6 Day Gorilla tracking and Wildlife Safari

Gorillas, lions, chimps, and hippos in six days. This private Uganda safari packs three major wildlife areas into one carefully planned route, with airport pickup, accommodation, meals, and the valuable gorilla permit included. I especially like the private vehicle and guide, since you are not tied to a large group, and the fact that the permit cost is handled before you arrive.

The main caution is distance. The drive from Kampala or Entebbe to Bwindi is long, and several days begin early or end after hours on the road. You should also be ready for steep, muddy hiking, especially during the two-to-eight-hour gorilla trek.

Five things to know before booking

• The gorilla permit is included: This removes one of the largest extra costs from your planning.
• You visit three major wildlife areas: Bwindi, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Kyambura Gorge all fit into six days.
• The route includes a long road transfer: The journey to Bwindi takes much of Day 2, with a stop at the Equator and lunch in Mbarara.
• The tour is private: Only your group takes part, allowing a more personal and adjustable experience.
• The wildlife mix is unusually strong: Mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, tree-climbing lions, elephants, hippos, crocodiles, buffalo, and many bird species are all part of the plan.
• The current rating is excellent: The experience has a 5 out of 5 score from 14 ratings, with 100 percent recommending it.

What $3,370.47 buys you in six days

At $3,370.47 per person, this is not a budget safari. Still, the price needs to be judged against what it covers. Gorilla permits alone are a major expense, and this trip also includes transport, accommodation according to the schedule, meals, and several park-based activities.

The listed meals cover five breakfasts, five dinners, and four lunches. Gorilla permit fees are included as well. Liquor, air tickets, and visas are not included, so you will need to budget for those separately.

I see the strongest value in the private format. You are not simply buying admission to a forest and a few game drives. You are paying for a six-day route that links far-flung parts of western Uganda, with a guide handling the road transfers and timing. That matters here because the distances are substantial and public transport would make the same route much harder to manage.

The price is easier to justify if gorilla trekking is your main goal and you also want a taste of Uganda’s other wildlife. If you want several full days of game drives, this may feel expensive for the amount of time spent in a safari vehicle. The schedule is designed for variety, not long, slow stays in one park.

Day 1: A gentle start in Kampala or Entebbe

Your guide meets you on arrival at Entebbe International Airport and transfers you to your hotel in Kampala or Entebbe. The first evening is intentionally light, giving you time to check in, rest, and prepare for the long journey ahead.

If your flight arrives early enough, you can choose a city walk around Entebbe or Kampala. That option is useful after a long flight, but it is not presented as a fixed sightseeing program. Think of it as spare-time flexibility rather than a full city tour.

This first transfer also removes a common travel worry: finding your way from the airport to the first hotel. The advertised meeting point is Entebbe International Airport on Kampala Road, and the activity ends back at that meeting point on Day 6.

Day 2: The long road to Bwindi, with an Equator stop

After an early breakfast, you leave your hotel for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This is the toughest road day of the trip, but it gives you a broad look at Uganda outside the parks, with green vegetation, traditional homesteads, and changing rural scenery along the route.

A stop at the Green Equator on the Masaka Road breaks up the drive. You have about 20 minutes there, with time for craft shopping and a quick look around. It is a short stop, so do not expect a long museum visit or an extended educational program.

Lunch is planned in Mbarara before the drive continues toward Bwindi. You reach the park headquarters late in the evening, then check into your lodge. The timing makes this a transfer day first and a sightseeing day second. I would avoid scheduling anything important for that evening.

The practical lesson is simple: protect your energy. The next morning brings the central event of the trip, so a quiet evening is more useful than trying to squeeze in extra activities after arrival.

Day 3: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

This is the day that gives the tour its premium price. After a morning cup of coffee, you head into Bwindi’s thick forest to track mountain gorillas. The trek may last about two to eight hours, depending on the movement of the gorilla group and the conditions on the trail.

You should take the terrain seriously. The route can be steep and muddy, and the description specifically warns that you may hike a long distance before reaching the gorillas. This is not a quick wildlife viewing stop beside a road. It is a physical forest walk that requires patience.

The reward is close-range time with the great apes. The planned encounter may allow you to sit, watch, play, and talk to them, within the rules set to protect both the animals and people. The exact length of the viewing and the trek depends on where the gorillas are found.

Health rules matter here. Anyone with a communicable illness such as diarrhea is not allowed to visit the gorillas. That policy protects a small and vulnerable population from human disease, and you should take it seriously before setting out.

After the trek, you return to the lodge. Because the activity can take six hours or more, this is not the day to plan an evening excursion. The forest experience is the focus, and the physical effort can be considerable.

Day 4: Ishasha’s tree-climbing lions and Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, you leave Bwindi and travel toward Queen Elizabeth National Park through the Ishasha sector. The major attraction here is the chance to look for lions resting in trees, an unusual behavior that has made this part of Uganda famous.

The Ishasha visit is scheduled for about two hours. That is enough time to search, but it does not guarantee a sighting. Wildlife never follows a timetable, so you should treat the tree-climbing lions as a possibility rather than a promise.

The later evening game drive gives you a broader wildlife search. The listed animals include kobs, antelopes, buffalo, lions, elephants, and birds. This variety helps balance the specialized gorilla trek with a more traditional safari outing.

You then check into your lodge for the night. The day combines another long transfer with a relatively short wildlife outing, so it is best suited to someone who values seeing several famous areas rather than staying in one park for several nights.

Day 5: Chimpanzees in Kyambura Gorge, followed by Kazinga Channel

Day 5 is packed. You leave after an early breakfast for chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge, where the activity lasts about two to three hours.

Kyambura offers a different kind of forest encounter from Bwindi. Here the focus is chimpanzees, with monkeys, baboons, and birds also possible in the gorge. The experience is shorter than gorilla trekking, but it still involves walking through a natural setting in search of moving animals.

After the trek, you return to the lodge for lunch before heading out on a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel. This waterway is known for animal viewing from the boat, with crocodiles, hippos, birds, buffalo, and other wildlife included in the expected sights.

The day is listed at about 12 hours, making it the longest scheduled day of the safari. That is a lot of activity after the previous days of travel and hiking. I like the pairing because it gives you primates in the morning and water-based wildlife in the afternoon, but you should not expect a relaxed pace.

The boat cruise also changes your view of the park. Instead of searching from a road, you watch animals along the channel from the water. It is a useful contrast to the forest walks and evening game drive earlier in the trip.

Day 6: Returning to Entebbe for your flight

After breakfast at the lodge, you begin the transfer back toward Kampala and Entebbe International Airport. The return journey is scheduled at about seven hours, with arrival in Kampala early enough for the airport transfer.

This timing needs careful attention. The tour is designed around a departure flight, but the exact safe flight time is not supplied. I would confirm the planned airport arrival with the operator before booking an expensive international connection, especially since road conditions and delays can affect a long transfer.

The journey ends at the original meeting point at Entebbe International Airport. That airport-to-airport arrangement is convenient, particularly if you do not want to arrange a separate transfer after the safari.

The private format and guide support

Only your group takes part in the activity. That gives you a more personal setup than a shared safari and may make it easier to discuss pace, rest stops, and the balance between wildlife viewing and road time.

The guide connected with the experience is named Silas. One detailed account praised the trip from start to finish and described the Uganda and Rwanda journey with Village of Lakes Safari as an excellent experience. The available response from Silas also has a warm, personal tone, welcoming the customer back to Uganda and East Africa.

I would still confirm the final route directly if Rwanda is important to you. The six-day plan described here covers Uganda, including Bwindi, Ishasha, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kyambura Gorge, and the Kazinga Channel. Rwanda is not part of the stated six-day schedule.

The company is Village of Lakes Safaris (U) Ltd. Confirmation is received at booking, and the activity is near public transportation. Most people can participate, though the steep and muddy gorilla hike means you should be honest about your fitness and comfort on uneven ground.

Timing, meals, and what you still need to arrange

The stated start time is 7:00 a.m. The first pickup is from Entebbe International Airport, while the early safari departures are from your hotel in Kampala or Entebbe.

Five breakfasts, five dinners, and four lunches are included. You should check the precise lodge and meal arrangements before departure, since only the meal count is specified. Liquor is excluded, as are flights and visas.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Cancellation inside that 24-hour window is not refundable, and late changes are not accepted.

Who will enjoy this Uganda safari most

I would recommend this experience to you if gorilla trekking is near the top of your Africa wish list and you want to add several other wildlife encounters without planning every transfer yourself.

It suits an active person who can handle long vehicle journeys, an early breakfast, steep forest trails, and a full day of activities. It also works well for a small private party that values its own guide and vehicle.

I would hesitate to recommend it to you if you want a slow safari with long stays in one lodge. You spend significant time on the road, particularly on the way to Bwindi and back to Entebbe. The reward is range: three major wildlife areas in six days.

The strongest praise centers on the complete experience and the personal care provided by Silas. The 5 out of 5 score from 14 ratings and 100 percent recommendation support that positive picture. Still, the pace and physical demands are real, and they should be part of your decision.

Should you book this six-day safari?

Book it if you want the major highlights in a compact private trip: mountain gorillas in Bwindi, chimpanzees in Kyambura Gorge, tree-climbing lions in Ishasha, and wildlife along the Kazinga Channel.

Before paying, confirm your lodge locations, the exact airport timing on Day 6, and how the private vehicle schedule will handle the long transfers. If you accept the road time and arrive fit for a muddy hike, the included gorilla permit and broad wildlife program make the $3,370.47 price easier to defend.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts at Entebbe International Airport on Kampala Road, Entebbe, Uganda. The stated start time is 7:00 a.m.

Where does the tour end?

The activity ends back at the meeting point, Entebbe International Airport.

Is airport pickup included?

Yes. Round-trip transportation from Entebbe Airport is included, with the guide transferring you to your hotel on arrival and back to the airport at the end.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. Only your group takes part in the private tour or activity.

Which wildlife areas are included?

The route includes Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kyambura Game Reserve, and the Kazinga Channel.

How long does gorilla trekking take?

Gorilla trekking takes about two to eight hours, depending on the movement of the gorillas. The activity includes hiking through steep and muddy forest conditions.

Which meals and permits are included?

The package includes gorilla permit fees, five breakfasts, five dinners, and four lunches.

What is not included?

Liquor, air tickets, and visas are not included.