6 Days fly in Gorilla trekking and birding tour

This 6 days fly in gorilla trekking and birding tour is a luxury primate and birding safari that starts and ends in Entebbe, Uganda. The safari will take you to Mabamba swamp where you will be able to view different bird species, including the illusive shoebill stork.

The safari will also take you to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, where you will be able to spend time with the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat during the gorilla trekking experience and also spot different bird species during birding.

Highlights 

Day 1: Pick up and transfer to the hotel in Entebbe

Day 2: Birding in Mabamba swamp

Day 3: Flight to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Day 4: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Day 5: Birding in Bwindi National Park

Day 6: Departure flight to Entebbe

Detailed itinerary    

Day 1: Pick up and transfer to the hotel in Entebbe

Depending on your arrival time at Entebbe International Airport, you will be welcomed by our driver guide, who will brief you about the safari and then transfer you to the hotel in Entebbe for dinner and overnight.

Day 2: Birding in Mabamba Swamp

After an early breakfast, carry a packed lunch and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Mabamba Swamp for a birding experience where you will be able to spot the prehistoric Shoebill stork and other bird species like the African Jacana, the long-tailed cormorant, the yellow-billed duck, the goliath heron, the African cuckoo hawk, the African fish-eagle, the little egret, the great blue turaco, the red-eyed dove, the pied kingfisher, and the ross’s turaco, among others. After birding, you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Flight to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Connect to Entebbe International Airport after breakfast and board a domestic flight to the Kihihi airstrip. Upon arrival, you will meet up with our driver guide and transfer to the lodge in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for lunch. After lunch, you will spend the rest of the day at leisure. Dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Gorilla trekking,

After an early breakfast, carry packed lunch and your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules, regulations and expectations of gorilla trekking. After the briefing you will be allocated a gorilla family to trek and a park guide who is knowledgeable about the gorillas and well conversant with trails in the jungle.

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park takes about 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on where the gorillas are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking you will have views of animals, other primates species, and different bird species, among others.

Once the gorillas are found, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their habitat, which gives you an opportunity to watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, breastfeeding, and playing; observe their behaviors; take great photos; and record the breathtaking moments to show people back home.

After the one-hour encounter with the gentle giants, you will trek back to the park headquarters, where you will be awarded a certificate for participating in gorilla trekking and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the lodge for an evening of relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Birding experience in Bwindi

Carry a packed lunch and later meet up with your driver guide to go for a birding safari experience in the forest where you will be able to spot different bird species like the African Paradise Flycatcher, Shelley’s Greenbul, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Helmeted Guinea Fowl, Red-tailed Greenbul, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Brown-capped Weaver, African Sooty Flycatcher, Rwenzori Batis, Kivu Ground Thrush, Handsome Francolin, Rwenzori Turaco, and African Pygmy Kingfisher, among others. After birding, you will drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 6: Departure flight to Entebbe 

After breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the Kihihi airstrip for your domestic flight to Entebbe International Airport.

End of 6 days fly in gorilla and birding tour

Includes       

• Gorilla trekking permit
• Birding in Mabamba swamp
• Park entrance fees/game drives
• Birding
• Domestic flight fees
• All activities included in the itinerary
• Services of a professional English-speaking driver guide
• Full board accommodation
• Pick up and drop off in Kampala/Entebbe
• Vehicle and fuel
• Bottled drinking water

Excludes                   

• Air flight tickets
• Visas
• Life insurance
• Optional activities not included on the itinerary
• Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, cigarettes, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.