Uganda · Safari

7-Day Uganda Wildlife Safari with Double Gorilla Treks and Batwa Trail

7 Days Round trip from Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Easy pace

View the wildlife amidst lush landscapes

The journey

Trip highlights

01 Experience a double gorilla trek in Bwindi and Mgahinga National Parks
02 Enjoy a scenic boat cruise on Lake Bunyonyi
03 Discover the unique Batwa cultural heritage through immersive activities
04 Spot wildlife during a game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park
05 Hike to see joyful golden monkeys in their natural habitat

Embark on a thrilling 7-day Ugandan adventure through Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga National Park, and Lake Bunyonyi. Experience game viewing on the savannah plains, a Kazinga boat cruise, double gorilla treks in the only two national parks in Uganda where these gentle giants can be found in their natural habitat, and an immersive Batwa cultural trail. The journey concludes with a golden monkey trek and a serene Lake Bunyonyi cruise, offering breathtaking scenery and tranquil breezes.

The journey concludes with a golden monkey trek and a serene Lake Bunyonyi cruise, offering breathtaking scenery and tranquil breezes.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 7 Days

Tour type Private

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Included · Standard

Transport Included

Wheelchair access No

Cities Kampala, Mbarara, Kabale, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Lake Bunyonyi

Languages English, Swahili

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Arrival and Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Get excited to meet your welcoming, professional driver-guide, who will brief you on the itinerary before transferring you to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
You will have a stopover at the Equator line in Kayabwe along the way, where you can experience the Equator and take photographs at the monument.
You will proceed to Mbarara for lunch and later continue your drive, arriving in the late afternoon to check in at a lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 02

Morning Game Drive and Kazinga Boat Cruise

After breakfast, meet your driver-guide and head to Queen Elizabeth National Park's savannah plains for game viewing.
You will spot a variety of animals, including early grazers such as buffaloes, elephants, antelopes, bushbucks, topis, and waterbucks, as well as predators such as lions, hyenas, and leopards, plus nocturnal animals such as hippopotamuses.
Return to the lodge for lunch before proceeding for the Kazinga boat cruise.
During your 2 to 3-hour cruise, you will enjoy an up-close view of aquatic life such as hippopotamuses and crocodiles, an array of bird species at the bay, as well as various land mammals quenching their thirst and wallowing along the Kazinga shores. Afterwards, return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 03

Transfer to Bwindi via Ishasha Sector

Wake up for a cup of coffee, check out, meet your driver-guide, and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in the south through the Ishasha sector, where you will see tree-climbing lions hanging and relaxing in tree branches.
This is a 5 to 6-hour drive via the Kabale-Kisoro road, arriving in the afternoon to check in at your reserved lodge and have lunch.
You will loosen up after lunch as you wait for dinner and your overnight stay.

Day 04

Gorilla Trek in Bwindi and Transfer to Mgahinga

Wake up to a hefty breakfast and immediately be driven with a packed lunch to the park headquarters for a briefing on the gorilla trekking dos and don'ts.
Ranger guides will lead you into Bwindi's forests to begin the search for the gorillas, using machetes to clear the way, while you will also be given walking sticks for support as you move through rugged and uneven trails.
Trekking to find a gorilla family may last from 1 to 6 hours depending on its location, and along the way you may spot a variety of birds and other mammals.
You will enjoy an hour in the gorillas' presence after locating the family, and later descend back to your lodge for lunch.
After lunch, you will be driven further south to Mgahinga National Park, arriving to check in at a lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 05

Gorilla Trek in Mgahinga and Batwa Trail Experience

Have a scrumptious breakfast and immediately head to the park headquarters for a briefing about the gorilla trekking rules.
You will be led by ranger guides to trek the only gorilla family in Mgahinga National Park while encountering various birds and primates such as blue monkeys, golden monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, and many more.
Spend an hour in their presence while taking photographs of them as they go about their routine activities.
Return to the lodge for lunch, after which you will proceed for the Batwa cultural trail.
This cultural trail will lead you through the forests where they lived in ancient times, while you try out their cultural practices such as the use of the bow and arrow, spear, and many more.
Visit their sacred place known as the Garama caves, where you will enjoy their cultural performances before returning to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 06

Golden Monkey Trek and Lake Bunyonyi Cruise

This beautiful day starts with breakfast before returning to the park headquarters for a briefing about the golden monkey trekking dos and don'ts.
You will be led by the rangers on a hike to the mountain slopes dominated by bamboo forests to locate a troop of habituated golden monkeys.
Once you have located a troop, you will spend an hour among them as you closely watch them go about their daily activities.
Return to the lodge for an early lunch and immediately set off to Lake Bunyonyi for a boat cruise, visiting its islands while capturing its scenic beauty and the neighboring areas.
Retire from this deep lake and proceed to check in at your reserved lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 07

Transfer to Kampala and Departure

Your last safari day starts with breakfast, check out, and the start of your 8 to 9-hour drive via the Kabale-Mbarara and Mbarara-Masaka roads, with lunch en route in Mbarara town.
As you continue your journey, make another stopover at the Equator line in Kayabwe, where you will also have the opportunity to shop for souvenirs to take back home.
You will arrive in the late afternoon and be dropped off either at a hotel of your choice for relaxation or at the airport to catch your flight.

Where this trip takes you

Queen Elizabeth National Park savannah, Kazinga boat cruise, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park forest, Lake Bunyonyi islands

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map — Round trip from Bwindi Impenetrable Forest 7 cities · 7 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

Transportation to and from the safari
Accommodation
Park entry fees
All taxes/VAT
Professional driver guide
1 gorilla tracking permit per person
1 golden monkey tracking permit
3 bottles of mineral water per person per day
All activities as mentioned in the itinerary

What's Not Included

Extra accommodation before and after the safari
Souvenirs
Personal purchases and tips
Tourist visa
Medical insurance

What to bring

Tourist visa
Trekking boots
Warm sweaters and jackets

Know before you go

You should buy gorilla permits at least 2 months before travel.

This 7-day Uganda gorillas safari will take you to the most visited national park in Uganda for a true African wildlife encounter, after which you will proceed to the far southwest for a double gorilla trek at the only two national parks in the country where these gentle giants can be found in their natural habitat: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park. Get immersed in an African indigenous tribe known as the Batwa pygmies, where you will practically engage in their practices while learning about their history and transition over time. A golden monkey adventure and a relaxed Lake Bunyonyi cruise will sum up your safari as you closely watch this jolly and frisky monkey species while enjoying the lake's scenic beauty and breezes blowing all over.

Logistics