5 Days Uganda Gorilla & Wildlife from Rwanda
5 Days Uganda Gorilla & Wildlife from Rwanda. This unforgettable safari offers a perfect mix of primate encounters and classic African wildlife. Starting from Kigali, Rwanda, you will explore Uganda’s world-famous Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for gorilla trekking and then continue to Queen Elizabeth National Park for game drives and a boat safari.
Summary of Highlights
✅ Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
✅ Game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park
✅ Tree-climbing lions of Ishasha
✅ Kazinga Channel boat safari
✅ Scenic drives from Rwanda through Uganda
Day 1: Transfer from Kigali to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Your safari begins with a morning pick-up from Kigali. After a briefing by your guide, you will depart for Uganda via the Katuna or Cyanika border, heading toward Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The drive (about 4–5 hours) takes you through scenic countryside, rolling hills, and local villages.
On arrival at Bwindi, you will check in at your lodge, enjoy lunch, and relax for the rest of the day. Depending on your arrival time, you can take an optional village walk or visit a local Batwa community.
Overnight: Lodge in Bwindi (e.g., Buhoma Lodge, Gorilla Mist Camp, or similar)
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Forest
After an early breakfast, you will report to the park headquarters for a briefing by the Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers. You’ll be placed into a trekking group and then begin your journey into the dense forest to search for one of Bwindi’s habituated gorilla families.
The trek can take anywhere from 2 to 6 hours, depending on the location of the gorillas. Once you find them, you’ll have one unforgettable hour to observe and photograph these gentle giants up close.
After the trek, return to the lodge for lunch and spend the afternoon at leisure or enjoy a community walk or cultural encounter.
Overnight: Lodge in Bwindi
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast, you will drive north toward Queen Elizabeth National Park, a journey of about 5–6 hours through the Ishasha sector, famous for its tree-climbing lions. You may stop for a game drive in Ishasha to try and spot these unique predators lounging in fig trees.
Arrive at your lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park in the afternoon, check in, and relax. If time allows, you can enjoy a short evening game drive.
Overnight: Lodge in Queen Elizabeth (e.g., Mweya Safari Lodge, Kasenyi Safari Camp)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Game Drive & Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise
Start your day with an early morning game drive in the Kasenyi plains. Look out for elephants, buffaloes, lions, Uganda kob, warthogs, and hyenas, along with a variety of birdlife.
In the afternoon, you’ll enjoy a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, a waterway connecting Lake Edward and Lake George. This cruise offers excellent opportunities to see hippos, crocodiles, elephants, buffalo, and many bird species along the shores.
Overnight: Lodge in Queen Elizabeth
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Return to Kigali, Rwanda
After breakfast, you will start your journey back to Kigali. The drive takes approximately 6–7 hours via the Katuna or Cyanika border. You will have a lunch stop along the way and enjoy the beautiful landscapes as you return to Rwanda.
You will arrive in Kigali in the late afternoon or early evening, where you will be dropped off at your hotel or Kigali International Airport for your flight home.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch