Updated
Yes, four days is enough for gorilla trekking in Uganda, as long as you fly to Bwindi or start from Kigali. With scheduled flights from Entebbe to Kihihi or Kisoro, which take about 1.5–2 hours, you arrive on day 1, fly to Bwindi on day 2, trek on day 3 and fly back on day 4. By road from Entebbe, at 8–10 hours each way, four days is tight and leaves no margin for delays. From Kigali, southern Bwindi is only 3.5–5 hours by road, which makes a four-day trip comfortable without domestic flights.
Option 1: fly in from Entebbe
Day 1: land at Entebbe and stay near the airport. Day 2: take a morning flight to Kihihi for Buhoma, or to Kisoro for Rushaga, Nkuringo or Mgahinga, then a short drive to your lodge. Day 3: gorilla trek, starting with the briefing at about 7:30 am. Day 4: fly back to Entebbe and connect to an evening international flight.
Domestic flights cost roughly US$300–500 per person each way, carry about 15 kg of luggage in soft bags and run on fixed schedules, so the flight times shape the whole plan. If your international flight lands late in the evening, day 1 is just a night’s sleep. Our 3-day fly-in itinerary shows the same structure in more detail.
Option 2: start from Kigali
Many travellers with only a few days fly into Kigali instead. Day 1: land in Kigali. Day 2: drive 3.5–5 hours across the border at Katuna or Cyanika to a lodge near Rushaga, Nkuringo or Mgahinga. Day 3: trek. Day 4: drive back to Kigali for an evening flight. You need a Uganda visa or the East Africa Tourist Visa (US$100), which covers both countries. See our guide to Kigali to Bwindi by road.
Option 3: by road from Entebbe or Kampala
Driving keeps costs down but means two days of 8–10 hours on the road, leaving no spare time if anything goes wrong. It works best if you are already in Uganda and well rested. Otherwise, add a fifth day with a night at Lake Mburo or Lake Bunyonyi on the way. Our guide to Kampala to Bwindi in three days sets out the road option.
Making four days work
Book the permit first: US$800, or US$600 in April, May and November, for a sector that matches your airstrip or border. Then book a lodge in that sector, the domestic flights or vehicle, and finally your international flights. Avoid trekking the morning after a long-haul arrival, and leave a buffer before your flight home in case the trek runs long or a domestic flight is delayed.
Pack light, hire a porter and keep the afternoon after the trek free. A four-day trip is gorillas only; chimps and savanna parks need a week or more. See our guide to jet lag and gorilla trekking.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, if you fly from Entebbe to Kihihi or Kisoro, or start from Kigali. By road from Entebbe it is very tight.
About 1.5–2 hours to Kihihi or Kisoro, sometimes with a stop, plus a short drive to the lodge.
For the southern sectors, yes: about 3.5–5 hours by road, compared with 8–10 hours from Entebbe.
Not realistically. Kibale is a full day’s drive from Bwindi, so plan at least a week for both.
