3 Days Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Tour Uganda
3 Days Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Tour is the best budget and Short Uganda Safaris Tour package designed for you to get up close with a group of mountain gorillas while in their natural habitat. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is in southwestern Uganda, 530 kilometers that is approximately 8-10 hours’ drive from Entebbe or Kampala city center and 3-4 hours by road from Kigali.
It covers an area of 331sq.kms and its establishment in 1991 was mainly to offer refuge to mountain gorillas that today remain fewer than 1004 on earth. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to half the total number of mountain gorillas that currently thrive in the world.
Gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda are conducted in Bwindi National Park and Mgahinga National Park. In Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, gorilla trekking adventures are done in only the Ruhija, Nkuringo, Rushaga, and Buhoma region, each with habituated gorilla families.
Note, only 8 visitors are allowed to trek one habituated family per day and you are accompanied by an armed ranger guide.
The 3 Days Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Tour starts from Entebbe or Kampala with pick up by one of our professional driver guides or do the same tour starting from Kigali International Airport/Hotel in Kigali via Katuna or Chanika border with opportunity to visit the scenic Lake Bunyonyi and Lake Mutanda for you to embark on community walk or canoe ride while enjoying the breathtaking views of rolling hills or scenic islands.
Alternatively, take a flight from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi airfield to Kihihi or Kisoro airstrip then connect to Bwindi National Park.
What to expect on 3 Days Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Tour
- Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Forest national park
- One hour of magical encounter with mountain gorillas
- Stopover at Equator (Kayabwe)
- Batwa experience
- Breathtaking views of the landscape in southwestern Uganda among others
- Photo taking
- View the tree climbing lions at the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Brief itinerary of our 3 Days Gorilla Trekking Safari Bwindi Uganda
Day 1: Transfer from Entebbe or Kampala to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for gorilla tracking
Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi National Park
Day 3: Return to Entebbe or Kampala
Detailed itinerary of our 3 Days Gorilla Trekking Safari Bwindi Uganda
Day 1: Transfer from Entebbe or Kampala to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for gorilla tracking
After you have had your delicious breakfast at your respective hotel or area of residence in Entebbe or Kampala or Kigali, you will be picked up by our professional and experienced driver guide.
You will have a briefing about your 3 Days Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Tour and then embark on a road trip to southwestern Uganda via Entebbe or Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara-Kabale route which may take you about 8-10 hours to drive.
En-route, you have a chance to make a stopover at the Uganda equator (at Kayabwe) for photo taking and a bit of chilling. After, proceed to Mbarara to have lunch at Igongo cultural center or Agip Hotel.
Later, drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via Ishaka-Bushenyi while enjoying the best view of extensive tea plantations at Igara.
Connect to Queen Elizabeth National Park Uganda’s second largest savanna national park after Murchison Falls National Park and then drive via the Ishasha sector in the southern side which comes with possibility for you to catch a glimpse at the rare tree climbing lions as they are relaxed on tree branches as well as several elephants, buffaloes, and many others.
Proceed to southwestern Uganda to Bwindi National Park while enjoying the breathtaking sceneries and rolling hills of the Kigezi area. From Kanungu, drive to the Buhoma area of Bwindi National Park on the northern side.
Accommodation options:
- Chameleon Hill Lodge, Buhoma Lodge (Luxury)
- Bakiga Lodge, Ichumbi Gorilla Safari Lodge, Gorilla Mist Camp (Midrange)
- Ruhija Gorilla Friends Camp, Buhoma Community Rest Camp (Budget)
Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi National Park
Enjoy your breakfast at your preferred safari lodge in Bwindi National Park and after, gather at your respective trailhead as per your gorilla permit to have a briefing at 6:30 am on the set gorilla trekking.
During briefing time, you will be assigned to only one habituated gorilla family to trek in a group of 8 visitors and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has about 20 gorilla families that have been habituated and set for tourism.
At 8:00 am, you will embark on an actual trek with an armed park ranger guide. Note, gorilla treks in Bwindi National Park start from the 4 main gorilla trekking regions; Ruhija, Buhoma, Nkuringo and Rushaga sector, each of which consists of habituated gorilla groups.
Buhoma sector comprises of Mubare gorilla group, Habinyanja family, Katwe and Rushegura gorilla group; Ruhija region has Kyaguriro, Oruzogo, Mukiza, and Bitukura; Nkuringo area in the southern Bwindi National Park comprises of Nkuringo gorilla group, Bushaho, and Christmas while Rushaga area in the south has Kutu gorilla family, Mucunguzi, Nshongi, Mishaya, Busingye, Kahungye, Bweza, Rwigi, and Bikingi group.
Mountain gorilla trek in Bwindi National Park may take you about 2-6 hours depending on your physical wellness, nature of the habitat and where gorillas are found.
The 2-6 hours rewards you not only with magical encounters with gorillas but also other wildlife species including black and white colobus monkeys, olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys, birds, butterflies, unique plants and many others. Upon finding your gorilla family, you have only an hour to have a face to face encounter, take photos and explore behaviors and body gestures of mountain gorillas.
After the one hour of magical encounter, return to the lodge to have rest and in the evening you will embark on a community visit to the Batwa community.
You will have a chance to interact with the Batwa pygmies the renowned forest dwellers who lived in the forest as hunters and gatherers for over 500000 years.
On community or cultural visit in the Batwa community, enjoy the thrilling cultural dances, music performances; explore the ancient hunting and gathering techniques, traditions, cultures and many others.
Dine and spend a night at:
- Chameleon Hill Lodge, Buhoma Lodge (Luxury)
- Bakiga Lodge, Ichumbi Gorilla Safari Lodge, Gorilla Mist Camp (Midrange)
- Ruhija Gorilla Friends Camp, Buhoma Community Rest Camp (Budget)
Day 3: Return to Entebbe or Kampala
Early in the morning, you have breakfast and after, check out from your safari lodge ready to embark on a return journey to Kampala or Entebbe.
You will have lunch at Igongo Cultural Center and make a stopover at Uganda Equator for the last photo taking and at Mpambire drum makers to purchase some items.
What is included in your 3 Days Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Tour
- Gorilla trekking permit ($600 per person)
- Batwa cultural experience
- Visit Lake Mutanda or Lake Bunyonyi
- Accommodation 2 nights and meals
- Transport in 4 wheel drive safari vehicle
- Fulltime English speaking driver guide
- Stopover at the equator and at Mpambire drum makers
What is excluded in your 3 Days Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Tour
- Personal/medical insurance
- Personal expenses such as cigarettes, tips, laundry services, airfares, accommodation and extra activities outside itinerary and others.
Other safari activities offered in Bwindi National Park
- Birding
- Cycling
- Nature walks/hiking
- Gorilla habituation experience
When to go for gorilla trekking in Bwindi National Park
Bwindi National Park is regarded as all year round safari destination. Despite this fact, the dry season is the best time to go trek mountain gorillas in Bwindi National Park. The dry season in Bwindi National Park starts in the months of June, July, August, September and December, January, February.
It is also regarded as the peak season and you are encouraged to secure your gorilla permit at least 3-4 months before actual trek. The wet or rainy season is also ideal but it is characterized by plenty of rainfall which makes the habitat muddy thus posing a challenge when hiking through dense vegetation and steep slopes.
It starts in March, April, May, and October, November. The wet season is characterized by plenty of forage which gorillas depend on which makes it simpler or visitors take short hours to find these creatures compared to the dry season when they move to search for what to feed on.
What to Carry for a 3 Days Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Tour
- Waterproof hiking boots
- Rain jacket or poncho
- Long sleeved shirt/t-shirts
- Drinking water and energy giving snacks
- Sweater
- Valid visa and passport
- Gorilla permits (each costing $600-for foreign non-residents, $500 for foreign residents and Ug.shs. 250000 for East African citizens).
- Gardening gloves
- Camera with no flashlight
- First aid kit
- Insect repellent
- Hat
- Sunglasses and others.
Gorilla Trekking Rules to consider while in Bwindi
- Keep a distance of 7 meters at all times away from mountain gorillas
- No flashlight camera is allowed when taking photos of gorillas and if your camera has, please turn it off
- Keep your voices low while on the trek but feel free to ask as many questions as possible
- Do not go for gorilla trekking if you are not feeling well
- Do not smoke, drink or eat in the presence of gorillas
- Keep within your group and never surround gorillas
- Only persons above 15 years are allowed to trek gorillas
- You have only an hour to have face to face encounter with gorillas