Uganda Primate and Wildlife Tour

Safari Overview

Uganda has vast tourist attractions, culture and scenery. These include the different tribes each with its own culture, various national parks, lakes, rivers, mountains and bird sanctuaries among many others. This tour takes you through a safari adventure of a lifetime.

Safari Highlights

• Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest National Park
• Game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Nature walk in Bigodi swamp
• Boat cruise on Kazinga channel
• Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park
• Stopover at the Equator

Day 1: Pick-up from Entebbe International Airport

After landing at Entebbe International Airport, our driver and tour guide will pick you up. He will transfer you to your hotel for the night while you prepare to embark on your safari the next day.

Day 2: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park for Chimpanzee Trekking

After an early morning breakfast, set off for the loveliest forest national park and popular primate destination – Kibale Forest National Park. Enjoy the attractive plains, local communities and natural vegetation on the countryside en-route. Stopover in Fort-portal town – the tourism capital for lunch and then proceed to Kibale Forest National Park. Upon your arrival, check into your lodge, have dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest

Have an early breakfast and transfer to Kanyanchu Tourism Center for a short briefing. After the briefing, you will be assigned a ranger guide to lead you into the forest for chimp trekking. You will hike through the tropical forested landscapes in search for the remarkable primates. Experience the chimps in their habitat and observe the way they behave, feed and live. You will be granted about an hour to spend with the primates. Return to your lodge, have lunch and then head out for a nature walk in Bigodi swamp. This nature walk will bless you with great views of nature. Enjoy great sights of a variety of bird species and numerous monkeys including the grey checked Mangabeys, Red-tailed monkey and Blue monkey, among others. Proceed with your nature walk to the Bigodi community for a community visit to the locals. Enjoy interacting with the locals and learning a number of things such as basketry, and tales about traditional medicines.

Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

After an exciting experience of chimpanzee trekking, set out for an exhilarating wildlife adventure in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Enjoy sightings of crater lakes and the Rwenzori Mountain Ranges. Upon arrival, you will check into your lodge and have lunch. Relax at your lodge for the rest of the day. Take some time to enjoy the national park cool breeze and the sounds of wild animals.

Day 5: Game drive and Boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth

Early in the morning, you will head out for an early morning game drive in a 4×4 safari vehicle. The early morning game drive is usually the best time to sight the predators including the lions, hyenas and leopards before they go back into hiding. Transfer to Kasenyi mating grounds where most of the park’s wild animals can be seen. Enjoy seeing a variety of wild animals including elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, the Uganda Kobs, bush bucks and many others. Return to the lodge for breakfast and then lunch. In the afternoon, head to Kazinga Channel for your boat safari. Kazinga channel is the water channel that connects the two lakes – Edward and George. Enjoy the two-hour boat that blesses you with thrilling views of crocodiles, hippos, and bird species. In addition, you will get to watch wild animals drinking water by the channel banks. Return to your lodge, have dinner and overnight.

Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Have early morning breakfast and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Drive through the Ishasha sector – the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The sector is well known for having tree climbing lions and you are likely to encounter them, on a lucky safari day. Enjoy the beautiful scenery of terraced plains and hills en-route your journey. You will arrive later in the evening, check into your lodge, have dinner and overnight.

Day 7: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Head for a gorilla trekking expedition. After breakfast, your driver guide will pick you up and transfer you to the Gorilla Trekking Headquarters. Carry packed lunch to eat after trekking as the excursion can take up to 8 hours depending on the location of the gorillas.

At the headquarters, you have a briefing with provision of gorilla trekking guidelines. You will also be allocated different gorilla families to trek in groups and a game ranger to guide you. Thereafter, you will start gorilla trekking. The game ranger will lead the way into the thick impenetrable forest as he clears paths to make way for your routes.

When you finally find the apes, you will be allocated about an hour to spend time with them. Take the opportunity to silently take pictures and record videos. Enjoy observing the gorillas feeding and nesting behaviors while in their natural habitats. After spending a quiet breathtaking hour with these gorgeous apes, you will trek back to the headquarters.

Your driver guide will then pick you up and transfer you back to your lodge. You will refresh and relax for the rest of the evening. Have dinner and retire for the night.

Day 8: Departure

You will end your trip with an early morning breakfast. Then set off on your journey back to Kampala. You will have a stopover for lunch at Igongo Cultural Center in Mbarara. Proceed and have another stopover in Kayabwe – along Kampala-Masaka Highway at the Equator monument. Have a quick photography session, take time to buy a few souvenirs from the local craft shops. Proceed with the journey to Kampala.

After you have arrived in Kampala, your driver guide will drive you back to your hotel to retire for the night. On the other hand, the driver guide can drop you off at Entebbe International Airport to catch your flight back home.

Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking tips

• Eating, drinking and smoking near the gorillas is prohibited. You will be allocated a time and place to do that.
• Carry a rain poncho in case it rains since it is more likely.
• Carry gardening gloves to protect yourself from stinging plants and insects
• Carry long trousers, long sleeved shirts and or sweaters for protection against insects
• Taking pictures and recording videos is permitted, however, a flashlight should not be used as it disturb the primates.