Gorillas & Horses in the mist, Uganda
Rural Ugandan Villages – Lake Victoria – Mabira Forest – River Nile – Pygmies Tribe - Bwindi Nat. Park – Silverback Gorillas
Día a día:
* La siguiente descripción es un ejemplo del programa. El itinerario puede variar durante su semana de viaje.
Haremos todo lo posible por seguir el itinerario indicado, aunque pueden producirse cambios puntuales debido a circunstancias imprevistas. Los recorridos están sujetos a cambios en función del tiempo, la ubicación, el alojamiento y la dificultad del terreno. En el caso poco probable de que esto ocurra en su viaje, le pedimos flexibilidad y comprensión. ¡Estas son unas vacaciones deportivas y aventureras!
17th to 24th March: horseriding safari.
25th March: Fly to Bwindi Nat. Park
26th March: Gorilla Trek
27th March: Fy back to Entebbe,
28th March: Depart Uganda.
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Day 1 : Sunday, March 17th
9.00am pick up from your accommodation in Entebbe Uganda, then transfer to Jinja. Lunch and pre-departure chat and meet the horses. Accommodation: Holland Park Jinja. Riding: Approx 1.5 hour short ride in the late afternoon to warm up and try out horses around the local village and along the banks of the River Nile. Included: Lunch - Dinner
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Day 2 : Monday, March 18th
Sugar and Tea Plantations Ride Accommodation: Holland Park - Riding: Approx: 4.5 hours ride through various plantations and villages, over some hills with stunning vistas of the country side. Picnic lunch. Fabulous views and open terrain, rural villages and sugar and tea plantations. Long canters are possible for those who want to indulge. Included: Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner
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Day 3 : Tuesday, March 19th
The shores of Lake Victoria ride. Accommodation: Haven River Lodge - Riding: Approx 5-6 hours riding. We truck our horses to our start point and visit our local school while the horses are being moved. Feel free to bring any primary age books you can spare to donate to the library! We then ride around an enormous peninsula that lies in Lake Victoria with lunch overlooking the lake. We pass by views of the source of the Nile and Jinja town. We ride to an end point, then transfer by boat to the famous Source of the Nile. Later we travel to the lodgings by Vehicle.
Included: Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner
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Day 4: Wednesday, March 20th
Forest explorer ride. Accommodation: Haven River Lodge - Riding: : 4-5 hours exploring Mabira forest and surrounds - we will be looking for rare forest primates, a subspecies of Grey Cheeked Mangabeys that are only found in Mabira forest. There is also lots of spectacular birdlife. You have the afternoon to yourself to relax, swim or wander. Included: Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner
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Day 5: Thursday, March 21th
Rainforest, River, Village Accommodation: Wild Waters - Riding: Another couple of hours in and out of the forest and through rural Ugandan villages before we reach Wildwaters Lodge. Located on an island in the middle of the Nile with massive white water all around, you will be simply amazed. Enjoy the pool in the afternoon that is one of the most spectacular places to view the Nile. Included: Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner
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Day 6: Friday, March 22th
Rafting/adventure sports or rest day Accommodation: Wild Waters Lodge - Today you can head out to experience some of the most beautiful white water rafting in the world (warm water thrills and spills). Please note rafting is optional you may prefer to rest, have a massage or cocktail - or do some of the other adventure activities in the area. Quad Biking, Bungee Jumping, Kayak school, Mountain biking or a birding trip on the river.
Included: Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner
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Day 7: Saturday, March 23th
Our final ride day! Accommodation: Wild Waters Lodge - Riding: Today we gear up and move to meet the horses downriver - the views will leave you speechless - and then we will swim the horses in the Nile. A beautiful bay with a sandy bottom, no hippos or crocs, then a picnic lunch overlooking the Nile while we all dry out. (Please note sometimes we are unable to safely swim the horses due to the hydropower dams flooding too much water into the area). Afterwards we ride back to Wildwaters, we say a final goodbye to our horses and cross back to the island. Included: Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner
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Day 8: Sunday, March 24th
Aferter breakfast return to Entebbe.
Overnight at The Boma Guest House in Entebbe.
Included: Breakfast
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OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Please Note: We use English tack on our horses, and we have a weight limit of 85kgs maximum for our safaris. We do require confident horse riders although we accommodate for those that want a faster pace and those that want a more relaxed ride by temporarily separating the safari group in various places on the ride where a faster pace is possible. Swimming horses in the Nile is also an optional part (free) of our ride. All safaris are accompanied by at least 2 guides. This safari passes through rural Ugandan villages and is an authentic look at life in Uganda and the stunning areas of forest, sugar and tea plantations, around the Source of the River Nile. The pace can be fast and it is essential that you can do rising trot and canter for long distances
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Day 9 : Monday, March 25th
In the morning transfer to Entebbe Airport for your scheduled flight to Kihihi Airstrip.(near Bwindi National Park) The flight takes just over an hour (depending on routing and aircraft used). Upon arrival you will be met by a Wild Frontiers’ representative and driven to Buhoma Lodge, located at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The drive to the lodge is through local villages and mountain roads – lovely scenery and very interesting en route!
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Bwindi National Park, located in south western Uganda on the edge of the Great Rift Valley, is considered the most diverse forest in Uganda. The area, one of the few large expanses of forest in East Africa, where lowland and mountain habitats meet, contains a dense ground cover of herbs, vines, and shrubs. Home to over 120 mammals, 345 species of birds, 200 species of butterflies, and 160 species of trees, Bwindi is one of the richest ecosystems in East Africa. The park contains almost one half of the world’s population of the endangered Mountain Gorilla, making it an extremely valuable conservation site. Bwindi is also home to several endangered bird species with very limited ranges, and acts as an important catchment area for many rivers, supplying water for agriculture in the surrounding region.
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In the afternoon we will visit the King of the Batwa and his people (a Pygmies tribe) These People of the Forest are essential to any trip to Uganda, but vastly underlooked, .... We will wander through their lives, and experience the education from people who have lived in the great primeval rainforest for 80.000 years. You really want to know about gorillas? This is the place to start!
Lunch, Dinner and Overnight at Buhoma Lodge.
Included: Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner
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Day 10 : Tuesday, March 26th
After Breakfast it is time for our Gorilla Trek!
08h00 is offically when the gorilla trek starts. There are 2 trekking sectors, Buhoma sector and Ruhija sector, which are both accessed from Buhoma Lodge and from where you can trek from. The Buhoma trekking headquarters is a 5-minute walk from the lodge and the Ruhija trekking headquarters is a 1–2-hour drive from the lodge depending on the road and weather conditions.
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Gorilla Tracking - Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Few words can describe the thrill of today’s lifetime experience! Coming face to face with mountain gorillas is a rare wildlife encounter that is exhilarating, humbling and enthralling. Experienced guides and trackers will accompany your party on an early morning trek into the dense rain forest on the steep mountain slopes.
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Please note that gorilla tracking is strenuous with treks ranging from 45 mins up to eight hours, at high altitudes in hot African conditions. The thrill of the hour you spend quietly observing these gentle giants once you find them is so worth the trek to get there! Although mountain gorillas are wild animals and sightings cannot be guaranteed, viewing success rates are over 95%. We typically buy permits for Buhoma & Ruhija, which are accessible from Buhoma area. One of the Buhoma families and all the Ruhija families require a road transfer to the start point. This does not deviate from the enjoyment of the trek (and could be considered as enhancing your trip as you are seeing a different part of the region). After your trek, head back to Buhoma Lodge for a complimentary massage. Overnight & Dinner at The Buhoma Lodge.
Included: Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner
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EXPERT TIPS:
- Wear long trousers and a long sleeved shirt with a t-shirt underneath.
- Sturdy, well-worn-in walking boots with long socks.
- Day bag to carry your waterproofs, water and packed lunch.
- Gardening gloves can prove useful to protect your hands from thorns and stinging nettles.
- Secure the services of a porter to carry your day bag and help you with the terrain.
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Day 11 : Wednesday, March 27th
After Breakfast depart from Kihihi airport at 10:h45am, arrive Entebbe at 11:25am
Free afternoon – Viisit Entebbe is great idea for the afternoon.
On the shores of gorgeous Lake Victoria, Entebbe is an attractive, verdant town that served as the capital city during the early years of the British protectorate. Today it’s the relaxed pace of life and nearby natural attractions that give the city its charm.
Overnight at The Boma Guest House in Entebbe.
Included: Breakfast
For safety's sake we plan this night in Entebbe before you fly home the next day. Traveling and flying in Africa can sometimes turn out differently than planned.
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Day 12 : Thursday, March 28th
After Breakfast transfer to the International Airport.
End of the trip.
Included: Breakfast
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Recommended:
We request that all our clients arrive the day before the start of the safari, to relax and acclimatize. Sometimes luggage can go missing enroute to Uganda, and sometimes flights are delayed, so in order to be refreshed and ready to ride, please do come in the day before.
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