4 Days Gorilla Trek & Tree Lions
Tour Overview
4 Days Uganda gorilla safari with tree climbing lions and mountain gorilla trekking. With just 4 Days, you stand a chance to explore Bwindi Impenetrable National Park combined with Queen Elizabeth National Park. Expect to experience the most thrilling mountain gorilla trekking adventure in Bwindi National Park while in Queen Elizabeth National Park, you will have the best of guided game drive and boat cruise.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site and is located in Southwestern Uganda. Bwindi occupies the land area of 331 sq. km and contains 4 main gorilla sectors where the park’s 24 habituated gorillas exist. The four main gorilla sectors in Bwindi National Park include Ruhija, Rushaga, Buhoma, and Nkuringo.
Expect to track one of the gorilla families in one of the sectors in Bwindi. Your gorilla trek will be enjoyed with an experienced park ranger guide on the lead. Mountain gorillas are unique and exist only in the four parks in the world. Embarking on gorilla safari in Bwindi is a lifetime opportunity to enjoy a close encounter with these large apes in their natural habitat.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is situated in western Uganda and comprises different sections. As per this itinerary, expect to explore about 3 sectors of Queen Elizabeth National Park including Kasenyi and Ishasha on guided game drive then Kazinga Channel on a guided boat or launch cruise. The checklist of wild animals that make Queen Elizabeth National Park most popular include warthogs, leopards, hippos, African buffaloes, spotted hyenas, lions, giant forest hogs, topis, African elephants, and others. This short gorilla and wildlife combo is expected to start with a visit to Queen Elizabeth National Park and then end it with Bwindi National Park.
Tour Details
Highlights of your safari
- Guided game drives
- Launch cruise on Kazinga Channel
- Enjoy the big game encounters in the savanna grassland
- Up close with the endangered mountain gorillas in the wild
- Photo taking of your favorite wildlife
- Ground travel from Kampala/Entebbe & professional driver guide
- Accommodation & delicious meals
- Memorable mountain gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi
- En route stopovers at the Equator crossing
Brief Itinerary
Day 1: Entebbe or Kampala to Queen Elizabeth National Park, enjoy the boat cruise
Day 2: Game drive in Kasenyi, drive to Bwindi through Ishasha
Day 3: Gorilla trekking in Buhoma sector of Bwindi & Batwa cultural visit
Day 4: Departure from Bwindi
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Entebbe or Kampala to Queen Elizabeth National Park, enjoy the boat cruise
Today’s morning includes breakfast and briefing at your respective hotels in Kampala. After the short briefing, you will be transferred to Queen Elizabeth National Park, driving via Kampala-Mityana-Mubende-Fort Portal to Kasese route. It is the shortest route to Queen Elizabeth National Park and will take about 6-7 hours. En route, you make a stopover at the Equator at Kikorongo then proceed to the lodge for a delicious lunch and short relaxation.
Later, expect to be part of the unforgettable boat cruise experience on the Kazinga Channel. Along the natural Kazinga Channel, you will be viewing clearly the hippos, crocodiles, and water birds. The Kazinga launch cruise is expected to last for 2 hours then you will return to spend the rest of the evening at the lodge.
Accommodation
- Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge
- Midrange: Buffaloes Safari Lodge or Elephant Plains Lodge
- Budget: Kazinga Channel Resort or Simba Camp
Travel plan: 6-7 hours
Meal plan: Half board
Day 2: Game drive in Kasenyi, drive to Bwindi through Ishasha
Enjoy a hefty breakfast at the comfort of your lodge and after, you will have a memorable game drive through Kasenyi Plains. It will be a great 2 hour game viewing experience and expect to enjoy sights of different antelopes, elephants, lions, hyenas, leopards, and birds, etc. When you return from the Kazinga Channel game drive, you will have early lunch and check out.
Drive out of your accommodation and connect to Ishasha for a brief game drive to search for the tree climbing lions, plus other wildlife. From Ishasha, drive safely to Buhoma sector in the Northern Bwindi National Park.
Accommodation
- Luxury: Buhoma Lodge/Bwindi Lodge/Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp
- Midrange: Silverback Lodge/Mahogany Springs Lodge
- Budget: Buhoma Community Rest Camp
Meal plan: Full board
Day 3: Gorilla trekking in Buhoma sector of Bwindi & Batwa cultural visit
Enjoy the morning heavy breakfast and expect to depart your lodge with a pack of lunch or snacks. You will transfer to Buhoma sector for briefing about guidelines for gorilla trekking. Leave Buhoma sector when you have been assigned a habituated gorilla group and the park ranger guide.
Expect to depart from Buhoma for actual gorilla trek at around 8:00 am and the entire adventure will run for 2-6 hours. The long day trek with mountain gorillas includes a special one hour for you to explore in details about behaviors of these large apes. Above all, don’t forget to take pictures as many as your camera’s memory can accommodate.
Return from the Buhoma gorilla trekking adventure and get your certificate. Later, connect back to the lodge for lunch and relaxation. Late in the afternoon, expect to have a guided cultural visit to the Batwa Community. Get to learn the unique traditions, cultures, and other practices of the Batwa pygmies –the renowned forest hunters and fruit gatherers.
Accommodation
- Luxury: Buhoma Lodge/Bwindi Lodge/Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp
- Midrange: Silverback Lodge/Mahogany Springs Lodge
- Budget: Buhoma Community Rest Camp
Meal plan: Full board
Day 4: Departure from Bwindi
Get up and prepare for your day as well as enjoy a heavy breakfast. Afterwards, check out of your gorilla lodge and be driven back to Kampala or direct to Entebbe City. Get to Entebbe/Kampala late in the evening and relax.
End of safari
Inclusions
- Game drives
- Boat cruise
- Accommodation for 3 nights + meals
- Service of an experienced guide/driver
- Ground transportation plus driver guide services
- Bottled drinking water
- Park entry fees
- Relevant government taxes in Uganda
Exclusions
- Tips
- Laundry services
- Telephone bills
- Alcoholic bills
- Optional activities
- All shopping expenses
- International airfares
- Expenses for obtaining visas
- Passport expenses
- Cigarettes
