7 days Uganda gorillas, chimpanzees and wildlife safari

This 7 day tour takes you for the ultimate gorilla and chimpanzee adventures in Uganda plus a memorable safari experience. You will cover Uganda’s top wildlife highlights in a 7 days trip. For the wildlife safari you will visit the biggest park in Uganda, the Murchison Falls National Park and explore the savanna plains and the banks of the mighty River Nile to see animals such as the lions, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, hippos and crocodiles etc… Next you will take a trip to Kibale forest National Park the primate capital of the world with 13 species of primates listed in the park including the biggest population of chimpanzees in Uganda that will give you a thrilling chimpanzee tracking adventure to see up close man’s closest relatives. And the best is saved for the last as you will conquer the jungles of Bwindi Impenetrable National park and come face to face with the giant mountain gorillas during the gorilla trekking adventure!

Tour Itinerary

Day 1 – travel to Murchison falls national park and rhino tracking in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

You will be picked from Kampala or Entebbe at 7am and drive to Murchison Falls National Park in the north. This will be a 5 – 6 hour journey to the park which you will break up with a stopover at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary where you shall go on a guided 1 hour walk to see the Rhinos. The Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is the only place in Uganda with Rhinos in the wild.

Day 2 – full day safari in the Murchison which includes game drive and boat cruise, and top of the falls hike

After early breakfast you shall set out for the game drive in the Murchison Falls National Park and spot wild animals such as giraffes, buffaloes, warthogs, lions, antelopes, elephants and pattas monkeys (unique savanna monkeys).

After lunch you shall go for the boat safari along the River Nile and spot more animals as you enjoy the beautiful scenery. Hippos and Crocodiles are permanent residents of the Nile in Murchison Falls National Park while other animals can be spotted coming to drink water. The 2 hour boat cruise shall take you to base of the Murchison Falls from where you shall take a 45 minute hike top the Murchison Falls! This is one of the biggest highlights of a trip to Murchison Falls National Park as you witness the Nile forcing through a small gap between the rocks about 7 meters wide and creating the world’s strongest waterfall. You will find the drive at the top and drive back to the lodge.

Day 3 – travel to Kibale National Park

Today you shall travel to Kibale National Park in western Uganda. You will enjoy the scenic drive along the Albertine rift valley.

Day 4 – chimpanzee tracking in Kibale forest and Bigodi wetland walk

After your early breakfast you shall transfer to Kibale forest National Park for the chimpanzee tracking adventure. You will meet the park guides at the park office by 7am for briefing and thereafter continue for trek in Kibale forest and track down a community of habituated chimps. You will spend an hour with chimps and return and transfer back to the lodge for lunch.

Later you shall go for a nature walk in the Bigodi wetlands near Kibale forest and watch several species of monkeys, birds and enjoy the beautiful scenery. After the wetland walk you shall visit the local community near the wetlands and learn about their traditional way of life and their cultures.

Optional: chimpanzee habituation experience

You can go for the full day chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest and spend a full day with the chimps. The chimpanzee habituation experience starts at about 5am so that you find the chimps before they leave their nests and then watch them as they start their day and keep with them for the rest of the day or till when you feel you have had enough and return to the lodge for relaxation.

Day 5 – travel to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After breakfast you shall check out and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Day 6 – gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Today you shall transfer to Bwindi National Park for the once in a lifetime gorilla trekking adventure. You will report to the park office by 7am to meet the park guides and for allocation of the gorilla groups. Bwindi has up to 19 habituated groups and each group is assigned not more 8 travelers. You will then set off to trek in the dense jungles to find your habituated group. You spend one hour with the gorillas and then return to the lodge to relax away the rest of the day.

Optional: Gorilla habituation experience

For more time with the gorillas you can instead do the gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi national park. The gorilla habituation experience is 4 hours long and includes tracking down a gorilla group that is under the habituation experience. You the trackers, researchers who undertaking the habituation experience and you to trek the spot where the gorillas were last seen the previous day and then the habituation experience starts from here. You shall follow clues to the find the gorillas and spend time with the gorillas for the rest of 4 hours.