Day 1: Pickup from Entebbe and Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Your driver-guide picks you up from Entebbe International Airport for the scenic drive west to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda’s most biodiverse protected area. Along the way, enjoy views of the Equator, rolling tea plantations, and the western Rift Valley escarpment. Stop at the Equator line for photos before continuing to your lodge in or near the park in time for dinner.

• Drive time: Approx. 6–7 hours (with stops)
• Meal Plan: Half-Board
• Accommodation: Pumba Safari Lodge (Budget) | Buffalo Safari Lodge (Mid-Range)

Day 2: Game Drive & Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise

Rise early for a morning game drive across the Kasenyi Plains, home to lions, elephants, buffalo, Uganda kob, and hyenas. In the afternoon, take a relaxing boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, renowned for its dense hippo and Nile crocodile populations and prolific birdlife, including African fish eagles and pelicans.

• Meal Plan: Full-Board
• Accommodation: Same as Day 1

Day 3: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After breakfast, depart for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home to nearly half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. The drive winds through the scenic Ishasha plains and the terraced hills of Kigezi, often called the “Switzerland of Africa.” Arrive in time to relax and prepare for the next day’s trek.

• Drive time: Approx. 4–5 hours
• Meal Plan: Full Board
• Accommodation: Gorilla Valley Lodge (Budget) | Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge (Mid-Range)

Day 4: Gorilla Trekking and Optional Batwa Cultural Experience

After an early breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters for registration and a detailed briefing by Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger guides. Venture into the dense rainforest in search of a habituated mountain gorilla family. Depending on the gorillas’ location, the trek may last between two and seven hours through the forest’s rugged terrain. Once you find the gorillas, spend one extraordinary hour observing them as they feed, groom, nurture their young, and interact naturally. This close encounter with the world’s most endangered great apes is a truly unforgettable wildlife experience. After returning from the trek, you may choose to join the optional Batwa Cultural Experience. Meet the indigenous Batwa people, the original forest dwellers of Bwindi, and learn about their traditional hunting techniques, medicinal plants, music, dance, and unique cultural heritage. The experience offers fascinating insights into their history while supporting local community conservation initiatives. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Accommodation: Same as Day 4

Day 5: Transfer to Kigali or Entebbe International Airport

Enjoy a final breakfast before departing Bwindi. Depending on your onward travel plans, drive south to Kigali International Airport in Rwanda (approx. 4–5 hours via the Cyanika/Katuna border) or head back to Entebbe International Airport (approx. 8–9 hours) for your international flight home.

• Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch
• Accommodation: None unless requested