7 Day Gorillas, Chimps trekking & game viewing Safari in Uganda

This 7-Day Western Uganda Gorilla trekking tours & Chimpanzee Tracking Uganda safari takes you to Kibale forest for chimpanzee tracking, Queen Elizabeth National Park for big game plus tree climbing lions, and the Bwindi Impenetrable forest for magical Gorilla trekking with a community walk to the Batwa people (pygmies).

Kick it off at Entebbe and make your way to Kibale Forest National Park, where you will go on the fabulous chimp trek. Next, travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park, for amazing game drives and a boat ride along the biodiverse Kazinga channel. Watch the amazing tree climbing lions after proceeding to the much-awaited Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and relax at Lake Bunyonyi. 

Safari Highlights

  • Uganda Gorilla trekking tours
  • Chimpanzee tracking
  • Spot the Big 5 & Big cats
  • Unlimited game drives
  • Boat cruise on Kazinga channel
  • Search for tree-climbing lions
  • Community / Cultural tour
  • Relax at Lake Bunyonyi 

Your detailed itinerary

Day 1: Arrival & Pick up from Entebbe International Airport – Feb 4

Arrive in Uganda following the flight from your respective country of origin.

You’ll land at Entebbe International Airport which is the main gateway to Uganda, where you will find a representative of your booked hotel who will welcome you.

The amazing weather and bright atmosphere on the shores of Lake Victoria give you a remarkable first impression of Uganda. Connect to your respective hotel for your overnight stay

Meal plan: Dinner & Breakfast

Lodge: Karibu Entebbe

Day 2: Transfer from Entebbe to Kibale Forest National Park – Feb 5

Start the safari with transfer to Kibale Forest National Park in the morning with the target to have lunch in Fort portal. A punctuation of stopovers in the far country side offer us chances of stretching in villages and around tea plantations along the drive as we check in late evening. Have a night in a beautiful area close to a crater lake bordering Kibale Forest.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Lodge: Papaya Lake Lodge

Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking – transfer to Kasese – Feb 6

Early morning trek for chimpanzees. Kibale is the best reserve in Africa to view chimps, a thick jungle with a towering canopy. In the afternoon, drive south wards into Kasese.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Lodge: Mweya safari Lodge

Day 4: Undertake morning game drive and later go on a boat trip on the Kazinga Channel – Feb 7

 After a cup of coffee, begin the day with a game drive in the Kasenyi plains that may lead you to see bush buck, Uganda Kob, topi, Defassa waterbuck, and Cape buffaloes, Lions, elephants and many more. You will later return at the lodge for a late breakfast, relax as you wait for lunch. In the afternoon, you will enjoy an afternoon boat ride along the Kazinga Channel for a wide view of yawning hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes, various bird species such as red chest, papyrus Gonolek, pink backed pelicans, malachite kingfishers, yellow crown, water thick-knee, yellow-billed stork, shoe bill stock among others. Return at the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at your booked lodge

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Lodge: Mweya safari Logde

Day 5: Queen Elizabeth National Park – Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – Feb 8

Morning game drives and transfer to Bwindi forest – Community walk.

Very early breakfast and early morning game drive through the park. Possible encounters include lions, buffaloes, kobs, Elephants, giraffes, hyenas, warthogs and others. Proceed towards Ishasha River, south of the park, a popular sight with tree climbing lions.

Reach Bwindi forest by evening.

Later take walk around the lodge after lunch to visit the Batwa/Pygmy community to see how they live.

The batwa community walks in Bwindi take you to batwa local communities where you learn more about their forest life. It’s not just a conventional nature walk but an in-depth interaction which increase an understanding of who the batwa are. You may meet some small groups of batwa during gorilla trekking but a walk out to their homes is an amazing experience.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Lodge: Haven Lodge Buhoma

Day 6: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – Lake Bunyonyi – Feb 9

Gorilla Trekking – Bwindi National Park – Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation: After breakfast you will transfer to the park headquarters for the briefing before you set off through the tracks to search for the humble giants. You will go with packed lunch because it’s hard to determine how long it will take you to meet these great apes. However, the time ranges between 2-9 hours depending on the movement of the giant primates. The activity is tedious, it entails walking along steep hilly tracks however encountering these great relatives of man erases all the poor memories/ hardships you went through in trying to find them.

Later take continue driving further south to Lake Bunyonyi. A very beautiful lake with 29 islands which might make you feel like you are out of Africa.

Lake bunyonyi is the second deepest lake in Africa after Lake Tanganyika.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Lodge: Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort

Day 7: Transfer from Lake Bunyonyi to Entebbe – Feb 10

After an early breakfast, transfer to Entebbe for your flight back home. En route, we will stop at the Equator for photographs and ‘polar-water experiment’, then local community crafts shops and fruit markets.

Meal plan: Breakfast & Lunch

Included

  • Park fees Gorilla permit Chimp permit All activities
  • All accommodation
  • A professional driver/guide All transportation
  • All Taxes/VAT Emergency evacuation Round trip airport transfer
  • Meals (as specified in the day-by-day section)
  • Bottled water throughout the trip 

Excluded

  • International flights (from/to home)
  • Drinks
  • Visa fees