7-Day Uganda Gorilla Tracking and Wildlife Safari from Entebbe

• Upon your arrival at Entebbe Airport, you will clear immigration, be welcomed by our driver-guide, and then be transferred to your hotel for relaxation and an overnight stay.

Meal Plan: Extra cost

Accommodation: Protea Hotel (Luxury)

Papyrus Guest House (Mid-range and budget)

• After breakfast, you will embark on a fascinating drive to Kibale Forest National Park, passing through papyrus swamps and the thick jungle of the Nile Delta at the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains. Do not forget to carry your hiking boots, as they are ideal for forest walks. However, stout walking shoes are also adequate, and lightweight raincoats are advisable. The altitude and forest environment make evenings cool, so a light jacket is recommended. If you choose to bring a camera, be aware that the dark-haired chimpanzees in typically dim conditions can be challenging subjects to photograph.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Kyaninga Lodge (Luxury)

Kibale Forest Camp (Mid-range)

Chimpanzee Forest Lodge and Guest House (Budget)

• After breakfast, you will be transferred to Kibale National Park headquarters at Kanyanchu Visitor Centre to join other trekkers for a briefing, followed by chimpanzee tracking starting at 8:00 am.
• Your ranger guide will take you on a 2-5 hour guided primate walk inside Kibale Forest National Park. This forest offers the opportunity to visit habituated chimpanzees in their natural habitat and spend an hour with them observing and taking photographs. Kibale National Park is also home to 13 other primate species, along with forest birds. Although chimpanzees steal the limelight, expect to see other primates such as the black-and-white colobus monkey, grey-cheeked mangabey, blue monkey, red-tailed monkey, L'Hoest's monkey, bush babies, pottos, and more. The forest is also home to a variety of bird species, including African pitta, green-breasted pitta, Afep pigeon, white-naped pigeon, crowned eagle, red-chested owlet, black bee-eater, western nicator, yellow-rumped tinkerbird, little greenbul, brown-chested alethe, blue-breasted kingfisher, African grey parrot, and scaly-breasted illadopsis, among others.
• As you do your chimpanzee tracking, expect to see a wide and colourful variety of butterfly species.
• After lunch, visit Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for birdwatching. The sanctuary is managed by the local community living around Kibale National Park. Bigodi Wetland is a 4.5 km long wildlife corridor, and a walk here can last up to 3 hours. The Bigodi project was designed to benefit the local community living around Kibale Forest National Park. Bigodi Wetland is home to 200 bird species, making it a perfect site for birders. Common bird species sighted in Bigodi Sanctuary include the great blue turaco, papyrus gonolek, kingfishers, waxbills, cuckoos, weavers, hornbills, and many others. You will also come across a colourful variety of butterfly species and reptiles.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Kyaninga Lodge (Luxury)

Kibale Forest Camp (Mid-range)

Chimpanzee Forest Lodge and Guest House (Budget)

• You will have breakfast at the lodge and embark on a scenic drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park, arriving in time for lunch at Enganzi Game Lodge (Mid-range) or Mweya Safari Lodge (Luxury).
• After lunch and check-in at your booked accommodation, you will go for the famous Kazinga Channel boat cruise. The 2-hour boat cruise provides a relaxed opportunity to see resident hippos, visiting buffaloes, Uganda kobs, elephants, and warthogs lining the Kazinga Channel banks.
• See a variety of bird species, including flamingos, herons, marabou storks, and more.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge (Luxury)

Enganzi Lodge (Mid-range Lodge and budget)

• Begin your day with a cup of coffee followed by an early morning game drive at 6:30 am. The 3-hour game drive along Kasenyi and Queen's Mile presents the opportunity for visitors to encounter elephants, buffalo, leopards, hyenas, topi, waterbucks, warthogs, lions, Uganda kobs, lakes, and a variety of birds.
• Return to your lodge for breakfast, freshen up, and set off for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
• On your way out of the park, you will have a mini game drive in the Ishasha Sector in search of the tree-climbing lions. Expect to see herds of antelope and other safari favourites as well.
• After the Ishasha game drive, you will proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for gorilla trekking the following day. The drive to Bwindi will take you 3 hours as you enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way.
• Upon reaching Bwindi, you will check in at your booked accommodation, have lunch, relax, and enjoy the facility until dinner time.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp (Luxury)

Rushaga Gorilla Camp (Mid-range)

Mutanda Lake Resort (Budget)

• After an early morning breakfast, you will transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the dos and don'ts while with the gorillas.
• You will then be taken to the starting point for tracking your allocated gorilla family in Bwindi Forest. Each gorilla family is assigned to a group of no more than eight trackers, which is why it is recommended that you book your gorilla permit in advance. This trek starts at 8:00 am and may take from 40 minutes up to 6 hours, depending on how far the mountain gorillas have moved into the forest. Gorilla tracking can be strenuous, and as such, a certain level of fitness is required.
• Once you find the gorillas, you will be allowed one precious hour to observe them. Take photos as well as audio and visual recordings.
• In this dense jungle, expect to also see a variety of bird species, other primate species, colourful butterflies, some antelopes, and other mammals during your gorilla trekking adventure.
• Walk on steep and slippery terrain with prickly vegetation such as stinging nettles as you listen to the sounds of nature. Therefore, remember to carry a rain jacket, drinking water, snacks or a lunchbox, jungle boots, gloves, and a walking stick with you.
• Afterwards, return to the park headquarters to be awarded a certificate in recognition of your effort toward the conservation of the endangered mountain gorillas.
• Head back to the lodge for relaxation.
• Later in the afternoon, go for a village walk to gain insight into the lives of the local people living around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp (Luxury)

Rushaga Gorilla Camp (Mid-range)

Mutanda Lake Resort (Budget)

• After breakfast, you will be driven to the airstrip by our company representative for your morning flight back to Entebbe. However, this only applies to Luxury and Mid-range safaris. For the budget safari, guests will travel back to Entebbe by road, and this will take no less than 8 hours.
• Upon reaching Entebbe, you will go for your COVID-19 departure test (USD 150). Have lunch as you wait for the results. You may have to wait 2-3 hours for the results. Once the results are back, you will be driven to the airport for your onward flight. We recommend that your onward flight be scheduled for 7:00 pm onward.

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