5-Day Uganda Gorilla Trekking and Wildlife Tour

• You'll be collected from the airport.
• Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

Pickup and Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Your tour driver-guide will pick you up in the morning from your hotel in Entebbe or Kampala, or directly from the airport. You will then begin the scenic drive west to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The journey takes approximately 7–8 hours, passing through charming Ugandan countryside dotted with small towns, villages, roadside markets, and lush greenery.

Along the way, you will stop at the Equator for photos and continue to Mbarara town for lunch before proceeding toward Queen Elizabeth National Park. The final leg of the drive offers stunning views of the mystical Rwenzori Mountains, creating an unforgettable backdrop. You are expected to arrive at Queen Elizabeth in time to relax or join an optional evening game drive, where you may spot elephants, hippos, buffaloes, and other wildlife. Afterward, you will check in at your lodge and unwind from the day’s adventure.

Main Destination:

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Best Time To Visit January to February and June to July (Dry seasons)

High Season June to September (Peak time for Uganda)

Best Weather June to July and January to February (Less rainfall)

Wildlife in Queen Elizabeth NP

ChimpanzeeOccasional

ElephantCommon

LionCommon

BuffaloCommon

HippoAbundant

LeopardOccasional

Show more

GiraffeNone

White RhinoNone

Black RhinoNone

CheetahNone

ZebraNone

WildebeestNone

Wild DogNone

Accommodation:

The Bush Lodge (Banda)

• Mid-range banda located just outside Queen Elizabeth NP

+8 Photos

+7 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Wildlife viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, you will go on a morning game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The park’s diverse ecosystem of grassy plains, tropical forests, rivers, swamps, lakes, and volcanic craters supports an incredible variety of wildlife. You will have excellent opportunities to spot lions, leopards, elephants, cape buffaloes, giant forest hogs, Uganda kobs, topis, defassa waterbucks, and bushbucks. After the drive, return to your accommodation for lunch and some rest.

In the afternoon, enjoy a 2–3 hour boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel into Lake Edward. Here, you will witness the largest concentration of hippos, elephants, and buffaloes, as well as crocodiles and a stunning array of water birds along the shores. The cruise is perfect for photography, bird watching, and game viewing, with over 600 bird species adding vibrant color to the landscape.

Main Destination:

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Accommodation:

The Bush Lodge (Banda)

• Mid-range banda located just outside Queen Elizabeth NP

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After breakfast, you will drive from Queen Elizabeth National Park to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, passing through the Ishasha sector where you may spot the famous tree-climbing lions. There is approximately a 70% chance of seeing them, as they sometimes roam the grasslands in search of prey. Lunch will be served in Ishasha before continuing your journey. The drive to Bwindi takes about 5–6 hours, excluding the time spent in Ishasha.

The route winds through terraced hills and scenic landscapes, leading to the lush Bwindi forest. Upon arrival, you can relax at the lodge. Alternatively, at an additional cost, you may choose to visit the Batwa pygmies in the evening, or simply enjoy a quiet evening at the lodge in preparation for the next day’s exciting activities.

Main Destination:

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Gorillas)

Best Time To Visit June to August and December to February (Gorilla trekking is easiest)

High Season June to September (Gorilla permits are scarce)

Best Weather June to July and December to February (Less rainfall)

Wildlife in Bwindi Impenetrable NP

GorillaCommon

ChimpanzeeRare

ElephantRare

White RhinoNone

Black RhinoNone

LionNone

Show more

GiraffeNone

LeopardNone

CheetahNone

BuffaloNone

ZebraNone

WildebeestNone

HippoNone

Accommodation:

Bakiga Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located just outside Ruhija (Bwindi Impenetrable NP)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Today is the big day! Get ready for an unforgettable encounter with the gentle giants, the rare mountain gorillas. For many travelers, this is the highlight of this safari. You will trek into the forest in small groups of no more than eight, guided by experienced rangers. Along the way, your guide will point out signs of gorilla activity, such as nests, dung, and chewed bamboo shoots.

The trek takes you through forested slopes, tangled vines, dense bushes, and bamboo thickets, making the journey as thrilling as the destination. Once you find the gorillas, you will spend up to one magical hour observing them in their natural habitat before being led back to the starting point. Return to the lodge to relax, enjoy dinner, and spend a restful overnight.

Main Destination:

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Gorillas)

Accommodation:

Bakiga Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located just outside Ruhija (Bwindi Impenetrable NP)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Drive back to Kampala

After an early breakfast, your 5 Days Uganda Safari Holiday driver/guide will drive you from Bwindi to Kampala. This is a long drive of approximately 9 hours that will take you from the cooler mountainous altitude of the Kigezi Highlands to the lower undulating landscape of Ankole and Buganda, with large farms and plantations dotted with villages and small towns.

You will have several stopovers along the way including the equator crossing in Kayabwe for some pictures. Depending on the schedule of your next flight, a few more stopovers can be added by your guide.

You should reach Kampala in the early evening hours with enough time to freshen up before your departure out of Uganda.

Main Destination:

Entebbe (City)

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

• Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
• You'll be dropped off at the airport.