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Overview of Bwindi Gorillas and Queen Elizabeth
Gorillas at Rushaga in Bwindi, tree-climbing lions at Ishasha, zebra at Lake Mburo and a canoe on Lake Bunyonyi, all by road from Entebbe in six days.
- Length
- 6 days
- Countries
- Uganda
- Pace
- Fast
- From
- USD 2,890
Best for gorillas plus tree-climbing lions. Prices are per person sharing a twin or double room and are confirmed on enquiry.
Highlights
- Gorilla trek at Rushaga, Bwindi's southern sector
- Tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha figs
- Lake Mburo boat trip and plains game
- Dugout canoe on Lake Bunyonyi
- Permit at USD 800, against USD 1,500 in Rwanda
Where this one goes
6 stops over 6 days, in travel order.
Day 1
Entebbe (EBB)
Land and drive via the Equator
Days 1 to 2
Lake Mburo National Park
Boat trip and plains game
Days 2 to 3
Ishasha, Queen Elizabeth
Tree-climbing lions in the fig woodland
Days 3 to 5
Rushaga, Bwindi
Gorilla trek in the southern sector
Days 5 to 6
Lake Bunyonyi
Canoe among the islands, a rest day
Day 6
Entebbe (EBB)
Depart
When to travel
The windows below are for the countries this journey crosses. Tell us the month you are thinking of and we will say what it means for this route.
- Jun to AugBest
- Dry and firm. The prime trekking window, and it books out early.
- Dec to FebStrong
- Second dry season. Hot in the savannah parks, excellent in the forests.
- Mar to MayGreen
- Heaviest rain. Trails turn, rates drop, birding peaks.
- Sep to NovMixed
- Short rains. Afternoon storms, workable mornings.
What you are likely to see
Listed because this route goes where these animals are, and on which day. None of it is a promise of a sighting, and anyone who gives you a percentage is guessing.
Hippo and crocodile
Lake Mburo boat trip, day 1
Fish eagle
Lake Mburo boat trip, day 1
Zebra, eland and impala
Lake Mburo National Park, day 2
Plains animals you will not meet at Bwindi
Tree-climbing lion
Ishasha sector, days 2 and 3
They spend the day resting in the fig trees
Mountain gorilla
Rushaga, Bwindi, day 4
Day by day
Day 1
Land in Entebbe, drive to Lake Mburo
Meet at EBB and drive about 4.5 hours via Masaka, stopping at the Equator markers at Kayabwe. Arrive in time for a late-afternoon boat trip on Lake Mburo for hippo, crocodile and fish eagles.
OvernightLake Mburo National Park. Lodge, full board.
Day 2
Lake Mburo to Ishasha
A morning game drive for zebra, eland and impala, plains animals you will not meet at Bwindi. Then about 4.5 hours via Mbarara and Rukungiri to the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, with an evening drive for lions.
OvernightIshasha, Queen Elizabeth. Lodge, full board.
Day 3
Ishasha to Bwindi
Dawn drive in Ishasha, where lions spend the day resting in the fig trees. Then 3 to 4 hours of hill road to Rushaga, the southern sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, and an early night.
OvernightRushaga, Bwindi. Lodge, full board.
Day 4
Gorilla trek at Rushaga
Briefing at 7:30, then a trek of one to six hours on steep, muddy slopes to a habituated family. You get 60 minutes with them in a group of no more than 8, and we recommend hiring a porter at the trailhead.
OvernightRushaga, Bwindi. Lodge, full board.
Day 5
Rushaga to Lake Bunyonyi
Drive about 2.5 hours to Lake Bunyonyi near Kabale and spend the afternoon in a dugout canoe among the islands. It is a quiet day that lets your legs recover.
OvernightLake Bunyonyi. Lodge, full board.
Day 6
Drive to Entebbe
A long final day. Leave at 6:30 for the 8 to 9 hour drive to Entebbe via Mbarara and Masaka, and book a flight that departs after 9:00 pm.
Gorillas plus tree-climbing lions, over 6 days at a fast pace.
Where you stay
5 nights, in travel order. Prices are per person sharing a twin or double room.
| Nights | Where | Type | Meals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Mburo National Park | Lodge | Full board |
| 1 | Ishasha, Queen Elizabeth | Lodge | Full board |
| 2 | Rushaga, Bwindi | Lodge | Full board |
| 1 | Lake Bunyonyi | Lodge | Full board |
Photographs from Bwindi Gorillas and Queen Elizabeth
Included
- Uganda gorilla permit (USD 800)
- Park fees for Lake Mburo, Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi
- Boat trip on Lake Mburo and canoe on Lake Bunyonyi
- Private 4x4 with pop-top roof and driver-guide, Entebbe round trip
- Five nights in lodges, sharing a twin or double room
- Full board at the lodges
- Bottled drinking water in the vehicle
- Airport transfers at Entebbe (EBB)
Not included
- International flights
- Visas
- Travel insurance, including medical evacuation cover
- Tips for guides, rangers and porters
- Drinks other than bottled water
- Porter hire at the trailhead
- Gorilla habituation experience (USD 1,500), available at Rushaga on request
Questions
- Which Bwindi sector does this trek use?
- Rushaga, in the south of the forest. Bwindi has four trekking sectors and they are hours apart by road, so the sector decides where you sleep and how hard the walk is. We book the lodge against the sector rather than the other way round.
- Why is the Uganda permit cheaper than Rwanda's?
- The Uganda Wildlife Authority prices a Bwindi permit at USD 800 against USD 1,500 in Rwanda. The saving is real, and some of it goes back into road time: Bwindi is a long way from Entebbe, which is why this trip takes six days where Rwanda needs three.
- How long is the drive back to Entebbe on the last day?
- Eight to nine hours, leaving at 6:30 via Mbarara and Masaka. Book a flight that departs after 9:00 pm. If you would rather not spend a day on that road, our ten day Uganda route replaces it with a scheduled flight from Kihihi.
- Can I upgrade to the four hour habituation experience?
- Yes, on request, since this route already treks from Rushaga, which is where habituation runs. The permit is USD 1,500 rather than USD 800 and gives four hours with a family still getting used to people, in a group of eight.
- What is the day after the trek for?
- Recovery, deliberately. It is a 2.5 hour drive to Lake Bunyonyi and an afternoon in a dugout canoe among the islands, with no early start and no walking, which is what legs need after one to six hours on the Rushaga slopes.
Enquire about this journey
Tell us your dates and who is coming. We confirm the route, what is still open for those dates and the price per person.
Other journeys
Plan Bwindi Gorillas and Queen Elizabeth around your dates.
Tell us when you want to travel and how many are coming, and we confirm the route and the price.
From USD 2,890 per person sharing a twin or double room. The lead-in price is confirmed on enquiry.