The 3 day gorilla trekking Uganda tour is enough for one to trek and spend an hour with the mountain gorillas.
Supposing you travel by road rather than using domestic flight transfer, 3 days is the minimum duration of a gorilla trekking safari from Entebbe town (where its main international airport is located) or nearby Kampala (Uganda’s capital city).
This is because it takes around 8 to 10 hours to drive from Kampala/Entebbe to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park where Uganda’s gorillas are found. So, you need to spend one night at a lodge or tented camp close to the gorilla park headquarters on either side of your gorilla visit.
That said, though it is perfectly possible to track gorillas on a 3 day road trip from Entebbe/Kampala, it will be quite a hurried trip that involves a lot of driving.
If you don’t fancy spending the best part of two full days traveling from and to Entebbe/Kampala, you could think about a flying safari, which is more costly but cuts down the travel time. Otherwise, you could also look at extending your safari itinerary to include visits to Queen Elizabeth and/or Kibale National Parks.
3 Day Gorilla Trekking Uganda Tours and Itinerary Options
Quite a number of gorilla safaris in Uganda now start and end in Kigali city, the capital city of Rwanda.
This is because the driving distance from Kigali city to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or Mgahinga Gorilla Park is shorter – between 3 and 6 hours, depending on where exactly you will be trekking – but Uganda gorilla trekking permits are far cheaper than gorilla trekking permits in Rwanda (US$800 per person as opposed to US$1,500). Read more: Gorilla Trekking Uganda vs Rwanda.
Below are itinerary options for the 3 days Gorilla trekking Uganda tours:
3 Day Gorilla Trekking Uganda From Entebbe
This 3 Day Gorilla Trekking safari takes you to Bwindi Impenetrable forest. Bwindi contains almost half of the world’s last remaining 1063 mountain gorillas.
During this 3 days safari, you will trek into this lush rain-forests to spend time watching the endangered mountain gorillas in the wild. Your time in the dense rain-forests will also offer you a great opportunity to see a variety of other primates, as well as a diverse array of endemic birds, plants and other uncommon creatures.
This 3 Day Gorilla safari includes a choice of accommodation ranging from luxury, mid-range and budget. You will travel in a 4×4 safari vehicle, seeing some of the scenic Uganda countryside as you drive from Kampala or Entebbe to Bwindi and back again.
Highlights
Day 1: Pick you up from pre-tour accommodation in Kampala/Entebbe at 7.30 am and embark a drive of about 8 to 9 hours to Bwindi. Have a stop at Kayabwe Equator Monument for photo-shoots and another stop at Igongo Cultural Centre for lunch.
Day 2: Breakfast at 6 am and transfer to the park office at 7.00 am for briefing. At 8.00, embark a 2 to 6 hours gorilla trek. After seeing gorillas, enjoy your packed picnic lunch and return to the lodge for relaxation. In the evening you have an opportunity to discover the traditional hunter-gatherer life of the Batwa
Day 3: Drive Back to Kampala/Entebbe. Have a lunch break at Igongo Cultural Centre and another stop at Mpambire drum makers point. Your tour driver guide will drop you off to the hotel or at Entebbe Airport to catch your flight back home. Safe travels!
3 Days Uganda Gorilla Flying Safari
This 3 days Uganda gorilla flying safari also takes you to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park for a face-to-face encounter with the giant Mountain Gorillas.
From Entebbe International Airport, you will be taken on a short flight over the beautiful Uganda landscapes to the Kihihi Airstrip on the outskirts of Bwindi Forest. This dense rainforest has been declared a Natural World Heritage Site by UNESCO because of its incredible natural beauty and biodiversity.
Part of this 3-day rainforest experience includes an eco-friendly safari lodge, as well as an encounter with the local people. For those seeking to extend their East African safari, this 3 Fly- Safari is also a great match with a trip to Serengeti in Tanzania or Masai Mara in Kenya to see the Big 5 animals or Wildebeest Migration.
Highlights
Day 1: Fly from Entebbe Airport/Kajjansi Airstrip to Kihihi Airstrip (1 hour & 45 mins). On Arrive, have a short road transfer of about 90 minutes to your lodge near Bwindi. Optional Activities include Batwa Cultural Experience or Community Village Walk
Day 2: Enjoy an early morning breakfast, have your packed lunch and go gorilla trekking in Bwindi. After the gorilla trek, spend the rest of the day at leisure.
Day 3: Breakfast at the lodge & transfer to Kihihi Airstrip for your flight back to Entebbe
3 Days Gorilla Trek Uganda Tour via Kigali
This 3 Days Uganda Gorilla Trek is perfect trip to book if you’re short on time but want to encounter the rare Mountain Gorillas in their natural habitat. This tour is just about the cheapest and quickest way to visit the mountain gorillas in in Uganda.
The drive time from Kigali to Bwindi is only between 4-5 hours as opposed to the 8-9 hour drive from Entebbe or Kampala. And by tracking gorillas in Bwindi, you will be saving US$ 700 off each person as opposed to gorilla trekking in Rwanda.
This short 3 Days Uganda Gorilla Trekking tour via Kigali is also easy to combine with a safari tour in any of our other destinations in East Africa.
Highlights
Day 1: Our tour guide will transfer you from Kigali to Bwindi, around 4 to 5-hour drive. We can pick you up at Kigali International Airport or at any address in Kigali city. Please note that your international flight must arrive no later than 1 pm to make the drive to your accommodation at Bwindi on the same day.
Day 2: Morning mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, with optional Batwa Cultural Experience in evening.
Day 3: You will have breakfast at the lodge and our tour drive guide drive you back across the border to Rwanda and drop you off at Kigali International Airport or your place of stay in Kigali city. There is an optional Kigali City tour.
Other Short Uganda Gorilla Safaris
FAQs
1. How many days do you need for gorilla trekking in Uganda?
Three days is the recommended number of days for gorilla trekking in Uganda for safari that starts from Entebbe or Kampala city.
This is because the driving distance between Entebbe Town or Kampala city and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or Mgahinga, the two national parks where gorilla trekking takes place, takes 8 to 10 hours in either direction.
Thus you will need to spend the night immediately before and after you trek at a lodge or camp close to the relevant park.
However, it is possible to see gorillas on a 2-day Uganda gorilla trekking tour from Kigali, Rwanda. Depending on where in Uganda you track gorillas, the drive from Kigali will take approximately 3 to 6 hours. So, even allowing for delays at the international border, you can easily drive to Uganda on day one, track gorillas the next morning, then return to Kigali city immediately afterwards.
Yes it is also possible to track gorillas in Rwanda, so you might reasonably ask why anyone would cross into Uganda to do the same activity. The simple answer is that it is cheaper: Uganda gorilla permits are far cheaper than Rwanda gorilla permits.
You may also like; 10 best gorilla trekking tours in Africa.
2. How much is a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda?
A Uganda gorilla trekking permit cost US$800 per person for foreign nonresidents. For comparison purpose, a Rwanda gorilla trekking permit cost US$1,500. Both countries offer cheaper rates to African citizens and foreign residents. Read more about Gorilla Trekking Permits in Uganda
3. What is the cheapest gorilla trek in Uganda?
For best cheapest gorilla tours in Uganda, you can select from 2 Days Gorilla trek from Kigali to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, a 3 Days Bwindi Gorilla Safari from Kigali-Rwanda or a 3 Days budget Gorilla tour to Bwindi or Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks. You may also like; cheapest way to see gorillas in Uganda
4. How much is 3 day gorilla trekking Uganda?
The price of a 3 day Uganda gorilla trekking safari is relatively determined by your travel style, accommodation choice, transfer comfort and mainly the cost of a gorilla permit at the time of travel. Below is the cost break down for a 3-day gorilla safari in Uganda:
- Budget 3 day gorilla trekking Uganda — permit US$800 + car rental US$300 + fuel + US$200 + accommodation US$200 which totals to $1500.
- Mid-range 3 days gorilla trekking Uganda — permit US$800 car rental US$300 + fuel-US$250 + accommodation US$450 which totals to $1800.
- Luxury 3 Days Uganda gorilla trekking tour— permit US$800 + car rental US$850 + fuel US$400 + accommodation US$900 which totals to $2900.
This is the gorilla safari price estimate for one person traveling alone on a private gorilla tour. The price can slightly or considerably change depending on the number of people and whether it is a private or group tour.
The best way to organize your gorilla trekking safari — seeing mountain Gorillas in the wild and getting the best prices however remains, contacting a operator who is on the ground and has the local knowledge to organize a smooth and an unforgettable gorilla trekking tour for you. You may also like; Uganda gorilla trekking cost guidelines
5. Is gorilla trekking worth the money?
Gorilla trekking is worthwhile wildlife encounter because you will have the opportunity to encounter your close relatives in their natural habitat.
The mountain gorillas of Africa can survive only in the wild – you cannot see these creatures in a zoo – which makes trekking to see them in their natural habitat a once-in-a-lifetime journey. Highly endangered because of habitat loss and hunting, their population has dwindled to an estimated 1063 individuals.
The money you spent on gorilla tourism goes a long way in securing their survival.
6. How safe is gorilla trekking?
Gorilla trekking is very safe. Uganda is reasonably safe to visit and the trek itself is safe. Also mountain gorillas are gentle creatures and the families you are allowed to track are full habituated to the presence of humans.
Given the gorillas’ gentle nature and habituated status, your expert trek guide is able to bring you within a few metres of the assigned family group.
Once there, you can safely stand or sit in place for an hour to observe them as they play, groom themselves, and more. Read More: Is gorilla Trekking safe?
7. How difficult is Gorilla trekking?
The gorilla trekking difficulty or physical demands of gorilla trekking vary, according to several factors such as the specific location, the gorilla family being visited, the weather conditions on the day of trekking, and your level physical fitness.
Generally, gorilla trekking is moderately to highly physically demanding. However, with the right gorilla trekking gears and an experienced support team, almost anyone can trek the gorillas. Read more: How difficult is Gorilla trekking?
8. Which Country Is Best For Gorilla Trekking?
Undoubtedly, the best places where go on a gorilla trek and see gorillas in Africa are Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. These two safari destinations are the safest and have the best infrastructure for gorilla trekking adventures combined with wildlife safaris.
9. Can You See Gorillas Without Trekking?
Mountain gorillas of Uganda and Rwanda can survive only in their natural habitat, so trekking into their native forests like Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is your only chance to see these gorillas in the wild. If you are physically challenged or very old; here is our guide.
10. How to Prepare for Gorilla Trekking?
You need hiking boots, a rain jacket, garden gloves, long sleeved shirts, a backpack, drinking water, among others for you to successfully prepare for your gorilla trek. You have already paid for your gorilla tour, gorilla permits, transport and accommodation You may also like; recommended gorilla trekking packing list.
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