Overview

This bucket-list experience takes you deep into Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for an eye-opening encounter with highly endangered mountain gorillas. After landing at the international airport in Entebbe and spending the night in this exciting city, you will fly to the Kihihi airstrip on the outskirts of Bwindi National Park.

Home to roughly 340 mountain gorillas, the park is one of the two remaining protected sites where this subspecies of great ape exist in the wild. Some of the family groups are habituated to human presence and will allow trekkers to track and observe them from a respectful and mandated distance as they go about their daily lives.

Back at your accommodation, which is the tranquil Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, keep an eye open for gorillas strolling right through the camp! Part of this 5-day rainforest experience includes luxurious and authentic tented accommodation, as well as an encounter with the indigenous Batwa people.

For those seeking to extend their East African journey, this fly-in gorilla safari is a great match with a trip to the Serengeti or the Masai Mara to see the Big 5 or Wildebeest Migration.

Itinerary Highlights

• Accessible fly-in location
• Accommodation in a private concession
• Gorilla-trekking safari
• Batwa community experience
• Guided forest walks & birding

Day to day itinerary

Day 1

Land at Entebbe

1. Your unforgettable journey begins at Entebbe International Airport where you will transfer to a light aircraft for a scenic flight to the fringes of Bwindi National Park.
2. At the landing strip in Kihihi, you will be met by a representative from Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp.
3. Drive through the fertile and lush Ugandan landscape past small farming communities and terraced hillsides en route to the camp, and allow your guide to introduce you to the local history, culture and way of life.

• Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp is unique because it is located on a private concession within Bwindi National Park, and gorillas can regularly be seen walking right through the camp.
• Once you have arrived at the lodge, take some time out to relax in preparation for an exciting day of trekking.

Day 2

Observe gorillas in their natural habitat

• After a restful night’s sleep lulled by the sounds of the forest, you will rise early to set out on your expedition in search of the shy and gentle apes of the Bwindi Forest. Although you should prepare yourself for muddy, humid and perhaps challenging conditions, a day of trekking through the rainforest is possible for all reasonably fit and healthy travellers.

1. Expert trackers and guides will lead you to one of the forest’s habituated family groups of mountain gorillas and you will be able to spend a maximum of an hour observing the group as they feed, forage, play or interact. On returning to the camp, indulge in a well-deserved massage at the spa.

Day 3

Encounters with an ancient people

• The Batwa people have inhabited the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for thousands of years and have not forgotten the old ways of life.

1. Today you are invited to witness a re-enactment of life as it was for the Batwa in the rainforest, and have the opportunity of interacting with these incredible people. The remainder of your day can be spent hiking, birding, visiting the local village or simply soaking up the sights and sounds of the forest from the lodge.

Day 4

Farewell to Bwindi

• Bid adieu to the rainforest and the friendly staff at Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp before transferring back to the Kihihi airstrip for your return flight to the Entebbe International Airport. As you fly over the landscape, you have time to reflect on and appreciate your privileged time in the precious Ugandan rainforest.