Gorillas of Bwindi: 4-Day Accessible Safari

4 days · Air and road · Entebbe, Kihihi and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Bwindi, a UNESCO World Heritage forest, is home to almost half the world’s mountain gorillas. This is for travellers who want a slow day in the forest communities, then one unforgettable hour with a gorilla family.

Who it works for

• Physical (wheelchair users and slow walkers): With support (steep, muddy forest trails; porter-carried sedan chairs on request)
• Visual (blind and low vision): Yes (rangers and guides describe the forest and gorillas, and the sounds are close)
• Hearing (Deaf and hard of hearing): Yes (the trek is visual and briefings are written)
• Hidden (autism, fatigue, chronic illness): With support (an early start and a trek of one to five hours with no fixed length)

Your days

Day 1: To Bwindi

Meet-and-assist at Entebbe. Fly Entebbe to Kihihi (about 1.5 hours), then about 1.5–2 hours by road to Buhoma. Rest and dinner.

Day 2: Forest day

A slow morning to rest after the journey. In the evening, a visit with the Batwa community at your own pace, or stay at the lodge.

Day 3: Gorilla trek

Early briefing at the park office. Trek with rangers, porters and your guide for one to five hours, then one hour with the family. A quiet afternoon at the lodge.

Day 4: Return

About 1.5–2 hours by road to Kihihi and fly to Entebbe for your onward flight.

Where you stay

• To Bwindi · Buhoma Haven Lodge or Mahogany Springs Lodge · full board

As listed or similar, subject to availability and to a measured accessible room.

Best time to go

Weather: June to September and December to February, when trails are drier. Value: March to May and October to November, with fewer visitors and muddier trails; the Uganda gorilla permit stays price on request all year.

Good to know

• Vehicles: partner 4×4 with pop-up roof; ramp or lift vehicle to confirm with the partner before sale.
• Rooms: Buhoma Haven Lodge · access profile to complete. Mahogany Springs Lodge · access profile to complete. Both sit on slopes, so Accessible Travel Kenya checks paths and steps.
• Equipment and support: sedan chair and extra porters booked with the permit; shower chair and commode arranged through the partner or carried from Nairobi; 24-hour WhatsApp support.
• Communication and senses: written activity brief and ranger rules in advance; sign language interpreter on request; try-before-you-fly pack with the trek explained step by step.
• Pace: all three nights at one lodge, with a forest rest day before the trek. Flights to and from Kihihi are standard; the full-day road option via Mbarara breaks the four-hour rule.
• Limits and alternatives: trekking is from age 15. If the trek is too much, stay at the lodge and join the Batwa and community visits; your companion can trek.
• New for 2027: The flight to Kihihi is now the default, and the sedan chair is quoted at booking, not on the day.
• Route optimised for 2027: Flights replace the 9-hour drives; rest day before the trek so gorillas come last; two community visits merged. Road time: 18 h road (or 2 flights) → 4 h road + 2 flights.

On every Accessible Travel Kenya journey

• Meet-and-assist at JKIA, Wilson and Moi airports, with an adapted vehicle at the kerb
• Adapted 4×4 Land Cruisers with ramp, tie-downs and pop-up roof; accessible vans in Nairobi and Mombasa
• Wheelchairs, shower chairs, commodes and more, delivered to your first hotel
• An easy pace: at most 4 hours’ driving a day, two nights per stop, a rest afternoon every three days
• A try-before-you-fly pack: photos of every step of your journey, room videos and a call with your guide
• Carer and companion rates, and health support: partner hospitals, oxygen or dialysis on request
• Sign language interpreters on request, 24-hour WhatsApp support and written briefs on every journey

Ready to plan? Every journey can be shortened, extended or combined. Contact Accessible Travel Kenya to customise this journey or message Accessible Travel Kenya on WhatsApp.

Senior-friendly and wheelchair accessible: Accessible Travel Kenya caters to everyone. As specialists in inclusive tourism, the company checks every vehicle, room and activity against your needs before the company confirms.