Wedded Wonderland

Luxury holidays in Uganda

Uganda travel packages

Spend an hour with a gorilla family in the Bwindi forest, watching the young ones play. Permits sell out, so we secure yours early and book your lodges, guides and flights.

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Every trip in Uganda

Uganda

Murchison Falls, Kibale and Bwindi

11 days · 10 nights

Entebbe → Murchison Falls National Park → Kibale National Park → Queen Elizabeth National Park → Bwindi Impenetrable National Park → Entebbe

You fly from Entebbe to Murchison Falls for a boat trip to the foot of the falls and a climb to the top. In Kibale you trek for chimpanzees and walk through Bigodi village, then look for tree-climbing lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park. You end with two gorilla treks in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

Price on enquirySee the journey: Murchison Falls, Kibale and Bwindi

Meet Uganda's gorillas in the forest

Nothing prepares you for the moment a silverback looks up a few metres away and goes back to his leaves. In Bwindi Impenetrable Forest you trek with trackers through steep, misty forest, then spend one hour with a habituated family as they feed and groom. Treks can take an hour or most of the day, and porters carry your bag and steady you on the slopes.

Uganda rewards travellers who stay longer than the gorilla day. Kibale's forest holds chimpanzees you can follow on guided walks, and boats on the Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park pass hippos and elephants at the water's edge. In the north, the Nile forces itself through a narrow gorge at Murchison Falls, and the Rwenzori Mountains carry glaciers on the equator.

Choose the forests and parks to visit

Bwindi is the heart of most trips, and Kibale and Murchison add chimpanzees and the Nile.

  • Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

    Steep, misty rainforest where you trek with trackers to spend an hour with a family of mountain gorillas.

  • Kibale Forest

    Uganda's primate forest, with habituated chimpanzees, colobus monkeys and crater lakes on the drive in.

  • Murchison Falls

    The Nile forces through a narrow gorge, with boat trips past hippos, crocodiles and elephants on the river banks.

Trek Uganda in the drier months

The two dry seasons make forest paths easier, though gorillas can be visited all year.

  • JanuaryBest

    Dry season, firmer trails in Bwindi and clear days on the Nile.

  • FebruaryBest

    Dry and warm, one of the easiest months for gorilla trekking.

  • MarchMixed

    Rains begin, the forests turn lush and trails get muddy.

  • AprilAvoid

    The wettest month, trekking is slow and some roads are hard going.

  • MayMixed

    Rains ease, with quieter parks and green landscapes.

  • JuneBest

    Long dry season begins, good trekking and game viewing.

  • JulyBest

    Dry trails in Bwindi and Kibale, wildlife gathers by the Nile.

  • AugustBest

    Peak trekking season, book gorilla dates well ahead.

  • SeptemberGood

    Mostly dry with the first showers late in the month.

  • OctoberMixed

    Short rains begin, afternoon showers in the forests.

  • NovemberMixed

    Wet afternoons, mornings often clear for trekking.

  • DecemberGood

    Rains ease and the dry season returns for the holidays.

Fly into Entebbe on Lake Victoria

Most routes to Entebbe connect once, through a Gulf hub, Nairobi, Johannesburg or Europe, and most lodges send a guide to meet you.

  • Sydney (one stop): about 21 h
  • Melbourne (one stop): about 22 h
  • Brisbane (one stop): about 23 h
  • Perth (one stop): about 16 h
  • Los Angeles (one stop): about 25 h
  • London (one stop): about 12 h
  • Dubai (non-stop): about 5 h

Add a savanna safari next door

A Mara safari in Kenya or Tanzania's Serengeti balances the forest days with open country.

  • Kenya

    The Maasai Mara's migration and elephants beneath Kilimanjaro.

  • Tanzania

    The Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire's elephants.

Prepare for your gorilla trek

What visa do I need for Uganda?
It depends on your passport. Australian passport holders, for example, apply online for either a Ugandan visa or the East African Tourist Visa, which allows multiple entries to Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda for 90 days. Check your own government's travel advice before you book, as rules change. Your travel expert confirms the rules for your passport when you book.
How far ahead should we book gorilla permits?
Permits for Bwindi and Mgahinga are limited each day, so book six to twelve months ahead for the dry seasons. Your travel expert secures the permit first and builds the trip around that date.
How fit do you need to be to trek gorillas?
A moderate level of fitness is enough, but treks cross steep, muddy slopes and can last one to six hours. Porters carry your bag and help you up the hills.
Which season is easiest for trekking in Uganda?
The two drier seasons, in the middle of the year and around December to February, make forest trails easier. Gorillas can be visited all year, and the wetter months bring fewer visitors.
How many days do we need in Uganda?
Eight to ten days covers Bwindi for gorillas, Kibale for chimpanzees and Queen Elizabeth National Park. A short flight between Entebbe and Bwindi saves a long drive.
Is chimpanzee tracking in Kibale worth adding?
Yes. Kibale has one of Africa's highest densities of primates, and the chimpanzees are usually found within a few hours. Walks start in the morning with a ranger guide.
How do couples mark an anniversary in Uganda?
Many choose a fireside dinner at their Bwindi lodge on the evening of the trek, or a sundowner boat on the Kazinga Channel. Your travel expert tells the lodge so it is ready.
Are there age limits for gorilla trekking?
Yes. Trekkers must be aged 15 or over, so families with younger children often choose chimpanzee walks or savanna drives instead.

Tell us about your trip to Uganda

Tell us when you want to go, for how long and who is travelling. Your travel expert replies in writing with a trip shaped around you.

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