3-Day Gorilla Trekking Safari, Bwindi
Fly in, trek, spend an hour with mountain gorillas, fly out - permits secured first.
From $2,000
Uganda | 7 days | gorilla, classic
7-day Uganda safari
Kibale chimpanzees, Queen Elizabeth lions and channel cruise, Bwindi gorillas.
Duration7 days
Stylegorilla, classic
StartsEntebbe
EndsEntebbe
Green season from$3,850 pp
Peak season from$4,700 pp
Grand Uganda arc: rhinos, falls, chimps, lions, channel boats and gorillas - every ecosystem in one trip. The sweet spot: depth plus a buffer day for weather, herds and rest. Route: Kibale - Queen Elizabeth - Bwindi over 7 days. Season logic: June-September and December-February dry windows for firm trekking trails.
Highlights
- Private throughout - own vehicle and guide, departing on your dates, with no group to join.
- Parks covered - Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi.
- Season-smart routing - camp zone set by your month, not by a fixed template.
- Honest pricing - park and concession fees line-itemed on every quote.
- Kibale - chimpanzee tracking with near-certain success and 12 other primate species.
- 3 nights in Bwindi - trekking is a single-day event, but the second night is what absorbs an early start or a permit change.
- Permits handled - gorilla permits are limited by daily quota, so they are secured with the quote.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1 - Arrive Entebbe
Morning: Land at Entebbe; meet your private guide for a full safari briefing.
Midday: Lunch and gear check; rest after the flight.
Afternoon: Introductory game drive in Kibale where routing allows, else lodge pool and early rest.
Evening: Dinner and overnight near Entebbe. (Add a pre-night after long-haul arrivals.)
Meals: Dinner.
Accommodation: Hotel near Entebbe.
Day 2 - Kibale
Morning: Briefing and trek: meet trackers, draw walking sticks, hire a porter, and hike forest trails to the habituated group.
Midday: The wildlife hour plus packed lunch on the trail: one regulated hour with the group, then the walk out.
Afternoon: Return to the lodge: hot lunch or late picnic, rest, optional community walk. Chimpanzee tracking with near-certain success plus Bigodi swamp walk.
Evening: Certificates, hot shower, early dinner and an early night - trek days start before dawn.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Crater-lake cottage or forest lodge near Fort Portal.
Day 3 - Queen Elizabeth
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Afternoon game drive in Queen Elizabeth: Tree-climbing lions of Ishasha and the Kazinga Channel boat safari. Transfer from Kibale (3-hr drive south).
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Savanna lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Day 4 - Bwindi
Morning: Briefing and trek: meet trackers, draw walking sticks, hire a porter, and hike forest trails to the habituated group.
Midday: The wildlife hour plus packed lunch on the trail: one regulated hour with the group, then the walk out.
Afternoon: Return to the lodge: hot lunch or late picnic, rest, optional community walk. Steep forest trails to a habituated gorilla family; one hour at eight metres. Transfer from Queen Elizabeth (5-6 hr drive via Ishasha).
Evening: Certificates, hot shower, early dinner and an early night - trek days start before dawn.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Forest lodge on the Bwindi boundary.
Day 5 - Bwindi
Morning: Briefing and trek: meet trackers, draw walking sticks, hire a porter, and hike forest trails to the habituated group.
Midday: The wildlife hour plus packed lunch on the trail: one regulated hour with the group, then the walk out.
Afternoon: Second full day for deeper territories with picnic lunch out: Steep forest trails to a habituated gorilla family; one hour at eight metres.
Evening: Certificates, hot shower, early dinner and an early night - trek days start before dawn.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Forest lodge on the Bwindi boundary.
Day 6 - Bwindi
Morning: Briefing and trek: meet trackers, draw walking sticks, hire a porter, and hike forest trails to the habituated group.
Midday: The wildlife hour plus packed lunch on the trail: one regulated hour with the group, then the walk out.
Afternoon: Second full day for deeper territories with picnic lunch out: Steep forest trails to a habituated gorilla family; one hour at eight metres.
Evening: Certificates, hot shower, early dinner and an early night - trek days start before dawn.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Forest lodge on the Bwindi boundary.
Day 7 - Depart
Morning: Final sunrise activity around Bwindi with bush breakfast.
Midday: Brunch, then transfer to Entebbe for onward connections.
Afternoon: Day rooms available on late flights; souvenir stop if time allows.
Evening: End of safari services at Entebbe airport.
Meals: Breakfast and brunch.
Accommodation: Departure day - no overnight stay.
Why this 7-day Uganda safari itinerary
7 days on the Uganda circuit: Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi. Every day below is a real day on the ground, not a transfer with a game drive attached.
Why Kibale comes first
It sits on the highland road between the west and Queen Elizabeth - and that is where the route opens.
Bwindi gets 3 nights
Bwindi holds 3 of the 7 days, and that is deliberate: trekking is a single-day event, but the second night is what absorbs an early start or a permit change.
What 7 days buys
7 days moves past the point of rushing: whole days rather than stops, and enough slack that weather or wildlife can bend the plan without breaking it.
Getting around Uganda
Uganda is a road trip with long, honest transfer days: Entebbe west to the chimpanzee forests, south through Queen Elizabeth to the gorilla forests of Bwindi, and north to Murchison on the Nile. The roads are good but the distances are real, so the itinerary is built around keeping the driving days short.
Accommodation
Hand-picked lodges and tented camps matched to your tier - mid-range comfort or luxury suites, always positioned for short game-drive starts. Family rooms, honeymoon suites and triple options on request.
Safari vehicle and guide
Extended 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof, fridge, charging ports and window seats for all. Your English-speaking driver-guide averages a decade in these parks and is assigned by specialty - Migration positioning, photography, birding or family pacing.
Who this safari is best for
Primate-focused travelers - permits secured before lodges, always.
Pricing
| Season | Per person (2 travelers) |
|---|---|
| Green season | from $3,850 |
| Peak season | from $4,700 |
| Tier | What you get |
|---|---|
| Budget | Camping and simple camps, with departures in the green season to hold the rate down. The private vehicle, your guide and the park fees stay exactly the same - the cut is beds and season, never guiding or positioning. |
| Mid-range | Comfortable lodges and tented camps with full board, positioned for short game-drive starts. This is the standard the from-price on this page assumes. |
| Luxury | Top-end suites and private villas in the best position in camp, private guiding throughout and flexible meal times. The highest season surcharge applies. |
Best time to book
Uganda runs on two seasons. The one you pick changes what you see, what the camps cost and how far ahead you need to commit.
Dry season
June to September and December to February are the drier windows, when the forest trails are firmest underfoot and the gorilla trekking is at its most comfortable. It is also the busy period for permits.
Green season
The long rains run roughly March to May and the short rains in October and November, when trails soften and the forest turns intensely green. Gorillas are tracked year-round regardless - the forest is wet at every season.
What actually drives the timing
Gorilla permits are the fixed point: they are limited, issued by UWA, and they drive the dates more than the weather does. Chimpanzees are active every day of the year, so Kibale is season-proof.
How far ahead to book
Gorilla permits want six to twelve months of notice for the dry months, because each trekker needs a permit and the daily quota is small. Green-season permits often go through on two to four months.
What is included and excluded
Every price on this page is a full-cost quote. Park and concession fees are line-itemed, so the total you compare against another operator is the total you pay.
Included
- Transport and guiding - private extended 4x4 safari vehicle with a dedicated driver-guide for your group only.
- Park and conservation fees - entry to Kibale, Bwindi, paid on your behalf and shown as line items on the quote.
- Accommodation - 6 nights in lodges, tented camps or seasonal camps matched to your tier.
- Meals - most meals as listed day by day: breakfast at camp, a picnic or lodge lunch, and dinner, with bottled water in the vehicle throughout.
- Transfers - every road transfer in the day-by-day, including airport pick-up and drop-off.
- Game drives - morning and afternoon drives in your own vehicle, on no schedule but yours.
- Taxes - government taxes and VAT on everything quoted.
Not included
- International flights - into Entebbe (EBB); we route the connections but do not issue tickets.
- Visas - Uganda runs an e-visa printed before you fly, and the US$100 East African Tourist Visa folds Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda into a single stamp. Six months of passport validity covers it.
- Travel insurance - required, and it must include medical evacuation.
- Premium drinks - premium wines, spirits and cocktails at lodges and camps.
- Tips - driver-guide and camp staff gratuities.
- Optional extras - balloon or scenic flights, extra nights, luxury camp tier, beach or trekking extensions.
Parks and guides
Back to hub | Style hub | Customize any itinerary
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FAQs
What happens if it rains?
Game drives run rain or shine - vehicles have roofs and ponchos, animals remain active, and green-season light is superb for photography. Only true downpours pause activity, and camps flex schedules around them.
What insurance do we need?
Comprehensive travel insurance is required, including medical evacuation (AMREF/Flying Doctors cover, about 30 dollars, is recommended for remote circuits). Bring policy details - camps and operators ask for them.
Can we customise the route?
Freely - add nights, upgrade camps, swap parks or append beach and trekking. Request a proposal and we re-quote line by line.
Do we need a visa?
Most visitors need one: Tanzania offers visas on arrival for many nationalities, Kenya uses an eTA applied for online before travel, Uganda an e-visa. We confirm the current rule for your passport before you fly.
One decision per country, and they differ. Tanzania sells visas on arrival for most passports - US$50, US$100 for United States citizens - or by eVisa in advance. Kenya has issued only the eTA since 2024, at US$32.50 online at least three days before departure. Uganda runs an e-visa printed before you fly, and the US$100 East African Tourist Visa folds Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda into a single stamp. Six months of passport validity covers all three. Send us passport details at proposal stage and we confirm every rule for your nationality before you commit to flights.
Traveling solo - how do single supplements work?
All itineraries run solo. Expect a 20 to 50 percent supplement where lodges charge per room; vehicles cost the same whether one or six ride. Ask for the honest supplement math per trip.
Is a balloon flight worth adding?
Once, yes: a dawn flight over the Serengeti or Mara with a bush breakfast runs 550 to 600 dollars and minimum ages apply. Book at proposal stage - seats sell out months ahead in season.
How far ahead should we book?
Peak Migration and gorilla-permit months need 6 to 12 months. Green season often works with 2 to 4 months notice.
Is this trip suitable for children?
With a private vehicle and pools at stops, yes for most routes. Gorilla trekking has a strict minimum age of 15.
How much should we tip?
As a guideline: 15 to 25 dollars per day for your driver-guide (per group, not per person), 10 to 15 dollars per day into camp communal tip boxes, and 20 to 30 dollars for a gorilla porter. Restaurants 10 percent where service is not included.
Request this safari
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