden during your visit.

Meals: Full Board

After driving an hour from Buhoma to Kihihi Airport, you will board a domestic aircraft at 8:00 am to Entebbe International Airport, which is located on the banks of Lake Victoria. The trip, which lasts around an hour, takes you over Lake Victoria and some of the most beautiful scenery in Uganda.

Optional Accommodation Papyrus Guesthouse

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch (Packed), Dinner