5 days Bwindi gorilla trekking and wildlife safari
per person
The 5 days Bwindi gorilla trekking and wildlife safari is designed for those that are interested in seeing endangered mountain gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park at the same time several wildlife species in Queen Elizabeth national park. Our 5 days Bwindi gorilla trekking and wildlife safari starts from Kigali to queen Elizabeth national park to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and it ends in Kigali.
During the 5 days Bwindi gorilla trekking and wildlife safari, you will encounter different animals in Queen Elizabeth national park such as buffaloes, elephants, hyenas, lions, leopards, tree climbing lions, bushbucks, duikers, giant forest hogs, and different bird species. You will also have a boat cruise on Kazinga channel where you will see a number of hippos and crocodiles before heading to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park where you will encounter mountain gorillas.
5 days Bwindi gorilla trekking and wildlife safari highlights
- Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
- Day 2: Game drive and boat cruise on Kazinga channel
- Day 3: Transfer to Bwindi and Batwa cultural tour
- Da 4: Mountain gorilla trekking
- Day 5: Transfer to Kigali and city tour
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
On the 1st day of 5 days Bwindi gorilla trekking and wildlife safari, our English speaking safari guide will pick you up from your hotel or Kigali international airport and he will then brief you about the whole journey. The journey from Kigali to Queen Elizabeth national park is a bit long but along the journey, there are beautiful views of the surrounding areas, hills, lakes, rivers, plantations smiling people among others.
Upon arrival at Queen Elizabeth national park, you will head into your lodge and check-in as you wait for lunch. In the afternoon, you will head out to the park for an evening game drive. The evening game drive will expose you to animals such as lions, tree climbing lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants, giant forest hogs, waterbucks, warthogs, and Uganda kobs among others. You will return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 2: Morning game drive and a boat cruise at Kazinga channel
On the 2nd day of 5 days Bwindi gorilla trekking and game drive safari, you will wake up early in the morning for breakfast, and meet your safari driver to take you for a morning game drive. The earlier the better during the morning game drive because you might see the nocturnal animals before going back to their hide-out places.
During the morning game drive, you will be able to see animals such as hyenas, lions, buffaloes, hippos, bushbucks, warthogs, topis, elephants, tree-climbing lions, waterbucks, warthogs, giant forest hogs, and much more. Later you will drive back to the lodge for lunch and relaxation as you prepare for an evening boat cruise.
In the afternoon, you will meet your safari driver to drive you to Kazinga channel where you will board a boat. The evening boat cruise gives tourists an opportunity to watch the sunset while enjoying the cool breeze of the waters, see hippos, crocodiles, and a number of water birds such as black crate, shoebill, long-tailed cormorant, papyrus gonolek, grey crowned cranes, and marital eagle among others. Later you will return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Meal plan
Breast fast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation
Mweya Safari Lodge – luxury, Buffalo Safari Lodge – Mid-range, Pumba Cottages – budget
Day 3: Transfer to Bwindi and Batwa cultural tour
On the 3rd day of your 5 days Bwindi gorilla trekking and wildlife safari, you wake up in the morning and have breakfast. You will check out of the lodge and meet your driver guide for a transfer to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. You will check out of the park through Ishasha sector where you will have opportunities of seeing the tree-climbing lions. Once you reach Bwindi impenetrable forest national park, you will check in your lodge, have lunch as you wait for Batwa cultural tour.
In the afternoon, your driver guide will transfer you to the Batwa community where a local guide will lead you through your visit to this community. You will be taken through different nature walk trails around their area where they will show you how they used to live in the jungle, gather fruits, collect honey, use bows and arrows to kill animals, use local herbs, and back to their homes you will be able to taste their local foods, visit art and craft shops, listen to stories of former poachers and in the end you will get entertained by the traditional dancers. Later you will return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Meal plan
Breast fast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation
Silverback Lodge – luxury, Bakiga Lodge – Mid-range, Ride 4 a woman – budget
Day 4: Mountain gorilla trekking
On the 4th day of 5 days Bwindi gorilla trekking and wildlife safari, you will wake up to an early morning breakfast ad meet your driver for a transfer to the park headquarters. There you will meet park wardens who will brief you about the safari, group you, and then armed ranger guides will be assigned to each group to lead them throughout the trekking.
Going through different trails, the trekkers will be able to encounter different park animals such as monkeys, buffaloes, giant forest hogs, bushbucks, elephants, chimpanzees, birds, and different bird species. Once the gorilla family is allocated, trekkers will be given 1 hour to be around these primates, watch them do daily activities, take photos and learn about their habits. You will trek out of the jungle, meet your driver guide for a transfer back to the lodge. In the evening you can have a simple nature walk around your lodge.
Meal plan
Breast fast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation
Silverback Lodge – luxury, Bakiga Lodge – Mid-range, Ride 4 a woman – budget
Day 5: Transfer to Kigali and Kigali city tour
On the 5th day of 5 days Bwindi gorilla trekking and wildlife safari, you will wake up to a morning breakfast and alter you will check out the lodge meet your driver guide for a transfer to Kigali through Cyanika border in Kisoro or Katuna border in Kabale. Upon arrival in Kigali, you will have a Kigali city tour in case you still have enough time and during the tour, you will be able to visit local markets where you will interact with traders, art and craft shops, Kigali genocide memorial, and then some lunch before being dropped at your hotel or Kigali international airport.
Meal plan
Breast fast and Lunch
5 days Bwindi gorilla trekking and wildlife safari includes;
- A gorilla trekking permit
- Park entrance fees
- Boat cruise
- Transport
- Service of the English-speaking guide
- Accommodation
- Drinking water and meals indicated in the itinerary
- Batwa cultural tour
- Kigali city tour
5 days Bwindi gorilla trekking and wildlife safari excludes;
- International tickets
- Visas
- Personal expenses
- Personal insurance
- Tips
- Optional activities not included in the itinerary
- Porter fee