This 3 day Bwindi gorilla trekking safari is the shortest practical way to see mountain gorillas in Uganda. You fly from Entebbe to an airstrip near Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, spend a full day trekking to a habituated gorilla family, and fly back — with two nights in a forest lodge and no long road transfers. It suits travellers short on time and those adding gorillas to a trip elsewhere in East Africa.
Sample Itinerary
3-Day Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Safari
This 3 day Bwindi gorilla trekking safari is the shortest practical way to see mountain gorillas in Uganda.
Quick Overview
Parks: Bwindi Impenetrable NP
Highlights: One gorilla trek in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Scheduled flights to and from Bwindi instead of a 9–10 hour drive each way, Two nights in a lodge close to your trekking sector
Best For: Travellers with only a few days, business travellers adding a trek to a work trip, and visitors combining Uganda’s gorillas with a safari in Kenya, Tanzania or Rwanda.
Group Size: Private vehicle, any group size from solo travellers to families
Want a tailored quote for this route?
Send Us Your BudgetDays 1–2
Bwindi Impenetrable NP
Fly from Entebbe to Bwindi. A morning scheduled flight from Entebbe to the airstrip nearest your trekking sector — about one and a half to two hours, depending on stops. Your driver-guide meets you and takes you to your lodge in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The afternoon is free for a short village or nature walk, and your guide goes through the next day’s trek with you. Gorilla trekking. After an early breakfast you report to the sector headquarters for the ranger briefing, then set off with your group of up to eight people to find your assigned gorilla family. The walk can take from under an hour to most of the day; once you reach the gorillas you spend one hour with them. Back at the lodge, the evening is yours.
Day 3
Entebbe
Fly back to Entebbe. A transfer to the airstrip for the flight back to Entebbe, usually arriving around midday — in good time for most evening international departures.
What's Included
Your quoted price covers accommodation for every night on the route, all ground transport in a private 4x4 with an experienced driver-guide, and park entry fees for each park visited, including the gorilla trekking permit. Fuel and the driver-guide's costs across the full route are built into the quoted price rather than billed separately.
Excluded, as with every Uganda itinerary we quote: international flights, visa fees, travel insurance, tips for your driver-guide and gorilla trekking porters, and personal spending such as drinks and souvenirs. We itemise all of this clearly when we send your formal quote, so nothing arrives as a surprise once you're on the ground.
Lodging across the route is mid-range by default — the properties can be swapped for budget or luxury alternatives at the same locations without changing the underlying route, activities or duration. Tell us which tier fits your trip and we'll send a revised, fully itemised quote.
Start Planning
Related Itineraries
10-Day Uganda Gorilla, Chimpanzee & Queen Elizabeth Safari
14-Day Uganda Safari: Gorillas, Chimpanzees, Queen Elizabeth & Murchison Falls
5-Day Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Honeymoon Safari
6-Day Lake Mburo & Queen Elizabeth Family Safari
5-Day Budget Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Safari
8-Day Luxury Uganda Gorilla Trekking & Queen Elizabeth Fly-In Safari
Good To Know
3-Day Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Safari FAQs
Yes. Three days is enough for one gorilla trek if you fly to Bwindi or start from Kigali. By road from Entebbe it is possible but very tiring.
Light-aircraft schedules occasionally change with the weather. Because the trek is on Day 2, a delay on Day 1 rarely affects it; arriving in Uganda the day before gives extra protection.
Not realistically. Treks start with an early-morning briefing at the park, so you need to be at a lodge near Bwindi the night before.
No. Bwindi is too far from Kampala for a day trip by road or air, which is why the shortest practical gorilla trip is three days.
No. Every visitor gets the same one hour with the gorillas, whether their trip lasts three days or three weeks.
Plan Your 3-Day Gorilla Trip
Tell us your dates and where you are travelling from. We will check gorilla permit availability, recommend the best way in — by air, by road or from Kigali — and send an itemised quote.
- ● Days 1–2: Bwindi Impenetrable NP
- ● Day 3: Entebbe