Option 1 – Drive Kigali – Bwindi (5-6 hrs)

Option 2 – Drive Entebbe – Bwindi (10-11 hrs)

Option 3 – Fly Entebbe – Kisoro (1 hr + 1.5 hrs transfer)

Kigali to Bwindi by Road

Assuming you spent a night in Kigali, your private, professional driver will pick you up from your hotel in a 4×4 Custom Safari Cruiser and set you northwestbound for the rolling hills. With some stopovers for views, photography, and a bite, you should be at the border in 3 to 4 hours. They will help you process your border crossing papers and, in the next 2-3 hours, check you in at the lodge. The last 2 hours of this journey are bumpy with ascending altitude, but the journey is quite manageable.

Entebbe to Bwindi by Road

You should be on the road by 6:00 am to beat the city traffic. Your driver will stop over at the equator for some photography. You’ll have lunch en route and drive through Mbarara and Kabale cities before heading into the mountains for a steep ascend to the lodge. The last two hours of this journey will be on a bumpy dirt road. But the landscape views ending the road trip are to die for.

Entebbe to Bwindi by Flight

There is a small airport a 1.5-hour drive from Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Flights from Entebbe to Kisoro Airport are all in the morning hours. To catch a flight, you must have spent a night in Entebbe. We  will take care of your airport transfer, and your private driver will be ready to whisk you off at Kisoro Airport into the mountains.

You will enjoy flying over Uganda’s beautiful countryside, dotted with massive lakes, rivers, and towering mountain slopes with lovely gardens. At Kisoro, you can choose to join a local walking safari guide (at extra cost) to explore the rural region, communities, and take a dug-out canoe on the calm volcano lake waters. Or you can jump into the 4×4 truck to drive the bumpy two hours to the lodge. You’ll check into the lodge in time for lunch and a relaxing evening.

Starting time: 7:30 am.

Duration: 4hrs+

You wake before the first light of dawn, the excitement a palpable energy in the lodge. Today is the day you’ll meet the mountain gorillas. After a quick, fortifying breakfast, you join your guides and step into the cool morning mist that shrouds Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The rainforest lives up to its name – vines tangle with ancient trees, moss carpets the ground, and the calls of exotic birds echo through the air.

Finally, after hours of navigating the lush undergrowth, your guide gestures ahead. There, nestled amidst the foliage, is a family of mountain gorillas. A massive silverback observes you with gentle, intelligent eyes, while playful juveniles tumble nearby. An hour spent in the company of these majestic creatures feels both eternal and fieeting.

Leaving the gorillas to their rainforest home, you emerge from the Bwindi changed, carrying a profound and unforgettable encounter within your heart. At the lodge, the chef will provide a packed lunch. Gear is key to a safe and comfortable trek. Sturdy hiking boots brace your feet against uneven terrain, and long trousers and a long-sleeved shirt protect from stinging nettles and thorns. Rain gear is essential, as downpours can be sudden and fierce. Gloves come in handy when grabbing branches for support, and a hat shields you from the sun. Plenty of water and energy-giving snacks fuel your journey. Be sure to bring a facemask – you must have one.

Optional Gorilla Habituation Experience

Instead of regular trekking, you can choose a special gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi. This gives you up to four hours with a gorilla family, alongside researchers who are helping these wild gorillas get used to human presence. Only four people are allowed per group, making this a rare and intimate experience — perfect for those who want a deeper connection with these gentle giants. But please note that the gorillas you track on this adventure are Semi-habituated (not yet fully accustomed to human presence). Unlike fully habituated families that often lounge and feed during your one-hour visit, these semi-habituated gorillas are constantly on the move—darting through dense rainforest, climbing steep, muddy slopes, and disappearing into thick foliage. It’s a physically demanding pursuit, more jungle boot camp than casual walk, and definitely not for the unfit or fainthearted. Though all gorillas are wild, some are wilder than others, and these semi-habituated individuals carry an air of unpredictability. A silverback may charge, but such displays are almost always a warning rather than an attack. Trackers will prepare you in advance: stay calm, crouch down, and avoid eye contact.

Duration: 2-3 hours

Location: 17-minute walk from the lodge

A chorus of birdsong welcomes you as you descend a narrow path leading to a Batwa village deep in Buniga Pocket Forest, just a mile from the Lodge. The sun peeks through the dense forest canopy, casting dappled light on the simple dwellings crafted from forest materials. Warm greetings echo as the Batwa people emerge, their smiles infectious and their eyes filled with ancient wisdom.

The Batwa, often called the “Keepers of the Forest”, are an indigenous tribe who have called Bwindi home for countless generations. Their hunter-gatherer lifestyle honed a deep understanding of the rainforest, its resources, and its dangers. However, conservation efforts displaced them from their ancestral lands, forcing a difficult transition into a modern world often ill-suited to their traditions.

Hands weathered from a lifetime within the forest demonstrate traditional hunting and gathering techniques. They sing haunting songs passed down through countless generations, their voices echoing a deep connection with the rhythms of the natural world. Stories of their ancestors’ lives unveil a culture once perfectly in tune with the forest, their knowledge of its plants, animals, and secrets both humbling and inspiring.

As the morning fades, you depart, but the connection lingers. The Batwa’s resilience and their profound bond with the forest leave an enduring mark. Their laughter and the echo of their songs accompany you, a reminder of the diverse treasures and the rich human tapestry woven within Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

After an early breakfast, your driver will be ready to whisk you back to Kisoro Airport, or Entebbe International Airport, or across the border to Kigali International Airport. If you want to spend a night at the end of the trip in Entebbe or Kigali, our reservation desk will be more than happy to help you find a place to stay at your own cost.