Want to combine Bwindi gorillas with game viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park? This 5-Day Uganda Safari takes you gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and game viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda’s most visited park. This 5-day gorillas and wildlife tour starts and ends in Kigali, Rwanda, though it can also start and end in Entebbe or Kampala.
Starting this 5-day Uganda gorillas and wildlife safari from Kigali saves time and money, since Bwindi is only 4 hours away. As written, the trip starts with gorilla trekking and ends with wildlife watching, but it can also be arranged in reverse.
Accommodation options span budget, mid-range, and luxury, so you can choose the travel level that suits you. See the detailed itinerary below.
5-Day Uganda Gorillas and Wildlife Safari Highlights
- Day 1: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi
- Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Day 4: Morning game viewing drive and afternoon boat cruise
- Day 5: Transfer to Kigali and departure
Detailed 5-Day Uganda Gorillas and Wildlife Safari Itinerary
Day 1: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
After breakfast at your lodge, your guide will pick you up for a short Kigali city tour, including the Genocide Memorial, Caplaki Craft Village, and Kimironko Market, before transferring you to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda.
On arrival at Bwindi, check in to your lodge and rest ahead of your gorilla trek the following day.
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi
This is the day you meet the gorillas. Have an early breakfast, then drive to park headquarters for the briefing session before setting out on your trail to find the gorillas in their natural habitat. The trek can take up to 8 hours, including the one-hour encounter with the gorillas themselves.
After the trek, return to the starting point to collect your gorilla trekking certificate, then head back to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After an early breakfast, transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park in Kasese. Known as Uganda’s most visited park, it holds strong numbers of lions, elephants, and buffalo, along with Uganda’s only tree-climbing lions. On arrival, check in to your lodge for the overnight stay.
Day 4: Morning Game Viewing Drive and Afternoon Boat Cruise
Have an early breakfast, then set out on a morning game drive, including the Kasenyi Trails, one of the park’s best areas for game viewing. Expect sightings of elephants, giraffe, buffalo, lions, warthogs, bushbuck, and other mammals. Return to the lodge afterward to rest before the afternoon’s activity.
After lunch, take a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, with sightings of hippos, crocodiles, and other aquatic species, along with land mammals coming to drink at the water’s edge. Return to the lodge to rest afterward.
Day 5: Transfer to Kigali and Departure
Have breakfast, then take a morning game drive as you exit Queen Elizabeth National Park, before transferring to Kigali, where you’ll be dropped at your hotel of choice or at the airport for departure, marking the end of your 5-Day Uganda Safari.
End of 5-Day Uganda Gorillas and Wildlife Safari.
