7 Days Gorillas, Queen & Rwenzori

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Entebbe – Bwindi Forest

A warm meet and greet at Entebbe International Airport in the morning and check in at Airport Guest House – refresh, rest and have a meal before your local flight to Bwindi at 12:45pm. Our driver/guide will pick you up on arrival at Kihihi for transfer to your overnight accommodation in Bwindi.  Arrive to rest and take a nature walk  in the evening for an opportunity to see how the natives live and have a look at their curio shops for possible souvenirs.

Dinner and overnight stay at Mahogany Springs (High end lodge) or Silverback Lodge (Moderate facility) or Buhoma Community Bandas (Budget facility)

Meal plan: Lunch and Dinner

Day 2: Bwindi Gorilla Trekking

Today is dedicated to the Gorilla tracking experience which begins at 8:00 am with a briefing from the Uganda Wild Authority rangers before you head into the forest.This area experiences rain for most of the year so please bring a rain jacket and don’t forget drinking water, a snack, comfortable jungle boots, insect repellent, a sun hat and sunscreen. The guides will walk you into the jungle to see the gorilla group/family you have been booked for.

Don’t forget to take your lunch boxes and all the necessary gear to track the rare Mountain Gorillas, perhaps one of the most exciting wildlife experiences on earth. The tracking may last between 2 to 8 hours and sometimes under heavy rain but is all worth the effort. If time allows on return from the jungle go for a village Walk in the Community for a great opportunity to see how the local people live.

Dinner and overnight stay at Mahogany Springs (High end lodge) or Silverback Lodge (Moderate facility) or Buhoma Community Bandas (Budget facility)

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 3: Bwindi – Queen Elizabeth

Depart Bwindi early at about 6:45am after breakfast drive through Ishasha Sector, the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park accompanied by an armed game ranger, for a game drive to catch sight of the tree-climbing lions. Ishasha is dominated by acacia woodland and shrubland and features the meandering Ishasha River, banked by a riparian forest with picnic lunch drive all the way to the northern sector of the park for an afternoon boat cruise on the Kazinga channel.

This two hour boat ride along the famous Kazinga channel is an opportunity to encounter hippopotamus, buffalo, Kobs, elephants, warthogs etc. This trip also enables visitors to see a variety of countless bird species.

Dinner and overnight stay at Mweya Safari Lodge (High end facility) Kasenyi Safari Lodge (Moderate facility) or The Bush Lodge (Budget facility)

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 4: Queen Elizabeth National Park – Rwenzori National Park

An early morning game drive along Kasenyi and Queens Mile makes visitors encounter elephants, buffalo, water bucks, warthogs, lions, Uganda Kobs lakes and a variety of birds. Your game drive will last up to 4 hours; thereafter return to the lodge for refreshments and breakfast.

A game drive in this park includes a search for birds with a record of over 600 bird species identified, making it a delight for bird-watchers. The birds here include: the black bee-eater, 11 different species of kingfisher and several falcons, eagles and other raptors. Queen Elizabeth National is one of the most outstanding biodiversity treasures of Uganda, and has been designated a Biosphere Reserve for Humanity under UNESCO auspices.

After a late breakfast drive to Rwenzori National Park to prepare for the next days’ hike and to go to bed early for a restful night. Dinner and overnight stay at Hotel Margherita

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Day 5: Mountain climbing – Rwenzori National Park

First Day Hike: Nyakalengija 1600m – Mahoma Lake camp 2650m. At the Rwenzori National Park headquarters at Nyakalengija, 1.646 m, you will be briefed by the guides before the hike with a chance to hire, equipment. The hike starts through the plantations and homes of the Bakonjo, the people of the mountain, gradually reaching garden plots and elephant grass.

The next climb follows Mobuku River, until the crossing of Mahoma River. The trail passes through an open bracken fern slopes and Podorcarpus Forest, up to Nyabitaba Hut, 2.652 m, continue for 40 minutes and camp at Mahoma Lake which is the biggest mountain lake. This will take from 5.5 to 6.5 hours. When the weather is clear, you will see the major peaks on mount Stanley and Speke. During the day, you might see monkeys, the Rwenzori Turaco and hear the chimpanzees.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 6: Nyabitaba Hut 2650m – Descend – Kasese- Entebbe

The second day you descend from Mahoma Lake, reach an incredibly beautiful forest of giant Heather trees covered in layers of bright green moss. You will follow the footprints of mountain elephants through the bamboo and heather forest and on a lucky day watch them having a drink at the hot spring.

The ridge will lead you from the Rukenga valley where you will see the helichrysum – everlasting flowers, carex, the mimulopssis eliotti flowers and the giant lobelia. Continue through the pristine rain-forest of kyambogho ridge with a view of the Mubuku Valley then descend the heavily forested ridge which is home to many primates, such as black and white Colobus monkey, blue monkey and occasionally the L’hoest monkey. At Omu’ka Kizza Rest Camp at 2,977metres, you will enjoy the magnificent views over the Rwenzori foothills and Kasese town 2,160 meters below. Continue and meet your driver at the park gate to head to Fort portal. Dinner and overnight at

Day 7: Depart Fort portal after a relaxed breakfast heading to Entebbe by road.  Arrive in the afternoon to have have lunch in Entebbe town before heading to the airport to check in for a late evening flight. End of safari

This Safari Package Includes

• Transportation by a 4 x 4 station wagon.
• One Gorilla permit per person to be secured and paid for well in advance
• Accommodation and meals as per the itinerary
• Community foot safari
• Three Game drives
• Day Hike of Rwenzori Mountains
• Porter fees on the Mountain
• Gas while on the Mountain
• Wilderness Camping on the mountain
• Chef on the mountain
• Two hour boat trip along Kazinga channel.
• Park fees
• An English speaking driver guide allowance.
• En-route lunches
• Ranger guide fees

The Safari Exclusions

The expenses of personal nature like: Air fare, Visa, soda/alcoholic drinks, laundry, tips to local guides, telephone, and porter fee while trekking, personal insurance, personal shopping bills.