Safari Information
Our Uganda Mountain Gorillas Safari takes you on a magical journey to the misty kingdom of the mountain gorilla, Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. This tour includes two days of gorilla trekking on foot and three nights at the fabulous Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp.
This trip is great on its own as a quick getaway, or as an extension to a longer African safari. It is also possible to expand this trip to include chimpanzee tracking, or Uganda's savannah national parks of Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth or Lake Mburo.
Safari Highlights
Travel in style and comfort, and fly across Uganda to Bwindi
Stay at a luxury lodge and listen to the sounds of the African rainforest all around you
Two days tracking the mountain gorilla families of Bwindi - for a privileged insight into the life and behaviour of these critically endangered primates, which are led by their 'silverback' adult males
DAY 01: ARRIVAL – ENTEBBE
On arrival into Entebbe International Airport we will meet you and transfer you to your nearby boutique guesthouse for a welcome drink and a briefing on your Uganda gorilla safari.
Your accommodation for the night, Boma Guesthouse, is a rustic 16-room hotel about 5 minutes drive away from the airport. Owned by the Wood family, and located in a leafy suburb of Entebbe, the guesthouse is itself endowed with an extensive garden which hosts a phenomenal array of birdlife. A cosy dining room and bar by the poolside completes the welcome that Boma offers. Boma Guesthouse - Meals Included: Dinner
DAY 02: ENTEBBE – BWINDI
This morning we transfer you to the airport for your scheduled flight to Bwindi. You are met at the airstrip and transferred to your camp for a relaxing lunch. Gorilla Forest Camp - Meals Included: Lunch and Dinner
DAY 03: BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK
The mountain gorillas in Uganda are part of a worldwide population of just 800 individuals. The gorillas we are permitted to visit belong to either one of ten family groups, habituated for gorilla trekking.
For up to five years each, these groups have undergone an extremely delicate process that has gradually brought them to tolerate the presence of humans for a brief period every day and allow a few privileged visitors to interact with them in the wild. The gorillas are by no means tame, and are completely wild animals. However, experienced guides will accompany us on our tracking, and will help us locate the group’s whereabouts. The time taken to track the gorillas can vary enormously – from one to seven hours. Gorilla Forest Camp - Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
DAY 04: BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK
Today we enjoy a second day of gorilla trekking, setting out once more to the briefing point after an early breakfast. Once the gorillas are located, our small group will be allowed a maximum of one hour with them. Gorilla trekking is one of the world’s truly memorable wildlife experiences – a look into one of these magnificent creature’s eyes brings home the bond that exists between them and us. The hour is often over all too quickly, and we slowly make our way back to our lodge to recount the day’s adventures. Gorilla Forest Camp - Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
DAY 05: BWINDI – ENTEBBE – OUT
Enjoy a relaxed breakfast at the camp this morning, reflecting on the adventures of the last few days. Transfer to the nearby Kihihi Airstrip for your scheduled flight back to Entebbe, where you will be met by our driver and transferred to a boutique guesthouse in Entebbe to enjoy lunch and spend the afternoon relaxing. Later on, transfer to the international airport for your departure flight home. Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch
GORILLA FOREST CAMP
Overlooking the Munyaga River, Sanctuary Retreats’ Gorilla Forest Camp is the accommodation of choice for the northern sector of Bwindi National Park.
Gorilla Forest Camp, Bwindi, Uganda (Photo by Sanctuary Retreats) Natural, Romantic Surroundings
Your spacious tent, with two queen beds, a polished wooden deck, rock-faced shower, and bathtub open to the forest will provide an impossibly romantic base from which to explore the surrounding forest. The dining room, similarly, faces the forest. While you enjoy your breakfast, you can often hear the cry of colobus monkeys, with the occasional distant screams of a chimpanzee hunting party.
Gorilla Forest Camp, Bwindi, Uganda (Photo by Sanctuary Retreats) Meet the Gorillas
Gorilla tracking often commences from the park headquarters 5 minutes away, and if you are very lucky, you may actually be visited by one of the mountain gorilla families which periodically pass through the camp, depending on the season. Evenings are spent round the camp fire with a gin and tonic in hand, recounting the day’s events
BOMA GUESTHOUSE
A comfortable, intimate little hotel, the Boma Guesthouse is conveniently located 5 minutes from Entebbe International Airport, and is a great place to stop over at the beginning or end of your Uganda tour.
Gardens at The Boma, Uganda (Photo from Boma)Immerse Youself In Nature
The 16 rooms are simply, but elegantly furnished, and the extensive gardens, created by renowned Kampala landscape architect Roger Wood, are home to an incredible variety of birdlife. The gardens offer hidden nooks and crannies for guests wanting to curl up with a good book away from the main buildings, or to enjoy a spot of private dining away from other guests.
The pool at The Boma, Uganda (Photo by The Boma)Relax and Unwind
The service is typically Ugandan in its smiling and efficient delivery, and the kitchen produces hearty and well prepared meals. The pool area offers the best respite from an overnight flight or a dusty safari, depending on which way you’re travelling, and the easy pace of the guesthouse will make you feel right at home.
* THE PRICE INCLUDES AND DOES NOT INCLUDE
The price is per person and is based on a minimum of two people sharing a room. Upgrades to single rooms are available on payment of a supplement. Single travellers are welcome on all of our tours, at an extra charge. Please see below for full inclusions and exclusions.
The following are included in the main tour price:
- Accommodation in standard twin rooms
- Meals as indicated in the daily meal plan
- All road and air transfers as indicated
- Services of an English speaking driver guide
- Park fees
- 2 Gorilla tracking permits per person
- All activities described in the itinerary, unless specified as extra
- Mineral water, tea and coffee in the vehicle
- All drinks at the lodge (excluding premium brands)
- Medical evacuation insurance (to Nairobi)
The following are not included in the main tour price:
- International air fares, entry visa fees
- Domestic and international departure tax
- All expenses of a personal nature
- Tips and gratuities to your driver/guide, hotel and camp staff etc