Safari Overview
This 9 Days Uganda gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking safari will see you visit Bwindi Impenetrable Park the home of the gorillas where you will get to meet these elusive mountain giants and also Kibale forest national park- the primate capital of the world where a magical encounter with man’s closest wild cousins the Chimpanzees awaits you. While on this safari you will also visit Queen Elizabeth National Park and this will expose you to the wild savanna mammals of Uganda. This safari has been intricately crafted for those who wouldn’t want to spend a lot of time on the road given that it has 2 short domestic flights incorporated in it and this enables you to save up alot of hours on the drive time by taking these flights between these destinations. This safari is also a great addition to a greater African safari adventure especially to bigger and more famous safari destinations in Eastern and Southern Africa such as Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Madagascar, Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Safari highlights
Day 1: Arrive at Entebbe airport then transfer to a hotel in Entebbe
Day 2: Transfer back to Entebbe airport and fly to Kisoro airstrip then transfer to the lodge in Bwindi
Day 3: Meet the gorillas of Bwindi as you engage in a gorilla habituation experience
Day 4: Enjoy a second encounter with the gorillas as you do a normal gorilla trekking expedition in Bwindi
Day 5: Drive to Queen Elizabeth Park Ishasha sector and enjoy an afternoon game drive here.
Day 6: Do a morning game drive in Ishasha and transfer to Kasenyi.
Day 7: Enjoy a morning game drive in Kasenyi sector and an afternoon boat cruise on the Kazinga channel then transfer to Kibale National Park late in the evening
Day 8: Meet the chimpanzees of Kibale and visit Bigodi community
Day 9: Transfer to Kasese airstrip and fly back to Entebbe airport for your onward flight.
Detailed Safari itinerary.
Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe airport, meet and greet then transfer to a hotel in Entebbe
You will be met at Entebbe international airport by one of our expert safari guides who will welcome into the Pearl of Africa. From the airport you will be transferred to a hotel within Entebbe airport to unwind from your flight for the rest of the day.
Accommodation: Karibu Guest House
Meal Plan: Bed and breakfast
Day 2: Transfer to Entebbe airport and fly to Kisoro airstrip
You will wake up early for breakfast, after you which you transfer to Entebbe airport and catch a domestic flight to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. During this flight, you will have a bird’s eye view of the Uganda’s ever changing topography that starts with the lowlands or basins that are filled with lush green vegetation cover interjected with human settlement patterns and Lake Victoria, you will see the rising hills both as your get further away from Entebbe and when you’re about land, you will be welcomed by a thick forest blanket that engulfs the ranges of Bwindi as this park sits at the edges of the Western arm of the great East African rift valley.
Accommodation: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge/Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Enjoy a gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi
You will wake up very early in the morning and have breakfast after which you will depart your lodge with a packed lunch and drive to the starting point of your gorilla habituation expedition. While here, you will be taken through a short briefing highlighting the dos and don’ts that are to be followed while trekking. You will then embark on your gorilla adventure with a park ranger in the lead as you search for a gorilla family that is undergoing the habituation process. Upon finding this family, you’re guaranteed 4 hours to stealthily observe these magical beings going about their daily routine as they get accustomed to human presence among them. Please take as many photos as humanly possible so that you can immortalize this moment forever. At the end of the 4 hours you will return to the starting point where your guide will be waiting for you to transfer you back to the lodge for relaxation for the rest of the evening as you wait for dinner to be served.
Accommodation: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge /Ichumbi Gorilla lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Enjoy a normal gorilla trekking experience
Today is the day you will get to meet the incredible gorillas while on this Uganda safari tour! You will have a satisfying breakfast very early in the morning at 6:30 am then you will be transferred to the park offices where you will receive a short briefing about the dos and don’ts that should be observed during this gorilla trekking adventure. After this briefing, you will set off into the jungle on your search for the gorillas in the lead of a very skilled armed ranger guide who will also help you make sense of the numerous attractions that you will find along the search for the gorillas and these include several of the 350 bird species that have made this park an incredible birding destination to many birders on their Uganda birding adventure. Several other primates such as Black and White colobus monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys might also come your way and some of the 27 Lizard species like the three horned chameleons can be spotted. On seeing the gorillas, you have a full hour with these magical beings to watch them as they go about their daily lives and if you’re lucky you might get to see the young gorillas break the 7-meter rule as they get closure to you to have you incorporated in their games. After the full hour contact with these gorillas transfer back to the park center where you get awarded a Gorilla tracking certificate for your tracking efforts after which you get to transfer back to your lodge
Accommodation: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge /Ichumbi Gorilla lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Transfer to Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park for an afternoon game drive.
This day is a bit relaxed and you will wake up at 7:30am for breakfast then start off your drive north wards to Ishsasha sector of Queen Elizabeth Park, on arrival to this sector, you will indulge in a fascinating game drive through this sector which is aimed at giving you an opportunity to come face to face with the tree climbing lions that have made this part of Queen Elizabeth Park a place that should never be missed on any Uganda safari adventure to this park. After about 2-3 hours of exploring this sector, you will check in to your lodge here and have a lunch break. You can decide to spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing at the lodge as you take in the weeping views of the Ishasha wilderness or you can venture out again and enjoy another round of game drive here before returning to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Accommodation: Ishasha Jungle Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 6: Have a morning game drive in Ishasha and drive to Kasenyi sector
This day is dedicated to have you try your luck to see if you can still see more wild game in Ishasha as you undertake a morning game drive in this sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. After thi game drive, you will depart Ishasha and head for Kasenyi which lies about 100km or 1.5-2 hours drive away from Ishasha. You will check into your lodge and have lunch and spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing at the lodge
Accommodation: Marafiki Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 7: Do morning game drive in the Kasenyi sector, afternoon Kazinga Channel boat cruise
After having breakfast at 6:00am, you will start off the day with a spectacular game drive traversing the Kasenyi sector of this park which is largely dominated by savanna grasslands hence being a favorite habitat to a wide variety of savanna wild mammals such as the African Bush elephants, the Cape buffaloes, the Topis and many other Antelope species If its you’re lucky day, you might as well come to encounter some of the apex predators of the savanna plains which the King of the African savanna the Mighty Lions, the Spotted Hyenas and Leopards all of which call this park their home. After about 2-3 hours of exploring the Kasenyi sector, you will end the game drive and transfer to one of the finest bush restaurants here to have your picnic lunch break while surrounded by the endless plains of Queen Elizbeth Park. From here, you transfer to the Mweya jetty where you will engage in a stunning boat ride along the famous Kazinga channel. During this cruise, you have an opportunity to come up close and personal with several of the water dwellers of this Channel which include the large schools of Hippos and this channel boosts of being to the highest concentration of Hippos in the world numbering to a staggering 5000 stronghold, If it’s a sunny day, numerous Nile crocodiles are usually sighted basking along the sandy banks of this channel. If you have a passion for birds then this boat ride provides to you an opportunity to site several water bird species that constitute a good percentage of the 600 birds that call this park their home. At the end of this cruise, you will enjoy a game drive along the channel track with in the Mweya peninsular as you get out fo the park and proceed with your 1.5-2 hours drive to Kibale forest Park.
Accommodation: Chimpundu forest Lodge, Isunga lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 8: Meet the Chimpanzees and visit Bigodi community
The morning of this day kicks off with an amazing breakfast that is aimed at energizing for the chimpanzee trek that’s ahead of you. You will report to the park center in Kanyanchu where you get to go through a short briefing about the entire chimpanzee trekking experience From here in a company of park ranger, embark on jungle walk as you search for these great humans of the wild the chimpanzees and the highlight of the day will be when you get to meet these exciting creatures you will be wowed by how much in common we do have with these great apes as they laugh, hug and kiss just like humans do and also look after the young ones. Besides the chimpanzees, you should also not miss out on the sightings of several other primates that call this forest their home and these include the black and white colobus monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, Grey monkeys. After the chimpanzee encounter which lasts an hour of pure enjoyment return to the park center where your trekking efforts are rewarded with a trekking certificate. After this really exciting chimpanzee encounter you’ve just had, you will return to your lodge for lunch then transfer to Bigodi community and engage in a rather fascinating cultural exchange experience as interact with the locals here who will show you how they go about their daily lives.
Accommodation: Chimpundu Forest Lodge/ Isunga lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 9: Transfer to Kasese airstrip and fly back to Entebbe
This is the final day of your safari with us and you will wake up early for breakfast, then transfer to Kasese airstrip and fly to Entebbe airport. Upon landing at Entebbe, you will be received by our guide who will take you to a restaurant in Entebbe where you can have lunch at your own cost. Upon reaching the time for checking in for your departure flight, the guide will then drive you back to the airport for your onward flight and this ends your safari with us.
Tour Inclusions
Safari Exclusions
