Destinations

Gorillas anchor a trip to south-western Uganda, but the region is one of the richest wildlife and scenery circuits in Africa. Within a day's drive of the gorilla forests you can track chimpanzees, watch tree-climbing lions, cruise past hundreds of hippos and paddle a dugout canoe across a lake studded with islands. This guide introduces each destination, what it is best for, how much time it deserves and how it fits with a gorilla trek.

How the destinations fit together

Geography drives every itinerary here. Bwindi and Mgahinga sit in the far south-west, near the borders of Rwanda and Congo. Queen Elizabeth National Park lies to the north, reached through the Ishasha sector, and Kibale, with its chimpanzees, lies beyond it near Fort Portal. Murchison Falls is far to the north-west, a long day away. Lake Bunyonyi and Lake Mburo sit along the southern road from Kampala, so they make natural stops on the way in or out.

That means a sensible trip follows a loop or a line rather than jumping between places. A classic route runs from Entebbe to Lake Mburo, then Bwindi, then north through Ishasha to Queen Elizabeth, and finally Kibale before returning. Shorter trips choose just one or two of these stops. Our itineraries show how these combinations work in practice.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Bwindi is the reason most people come. It holds about half of the world's mountain gorillas, has four separate trekking sectors and shelters an extraordinary variety of forest birds and butterflies. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the best single place to see gorillas in Uganda. Read the full guide to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Mgahinga is Uganda's smallest national park, but its setting is spectacular. It covers the Ugandan slopes of three of the Virunga volcanoes: Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabinyo, the tallest of which rises above 4,000 metres. One habituated gorilla family lives here, which makes permits scarce, and that family sometimes crosses into Rwanda or Congo for a while, so dates can be uncertain. Many visitors combine Mgahinga with a trek in Rushaga or Nkuringo. Read the full guide to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Besides gorillas, the park offers golden monkey tracking, a species restricted to bamboo forests on the Virunga slopes, and strenuous volcano hikes that reward you with views across three countries. The Batwa Trail, led by Batwa guides, introduces the forest people who once lived in and around the park.

Lake Bunyonyi

Lake Bunyonyi is a deep, calm lake ringed by terraced hills, with dozens of small islands scattered across its surface. Its name is often translated as the place of little birds, and it is a good spot for gentle bird watching from a dugout canoe. Because it sits at about 1,900 metres, evenings are cool and mornings are often misty and beautiful.

After a demanding gorilla trek, Bunyonyi is the perfect place to rest. You can canoe, walk between villages, visit the islands or simply sit on a terrace with a book. It sits on the road between Kabale and Kisoro, so it slots neatly between Bwindi sectors or on the way to and from Kigali. Read the full guide to Lake Bunyonyi.

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth is Uganda's most popular savannah park. It is built around the Kazinga Channel, a natural waterway that links Lake Edward and Lake George and draws huge numbers of hippos, buffalo, elephants and water birds to its banks. A boat cruise on the channel is one of the highlights of any Ugandan safari. Game drives across the Kasenyi plains offer lions, elephants and Uganda kob, and the Kyambura Gorge, a lush forested canyon, is home to habituated chimpanzees.

The southern Ishasha sector is famous for tree-climbing lions that rest in fig trees during the heat of the day. It sits on the road between the park and Bwindi's Buhoma sector, so it makes a natural link between savannah and forest. Dry seasons give the best game viewing, but the park offers rewarding wildlife all year. Read the full guide to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Kibale National Park

Kibale holds one of the highest densities of primates in Africa, with thirteen species and a population of well over a thousand chimpanzees. Chimp tracking is the main draw, and habituated communities mean that sightings are frequent. The experience is different from gorilla trekking: chimpanzees are active, noisy and fast-moving, so a trek is often more about hurrying to keep up than sitting quietly. The nearby Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary offers easy walks and rich birdlife. Read the full guide to Kibale National Park.

Murchison Falls National Park

Murchison Falls is Uganda's largest national park and is named for the spot where the Nile squeezes through a narrow gap and plunges dramatically down a waterfall. A boat trip to the base of the falls is a highlight, and the northern bank offers giraffe, elephant, lion and buffalo. It is far from the gorilla forests, so it works best on trips of ten days or more, or as a separate safari. Read the full guide to Murchison Falls National Park.

Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo is a small, easy park on the main road between Kampala and the gorilla region. It has zebras, impala, eland and many birds, and it offers walking and horse-back safaris that are not permitted in most other parks. It is a pleasant way to break a long drive.

Activities that need their own permits

Gorillas are not the only activity that requires advance booking. Several other experiences are limited by permit or place, and they are worth arranging at the same time as your gorilla trek.

• Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale and Kyambura Gorge is permit-based, with limited places on each morning and afternoon session. Morning sessions tend to fill first.
• Golden monkey tracking in Mgahinga is also permit-based, and the groups are large and active, which makes for lively viewing.
• Volcano hikes at Mgahinga need a guide and, for the higher peaks, an early start and good fitness.
• Boat cruises on the Kazinga Channel and at Murchison Falls are booked through lodges or operators and are usually easy to arrange, though the busiest departure times fill in peak season.
• Batwa cultural experiences near Bwindi and Mgahinga are led by Batwa guides, and booking ahead ensures a guide is available.

Approximate drive times between destinations

Treat these as guides. Road works, rain and stops for photography add time, and we build slack into every itinerary so that a delay never threatens a permit-dependent activity.

Choosing your add-ons

Sample loops

• Short: Entebbe to Bwindi and back, three days built around one trek. See our 3-day Bwindi itinerary.
• Gorillas and rest: Kigali or Entebbe, Bwindi, then Lake Bunyonyi to unwind, four to five days.
• Gorillas and safari: Bwindi, Ishasha, Queen Elizabeth and the Kazinga Channel, six to seven days.
• The full circuit: Bwindi, Queen Elizabeth, Kibale and optionally Murchison Falls, nine days or more.

Getting between destinations

Distances look short on a map but take longer on the road. As a guide, Bwindi to Queen Elizabeth takes two to three hours through Ishasha, and Queen Elizabeth to Kibale takes roughly three hours through Kasese and Fort Portal. Kibale to Murchison Falls is a long day of six hours or more. Roads in the south-west are steep and winding, and rain slows them, so we never schedule a critical connection, like a gorilla briefing, on the same day as a long drive. For seasonal considerations, see our guide to the best time to go.

For the full picture of how a gorilla trek works, start with our gorilla trekking in Uganda guide, and check lodges in each area.

Frequently asked questions