The 5 Days Uganda gorilla safari offers more than gorilla trekking. It allows for more experiences in addition to the encounter with the gorillas such as game viewing and cultural experience. This tour can be customised according to your interests and can either start and end in Entebbe/Kampala or in Kigali, Rwanda.
It involves visiting Bwindi impenetrable national park for the gorilla trekking experience and either Queen Elizabeth national park for a game drive or Lake Bunyonyi for boat cruise and cultural experiences.
Here are a few options to consider;
Trip highlights:
- Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrabele nationaal park
- Game viewing in Queen Elizabeth national park
- optional cultural tour
- Lake Bunyonyi activities
Trip summary:
Day 1: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 2: Gorilla trekking
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 4: Game drive & boat cruise
Day 5: Return to Entebbe/Kampala
Option 1: 5 Days Uganda gorilla safari (Starting and ending in Entebbe/Kampala)
This tour includes trekking gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable national park, a game drive and boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth national park.
Day 1: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Leave your hotel in Kampala or Entebbe with your driver guide early in the morning and head southwest to Bwindi impenetrable national park. Enjoy a scenic long drive (9-10 hours) including a stopover at the Equator for photography and lunch. Proceed and check in at your lodge before dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Gorilla trekking experience
Enjoy an early breakfast at your lodge and transfer to the headquarters of the park. Join other trekkers for a briefing about the gorilla trekking exercise and get assigned a gorilla group to visit. Head into the forest led by rangers and guides to search for your gorilla group.
The trek to look for gorillas may take 1-6 hours depending on the movement and location of gorillas. Upon reaching gorillas, spend one hour in their presence while watching them feed, play and rest as you take their pictures and videos.
After the experience, return to park headquarters and receive your gorilla trekking certificate. Return to your lodge for relaxation and refreshments. In the afternoon, you may go for a community tour for a cultural experience with the local people. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Have an early breakfast and embark on a very scenic drive (2-3 hours) to Queen Elizabeth national park. Take glimpse at beautiful rolling hills, crater lakes, plantations, the Rwenzori and communities along the way. Enter the park and enjoy wildlife viewing on the way to your lodge. You may go for an afternoon game drive or stay and relax at your lodge depending on your interests and how you feel. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Day 4: Game drive and boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth national park
Enjoy early breakfast and embark on a breathtaking game drive with your tour guide along the Kasenyi tracks. Game species to see include hundreds of antelopes, lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants, warthogs, among others. Return to your lodge for lunch and relaxation. In the afternoon enjoy a thrilling boat cruise along the Kazinga channel as you view a variety of wildlife and bird species. In the evening, you may decide to enjoy more game drive experience of stay and relax at your lodge. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Day 5: Return to Entebbe/Kampala
Have early breakfast and enjoy a morning breakfast game drive through the park. Begin your drive back to Entebbe/Kampala with lunch en-route with optional stopover at the Equator for photos and crafts shopping. Arrive in Kampala/Entebbe for your departure flight or overstay at your hotel.
Option 2: 5 Days Uganda gorilla safari (Starting and ending in Kigali, Rwanda)
This tour starts in Kigali, Rwanda and includes gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park, an optional second gorilla trek and activities at Lake Bunyonyi.
Day 1: Arrival at Kigali and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
Arrive at Kigali international airport and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi (3-4 hours drive). Enjoy a scenic drive north towards the Rwanda-Uganda border as you head to your lodge at Lake Bunyonyi. Check in and relax at the lodge before enjoying a relaxed boat trip on Lake Bunyonyi. Return to return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Activities at Lake Bunyonyi and transfer to Bwindi
Enjoy breakfast and then embark on exploring a variety of thrilling experiences around Lake Bunyonyi. These include canoeing, bird watching, and a tour around the Islands. Return to the lodge for lunch and then transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park (2-3 hours drive). Check in at your lodge and enjoy dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Gorilla trekking experience
Breakfast at your lodge and transfer to the headquarters of the park for a briefing about gorilla trekking. Head into the forest looking for gorillas in the company of rangers and guides. Spend an hour with the gorillas as watch them feed, play and rest while photographing them.
Return to park headquarters to get your gorilla tracking certificate before returning to your lodge to relax and refresh. In the evening you may choose to go for a community visit or stay at the lodge and relax. Dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Optional second gorilla trek or boat cruise and cultural tour
Depending on your interests, you may for a second gorilla trekking experience in a different sector of the park provided you secured the permit for the second trek. You may also opt for a more relaxed day as you explore local trails or go for a cultural tour in the Batwa community. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Return to Kigali
After breakfast, embark on a scenic drive back to Kigali for your departure flight. You may go for a brief city tour around Kigali or souvenir shopping before your flight if time allows.
Important considerations for the 5 Days Uganda gorilla safari
Before embarking on this safari, ensure that you have secured a gorilla permit which you booked through a credible tour operator. Discuss your accommodation and transport needs with your tour operator before leaving for the tour. Ensure to pack the relevant gear especially for the gorilla trekking exercise. These may include hiking boots, a pair of khaki trousers or jeans, long-sleeved shirt, pair of gloves and a camera. Train lightly to gain some relative fitness to help you manage the trekking exercise without much difficulty. The minimum age allowed for gorilla trekking in Uganda is 15 years.