Gorilla Highland Cultural Journey

Visit a jewelry workshop owned and operated by local women entrepreneurs, who handcraft accessories out of locally sourced raw materials. Through a 3~4 hour beading class, learn how to make earrings, necklaces, and bracelets out of recycled paper materials and take home your very own creation. Stroll the markets and browse the different heritage craft shops to find your perfect souvenirs. Homemade baskets, paintings, batiks… the choice is endless. Accommodation: Cassia Lodge (www.cassialodge.com) OR Humura Resort (www.humurauganda.com) Meals: B/B

Travel to Mpabire village, the birthplace of Ugandan drums and home to generations of specialized craftspeople honing this traditional art. Your host will guide you through the step-by-step process of crafting traditional musical instruments, such as the Ganda drum made from cow leather and Musizi tree. Learn how the drums are used as a centuries-old means of communication, and distinguish between the signals for danger alert, and call to action. Plant a tree on community land to counter the effects of your carbon footprint. Stop by the equator monument at Kayabwe village for a cannot-be-missed photo and water experiments. Arrive at Ishaazi Farm Lodge, a working Ankole long-horned cattle farm, for lunch, followed by a local ghee-making experience. Accommodation: Ishaazi Farm Lodge (ishaazifarmlodge.com) Meals: Full board

Experience a morning on the 150-acre pristine savannah grassland farm. Your host will guide you through the home of 80 long horn Ankole cattle with fascinating details about the livestock, culture, and conservation efforts. Be up close and personal with the cows, and try your hand at milking them. After lunch, you will be on our way to Lake Mburo National Park in time for an afternoon boat ride. Accommodation: Rwakobo Rock (www.rwakoborock.com) OR Eagle’s Nest (www.naturelodgesuganda.com) Meals: Full board

Start your day with a guided nature walk in the National Park. An armed ranger escorts you through the savannah and acacia woodland for up-close wildlife viewings of zebras, giraffes, impalas and more. Next stop is a historical location in western Uganda that comprises the Batooro, Bakiga, Banyoro, and Banyakole tribes. The Igongo Cultural Center is a fascinating collection of Ankole history, art and culture. Take a break and savour some local cuisine before continuing on to Edirisa Cultural Museum of the Bakiga, with a complete homestead replica, to discover their traditional weapons, tools, and cooking methods. Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for a two-night stay. Accommodation: Arcadia Lodge Bunyonyi (arcadialodges.com) OR Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort (lakebunyonyirockresort.net) Meals: Full board

Today we head to Buhoma in Bwindi Forest National Park, home of the mountain gorillas, for an eye-opening Batwa village experience, the original inhabitants of this tropical forest. Marvel at the Batwa swag dance, which combines high jumps, clapping and loud pitch singing, for the ultimate welcome. Join a 30-minute forest excursion and have a go at alternate ways to ignite a fire. There will be an opportunity to purchase a memento from the women’s display to support and conserve their way of life. Your overnight stay for the next three nights is at Ride 4 a Woman Guest House, an innovative organization working to empower local women. Accommodation: Ride 4 a Woman Guest House (ride4awoman.org) Meal: Full board

You will be working at the Ride 4 a Woman community center this morning alongside a group of ladies from 11 different communities. Your workshop guide and founder Eveyln will guide you through the organization’s many projects that improve the lives of local women and support their children’s education opportunities. Take part in culinary classes, basket weaving, and pedal sewing a scarf and apron. After lunch, bike to the women’s homesteads to discover firsthand the positive impact the organization has had in their lives. Accommodation: Ride 4 a Woman Guest House (ride4awoman.org) Meal: Full board

After an early breakfast, we head to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park for an exciting gorilla trekking. Registration and briefing begins at 8am, after which the guide will lead you through thick underlying vegetation and over rocky mosses on the lookout for the gentle giants. The trek lasts between 1-4 hours, so a certain degree of fitness and good walking shoes are a must. Once a family of gorillas is located, you are allowed one hour of viewing before returning to the base station. Accommodation: Ride 4 a Woman Guest House (ride4awoman.org) Meals: Full board