Uganda Gorilla Trekking and Wildlife Safari

Day 1: Uganda awaits

Our driver will pick you up from Entebbe International Airport (15 minutes) and check you in at your hotel in Entebbe/Kampala. You'll meet with your trip specialist for a briefing just before dinner.

Otherwise, there are optional activities around Kampala for those who arrive early and want to stay active. You can take a quiet walk to the local markets or shop at the modern malls.

Day 2: Rhino tracking at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

With an early morning rise, we begin our Uganda Wildlife Safari with a scenic and panoramic drive northwest through the famous Luwero Triangle. Our first stopover is at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a white rhino tracking experience. After which we then head out to drive to Masindi Town for lunch. (Alternatively depending on time, we may have our lunch in Nakasongola before heading to the Sanctuary). Thereafter, we drive off to Murchison Falls National Park.

In case we have time on the travel day, we will visit the top of the falls before retreating to our accommodation for dinner and overnight but if not then we will visit the top of the falls in the subsequent days to come while on safari.

Day 3: Nile River boat ride and wildlife encounters at Murchison Falls

As the saying goes “The early bird catches the worm”, we therefore rise early to catch the first ferry that ferries us to the Northern bank of the Nile River, where we set off for an early morning game drive for wildlife viewing and search for Africa’s Big 5. On our game drive we traverse beautiful scenery across Borassus Palm Forest and grassland savannah down to Lake Albert where the Albert Nile heads north to the Sudan.

On the game drive you are likely to see; Elephants, Lions, Cape buffalo, Rothchild’s Giraffe, Jackson’s Hartebeest, Waterbuck, Oribi, Bushbuck, Bohor reedbuck, Spotted Hyena and if lucky, the Leopard. We will also make a stopover at the hippo pool for a complimentary cup of coffee and snack before heading back to the lodge for lunch as we await the next activity for the day.

After lunch, we set off for a boat cruise that sails to the bottom of the cascading falls, an experience not to be missed!! While on the cruise on the River Nile said to be the Longest River in the world, you will view the magnificent power of the waterfall gashing through a narrow 7-meter gorge and forming the breathtaking Murchison Falls. You may also see lots of Hippos, Crocodiles, Elephants, Waterbucks and Uganda Kobs among others as well as various bird species such as Goliath Heron, Egyptian Geese, Pelicans, Bee-eaters, Kingfishers, Hornbill, Cormorant the rare Shoebill stork if lucky. After the boat cruise, we then return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Park.

Upon finishing your breakfast at the lodge, check out meet your driver, and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The Park lies in the western part of Uganda and is the prime destination for mountain gorillas having three-quarters of the world’s gorilla population. The journey involves a lunch stopover as well as spectacular views of rolling hills, plantations, lush vegetation, and rugged landscapes, to mention but a few.

Upon reaching the park, you will check in to your earlier booked lodge for relaxation, dinner, and a sleepover.

Day 5: Mountain Gorilla Trekking and optional Batwa Community tour in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Start it with a delicious morning breakfast at about 6:00 am then meet your driver and go to the park headquarters for gorilla trekking. You will have to move with a water bottle and lunch box since trekking takes 2 to 8 hours. The activity starts with a briefing for 30 minutes. You are then grouped into 8 people which is the limit for trekking per gorilla family. At 8:00 am, the trek begins. You will follow the trails and the markings by the gorillas such as dung and urine. Seeing them depends on where they spent the previous night and how fast your group walks. Upon encountering the gorillas, you will be given one full hour to spend in their presence while taking pictures (Do not use a flashlight camera). Endeavour to follow the gorilla trekking rules and regulations.

During the trekking, you will encounter many other animals, plants, and bird species. On a good day, you may land on forest buffaloes one of the world’s elusive species.

Day 6: Savannah Experience at Queen Elizabeth Park

Get a chance to reach close to Africa safari’s big game players on an early morning or evening game drive and a boat safari on Kazinga Channel, famous for hosting the largest population of hippos.

While on a game drive on Kasenyi tracks, you will encounter animals like enormous herds of elephants and buffalo. You’ll also spot many interesting antelope species such as Uganda kob, topi, and bushbuck. The giant forest hog is unusually easy to spot. Search around the Kasenyi tracks for the elusive leopard.

On the Kazinga Channel boat safari trip that will set off at 14:00, you’re able to catch sight of elephants, buffalo, waterbuck, Uganda kob, and large hippo pods daily. Keep an eye open for the enormous water monitor lizard, which is common in the riverine scrub, as well as crocodiles. You’ll also see the giant forest hog, leopard, and lion. The odds of seeing predators and other nocturnal creatures coming to drink are highest in the late afternoon.

After the boat launch, your Classic Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari driver will hit the highway with the Rwenzori Mountains backdrop and drive north to Kibale National Park, where you'll spend the next two nights, arriving just in time for dinner.

Day 7: Chimpanzee Trekking at Kibale

Wake up early and be at the visitor centre by 7:30 am to embark on another primate viewing adventure in Kibale Forest.

Kibale is commonly known for the diversity and density of primates in Africa. It stands out as the best place to watch chimpanzees up close in their natural setting, with over 1500 chimpanzees under the park’s rainforest canopy and a dozen other primate species.

On your morning trek to find the chimps, it’s prevalent for other primates to cross your paths, like the rare L’Hoest’s monkey and red colobus monkey. Other primates you may encounter include the black & white colobus, red-tailed monkey, blue monkey, olive baboon, and grey-cheeked mangabey.

However, your primary goal will be to find a troop of human-habituated chimpanzees. Guided by an expert tracker, you’ll head into the jungle in small groups, looking out for tale-tale signs of the chimp’s direction and listening for loud calls.

The experience usually lasts 2 to 6 hours, depending on the location of the habituated chimpanzee troop. Visitors are allowed from 1 hour to almost the whole day with the chimpanzees, and the quality and intimacy of each sighting can vary highly.

Last Day: End of our Uganda Wildlife Safari

After breakfast, lazily get your bags early in the morning. After breakfast, you’ll drive through the gorgeous Fort Portal country with the fading Rwenzori mountains escorting you out of western Uganda to Entebbe through Kampala.

Accommodation for this day is not included, though. But we can book you a room at your discretion.