Uganda Gorilla Trekking, Wildlife Safari (10 Day)

Gorilla Trekking, Queen, Kibale & Murchison Safari Park

Uganda Gorilla Trekking Overview

This 10-day Uganda Gorilla Trekking and wildlife safari will take you to the misty Bwindi Impenetrable forest, which is home to more than half the population of the remaining 880 Mountain Gorillas in the world. Gorilla trekking is the most enchanting experience in this forest. You will have an experience of a lifetime as you watch at close range these majestic apes feed, play, and relax.

This gorilla trekking safari will take you to Queen Elizabeth national park for a Game drive and Boat launch on the Kazinga channel, take you to Kibale Forest National Park for chimpanzee trekking, and for a nature walk in the unique Bigodi swamp to see rare species of monkeys, birds, and plants. You will crown with a visit to Murchison Falls National Park for a game drive and boat launch.

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Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safari Highlights

Equator experience
Gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable forest
Game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Boat cruises on the Kazinga channel
Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National park
Game drive in Murchison Falls National Park
Boat cruise on the Nile River
Visit the Ziwa Rhino sanctuary

Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safari Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Uganda

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be met by our safari park guide who will transfer you to Kampala to a hotel booked for you. In case you have had an early flight to Uganda, you will be taken on a brief tour of the city of Kampala.

Accommodation: Anderita Beach Hotel, Papyrus Guesthouse Entebbe, Gately Inn Entebbe

Day 2: Travel to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (490 Kms)

After an early breakfast, you will set off from Kampala and travel westwards to Bwindi for approximately 9-10 hours. You will have a brief stop at the Equator for an opportunity for you to stand in two hemispheres at the same time and take some photographs. You will continue the journey through the beautiful verdant rolling hills characteristic of this part of the country. You will have a lunch break in Mbarara town and then continue to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park arriving late in the afternoon hours.

Lower Budget: Buhoma community Rest camp / Ruhija Gorilla Friends Camp / Travellers Rest Hotel Kisolo / Gorilla Valley Lodge
Moderate: Gorilla Resort Bwindi /Gorilla Safari Lodge / Silver Back Lodge / Lake Kitandara Camp / Chameleon Hill Lodge / Lake Mutanda Resort.
Upmarket: Mahogany Springs Lodge / Buhoma Lodge / Rushanga Gorilla Safari Lodge.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Gorilla trekking and Cultural exposure
After an early breakfast, you will go to the park headquarters where you will be briefed by the guides before you begin the search in the thick Bwindi forest for the giant gorillas. Bwindi National Park is renowned for its impressive mountain gorillas, although it is unpredictable how long you will track them before finding them since it all depends on their movement.

Though the time spent to track down these Gorillas is unpredictable, the thrill of spending time and observing these gentle giant gorillas is a rare, moving, awesome and exciting adventure that will leave you with long-lasting memories of a truly unique experience. You will return to your lodge for a rest and later go for a cultural walk to interact with the local people. You will participate in captivating traditional performances presented by Women’s groups or orphaned children groups.

Lower Budget: Buhoma community Rest camp / Ruhija Gorilla Friends Camp / Travellers Rest Hotel Kisolo / Gorilla Valley Lodge
Moderate: Gorilla Resort Bwindi /Gorilla Safari Lodge / Silver Back Lodge / Lake Kitandara Camp / Chameleon Hill Lodge / Lake Mutanda Resort.
Upmarket: Mahogany Springs Lodge / Buhoma Lodge / Rushanga Gorilla Safari Lodge.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Boat launch & Game drive in Queen Elizabeth
You will have an early breakfast and then travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park entering it through the Ishasha sector renowned for the tree-climbing lions. You will have a game drive along the way during which you will see Lions, various Antelope species, Elephants, Hyenas, Leopards, and Buffaloes.

You will later in the afternoon go for a two-hour boat cruise down the Kazinga Channel that connects Lakes George and Edward. The cruise takes you through the highest population of Hippos and you will see a profusion of animals drinking on the water shores. This launch cruise rewards you with a great opportunity to take photos, watch birds and see the water animals.

Luxury Lodge: Mweya Safari Lodge: Katara Lodge/ Jacana Lodge
Mid-range moderate: Bush Lodge (in rooms) / Simba Safari Camp in rooms/ Buffalo Safari Resort/ Enganzi Lodge/ Ihamba Safari Lodge
Budget facility: Kazinga Channel View Lodge/ Simba Safari Camp in tents/ Bush Lodge in tents
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Day 5: Game drive and travel to Kibale Forest National Park

You will wake up early for a morning game drive in the park during which you will see Lions, Elephants, Topis, Leopards, Bushbucks, Cape Buffaloes, Defassa Waterbucks, Giant Forest Hogs, Uganda Kobs, among others. On the Drive to Kibale National Safari Park,you will be able to enjoy an impressive sight of the legendary “Mountains of the Moon” which you will clearly see on the road to Fort Portal.

Luxury: Ndali lodge/Primate lodge/Kibale forest/Kyaninga lodge
Moderate: Mountains of the moon/Kibale forest camp
Budget: Rwenzori travelers/kibale forest camp/Chimpanzee forest guest house
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Chimpanzee tracking and swamp walk for bird watching
You will, after breakfast, head to Kibale Forest National Park to view the primates. The activity begins at 8.00 am with a briefing on the rule for tracking the chimpanzees after which you set off to search for them in the forest. The exercise takes half a day and along the way, you will see other primates such as Grey cheeked Mangabeys, Phoestes, Red-Colobus, and the Blue tailed and the Red-tailed monkeys swinging in the branches of this thick forest.

Your guide will give you informative briefings on the lifestyles of the primates you will be coming across and on the plants as well as on the insects and butterflies in this forest to ensure that the trek is not only enjoyable but informative as well. You will return to the lodge for lunch after which you will explore the unique Bigodi swamp eco-tourism site where you will see uncommon plants and rare bird species such as the Great Blue Turaco, little Bulbul, Rwenzori Turaco, and the Narina Trogon, among others.

Dinner and overnight will be at the lodge of your booking.

Luxury: Ndali lodge/Primate lodge/Kibale forest/Kyaninga lodge
Moderate: Mountains of the moon/Kibale forest camp
Budget: Rwenzori travelers/Kibale forest camp/Chimpanzee forest guest house
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park (441 Kms)

You will set off on a 9-hour journey to Murchison Falls National Safari Park. The drive is through verdant countryside inter-passing traditional homesteads and farms and via the town of Hoima where you have a lunch break. You will continue the journey to Murchison Falls National Park arriving late in the afternoon.

Dinner and overnight will be at the lodge of your booking

Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge/ Nile Safari Lodge
Mid-range: Fort Murchison (in rooms)/ Murchison River Lodge
Budget: Fort Murchison in tents/ Murchison River Lodge in tents / Red Chili
Meal Plan: Dinner

Day 8: Game Drive and Boat Cruise

You will wake up very early and set off at 6.30 am for a sunrise game drive in the Nyamsika plateau to see the Cape buffaloes, Rothschild’s giraffes, Uganda kob, hartebeest, and waterbucks. You may also spot oribi, bushbuck, Bohor reedbuck, shy sitatunga, bush duiker, warthog, and bush pig plus large carnivores including lions, leopards, and spotted hyenas.

Chimpanzees and olive baboons head the list of six species of primates found in the park. Crocodiles and hippos will be seen along the banks of the Nile River. Some of the more common birds that can be seen include goliath heron, Egyptian geese, pelican, bee-eaters, kingfishers, hornbill, cormorant, saddle-bill stork, and the rare shoebill stork.

You will return to your lodge for a late breakfast and some relaxation before you set off in the afternoon for a boat cruise on the placid Victoria Nile, upstream, to the base of the falls. En route, you will see hippos, crocodiles, waterbuck, and a wide variety of birds like the unusual shoebill stork. The boat stops just tens of meters from the “Devil’s Cauldron” for pictures to be taken of the photogenic and majestic Murchison Falls.

Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge/ Nile Safari Lodge
Mid-range: Fort Murchison (in rooms)/ Murchison River Lodge
Budget: Fort Murchison in tents/ Murchison River Lodge in tents / Red Chili
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9: Travel to Kampala via Ziwa Rhino sanctuary (311 Kms)

You will have an early breakfast and drive to Kampala via the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary where you will have the opportunity to trek the Rhinos. The sanctuary houses Uganda’s Rhino reintroduction project. There are 9 white rhinos and tracking is done on foot for 1 and half hours. You will continue to Kampala arriving late in the afternoon for a well deserved at the hotel of your booking.

Accommodation: Anderita Beach Hotel, Papyrus Guesthouse Entebbe, Gately Inn Entebbe

Day 10: Departure

Depending on your flight time you will be transferred to the airport to catch your flight back home.

This safari package includes;

Transportation in a land cruiser/super custom with pop up roof

Gorilla permit (a US $600 value)
Chimp Permit
Boat cruise
All fuel for the trip.
Driver/guide.
Game drive
Guide ranger fees.
Accommodation and meals as per itinerary.
All activities are described in the itinerary.
The Park fee is according to the program.
Meals are according to the program.

However, the Uganda Gorilla Trekking package excludes: Personal Expenses like tobacco, telephone, drinks, laundry, porter fee, personal insurance, Visa, and tips for guides

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