Description
Bush to Beach Safari: Gorilla Tracking & Kenyan Coast Escape
Itinerary:
DAY 1: Meet and Pick up from the agreed location/hotel
Our driver guide will pick you up from your hotel/place of residence in Kampala, have a quick briefing about the tour and then embark on the 8- 9-hour drive to Bwindi impenetrable National Park. On this road trip you will have a chance to see the different vegetations, beautiful sceneries and people, nyama choma places, street foods etc. You will have a stop over and a photo moment at the Uganda Equator then proceed to Mbarara where you will have lunch shortly before you continue to Bwindi and have an overnight at the guest lodge
DAY 2: Gorilla Tracking
The most awaited day is here, the day to track gorillas. You will have morning breakfast at the hotel and proceed to the UWA offices for a briefing. Here you will be welcomed by the enchanting performances of the batwa community through songs, dances or poems telling you more about their culture. After that you will have an hour of briefing from the UWA officials and then you will proceed to start your trek. You will carry your packed lunch given at the hotel which will take you through the trek.
Gorillas are never in one place because they keep looking for what to feed on in the forest and depending on where they camp, that’s where you find them. This might take a long time and it might quite be a distance. So, a team is sent earlier to track them on your behalf and they communicate to the guides who you will track with on where to find them so that you meet the half way or on a shorter trek.
You will have an hour or so with the gorillas’ taking pictures and videos which ever way you want to capture the memories and then head back to the hotel of residence. On your way back you will have a break and have lunch and then proceed back to the hotel
Depending on the time you will arrive after the trek/hike you will then go and experience the batwa culture!
A group being briefed about the types of leaves/food gorillas eat
Batwa Experience
Before Bwindi was turned into a national park to conserve gorillas and their natural habitats, Bwindi was also known as a home to the Batwa pygmies or the forest keepers.
Batwa survived on hunting small game, fruit and vegetable gathering from within the forest. They lived in small grass and leaves thatched huts which were not for permanent stay since they moved constantly in search for fresh food and wild animals. For a long time, they co-existed peaceful with the rest of the forest animals including mountain gorillas without being a threat to their survival.
The Batwa experience begins with a nature-walk, hike through the forest seeing the forest in a new way, through the eyes of the original people of the Forest. You will Learn how they hunted the small animals they used for food, what things they gathered, how traps and nets were used.
The batwa people and their home
The Batwa Experience will also show you how they lived in huts made of grass, trees, the use of tree-houses, caves. Experience the Batwa village life of old, the sharing, of living as a community, as a people, learn the things that they revered and cared for and almost lost.
See how they lived and hunted in the traditional manner. Enjoy trying out your hunting techniques as the Batwa teach you how to shoot with a bow and arrow.
Visit a traditional Batwa homestead and learn from the women how to prepare, cook and serve a meal. You will also have the opportunity to sample the prepared dishes.
Talk to a medicine man and learn about the medicinal properties of the forest flora.
Hear ancient legends and traditional songs.
DAY 3: Return to Kampala/Entebbe
After Morning breakfast, you will be transferred to Kampala and a stopover in kayabwe at the equator will be made for souvenirs and lunch then proceed to Kampala. On arrival, check in to the hotel and enjoy the rest of the guest lodge
Overnight at the guest lodge
DAY 4: Transfer to the international flight to Diani/Mombasa
You will be transferred to the airport, and then connect to Mombasa where you will be welcomed by our driver/representative. He will brief you and then transfer you to your guest lodge.
Overnight at the guest lodge
DAY 5: Leisure Day:
You will have a day of rest and exploring the guest lodge and the surrounding at your pace!
Overnight at the guest Lodge
DAY 6: Explore watamu/Malindi
After breakfast, you will yet go again on adventure to explore the water activities in the Indian ocean either at Malindi or watamu. Like snorkeling, swimming with the dolphins, the Helsinki kitchen etc. After a full day of exploration. You will be taken back to the guest lodge
Overnight at the hotel
DAY 7: Leisure Day
Another day for you to relax, at the guest lodge and at the beach
Overnight at the guest lodge
DAY 8: Departure
After breakfast, you will check out and you will be transferred back to the airport for your international flight
END OF THE TRIP!
END OF THE TRIP!
