The 5 Days Mount Sabyinyo Hiking and Lake Bunyonyi Safari is an exciting outdoors adventure in the midst of Uganda’s most inspiring landscapes. Highlights include trekking upclose the golden monkey and hiking to the summit of Mt. Sabyinyo that lie within Mgahinga Gorilla NP. You will then explore the island-dotted Lake Bunyonyi, one of the deepest lakes on the continent and take in its stunning scenic beauty and panoramic views. Contact us to finetune this plan to suit it to your taste and adventure appetite.
Tour Overview and Highlights
The 5 Days Mount Sabyinyo Hiking and Lake Bunyonyi Safari offers an epic adventure lies within Mgahinga NP set along the southwest tip of Uganda. The adventure will kick off with a full-day hike onto Mount Sabyinyo, an extinct volcano that form the greater Virunga Mountain range chain shared between Uganda Rwanda and DRC. Mount Sabyinyo is the most scenic of Virunga mountains whose highest summit of 3669m lies at the intersection between Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC countries. Mount Sabyinyo’s name comes from the local Kinyarwanda direct that means “The Old Man’s Teeth”, derived from the jagged peaks on top.
The hike on Mt. Sabyinyo offers stunning panoramic views of the whole Virunga mountain ranges, deep gorges and ridges including distant views the vast rift valley.
Another highlight is a guided hike to encounter the charismatic and photogenic golden monkey, a near endemic primate restricted to the bamboo slopes across Mgahinga NP. The golden monkey is an active primate occuring in male-dominated troops numbering over 120 individuals. Here on Mgahinga gorilla NP, volcanic slopes the golden monkey lives alongside mountain gorilla.
Finally on tour, wrap up the adventure with a day on Lake Bunyonyi where you will explore the scenic island on canoeing expereince and hike around the highlands to get an all-round view of this island-dotted lake and its surroundings.
Mountain Gorilla Trekking Option
This tour explores Mgahinga Gorilla National Park one of Uganda’s two pristine location that offer the lifetime treks along the mountain gorillas as they trek across this montane forest. A trek expereince alongside these large apes require a pre-purchased permit.These permits are high demand and require advance booking and payment. Plan ahead if you would like to include this expereince on this adventure.
Tour Begins/Ends
This tour is ready to go and flexible enough beginning from Uganda’s Entebbe/ Kampala or from Rwanda’s capital of Kigali City.
5 Days Mount Sabyinyo Hiking and Lake Bunyonyi Safari Detailed Itinerary
Day One: Transfer to Kisoro Town near Mgahinga NP
This early morning your tourist guide will pick you from your hotel in Entebbe/Kigali city for a transfer to Kisoro town set along the foothills of Mgahinga NP. From Entebbe/Kampala the drive of 9 hrs will be punctuated with lunch and health stops on this scenic drive before checking in at your hotel that evening.
A drive from Kigali requires only 4 hrs including border closing and can tailor in a morning city tour to explore this beautiful capital of Rwanda. Upon arrival your tourist guide will give you a lengthy brief on tomorrow’s hike onto Sabyinyo including dress code and what to carry.
Accomodation: Lake Murehe safari Lodge FB
Day Two: Day hike onto Mount Sabyinyo
This morning, you will check in at Mgahinga Gorilla NP where after a short safety and expereince briefing you will be led on a hike by ranger guides. Mount Sabyinyo ranks the best of the 3 volcano peaks on Mgahinga NP offering stunning scenery of gorges, ridges and distant ranges. The trail passes through an extensive bamboo zone that support large troops of golden monkey and frequented by mountain gorillas and duikers, bushbuck and buffalos. Birdlife is excellent on the trail.
Ranger guides will allow ample rest stops during the hike to refresh, catch breath and appreciate stunning scenery. Packing list for the hike must include; your packed lunch, energy bars, your personal meds if any, lots of drinking water, rain jacket among other.
On a Trek Day: Do hire and take the porter (available at the park reception) to help carry that backpack and give you a pull on the trek. This is actually another way to support the community. Lastly enjoy each moment in this natural world. Mountain hiking isn’t a marathon but a personal expereince where you push and conquer your limits.
Full Hike duration: 8-9 hrs
Elevation gain: 13610m
Distance: up to 15 km
Day Three: Trek to the Golden Monkey and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
This morning, your guide will transfer you to Mgahinga Park gate for golden monkey trek expereince. The guided walk begins after a safety briefing from ranger guide and then lead to the feeding range across the bamboo zone where the golden monkey feed. Upon locating the monkey troop, you will be accorded one-full hour observing, photographing and watching these playful primates as they socialise. Golden monkey main diet consists of bamboo leaves and shoots, occasionally taking in insects and range between the bamboo belt and forest edge near cultivation. On the slopes of Mgahinga, the golden monkey live alongside mountain gorilla.
Packing for the trek must include packed lunch and drinking water. Trek duration lasts up to 5 hrs including a full one hour viewing time. Returning back at the trailhead your guide will then transfer you to Lake Bunyonyi requiring up to 2hrs drive. Accommodation: Birdsnest lodge FB
Day Four: Day on Lake Bunyonyi
Your adventure day on Lake Bunyonyi, you will explore the historic islands on a canoeing expereince extending on a lazy hike to viewing points for panoramic views of the lake and its terraced highlands. The hike trails follow the community trails through humble homes, agricultural farms offering you a peek into the rural life of these lakeside villages. Other options to explore at your own pleasure while here includes swimming, local canoeing, kayaking abseiling.
Accommodation: Birdsnest lodge FB
Day Five; Transfer to Entebbe/Kampala
Transfer Day to Entebbe or Kigali with lunch enroute to drop at your hotel or airport.
End of Safari
5 Days Mount Sabyinyo Hiking and Lake Bunyonyi Safari Includes
- Hiking fees and Park Entrances
- Golden Monkey trek fees
- All accommodations and meals Mentioned
- A 4WD Tour vehicle with a tourist guide
5 Days Mount Sabyinyo Hiking and Lake Bunyonyi Safari Excludes
- Optional activities mentioned here as such
- Other meals/drinks other than those mentioned
- Tips and Gratuities
- Personal medication and insurance