Bwindi & Mgahinga, Uganda · 4 days · from US$1,980 pp

4-day gorillas and golden monkeys

two primates, two parks, one quiet corner

Duration: 4 days, 3 nights
Starts & ends: Kigali International Airport
Parks: Bwindi and Mgahinga
Permits: Gorilla US$800 and golden monkey US$100, both included
Travel: Private 4x4
Add-on: Batwa Trail, US$80

Mgahinga is Uganda's smallest national park and one of its best-kept secrets: three volcanoes, one habituated gorilla family, superb golden monkey tracking and a Batwa Trail led by people who lived in this forest until 1991.

It sits ninety minutes from Bwindi's southern sectors, which makes this the most natural extension of a three-day gorilla trip. You add a second primate, a genuinely moving cultural morning, and an afternoon on Lake Mutanda beneath the Virungas.

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Day by day

The 4 days

Day 1
Kigali to Bwindi
Across the Cyanika border and on to Rushaga, four to five hours, arriving mid-afternoon.
Day 2
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi
Briefing at 07:00 and your trek. Afternoon free, or a community walk at Rubuguri.
Day 3
Golden monkeys in Mgahinga
A ninety-minute transfer to Ntebeko and an hour with a troop of golden monkeys moving fast through bamboo. Afternoon on the Batwa Trail, or canoeing on Lake Mutanda.
Day 4
Kisoro to Kigali
The drive back to Kigali, about four hours, for an afternoon or evening flight.

US$1,980per person sharing, from US$1,980 per person sharing in mid-range lodges. US$1,620 budget, US$3,900 top-end.

What's included

Gorilla permit (US$800) and golden monkey permit (US$100)
All park entrance fees
Private 4x4 and driver-guide
Three nights' accommodation, full board
Kigali transfers and border assistance
Bottled water and taxes

Not included

International flights
Visas
Travel insurance
Batwa Trail (US$80)
Porters and tips
Drinks

Who it suits. Anyone with a spare day who wants more than a single hour in the forest.

Questions about this trip

What is golden monkey tracking like?

Faster and funnier than gorilla trekking. Troops of up to eighty move through bamboo at speed, which makes them hard to photograph and very entertaining to watch. A permit is US$100 for an hour, or US$200 for a four-hour habituation session.

Can I trek gorillas in Mgahinga instead of Bwindi?

Sometimes. Mgahinga has one habituated family, Nyakagezi, which has historically crossed into Rwanda and the Congo. We confirm its status with the Uganda Wildlife Authority before selling a Mgahinga permit.

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