4 Day Gorilla Trekking & Uganda Wildlife Safari

Day 1: Kampala to Queen Elizabeth National Park – Uganda

At the start of this Gorilla Trekking & Uganda Wildlife Safari our guide collects you from your pre-tour accommodation in Kampala at 7:30 am. Leaving Kampala, the capital of Uganda, you travel west to Kasese, via the town of Fort Portal. We stop for lunch in Kasese admiring the beautiful slopes of Mount Rwenzori. After lunch we continue our journey through the scenic landscapes of Uganda to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

In the evening we embark on a two hour boat trip on the Kazinga Channel, getting up close to hippos, buffalos and other wildlife. The boat trip offers excellent bird watching opportunities, as well as the chance to see elephants, warthogs and Kob antelopes. The banks of the channel are home to a rich variety of birds, including Pink-backed Pelicans, Pied and Malachite Kingfishers and Saddle billed Stork.

The Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s most popular protected area and covers about 1978 km². The park is scenically located on the rift valley floor between Lake Edward and Lake George flanked by towering mountains in the distance. The game park incorporates scenic hills and lakes and consists mostly of euphorbia tree-studded savannahs or grasslands. The varied habitats within Queen Elizabeth National Park host 95 mammal and 612 bird species.

Tonight we enjoy dinner and an overnight stay close to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Day 2: Queen Elizabeth to Bwindi Forest Park – Uganda

After coffee we set off on an early morning game drive in Queen Elizabeth Park, exploring the northeastern area along Kasenyi Plains (also known as Mweya), near Lake George, and the Queens Mile. Wildlife sightings include the Uganda Kob antelope, elephants, lions, buffalo, waterbuck, warthogs and various other antelope and bird species.Next our journey takes us along the impressive craters of the western Rift Valley escarpment and the Ishasha section of Queen Elizabeth National Park. We take a game drive en route, looking out for wildlife, especially the tree-climbing lions found in this southern part of the game park. After this rewarding game drive we travel south to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, arriving in the evening. Bwindi National Park is home to the endangered African Mountain Gorillas, along with a rich diversity of wild animals, insects and plants. Inhabitants include various other primate species, such as the blue and red tailed monkeys.

We enjoy dinner at our accommodation in the forested hills of Bugambira, near Bwindi Forest in the Kisoro District.

Day 3: Bwindi Forest National Park Gorilla Trekking – Uganda

Today we set off on the once-in-a-lifetime experience of trekking mountain gorillas in the wild. The day starts with an early morning breakfast, before meeting up with our guide from the Uganda Wildlife Authority, for a briefing on the gorilla trekking excursion.

We then head off into the dense vegetation of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, best known for endangered gorilla trekking, considered the highlight of visiting Uganda and for many the high point of their travels in Africa. This gorilla walk can take up to six hours, so a reasonable degree of fitness and a sturdy pair of walking shoes are required. The thrill of encountering these gentle primates in the wild is well worth the sometimes challenging trek through the thick undergrowth. The adventure trek through the jungle takes us in search of a family group of gorillas. Once we find the African Mountain Gorillas we spend some time watching them feed and interact with each other. We get to hear the gorillas communicating with one another and marvel at the sheer size of the dominant adult male gorillas, called Silverbacks. Encountering these giant apes is one of Africa’s most poignant wildlife experiences. Each gorilla encounter is unique, offering its own rewards. We generally get up close to the adult gorillas to watch them feeding, grooming and resting, as well as witnessing the young gorillas at play.

In the afternoon we explore a local community on foot, to gain insight into the ways of the Ugandan people living near Bwindi Park. See what rural life is like in this part of Africa, meet the locals and support the Buhoma community in the process. After our walk in Buhoma village we have a drink together, recounting our unforgettable adventures with the African Mountain Gorillas.

Day 4: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to Kampala & Entebbe – Uganda

We enjoy an early breakfast on day four and then return to Kampala, visiting Igongo Cultural Village en route. Here we learn about the Bahima and Ankole cultures of Uganda, getting a glimpse into the history of these interesting people. Along the way we cross the equator, stopping to take photographs and to have lunch. We arrive back in Kampala and Entebbe, bringing this Gorilla Trekking & Uganda Wildlife Safari to a close. Airport drop-off can be arranged free of charge, if you are flying out on the last day of the safari.