6-Day Queen Elizabeth & Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Safari

Uganda

Rates From $5,170

About This Tour

Uganda’s natural beauty comes alive in this journey through its most famous national parks. Travelers experience a perfect mix of dense rainforests and open savannah plains. The trip focuses on the two biggest highlights of East Africa: mountain gorillas and tree-climbing lions.

The journey starts in the capital before heading west to the volcanic craters of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Guests then move deep into the ancient Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Every day offers a new landscape, from boat safaris on the Kazinga Channel to trekking through misty jungles.

This itinerary is built for those who want comfort and adventure at the same time. The lodges are chosen for their stunning views and high-quality service. It is a seamless way to see the best of Uganda’s wildlife in just six days.

Our Community Impact

Our team partners with local community groups near Bwindi and Queen Elizabeth. A portion of every booking goes toward supporting local schools and water projects. We also hire local guides who share their deep knowledge of the land and its history. This ensures that tourism benefits the people who live alongside these wild places.

Our Sustainability Promise

We are committed to low-impact travel to protect fragile ecosystems. Our partner lodges use solar power and limit single-use plastics to keep the environment clean. During treks, we follow strict distance rules to keep gorillas safe from human diseases. We believe in leaving the parks exactly as we found them for future generations.

Why This Safari Works

The route is designed to minimize long travel times and maximize wildlife viewing. By starting in Entebbe and moving through the parks, travelers get a logical flow of experiences. The transition from savannah to forest keeps the scenery fresh and exciting every day. We balance active trekking days with relaxing boat cruises and game drives. It is a highly efficient way to check off “bucket list” animals in a short timeframe.

Your Trip at a Glance

A snapshot of your entire experience, from key highlights to where you'll stay and what to expect each day.

  • 4x4 Land Cruiser
  • Bird Watching
  • Couple
  • Family
  • Flight Transfer (Fly-in)
  • Friends
  • Full Board
  • Game Drives
  • Photography Safaris
  • Private Safari
  • Private Vehicle
  • Rare Wildlife Sightings

Trip Summary

  • Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe International Airport – Transfer to Kampala
  • Day 2: Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park – Evening Crater Drive
  • Day 3: Morning Game Drive – Afternoon Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise
  • Day 4: Search for Tree-Climbing Lions in Ishasha – Transfer to Bwindi
  • Day 5: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
  • Day 6: Return Drive to Entebbe – Departure

Destinations

  • Kampala City
  • Queen Elizabeth National Park
  • Ishasha Sector
  • Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Where You Stay

  • Kampala Serena Hotel – 1 night
  • Elephant Plains Lodge – 2 nights
  • Mahogany Springs Lodge – 2 nights

Safari Highlights

  • Standing just meters away from a family of mountain gorillas
  • Seeing the famous tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector
  • Taking a boat cruise among hundreds of hippos on the Kazinga Channel
  • Enjoying panoramic views of the "Mountains of the Moon"
  • Tracking elephants and buffaloes across the golden savannah
  • Staying in luxury lodges with private views of the wilderness
  • Crossing the Equator for a unique photo opportunity
  • Listening to the sounds of the African jungle at night

Featured Destinations

Where You Stay

Route Map

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Itinerary Highlights

  • Airport meet and greet

  • Private transfer to the hotel

Itinerary information

Your journey begins with a warm welcome at Entebbe International Airport. A private transfer takes you to the capital city, Kampala, to settle in. Use this time to rest and prepare for the upcoming bush adventure. The city offers a vibrant introduction to Ugandan hospitality.

  • Meals: Bed & Breakfast
  • Accommodation: Kampala Serena Hotel
6-Day Queen Elizabeth & Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Safari

Itinerary Highlights

  • Scenic drive through the countryside

  • Kazinga Channel boat cruise

Itinerary information

After breakfast, you head west through lush tea estates and local markets. Upon reaching Queen Elizabeth National Park, you board a boat on the Kazinga Channel. This waterway is famous for its high concentration of hippos and colorful birdlife. Elephants often come to the banks to drink in the late afternoon.

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Accommodation: Elephant Plains Lodge

Itinerary Highlights

  • Early morning game drive on Kasenyi Plains

  • Afternoon crater drive

Itinerary information

The day starts at dawn to catch predators while they are still active. You explore the Kasenyi plains in search of lions, leopards, and Uganda kobs. In the afternoon, the landscape changes as you drive through the scenic explosion craters. These ancient volcanic features offer some of the best views in the park.

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Accommodation: Elephant Plains Lodge

Itinerary Highlights

  • Game drive in Ishasha

  • Transfer to the gorilla highlands

Itinerary information

The route takes you through the southern Ishasha sector. This area is world-renowned for its lions that spend their days lounging in large fig trees. After the game drive, you continue the journey upward into the misty mountains of Bwindi. The air becomes cooler as you enter the ancient rainforest.

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Accommodation: Mahogany Springs Lodge

Itinerary Highlights

  • Mountain gorilla trekking

  • Evening forest relaxation

Itinerary information

This is the highlight of the safari. After a briefing from park rangers, you enter the dense forest to track a gorilla family. Spending an hour with these gentle giants is a profound life experience. The trek can be challenging but is deeply rewarding. The rest of the day is spent sharing stories back at the lodge.

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Accommodation: Mahogany Springs Lodge

Itinerary Highlights

  • Equator crossing stop

  • Departure transfer

Itinerary information

The final day involves a scenic drive back toward the center of the country. You will stop at the Equator for lunch and some souvenir shopping. The journey ends at Entebbe International Airport for your evening flight. You leave with incredible memories of Uganda’s wildlife.

Meals: Breakfast

JohnBow Safari Expert Insight

❝ To get the most out of your gorilla trek, I recommend hiring a local porter. They don't just carry your bag; they provide steady support on slippery slopes, making the experience much more enjoyable while supporting the local economy. ❞

~JohnBow Safari Expert Team

Rates

Competitive rates for unforgettable experiences

Season2 Guests4 Guests6 Guests
Shoulder Season ( Jan – March, 1 Nov – 22 Dec, 2026)6,2655,4305,170

Important Rate Notes

  • Gorilla permits are highly competitive and should be booked at least 6 months in advance.
  • A medium level of fitness is required for trekking in Bwindi’s steep terrain.
  • Yellow Fever vaccination is a mandatory entry requirement for Uganda.
  • Pack waterproof clothing and sturdy hiking boots for the forest.

What's Included

  • 6 Days 5 nights accommodation
  • Transport in a 4x4 Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof
  • Flight tickets
  • Game drives
  • Full-board meal plan
  • All park entrance fees and boat cruises
  • Afternoon Boatcruise on kazinga channel
  • Gorilla permits for Gorilla Trekking and other selected activities

Optional Addons

  • Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest (extend by 2 days)
  • Private bush breakfast in Queen Elizabeth National Park
  • Batwa Cultural Experience in Bwindi
  • Domestic flight upgrades from Bwindi to Entebbe

What's Not Included

  • International flights to Kenya
  • Entry Visas
  • Gratuities for guides and porters
  • Personal travel insurance
  • Alcoholic beverages at the lodges

Ready to start planning your Safari? Tell us your travel dates, who you are traveling with, and what matters most to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

While they are wild animals, the success rate for finding them is over 99% because trackers go out ahead of the guests to locate the families.
Yes, it takes about 8 to 9 hours. We can arrange a local flight for an extra cost if you prefer to save time.
Lions are wild and move freely, but our guides are experts at spotting them in their favorite fig trees in the Ishasha sector.

See What Our Travellers Have To Say

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Dorcas Munga profile picture
Dorcas Munga
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Great planning and communication. My trips have been smooth. All expectations met 💯
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Mike Bourassa profile picture
Mike Bourassa
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Our driver, Patrick, made the experience even more special with his outgoing personality and his knowledge of each park. He always made certain that he positioned his vehicle just right so we could get a perfect photo. He shared a lot about African culture an answered our questions. His keen eye spotted a cheetah from a long distance and we experienced the animal stalk and catch his prey (only to have a hyena steal it from him at the end). The accommodations were excellent at Massai Mara but were a bit too primitive at Amboseli. The large openings between the sleeping area and the bathroom brought way too many bugs into the tent. Wonderful memories of the entire experience!! We hope to come back next year and Patrick will be our choice of guide.
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Kate Mandere
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Wonderful team, very warm, helpful and well coordinated!
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Emmy Chepkoech
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I recently booked my 1st trip with Johnbow Tours and Travel and it was an outstanding experience from the start to finish. The team was professional, well-organised, helpful and incredibly friendly. Transfer to my hotel room and back was handled smoothly allowing us to relax and enjoy our journey. The fact that they allow lipa mdogo mdogo was not overwhelming paying for the package...I can't wait to book again with Johnbow 😊
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Gloria Kikete
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Jonbow has offers seamless travel service with a personal touch.
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Lolo Chgn
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Safaris de 5 jours depart Nairobi et arrivée à Diani beach Visite des parcs d’amboseli, tsavo ouest et est , t.hills Découverte d une faune magnifique Notre chauffeur Chombo a tout fait pour rechercher les animaux et il était à notre écoute ! Dépaysement total garanti Les hôtels étaient tout confort avec des conditions d’alimentation en eau et électricité précaire ! Nous remercions vraiment Morris et Chombo pour ce magnifique Safari
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Irene Nduku
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Excellent services, the team was friendly, efficient and went above and beyond to meet my need.Their service was prompt and effective. I highly recommend
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Cheyenne van den B
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We had a two day tour with Johnbow Tours & Travel to Tsavo West. The park itself is not that good to be honest, but we stayed at Salt Lick lodge and that was amazing. The animals are coming so close to the lodge, it is really beautiful to see. The driver Pius was also really nice and he had a lot of knowledge about the animals. I have been in contact with Morris and that was also really pleasant because of the arrangement we had.
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virginia mumo
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As a team of 12pax..we had an exceptional good experience with the Johnbow team. Well informed and humble team who contributed a lot to an enjoyable trip and creating memories.
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Stay06810033473
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Customer Servive Customer service was great!Communication was timely and effective especially as there were some flight changes.Either way the bookings were perfect, customer service was exceptional and we even got a treat for our anniversary, at no extra costElijah and Sam were very helpful.
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Annette M
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Exceptional Experience with Johnbow Tours and Travel! I had an unforgettable trip to Bali and Thailand, the guides were amazing, the places beautiful and the itinerary on point. Bali has very many temples and beautiful rice terraces, the swings and sunset views unforgettable. thank you Johnbow for the tour.
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KSP
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Memorable Safari with a Great Team and Guide We had a really good experience with Johnbow Tours during our Kenya safari. Morris, our main point of contact, was communicative and professional throughout. He stayed in touch via WhatsApp both before and during the trip, answering all our questions quickly and clearly, which gave us a lot of confidence going in.The pricing felt fair for what we received, and the Land Cruiser was comfortable, especially considering the long drives. They also provided snacks at the start of the trip upon request, which was thoughtful.Our guide, Paul, was very knowledgeable. He had a sharp eye for spotting animals and shared interesting facts about everything we saw. We had plenty of game drives and were lucky to spot a wide variety of wildlife.The only small issue was around water. We had been told water would be included throughout, but at a couple of the lodges, we were charged for drinking water, tea, or coffee during meals. It wasn’t a big deal, but having clarity on that from the start would’ve been helpful.Overall, it was a smooth and enjoyable safari. The team was dependable, the schedule was well planned, and we felt taken care of from start to finish. I’d absolutely recommend Johnbow to anyone planning a private safari in Kenya.
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Alain V
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A great experience, a must for everyone who reads this Jonbow, our driver who has the same name as the agency, took very good care of us. He was on time for the appointment. Once on the road he was super attentive. In the park he was always the first to spot the game. He gave us very good explanations about all the animals we saw. No effort was too much to make us spot all the game. Super friendly and helpful guy. He operates from Mombasa/Diani Beach. He made sure that our safari will remain unforgettable.
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winnie a
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Dubai tour 2024 was a birthday gift to my son who turned lucky number seven. I writing to thank you for coordinating our trip to UAE, dubai. Everything was perfect; the flight, the hotel was clean and all staff were friendly and professional. Special thanks to Mary Gathua as she was the one who coordinated everything for us.The tour guides were excellent! They made things as easy for us as possible. I really appreciate these and that indicate the quality services that they provide.We had dubai town tour and our guide, Mr. Albert did exceptionally well. We learnt about the origin of UAE and the important features in dubai. We had dhow cruise with dinner, and the dessert safari with dinner.Desert safari was the best of the trip (the driver , Mr . Zaheer was very professional, and the overall experience was thrilling and amazing). The desert safari remains in my priority to do list when I visit dubai next.I would certainly recommend Johnbow Tours and travel to anyone wanting to visit Dubai. Thank you again and look forward to plan our next vacation with you.
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maryanne o
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Awesome Best tour company ..travelled to Dubai in Emirates .Booked the best hotel in Dubai..Johnbow staff are friendly and accommodatve I rate them10/10 they're affordable too .
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M A
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Superb service Happy New Year! Eunice managed our travel plans superbly, and I’m grateful. Our stay at Pride Inn was delightful; the staff’s service, food, attention, and entertainment made our holiday special and memorable. Thanks again for your excellent services.
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gladys n
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Efficient Eunice of John Bow ,was pretty helpful from getting us a hotel to SGR tickets, and transfers to the hotel.She also called to ensure we arrived safely.I loved the seamless process and especially because we chat on whatsapp mostly. Johnbow tours keep their word! I would choose them again.
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Christine N
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Awesome experience This travel company was very efficient. I engaged them on whatsapp in the morning and by afternoon they had finalised everything including the sgr tickets. Their staff Eunice was readily available even at night because we did night travel. And early morning at 4 am, she called to find out if the driver had picked us. I would recommend them anytime
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Sabina M
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It was a time of relaxation and fun. The trip was well planned from Nairobi to Maasai Mara. We had so much fun and took so many photos. We saw lions, cheetahs, elephants and other animals. If we could do it again, we would still chose Johnbow tours and travel.
info@johnbowtoursandtravel.com
Kenya Cinema Plaza, 3rd Floor Room 3-8. Moi Avenue, Nairobi