Gorilla Trekking from Kampala
How to trek mountain Gorillas from Uganda’s Capital Kampala – Kampala City excursion.
Kampala walking tours – Gorilla Trekking in Uganda.
Gorilla Trekking from Kampala. It’s almost impossible to start planning for a gorilla trekking safari through Uganda without putting Kampala as part of the gorilla trekking adventure.
Combining a one-day Kampala city tour with Gorilla trekking gives you a blend of mixed cultures with an excellent wildlife encounter thus offering you the best African gorilla trekking safari of a lifetime.
Kampala is the pulsating heart of Uganda’s economic, social, cultural, and intellectual life. It is also the country’s largest urban center, with a population of 3.1 million (Microtrends 2020). And is the capital city of Uganda. Like Rome, Uganda’s capital was initially built across seven hills, but today, it sits on about two dozen hills.
Kampala derives its name from the local Luganda language saying ‘Akosozi k’empala,‘ meaning ‘Hill of Antelope.’ This a reference to the domestic impala (impala) antelope, which grazed the lawns of Mengo during Buganda’s King Mutesa’s reign in the 1880s.
Historically, Kampala Hill and the surrounding hills had lain at the Buganda Kingdom’s political center for several decades before the arrival of the first Europeans. Capt Fredrick Lugard arrived in 1890 and set up camp on Kampala Hill, so he is generally considered the founder.
You can choose to Visit Kampala either before or after your gorilla trekking adventure.
Some of the Iconic places and areas you can’t miss while planning for your Gorilla trekking from Kampala include the following.
Kampala City Center
Kampala’s most obvious reference point is the modern mufti-storied city center on Nakasero Hill. It is surrounded by more discreet but no less identifiable landmarks on neighboring summits.
Old Kampala Hill
Old Kampala Hill towers just a few hundred meters southwest of the city center, enclosed within the oval Old Kampala Road. Fine colonial buildings of Asian design mushroom the hill, generally somewhat rundown or strikingly renovated.
Old Kampala is historically known as Capt Lugard’s 1899 encampment site. It’s most notable today as the focal point for Kampala’s Islamic community and the sight of an imposing Uganda National Mosque.
Lubiri
Due south of Old Kampala, Kabaka’s Twekobe Palace stands on the broad, low hill of Lubiri. The ill-fated Kabaka Edward Mutesa was driven from this palace in 1966 by Idi Amin on Obote’s orders. The army subsequently occupied the site until 1993, gaining a reputation for terror. Amin and Obote’s agents took hundreds through its gates, never to be seen again.
Namirembe and Rubaga hills
Lubiri is neighboring Namirembe (Mengo) and Rubaga hills in the southwest, elevated by Anglican and Catholic cathedrals. The imposing dome identifies St Paul’s on Namirembe Hill and Rubaga Cathedral by two bell towers.
Mengo and Rubaga are Kampala’s oldest suburbs affluent in history and historic architecture, including the Royal Palace.
Bulange Building
Less than 500m past the turn-off to Namirembe, the Bulange Building — the traditional seat of the Buganda Parliament — stands on the south side of Albert Cook Road, directly opposite the junction with Sentema Road. It is one of the most impressive colonial-era buildings in Uganda.
Makerere Hill
Northeast of Namirembe is Makerere Hill, commonly known for housing the country’s oldest University. The white bell tower of Makerere University used to be visible on the green ridge of Makerere Hill until accidental fires gutted it in September 2020
Gorilla trekking In Uganda from Kampala
Gorilla Trekking Information – Mountain Gorillas In Uganda
Most of these mountain gorillas do reside in South Western Uganda in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. This Park consists of almost half of the number of Mountain Gorillas that are believed to be remaining in the whole world.
It’s also believed that the remaining Chimps in the entire world Co-exist in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. For any interested person willing to visit Ugandan gorillas, you must pay for a gorilla trekking permit that goes for USD 700.00 per trek per person.
Mgahinga National Park; this park is found in the Virunga ranges shared between Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda. This Park is also another place that is known for being a home of Ugandan gorillas.
For a person to have a wonderful, memorable, and unforgettable adventure you will have to endure all the efforts needed to reach Bwindi and trek through this wonderful natural forest. There are thirteen habituated gorilla groups for tourists to trek. And all these groups are found in different sectors such as Buhoma, Nkuringo, and others are habituated in the Ruhija and Rushaga regions of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
A proposed itinerary for Gorilla trekking from Kampala.
These four days gorilla trekking safari is going to allow you to watch two of the many Gorilla groups in this impenetrable forest. Therefore, allowing you two good hours of interaction with these primates and maybe a community walk to see the Batwa people and see how they live their daily lives.
Gorilla Trekking from Kampala
Tour Highlights
Day 1: Kampala City Tour.
Day 2: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Game Park.
Day 3: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable.
Day 4: Transfer to Kampala
Detailed Itinerary
Day one of Gorilla Trekking from Kampala
Kampala city tour
Early morning after breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel of residence, for a tour of Kampala. We will visit the key sites that make Kampala a unique tourist destination and these will include the King’s Palace, the kingdom parliament, Namirembe and Rubaga Cathedral, the old Kampala Mosque, and Nakasero Hill. Owino market, the Kabakas lake, and end with the Visit to ndere center for an evening of cultural performances.
We will return to the Lodge for a relaxing dinner and overnight stay and preparations for the start of the gorilla trekking safari.
Day two of Gorilla Trekking from Kampala
Transfer from Kampala to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Be early to hit the road in the morning since a long journey to the southwestern part of Uganda where the park is located. During your journey, you will have a brief stop in Mbarara town where you will have your lunch meal plus maybe mini shopping if you, please, and thereafter head on. While on the road you will then be in sight of Uganda’s other amazing beauties inclusive of which is the beautiful scenery of the city. On reaching the park you will check in at the accommodation. dinner and overnight.
Day three of Gorilla Trekking from Kampala
Mountain Gorilla Tracking and Community Walk
The day that you’re going to be the insight of the gorgeous primates the gorillas. Wake up early to buy yourself time to have breakfast and pick your packed lunch plus drinking water since you ought to have long hours in the forest searching for these apes. You will be expected to be at the park headquarters on time for your briefing and their head to the forest to engage in your first track which may take you 2 to 6 hours depending on the animal’s movement. A Full hour is allowed you to visualize the animals as they move around and react differently to your visit, while here you will be able to know why these apes are called cousins to man since the semblance to human character is positive. Thereafter the trek head back to the park headquarters and then finally the lodging. Freshen up and take on a community walk to see the Batwa people and their ways of life you can enjoy their cultural dances and songs as they demonstrate it all for you. Then dinner and overnight at the accommodation slept at the previous night.
Day 4 of Gorilla Trekking from Kampala.
Transfer to Kampala
Wake up early enough to have your fantastic breakfast meal, then head for the stunning boat ride on Lake Bunyonyi that will allow you a view of some of the islands on this lake as you observe the well-terraced hills surrounding the lake and many more scenic views. Then you will pack up and be on your way to Kampala with lunch en-route plus other stopovers that you would love to make as we come to the very beginning of the end of our double trekking safari. On reaching Kampala you will either be dropped at the airport for your flight or to a hotel in case your stay is still on.
End of Gorilla Trekking from Kampala safari from Kampala.
