6 Days Gorilla Trekking Safari in Uganda, Chimpanzee and wildlife

6 days gorilla trekking safari in Uganda, world’s most fascinating primates 

A thrilling 6 days gorilla trekking safari adventure in Uganda, gives you an opportunity to trek chimpanzees and gorillas, as well as over 12 other primate species, lions, elephants, hippos and more. With over 1000 bird species to spot, this safari offers a unique and unforgettable experience. Explore the stunning landscapes of southwestern Uganda, including Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kibale Forest National Park and Bwindi Forest National Park, where you’ll witness the incredible diversity of Uganda’s wildlife and flora. Don’t miss out on the chance to encounter these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat.

Tour Highlights

• Arrive at Entebbe be Briefed on the safari and start your Journey
• Chimpanzee trekking and site seeing in the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary
• Queen Elizabeth National Park for wildlife Game Drive Safari 
• Wildlife Safari Game Drive via Ishasha sector and boat ride on Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park for Gorilla Trekking
• Departure from Entebbe via Kampala and end of Tour

Detailed Itinerary:

Day 1: Pickup at Entebbe and start 6 days Gorilla and chimps trekking safari in Uganda

Upon your arrival at Entebbe airport, you will start your safari tour with a detailed briefing on the safari by your Gorilla Safaris Uganda Travel agent before embarking on a scenic drive towards Fort Portal in western Uganda. The journey takes approximately 5 hours, during which you’ll pass through traditional Ugandan villages where you’ll witness locals cultivating their crops of millet, sorghum, beans and maize. The region’s rolling hills offer great opportunities for taking photographs. As you get closer to Fort Portal, nestled in the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains, you’ll be surrounded by Uganda’s famous tea plantations, an unusual contrast to the scenery you’ve witnessed so far.

The next destination is Kibale Forest, a renowned African rainforest research reserve with a vast variety of primates especially the chimpanzees and colobus monkeys, some of which have been habituated for human observations through years of scientific study. Birdwatching is also fantastic in this area. Fort Portal is a small city known for its weaving and basketry, and here you will take some time to admire the local art. The fort was constructed between 1891 and 1893 and named after Sir Gerald Portal, the British Consul General of Zanzibar, who arrived in Uganda in 1892 to formalize the protectorate of Uganda. During the afternoon, you’ll have time to visit the scenic crater lakes region and explore the beautifully terraced tea estates. Kasenda Crater Lakes, located in the south of Fort Portal, is a must-visit destination.

You’ll have a chance to admire Lake Nyinambuga from the Fort’s rim, where the main building overlooks the lake. You’ll also have a view of another lake in the distance and, further away, the cloud-shrouded Rwenzori Mountains. You can also take a leisurely hour’s walk around Lake Nyinambuga or participate in other activities in the area have your lunch en-route. Dinner and overnight will be at your chosen lodge.

Accommodation options available (all on full board basis)

Up-market: Ndali Lodge or Primate Lodge Kibale

Moderate: Mountains Of The Moon Hotel

Budget Tourist: Kibale Forest Camp

Day 2: Early morning go for Chimpanzee trekking and site seeing in the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary

Start your day with an early morning breakfast before gathering at Kanyankyu River camp at 8:00 am to embark on the most sought after activity in Kibale National Park – chimpanzee tracking. These fascinating creatures are our closest relatives, and spotting them in their natural habitat is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Along with the chimpanzees, keep an eye out for other primates such as black and white colobus monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, red-tailed monkeys, bush babies, pottos, and numerous bird species, including the spotted nicator, rumped tinkerbird, little greenbul, green-breasted pitta, crowned eagle, and black bee-eater, as well as larger mammals such as elephants.

Kibale National Park, situated at an average elevation of 3,300 feet, is an extension of the vast rainforests of central Africa, and is home to three large communities of chimpanzees, each numbering more than 100 individuals. Each community has its own complex social structure, with dominant adult males guarding the community against male outsiders while females tend to travel in small family groups. We will locate the chimps by listening for their distinctive pant-hooting calls and then follow them to observe their daily activities, such as feeding in fruiting trees, lounging, socializing, and even hunting.

In the afternoon, we will explore a nearby forest swamp that provides excellent opportunities to spot primates and other forest animals. On the eastern edge of Kibale Forest lies the Bigodi Wetland sanctuary, which is maintained by the local community. Here, you can expect to see the great blue turaco, blue monkeys, baboons, otters, mongoose, bushbucks, bush pigs, and other fascinating creatures. After a day full of adventure and wildlife encounters you will have your have your lunch en-route and later return to your lodge for a delightful dinner and a well-deserved rest.

Accommodation options available (all on full board basis)

Up-market: Ndali Lodge or Primate Lodge Kibale

Moderate: Mountains Of The Moon Hotel

Budget Tourist: Rwenzori View Travellers Hotel

Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park for wildlife Game Drive Safari in Uganda

Start your day with a delicious breakfast before embarking on a scenic drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The type of wildlife you’ll see will depend on the season, but keep your eyes peeled for the famous lion prides on the Kasenyi plains and the diverse range of animals around the Mweya peninsula. As you leave Fort Portal town, you’ll head south towards the park, passing through the towering 16,000-foot Rwenzori Mountains – known as the “Mountains of the Moon” – which dominate the park’s northern border. The park covers an impressive 767 square miles and is bordered by Lake George to the northeast and Lake Edward to the southwest, with the Zaire Parc Du Virunga to the west. Expect to see an abundance of wildlife, including Uganda Kob, topi, elephant, lion, giant forest hog, Cape buffalo, and even flamingos in the soda lakes within the park. In the afternoon, take a game drive through the park’s northern region, stopping at Baboon Cliff for stunning views of the Mountains of the Moon. As you drive to your lodge, keep your camera ready for plenty of photo opportunities of the park’s vast savannah grasslands and wildlife have your lunch en-route. Enjoy dinner and overnight at your lodge, taking in the sounds of the African night.

Accommodation options available (all on full board basis)

Up-market: Mweya Safari Lodge (In Deluxe Rooms)

Moderate: Mweya Safari Lodge (In Standard Rooms) Or Jacana Lodge or Katara Lodge

Budget Tourist: Mweya Albertine Hostels

Day 4: Wildlife Safari Game Drive via Ishasha sector and boat ride on Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Start your day with an early morning breakfast before embarking on an exciting game drive in the northern part of the park. We’ll explore the Ishasha and Kasenyi sector, known for their elusive tree-climbing lions and salt lake then elephants, and solitary buffaloes. This is the best time to catch the cats in action as we encounter the vast population of Uganda Kobs. Get ready for an up-close experience with just about every animal as we navigate through the park.

After a fulfilling morning, we’ll have lunch en-route before heading to the Kazinga Channel for a relaxing launch trip. Get your cameras ready as hippos huff and spray just feet away from the boat and buffalos linger in the shallows. The shores of the channel are also a bird-watcher’s paradise, home to pink-backed pelicans, pied and malachite kingfishers, saddle-billed storks, and many other species. Lunch will be had en-route.

We’ll end the day with dinner and overnight at your lodge, reflecting on the memorable experiences of the day.

Accommodation options available (all on full board basis)

Up-market: Mweya Safari Lodge (In Deluxe Rooms)

Moderate: Mweya Safari Lodge (In Standard Rooms) Or Jacana Lodge

Budget Tourist: Mweya Albertine Hostels

Day 5: Drive From Queen Elizabeth National Park to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park for Gorilla Trekking Safari in Uganda

Begin your day with a satisfying breakfast and embark on a picturesque drive through the savannah grasslands towards the awe-inspiring Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. If the roads permit, we will take a route through the southern sector of the park, Ishasha, which is an isolated and stunning extension of Queen Elizabeth National Park, known for its large and diverse population of wildlife. Here, you might be lucky to witness the sight of lions lounging in the large, low-limbed fig trees of Ishasha, which is considered one of the best places in Africa to see this phenomenon. Alternatively, we will take the route through cultivated expanses and later access Bwindi Impenetrable Forest through the Buhoma sector.

The gorilla trek in Bwindi Forest will take you through the rainforest and bamboo-covered slopes, accompanied by an experienced guide and trackers, in search of a mountain gorilla family. The hike can be challenging and tiring, but the moment you catch a glimpse of the magnificent silverback, any discomforts will be quickly forgotten. Visitors will be guided to within 6 metres of the gorillas and will have a rare opportunity to observe them for an entire hour while sitting around them and gazing into their big, round eyes. Gorilla trekking is unpredictable, and the excursion can take anywhere from 2 to 8 hours, with long and steep walks in muddy conditions, and sometimes in the rain. It is recommended that visitors are in good physical condition to undertake this adventure. For conservation purposes, the time spent with the gorillas is limited to one hour, and a ranger will brief you on how to behave around these magnificent creatures.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest has been around for over 25,000 years, and its vegetation has woven itself into complex tangles that have accumulated a vast species list, including 310 species of butterfly, 51 reptiles, 200 trees, 88 moths, and 120 types of mammal, including 10 primates. The latter includes chimpanzee, L’Hoest’s, red-tailed and blue monkey, black and white colobus, baboon, and the famous mountain gorilla. This forest is also a haven for birdwatchers, with over 350 bird species, seven of which are in the IUCN Red Data List, and 90% of all Albertine Rift endemic species, which are difficult or impossible to see in any other part of East Africa. Lunch will be hard en-route and dinner and overnight will be at your lodge

Accommodation options available (all on full board basis)

Up-market: Gorilla Forest Camp

Moderate: Engagi Lodge

Budget Tourist: Buhoma Community Campground (self-contained cottages).

Day 6: Return to Kampala and Depart from Entebbe.

Enjoy an early morning breakfast before we start our journey back to Kampala and eventually Entebbe for departure. As we make our way down from the stunning savannah grasslands of southwestern Uganda, we’ll be treated to the breathtaking views of the hills that have earned this region the nickname “Little Switzerland of Africa”. The area is known for its highly fertile, mountainous terrain, with steep hills covered in neatly terraced rows of crops. Keep an eye out for the impressive long-horned Ankole cattle as we pass through Mbarara.

One of the highlights of our journey will be crossing the Equator line, and we’ll make a brief stop here for some memorable photos. We’ll arrive in Entebbe in the evening, in time for your flight back home and end of 6 days primate and gorilla trekking safari in Uganda,

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