10 Days Wildlife, Gorillas and chimpanzee Safari

10-Day Uganda Gorillas, Chimps & Wildlife Safari

A journey through Kibale Forest, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Ishasha, and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Trip Overview

Duration 10 Days / 9 Nights

Style – Small group or private, 4×4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof

Highlights – Chimpanzee trekking, gorilla trekking, tree-climbing lions, Kazinga Channel boat cruise, Batwa cultural encounter

Best time to go Year-round; drier months (Dec–Feb, Jun–Sep) are easiest for trekking

Physical level Moderate to challenging (gorilla trekking can involve steep, muddy terrain)

Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe

Arrive at Entebbe International Airport, where your guide meets you and transfers you to a lodge on the shores of Lake Victoria. Spend the afternoon settling in, or take an optional stroll through Entebbe Botanical Gardens to spot vervet monkeys, giant fruit bats, and forest birdlife. Dinner and overnight at Protea Hotel.

Overnight: Entebbe Meals: Dinner

Day 2: Entebbe to Kibale Forest National Park

Depart early and drive west, breaking the journey to have lunch then later proceed on journey via the scenic Rift Valley escarpment to Kibale Forest National Park. You shall transfer for a period of 7 to 8 hours with views of the green terrain and after a while, you reach the Park headquarters for registration to track the chimpanzees the next morning then later you shall proceed to check in your lodge for Dinner and Overnight. Primates’ lodge Kibale.

Day 3: Chimpanzee Trekking & Bigodi Wetland Walk

Rise early for a briefing at Kanyanchu Visitor Centre before entering Kibale National Park, home to the highest density of primates in Africa. Trek through the forest in search of habituated chimpanzee families, along with red colobus, black-and-white colobus, grey-cheeked mangabeys, and l’Hoest’s monkeys. In the afternoon, take a community-guided walk through the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, known for over 200 bird species, including the elusive great blue turaco.

Overnight: Kibale Forest area Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Kibale to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Drive south to Queen Elizabeth National Park, passing through the Rwenzori foothills with views of the “Mountains of the Moon” (weather permitting). En route, stop at a crater lake viewpoint in the Kasenda crater field. Arrive in time for an afternoon game drive on the Kasenyi plains, where lion, elephant, buffalo, Uganda kob, and hyena are commonly seen.

Overnight: Queen Elizabeth National Park Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise & Game Viewing

An early game drive gives the best chance of predator sightings. After breakfast, take a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, one of Africa’s great wildlife-viewing waterways, connecting Lake Edward and Lake George. Expect close encounters with massive pods of hippos, Nile crocodiles, buffalo herds, and prolific birdlife including African fish eagles, pelicans, and kingfishers. Optional afternoon activities include a visit to a local fishing village or the Kyambura Gorge for a chance at chimpanzee tracking in the “Valley of Apes.”

Overnight: Queen Elizabeth National Park Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Ishasha Sector to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Head south into the remote Ishasha sector, famous for its tree-climbing lions that lounge in the branches of fig trees during the heat of the day. After searching for this unusual sight, continue to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, arriving in the afternoon as the terrain shifts from open savannah to dense montane rainforest.

Overnight: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7: Mountain Gorilla Trekking

The centerpiece of the trip. After an early breakfast and briefing at the park headquarters, set off with expert trackers and rangers into the forest in search of a habituated mountain gorilla family. Trek times vary from 1 to 6 hours depending on where the gorillas are located. Once found, you’ll spend a profound hour observing them — watching silverbacks, mothers, and playful youngsters at close range in Uganda’s UNESCO-listed forest, home to roughly half the world’s remaining mountain gorillas.

Overnight: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Note: A gorilla trekking permit (booked well in advance) is required

Day 8: Batwa Cultural Encounter & Community Walk

A gentler day to absorb the experience. Join a Batwa Cultural Trail, guided by descendants of the forest’s original inhabitants, who share their traditional way of life, songs, and forest survival skills from their time living inside Bwindi. In the afternoon, take an optional nature walk to waterfalls within the forest, or simply relax at your lodge with views over the forest canopy.

Overnight: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9: Lake Bunyonyi

Drive roughly 2 hours to Lake Bunyonyi, one of Africa’s most beautiful lakes, dotted with 29 islands and terraced hillsides. Free of bilharzia and crocodiles, it’s safe for swimming. Spend the afternoon canoeing in a traditional dugout canoe, birdwatching, or simply relaxing lakeside after a physically demanding week.

Overnight: Lake Bunyonyi Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10: Departure

Enjoy a final relaxed breakfast overlooking the lake before the drive back toward Entebbe (or a domestic flight from Kihihi/Kisoro airstrip to save driving time). Transfer to Entebbe International Airport for your onward flight, or extend your stay with a Nile source visit in Jinja.

Meals: Breakfast

Inclusions

Exclusions