Gorilla Trekking and Wildlife Safari in Uganda
One of the best things about planning a safari in Uganda is that you do not have to choose between seeing mountain gorillas and going on a traditional wildlife safari. With a well-planned itinerary, you can do both.
You could spend one day walking through the rainforest of Bwindi looking for mountain gorillas and, a few days later, be watching elephants, lions, hippos and buffalo from a safari vehicle. This combination gives you a much fuller experience of Uganda and works especially well for travellers coming to the country for the first time.
The good news is that several wildlife destinations can be combined with gorilla trekking, depending on how much time you have and where you want to travel.
Start With Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi
For most travellers, gorilla trekking is the highlight of the trip and is best planned first when building the itinerary.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is in southwestern Uganda and is home to a large population of mountain gorillas. The trek takes you into the forest with experienced guides and trackers as you search for a habituated gorilla family.
The trek itself can take anywhere from a relatively short walk to several hours, depending on where the gorillas have moved.
After finding the family, visitors are allowed a limited period to observe them. Watching the gorillas feed, groom, play and interact with each other is very different from seeing animals on a conventional game drive.
Once you have decided on your gorilla trekking date, you can build the rest of your safari around it.
For more information, see our complete guide to Gorilla Trekking in Uganda.
Gorilla Trekking and Queen Elizabeth National Park
One of the easiest and most popular combinations is Bwindi and Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The two destinations are relatively close compared with some of Uganda’s other major safari parks, making them a natural combination for a southwestern Uganda itinerary.
After your gorilla trek, you can travel towards Queen Elizabeth National Park for a completely different wildlife experience.
The park is home to elephants, buffalo, hippos, antelopes, lions and many bird species. A boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel is another popular activity and gives you the chance to see hippos and other wildlife from the water.
Add Ishasha to Your Itinerary
If you are travelling between Bwindi and Queen Elizabeth National Park, consider including the Ishasha sector in your itinerary.
Ishasha is in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park and is particularly famous for its tree-climbing lions. Seeing a lion resting high in the branches of a fig or acacia tree is one of the most memorable wildlife experiences in this part of Uganda.
The landscape is also quieter and less developed than some of the more frequently visited safari areas.
A route such as Bwindi → Ishasha → Queen Elizabeth can therefore give you gorilla trekking, game drives and a boat safari within one trip.
Gorilla Trekking and Murchison Falls National Park
Murchison Falls National Park is much farther north, but it can be added if you have enough time for a longer Uganda safari.
Murchison Falls offers a very different landscape from Bwindi. Instead of dense rainforest and steep hills, you get wide savannah plains, the Nile River and one of Uganda’s most famous waterfalls.
Game drives can give you opportunities to see elephants, giraffes, buffalo, lions, antelopes and other wildlife.
A boat trip towards the bottom of Murchison Falls is another highlight. You can see hippos and crocodiles along the river while watching wildlife coming to the water.
Because Murchison Falls is far from Bwindi, I would not recommend trying to squeeze both destinations into a very short trip. If you have around a week or more, however, it becomes much more realistic to create an itinerary that includes both.
How Many Days Do You Need?
The length of your trip will determine how many destinations you can comfortably combine.
For a short trip, you could focus on gorilla trekking and Queen Elizabeth National Park.
For a longer safari, you could add Ishasha, Kibale Forest or another destination.
If you have enough time, a more extensive itinerary could include Bwindi, Queen Elizabeth, Kibale and Murchison Falls. However, remember that Uganda is a relatively large country, and travelling between parks takes time.
It is better to have a realistic itinerary than to spend most of your holiday sitting in a vehicle trying to tick destinations off a list.
Example Uganda Gorilla and Wildlife Itineraries
Here are a few ways you could structure your trip:
3–4 Days – Gorilla Focused
- Arrive in Uganda
- Travel to Bwindi
- Gorilla trekking
- Return to Entebbe or Kampala
This works well if gorilla trekking is the main reason for your visit.
5–6 Days – Gorillas and Queen Elizabeth
- Travel to Bwindi
- Gorilla trekking
- Travel towards Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Game drive
- Kazinga Channel boat cruise
- Return to Kampala or Entebbe
7–8 Days – Gorillas, Ishasha and Queen Elizabeth
- Travel to Bwindi
- Gorilla trekking
- Drive through Ishasha
- Game drives in Queen Elizabeth
- Kazinga Channel boat cruise
- Return to Kampala or Entebbe
8–10+ Days – Extended Uganda Safari
With more time, you can combine gorilla trekking with Queen Elizabeth, Kibale and Murchison Falls. Your route can be adjusted depending on your interests and where you want to finish the trip.
Should You Do Gorilla Trekking Before or After the Wildlife Safari?
There is no strict rule, but many travellers prefer to do gorilla trekking before their traditional wildlife safari.
Gorilla trekking can be physically demanding, particularly if the gorillas are far inside the forest. Completing it earlier means you can then relax into game drives and boat cruises afterwards.
However, your flight schedule, permit availability and overall route may make the opposite order more practical.
A good safari operator should help you arrange the itinerary around your gorilla permit rather than simply giving you a standard package.
Why Combine Gorillas With a Wildlife Safari?
The biggest advantage is variety.
Gorilla trekking takes you deep into a rainforest where the experience is mostly on foot. A wildlife safari is completely different, you are usually in a 4×4 vehicle crossing open savannah while looking for animals.
One day you might be watching a mountain gorilla in the forest, and the next you could be watching elephants beside a waterhole.
That contrast is what makes a combined Uganda safari so rewarding.
If you are planning your first trip to Uganda, combining gorilla trekking with a wildlife safari can also save you from having to choose between the country’s different experiences.
Plan Your Uganda Gorilla and Wildlife Safari
The best itinerary depends on how many days you have, your budget and the places you most want to see. There is no need to rush through five national parks just because they are available.
For most first-time visitors, Bwindi and Queen Elizabeth National Park are an excellent starting point. Travellers with more time can add Ishasha, Kibale Forest or Murchison Falls.
You can explore our Uganda Wildlife Safari guide for more ideas, or check our Uganda Gorilla Safari tour options when you are ready to start planning.
