Updated 15 October 2026

9 day Uganda gorilla safari is one of Africa’s most extraordinary wildlife experiences, connecting travellers with mountain gorillas in their natural forest habitat. This 9-day Uganda safari combines chimpanzee tracking in Kibale, game drives and a Kazinga Channel boat trip in Queen Elizabeth National Park, the tree-climbing lions of Ishasha, a gorilla trek in Bwindi and a final stop at Lake Mburo, without backtracking and without driving on the gorilla trek day. It is the classic western circuit at a comfortable pace, with time in each park rather than just one activity. Below is the day-by-day route with realistic drive times, followed by notes on permits, seasons and how to adapt the plan.

Why Would My Soul Long for a 9-Day Uganda Gorilla Trekking and Wildlife Safari?

Day 1: arrive in Entebbe

Your driver-guide meets you at Entebbe International Airport and takes you to a hotel in Entebbe, a short drive away. If you land early, the Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre or the botanical gardens on the shore of Lake Victoria make a gentle first afternoon. Otherwise, rest. The next day starts early.

Day 2: drive to Kibale

The drive west to Fort Portal and Kibale National Park takes about 5–6 hours on tarmac, through farmland, tea estates and, as you approach, views of the Rwenzori Mountains on a clear day. Lodges around Kibale sit among the crater lakes south of Fort Portal. If you arrive in time, a walk around one of the lakes is a lovely way to stretch your legs after the drive.

Day 3: chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi

Morning chimp tracking starts from Kanyanchu. Guides lead small groups into the forest to find a habituated community, and you spend an hour with them once you do. Chimps are fast and loud, a complete contrast to the gorillas later in the trip. The permit costs US$250, rising to US$300 from 1 January 2027. In the afternoon, the community-run Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary walk is excellent for birds, especially the great blue turaco, and for monkeys such as red colobus and grey-cheeked mangabey. See our guide to chimpanzee tracking in Kibale.

Day 4: to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Drive south to Queen Elizabeth National Park in about 3 hours, crossing the equator near Kasese and passing the crater landscape of Katwe. After lunch at your lodge in the Mweya or Kasenyi area, take an afternoon game drive on the Kasenyi plains, where Uganda kob gather and lions often hunt.

Day 5: game drive and Kazinga Channel

An early game drive gives the best chance of lions, leopards, elephants and buffalo, as the animals are most active in the cool of the morning. In the afternoon, the two-hour Kazinga Channel boat trip between Lakes George and Edward passes hippos, crocodiles, elephants and buffalo drinking at the water’s edge, along with pelicans, kingfishers, fish eagles and many other water birds. For many people, it is the best wildlife viewing of the whole safari.

Day 6: Ishasha to Bwindi

Drive south through the park to the Ishasha sector, about 2–3 hours away. Here you search the fig trees for its famous tree-climbing lions, which are seen often but not on every visit. After a game drive and a picnic lunch, continue to Buhoma in northern Bwindi, roughly 2 hours away, arriving in the late afternoon. Arriving the day before your trek means you start rested and on time. Read more about the tree-climbing lions of Ishasha.

Day 7: gorilla trekking in Bwindi

After an early breakfast you report to the park office for the 07:30–08:00 briefing, then set off with rangers and trackers to find your assigned gorilla family. The walk can take from under an hour to most of the day, on steep and muddy ground, and once you reach the family you spend one hour with them. A gorilla permit costs US$800, or US$600 in April, May and November. Hiring a porter for around US$15–20 is strongly recommended. In the afternoon, rest, or join the Buhoma community walk. Our hour-by-hour guide to trek day explains what to expect.

Day 8: to Lake Mburo

Leave Bwindi after breakfast for Lake Mburo National Park, a drive of about 5–6 hours through the hills of Kigezi and Ankole. Lake Mburo is small and gentle. It has zebra, impala, eland, topi and giraffe, and since there are no elephants, walking safaris and horseback rides are allowed. A late-afternoon boat trip on the lake or a game drive rounds off the day.

Day 9: walking safari and return to Entebbe

Take a morning walking safari or game drive, then drive about 4–5 hours to Entebbe, stopping at the equator crossing near Kayabwe. Kampala traffic can add time, so most travellers book flights departing in the evening or late at night. If your flight leaves earlier, end the trip with a night in Entebbe or swap Lake Mburo for a domestic flight from Bwindi.

Permits, seasons and budget

Book the gorilla permit first and build the rest of the trip around its date. Permits sell out months ahead from June to September and from December to February. The drier months are the easiest for trekking and game viewing, but the wetter low season brings lush scenery and cheaper gorilla permits.

The main fees on this route are the gorilla and chimp permits, park entry for Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi and Lake Mburo, and the boat trip. Most of the rest of the budget goes on accommodation, a vehicle with a driver-guide and fuel, and lodge choice is the biggest variable. For transfer options, including flying one leg, see our guide to getting from Entebbe to Bwindi.

Ways to adapt the route

If you would rather see Murchison Falls, the Nile and white rhinos at Ziwa, you need more time. Adding them comfortably takes the trip to 12–14 days. Our comparison of gorilla and wildlife combos explains the options. If you are trekking in southern Bwindi (Rushaga or Nkuringo) instead, you can spend the night at Lake Bunyonyi on Day 8 and fly home from Kigali. For a second gorilla trek or the Gorilla Habituation Experience (US$1,500, rising to US$1,800 in 2027), add a night in Bwindi and drop Lake Mburo.

Frequently asked questions