4 Days Gorilla Tracking and Wildlife Safari to Lake Mburo National Park

This short gorilla and wildlife trip highlights the great beauty of Uganda in the briefest period possible. Driving westward across the equator you will see boundless varieties of vegetation and get a true sense of Uganda’s natural beauty. Upon reaching Lake Mburo National Park, Uganda’s smallest savanna park, you will be greeted by grazing animals like giraffes, zebras, topis, elands, impalas, and warthogs, among others. En route from Lake Mburo to Bwindi you will travel through the Kigezi region, famous for its hills and mountains, and then you will enter the Impenetrable Forest and your first sightings of monkeys and baboons, all adding to the thrill of the mountain gorilla trek.

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Transfer to Lake Mburu National Park

Following an early breakfast, your guide will pick you up and drive westward along the Masaka-Mbarara Road. Your first stop will be at the equator in Kayabwe, a 1½-hour drive from Kampala. Continuing on to Lyantonde, you will enter the park through the Nshara Gate and go directly to your lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, you will enjoy a 2-hour boat ride on Lake Mburo where along with the hippos and crocodiles, you will encounter some of the Park’s 315 bird species, including fish eagles and kingfishers. After the boat ride, you will return to your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Mihingo Lodge (luxury) / Arcadia Cottages (midrange) / Rwakobo Rock (budget)

Day 2: Game drive and transfer to Bwindi

Following an early breakfast and check out from your lodge, your safari guide will take you on a morning game drive. Some of the animals you may encounter include elands, zebras, impalas, topis and waterbucks. You will then exit the park and proceed to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, where you will arrive in the late afternoon and check in at your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Rushaga Gorilla Camp (luxury) / Bweza Lodge (midrange) / Rushaga Gorilla Havens (budget)

Day 3: Gorilla Tracking

After an early breakfast, (your lodge will provide you with a packed lunch), your safari guide will be drive you to the park briefing point for check in no later than 8:00 am. Following a briefing on proper behavior in the forest, along with your ranger guide and small group, you will begin your trek into the Impenetrable Forest in search of the gorillas. 

Now the adventure begins.

Gorillas set up a new camp every night and thus, they are constantly on the move. Locating them can take several hours. Once you do locate your assigned gorilla family, you will have one hour to watch and photograph them, after which you will hike back to the ranger station to re-group with all the other trackers and receive your gorilla tracking certificate. Your safari guide will then drive to Lake Bunyonyi for an evening of relaxation at the lake. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

Accommodation: Arcadia Lodges Bunyonyi (luxury) / Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort (midrange) / Hawk’s Eye Lodge (budget)

Day 4: Transfer to Entebbe/Kampala

After breakfast, your guide will drive you back to Entebbe or Kampala. Depending upon your departure time from Bunyonyi, lunch will be en route either in Mbarara or Masaka. Stopovers will be made at Mpambire Drum Village and the equator as you proceed to Entebbe or Kampala.

End of trip.

Trip includes:

• Accommodation and meals as per the Safari itinerary

• Safari 4x4 vehicle

• Drinking water

• Airport or hotel transfer on the first and last day

• Driver/Tour guide

• Fuel for the entire trip

• All park entrance fees

• Hand sanitizer

Trip excludes:

• International and/or internal flights

• Visa

• Tips

• Food and beverages not otherwise indicated

• Laundry

• Face masks

• Gorilla tracking permit (to be booked and paid for in advance; preparation upon request)