Mountain gorilla trekking is one of the most rewarding wildlife encounters in the world. Although chimpanzees are more closely related to humans, mountain gorillas have proved to connect more with people than any other creature. Nothing prepares you for being watched by a giant gorilla at close range.
This 6-Day Uganda Gorilla Trek and Serengeti Safari combines a gorilla trek with wildlife viewing in one of Africa’s most well-known national parks, the Serengeti in northern Tanzania. See the detailed itinerary below.
6-Day Bwindi Gorilla Trekking and Serengeti Safari Highlights
- Day 1: Arrival in Kigali and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi
- Day 3: Transfer to Kigali, outbound flight to JRO International Airport
- Day 4: Transfer to Serengeti National Park
- Day 5: Game drive in Serengeti and Ngorongoro
- Day 6: Morning boat ride and departure
Detailed 6-Day Bwindi Gorilla Trekking and Serengeti Safari Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali and Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
On arrival at Kigali International Airport, transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, taking in some of Uganda’s best scenery along the way with stops for photos.
The first stop is at the equator, where you can stand in both hemispheres and grab a cup of coffee before the long drive ahead.
Along the route, take in the countryside, farmland, and banana plantations, with stops for photography and to stretch. Have lunch in Mbarara, then continue southwest to check in to your lodge in the evening.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to several primate species, including red colobus and red-tailed monkeys, along with the endangered mountain gorillas.
The forest canopy also shelters a wide range of butterflies and bird species, including native broadbills, the Great Blue Turaco, the joyful greenbul, the olive long-tailed cuckoo, and several Rwenzori and Albertine Rift endemics.
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to Uganda’s most famous primates, the mountain gorillas. Have breakfast at 7:00 am, prepare your trekking gear, attend the pre-trek briefing at headquarters, and head to the trailhead.
Alongside a ranger guide, a porter, if hired to carry your luggage, and gorilla trackers, set off into the forest to search for your assigned gorilla family.
Trekking time is unpredictable and usually runs 1 to 8 hours, depending on the family’s location and the weather.
Once you find them deep in the forest, watch them feed, play, nurse their young, and go about their day. You get up to one hour with the gorillas before the trek concludes.
Return to the starting point and transfer back to the lodge. Rest in the afternoon, then visit the neighboring Batwa communities in the evening for a cultural encounter.
Day 3: Transfer to Kigali, Outbound Flight to JRO International Airport
Leave Bwindi Forest in the morning and transfer to Kigali airport. The route crosses the Kigezi highlands, with a stop at Lake Bunyonyi, one of Africa’s most scenic lakes, before continuing to the Katuna border. Cross the border and continue to Kigali city.
Kigali is known as one of Africa’s cleanest and fastest-growing cities. Have lunch in the city center, then take a short city tour or shop for souvenirs. Transfer to the airport for a connecting flight to Arusha, Tanzania.
Meet your Tanzania safari guide, who will pick you up from the airport and drive you to your hotel in Arusha.
Day 4: Transfer to Serengeti National Park
Have breakfast as early as 6:00 am, then depart from Arusha in a 4×4 pop-up roof safari vehicle for Serengeti National Park. The drive takes about 4 to 5 hours, entering the Serengeti via the Ngorongoro gate before checking in at your lodge.
Have lunch and rest ahead of an evening game drive across the Serengeti’s plains.
Serengeti National Park holds the highest concentration of elephants of any East African national park. It also holds strong numbers of greater and lesser kudu, sable antelope, buffalo, zebra, lions, leopards, cheetahs, and roan antelope, often spotted in the Miombo woodland.
Return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 5: Game Drive in Serengeti and Ngorongoro
Spend the full day on a game drive across Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, two of the best wildlife viewing destinations in the world.
You can find all of the Big Five here with relative ease. Overnight stay at Lake Eyasi.
Day 6: Morning Boat Ride and Departure
Have an early breakfast at your lodge, then head out for a boat ride on Lake Eyasi. After the cruise, exit the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and drive to Arusha to catch your flight home.
End of the 6-Day Uganda Gorilla Trek and Serengeti Safari.
