4-Day Gorilla Trek & Queen Elizabeth Safari
4-Day Gorilla Trek & Queen Elizabeth Safari
Safari Overview
4-Day Gorilla Trek & Queen Elizabeth National Park
This 4-day safari takes you on to two of Uganda’s top national parks—Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Queen Elizabeth National Park. You will walk through the jungle to find wild mountain gorillas, go on a chimpanzee trek, and enjoy exciting boat and game drive safaris to see animals like elephants, lions, and hippos.
Your trip starts in Bwindi, a thick forest full of birds and rare animals. Here, you’ll hike with expert guides to see gorillas in their natural home—a truly special moment. You can also join local women for a fun traditional dance workshop and a cooking class, where you’ll prepare Ugandan dishes and eat together. Next, you will travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park. This park has wide savannahs, lakes, and volcanic craters, making it one of the most beautiful places in Africa. You will go on a morning game drive to spot big animals, and in the afternoon, take a boat safari along the Kazinga Channel, home to hippos, crocodiles, and many colorful birds.
On your last day, you will visit Kalinzu Forest to look for wild chimpanzees. Watching them swing in the trees or walk on the ground is a magical way to end your trip. Then, you’ll head back to Kampala or Entebbe with great memories, new friends, and amazing photos. This short safari is perfect if you want to see Uganda’s best wildlife and enjoy a bit of culture in just a few days.
Gallery
Special about this trip
- See wild mountain gorillas up close in their forest home.
- Trek with playful chimpanzees in a peaceful jungle.
- Morning game drive spotting elephants, lions, and more
- Boat cruise on hippo-filled Kazinga Channel
- Join fun dance and cooking classes with local women.
What's included
- Park entrance fees
- One Gorilla Trekking Permit per person
- Chimpanzee trekking permit for Kalinzu
- All mentioned activities (unless marked optional)
- Accommodation (as listed in the itinerary)
- Professional English-speaking guide/driver
- Ground transport in a 4x4 safari vehicle
- Meals as specified in the day-by-day itinerary
Detailed Safari Itinerary
Day 1: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Your adventure starts early in the morning, around 6:00 AM. A friendly guide from Choose Uganda Safaris will come to pick you up from your hotel in Kampala or Entebbe. If you’re arriving that day, they can also meet you directly at Entebbe International Airport. After a short briefing about the trip, you will begin your drive to the southwest of Uganda. The journey takes about 8-to-9-hour hours, but it’s full of interesting sights and changing landscapes. Along the way, you will pass through busy towns, green farms, and beautiful rolling hills. You’ll stop in the town of Mbarara for lunch and take a short break.
After lunch, the drive continues through the cool, green highlands of Kigezi. This area is often called the “Switzerland of East Africa” because of its fresh air, terraced hills, and amazing mountain views. As the sun begins to set, you will arrive in the thick, magical forest of Bwindi. This forest is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best places in the world to see mountain gorillas. When you reach your lodge, you’ll check in and take some time to relax. Enjoy the quiet of the forest, listen to the birds, breathe in the fresh air, and get ready for your exciting gorilla trekking experience the next day.
Optional: Local Cooking and Traditional Dance (Only at Ride 4 a Woman Lodge)
If you choose to stay at Ride 4 a Woman, you’ll have the chance to join a local cooking class and a traditional Kiga dance workshop. These activities are led by women from the community who are part of a special project that helps them learn skills and earn money to support their families.
During the cooking class, you will go to the garden with the women to pick fresh vegetables and herbs. Then you will join them in the kitchen to prepare traditional Ugandan food. Some of the dishes include matoke (a dish made from green bananas), G-nut sauce (a tasty sauce made from groundnuts), roasted goat meat, and cooked greens like skumawiki. You will also help make a traditional drink called Imonda, made from sorghum, millet, honey, and water. In the evening, you will sit around the campfire with the women and enjoy the food you cooked together.
The dance workshop is full of energy and fun. You’ll learn traditional Kiga dances, listen to drums, and move to the lively rhythms. It’s a joyful way to experience the local culture and connect with the people who live in the area.
Accommodation Options:
Simple: Ride For A Woman
Middle class: Gorilla Mist Camp
Semi-luxury: The Haven Lodge Buhoma
Luxury: Buhoma Lodge
Exclusive: Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Diner
Day 2: Gorilla Tracking and Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Today is the big day you have been waiting for—your gorilla trekking adventure! After an early breakfast, your guide will take you to the park headquarters at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. This is where your trek begins. Before you enter the forest, you will meet expert rangers who will explain everything you need to know.
They will give you a short briefing and tell you how to behave when you meet the gorillas. Bwindi is one of the best places in the world to see these amazing animals—almost half of all mountain gorillas live here! The forest is also full of life, with over 120 types of mammals and more than 350 species of birds.
The trek is a true adventure. You’ll walk through thick jungle, climb hills, and sometimes crouch under branches as you follow the rangers. They’ll look for signs of the gorillas—like footprints, broken plants, or nests. Then, suddenly, the moment comes—you find them.
Seeing a gorilla family in the wild, especially the huge silverback watching over his group, is something you will never forget. You will spend about one hour with them, quietly watching, taking photos, and enjoying this magical moment in nature. After the trek, you will enjoy your packed picnic lunch and return to the starting point, where you will receive a special gorilla trekking certificate to remember the day.
Later in the afternoon, you will leave Bwindi and begin the drive of about 3 hours to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The scenery changes from green forests to wide, golden savannahs. You might spot some wild animals en route—maybe even the famous tree-climbing lions of Ishasha, resting in the branches above the road. By evening, you will arrive at your lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park. You can check in, relax, and enjoy a peaceful dinner while looking forward to more exciting wildlife experiences the next day.
Accommodation Options:
Simple: Bush Lodge – Banda
Middle class: Elephant Hab Lodge
Semi-luxury: Katara Lodge
Luxury: Kyambura Gorge Lodge
Exclusive: The River Station
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Diner
Day 3: Queen Elizabeth National Park Activities
Today, enjoy the stunning wildlife and scenery of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
After an early breakfast, you will head out for a morning game drive on the open savannah. This is one of the best times to spot animals, as they are active in the cool morning air. As the sun rises, you may see elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, hyenas, waterbucks, and, with a bit of luck, lions or even a leopard resting in the grass. Your guide will help you spot wildlife and explain their habits and behaviors as you drive through this beautiful landscape.
After the morning safari, return to your lodge for lunch and some rest. In the afternoon, you will head to the Kazinga Channel, a 32-kilometer natural waterway that connects Lake Edward and Lake George. A boat safari along this channel is one of the most unforgettable experiences Queen Elizabeth National Park has to offer. The Kazinga Channel boasts one of the highest concentrations of hippos in Africa and is also home to Nile crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes, and an incredible variety of water birds. You may spot pelicans, cormorants, African fish eagles, and—if you’re lucky—the elusive shoebill stork.
Optional: Predator Tracking Experience
If you want a closer look at big cats, you can join a predator tracking activity with expert rangers and researchers. Using special radio equipment, they track lions and leopards in real time. This is an exciting way to learn about how predators move and survive in the wild, and it’s great for travelers who want a deeper experience in conservation.
Optional: Private Boat Safari Upgrade
If you want a more personal and quiet experience, you can choose a private boat safari. This allows you to explore the Kazinga Channel at your own pace, avoid the crowds, and get closer to wildlife—perfect for photographers and birdwatchers.
Optional: Visit to the Kyambura Women’s Coffee Cooperative
You can also choose to visit the Kyambura Women’s Coffee Cooperative, a local project run by strong, passionate women. You’ll learn how they grow, harvest, and roast Ugandan coffee. You’ll smell the fresh beans, taste the coffee, and hear inspiring stories from the women behind this amazing community project. It’s a warm and meaningful cultural experience that supports local families. After a full and exciting day, you’ll return to the lodge for dinner and overnight rest.
Accommodation Options:
Simple: Bush Lodge – Banda
Middle class: Elephant Hab Lodge
Semi-luxury: Katara Lodge
Luxury: Kyambura Gorge Lodge
Exclusive: The River Station
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Diner
Day 4: Chimpanzee Tracking in Kalinzu & Transfer Back to Kampala
After an early breakfast, check out of your lodge and travel to Kalinzu Forest Reserve for an exciting chimpanzee trek. Kalinzu is one of the best places in Uganda to see wild chimpanzees, with over a 90% chance of spotting them. It’s less busy and more affordable than Kibale Forest. The forest is part of a community ecotourism project that helps protect nature and support local people. The trek can be a bit challenging, as you may need to hike through thick forest, but most visitors find it very rewarding. Hearing the chimps call and watching them swing through the trees or play on the ground is a special, unforgettable moment.
Chimpanzees are very close to humans genetically, sharing 99% of our DNA, so this experience is both touching and educational. After your trek, you will drive back to Kampala or Entebbe, stopping for lunch and breaks along the way. The trip takes about 7 hours (around 400 km). You’ll be dropped off at your hotel, home, or airport, ending your amazing safari adventure.
Accommodation: Not Included
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Trip Information
Difficulty
Going on safari is not very hard, but it can be tiring. You will spend many hours sitting in a safari vehicle, and the weather may be hot. To see the most animals, you will need to wake up early in the morning. You do not need to be very fit, but you should be ready for long, hot days of travel. During the trip, you will also walk in the forest to look for chimpanzees and the mountain gorillas. These hikes are not very difficult, but having a basic level of fitness will help you enjoy them more.
Food And Drink
All safari lodges include breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You can try local Ugandan foods like matoke (cooked bananas), cassava, chicken and beef stews, fresh fish, and millet bread. Most lodges also offer western-style meals. Drinks are not included, so you will need to pay for them when you leave the lodge. If you are out on a long drive during the day, your driver will bring a packed lunch for you. If you told us about any dietary requirements or allergies when you booked, we will let the safari team know. But please also remind your safari guide if you have any special food needs. In Entebbe and Kampala, your hotel stay includes breakfast only. You can buy lunch and dinner at the hotel or go out to a restaurant. In the city, you can find both Ugandan food and western food.
Water
You will be given bottled mineral water to drink while on safari.
Accommodation
Your day-by-day safari plan will show where you are staying and which meals are included. Before and after the safari, you will stay in a hotel in Entebbe or Kampala. If your hotel includes only breakfast, you can still buy other meals or snacks at the hotel. You can pay with Ugandan Shillings or US Dollars. Uganda is still a developing country, so sometimes there may be short power or water cuts. The hotel will do its best to help. During the safari, you will stay in comfortable lodges in beautiful places. Each room will have its own bathroom, and you will sleep in either a double bed or two single beds. All your meals are included while staying at the lodges.
Your guide
A guide from Choose Uganda Safaris will meet you on the first day of your trip and give you a good briefing. Your guide will stay with you for the entire trip and look after you until you are taken to the airport or your hotel on the last day.
Transport
During your safari trip, you will travel in a comfortable 4×4 safari vehicle. These vehicles are strong and good for bumpy roads. They also have large windows and pop-up roofs, so you can enjoy great views of the animals and the beautiful scenery.
How do I get there?
Most safaris start and end in Entebbe, a town just south of Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. You will need to fly into Entebbe International Airport (EBB). Many international airlines fly to Entebbe. KLM and Brussels Airlines offer flights from many countries. These usually stop in Amsterdam or Brussels, then Kigali (Rwanda), before arriving in Entebbe late in the evening. Emirates also flies to Entebbe with a stop in Dubai. From the USA, Delta offers similar flights, usually arriving the next day. Qatar Airways flies to Entebbe with a stop in Doha, and Uganda Airlines offers direct flights from London.
We will arrange a car to pick you up from the airport and take you to your hotel, even if your flight arrives very late or early. The drive takes about 30 minutes. Because most flights arrive around 10:00 PM, we recommend that you add an extra rest day before your safari begins. This will help you recover from the long journey and get ready for your adventure. If you are changing airlines or need to check in your luggage again during your trip, make sure you leave at least 3 hours between flights. This gives you enough time for any delays, walking between terminals, and re-checking your bags.
Budget and Change
You cannot get Ugandan Shillings before you arrive, as this money is not available outside Uganda. It is best to bring US Dollars with you. US Dollars are accepted in many places and can be easily changed into Ugandan Shillings. Make sure your US Dollar notes are clean, not torn, and less than 10 years old, or they may not be accepted. If you need more Ugandan money while in Entebbe, we can help you go to a bank or ATM. If you plan to use a credit or debit card, tell your bank before you travel. If you don’t, your card might not work in Uganda. Some hotels do not accept card payments, so you may need to use an ATM to get cash.
Tips
Tipping is different in every country, and it can be hard to know what is expected. In Uganda, tipping is not compulsory, but it is always appreciated. It is completely up to you. Tipping is a way to thank someone for good service, but it does not replace fair pay. All of our guides are paid well and treated fairly. If you are happy with the service, we suggest giving about $5 per person per day to your Choose Uganda Safaris guide and driver, and $2 to $5 per person per day to the chimpanzee and gorilla tracking guides or park rangers. We recommend planning to bring around $80 to $100 in total for tips during your trip.
Our Trusted Partners
