Six days connect Uganda’s savannah and rainforest without treating either as an add-on. Begin in Queen Elizabeth National Park for wildlife, crater country and the Kazinga Channel, travel south through Ishasha when road conditions make sense, then slow down for two nights around the correct Bwindi gorilla sector.
Journey at a glance
- Duration: 6 days / 5 nights
- Route: Entebbe – Queen Elizabeth – Ishasha – Bwindi – Entebbe
- Style: Private premium fly-and-drive journey
- Key experiences: Game drives, Kazinga Channel and one gorilla permit
- Price: From USD 4,250 per person sharing for two guests
Why this route works
A scheduled flight removes the longest outward transfer. Two nights in central Queen Elizabeth protect both an early field session and an afternoon on the Kazinga Channel. The journey then moves naturally south through Ishasha towards Bwindi. Tree-climbing lions are possible in Ishasha but never guaranteed.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1 — Entebbe to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Fly from Entebbe to Kasese or the most suitable operating airstrip, where your private WAE driver-guide meets you. Transfer through crater and escarpment country to the lodge. The afternoon remains flexible around the flight schedule.
Day 2 — Kasenyi plains and the Kazinga Channel
Leave early while temperatures are lower and wildlife is active. Explore the Kasenyi plains with time to read behaviour rather than chase a species list. After lunch and rest, take a boat journey on the Kazinga Channel for elephants, buffalo, hippos and waterbirds.
Day 3 — Queen Elizabeth to Bwindi through Ishasha
Travel south through Ishasha when access and road conditions are appropriate. Search patiently around the fig-tree country, understanding that the area’s famous lions may be elsewhere. Continue into the highlands and reach the lodge selected for your confirmed Bwindi sector.
Day 4 — Gorilla tracking in Bwindi
Join the UWA briefing and enter the forest with rangers and trackers. The route may be steep, muddy and physically demanding. A porter supports both your trek and the local forest-edge economy. When the group is located, the ranger manages distance and viewing time; photography conditions depend on vegetation, weather and the animals’ movements.
Day 5 — Bwindi forest and recovery
Keep a slower morning after the trek. Depending on sector and interests, choose a guided forest-edge walk, birding, a community-led visit or simply time at the lodge. This day prevents an immediate long transfer and gives the forest a wider identity than a single encounter.
Day 6 — Bwindi to Entebbe
Transfer to Kihihi or Kisoro according to sector and take the scheduled flight to Entebbe. We recommend an Entebbe night when onward international timing is tight.
Price and inclusions
From USD 4,250 per person sharing for two guests. Included are stated domestic flights, a private 4×4 and WAE driver-guide, five nights with listed meals, one gorilla permit, Queen Elizabeth fees, game drives, the shared Kazinga Channel boat and drinking water. International flights, visa, insurance, porter fee, tips, drinks and optional private activities are excluded.
Permit note
The latest publicly available UWA tariff listed a foreign non-resident gorilla permit at USD 800. Current tariff, sector and availability are reconfirmed before deposit. The lodge and Kihihi/Kisoro flight are selected only after the sector is known.
Start a conversation
Enquire about 6-Day Queen Elizabeth & Bwindi Gorilla Journey
Dates, group size and a rough idea are enough. Tell us where you would like to go and what matters most; we will reply with honest advice and a clear next step.
