5 Day Batwa Trail and Golden Monkey Trekking Safari in Mgahinga
5 Days Batwa Trail and Golden Monkey Trekking Safari in Mgahinga: Uganda’s Mgahinga National Park and Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park are a few of the protected natural habitats in Africa, famous for the rare golden monkeys. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park lies in southwestern Uganda, near the border with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The park is part of the Virunga Conservation Area, the Virunga volcanoes, which are shared by these three countries. Mgahinga National Park is the smallest of Uganda’s national parks, but it is packed with exciting activities for any outdoor enthusiast. Should you desire to explore any of the volcanoes, such as Sabyinyo, Gahinga, or Muhabura, you can prolong your stay; each volcano takes a day to summit. You can even stay longer on a gorilla trek in this park. This tour will provide a peek at the park’s beauty and the possibility of remaining longer.
The outlined Itinerary of the 5-Day Batwa Trail and Golden Monkey trekking safari in Uganda
Day 1: Arrival for the 5-Day Batwa Trail and Golden Monkey trekking Safari in Uganda
Day 2: Transfer to Mgahinga National Park
Day 3: Golden Monkey Trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Day 4: Batwa Trail experience
Day 5: Transfer to Entebbe and departure
Detailed Itinerary of the 5-day Batwa and Golden Monkey Safari in Uganda
Day 1: Arrival for the 5-day Batwa Trail and Golden Monkey Safari in Uganda
Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be welcomed by a Journeys Uganda representative and your assigned English-speaking guide, greet you and transfer you to your booked hotel in Entebbe. On arrival at the hotel, check in to relax, have dinner, and stay overnight.
Accommodation: Papyrus Guest House
Meal Plan: Dinner
Day 2: Transfer to Mgahinga National Park
On this 5-day Batwa Trail and Golden Monkey Safari in Uganda, wake up early, prepare all your travel bags, have breakfast, as your driver guide will be eagerly waiting for you, and drive to Kisoro District in south western Uganda at the foot of the Virunga Volcanoes. Along the way, you will enjoy the scenic views of natural beauty and landscapes, undulating terraced hills of Kigezi highlands, and the spectacular Virunga massif, among others. However, it is easier to access Mgahinga National Park from Rwanda through Kigali International Airport than Entebbe International Airport. If you travel through Kigali, you can still enjoy the natural beauty, winding roads of the ‘thousand hills’, and wonderful vistas of the volcanoes, not forgetting the tea plantations. Still, you can take a scheduled or a charter flight from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Air Strip to Kisoro airstrip, where our driver guide will pick you up and drive to the park at your booked hotel. You will spend the afternoon relaxing, preparing for the upcoming trekking and hiking experience. However, there is a possibility of flying from Entebbe Airport to Kisoro Airport for a morning flight, such that you get time at the resort to participate in community visits or simply relax at the resort.
Day 3: Golden Monkey Trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Golden monkeys are located in the Virunga volcanoes, which are shared by Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. On this day of the 5-day Batwa Trail and Golden Monkey Safari in Uganda, following an early breakfast, you will leave your accommodation and get transferred to the briefing location where the golden monkey trekking begins. A ranger guide will welcome you, greet you, and brief you about what to expect while you look for the golden monkeys. Following this briefing, you will begin your trek in search of the golden monkeys. You are advised to have a porter carry your luggage and other items because the hike can be difficult in some sections. Enforcement officials will accompany you if you encounter wild buffalo and elephants. Similar to gorilla trekking, you are only allowed to spend an hour with the golden monkey before returning to the starting site and your accommodation.
Accommodation: Mutanda Resort
Meal Plan: Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Day 4: Batwa Trail experience
The Batwa are indigenous people who lived in the forests of the Virunga volcanoes and relied on them for survival before they were designated as national parks to help save gorillas, golden monkeys, and other animals and flora. They were hunter-gatherers living with these animals. Today, you will meet some of the Batwa, who will lead you through the forest and explain how they lived, relied on the forest, and survived animal attacks. You will have a chance to interact with them and learn about their culture and why they are called forest custodians.
This journey will take you on the ‘Batwa Trail,’ designed in collaboration with the Uganda Wildlife Authority to convey their experience of coexisting with wildlife and raising families in the jungle.
Accommodation: Mutanda Resort
Meal Plan: Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Day 5: Transfer to Entebbe and departure
After breakfast, you will be transferred back to Entebbe International Airport for departure, and this marks the end of the 5-Day Batwa Trail and Golden Monkey Safari in Uganda.
Meal Plan: Breakfast/Lunch