30 Sep 2023
What an amazing experience! The hotel takes care of all of the arrangements - all you have to do is get yourself to the bush plane check in desk in Entebbe (located at the international airport) and they take care of the rest. The lodge is gorgeous and comfortable plus tucked away into the jungle. The actual gorilla trek is a once in a lifetime experience. I'm 70 but in fairly good shape. Had two porters to help me hike up the mountain to see the gorillas in their nest. Spent an hour with the family of gorillas. My friend who isn't in the best of health was also able to see the gorillas because there is a nest close to town - about a 20 minute walk down the road, so she was able to experience seeing the gorillas in their habitat as well. In fact the gorilla center does a good job making sure all levels of people can experience seeing the gorillas. In my friend's group there was also a woman in a wheelchair and a 90 year old lady who they put in what I call a Cleopatra chair with 4 porters hoisting her up to walk down the road to see the gorillas. Such a wonderful opportunity for everyone.
The service and food at the hotel are excellent. They offer other local excursions. We did a local tour to an orphanage, a woman's center that teaches women who have lost their spouses a new skill so they can support themselves plus we watched someone make coffee, banana beer and banana gin. Yes we tasted the gin. Tastes just like moonshine!
The only drawback is that it is about an hour drive down a bumpy road from Kihihi airport and the hotel/Bwindi Spend the money and go!