4-Day Fly-In Gorilla Safari: Entebbe to Bwindi
This 4-day fly-in gorilla safari is built for travelers who want the full Bwindi gorilla trekking experience without the long road transfer, flying directly from Entebbe to Kihihi Airstrip, just a short drive from your lodge.
Your 4-Day Fly-In Gorilla Safari at a Glance
| Day | Itinerary | Accommodation | Meals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Entebbe | Protea Hotel Entebbe | B |
| 2 | Entebbe to Bwindi | Trackers Lodge | B, L, D |
| 3 | Gorilla Trekking | Trackers Lodge | B, L, D |
| 4 | Bwindi to Entebbe | — | — |
Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe
Arrival at Entebbe International Airport, where you'll be met and greeted before transferring to Protea Hotel Entebbe. In the evening, enjoy a sunset cruise on Lake Victoria. Overnight, bed and breakfast.
Protea Hotel Entebbe is a modern 73-room hotel, part of the Protea Group, ideally located on the shores of Lake Victoria and just 1km from Entebbe International Airport. All rooms are spacious and well-appointed with en-suite bathrooms and modern amenities, including complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, digital satellite television, and in-room digital safes.
Day 2: Entebbe to Bwindi
In the morning, check in at Entebbe Airport by 6:00 AM for your scheduled 7:00 AM flight to Kihihi Airstrip, the first leg of your 4-day fly-in gorilla safari into the forest. On arrival at approximately 8:45 AM, you'll be met by a representative from Trackers Lodge for your transfer. Lunch and dinner included.
Located in Buhoma, Trackers Lodge is a luxury property offering family rooms, singles, doubles, and triples, each with an en-suite bathroom. Bookings are full board, including meals, local beer, juice, water, coffee, tea, milk, and house wine; top-shelf spirits and bottled wine are available at an extra cost. Facilities include a swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna, and steam bath, plus a spa offering massage, facial, and manicure treatments.
Day 3: Gorilla Trekking
Enter the forest at dawn and take in the beauty and freshness of Bwindi, home to more than half of the world's mountain gorillas. After a short briefing from your guides, you'll trek through dense bush in search of a habituated gorilla family, following the trail from where they nested the previous night. For conservation purposes, time spent with the gorillas is limited to one hour. Overnight at Trackers Lodge, full board.
Gorilla trekking is the centerpiece of any 4-day fly-in gorilla safari, with multiple habituated gorilla families available across the park's four sectors, managed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Group sizes, silverback counts, and family dynamics shift over time as the population continues to grow, your guide will brief you on the specific family you're tracking on the day.
We recommend booking your gorilla trekking permit at least six months in advance, and up to two years ahead for peak season dates, to secure availability.
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi can be physically demanding, so a reasonable level of fitness is recommended. The trek begins at 8:30 AM local time and can last anywhere from a few hours to most of the day, depending on the gorillas' location. Registration at the park gate starts at 7:45 AM.
What to bring:
- Sturdy jungle boots suitable for steep, muddy slopes
- A rain jacket, the forest is frequently wet
- Earplugs, if you're sensitive to jungle sounds
- Sunscreen, a hat, and insect repellent
- A packed lunch
Park rules to know before your 4-day fly-in gorilla safari trek:
- No one with a communicable illness (flu, diarrhea, etc.) may enter the park
- Stay together as a group, don't surround the gorillas
- Keep a minimum distance of 7 metres (21 feet) from the gorillas
- No eating or smoking within 200 metres of the gorillas
- Turn away and cover your mouth if you need to cough or sneeze
- Bury human waste at least one foot deep and cover it properly
- Carry out all litter, nothing is left behind in the park
- Minimum age for gorilla trekking is 15 years
- Groups are limited to 8 visitors per gorilla family, all aged 15 or older
Day 4: Bwindi to Entebbe
After breakfast, transfer to Kihihi Airstrip for your return flight, departing at 9:45 AM and arriving at Entebbe International Airport at approximately 11:25 AM, in time to connect with your international flight out of Entebbe.
End of safari.
Continue Planning Your Trip
Prefer to understand how fly-in safaris work before booking? Read our complete guide to Uganda fly-in safaris, or explore our complete guide to Uganda gorilla safaris for permit and season details.
Explore more sample safari itineraries, use our Build My Safari tool to customize this trip, or contact us to check flight availability and pricing for your travel dates.
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