5-Day Gorilla And Queen Elizabeth Safari

This 5-day midrange gorilla and Queen Elizabeth safari pairs comfortable, locally-built lodges with two of Uganda's best wildlife experiences: game viewing and tree-climbing lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park, followed by mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi.

Overview of This Midrange Gorilla and Queen Elizabeth Safari

This midrange gorilla and Queen Elizabeth safari starts in Queen Elizabeth National Park rather than Bwindi, giving you two full days of game drives, a Kazinga Channel boat cruise, and a stop at the historic Lake Katwe salt works before heading south into Bwindi for gorilla trekking. Accommodation throughout stays comfortable and characterful without the premium price tag of the park's top-tier lodges, exactly the balance a midrange gorilla and Queen Elizabeth safari is meant to strike.

Your Midrange Gorilla and Queen Elizabeth Safari at a Glance

Day 1: Entebbe to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Early morning arrival at Entebbe International Airport, where you'll be met by our company representative for a short trip briefing before setting off. The drive west includes a stop at the equator for photos and lunch in Mbarara, known locally as the "home of milk and honey." Continue on to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Dinner and overnight at Twin Lakes Safari Lodge.

Set in Kichwamba, Twin Lakes Safari Lodge overlooks the escarpment with some of the best views in the park, on a clear day, kobs, antelopes, and elephants are visible from the property itself. The lodge is intentionally small, just 7 rooms, each with a spacious balcony, solar heating, and en-suite bathrooms with hot and cold water, built from local materials including wood, rope, and grass.

Queen Elizabeth National Park, together with the Kyambura and Kigezi Wildlife Reserves, forms one of the most diverse ecosystems in Africa. Meltwater from the Rwenzori Mountains feeds a vast wetland system, including Lake George, Lake Edward, and the connecting Kazinga Channel, home to thousands of hippos. Open savannah supports elephants, lions, leopards, Uganda kobs, and large buffalo herds, alongside ten primate species including chimpanzees. The park holds more recorded bird species than any other in Africa.

Lake Katwe traditional salt works: a visit to one of Uganda's oldest industries, in operation since the 14th century. Salt is still mined here using traditional methods, with production peaking during the dry season.

Day 2: Game Drive & Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise

An early 6:30 AM game drive through terrain that shifts from grassy plains to tropical forest, rivers, swamps, and volcanic craters, with strong chances of spotting buffaloes, lions, and elephants. Return to the lodge for a late breakfast.

After lunch, an afternoon boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel brings you close to hippos, elephants, buffaloes, and waterbucks at the water's edge, alongside a wide variety of water birds and occasional crocodile sightings. Dinner and overnight at Twin Lakes Safari Lodge.

Game drives cover more than 200km of well-maintained tracks, including major Uganda kob breeding grounds. Watch for hungry lions on the hunt, giant forest hogs in the bush, elephant herds gathering at water in the heat of the day, and warthogs, a common sight around the Mweya Peninsula. The Crater Track leads toward the misty Rwenzori Mountains for some of the park's most dramatic scenery.

The Kazinga Channel boat cruise puts you eye to eye with yawning hippos and surrounded by resident and migratory water birds. Buffalo rest in the shallows while elephant herds drink and play along the banks, crocodiles are a common sight, and leopards are occasionally spotted along the shoreline.

Day 3: Queen Elizabeth to Bwindi, via Ishasha

In the morning, depart Queen Elizabeth for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, driving through the Ishasha sector in search of the region's famous tree-climbing lions, resting in the branches of fig trees. Overnight at Mahogany Springs, full board.

Bwindi sits in southwestern Uganda on the edge of the Albertine Rift, spanning 331 sq km across an altitude range of 1,160 to 2,607 metres, with average temperatures of 7°C to 20°C. The park holds roughly half the world's mountain gorilla population, managed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, alongside 346 bird species and over 200 butterfly species. Birders take note: Bwindi holds 90% of all Albertine Rift endemic species, with experienced birders logging up to 100 species in a single day around Ruhija and Buhoma.

Opened in 2011, Mahogany Springs offers some of the finest accommodation in Bwindi. Each of the eight cottages is spacious, with running hot and cold water, flushing toilets, and a private veranda overlooking the forest.

Day 4: Gorilla Trekking, the Highlight of This Midrange Gorilla and Queen Elizabeth Safari

After breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters for your gorilla trekking briefing. Enter the forest at 8:00 AM and take in the beauty and freshness of Bwindi. You'll trek through dense bush in search of a habituated gorilla family, following the trail from where they nested the previous night, a search that can take anywhere from 2 to 7 hours. For conservation purposes, time spent with the gorillas is limited to one hour. Return to Mahogany Springs for the night.

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.

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 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 5: Bwindi to Entebbe

After breakfast, transfer by road back to Entebbe, arriving in time to check in for your onward international flight.

End of safari.

Continue Planning Your Trip

Prefer a more upscale lodge tier and a Bwindi-first route? See our 5-day Bwindi gorilla and Queen Elizabeth safari, staying at Mweya Safari Lodge, the premium alternative to this midrange gorilla and Queen Elizabeth safari.

Explore more sample safari itineraries, use our Build My Safari tool to customize this trip, or contact us to check availability and pricing for your travel dates.

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