Overview
This comprehensive safari offers unique opportunities to encounter Uganda’s diverse wildlife in their natural habitats. You’ll participate in gorilla trekking in the Bwindi forests, chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest, and game drives in Murchison and Queen Elizabeth National Parks. Throughout your journey, expect to encounter a myriad of wildlife species including mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, buffaloes, lions, leopards, hyenas, waterbucks, elephants, bushbucks, Uganda kobs, giraffes, zebras, Nile crocodiles, and hippos, as well as spectacular bird species.
Trip Highlights
Your 10-day wildlife and primates safari experience includes several remarkable activities and destinations across Uganda’s most celebrated natural areas. You’ll encounter the country’s diverse wildlife through:
- Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a World Heritage site home to over half the world’s mountain gorilla population
- Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest National Park, known as the world’s primate capital
- Rhino trekking on foot at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
- A scenic boat safari along the famous Kazinga Channel
- A breathtaking boat cruise to the base of Murchison Falls
- Game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park’s diverse landscapes
- Cultural encounters with local communities, including the Batwa-Pygmy experience
- Opportunities to spot the “Big Five” and numerous other wildlife species
- Visit to the Uganda Equator
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe International Airport
Upon your arrival at Entebbe International Airport at 22:15 with Brussels Airlines, you’ll be welcomed by your Tubale Safaris Driver-Guide. They will transfer you to your accommodation in either Kampala or Entebbe for relaxation and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Hotel Horizon Entebbe
Meals & Drinks: Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park and Rhino Trekking
Your 7-hour journey northwards begins today, heading to the renowned Murchison Falls National Park. The day includes:
- A lunch stop in Masindi
- Visit to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking, where both black and white rhinos can be found
- Visit to the top of Murchison Falls, where the river squeezes through a 7-meter narrow gorge, creating a spectacular rainbow-crowned waterfall
Murchison Falls is Uganda’s largest protected wildlife area, covering 3,840 square kilometers.
Accommodation: Tilenga Safari Lodge
Meals & Drinks: All meals and drinking water included (Other drinks not included)
Day 3: Murchison Falls Game Drive and Boat Safari
Start your day with an early breakfast before exploring the Northern part of the park, known for its abundant savannah wildlife. The morning game drive offers excellent photography opportunities of elephants, lions, Uganda Kobs, buffaloes, giraffes, waterbucks, hippos, and possibly leopards, along with numerous bird species.
In the afternoon, enjoy a 2-3 hour boat cruise to the bottom of Murchison Falls. During this boat ride, you’ll encounter numerous water birds, hippos, and crocodiles.
Accommodation: Tilenga Safari Lodge
Meals & Drinks: All meals and drinking water included
Day 4: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
After breakfast, embark on your journey to Kibale Forest National Park. You’ll have lunch in Fort Portal with views of the Rwenzori Mountains.
Journey Time: Approximately 5-8 hours
Accommodation: Kibale Forest Camp
Meals & Drinks: All meals and drinking water included
Day 5: Chimpanzee Trekking and Bigodi Swamp Walk
Today focuses on tracking Kibale National Park’s most famous inhabitants, the chimpanzees. These fascinating primates share 98% of human genes, making them our closest living relatives. Uganda hosts approximately 5,000 chimpanzees in the wild, making it one of the best places for chimpanzee viewing in Africa.
The park boasts the highest concentration of primates in East Africa, including:
- Red colobus
- Red-tailed guenon
- White-nosed monkey
- Gray-cheeked mangabey
- Blue monkey
- L’Hoest’s monkey
- Black and white colobus monkey
- Olive baboons
- Bushbabies
- Nocturnal pottos
After tracking, take a guided walk through the Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary, home to 8 primate species, over 200 bird species, and numerous reptiles. The highlight is often spotting the Great Blue Turaco during this 2-3 hour walk.
Accommodation: Kibale Forest Camp
Meals & Drinks: All meals and drinking water included
Day 6: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park, located in southwestern Uganda, is the country’s second-largest park. Situated at the base of the majestic Rwenzori Mountain range, next to Lake Edward and Lake George (joined by the Kazinga channel), this park offers exceptional biodiversity with landscapes including savannah, bushland, wetlands, and lush forests.
The park features 200 kilometers of well-maintained game viewing tracks. With 5,000 hippos, 2,500 elephants, and over 10,000 buffalo thriving in its grasslands and shorelines, sightings of Africa’s most iconic species are guaranteed. You may encounter elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, various antelope species, and predators such as lions, leopards, civet, genal, and serval cats.
Ten primate species inhabit the park’s diverse habitats, including easily spotted vervet and black-and-white colobus monkeys, along with the bold baboons. A professional ranger with extensive knowledge will accompany you to help spot specific wildlife.
Journey Time: Approximately 3-5 hours
Accommodation: Bush Lodge
Meals & Drinks: All meals and drinking water included
Day 7: Game Drive & Kazinga Channel Boat Safari
Begin your day with an early 6:30 AM game drive to catch the early risers and witness the sunrise. Search for elephants, buffalo, lions, waterbuck, leopards, Uganda Kob, warthogs, and more. After lunch, take an afternoon boat safari along the Kazinga Channel, where you’ll see numerous hippos, along with other animals coming to drink or bathe, including buffalo, crocodiles, elephants, and various bird species.
Accommodation: Bush Lodge
Meals & Drinks: All meals and drinking water included
Day 8: Morning Game Drive and Transfer to Bwindi Forest
Start with an early breakfast and morning game drive before heading to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest via the Ishasha region, known for its tree-climbing lions. In the evening, participate in a community walk featuring the Batwa-Pygmy cultural experience and entertainment.
Journey Time: Approximately 3-6 hours
Accommodation: Rushaga Gorilla Lodge
Meals & Drinks: All meals and drinking water included
Day 9: Gorilla Trekking Experience and Lake Bunyonyi
After an early breakfast with packed lunch, head to the park headquarters for briefing by park rangers before beginning your gorilla trek. The rainforest’s beauty is spectacular, with steeply forested landscape criss-crossed by numerous animal trails. Once you locate a gorilla group, you’ll have one hour in their presence.
After this mystical experience, transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation.
Journey Time: Approximately 2-3 hours
Accommodation: Arcadia Lodge
Meals & Drinks: All meals and drinking water included
Day 10: Return to Kampala/Entebbe
After breakfast, begin your return journey to Kampala/Entebbe, with lunch along the way in Mbarara. Visit the Uganda Equator en route. Arrive in Kampala/Entebbe in the late afternoon for either your outbound flight or transfer to accommodation. For evening flights, we recommend booking after 7 PM.
Tour Rate Includes
- Park fees (for non-residents)
- Rhino tracking fees
- Gorilla permits (one per person, non-resident)
- Chimp permits (one per person, non-resident)
- All activities (unless labeled as optional)
- All accommodation (unless listed as upgrade)
- Professional driver/guide
- All transportation in a 4×4 Jeep with Pop Up Roof Top
- All taxes/VAT
- Round-trip airport transfer
- All specified meals
- Drinking water throughout the tour
Tour Rate Excludes
- International flights
- Additional accommodation before/after the tour
- Tips (Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)
- Personal items (Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
- Government-imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees