6 Days Uganda Gorilla and Chimpanzee Tracking Safari

Day 1: Arrival in Uganda and Transfer to Kibale National Park

Your six-day primate adventure begins with your arrival at Entebbe International Airport, where a representative from Verdant Safaris will welcome you and introduce you to your professional safari guide. After a short briefing about your journey, you will begin the drive towards western Uganda and the lush landscapes surrounding Kibale National Park. The journey provides an excellent introduction to the Ugandan countryside, with views of local villages, cultivated farmland, plantations, forests and rolling green hills. Depending on your arrival time, you may stop along the way for lunch and refreshments before continuing towards Fort Portal and Kibale. On arrival in the Kibale area, you will check into your lodge and have time to relax after the journey. If time permits, your guide can arrange a short nature or community experience around the lodge. You will enjoy dinner and prepare for the following day’s exciting chimpanzee tracking experience.

Accommodation Options: Primate Lodge Kibale, Turaco Treetops, Kibale Forest Camp

Meals: (Lunch, Dinner)

Day 2: Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale Forest and Bigodi Wetland Experience

After an early breakfast, you will head to the Kibale National Park headquarters for briefing before beginning your chimpanzee tracking experience. Kibale is renowned for its exceptional primate diversity and is regarded as one of Uganda’s premier destinations for chimpanzee tracking. You will enter the dense tropical forest with an experienced ranger and guide, following trails through towering trees and lush vegetation while listening for chimpanzee calls and watching the canopy for movement. Once a chimpanzee community is located, you will have an opportunity to observe their natural behaviour, including feeding, grooming, playing and moving through the forest. The forest is also home to numerous other primates and bird species, giving you opportunities for additional wildlife sightings during the trek. After returning from the forest, you will have lunch before visiting the nearby Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for a guided nature and community walk. You will then return to your lodge for dinner and overnight relaxation.

Accommodation Options: Primate Lodge Kibale, Turaco Treetops, Kibale Forest Camp

Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 3: Transfer from Kibale to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After breakfast, you will leave the Kibale region and begin your scenic journey towards Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in south-western Uganda. The drive takes you through some of the country’s most picturesque landscapes, with rolling hills, banana plantations, tea-growing areas, rural communities and winding roads offering plenty of opportunities for photography. Depending on the route and timing, you may travel through the beautiful countryside around Queen Elizabeth National Park, with the distant Rwenzori Mountains sometimes visible under favourable weather conditions. You will stop for lunch along the way before continuing towards the Bwindi region. As you approach the park, the landscape becomes increasingly mountainous and forested, signalling your arrival in the home of Uganda’s mountain gorillas. Bwindi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is divided into several trekking sectors, including Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo. On arrival at your lodge, you will check in, relax and receive a briefing about the following day’s gorilla trekking adventure.

Accommodation Options: Buhoma Lodge, Mahogany Springs, Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge

Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 4: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Today is the highlight of your Uganda primate safari as you undertake the extraordinary experience of tracking mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. After an early breakfast, you will proceed to the designated park headquarters for registration and a briefing from Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers about trekking procedures and gorilla conservation guidelines. You will then enter the ancient forest, following your ranger through dense vegetation, steep slopes and established forest trails as you search for your assigned gorilla family. Gorilla trekking can take several hours depending on where the gorillas are located and the terrain you encounter. Once you locate the gorillas, you will have a regulated period to observe them as they feed, rest, interact and move through their forest habitat. After the encounter, you will trek back to the park headquarters before returning to your lodge for lunch and relaxation. The remainder of the afternoon can be spent resting, enjoying the lodge surroundings or taking an optional community experience, before dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation Options: Buhoma Lodge, Mahogany Springs, Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge

Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 5: Bwindi Forest Experience and Transfer to Entebbe or Kampala

After breakfast, you will begin your journey back towards central Uganda, leaving behind the beautiful forests and highlands of south-western Uganda. Depending on your departure schedule, you can enjoy a short nature walk or community experience around Bwindi before beginning the long drive. Your journey will take you through the scenic Ugandan countryside, where you will see terraced hillsides, banana plantations, small trading centres and rural communities. You will have lunch at a suitable stop along the route, providing an opportunity to stretch your legs and refresh before continuing towards Kampala or Entebbe. The drive offers another opportunity to appreciate the changing landscapes of Uganda, from the mountainous south-west to the greener central region. Depending on your arrival time, you may check into a hotel in Kampala or Entebbe for your final overnight stay, allowing you to rest before your international departure. Alternatively, if your flight schedule permits, you can continue directly to the airport for departure the following day.

Accommodation Options: No.5 Boutique Hotel, Protea Hotel by Marriott Kampala, Papyrus Guest House Entebbe

Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 6: Departure

Your final day is reserved for departure, marking the end of your six-day gorilla and chimpanzee tracking adventure with Verdant Safaris. After breakfast, you will have some free time depending on the scheduled departure of your international or regional flight. If your flight is later in the day, you may enjoy a relaxed morning at your hotel or take a short optional visit to a nearby attraction, subject to your flight schedule and additional arrangements. Your safari guide will ensure that you are transferred comfortably to Entebbe International Airport in good time for check-in and your onward flight. Before leaving, you will have the opportunity to review your photographs and memories from the forests of Kibale and Bwindi. The safari concludes with your airport drop-off and farewell from the Verdant Safaris team. We hope your encounters with Uganda’s chimpanzees, mountain gorillas, landscapes and communities leave you with lasting memories of the Pearl of Africa.

Meals: (Breakfast)