Walk where no tourists walk! No other route on the Gorilla Highlands Trails is as unspoilt as this one: from Lake Bunyonyi into an extraordinary valley, to Lake Mutanda and then to the very edge of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Camp at a model mountain health centre, in fully-equipped tents.
Highlights
- see three lakes and countless views
- visit most untouched upcountry areas
- hike through the totally special area of the Valley of No Living
- dig into gratifying lunch at Mutanda Lake Resort
- open your soul to the rainforest magic of Bwindi
Facts
duration: 2 days; difficulty: moderate/hard
starting point: Lake Bunyonyi or Rushaga
area: Lake Bunyonyi – the Valley of No Living – Lake Mutanda – Rushaga
distance: 53 km/33 mi (30% by motorboat)
departures: daily at 9am
Price: USD 360 per person (USD 580 when one person only)
includes guiding, boats, meals and snacks, water, juice, all activities, tips and contributions, tent accommodation. It does not include transport back from Rushaga or accommodation/activities there.
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DAY 1 (Lake Bunyonyi — Valley of No Living — Kateretere)
If you have taken up our offer of a free night before the trek, you will wake up at Edirisa on Lake Bunyonyi and be treated to a substantial breakfast at 8am. If you have opted for a less basic accommodation elsewhere, we will collect you by boat and bring you to Edirisa in time for breakfast (if you wish to take it with us).
You will take an engine boat to the northern tip of the lake called Muko. After about an hour on the peaceful waters, you will enjoy some hot coffee or tea at the lakeside campsite before you embark on the journey.
There will be some uphill sections but the terrain is mostly pleasantly flat. However, you do need to cross the Valley of No Living if you are to leave Kabale district and enter Kisoro…
The locals gave it such a name because it is steep and remote — but it is also strikingly beautiful! At the bottom of the valley flows a cool stream and that is where we will take our picnic lunch.
An hour of a steep climb will await you after the meal, but it will be worth it. The area’s topography is fascinating, and if you stop to catch a breath you always claim you are just admiring the views…
As you exit the valley you will be greeted by primary school kids and know that you have less than an hour left to the health centre in Kateretere. The tents will be erected on a nice patch of grass at 5pm and afterwards you will dine in the trading centre.
Daily Estimates
distance: 31 km/19 mi (50% by motorboat)
minimum altitude: 1,950 m/6,400 ft • maximum altitude: 2,250 m/7,400 ft
DAY 2 (Kateretere — Lake Mutanda — Bwindi Impenetrable National Park)
The plan for the day includes reaching Mutanda Lake Resort by lunch time, so your guide will make sure you finish your breakfast and packing by 8am.
You will trek down next to Lake Mulehe and up again towards Lake Mutanda. Your meal will be superb, and after a short break you will continue your hiking towards Rubuguri, a rural town. By 5pm you should be on the ridge overlooking Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, and before the day ends you will reach Rushaga on the edge of the park.
Dive into hiking stories and advice from Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo!
Daily Estimates
distance: 22 km/14 mi
minimum altitude: 1,789 m/5,870 ft • maximum altitude: 2,250 m/7,400 ft
Ready for some national park action in the days that follow?
Activities in Rushaga
• gorilla tracking (includes park entry fees): foreign visitors USD 700; foreign residents USD 600; East Africans UGX 250,000
• gorilla habituation experience (includes park entry fees): foreign visitors USD 1,500; foreign residents USD 1,000; East Africans UGX 750,000
• Batwa Forest Experience (includes park entry fees): foreigners USD 40; East Africans UGX 40,000
• community walk — more in the video:
• hiking: crossing the national park and nature walks — for the details and prices see below …
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featured photo: Dejan Praper
