Mountain Gorilla Trekking - Safari in Uganda!
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September 12 - 21, 2026
Includes luxury bungalows, expert guides, gorilla and chimpanzee trekking, and so much, much more. Small group tour. 14 travelers. Join us for the trip of a lifetime on safari in Uganda, Africa. My scouting visit here in 2024 was nothing short of amazing!
The lodges on this trip are some of the best accommodations I've ever stayed in... and I've stayed in a lot of gorgeous places. Each bungalow comes with it's own private butler. The Bwindi lodge accommodations all come with a fireplace to take the chill out of the cool evening mountain air. All food and drinks are included, including top shelf beer, wine and cocktails made to order. The food was truly gourmet and the massages are complimentary (so is the laundry service!). The swimming pool is not so bad either! Sounds like heaven already. Mountain Gorilla trekking is almost otherworldly. I stood within 15 feet of a mother holding her baby, flanked by two adult male silverbacks. It's hard to describe the feeling you get when they look into your eyes. We'll also spend a couple days walking in the forest to see the chimpanzees of the Kayambura gorge, go on multiple safari game drives , and take a boat ride on the Kazinga Channel to see hippos, leopards, elephants, and who knows what else? Prices start at $10,569 and include accommodations in the Bwindi and Kayambura lodges, private transportation throughout the trip in comfortable and well equipped Land Cruisers with expert English speaking guides, all meals and drinks, all tours, entrance fees and permits included in the itinerary below, all flights inside Uganda, assistance obtaining your visa, and a pre departure meeting and orientation before we go. There are a few limited upgrade options available. Deluxe lodgings include a larger bungalow with sitting area. Deluxe accommodations at both lodges is $12,299. Four nights Deluxe and three nights Standard accommodations are $11,569. Room choices are available on a first come basis. International airfare is not included. September 2026 rates have not been published yet, but currently airfare is only $917 round trip from JFK to Entebbe, Uganda. All flights listed on the itinerary within Uganda are included. Prices are based on double occupancy. There are no single occupancy available due to the limited group size. Solo travelers will be paired up. Transportation to and from JFK airport will be provided at an additional cost. Visa not included. Uganda Safari- September 12 - 21, 2026
Detailed Itinerary Saturday September 12. Day 1: Departure Flight details will be available in November 2025. All flights from JFK to Entebbe are overnight and we will arrive in Uganda on Sunday. September 13. Sunday September 13. Day 2: Arrival in Uganda Arrival at Entebbe International Airport and transfer tour our charter flight to Kasese, Uganda. From the Kasese airstrip we will travel by jeep through the Queen Elizabeth National Park to our beautiful home for the next four nights. Welcome cocktails on the veranda overlooking the savannah plains with the magnificent Rwenzori Mountains in the distance. Overnight: Kayambura Gorge Safari Lodge Monday September 14. Day 3: Kayambura Game Drive Enjoy an early breakfast and set out for a morning game drive for the best wildlife viewings in the park. The Kasenyi plains are excellent for sighting lion and large herds of Uganda antelope. The Mweya peninsula is one of the best places to look for leopard, which live in the dense, scrubby thickets. In the afternoon you can choose from various optional activities like visiting the wetlands area and the ladies coffee cooperative, or just relax and enjoy your beautiful surroundings. Overnight: Kayambura Gorge Safari Lodge Tuesday September 15. Day 4: Kalinzu Chimpanzee trekking This morning after breakfast we'll head over to see chimpanzees up close at the nearby Kalinzu Forest Preserve. Later in the day we'll set out on an afternoon game drive for another opportunity to view the magnificent animals of the Queen Elizabeth National Park. Overnight: Kayambura Gorge Safari Lodge Wednesday September 16. Day 5: Kayambura Chimpanzees and Kazinga Channel boat ride After breakfast walk from the lodge directly down into Kyambura Gorge, to search for the ‘Lost Chimpanzees of Kyambura’. The gorge is an extraordinary natural environment and forms a stark contrast to the surrounding grasslands. Here you can track one of our closest animal relatives: the chimpanzee. This group of isolated chimps are quite mobile and viewing can be unpredictable but the walk itself is exciting and enchanting. In the afternoon take a cruise on the Kazinga Channel, which flows between Lakes Edward and George. Kazinga is home to one of the greatest concentrations of hippo in Africa and herds of elephant, buffalo and other animals come to drink at the waters edge. The channel is a magnet for waterbirds, with great flocks of pelicans and others birds on the shore, and a great spot to see African fish eagle. Overnight at Kyambura Gorge Lodge Thursday September 17. Day 6: Kayambura to Bwindi After breakfast at the lodge your safari now continues to the primeval Bwindi forest. Driving through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park who can look for the famous tree-climbing lions. The fascinating journey through the rapidly changing landscape takes you up in the highlands to Bwindi Lodge situated on the edge of the impenetrable forest. Enjoy pre-dinner cocktails on the veranda overlooking the dramatic Bwindi Forest with the calls of more than 150 bird species echoing in the distance. Overnight: Bwindi Lodge Friday September 18. Day 7: Gorilla Trekking in the Bwindi Imepenetreble Forrest After enjoying an early breakfast, you set off gorilla tracking. Trekking through the steep, densely forested hills and then finally coming across the gorillas camouflaged in the vegetation is an inspiring and privileged moment. Tracking in the Bwindi forest can be steep and requires stamina as some gorilla families can be more elusive, and tracking can take a full day, especially if it is wet and muddy. Although we'll be there in the dry season, so conditions should be quite good. Visit the award-winning Bwindi Bar on the way back to the lodge after your gorilla trek and celebrate with the signature Gorillini cocktail! Bwindi Bar provides hospitality training to young disadvantaged youth from the neighboring communities and is located in town, just on the edge of the lodge property. There's a private path to the rear entrance for lodge guests. Overnight: Bwindi Lodge Saturday September 19. Day 8 Bwindi Today is a day of leisure. Relax and enjoy the forest. Walk into town, get a massage. Take a guided walk in the rainforest to a beautiful waterfall and enjoy a guided birding walk along the Munyanga River Trail. Visit the Bwindi Community Hospital and learn about their gorilla conservation at the Conservation Through Public Health centre. Enjoy a demonstration of our local tea processing cooperation at Bwindi Lodge, or just hang out and relax at the lodge. The choice is yours. Overnight:Bwindi Lodge Sunday September 20 Day 9: Entebbe and onward! Transfer from Bwindi lodge to Kihihi airstrip for your morning or afternoon return flight to Entebbe and connect in time for your international flight. Approximate Travel Times: Flying 1 to 2 hours; Driving 2 hours. Monday September 21 Day 10: Land at JFK and back home. After our overnight flight we arrive at JFK. Exact flight times to be determined. |