For magnificent waterfowl viewing, take a boat trip around the banks of Lake Ihema, Rwanda’s second-largest lake after Lake Kivu. This is one of the greatest methods to tour the park and see the fauna that lives in Lake Ihema’s waters. This increases the number of animals you see on your safari game drive. Keep a watch out for crocodiles, buffalos, hippos, colourful kingfishers, majestic storks and herons, Hammerkops and their massive nests, and prehistoric Shoebills during the boat launch. Jacanas, ibises, plovers, herons, malachite kingfishers, and other endemic species.
Boat Cruise Time and Fees
The boat excursion lasts about 2-3 hours between 7:30 am, 9 am, 3 pm, and 4:30 pm with an exceptional experience for the sundowner and the first light.
Tours of Lake Ihema can also be arranged by park managers which are also the best way to explore the lake’s wonders. The boat tour costs $40 per person on a normal schedule and $180 for a private tour. You may also go for a boat safari in Akagera Park, which is located on the shores of Lake Ihema for 30$ per person. Boat tours can be combined with a day or night wildlife drive to Akagera National Park. Note! All these prices can be changed anytime by the authorities
Evening boat ride
The evening boat excursion is at 5:30 pm East African time and is about a 5-minute drive from the Ruzizi tribe, pretty magnificent. Spend an hour on this lake, where you’ll see hippos and crocodiles and visit a bird-filled island. The guide is excellent, and this hourly rate is $40 per person. When the sun begins to set on a lake in Rwanda, all of your worries fade away.
What is gorilla trekking? Gorilla trekking refers to a tour activity where tourists are guided into the rain forests by … Read More
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Gorilla trekking experience
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Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Step into the emerald embrace of Uganda’s ancient rainforests and meet a mountain gorilla—eye to eye, heart to heart.
This is more than a safari; it’s a profound connection with one of the world’s most endangered primates. As you trek through moss-draped trees and tangled vines in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, every sound becomes a clue, every rustle a promise. Guided by skilled trackers, you’ll find yourself in the quiet presence of a gorilla family—watching as a silverback surveys his kingdom, infants tumble through the undergrowth, and mothers cradle their young.
Why This Experience is Unforgettable
Intimate: You’ll spend one awe-filled hour just meters from these gentle giants.
Exclusive: Only eight permits are issued per gorilla family, keeping it respectful and serene.
Transformative: Many travelers say it’s the most emotional wildlife experience of their lives.
Best Places to Go Gorilla Trekking in Uganda
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – Home to nearly half the world’s remaining mountain gorillas and multiple trekking sectors: Ruhija, Buhoma, Rushaga, and Nkuringo.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park – A quieter alternative nestled on the Virunga Volcanoes, with one habituated family and spectacular scenery.
Permit Tip: Uganda gorilla permits cost $800 (as of 2025) and are best booked in advance. We handle the entire permit process for our guests.
Gorilla habituation in Bwindi impenetrable national park is a unique gorilla activity that takes you for over 4 hours with mountain gorillas. Mountain gorillas are endangered species of primates found in a few national parks in the whole world and Bwindi’s impenetrable forest national park is lucky to be one of them. The national park is found in southwestern Uganda and was gazetted in 1991 to protect the mountain gorillas as well as the tropical forest.
Thousands of travelers from different parts of the world come to Bwindi’s impenetrable forest national park to purposely see these mountain gorillas. This is because they are said to be close relatives to human beings with 98% human DNA. Gorilla trekking has been for so long the only activity that can allows you to encounter mountain gorillas but just for one hour in different park sectors which are Rushaga, Ruhija, Buhoma, and Nkuringo. Enjoy more 4 hours while learning the behaviors of these great apes.
Where does Gorilla Habituation Experience take place?
Gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi occurs in Rushaga and Nkuringo sectors every day. The activity starts early in the morning at the sector offices where those going for the activity gather for a briefing from the park rangers. Trekkers are taught how to behave around mountain gorillas and they are given armed ranger guides to lead them in the jungle
Different from mountain gorilla trekking, with gorilla habituation the armed ranger guides are accompanied by researchers, conservationists, and trackers. The trekkers are always four and together with the group they head into the jungle here they start searching for the gorilla group. The search can take 2-7 hours and the time taken depends on the speed and the location of mountain gorillas.
When the mountain gorilla family is spotted, it is approached in a non-threatening manner and 4 hours start counting. The rangers try their best to win the favor of these mountain gorillas and the tourists are allowed to be part of the activities that make mountain gorillas get used to human presence. Trekkers can watch members do daily activities such as nesting, playing, coupling, learning about their habits, and also taking photos.
Packing list for Gorilla habituation
The packing list for gorilla habituation in Bwindi impenetrable national park National Park would include long-sleeved shirts, long-sleeved pants, waterproof hiking shoes, long cotton stocks, gardening gloves, a light backpack, a rain jacket, a sweater, insect repellents, sunscreen, a camera, a pair of binoculars, drinking water, energy giving snacks, packed lunch, and walking stick among others.
The best time to do Gorilla Habituation in Bwindi National Park.
The best time for gorilla habituation in Bwindi is usually during the dry season which runs from June to September and December to February. The dry season is good because it’s characterized by little or no rainfall that makes the trekking trails stay dry, the vegetation is scattered and short with good views of the mountain gorillas as well as other park animals and the roads leading to the park are passable.
Travelers can still visit the park for gorilla habituation in the rainy season of March to May and October to November but they should know that too much rainfall makes the trekking trails muddy ad slippery which affects the speed of trekking, the vegetation is thick with unclear views of the apes and the road to the park are in bad conditions.
Where to stay?
Gorilla habituation is carried out in the Rushaga and Nkuringo sectors of Bwindi and those are areas where you should book accommodation. There are accommodation facilities in these regions ranging from budget to mid-range to luxury options and some of them include Four Gorillas Lodge, Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Gorilla Valley Lodge, and Gorilla Heights Lodge among others.
about kyambura gorge
Kyambura gorge is the only place within Queen Elizabeth national park where tourists can encounter habituated chimpanzees while in Uganda. The gorge is a tropical forest found on the eastern side of Queen Elizabeth national park. The gorge which is 100m deep, 11km long and about 1km wide, home to different bird species, primates, and mammals.
Kyambura River is the main water channel in this valley and most of the park animals drink water from this stream whose sources are from the rocks surrounding the gorge. Kyambura River flows and pours its water into the Kazinga channel which is the largest water body in Queen Elizabeth national park. chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura gorge draws it to be known as the valley of apes and this is because it’s home to a small population of chimpanzees and other primates.
chimpanzee Trekking
Kyambura gorge is home to a small population of chimpanzees which are habituated for tourists to spend some time with them. Chimpanzees are somehow related to human beings with about 97% human DNA and it’s for this reason that travelers love to spend time around them and closely watch their behaviors.
Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura gorge of Queen Elizabeth national park is done twice a day in the morning and afternoon, all sessions start with a briefing at the visitors center which is near the gorge. Here trekkers are taught about the rules and regulations of chimpanzee trekking and then armed ranger guides can lead them into the jungle. A maximum of 8 people trek chimpanzees in Kyambura gorger per session.
The trekkers are given walking sticks to help them go through the steep slopes and vegetation in the park. The armed ranger guides lead the trekkers down Kyambura gore up to the river down the valley. The search for these chimpanzees doesn’t take so long because the area is small. The moment the chimpanzees are, tourists can be around them for 1 hour.
During the time given to be around chimpanzees, one can learn about their habits, take photos, record videos, and watch the chimpanzees do daily activities which may be mating, nesting, feeding, breastfeeding, hunting, and resting among others. Apart from seeing chimpanzees, tourists to Kyambura gorge can see different mammals, primates, and birds that live in this area.
For any travelers to trek chimpanzees in Kyambura gorge, they must have chimpanzee trekking permits and these are sold to people above the age of 15 years. The chimpanzee trekking permits are bought from Uganda Wildlife Authority and travelers should try to book these permits in advance especially if they are visiting the region in the dry season.
What to pack?
Being a mini-tropical rainforest, travelers are asked to pack good waterproof hiking shoes, long cotton stocks, gardening gloves, a rain jacket, a sweater, long-sleeved pants, long-sleeved shirts, a light backpack, a hat, a pair of binoculars, a camera, sanitizer, insect repellents, sunscreen, drinking water bottle and energy giving snacks.
Where to stay?
Tourists that are looking for where to stay around Kyambura should know that there is a variety of lodges in Queen Elizabeth national park. The lodges range from budget to mid-range to luxury options and they include Kyambura Gorge Lodge, Kingfisher resort, Katara Lodge, Elephant Hab Lodge, Mweya Safari Lodge, Pumba Safari Cottages, and Jacana Safari Lodge among others.
How to get to Kyambura gorge?
Kyambura gore is located in Queen Elizabeth national park and can be accessed from Kampala via Mubende Fort Portal or Kampala via Masaka Mbarara Kasese road to Queen Elizabeth national park where you connect to Kyambura gorge. Luxury travelers can fly to Mweya airstrip from Kajjansi airstrip or Entebbe international airport using Bar Aviation Uganda or Aerolink Uganda.
De Brazza’s monkeys in Africa
The De Brazza’s monkey is an Old World monkey that is endemic to the riverine and swamp forests of central Africa, the largest in the guenon family, and easily differentiated from the other monkeys by its white whitish beard and orange diadem.
Mass: 3.8 kg (Male), 3.4 kg (Female)
Length: 93 cm (Female), 85 cm (Male)
Conservation status: Least Concern
Gestation period: 172 days
Quick facts about De brazza’s Monkey
Known to be social animals living in troops of 5-10 individuals, although troops of 35 individuals were recorded. The De Brazza’s is highly terrestrial and don’t prefer mixing up with other monkeys, regarded to be shyer when approached. De Brazza’s monkeys are good swimmers and unlike other monkeys, they use all their legs while moving around.
These monkeys are territorial and always fighting for dominancy, they are 99% vegetarian fruits being their delicacy, however, they also feed one termite, mushrooms, leaves, and ants.
Where to see the De Brazza’s monkeys
These are widespread but they can easily be seen in western Uganda –Semuliki national park, DRC, Kenya, and Rwanda
These are fewer migrants but can easily move around for food and insects, waking up so early ready with your camera is the crucial agenda to spot these unique monkeys.
They prefer canopies but sometimes go on the ground, meaning they are great chances of seeing them
Holiday ideas to see the De Brazza’s monkeys
Its indeed the primate look out, but our experts shall get more closer to these shyer species .
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Meet Rwanda’s newborn gorillas at one of the world’s most prestigious wildlife festivals. Kwita izina continues the centuries-old Rwandan tradition of naming children in front of family and friends. Rwanda began officially naming mountain gorillas in 2005. It has evolved into a global celebration of nature. By naming them, we give these magnificent animals the respect they deserve.
why Kwita Izina
The ceremony is an opportunity to thank the surrounding community, research partners, veterinarians, and dedicated conservationists, rangers, and trackers. About 374 mountain gorillas have been named in the last 18 years to commemorate the country’s dedication to sustainable and responsible tourism. The Kwita izina (Gorilla naming) ritual continues for centuries as an old Rwandan tradition of naming children in front of family and friends as a sign of respect. The Park rangers and researchers named gorilla babies in the Rwandan mountains thirty years before the first formal gorilla naming ceremony, and they observed each gorilla in its family and habitat.
Kwita Izina positive effect
Kwita Izina is now part of an ambitious effort to safeguard Rwanda’s natural heritage and boost tourism’s role in the country’s transformation. Rwandans from all walks of life now recognize the gorilla’s intrinsic importance and contribution to the country’s economic prosperity as a result of the naming ceremony. Rwandans were trained as gorilla keepers and this has helped it to emerge as the continent’s leading conservation and sustainable tourist destination. For example, the 2010 census counted 480 mountain gorillas in the Virunga Massive, but the 2016 census counted 604 in the same area. These initiatives have helped to increase the global population of mountain gorillas to 1,063 in the whole world which is no longer categorized as endangered. It’s a country’s major income earner and a key aspect to the communities; this is an event that brings all categories of to witness and the chosen ones to name the baby gorillas. A juvenile mountain gorilla named Kwita izina was honored at the foot of Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. You can also make an early inquiry about the event through numinous African safaris to reserve and purchase a ticket for the next gorilla naming event.
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Chimpanzee trekking safaris in Rwanda are basically held in the ultimate Nyungwe forest National park. The Nyungwe Chimpanzee Trek primarily starts at three reception centers called Kitabi, Uwinka, and Gisakura. All visitors going on chimpanzee treks are expected to arrive at the Park Center early in the morning. Your driver-guide will pick you up at your respective hotel/safari lodge and take you to the starting point of the hike. There you will meet your ranger guide and receive a keen briefing.
Before embarking on the chimpanzee trek, you will be led by a ranger guide to locate the chimpanzees. Follow your guide’s instructions and hike through a dense tropical forest. After trekking to the chimpanzee, trekkers are given a maximum of 1 hour in the presence of the primates.
During this time, observe how chimpanzees live and interact with nature. Chimpanzees share about 98% of their DNA with humans, so don’t be surprised if they display some human-like traits. If you decide to go chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe, the familiar chimpanzee group in the Nyungwe forest has around 60 individuals, but it is difficult to see due to the rugged terrain. Habitual groups of Cyamudongo are small, about 30 individuals, but there have been some successful sightings. The chimpanzee trekking permit costs 100$ for one night, 150$ for 2 nights, 200$ for 3 nights. Please note that this is the cost of the permit, not the cost of the tour.
The minimum age for chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda is 16 years old. Remember to bring walking shoes and clothing, including a rain jacket. The Nyungwe Chimpanzee Trek is a wonderful activity and not to be missed when visiting Rwanda. Other than Chimpanzee trekking safaris in Rwanda, there are many incredible activities included in the Rwanda Tour such as Gorilla Trekking, Bird Watching, Kigali City Tour, Rwanda Game Safari, Nyungwe Canopy Walk, lake Kivu visit, Gishwati mukura national park and many others
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Wildebeest migration
Every year, a wildebeest travels over 1000 kilometers between Tanzania and Kenya. The eponymous wildebeest is on the move. The migration of wildebeests is claimed to be in search of food and water, although this movement is greatly dependent on rain since they follow the rain and green grass. They migrate from the plains of Tanzania’s southern Serengeti National Park to the savannah of northern Serengeti and Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve at the start of the rainy season, then return to the plains at the start of the next rainy season.
When the rainy season begins, which is normally in February and March of the calendar year (although recent climate change has prolonged the season longer), herds of wildebeest migrate to the south, making the situation more unstable. Begin your journey north from the Serengeti grasslands, via open woodland and the Mara River.
Ndutu conservation Area
Wildebeests can be reliably collected at Ndutu in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area at the start of the first rainy season, January, February, and March as calving normally occur 2-3 weeks away Following calving, the herd begins to migrate north through the west of Seronera and the Grumeti River in the Grumeti Reserve. When they reach the Serengeti’s northern grasslands, which border Kenya’s Masai Mara, animals must traverse the untamed Mara River while watching for crocodiles. It is the most significant impediment to wildebeest migration. More than half of the animals that cross the river are thought to be killed in the process. By the start of the second rainy season, the wildebeest have established and depleted the savannah vegetation -September and around October or early November.
True or False?
We don’t know how animals determine their pathways, but some believe it’s just instinct, with the hypothesis that they follow the rain and develop flora and grass in reaction to weather variations.
These large mammals are relentless on the move, but many are injured or killed along the way. Some herds of wildebeest make annual migration journeys with other animals such as zebras and gazelles, eagerly awaiting hunting opportunities in the water, mainly with predators such as lions, cheetahs, leopards, and crocodiles. Beasts of prey wait in the hills and highlands, as crocodiles wait in the water. And 1/3 to 1/2 of the total numbers of migrating herds are killed on the move. These are mostly calves, very difficult to navigate in dangerous terrain, and very vulnerable to predation and disease. Herds travel in long lines, with one animal galloping a long distance behind another. There is no clear start, end, or straight path for the trek, but it moves rhythmically in a clockwise direction.
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Olduvai Gorge Tanzania
Geographically located in the Great Rift Valley between Ngorongoro and Serengeti national park, the origins of humanity must be discovered in Tanzania, possibly in East Africa. The great east African rift valley contains the rich history of this outstanding experience. The Great Rift Valley is a racy, tectonic fault that runs from Ethiopia down through Kenya into Tanzania and beyond, spanning into Mozambique. Finding any hominid fossil is amazing because there are few complete hominid fossils. A bone shovel is essential for better home gardening. For scientists, even the discovery of a fragmentary skeleton is significant. Although some hominid fossils have been unearthed, the discovery of a full skeleton is noteworthy
Mary and Louis Leakey
These two discovered Olduvai Gorge as the spot where the first people evolved. Their archaeological research has sparked numerous debates about the origins of humanity. It was discovered that humans originated in Africa. Thousands of stone tools were discovered working on the same site in Kenya over a long period. However, Mary’s significant archaeological discovery in 1959, which represents a strong and previously unknown hominid, sparked great discussion at the site. Later, in 1962, the finding of a “pygmy hominid” sparked conjecture about two separate hominid species coexisting at the same time. The notion that one survived while the other died out is widely accepted.
Olduvai Gorge location
The Olduvai Gorge is located in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the eastern Serengeti environment. The Serengeti Plains of Northern Tanzania is famous for hosting the world’s largest yearly wildebeest migration. The Olduvai Gorge is approximately 48 kilometers (30 miles) long. On the rim of the ravine, there is a museum where visitors may learn more about fossil excavation and view exhibits of findings from the gorge and its surroundings. There are two halls, one for exhibitions and another one dedicated to the Leakey family 45 km south of the gorge, lots of geological forces 3000 years ago, and aggressive streams were formed.
Remarkable Bony Debris
The Remarkable Bony Debris was discovered by a Leakey family trip to be the first fossils of “Homo habilis,” the Tidy Man. He or she had a larger brain, a more sensitive jaw, and fewer teeth than his or her predecessors. Homo habilis evolved through cutting, crushing, kneading, and scraping food with stone tools; as a result, the structure of the face became polished.
People used to wonder what the hyenas were up to when the Leakey’s discovered human forebears at Olduvai Gorge. We were curious about what the hominids ate. Were there several kinds of wall tents? What caused a particular stone instrument to be in hand? What caused the rocks to appear? Femur fossils can be combined with other fossils to learn more about the animal that left them behind. Researchers can piece together a picture of the species based on its size, surroundings, and other indications; the question is whether they will be able to locate evidence of lacustrine in the same place. Fossilization is a difficult process. Water is one of the components that cause changes but does not necessitate the presence of oxygen.
Did Homo habilis live near a body of water?
Without a doubt, this early version of humanity existed when water was present in lakes across the continent. The Maasai misspelled the word Oldupai to Olduvai which means a wild sisal plant that grows around the area. The Olduvai Gorge provides copious portions of hominine fossils as well as items from subsequent hominines. Because of the quantity and quality, the rates of evolutionary change from one hominine species to another can be measured. The hominine records at Amber are consistent with the evolution from Oldowan to the Acheulean industry. In addition, fossils attributed to four major hominine species—H. erectus, H. habilis, H. cf. ergaster, and H. neanderthalensis—have been found, as have sizeable fragments of woolly mammoths (aurochs), and in some cases, evidence of a sea expedition.
Hominid-to-hominine transition
The said-to-be canyon is 48.2km (30 miles) long and 295 feet deep which is a little bit smaller than the real canyons, however, it’s so steep. A river traverses numerous strata to form 4 characteristic beds, the oldest of which is estimated to be around 2 million years old. Manufacture and use of stone implements. Evidence of scavengers and searches can be noted in front of tools, highlighted by the presence of gnaw marks that predate the picking of the tracks and the ratio of flesh to plant matter as part of the early hominine weight loss program. The accumulation of equipment and animal stays in one central location is evidence of the development of social interaction and shared hobbies. Most of these factors point to a growth in cognitive abilities early in the period of the hominid-to-hominine transition, to human shape, and to human behavior.
Homo habilis, the most likely earliest early human species, lived in Olduvai Gorge around 1.9 million years ago (mya), followed by a contemporary australopithecine, Paranthropusboisei, at 1.8 mya, and Homo erectus, at 1.2 mya. Our species, Homo sapiens, which is thought to have originated some 300,000 years ago, is thought to have occupied the location 17,000 years ago. Hominid footprints preserved in volcanic rock 3.6 million years old in Laetoli, west of Ngorongoro Crater, constitute some of the world’s earliest signs of mankind. A small-brained upright walking early hominid left three distinct tracks. A new species, Australopithecus afarensis, standing 1.2 to 1.4 meters tall, was discovered. Imprints of these can be found in the Olduvai museum.
The Olduvai Gorge Memorial dedication
The Olduvai Gorge Memorial was dedicated in July 2019 at the intersection of the road connecting the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Serengeti National Park (the route traveled by safari visitors). Paleoanthropologists Nicholas Toth, Kathy Schick, and Jackson Njau created and organized the memorial at the request of the Tanzanian government to commemorate this historic place and encourage people to visit the canyon and its new museum. Two huge-scale models of fossil skulls lie on a large pedestal, with an informative plaque attached to the side. The fossil skulls shown are those of Paranthropusboisei and Homo habilis, two modern species discovered in Olduvai Gorge.
A trip to the Olduvai Gorge
A trip to the Olduvai Gorge revolves around the stylish new museum, which opened in October 2017 and overlooks the gorge. You will also have the opportunity to listen to a short presentation by a local guide while you are there. Explore the museum’s numerous sections to learn about the site’s history and the diverse fossils that can be found here. See a reproduction of the nearby Laetoli Footprints, which provide some of the oldest evidence of bipedalism; learn about the hominines and prehistoric mammals that lived in the area; and speak with a resident expert about the area’s significance and the current study. there’s a lot to discover around the gorge given the time because the museum and the entire area are big, in the months of June to October the place is drier and easy to visit.
