Experience the once-in-a-lifetime adventure of seeing highly endangered mountain gorillas in the wild. This affordable Uganda Gorilla Safari takes you to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and more.
Highlights on this unforgettable Uganda Gorilla Trekking Tour, include:
This well-priced Africa Overland Tour starts and ends in Kampala, Uganda's capital, and includes lodge accommodation.
Welcome to Uganda and the start of our adventure in the 'Pearl of Africa'.
On Day 1 of our Uganda Gorilla Safari, we meet in Kampala, capital city of Uganda. We will head northwest to Murchison Falls National Park, one of Uganda's oldest national parks lying in the Albertine Rift Valley, a western part of Africa's Great Rift Valley. The Victoria Nile River runs through the national park, plummeting through a narrow gorge to form the spectacular Murchison Falls, after which the park is named.
The drive takes us through sprawling sugarcane plantations, small-scale farms, and vast tracts of untouched forest. We overnight in the town of Masindi, close to the park, which will be our base for the first two nights.
After settling in, you have the option to visit the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a walk with endangered White Rhinos. The sanctuary was set up to reintroduce rhinos into Uganda after poachers wiped out the entire population of rhinos in Uganda in the 1980s. Take a guided walk or drive through the sanctuary in search of these magnificent creatures. Your guide will then take you on foot to within 7 meters (22 feet) of the rhino to quietly observe them.
This morning we set off on a trek in Budongo Forest, home to the largest population of chimpanzees in Uganda. East Africa's biggest Mahogany Forest, Budongo is also home to eight other primate species, in addition to the estimated 600 to 700 chimpanzees. Your guide will lead you through the forest in search of the chimpanzees, while also pointing out the incredible biodiversity of the area.
In the afternoon we embark on a boat cruise on the Victoria Nile River in Murchison Falls National Park, watching for wildlife and birds. Keep a lookout for four of the Big 5 (lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard), giraffes, antelopes, and plenty of hippos and Nile crocodiles.
The chimpanzee trekking is done in groups of 12 guests, thus larger groups will be split up for the trekking. The smaller groups will then go trekking in either the morning or afternoon, taking the boat cruise in the corresponding morning or afternoon.
On the morning of day three, our Uganda Gorilla Safari travels to Lake Kikorongo on the edge of Queen Elizabeth National Park. This National Park is well-known for its tree climbing lions as well as its unique volcanic features. This landscape attracts hippopotami, Nile crocodiles, bush elephants, buffalos, lions, chimpanzees, and more as well as over 500 bird species.
Tonight, we stay at a hilltop safari camp overlooking the scenic Lake Kikorongo, a crater lake that is an extension of Lake George on the eastern side of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Today our Uganda Gorilla Safari takes us south. En-route we cross the equator, an auspicious occasion!
Scenic Lake Bunyonyi, dotted with 29 islands, lies close to Bwindi Forest, and will serve as our base for Uganda gorilla trekking excursions in the nearby Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This small steep-sided lake set in the Ugandan highlands hosts an abundance of birdlife, with the name Bunyonyi meaning "place of many little birds". The crater lake is known for its scenic mountainous surroundings and numerous birds, as well as otters. The lake is safe for swimming and is a popular spot for watersports.
We stay at an eco-friendly resort on the shores of Lake Bunyonyi that will be our base for the next three nights for our exciting gorilla trekking. Tonight, your guide will brief you on the adventure ahead.
We set off from Lake Bunyonyi on our thrilling gorilla trekking expedition in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in southwestern Uganda. This is sure to be a once-in-a-lifetime wildlife experience!
African Mountain Gorillas are critically endangered, with only around 1000 wild mountain gorillas remaining in the world. In this area, home to approximately half of the total population, their habitat spans the borders of Uganda, Rwanda, and the DRC (the Democratic Republic of the Congo). The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda is our intended gorilla trekking destination, but this is subject to the availability of permits as there are limited numbers. If permits for Uganda's Bwindi Park are not available, you will be informed beforehand, and we will travel to neighboring Rwanda or the DRC for mountain gorilla trekking.
Led by experienced guides and trackers, you will trek up steep slopes through the park's dense forests and bamboo thickets, following the trail of the gorillas. Once you encounter a family group, you can observe them up close, watching as they eat, play, rest, and interact with each other. You will need to keep a distance of at least 7 meters (about 23 feet) from the gorillas and wear masks to prevent the transmission of human diseases to the gorillas.
Gorilla Trekking permits are extremely limited, which calls for flexibility in our tour itinerary and the exact location of our trek, done in groups of a maximum of 6 people. On the day that you are not gorilla trekking (either Day 5 or Day 6), you can enjoy optional activities at Lake Bunyonyi. One of the options is to visit Nyombi Village near Lake Bunyonyi to gain insight into the culture of the Pygmy people of Uganda. There are also many water-based activities, or a day visit to neighbouring Rwanda.
Please note: The Gorilla Trekking permit is not included in the tour price. Only one day is spent trekking the gorillas, even though there are two days set aside. This allows time for obtaining gorilla trekking permits and visiting the gorillas in smaller groups if there are more than six people on the tour.
Our Africa Overland Tour heads northeast to the rolling hills and open grasslands of Lake Mburo in the Lake Mburo National Park. The lake is part of an extensive wetland area home to a diverse array of wildlife. This includes species such as impalas, zebras, leopards, hyenas, hippos, and over 300 bird species. We overnight in a comfortable rest camp on the outskirts of the park. Enjoy the panoramic view of rolling hills and grassy savannah from the restaurant and keep a lookout for zebra strolling by. This is one of the few places in Uganda where you can spot Burchell's zebra.
On the final day of this Uganda Gorilla Safari, we make the return journey to Kampala, crossing the equator once more. Our African adventure of a lifetime comes to a close in Kampala in the early evening.
We recommend booking your incoming and onward flights at least one day before and after this Uganda Gorilla Safari is scheduled. It is advisable to arrive the day before departure from Kampala and fly out the day after the overland tour ends in Kampala to allow for delays and changes.
Simply ask your friendly travel advisor to add pre-tour and post-tour accommodation to your safari booking.
This Lodge Overland Tour is also available as a Camping Overland Tour - Uganda Gorilla Safari from Kampala (Camping Overland Tour) which follows the same itinerary and accommodation is more budget-friendly camping at campsites instead of lodges.
For more details contact African Budget Safaris
For up-to-date and confirmed pricing info for optional items, please drop us an enquiry.
This tour does take children.
There is a minimum age limit of 12 years of age, for travellers on scheduled departure dates.
A maximum of 4 children, aged between 12 - 15 years, will be allowed on any scheduled tour departure date.
Should there already be 4 children confirmed on a tour, any further children requests will be dealt with on a request basis only.
There is a minimum age limit of 16 years or older, to partake in the Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking and Pygmy Village visit.
Age restrictions may apply to certain items listed in the respective tour activities and it is important that you are aware of these restrictions prior to confirming children on tour.
Please contact African Budget Safaris for further information.
All Kampala Departures | All Uganda Tours | All Lodge Africa Overland Tour trips
Our team has the destination knowledge to help you plan an unforgettable African adventure. We're based in Cape Town and ready to help.
We can also plan you an affordable private group or tailor-made tour. We built our business on turning luxury travel into affordable travel.