3 Days Fly-In Gorilla Trekking Safari

Your adventure begins with a transfer to Entebbe International Airport for your scheduled domestic flight to the airstrip serving your selected gorilla trekking sector in Bwindi. On the flight you see Uganda’s rolling hills, green countryside, forests and rural settlements as you head to the southwest.

On arrival you meet your local driver-guide and transfer to your lodge or camp. Depending on the airstrip and lodge location, the transfer can take some time, with views of the landscapes around Bwindi on the way.

You check in, have lunch where the flight schedule allows, and spend the afternoon relaxing in the forest. Depending on your arrival time, an optional community or cultural experience can introduce you to local traditions and the link between tourism and conservation. You then have dinner at the lodge and prepare for the next day’s trek.

Today is the highlight of your safari. After an early breakfast you transfer to the Uganda Wildlife Authority park headquarters for a briefing by experienced rangers on gorilla behaviour, forest safety, conservation and the guidelines for responsible wildlife viewing.

With trained ranger guides you set off into the dense rainforest to find your assigned habituated gorilla family. The trek may take several hours, depending on where the gorillas are and the terrain, and along the way you take in the sights, sounds, birds and other wildlife of this ecosystem. When the gorillas are found, you spend the permitted viewing time watching them feed, groom, interact and move through the forest. Photography is welcome within park regulations.

After the encounter you trek back to the starting point, where you may receive a gorilla trekking certificate, subject to the park’s arrangements. You then return to your lodge for lunch and a rest. In the afternoon you can add an optional visit to a nearby community to learn about local traditions, enjoy music and dance, hear stories or see locally made crafts, supporting community-based tourism. Dinner and an overnight stay follow.

Enjoy breakfast at your lodge and take in the peaceful atmosphere and views of the Bwindi highlands. Depending on your flight schedule, you can add a short nature walk or a final community visit, subject to availability and timing.

After check-out you transfer to the airstrip for your scheduled domestic flight back to Entebbe, with final aerial views of Uganda’s countryside before you land at Entebbe International Airport, where your safari ends. You can connect to your international flight if the timing of your domestic flight leaves enough connection time.