Our 3 Days Fly-In Gorilla Safari Uganda is the fastest and most comfortable way to meet mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Instead of the 9 to 10 hour drive from Kampala, you take a short domestic flight to Kihihi Airstrip and arrive in gorilla country by mid-morning, rested and ready for one of Africa's greatest wildlife encounters.
At a glance: this 3 Days Fly-In Gorilla Safari Uganda covers 3 days and 2 nights, return flights Entebbe to Kihihi, one gorilla trek in Bwindi, and an optional Batwa or village experience. Your gorilla permit is included.
Day 1: Fly From Entebbe to Kihihi and Transfer to Bwindi
Check in at Entebbe International Airport early for your scheduled domestic flight to Kihihi Airstrip. Morning flights usually leave around 7:00 AM and land at Kihihi a little over an hour later, and we confirm the exact times when we book your seats.
Our representative meets you at Kihihi for the road transfer to your lodge on the edge of Bwindi, which takes about 1 to 1.5 hours through tea plantations and rural villages. After check-in and lunch, the afternoon is yours to relax or join one of the optional activities below.
Luggage note: domestic flights in Uganda usually allow about 15 kg per person, in soft bags only. This limit is strictly applied for safety, so pack light and leave extra luggage with us in Entebbe.
Optional: Batwa Cultural Experience
Visit the Batwa, one of Africa's oldest forest peoples, who lived as hunter-gatherers in Bwindi for thousands of years. With a local guide and interpreter, you learn about their forest traditions, food and homes, and try lighting a fire with sticks or shooting a traditional bow and arrow. Your visit directly supports the community.
Optional: Bwindi Community Village Walk
Take a 3 to 4 hour guided walk through the villages around Bwindi. You visit a traditional home, a local school or community project, a banana beer demonstration and a traditional healer.
Accommodation options:
- Luxury: Buhoma Lodge or Gorilla Forest Camp
- Mid-range: Haven Lodge or Mahogany Springs
Meal plan: lunch and dinner
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Today is the highlight of your 3 Days Fly-In Gorilla Safari Uganda. After an early breakfast, you head to the park office for a briefing from Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers, who assign your group of up to 8 trekkers to a habituated gorilla family.
Guided by rangers, you follow trails through towering trees and tangled vines. The trek can take from 2 to 8 hours, depending on where the gorillas are, and porters are available to carry your bag and help on steep sections.
Once you find the family, you spend one unforgettable hour watching them from at least 7 metres away. Young gorillas wrestle and play, mothers groom and nurse their babies, and the silverback keeps a calm watch over his group. Afterwards you walk back to the trailhead, collect your gorilla trekking certificate and return to the lodge for a late lunch.
Your gorilla permit is included in this safari. For foreign non-residents it costs US$800, or US$600 in April, May and November, when low-season permits apply. Low-season permits cannot be rescheduled, so book with fixed dates. Read our full guide to gorilla trekking permits in Uganda.
Expert Tips for Trek Day
- Wear long trousers and a long-sleeved shirt, with a T-shirt underneath
- Wear broken-in waterproof hiking boots, and tuck your trousers into long socks or gaiters
- Bring a rain jacket, garden gloves, 2 litres of water and snacks
- Flash photography is not allowed, so bring spare batteries instead
- Hire a porter: it makes the climb easier and supports a local family
See our gorilla trekking packing list for everything to bring.
Accommodation options:
- Luxury: Buhoma Lodge or Gorilla Forest Camp
- Mid-range: Haven Lodge or Mahogany Springs
Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 3: Fly From Kihihi Back to Entebbe
Wake to the sounds of the forest and enjoy a final breakfast at your lodge. Then transfer to Kihihi Airstrip for your scenic flight back to Entebbe, looking down on the green hills and lakes of western Uganda.
Your 3 Days Fly-In Gorilla Safari Uganda ends in style. On arrival, we take you to The Boma hotel in Entebbe, a few minutes from the airport, for lunch. Afterwards we drive you to Entebbe International Airport for your flight home, or on to your next adventure.
Meal plan: breakfast and lunch
Extend Your Fly-In Gorilla Safari
Short on time but want more? Add a night at Lake Bunyonyi, chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest, or a game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park. You can also pair this 3 Days Fly-In Gorilla Safari Uganda with a beach break in Zanzibar or a Kenya safari. Tell us your dates and we will build it around your flights.
Book your fly-in gorilla safari
Send us your travel dates and preferred lodge. We will check gorilla permit and flight availability and send you a free quote.
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