Our 5 day gorillas and chimpanzees of Uganda classic safari offers a chance to see both Chimpanzees in Kibale forest and mountain gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable national parks.
Bwindi National Park is a UNESCO designated world Heritage that hosts 51% of the total population of the mountain Gorillas. Kibale forest national park alone is famous for harboring 14 primate species.
Highlights
- Explore the pearl on scenic road trips
- Unforgettable Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
- Trek Chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park.
- Community encounters in Bwindi and Kibale rain forest
- The ultimate jungle treks.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Kibale National Park
We will pick you up from your hotel in Kampala city or Entebbe and transfer to Kibale national park. Breakfast is served at 6:30am so that we set off at 7:30 am for 335 km about 6 hours drive via Fort Portal. You will arrive at your lodge in time for a hot lunch. Dinner and overnight at the edge of the forest.
Accommodations: Isunga Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Full Board
DAY 2: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi swamp walk
After an early breakfast, you will drive to Kanyanchu to join others for briefing on chimp tracking etiquette. You’ll be accompanied by Uganda wildlife authority rangers to locate the chimps following their calls. The chimps can be found on ground level or in tree canopies. Once the chimps have been located, you will spend 1 hour with them. These apes are fascinating and have have been seen using tools to get food and survive in the wild. Your ranger guide will explain more on their behaviors. Later return to the lodge for a hot lunch.
In the late afternoon, go for a guided nature walk in Bigodi community wetland sanctuary. The swamp walk can last for 1-3 hours, giving you ample time to spot some primates such as red-tailed/White nosed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, olive baboons, red colobus monkeys, L’hoest monkeys, and blue monkeys. In addition to primates, there are over 200 bird species including sunbirds, turacos, hornbills, weaves, green bulls, warblers, tinkerbirds, barbets, kingfishers, cuckoos, doves, among others.
When you come out of the swamp, you can also enjoy a village walk. Visit a traditional healer for his stunning metaphysics, learn about the banana beer brewing activity or handicraft making at a women run workshop. Later drive back to lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodations: Isunga Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Full Board
DAY 3: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
After breakfast, you will depart from Kibale national park and drive towards south western Uganda. The road trip via Ishaka-Bushenyi route is scenic as it winds through the remote villages of Kigezi highlands. Arrive at one of the 4 Bwindi sectors depending on where your gorilla permits was booked. Check in at the lodge for diner and overnight.
Accommodation: Four Gorillas Lodge/Gorilla Mist Camp
Meal plan: Full board
DAY 4: Bwindi Gorilla Trekking
After your early breakfast, you will have a short drive to the UWA briefing Centre. Ensure to carry enough drinking water and packed lunch since your trek may last for over 5 hours. The park rangers will take you through the gorilla trekking rules such as maintaining a distance of 7-10 meters when viewing the apes, wearing a mask, no eating or smoking for 1 hour as you are with the gorillas.
The trek may take 2-5 hours depending on the location of the gorillas. After gorillas have been found by trackers, you will have 1 hour viewing them as they go on with their daily lives, grooming, mating, feeding, playing, resting among others.
After the magical gorilla encounter, your ranger will recommend where to have a lunch break in the middle of forest. Then you will trek back to the vehicle and return to lodge for dinner and overnight. Time allowing, you can do a village walk/community tour around the park.
Accommodation: Four Gorillas Lodge/Gorilla Mist Camp
Meal Plan: Full board
Day 5: Transfer from Bwindi to Entebbe
After breakfast, transfer back to Entebbe through the rolling hills of Kigezi and the endless plains of Ankole region. Several scenic stops along the way will be allowed including lunch en route at Igongo restaurant for the local dishes or The Rolex Booth in Mbarara town for the famous Ugandan Rolex. Please note that our 5 day gorillas and chimpanzees of Uganda tour can end in Kigali with a transfer of about 4 hours or with a domestic flight from Bwindi to Entebbe that takes about 1 and a half hours.
Accommodation: None
Meal: lunch
Included in this itinerary:
- All accommodations listed in the itinerary.
- Drinking water in the vehicle
- All activities indicated in the itinerary
- 1 Gorilla permit per person
- 1 Chimpanzee tracking permit per person
- Support of a private 4×4 vehicle with experienced English-speaking driver-guide,
- All transfers
- Government taxes
Excluded:
- Uganda Entry Visa fee
- International air flights
- Any optional activity not indicated in above program
- Laundry Services
- Gratuities and Tips
If you have extra days, please check out our 9 days untamed Uganda tour and 6 days gorillas and wildlife safari.
