4 Days Batwa cultural trail experience and Mount sabinyo hiking safari
1000$ per person
The 4 days Batwa cultural trail experience and mount Sabinyo mountain hiking safari to Mgahinga gorilla national park in Uganda was made to give you an exclusive cultural experience of Batwa people and hiking Mount Sabinyo one of the best inactive volcano for hiking. The Batwa people also known as “pygmies” are one of the oldest surviving Bushmen in Africa, they are traditional hunters and like living in forested areas. This safari will take you close to the Batwa people which will let you know much about their life style and how they survive without modern technology.
Day 1; Pick up from Entebbe / Kigali Airport or Any hotel in Kampala / Kigali – Transfer to Mgahinga gorilla national park
On your arrival at airport or after your early morning breakfast, you will be met by your driver guide for briefing about your 4 Days Batwa cultural trail experience and Mount sabinyo hiking safari and later start your drive to Mgahinga gorilla national park in the southwestern Uganda. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park covers the northern slopes of the three Virunga Volcanoes that is; Mount Sabinyo (3645 m), Mount Gahinga (3474 m) and Mount Muhabura (4127 m) bordering with Volcanoes national park in Rwanda in the south and Virunga national park in DR Congo in the west and each of these national park is a home to the endangered mountain forming ‘Virunga Conservation Area’. Before reaching the park, you will have an en-route stop to have refreshments and lunch then drive straight to check in at your reserved lodge to relax, dinner and an overnight.
Accommodation option; Mount Gahinga Safari Lodge (Luxury), Lake Mulehe Safari lodge (Mid-range), Kisolo tourist hotel (Budget)
Meal Plan; Lunch /Dinner
Day 2; Mgahinga gorilla national park – Batwa Cultural Trail Experience
Today after your morning breakfast, leave your lodge and go to spend your day with Batwa “Pygmy” people for cultural experience. This trail will give you a chance to know much about the uniqueness of Batwa cultural heritage and why they take forests as their main habitants. The Batwa People have unique life style like looking at forests as the best gifts that God gave them and they call themselves “Forest keepers” and believe that all forests belong to them and when some of their forests were gazette for wildlife conservation such as Bwindi impenetrable forest and Mgahinga forest, they felt God had rejected them. This trail will be conducted by the Batwa local guide who will provide to you more about their traditional forest life and culture, demonstration of their past hunting techniques, ways of gathering honey, making fire through use of their local tools, pointing out the medicinal plants and how to get medicine out of them, demonstrating how to make cups and other materials from bamboo trees, visiting the sacred Ngarama Cave which was a home to the Batwa King and finally enjoy their exciting cultural dances and you may decide to participate. After your Batwa cultural trail experience, return to your lodge to relax, dinner and an overnight
Accommodation option; Mount Gahinga Safari Lodge (Luxury), Lake Mulehe Safari lodge (Mid-range), Kisolo tourist hotel (Budget)
Meal Plan; Breakfast/ Lunch /Dinner
Day 3: Mgahinga gorilla national Park – Mount Sabinyo mountain hiking
Have your morning heavy fantastic breakfast and meet your driver guide for a transfer to the information center for briefing about guidelines to follow and what you should expect during hiking then begin your hike. Mgahinga gorilla national park has three of the Virunga volcanoes that have great hiking trails. Mount Sabyinyo is the most adventurous amongst the three volcanoes and it requires someone to be physically fit to be able to reach at the final summit. Mount Sabyinyo is rocky natured with terrain along the Sabinyo’s slopes and many craters with sharp ridges and it can only be trekked from Uganda where they managed to create safe and challenging trail which is involving the use of handmade ladders to assist climbers at very steep sections. Once you reach at the summit, you will have an opportunity to be in three countries that is; Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo at the same time without a visa, outstanding views of Mgahinga gorilla national park, Lake Bunyonyi. Sabinyo mountain hiking is one day trek and it is approximately 8 hours whereby 4 hours are used to reach at the summit and 4 hours to slope down, however, it may depend on the weather conditions and pace of the climbers. This hike will take you through variety of vegetation covers such as bamboo zone between 2400 – 2800m and you might encounter some wildlife species such as golden monkeys in the bamboo forest zones, forest elephants, caped buffaloes, bush pigs and many bird species such as the famous Rwenzori Turaco, and by great chance you may meet mountain gorillas, though these may not be habituated to meet people. After sloping down return to your lodge to relax, dinner and an overnight.
Accommodation option; Mount Gahinga Safari Lodge (Luxury), Lake Mulehe Safari lodge (Mid-range), Kisolo tourist hotel (Budget)
Meal Plan; Breakfast/ Lunch /Dinner
Day 4: Mgahinga gorilla national park – Return to Entebbe or Kigali international airport
After breakfast with all your bags already in your vehicle, meet your driver guide and embark on your return drive to Either Entebbe or Kigali international airports for your return flight or you may decide to include mountain gorilla tracking either in Uganda or Rwanda and we can be able to arrange it for you but it needs an advance communication to arrange for gorilla permit.
Meal Plan; Breakfast/ Lunch
This 4 Days Batwa cultural trail experience and Mount sabinyo hiking safari includes;
- Return airport transfers
- Transport for 4 days in 4WD and air-conditioned safari vehicle (Safari land cruiser/ van)
- English speaking driver guide (Other language (French and Germany) on request and at extra fee of $100 USD per day)
- Fuel for the 4 days
- Bottled mineral water throughout your safari
- Accommodation for 3 nights on full board meal plan
- All en-route meals
- 1 Batwa trail experience permit per person
- Mount Sabinyo mountain hiking
- All mentioned activities except for the optional ones
This 4 Days Batwa cultural trail experience and Mount sabinyo hiking safari excludes;
- Travel Visa
- Travel Insurance
- Domestic charters and international flights
- Accommodation in Kampala or Kigali city
- Souvenirs and gifts
- Tips and porters
- Alcoholic and soft drinks
