Bwindi & Queen Elizabeth — by air
5-day fly-in gorillas and Queen Elizabeth
Gorillas in the morning, hippo on the Kazinga Channel two days later, and not one long transfer between them.
5 daysfrom US$4,250 pp
Bwindi, Kibale & QENP, Uganda · 5 days · from US$2,690 pp
5-day gorillas and chimpanzees safari
two great apes and a boat safari
- Duration
- 5 days, 4 nights
- Starts
- Entebbe, Uganda
- Ends
- Kigali, Rwanda
- Parks
- Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi
- Permits
- Chimpanzee US$250 and gorilla US$800, included
- Travel
- Private 4x4
Gorillas are the reason people come to Uganda. Chimpanzees are the reason many of them say the trip exceeded expectations. Kibale sits three hours north of Queen Elizabeth National Park, which sits three hours north of Bwindi — the geography does the work.
This itinerary flies you into Entebbe and out of Kigali, so no day is spent retracing your route.
Day by day
The 5 days
- Day 1
Entebbe to Kibale Forest
Five to six hours west through tea country to Fort Portal and the crater lakes. Afternoon at the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary.
- Day 2
Chimpanzee tracking, on to Queen Elizabeth
Morning at Kanyanchu with a habituated chimpanzee community, then the drive south into Queen Elizabeth National Park.
- Day 3
Kazinga Channel and Ishasha
A morning game drive on the Kasenyi plains, the afternoon boat safari on the Kazinga Channel, and a night in the Ishasha sector where lions climb fig trees.
- Day 4
Ishasha to Bwindi
An early drive looking for lions in the branches, then south into the forest to Buhoma. Afternoon community walk.
- Day 5
Gorilla trekking, then Kigali
Briefing at 07:00 and your trek, then the drive south to Kigali for an evening flight.
US$2,690per person sharing, from
US$2,690 per person sharing in mid-range lodges. US$2,150 budget, US$5,200 luxury.
What's included
- Gorilla permit (US$800) and chimpanzee permit (US$250)
- All park fees and the Kazinga Channel boat safari
- Private 4x4 and driver-guide
- Four nights' accommodation, full board
- Entebbe arrival and Kigali departure transfers
- Water and taxes
Not included
- International flights
- Visas
- Travel insurance
- Porters and tips
- Optional habituation upgrades
- Drinks
Who it suits. Travellers with under a week who want a real safari rather than a single encounter.
Questions about this trip
Is day five too long after trekking?
It is the longest day of the trip. Add a sixth day and spend that afternoon at Lake Bunyonyi instead — the best possible ending to a Bwindi trek.
Will I definitely see tree-climbing lions?
No. The lions choose the fig trees, not the guides. An early morning drive through Ishasha gives you good odds, and the drive itself is worth doing regardless.
You might also consider
Three more journeys
Bwindi, Uganda
4-day budget gorilla safari
A shared 4x4 and community-run lodges on the forest edge. The permit price is set by the park — everything around it is where the savings live.
4 daysfrom US$1,290 pp
Bwindi & Mgahinga, Uganda
4-day gorillas and golden monkeys
Gorillas in Bwindi, then golden monkeys in the bamboo of Mgahinga — an endangered primate found only in the Virungas, and the best value hour in Uganda.
4 daysfrom US$1,980 pp
Enquire
Request the 5-day gorillas & chimpanzees
Send your dates and we will confirm what permits exist, then come back with a costed, dated version of this itinerary.
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