From Shoebills to Great Primates 7 Days

Both permits gorilla and golden monkey are issued at the same gate at Ntebeko, so there is no transfer between the two encounters and no wasted day. The terrain is generally gentler than Bwindi's southern sectors, and the volcano setting is extraordinary. The trade-off is availability, covered below.

Very. Mgahinga has one habituated group, the Nyakagezi family, and releases eight permits a day against roughly 160 across Bwindi. Dates must be secured months in advance and are confirmed only once paid. If your dates matter more than the park, we would recommend the Bwindi version of this itinerary instead.

The Nyakagezi group ranges across the Virunga Massif and has at times spent extended periods in Rwanda or the DRC, during which UWA suspends trekking at Mgahinga. If that happens on your dates, we transfer your permit to Bwindi at no additional cost and adjust the itinerary and lodging accordingly. You will always trek.

It is a genuine hike: 12 kilometres with a 600-metre descent over four to six hours, on farm paths and ridge tracks that are slippery after rain. Sturdy boots and trekking poles are recommended. It is entirely optional we will substitute a leisure day, a shoreline birding walk or a Kisoro community visit at no extra cost.

Mabamba has one of the highest success rates anywhere, and the guides know the resident birds' territories. But the shoebill is wild and sightings are never guaranteed. Most mornings deliver, and the wetland is exceptional for birding regardless.

Physically easier the bamboo zone is gentler ground but photographically much harder. The monkeys move constantly and high in the canopy. Most people find it a joyful, energetic counterpoint to the stillness of the gorilla hour.

Yes. Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabinyo can all be summited from Ntebeko as full-day hikes, from around $80 per person. Sabinyo puts you at the point where Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC meet. These are demanding eight to ten hours and would replace the Day 6 afternoon or extend the itinerary by a day.

15kg per person including hand luggage, in soft-sided bags. Hard cases will not fit the hold. Anything over can be stored securely in Entebbe until your return.

Fifteen years for gorilla trekking, strictly enforced by UWA. Golden monkey tracking has a minimum age of twelve.

Most nationalities require a Uganda tourist visa, obtained in advance through the Uganda e-Visa portal. A Yellow Fever vaccination certificate is mandatory for entry.