Uganda • Wildlife
Magic of the Mountain Gorillas
Explore Uganda’s mist-covered Bwindi Impenetrable Forest on the edge of the Rift Valley, listed as a World Heritage Site due to its unique ecology and biological diversity.
The forest is home to an estimated 400 mountain gorillas – approximately half of the world’s population – and also home to baboons, chimpanzees and many of the planet’s rarest birds.
From NZ$6,775 per person, twin share
4 Days / 3 Nights • Daily, year-round • Uganda
Price quoted is a lead-in rate. As pricing may vary seasonally and according to standard/category selected, please contact us for a quote on your specific requirements.
Wildlife journey. This itinerary can be tailor-made, with the number of days, places visited, and activities varied to suit you.
About
About this journey
Few animals have sparked the imagination of man as much as the gorilla, the largest of the living primates. Although strong and powerful, mountain gorillas are generally gentle and shy. Gorillas have strong attachments to members of their own group, which are led by the dominant male silverback. Most gorillas live in inaccessible regions in various dense forests in tropical Africa, and one subspecies, the mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei), was not even known to science until 1902. The mountain gorilla has a robust build with long, muscular arms, a massive chest, and broad hands and feet. It is the hairiest race of gorillas; its long, thick black hair insulates it from the cold of living at high elevations.
Mountain gorillas have a slow rate of reproduction. This slow reproduction makes this species even more threatened. In a 40-50 year lifetime, a female might have only 2-6 living offspring. Females give birth for the first time at about age 10 and will have offspring every four years or more. A male reaches sexual maturity between 10 and 12 years. Able to conceive for only about three days each month, the female produces a single young and in rare cases twins.
Trekking through dense jungle to spend time with a family of mountain gorillas will be an incredible experience, creating memories for a lifetime.
Who this suits
Travellers who want the gorillas and little else — fly from Entebbe to Kihihi, three nights in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest at your choice of two lodges, one gorilla trek in the price and an optional second to pre-book, and the flight back to Entebbe on Day 4.
Good to know
All meals and selected alcoholic drinks are included, with one massage each; the night before in Entebbe, the optional second trek and gratuities are extra. Gorilla tracking is a shared activity and the permit can't be changed or refunded once bought. Pricing is based on a minimum of two travellers — ask us about a single travelling alone, and about cross-season dates.
The journey
Day by day
Day 1 — Entebbe › Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Fly to Kihihi, and road transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Transfer to your selected lodge or camp for the next three nights.
Days 2 & 3 — Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Over the next two days, you have one included and one optional (must be pre-booked) gorilla trek with expert guides in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. You can also join village visits and forest walks.
An ancient rain forest, the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest extends over a series of steep ridges in the Virunga Volcanoes mountain range. Declared a World Heritage Site due to its ecological uniqueness and biological diversity, the forest is home to roughly half of the world’s total mountain gorilla population. With terrain that varies from swamp and bamboo forest to dense thicket, this beautiful area poses both challenges and rewards for anyone interested in an intimate glimpse of the life of these fascinating primates.
NB: The gorillas you will track belong to one of the ‘habituated’ family groups in northern Bwindi. Experienced guides accompany the tracking, many of whom have been involved in the habituation process themselves. One population of mountain gorillas inhabits the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. A census in 2011 recorded over 400 gorillas here.
Day 4 — Bwindi Impenetrable Forest › Entebbe
Transfer to Kihihi, to connect with your return flight to Entebbe where arrangements end.
Pricing • New Zealand dollars, per person
By season and category
2026
| Season | Twin, per person | Single | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buhoma Lodge | |||
| 01 Oct – 31 Oct | NZ$7,170 | NZ$7,670 | Enquire → |
| 01 Nov – 30 Nov | NZ$6,775 | NZ$7,120 | Enquire → |
| 01 Dec – 31 Dec | NZ$7,580 | NZ$8,425 | Enquire → |
| Bwindi Lodge | |||
| 01 Oct – 14 Dec | NZ$10,920 | NZ$10,920 | Enquire → |
| 15 Dec – 31 Dec | NZ$14,665 | NZ$16,550 | Enquire → |
2027
| Season | Twin, per person | Single | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buhoma Lodge | |||
| 01 Jan – 28 Feb; 01 Jul – 30 Sep; 01 Dec – 31 Dec | NZ$7,815 | NZ$8,650 | Enquire → |
| 01 Mar – 31 Mar; 01 Jun – 30 Jun; 01 Oct – 31 Oct | NZ$7,320 | NZ$7,815 | Enquire → |
| 01 Apr – 31 May; 01 Nov – 30 Nov | NZ$6,935 | NZ$7,270 | Enquire → |
| Bwindi Lodge | |||
| 01 Jan – 28 Feb; 01 Jun – 30 Sep; 15 Dec – 31 Dec | NZ$14,910 | NZ$16,785 | Enquire → |
| 01 Mar – 31 May; 01 Oct – 14 Dec | NZ$11,165 | NZ$11,165 | Enquire → |
Price quoted is a lead-in rate. As pricing may vary seasonally and according to standard/category selected, please contact us for a quote on your specific requirements.
What’s included
- 3 nights’ accommodation at your property of choice
- All meals (B, L, D) during your stay
- Select alcoholic beverages
- Private transfer from your Entebbe pre-night hotel to the airport
- Shared transfers in Kihihi
- Scheduled flights from Entebbe › Kihihi › Entebbe
- English-speaking lodge host
- One gorilla tracking permit in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
- One complimentary massage per person
- Community fee contribution
- Liability insurance cover
Not included
- Pre-night accommodations in Entebbe, Uganda
- Activities listed as optional in the itinerary
- Gratuities
Booking conditions
Booking conditions as supplied by World Journeys.
- Pricing varies due to fluctuations in exchange rates; please contact us for current pricing or other changes
- Pricing is based on a minimum of 2 travellers
- The single price is based on travelling with others in your party
- Please enquire about pricing for a single travelling alone or cross-season
- Surcharges apply during the Christmas and New Year’s period
- Gorilla tracking is a shared activity
- Permits are subject to availability and current pricing at time of booking
- Once purchased permits are non-changeable and non-refundable
- The price of the included flights are subject to change
- A luggage restriction of 15-kg total of soft-sided luggage applies
Journey operated by World Journeys and booked through Fine Travel.
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