Explore this 7 Days Uganda gorilla safari for an ultimate primate experience in the Pearl of Africa. The safari starts with chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National park and a game viewing in Queen Elizabeth National park. Enjoy another chimpanzee trekking experience in Kyambura Gorge and then take on the breathtaking mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park.
Trip Summary
Day 1: Transfer to Kibale National Park
Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest - Bigodi swamp Tour
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 4: Kyambura Chimpanzee tracking
Day 5: Game drive in the Ishasha Sector and then transfer to Bwindi
Day 6: Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi
Day 7: Return to Kampala
Detailed Itinerary of the 7 Days Uganda Gorilla Safari
Day 1: Transfer to Kibale National Park
Our safari guide will meet you and brief you about the safari. Then drive to Fort Portal passing via Mityana-Mubende road. Have a stop over in Mubende and visit the Nakayima tree. Have lunch en route and continue to Kibale forest national park arriving in the afternoon. Check in and relax at the lodge or explore the nearby Crater Lake. Overnight and dinner at Chimpanzee Guesthouse (budget)/ Turacco Tree Tops / Isunga lodge (deluxe)/ Kyaninga lodge / Primate lodge (luxury). Meal Plan; lunch and dinner
Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest - Bigodi swamp Tour
Wake up and have an early morning breakfast and then go for chimpanzee tracking. You will go to Kanyanchu tourist centre and get briefed then join the destination guide who will take you through the forest and show you some tree species, as well as tell you the different features of the forest. After having lunch, take an afternoon nature walk through the Bigodi swamp to see swamp birds, primates as well as some of the community Based projects financed by tourism. Overnight and dinner at Chimpanzee Guesthouse (budget)/ Turacco Tree Tops / Isunga lodge (deluxe)/ Kyaninga lodge / Primate lodge (luxury). Meal Plan; lunch and dinner
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP
Depart for Queen Elizabeth national park located in the foothills of the Mountains of the moon, one of the great mountain ranges of the world. As you continue to the park you may see different animals and birds given that the park has got about 100 mammal species and a remarkable 606 bird species. Overnight and dinner at Enganzi Game lodge (deluxe)/ Kataara lodge (luxury). Meal Plan; lunch and dinner
Day 4: Kyambura Chimp trek
You will take an early excursion to Kyambura gorge to track the fast moving and elusive chimpanzees. Though seeing these mobile chimpanzees is un predictable, the walk is wonderful. Alternatively visit the Maramagambo Forest where you will see the bat cave, the blue lake and several primates. In the afternoon take a launch cruise on the Kazinga Channel which is blessed with many hippos, solitary buffaloes, and a vast array of birds. You will then have an evening game drive in the park. Overnight and dinner at Enganzi Game lodge (deluxe)/ Kataara lodge (luxury). Meal Plan; lunch and dinner
Day 5: The Ishasha Sector transfer to Bwindi
Have an early start for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, passing through the Ishasha sector, well known for the tree climbing lions, or through an alternative route passing through cultivated expanses. After lunch, go for a nature walk or a community visit. Dinner and Overnight at Buhoma.
Day 6: Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi Gorilla Park
Following an early breakfast, you will proceed to the forest for gorilla tracking. Encountering the largest and heaviest primates is an adventurous and memorable activity which can’t be easily forgotten. Tracking from Bwindi involves walking up steep densely forested hills; therefore some fitness is required. After having packed lunch take a leisurely nature or community walk if time permits. Overnight at Travelers’ Rest hotel (budget)/ Ichumbi Gorilla lodge / L. Mulehe Safari lodge (deluxe) Four Gorillas lodge / Gorilla heights lodge (luxury)
Day 7: Return to Kampala
After breakfast return for Kampala having lunch enroute. You will get to Kampala in the afternoon and rest at your hotel for the afternoon. You can have a walk around the hotel, take a swim in the pool at the hotel. Dinner and overnight at Serena Hotel/ Sheraton Hotel.
Included in this tour package;
• Gorilla Permits
• Park Ranger Fees
• Relevant Government Taxes
• Full Board Accommodation
• Full-time English speaking Driver/Guide
• Ground Transportation by a 4×4 safari vehicle
• Airport transfer, as long as your flight is on the same day on which the safari ends.
Exclusions:
• Airfares
• Visa Fees
• Personal Insurance
• Expenses of personal nature such as; drinks, tips, laundry, telephone, cigarettes, accommodation & meals not indicated in the itinerary and optional activities
More about the 7 Days Uganda gorilla safari
This 7 days Uganda gorilla safari offers more of primate experience in the country. The safari features Uganda's best 3 primate tracking destinations. These include Kibale forest national park, Queen Elizabeth national park and Bwindi Impenetrable national park. Kibale forest national park is popularly known as the primates capital of the world due the impressive presence of primates. The park protects 13 primate species including, Chimpanzees, Red-tailed monkey, Black And White Colobus monkeys, L'Hoest monkeys, Vervet monkeys, Olive Baboons, Blue Monkeys, Grey Cheeked Mangabeys, among others. Chimpanzees are the most popular species among travellers and they are commonly seen by visitors to the park. Next to Kibale, there Bigodi swamp which also protects these primates as well as a variety of bird species including the Albertine Rift endemics. Visitors with ample time can may also connect to Bigodi for more primates and bird watching experiences.
Queen Elizabeth national park is Uganda's second largest protected area after Murchison Falls national park in the northwest. The park has got a variety of wildlife species including mammals, primates, birds, reptiles, among others. Due the presence of these species, the park offers a variety of amazing wildlife experiences such as game drives, primate tracking, bird watching and more. The southern Ishasha sector of the park is the most rewarding during game drives due to the presence of amazing species like the tree-climbing lions. Other common species seen during a game drive include antelopes like kobs, buffaloes, elephants, wathog, hyena, leopard, among others. The Kazinga Channel which connects two rift valley lakes George and Edward is also part of the park. A boat cruise along the channel offers amazing views of several species such as hippos, crocodiles, water birds, elephants, among others.
Bwindi impenetrable national park is located in southwest Uganda and popularly known for protecting the largest number of the endangered mountain gorillas in the world. The park has got about 20 habituated gorillas families that are visited by trekkers everyday. Bwindi is demarcated into 4 goririlla tracking sectors which include Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo. Upon booking, visitors are assigned a gorilla family to track in one of the four sectors. Bwindi is one the two habitats in the world that protect the endangered mountain gorillas. The other habitat is the Virunga Mountains which include 3 national parks that straddle the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). There are about 1,064 mountain gorillas in the world and almost half of this population lives in Bwindi impenetrable national park.
Gorilla trekking is the most popular wildlife experience in the region with majority travellers visiting the area including it on their itinerary. Gorillas share 98% of the human DNA and tourist who have encountered them in the wild have witnessed a lot of similarities between them and humans. The cost of trekking gorillas in Bwindi is $700 per person to foreigners, $600 to foreign residents in East Africa and UGX 250,000 for East African citizens. Trekkers are permitted to spend an hour in the presence of gorillas. Bwindi also offers a gorilla habituation experience to travellers where they can take part in tracking a wild gorilla group for four hours. This process is aimed at making the wild gorillas get used to the presence of humans in order to facilitate tourism and conservation. Gorilla habituation with visitors is carried out in Rushaga sector and charged $1,500 per person.
Safari Lodges and Vehicles
