Getting to gorilla trekking country means landing in one of two international airports — Entebbe for Uganda, Kigali for Rwanda — and then a road or air transfer to the actual trekking parks, which sit several hours from either capital.
Flying Into Uganda
Entebbe International Airport, on the shore of Lake Victoria roughly 40 minutes from Kampala, is served by direct or one-stop flights from Europe, the Middle East and other African hubs. From Entebbe, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is roughly 8 to 9 hours by road, or around 90 minutes by scheduled light aircraft to Kihihi or Kisoro airstrip — most itineraries shorter than a week recommend flying to preserve trekking and rest time.
Flying Into Rwanda
Kigali International Airport is well connected via RwandAir and major international carriers. Volcanoes National Park sits under two hours from Kigali on a paved, well-maintained road, making Rwanda the most straightforward gorilla-trekking transfer in the region — no internal flight is generally needed.
Crossing Between Uganda and Rwanda
Combined Uganda-Rwanda itineraries typically cross at the Cyanika or Katuna/Gatuna border posts near Kisoro, a manageable road journey of a few hours between the two countries’ trekking regions, rather than requiring a flight.
Getting to DR Congo
Virunga National Park is reached via Goma, on the DR Congo side of the Rwanda border near Gisenyi — typically a short road crossing from Rwanda, though travel plans should always be checked against the current security situation in eastern DR Congo before booking.
Internal Transfers Within a Longer Itinerary
On itineraries covering multiple Uganda parks — Bwindi, Queen Elizabeth, Kibale, Murchison Falls, Kidepo — most transfers are done by road, with the option of a scheduled flight for the longest legs, particularly to and from remote Kidepo Valley in the far northeast.
Plan Your Transfers With Us
Get in touch with your itinerary and we’ll arrange every transfer, whether by road or scheduled light aircraft.