Our guides Joseph and Herbert were very well organised and made sure we had a good time and were always safe and well looked after. The gorilla trek itself was a real highlight and was very well coordinated. We were amazed to find the gorillas sitting around going about their daily business and not bothered by our presence. The thrill of being so close to these wonderful creatures and sensing how comfortable they were was truly beautiful. To know that they were not threatened by us, was the most rewarding experience. We were able to observe them for more than an hour and took plenty of great photos and videos of the silverbacks, mothers, juveniles and a couple of adorable babies… We got to see nearly all of the creatures mentioned in our itinerary. The accommodation was of a very high standard and did not disappoint.
4-Day Gorillas, Wildlife, and Chimpanzee Trekking at Kalinzu Forest
This 4-day adventure is the best of wildlife safaris in Uganda, offering you the opportunity to spot creatures from Uganda’s myriad of natural wonders. See the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat, catch a glimpse of the tree-climbing lions, and venture into the natural wonderland that is Kalinzu Central Forest Reserve, famous for its numerous species of trees and primates.
Tour Highlights
Click the Tabs to Find out More
Trip Details
Trip Details
Price
Adults (15-80): $2,970
Please inquire for the budget accommodation price, this is our mid-range accommodation tour
2 persons or more: $2,245 per person
3 persons or more: $2,120 per person
4 persons or more: $1,960 per person
Departure Time
Anytime between 7:00 am to 11:00 am Kigali time
Meeting Point
We offer pick-up to the following places for this experience:
- Kigali city
- Kigali International Airport
Availability
Monday to Sunday, year-round
Duration
4 days
Difficulty Level
Moderate – uphill trekking
Group size
1 to 4 persons
Included
- Meals: 3 x breakfasts, 3 x dinners, 3 x lunches
- Accommodation included: 3 nights
- Transport in 4×4
- Gorilla trekking permits (US $800 per permit)
- Park entrance fees:
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Kalinzu Central Forest Reserve (US $130 per permit)
Not Included
- Optional activities (see tab 4)
- Visas, travel insurance, and items of personal nature
- Flights (domestic and international)
What to Bring
- Hiking boots
- Garden gloves
- Rain jacket or poncho
- Long-sleeved shirt/blouse
- Cameras and extra batteries
- Hat/cap and sunglasses
- Pair of binoculars
- Flashlight (torch)
- Mosquito repellent
- Other items to include: zoom lens for wildlife shots and energy bars/bites
Participation Requirements
- Age restriction: 15-80 years old
- A valid passport is required on the day of travel
- This tour is not wheelchair accessible
- We advise against people with heart problems or other serious medical conditions participating on this tour
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
Good to Know
On day 2, depending on the availability of gorilla permits, we may propose trekking gorillas at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
What You’ll Do
We will pick you up at Kigali Airport or downtown Kigali and drive you to Bwindi National Park. The scenic 4-5-hour drive to Uganda will take you through Rwanda’s northern town of Ruhengeri and then cross over into Uganda via the Cyanika or Katuna border post. The trip continues through the nearby Kisoro or Kabale town and finally into Bwindi National Park. Arriving at Bwindi National Park in the early afternoon will allow you to do optional activities such as hiking, canoeing, or visiting the local community.
Today is a special day! The gorilla safari Uganda is famous for. You will head to Bwindi National Park immediately after breakfast to get a briefing about the gorilla trek. The presentation will cover the basics of what to expect during the trek, how to approach the animals for both your and their safety. The national park guide will assign all visitors a gorilla family to track and after that, your adventure begins. Depending on how far the gorillas are inside the forest, the trek can last from 3 to 8 hours, the average time being between 3 and 5. Venture into the vegetation until you come across these incredible creatures, it is a truly unique experience. After the trek, you will return to the lodge to relax, eat dinner, and enjoy a good night’s sleep.
We will start the journey in the morning from the Bwindi National Park area and drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The drive will take you through the Kabale-Ishaka-Bushenyi Road, with the stunning landscapes of southwestern Uganda and the area tea plantations. On arrival at Queen Elizabeth National Park, join the Kazinga Channel boat trip to enjoy possible sightings of hippos and elephants.
After breakfast, we will drive to Kalinzu Forest to experience tracking the chimpanzees in their forest home. Kalinzu Forest is a haven for chimp trekking in Uganda and visitors have more than a 50% chance of encountering the animals. If you are lucky, on the Kalinzu trek, you might encounter one of the 6 different species of primates that call the area home. These include the colobus monkey, the olive baboon, and the red-tailed monkey. After our exhilarating morning of wildlife sightings, it’s time to end the trip, and we will take you to Kigali or Kampala/Entebbe. The drive from Kalinzu Forest Reserve to Kigali or Entebbe/Kampala is about 6-7hrs.
Accommodation & Meals
- Day 1 & 2:
- Mutanda Lake Resort(opens in a new tab) (1.5hrs drive to the Rushaga gate, Bwindi)
- Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge(opens in a new tab) (1.5hrs drive to the Rushaga gate, Bwindi)
- Rushaga Gorilla Lodge(opens in a new tab) (5 minutes drive to the Rushaga gate, Bwindi)
- Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge(opens in a new tab) (5 minutes drive to the Rushaga gate, Bwindi)
- Meals:
- Day 1: Dinner
- Day 2: All meals included
- Day 3:
- Day 4: Breakfast & lunch
We will choose from one of these lodges according to availability.
Optional Activities on Days 1 & 3:
- Golden Monkey Trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park – $90 USD
- The Batwa Trail Cultural Tour inside Mgahinga Gorilla National Park – $80 USD
- Visit the Batwa Community in the Village – $30 USD
- Canoe Trekking at Lake Mutanda – $30 USD
- Coffee-Making Experience – $30 USD
- Mabungo Community Village Tour in Kisoro – $30 USD
- Boat trip on the Mweya Peninsular – $30 USD
See our Local Experiences(opens in a new tab) page for more information on each activity.
See What Our Previous Guests Have Said...
The gorilla trek was phenomenal, well surpassing my expectations. Our time in Queen Elizabeth National park was amazing as well; we saw just about every animal possible there. Highly recommend also doing the boat safari (a little extra cost, but 100% worth it), as Herbert recommended. The accommodations were LOVELY, both my cabin in the jungle and the tent cabin in Queen Elizabeth Park. Herbert did a superb job driving us everywhere and adding commentary as we went. Would do this again in a heartbeat!!
I was traveling solo & I felt safe & comfortable the whole time. Joseph (guide) & Herbert (driver) were fantastic & friendly, couldn’t have asked for better companions. They were both very knowledgeable & able to answer any questions be it about Rwanda or Uganda. As they are both from the local area it was interesting to see & hear about life from their perspective.
Communication with the company was easy, they were very responsive, payment was easy, the hotels we stayed at were great, and our guide Fred was very professional and had a lot of information to share with us. He was a great driver and also seemed knowledgeable about our questions on local history and culture…Fortunately, there were just 4 tourists in our group so we were able to easily maneuver around each other in the dense vegetation to get a good look at him (the silverback).
